Best RPG of the 90s Poll at XP4T

[Infinitron]

UPDATE - Poll is live: http://www.xp4t.com/poll-best-pc-rpgs-of-the-1990s/

This time there's a "pre-poll" stage so they won't miss any games.

http://www.xp4t.com/pre-poll-the-best-rpgs-of-the-90s/

Pre-Poll The Best RPGs of the 90’s


That’s right ladies and germs, we’re putting together another poll here at XP4T! This time we’re gonna do it right, and ask YOU, our esteemed readers for your input. Below is a list that we’ve wacked together of potential candidates to be the Best PC RPG’s of the 1990’s, but before we open the poll, we just want to make sure that we didn’t miss any. All you need to do is write your suggestions below in the comments section. If the game that you’ve suggested was in fact published in the 1990’s and had a PC release, and is of course a role playing game, then we’ll verify it and add it to the list.

Here’s what we’ve come up with so far:

Spoiler

GAME YEAR OF RELEASE DEVELOPER PUBLISHER(S)
Albion 1995 Blue Byte Software Blue Byte Software
Alien Logic: A Skyrealms of Jorune Adventure 1994 Ceridus / Toys for Bob Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Amberstar 1992 Thalion Software GmbH Thalion Software GmbH
Baldur’s Gate (incl. +Tales of the Sword Coast expansion) 1998 Bioware Black Isle Studios,
Interplay Entertainment
BattleTech – The Crescent Hawks Revenge 1990 Westwood Infocom
Betrayal at Krondor 1993 Dynamix Sierra On-Line
Betrayal in Antara 1997 Sierra Entertainment Sierra Entertainment
Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday 1990 Strategic Simulations, Inc. Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Buck Rogers: Matrix Cubed 1992 Strategic Simulations, Inc. Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Champions of Krynn 1990 Strategic Simulations, Inc. Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Crystals of Arborea 1990 Silmarils Silmarils
Dark Sun: Shattered Lands 1993 Strategic Simulations, Inc. Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Dark Sun: Wake of the Ravager 1994 Strategic Simulations, Inc. Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Darklands 1992 MicroProse MicroProse
Death Knights of Krynn 1991 Strategic Simulations, Inc. Strategic Simulations, Inc.
DragonStrike 1990 Westwood Associates Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Dungeon Hack 1993 DreamForge Intertainment Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Dungeon Master II: The Legend of Skullkeep 1993 FTL Games Interplay Entertainment
Eye of the Beholder 1991 Westwood Associates Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Eye of the Beholder II: The Legend of Darkmoon 1991 Westwood Associates Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Eye of the Beholder III: Assault on Myth Drannor 1993 Strategic Simulations, Inc. Softgold Computerspiele
Ving Co., Ltd.
Fallout 1 1997 Interplay Entertainment Interplay Entertainment
Fallout 2 1998 Black Isle Studios Interplay Entertainment
Fantasy Empires 1993 Silicon Knights Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Final Fantasy VII 1997 Square Eidos Interactive
Fountain of Dreams 1990 Electronic Arts Electronic Arts
Gateway to the Savage Frontier 1991 Stormfront Studios Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Ishar 2: Messengers of Doom 1993 Silmarils Silmarils
Ishar 3: The Seven Gates of Infinity 1994 Silmarils Silmarils
Ishar: Legend of the Fortress 1992 Silmarils Silmarils
Lands of Lore III 1999 Westwood Studios Electronic Arts
Lands of Lore: Guardians of Destiny 1997 Westwood Studios Virgin Interactive
Lands of Lore: The Throne of Chaos 1993 Westwood Studios Virgin Interactive
Legend of Faerghail 1990 Electronic Design Hannover Rainbow Arts Software GmbH
Menzoberranzan 1994 DreamForge Intertainment Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Might and Magic III 1991 New World Computing New World Computing
Might and Magic IV 1992 New World Computing New World Computing
Might and Magic V 1993 New World Computing New World Computing
Might and Magic VI 1998 New World Computing 3DO
Neverwinter Nights 1991 Stormfront Studios Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Planescape: Torment 1999 Black Isle Studios Interplay Entertainment
Pools of Darkness 1991 Strategic Simulations, Inc. Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Prophecy of the Shadow 1992 Strategic Simulations, Inc. Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Ravenloft 2: The Stone Prophet 1995 DreamForge Intertainment Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Ravenloft: Strahd’s Possession 1994 DreamForge Intertainment Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Realms of Arkania: Blade of Destiny 1992 Attic Entertainment Software Sir-Tech/U.S. Gold
Realms of Arkania: Shadows over Riva 1996 Fantasy Productions
Attic Entertainment Software TopWare Interactive
Sir-Tech
U.S. Gold
Realms of Arkania: Star Trail 1994 Attic Entertainment Software Sir-Tech/U.S. Gold
Return to Krondor 1998 PyroTechnix
7th Level Sierra Studios/Activision
Shadow Sorcerer 1991 U.S. Gold U.S. Gold
Spelljammer: Pirates of Realmspace 1992 Cybertech Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Stonekeep 1995 Interplay Entertainment Interplay Entertainment
Treasures of the Savage Frontier 1992 Stormfront Studios Strategic Simulations, Inc., WizardWorks Software
The Dark Queen of Krynn 1992 Strategic Simulations, Inc. Strategic Simulations, Inc.
The Elder Scrolls: Arena 1994 Bethesda Softworks Bethesda Softworks
The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall 1996 Bethesda Softworks Bethesda Softworks
The Summoning 1992 Event Horizon Software Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss 1992 Blue Sky Productions Origin Systems
Electronic Arts
Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds 1993 Looking Glass Technologies Origin Systems
Electronic Arts
Ultima VI 1990 Origin Systems Origin Systems
Ultima VII 1992 Origin Systems Origin Systems
Ultima VIII 1994 Origin Systems Origin Systems
Ultima: Worlds of Adventure 2: Martian Dreams 1991 Origin Systems Origin Systems
Unlimited Adventures 1993 MicroMagic Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Wizardry VI 1990 Sir-Tech Software, Inc. Sir-Tech Software, Inc.
Wizardry VII 1992 Sir-Tech Software, Inc. Sir-Tech Software, Inc.
World of Aden: Thunderscape 1995 Strategic Simulations, Inc. Mindscape, Inc.
Worlds of Ultima: The Savage Empire 1990 Origin Systems Origin Systems
Showing 1 to 68 of 68 entries

