Which CRPG offers the best sense of adventure?

[agentorange]

Looking for stuff like, but not limited to, varied, exotic locales, lots of (preferably non-linear) overworld exploration, meeting colourful characters along the way, party management, etc, etc.

brigand oaxaca

 

[Fowyr]

Don't you think that Pool of Radiance does it much better than Baldur's Gate? Just curious.

Pool of Radiance has better gameplay (disregarding QoL stuff - it gets a pass for that for being so old). I think going purely by "sense of adventure" BG did it better. Every little detail in BG worked towards that vibe, from the music to the UI, to narration.

My examples were not meant to be exhaustive or the best, btw, just a few names off the top of my head.

Have you finished Sokol keep that allows you to explore world map?

 

[Darth Canoli]

I'm in the mood for a classic-style, epic fantasy romp. I assume most people here have read The Hobbit, LotR or The Wheel of Time.

Looking for stuff like, but not limited to, varied, exotic locales, lots of (preferably non-linear) overworld exploration, meeting colourful characters along the way, party management, etc, etc.

A couple of good ones off the top of my head:

Baldur's Gate. Not a huge fan of the game but I will say it nails the classic fantasy adventure vibe. Same goes for BG2, to a lesser extent, and Icewind Dale of course.

Wizardry 8. Big party of 8 heroes, quips and banter from the party, pulpy sci-fi fantasy tone, lots of trekking down the forested roads of a big, open fantasy planet, plenty of colourful characters to meet on the way.

Fallout 2. Starting off in your small tribe and setting out to explore a huge post-apocalyptic landscape, again plenty of colourful characters, situations and locales to come across.

I haven't played them, but I imagine Realms of Arkania and early M&M might fit the bill.

Can anyone help me satisfy my craving?

Dark Sun: Shattered Lands, if you didn't play it already, don't waste your time reading the forum and launch it already!

Isles of Terra for sure, if you love it and you will, play Worlds of Xeen next year or just Darkside so you'll avoid the red dwarf mines from Clouds.

Mandate of Heaven, don't fight in real time, just hit pause and you'll get used to the combat fast enough, the exploration is amazing, particularly if you never completed it.

Lords of Xulima conveys it a lot as well, particularly the early to mid-game before everything gets repetitive.

Knights of the Chalice 2: Augury of Chaos chapters 1 & 2 are also great on this regard, chapter 3 still good, chapter losing a bit of its edge but with a great finale.
KotC 2: Hearkenwold works quite well too.

I find ATOM quite good as well.

Also, Blackguards (a bit less for the adventure part), AoD, Dungeon Rats, Voidspire Tactics, Expeditions: Vikings works in this regard on top of having great to good combat design (Vikings is a little below the other titles)

 

[Dodo1610]

Wasteland 2 has a good sense of progress you go from doing menial repair jobs to saving the world 40h later. also starting with WW2 weaponry and getting to "modern" gun prototypes feels very rewarding. Besides it's one of the few RPGs released after BG1 that encourages you to add new members to your party since you keep meeting new companions even pretty late in the game.

 

[Wulfric Pinewood]

Witcher 3 Goty.

 

[Mr. Magniloquent]

NWN1 I managed to complete, but I found it one of the most forgettable RPGs I've played. All I remember is ancient lizardmen. NWN2 I hate, can't stomach even the first village. Never played MotB though, maybe I should just skip to that.

In NWN1, Shadows of Undrentide and Hordes of the Underdark are both great. HotU gets more attention, but I actually prefer SoZ SoU. Its classic D&D experience. Skip the OC and play those. Same applies for NWN2. Mask of the Betrayer is a PST sibling, and Storm of Zehir is nothing but free form exploration. I really like SoZ. Make your party and explore the world. There is tons to find.

 

[Nortar]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Drakensang yet.
Both games have everything you're looking for.

 

[Blutwurstritter]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Drakensang yet.
Both games have everything you're looking for.

You beat me to it. Drakensang RoT captures what I'd consider a "classical" fantasy adventure perfectly.

 

[luj1]

Wiz7 is a best Wizardry. Wiz8 lost too much.

Idk, I like 1 and 6-8

 

[Orud]

Played it this last year, got filtered by the kingdom management and my own dumb decision to start on a harder difficulty level. Planning to give it another crack.

