Blobbers, don't know what to make of them

[prayerupondeafears]

Years ago I tried the first few SMT games looking to get into blobbers, but ultimately dropped them because I never understood them. Recently, I decided to try to get through Wizardry 6, and it was alright so far. I got passed the beginning castle section, and now I am in the mines, but like most of these games back in the 90s, they were very convoluted, and honestly a bit of hassle, even with the guide from crimsontear. Having to roll over a 20 bonus in character creation to get even a decent start in the game, the grinding, and overall bland environments, which I am already tired of seeing the same cobblestone walls. So, I decided to balance out a rather old game with newer game on the genre.

I tried playing Legend of Grimrock, hoping for a more modern experience, and I did get that, but also all of the interesting, but convoluted depth, of Wizardry is gone, and replaced with a simple, but repetitive battle system, boring character building, and while cool puzzle solving is now getting rather grating with the deeper levels. It is ironic because I felt more of a drive to finish Wizardry than a drive to get through Grimrock. Overall, both experiences felt like chores. I think its too early to judge an entire genre on the basis of two games, so on that note, I would like recommendations for more blobbers that don't fall into the parts I do not like of either game. Maybe even games that do whatever either one is doing is fine too.

 

[Jack Slash]

You could try starting with Might & Magic VI instead - it differs from many other blobbers in the sense that the movement is freeform instead of discrete, which not only makes it much easier to navigate, but also helluva more fast-paced.

As for Wizardry, I do recommend the more modern Wizardry 8 - the game does a good job at introducing you to the conflict of previous games, so you won't be grasping for information, and the gameplay itself is less convoluted.

If you want something "different", then check out The Fall of the Dungeon Guardians. It's modern and plays well, although it is grindy and combat-heavy. The feeling of delving into impossibly deep underground complexes is there, though.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

"which I am already tired of seeing the same cobblestone walls."

If you were already tired of cobblestone dungeon walls in Wizardry VI, then rather than play Legend of Grimrock you should have played the sequel, much of which takes place outdoors (and with more varied environments even indoors).

 

[octavius]

For real time blobbers, start with Dungeon Master, the original one.
For turn based blobbers, you may consider starting with The Bard's Tale, if more varied dungeon graphics is important to you.

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

For real time blobbers, start with Dungeon Master, the original one.

Dungeon Master was amazing for it's time. I burned away many hours on this back in the mid1980s. But if he got tired of looking at the same wall textures, he's going to hate it. I don't remember anything other than the gray block walls in it.

I'm not sure you can get it anymore, but Demise: Rise of Ku'tan is absolutely fantastic. The graphics will be dated, since I think it came out in the very early 2000s. Oh, it apparently comes with it's follow up, Ascension:

https://decklinsdomain.e-junkie.com/product/640251/PC-Game---DEMISE3A-Ascension-v1.06b-download

 

[Butter]

With Wizardry 6 (actually all Wizardries before 8), what you're experiencing is an abstraction. You have to use your imagination to fill in the gaps that the graphics can't show you. When it works you get absorbed the way you would with a good novel. Games like Wizardry 8 or Might and Magic 6-8 go for a less abstract presentation. The environments look more like real places, and they are much more detailed. I'm less fond of these, but they're undoubtedly more visually interesting.

 

[Falksi]

Bard's Tale 4 DC is where it's at for you chap. Excellent game (albeit too long) and it captures all the brilliance of old-school blobbering, whilst streamlining it enough for a more modern audience too.

 

[agris]

Might and Magic X is a modern blobber with varied environments, although the mechanical depth and itemization is somewhat lacking

 

[Tweed]

Megaten is Wizardry with demonic Pokemon, not that hard to grasp. Lands of Lore is probably the best "Baby's first blobber." It's simple, varied, fun, etc etc. You might want to try World of Xeen or Eye of the Beholder if you want something older that isn't unpleasant looking. EoB is a bigger challenge since it expects you to do the combat mambo.

If you want challenging older turn-based stuff with deep character development you may want to try the Realms of Arkania series. First one is a little rough around the edges, but challenging and playable.

 

[Gregz]

Any of these are excellent 'blobbers' with modern quality-of-life features:

• The Bard's Tale Trilogy
• Might and Magic VII: For Blood and Honor
• Wizardry 8
• Swords and Sorcery - Underworld - Definitive Edition
• Stranger of Sword City

 

[<3sRichardSimmons]

Seconding World of Xeen (or MM III) as a good entry point. Just stick with it until you’re past the dwarf mines, and there’s a very special game there.

 

[jaekl]

Wizardry 6 exceptionally bad in that regard, it's the only rpg I can recall where the thought of playing it makes me nauseated because of the graphics. Those super-detailed cinder block walls in every direction. Ugh. Doesn't it even try and tell you that you're in a forest or a mountain and you're still looking at the exact same gray bricks? I think I'm gonna puke. You can pretty much play any other rpg and it won't drain the colour out of your eyes like wizardry 6 did.