The list is by no means complete, so don’t be shy, write down your favorite games down below in the comment section, hazaa!

 

[Siveon]

Final Fantasy VII 1997 Square Eidos Interactive

Of course.
:incloosive:

 

[tuluse]

What is XP4T?

 

[Rostere]

What is XP4T?

It's the guys who are doing all these polls for us, farming clicks for their site.

 

[Metro]

Sort of an awkward decade to conflate. As much as I love the Gold Box games they're obviously going to be trumped by the Black Isle stuff. And while U6 and 7 are classics they're fairly lacking in meaningful RPG elements.

 

[Doctor Sbaitso]

There is such much good happening in the 90s (particularly the first half) that a popularity contest is bullshit. I find informed opinions more interesting than these types of polls.

 

[pcgneurotic]

Hello all. My name's Neurotic, I'm from XP4T. I just wanted to swing by and say hello, and reassure you all that we're not a bunch of Buzzfeed-style clickbait merchants. In fact, we're a PC gaming blog staffed by expats of different countries, mostly working in the gaming industry. (XP4T = expat). Our chiefs are a voice actor and a localization manager, and the rest of us are linguists and programmers and so on.

Anyway, we've been around for a while, but since we run the blog as an entirely fun, money-free operation (we made 12 US cents from Google Ads recently, woo-hoo!), we do try to look for partner sites to do fun things with, and it happens that RPG Codex, a site quite a few of us happen to really like, was amenable to posting news of our latest poll (thanks guys!). We ran an Eighties poll prior to this one which was hugely popular and gave some interesting results, but there was a bit of fuss about certain titles being absent from the list, so this time we decided to do the 'pre-poll' too. A poll of a poll, if you will. :D When we run the results, then yes, we do do a bit of analysis and descriptive text for each of the winners. Plus, you're always welcome to come and stir things up a bit in the comments (we use Disqus).

