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RPG games with best character design

cruel

Cipher
Joined
Sep 17, 2014
Messages
855
Playing Bloodlines for the first time 3 months ago made me realize, how much modern RPG games SUCK when it comes to character design. Characters (both party members and NPC) are not memorable, seem fake, no authenticity, frequently very bad / generic voice acting, etc.

So, hence the question: which RPG games have the best character design? Best as:
- feeling human, not robotic
- authentic, believable, natural
- showing some sort of character (good or bad)
- good / matching voice acting
- memorable

As a quick example, games that do it properly: Bloodlines, Planescape: Torment, BG2, Witcher 3, Persona 4
Games that do it in a very bad way: everything by Ubisoft, Oblivions / Skyrims, NPC in Greedfall, etc.

What else is there that makes a good example of proper character design?
 

Farewell young Prince into the night

Guest
Fallout 1, Arcanum, Jagged Alliance 2, Deus Ex, Gothic 1+2, Anachronox.

But this is a topic that has already been talked to death ad nauseum.
 

Falksi

Arcane
Joined
Feb 14, 2017
Messages
10,538
Location
Nottingham
All the Witcher series

Phantasy Star 4

Dragon Age: Origins.

As shit as the game is, Dragon Age Inquisition has some good character designs.

Mass Effect 1

Risen 2
 

Gargaune

Magister
Joined
Mar 12, 2020
Messages
3,136
Having just finished replaying Mask of the Betrayer recently, I'm gonna say that ticks a few of your boxes.
 

cruel

Cipher
Joined
Sep 17, 2014
Messages
855
It seems I will need to play Mass Effect then :/

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using Tapatalk
 

jackofshadows

Magister
Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
4,488
ME/DA series from Bioware. Yes, those are not a proper RPGs but character's design there is kinda dope. Well, maybe except DA2 (mixed bag).
 

JarlFrank

I like Thief THIS much
Patron
Joined
Jan 4, 2007
Messages
33,052
Location
KA.DINGIR.RA.KI
Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
Dex is a decent sidescrolling cyberpunk RPG, and the characters are the best thing about it. Mostly well-written and the voice acting is some of the best I've heard in a game. Those guys and gals are actually acting the lines rather than just reading them.
 
Self-Ejected

Lilura

RPG Codex Dragon Lady
Joined
Feb 13, 2013
Messages
5,274
01.jpg
 

AdolfSatan

Arcane
Joined
Dec 27, 2017
Messages
1,871
@op: Any reason for not mentioning AoD? if you haven't played it yet, let me introduce you to it

DEC_14.jpg

Also, Titan Outpost.
 

DalekFlay

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Oct 5, 2010
Messages
14,118
Location
New Vegas
Of recent stuff...

There's a lot to hate on with the Mass Effect series, but I do think it had great characters and character design. Especially 2, which really excelled in that area despite all the dumbing down of the RPG elements.

I think the characters in Deus Ex: Human Revolution were pretty good. I liked playing the reluctant super cyborg role, the girlfriend and boss who want to remake humanity no matter the cost versus the naturalists was developed well (as was the villain's motivation). Malik the pilot is a good wingman. China gangboss was effective.

The companions in Shadowrun Dragonfall and Hong Kong are pretty damn good, especially Rachter in Hong Kong, who is my spirit animal. Most of the other "incline" RPGs have pretty bland companions, from what I have played.
 

Zed Duke of Banville

Dungeon Master
Patron
Joined
Oct 3, 2015
Messages
11,756
1st edition fairy dragons were the most prestigious of designs.
The 100th issue of Dragon Magazine boasted for its cover a photo of a paper sculpture of a faerie dragon, created by TSR employee Dennis Kauth:

Dragon_magazine_100.jpg



Personally, I've always preferred the pseudo-dragon
DD%20MM1%20Pseudo-Dragon.png
which featured on several Dragon Magazine Covers:

Dragon_magazine_80.jpg
Dragon_magazine_106.jpg
390


and AC4 The Book of Marvelous Magic:
CaldwellMarvellous.jpg
 

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