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Best cRPGs older than BG?

mfkndggrfll

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What are the best cRPGs that are older than BG/Fallout/Planescape etc..?

I have tried Betrayal at Krondor and Ultima 7 so far and was wondering about what else I should try.
 

Roqua

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Other than Dark Suns, MM:WoX, and the GB games mentioned-
The Realms of Arkania Trilogy
Darklands
Both Ravenlofts are pretty decent
Thunderscape is pretty decent
EoB trilogy
Both Buck Rogers since people don't count them as GB games really
Wizardry (I like 7 specifically, but Aweigh will state 1 is the way to go)
The Quest for Glory series
Albion is pretty great
 
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octavius

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Dungeon Master
Chaos Strikes Back
Might&Magic 1-2
Wizardry 1, 4, 5-7
Dark Heart of Uukrul
Ultima V
Ultima Underworld 1-2
The Magic Candle
Nahlakh
Natuk
Disciples of Steel
Gold Box games
Darklands
Betrayal at Krondor
The Aethra Chronicles: Volume One - Celystra's Bane
 
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Roqua

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I tried Ultima underworld but the controls were clunky and laggy

They were truly horrible games but people loved them because of graphics/technology. Just like how they loved U7 for being able to pick up spoons and forks and having sexy whip-wielding little boys as the precursor to romances in BG2. I enjoyed Daggerfall, but a similar game came out before it with many of the same ideas as an upgraded UU, called Legends of Valour that was mostly ignored by everyone looking for the next hipster bait. There was another game around the same time that was 3d sci-fi with implants and a bunch of cool shit that was also ignored for some reason.

Another console values precursor that people love for barely qualifying as games is the Lands of Lore series. A good UU-like you may want to try instead is Ars Magica, but the controls are about as good as the UU games. Most old games have shit controls. It goes hand-in-hand with old games - the good ones, the bad ones, and the ugly ones.
 
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Ysaye

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Some good games already tabled - other ones if you can stand the poor interfaces, graphics etc:

  • Wizards Crown (SSI); - (Birds eye turn based) plays like many of the other SSI games of that time, but I just remember it being a really good rpg. Probably too old for you though.
  • Menzoberranzan (SSI / D&D) - (First person real time) Plays like Ravensloft / Darksun of the same time but set in the Dales in Forgotten Realms. Story is weak but the dungeon exploration is good.
  • Magic Candle 2 (Mindcraft Software) - (Birds eye turn based) Sequel to Magic Candle, grid based turn based rpg with exploration across a large continent. I really liked the spellbook system which from memory meant you had to send your mages to the library to actually learn the spells, as well as setting your non-adventuring adventurers to slave labour work whilst you sail and travel around.
  • Anvil of Dawn (Ubisoft) - (First person real time) Like Lands of Lore, Dungeon Master 1-2 (which I also liked) and the Eye of the Beholder, but generally regarded as better or equal to most of these.
  • Jagged Alliance (Sir-Tech) - (Birds eye turn based) Military mercenaries in the south Atlantic to do quests jobs and make money.

And more adventure games:
  • Return to Zork (Infocom /Activision)
  • Zork Nemesis (Infocom / Activision)

Honourable mention (1999 - one year after) to Septerra Core (Valkyrie Studios).
 

Zed Duke of Banville

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Rogue (1980), Telengard (1982), Nethack (1987), Ancient Domains of Mystery (1994)

Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord (1981), Wizardry VI: Bane of the Cosmic Forge (1990), Might & Magic: World of Xeen (1994), Grimoire: Heralds of the Winged Exemplar started development prior to the release of Fallout

Ultima III: Exodus (1983)

The Faery Tale Adventure (1986)

Dungeon Master (1987) & Chaos Strikes Back (1989)

Pool of Radiance (1988), Champions of Krynn (1990), and the other Gold Box games

Bloodwych (1989), Captive (1990), Eye of the Beholder (1990), The Black Crypt (1992), Perihelion (1993), Liberation: Captive II (1994)

Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss (1992), The Elder Scrolls: Arena (1994), The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall (1996)
 

Martyr

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I tried Ultima underworld but the controls were clunky and laggy
actually you can play Ultima Underworld with WASD and mouse. you just can't walk backwards with S but that's just the same with Thief Gold. left-click on the icons to activate an ability, right-click to use said ability. drag and drop items on your character. imo the controls take less than 5 minutes to get used to them.
 

Serus

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I think most of possible titles have been mentioned at least once so I will just mention the ones I played and found enjoyable (and remember):

Darklands - This one is simply brilliant and unique in many ways. Can also get a bit repetitive after a while.

Wizardry 7 - It's big, it's weird and it's really something worth trying as long as you like blobbers and have a lot of free time.

Betrayal at Krondor - One could call it decline from the early/mid 90s, only 3 characters, simplified combat, no character building to speak of but it is competent at what it does. Not great but very solid.

Eye of the Beholder 2 - It's a real time blobber, a genre I personally am not a big fan of but if you like it - this one is not bad at all

Daggerfall - Again, the genre is not my thing but it was impressive nonetheless even for me. Worth trying at least once to understand how Bethesda made games in the distant past and how much more ambitious they used to be.
 

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