So anyway, that's us, that's what we're about, and if you want to click on over, we have a variety of RPG-related and non-RPG articles and posts up. Last week I did a piece on broken games that had been fixed by fan patches, and the three games I picked were all RPGs - Daggerfall, Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines, and Gothic 3. There are a few more I want to write about too, so stay tuned!

 

[Jvegi]

Why is there a Gothic screen on your banner?

 

[Ramireza]

Why a Poll? I knew the Top 4 already :

1. Planescape Torment
2. Fallout 2
3. Fallout 1
4. Baldurs Gate

 

[Declinator]

Where is System Shock 2?

 

[Sykar]

Why a Poll? I knew the Top 4 already :

1. Planescape Torment
2. Fallout 2
3. Fallout 1
4. Baldurs Gate

Considering how hated FO2 seems to be I doubt it will be in the top 4 and probably not above FO 1.

Where is System Shock 2?

 

[Infinitron]

Where is System Shock 2?

Read the comments.

 

[pcgneurotic]

Why is there a Gothic screen on your banner?

Yeah, that's part of the '3 Broken Games' bit. If you keep watching, it'll change into something else. :D

 

[octavius]

Sort of an awkward decade to conflate. As much as I love the Gold Box games they're obviously going to be trumped by the Black Isle stuff. And while U6 and 7 are classics they're fairly lacking in meaningful RPG elements.

They should have divided the poll in two, one poll for the DOS era games and another for the Windows era games.

 

[felipepepe]

DragonStrike is an RPG, but System Shock 2 isn't?

 

[Ulminati]

We already have a prestigious top70. We don't need an inferior toplist from a clickbait site that lets popamolars vote.

You all know the results are going to be presented as a top50, with each game on a separate page surrounded by advertisements.

 

[Ellef]

Yeah their list might have Mass Effect on it or something.

 

[IncendiaryDevice]

Yeah their list might have Mass Effect on it or something.

 

[MicoSelva]

So, now we know they did not classify Dark Heart of Uukrul as a 90s game, they just do not know about it at all.
Crooked Bee

Also, there should be separate polls for early 90s (DOS era) and late 90s (Windows era), because the paradigm shifted a lot during this decade.

 

[4249]

Why is there a Gothic screen on your banner?

Yeah, that's part of the '3 Broken Games' bit. If you keep watching, it'll change into something else. :D

I think he meant that why is there a screenshot from Gothic on the The Best RPGs of the 90’s banner, when the game was released in 2001.

 

[Infinitron]

OK, the poll is on: http://www.xp4t.com/poll-best-pc-rpgs-of-the-1990s/

Welcome to the days of yore! Back here in the 1990s we’re all having a colourful multicultural revolution, hip-hoppers and grungers alike, looking ahead to the true rise of the Internet at the end of the decade. Some of you may have very fond memories of the early days of PC RPGs, while some of you may not even have been born. Either way, as PC gamers our rich legacy of dice-rolling and orc-slaying established in crude CGA and 16-colour VGA graphics in the 1980s positively exploded in the 1990s.

One of the reasons we’re running these polls is to help you discover – and re-discover — some of the gaming jewels of our past. And thanks to sites like GOG.com it’s easier than ever to experience and re-experience these classics. It’s never too late! Then again, maybe you know all of these titles, in which case choosing your favourite RPGs of the 1990s is going to be a tough task!

A few months back, we ran a poll of the Best RPGs of the 1980s, and got a ton great feedback from the PC gaming community. We added a few games retroactively though, which did ruffle some feathers. So this time we’ve learned from our mistakes and have been running a pre-pollfor the last 4 weeks, to determine the ultimate list you’ll all be choosing from. Additionally, due to the sheer amount of CRPGs from the 1990s, we’ve increased the number of games you can vote for to10!