 

[grimer]

there is only one blobber that has everything you're looking for (tactical combat, complex character building, varied environments, puzzles that aren't obtuse) but you're not worthy to play it yet. instead i would recommend starting with one of the following:

might and magic 3-5
pros:

• really good exploration (areas are rich in content with lots of loot and secrets to find, environmental obstacles that require certain skills/spells, lots of different biomes including swamp, volcanic, snow, desert)
• good audiovisual elements (creative setting and colorful art direction, nice midi music provided you install an mt-32 emulator)
• good puzzles that are properly hinted and reward diligent note taking

cons:

• very basic turn based combat (battles consist mainly of mashing the attack button and occasionally casting a healing or aoe spell, no front/rear flanks, very few crowd control/debuff spells, trivial difficulty past level 5 especially once the party gains access to fountains/spells that buff the party for 24 hrs)
• very basic party and character building (classes aren't too distinct, some just gain more hp/sp/attacks than others instead of having inherent traits, no proper skill system as skills are boolean, you either have them or you don't and they only grant a slight bonus in combat or allow you to bypass environmental obstacles such as mountainous terrain and thick forests)

wizardry 7 (in comparison to 6 since its mostly the same gameplay)
pros:

• improved audiovisual elements from 6 (colorful graphics, more varied tilesets although still not as much as might and magic and now has midi music)
• addition of new faction mechanics and wandering npcs competing for the same quest items as you
• more coherent setting and more interesting story compared to 6 imo as i prefer the sci-fi/fantasy blend over the mishmash of fairy tales (also more closely connected to my favorite game)

cons:

• puzzles are even more obtuse compared to 6 (a strict diet consisting exclusively of psychedelic substances may be required during your playthrough)
• apart from the cities, the overworld is mostly empty. just open spaces for you to encounter enemies and maybe even find a single chest if you're lucky.
• nonlinear design results in a more boring mid game compared to 6 because you're mostly fighting enemies of similar strength instead of a steady progression of difficulty

you could also try might and magic 6 as others have said. still has shallow combat like 3-5 but now has a proper skill system to build your characters that also encourages exploration since you have to find trainers to unlock mastery perks. more labyrinthine dungeons but also less puzzles. ugliest game i've ever played but also has god tier music. someone else elaborate further i think i've written enough already.

 

[Maxie]

Rance VI is the best blobber

 

[Bester]

You could try starting with Might & Magic VI instead

This, but play it in MMerge. Lets you look around with the mouse. https://www.celestialheavens.com/forum/topic/16657

 

[unseeingeye]

This, but play it in MMerge. Lets you look around with the mouse. https://www.celestialheavens.com/forum/topic/16657

There is a mouselook option in the Grayface patch for the individual games as well.

https://grayface.github.io/mm/

 

[I eat frozen vegetables]

Etrian Odyssey is a good blobber if you want an old school experience with modern graphics.

 

[Tweed]

This, but play it in MMerge. Lets you look around with the mouse. https://www.celestialheavens.com/forum/topic/16657

There is a mouselook option in the Grayface patch for the individual games as well.

https://grayface.github.io/mm/

With the MMerge you can play Arcomage though.

 

[Agesilaus]

The real problem is that blobbers are an evolutionary dead end. They were okay for their time (not really), but for a completely satisfying experience we have to go beyond the blob. Stick with isometric games with good stories and mechanics.

 

[lvl 2 Blue Slime]

This is probably going to sound like babble, but I think the fact that you cannot see your characters in blobbers, that they are "behind the camera" in first-person, immerses the player into his party and makes them feel like the party characters are "yours" entirely, as opposed to overhead perspective like Neverwinter Nights were characters feel like they are independent characters you just happen to control.

 

[mondblut]

With Wizardry 6 (actually all Wizardries before 8), what you're experiencing is an abstraction. You have to use your imagination to fill in the gaps that the graphics can't show you.

You know what helps imagination? Not having "swamp" or "forest" look like grey cobblestone. Not exactly a high bar to cross, even Wizardry 7 could do that.

 

[Shaki]

Play Wizardry 7, I couldn't get into blobbers before playing this one. Then play Grimoire.

 

[Harthwain]

I'd recommend Albion (1995). It is not entirely a blobber (it has some elements of that, mostly for dungeons), but it could help to ease you into the "proper" blobbers.

 

[Atlet]

Might and Magic X is the best intro, imo.

Wiz 7 is the pinnacle. You can skip Wiz 6, it's very ugly indeed. Personally, I find Wiz 7 beautiful.

 

[Morpheus Kitami]

Might and Magic III-VII are probably the safe bets, since they're generally the easiest to get over the initial difficulty curve in. Not to mention if you've played the Heroes of Might and Magic series, you already kind of enjoy the same design.

Dungeon Master is really good as far as gameplay goes, but Saint_Proverbius is right in that if you don't like endless gray walls you're going to have a bad time.

Decklin's Domain games, Demise, Mordor and the ilk, are also very nice, but I think they also have samey walls and they have a few weird quirks going on.

Albion is weird. For everyone who loves the game, there are just as many who bounced off it. It's interesting, but it's also weird in terms of game mechanics.