Original settings in RPG game

Can you recommend any RPG games set in original/exotic settings, e.g. not standard medieval fantasy and not run of the mill sci fi? Apart from obvious picks like Arcanum and Morrowind.

 

Summoner 2.









Fucking BRILLIANT game.

 

Albion

 

Alpha Brotocol. Because RPGs set in the modern-day real world are extremely rare for some reason.

 

Never played Alpha Protocol due to lots of negative opinions. Lack of a sequel is also telling.

 

Dark Sun shattered Lands

 

Perihelion. Good luck finding it though.

 

At least try it, don't rely on other opinions.

 

Played the first one, an excellent game. I hear that Dark Sun settings is included again in a new D&D edition.

 

Your loss.

So you're saying Arcanum sucks too?

 

Morrowind, Arcanum, Planescape Torment, Torment: Tides of Numenera are the obvious mainstream examples.

Not gonna mention post-apoc games like ATOM because Fallout-style post-apoc has become mainstram by this point, too, and isn't that original anymore. That said, Underrail is pretty unique in being set entirely underground.

Titan Outpost is hard sci-fi. Arthur C. Clarke style hard sci-fi. The only hard sci-fi RPG I know of.

Not an RPG, but Zeno Clash 1 and 2 are cool brawlers set in an exotic fantasy world. Really weird shit.

Anito: Defend a Land Enraged is an RPG developed in the Phillipines. It is appropriately exotic. Haven't played it myself yet so I dunno if it's any good. Might be shit.

Age of Decadence is Roman Empire inspired post-apoc fantasy. Nethergate is literal Romans teleported into a fantasy world. Teudogar is an RPG set in ancient Germany during the time of Augustus. A Legionary's Life is an RPG where you play a Roman legionary during the Republic.

Planet Alcatraz is a Russki RPG set on a prison planet.

The Precursors is an FPS with RPG elements where you explore several sci-fi planets, some of which are pretty exotic.

Disco Elysium is set in a low fantasy world with heavy real world inspirations; tech level is roughly between our own 1970s-1990s.

Pillars of Eternity 2 has a pirate theme and firearms. Same with Risen 2. Both are still fantasy but at least not generic pseudo-medieval.

ELEX is an interesting sci-fi/fantasy mix.

All of the Might and Magics and the Cosmic Forge trilogy of Wizardry (6-8) combine generic fantasy with sci-fi. Wizardry 8 is the one that wears it most openly on its sleeve. You get to find spaceship wrecks, a military base of space-age hippo-men, and other sci-fi contraptions within an otherwise medieval fantasy world.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is set in medieval Bohemia. No fantasy.

 

Troika went under, as did Black Isle (or rather Interplay) years before, hence no proper sequel for excellent PST.

AP was developed in the era of franchises and Obsidian is still alive, though kicking for a new master.

 

I played it like Splinter Cell (stealth and pistols) and found it tolerable. It absolutely has some shitty aspects to it, and was made for consoles, but it's worth it for the story and choices. Also a lot of the bitching was from teh cazuals about stats influencing aiming accuracy.

 

I wonder why Bethesda went from exotic Morrowind to a bland non-canon Cyrodill. Was Todd a one trick pony?

 

Traditional fantasy sells better.

 

To the list of JarlFrank i'd add more mainstream ones (on the Codex):

Darklands - Empire in the 1400, pretty historical though there are some fantasy elements - but some of them well integrated into the setting. Not your typical tolkienesque fantasy for sure. In general any historical(ish) crpg is in my book original.

Jagged Alliance 2 - Not fantasy, not (almost) SF. A pulp 80s action movie is the setting. What's to add more.

 

Fortunately creepers could be turned off.

"Eliot, you idiot!"

 

Bethesda shifts to consoles... goal was targeting Xbox 360 plus going back to a familiar-looking setting which would resonate better with the masses, as well as replacing dice roll combat with controller-friendly action combat.

 

gorasul

 

Can't think of anything to add to Jarl's list, great work. Just wanted to say:

You can email Edvard Toth for a link or find it on slsk, git gud.

 

I have it in my possession, thanks for trying though.

 

Just started watching an LP on YT. First impression: a dialogue wheel. With a timer. Is this a Mass Effect on Earth? Tell me it at least does not have romances.

 

West of Loathing is set in a parody Weird West. The game may be slapstick comedy on the surface, but its setting and mechanics are surprisingly well developed, and in its less-silly parts it's quite well-written.

Voidspire series (Voidspire Tactics, Alvora Tactics, Horizon's Gate) has three techno-fantasy dimensions with completely original races and monsters. Voidspire is set in a sort of parasitic dimension that randomly steals parts from the three main realms; Alvora, in the innards of a giant flying serpent that has swallowed some castles and settlements. Horizon's gate is comparatively tame.

You probably already know Shadowrun (cyberpunk/fantasy) and Geneforge (biopunk/fantasy) series.

Then some of the riskier recommendations:

Stygian: Reign of the Old Ones is Lovecraftian mythos cranked up to 11. It's last quarter is shit though (but the first half is absolutely brilliant). Depending on your system, you may or may not encounter game-breaking bugs.

Aeon of Sands - The Trail - postapocalyptic with fantasy elements, kinda in-between Falllout and Numenera. A lot of it is played for laughs though, so don't expect deep lore.

The Council is an RPG/Adventure set in occult 18th century. There's no combat in the game, but there is character development and resource management.

 

Expeditions: Conquistador