So, without further ado, here are the nominees for XP4T’s Best RPGs of the 1990s:

What are your favorite Role Playing Games of the 1990’s? (choose 10)

Spoiler

• Albion
• Alien Logic: A Skyrealms of Jorune Adventure
• Ambermoon
• Amberstar
• Baldur’s Gate
• BattleTech – The Crescent Hawks Revenge
• Betrayal at Krondor
• Betrayal in Antara
• Black Crypt
• Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday
• Buck Rogers: Matrix Cubed
• Champions of Krynn
• Crystals of Arborea
• Dark Sun: Shattered Lands
• Dark Sun: Wake of the Ravager
• Darklands
• Darkstone: Evil Reigns
• Death Knights of Krynn
• Diablo
• DragonStrike
• Dungeon Hack
• Dungeon Master II: The Legend of Skullkeep
• Elvira II: The Jaws of Cerberus
• Elvira: Mistress of the Dark
• Entomorph: Plague of the Darkfall
• Eye of the Beholder
• Eye of the Beholder II: The Legend of Darkmoon
• Eye of the Beholder III: Assault on Myth Drannor
• Fallout 1
• Fallout 2
• Fantasy Empires
• Final Fantasy VII
• Fountain of Dreams
• Gateway to the Savage Frontier
• Hero Quest
• Ishar 2: Messengers of Doom
• Ishar 3: The Seven Gates of Infinity
• Ishar: Legend of the Fortress
• Lands of Lore III
• Lands of Lore: Guardians of Destiny
• Lands of Lore: The Throne of Chaos
• Legend of Faerghail
• Menzoberranzan
• Might and Magic III
• Might and Magic IV
• Might and Magic IV and V – World Of Xeen
• Might and Magic V
• Might and Magic VI
• Neverwinter Nights (AOL version!)
• Planescape: Torment
• Pools of Darkness
• Prophecy of the Shadow
• Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire
• Quest for Glory III: Wages of War
• Quest for Glory V: Dragon Fire
• Quest for Glory: Shadows of Darkness
• Ravenloft 2: The Stone Prophet
• Ravenloft: Strahd’s Possession
• Realms of Arkania: Blade of Destiny
• Realms of Arkania: Shadows over Riva
• Realms of Arkania: Star Trail
• Return to Krondor
• Shadow Sorcerer
• ShadowCaster
• Spelljammer: Pirates of Realmspace
• Stonekeep
• Syndicate
• System Shock 1
• System Shock 2
• Treasures of the Savage Frontier
• The Bard’s Tale III: Thief of Fate
• The Dark Queen of Krynn
• The Elder Scrolls: Arena
• The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall
• The Legacy: Realm of Terror
• The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I
• The Summoning
• Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss
• Ultima Underworld II: Labyrinth of Worlds
• Ultima VI
• Ultima VII
• Ultima VIII
• Ultima: Worlds of Adventure 2: Martian Dreams
• Unlimited Adventures
• Veil of Darkness
• Waxworks
• Wizardry VI
• Wizardry VII
• World of Aden: Thunderscape
• Worlds of Ultima: The Savage Empire

 

[Zetor]

This one was a lot harder than the 80s list -- ended up with BG1, BaK, DKK, FO1, FO2, MM3, PST, SS2, UW2, Wiz7.

I heart System Shock 1 and Syndicate but don't consider them RPGs. (cue 'what is an rpg' discussion)

 

[Unkillable Cat]

Huh. 6 of my picks are in the Top 10, with Ultima Underworld 1 creeping in at 11, World of Xeen at 14, Eye of the Beholder 1 at 18 and finally Quest for Glory 4 at 29.

Also, LOL at everyone voting for the AOL version of Neverwinter Nights, it's at No. 9.

 

[octavius]

Baldur's Gate (due to moddability)
Betrayal at Krondor
Darklands
Might and Magic V (fuck, that should have been VII)
Might and Magic VI
Pools of Darkness
Dark Queen of Krynn
Ultima Underworld
Ultima Underworld 2
Wizardry VI

I love System Shock, but I don't think it's a CRPG.

 

[Nael]

The Fallout prequels.