Top-down Ultima IV-like RPG with tiles?

[Griantor]

Greetings to all the dwellers.

I know that there is none now and will never be in the future an RPG like Ultima IV but still I seek something similar at least in presentation: top-down, tile-based, with lots of exploration and vast wastelands between towns.

There's Bludgeons & Krakens (https://cannibalcat.itch.io/bnk), maybe the savants could advice some more?

Thanks in advance.

 

[CryptRat]

There are Lurking and its sequel.

Another one which was released a few years ago was Epikos, but it seems the game has vanished from the internet.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Cosmos: The Secret Melody - free Ultima 4/5-like scifi RPG with fully simulated universe

 

[Ysaye]

TBH waiting for https://www.skaldrpg.com/

 

[Ranarama]

Realms of Antiquity: http://www.adamantyr.com/blog/

 

[octavius]

The Magic Candle. Overall better than any Ultima game IMO.

 

[Griantor]

Skald looks fantastic. Thanks for a tip. Hope it will result in something.

And Epikos looks really cool. It's a pity it seems really disappeared.

 

[Darth Canoli]

From the same devs :

Alvora Tactics

 

[newtmonkey]

Both old games:

Demon's Winter
Highly recommended top-down tile-based RPG with tactical combat (best described as "light Gold Box AD&D").

Deathlord
Best game to play while in isolation? Ultima-like exploration with Wizardry-like combat and permadeath in a massive world. This is available on C64 and Apple II, just make sure to use unhacked disks because the hacked versions are buggy/don't work.

 

[Darth Canoli]

There are Lurking and its sequel.

Another one which was released a few years ago was Epikos, but it seems the game has vanished from the internet.

The Lurking series seems amazing.
A lot of good finds in this thread.

 

[Bruma Hobo]

I know this will sound silly for most of you.... But Expeditions: Conquistador scratches my Ultima itch better than most tile-based retro games.

 

[CryptRat]

There are Lurking and its sequel.

Another one which was released a few years ago was Epikos, but it seems the game has vanished from the internet.

The Lurking series seems amazing.

It is if you like games which don't hold your hand, exploring open worlds, keyboard-based dialogs and taking pages of notes, the games also let you create your own party. Each game is about 50 hour long.

 

[Griantor]

Yes, I do know Demon's Winter, it's one of my favorite old CRPGs. It's closer to Gold Box than to Ultimas though.

Also I often hear and read many good words about The Magic Candle series but still haven't tried it alas.

 

[Griantor]

Deathlord

Looks cool to the degree of Ultima plagiarism...

It's a pity I'm allergic to almost everything Japanese

 

[newtmonkey]

Looks cool to the degree of Ultima plagiarism...

It's a pity I'm allergic to almost everything Japanese

If it's any consolation, the Japanese stuff is only the names of classes, etc. The game was designed with a Viking theme, but the publisher forced the designer to switch it to a Japanese setting at the last moment.

 

[mondblut]

Exile, duh.

And Nahlakh and Natuk.

And pretty much any shareware RPG from before 1995. Compuserve was full of that shovelware back in the day.

 

[Ranarama]

Okay. Am I legit crazy or is Epikos still available from https://kingbee.itch.io/epikos ? Or does it just show up for me because I bought it?

Okay guess it's just because I bought it.

 

[CryptRat]

Okay. Am I legit crazy or is Epikos still available from https://kingbee.itch.io/epikos ? Or does it just show up for me because I bought it?

Okay guess it's just because I bought it.

It's weird because I bought it and it does not show up for me.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

I contacted the developer of Epikos, he had to sign a non-compete agreement that required him to delist his games when he got his new job.

 

[Griantor]

So we'll have to wait till he loses his new job or decides to make Epikos free

 

[JarlFrank]

I contacted the developer of Epikos, he had to sign a non-compete agreement that required him to delist his games when he got his new job.

Wow, that's ridiculous.

 

[V_K]

Apart from already mentioned:

Dark Disciples 1&2 are top-down and have some of the best exploration ever, with lots of puzzles, secrets and alternative routes.

Aleshar: World of Ice is the epitome of "lots of exploration and vast wastelands between towns", even though its perspective is somewhat different and it's much heavier on survival than Ultima.

WarWizard is kinda Ultima meets Goldbox, and the overworld is huge, with several kingdoms to explore.

The two Excelsior games aren't terribly great, but they can scratch that Ultima itch.

Enchantasy: Quest for the Eternal Grimoire is kinda Ultima meets JRPG - you have free exploration and keyword-hunting but with a party of premade characters.

 

[Griantor]

Thanks for all the tips.

And what do the savants think about Eschalon games? Its screenshots look somewhat decent.

 

[Grauken]

So we'll have to wait till he loses his new job or decides to make Epikos free

Or ask someone who already has it to upload it for you

 

[Griantor]

Or ask someone who already has it to upload it for you

I don't think it would be fair, to ask someone who paid for a game. If someone already wanted to share it, that one would already have done it via torrents or something.