You can set the kingdom management difficulty separately from other gameplay. It's a terribly designed system , so you won't miss out on anything challenging or reward wise by turning it down to the easiest setting. Just don't turn it off, because you'll miss out on some really good stuff.

 

[Erebus]

Might and Magic games offer a good sense of adventure and great exploration, but "colourful characters" is not their strong point. Most of their characters only exist to give you a quest or some information, and they have little to say beyond that.

 

[Reinhardt]

King's Bounty. 2008 one. Maybe Armored Princess too but to lesser extent.

 

[Fargus]

I think it's even better than Realms of Arkania HD. Prepare your ass for an adventure you'll never forget.

 

[Fowyr]

Wiz7 is a best Wizardry. Wiz8 lost too much.

Idk, I like 1 and 6-8

Wiz8 lost great dungeons of predecessors, became much smaller and lost all value from changing classes.

 

[JarlFrank]

Give Ultima 7 part 1 and 2 a try.

Combat in those is utter trash though.

All that matters is equipping your characters because once combat starts everyone is just going to run around wildly.

 

[Comte]

Give Ultima 7 part 1 and 2 a try.

Combat in those is utter trash though.

All that matters is equipping your characters because once combat starts everyone is just going to run around wildly.

I agree it is trash but at least its usually quick.

 

[newtmonkey]

Ultima 7 has some of the best exploration ever, but it's also almost not worth it because of how meaningless/awful combat and character development are. It's still got great characters and writing, and fantastic story though.

M&M 1/2 have probably the best exploration I've ever experienced (I prefer M&M1), but the NPCs are just text dumps. M&M2 has a good sense of humor, and that helps a bit, but it's still pretty dry. I'd personally recommend M&M1, but M&M2 is better in some ways. I'd recommend the WhereAreWe helper application if you aren't into manually mapping and writing down information (though that can be a lot of fun).

AD&D Pool of Radiance comes close in terms of exploration. Once you finish the first couple of areas, the world really opens up and it starts to feel a lot like a true AD&D session. There isn't much when it comes to characters, etc., but the writing is decent and you have some C&C with quests and a huge world to explore. It's worth playing through for sure, one of the greatest games ever created. Use the Gold Box Companion if you want a slightly more modern interface.

 

[fantadomat]

Gothic and generally PB games are pretty good in that aspect.

 

[plem]

Swordflight is exactly what you're looking for, and it's free (if you have NWN)

it's the best RPG since Baldur's Gate to capture the feeling of oldschool D&D

 

[curds]

Darth Canoli Thanks for the suggestions, although, Blackguards (pretty much only combat) and AoD (grimdark, low-fantasy setting) would be examples of what I'm not looking for. Played Xulima years ago but never finished it, need to return.

Nortar can't buy Drakensang in my country for some reason, I have been meaning to try it, though. I'll acquire it the old fashioned way.

Might and Magic games offer a good sense of adventure and great exploration, but "colourful characters" is not their strong point.

Colourful characters definitely not strictly required, just an example of one of the things that could add to a sense of adventure (which is a difficult thing to describe).

Gothic and generally PB games are pretty good in that aspect.

Love the Gothic series but I think this time I'm after something party-based.

Swordflight is exactly what you're looking for, and it's free (if you have NWN)

I've played parts one and two and couple years back, and actually reinstalled SF part 1 the other day with plans to play.


I'm thinking I'll probably go with MM2 or Wiz7 at the moment.

 

[Contagium]

Avernum 6 or Avernum: Crystal Souls. You may need your imagination more for these than most of your fancy-pants big budget 3D RPG's but the story line and vast world make up for it.

 

[curds]

You may need your imagination more for these than most of your fancy-pants big budget 3D RPG's but the story line and vast world make up for it.

Actually I would argue that having to use your imagination is a big contributor to getting the sense of adventure, rather than detracting from it.

 

[<3sRichardSimmons]

Seconding Darklands, MM1-8, Wiz 7&8, Lords of Xulima, and BaK.
Would also add Legend of Grimrock 2 and, for an out-of-the-box suggestion, the Loathing series.

 

[curds]

the Loathing series.

I'm not usually up-tight about things like this, but I just can't get past the artstyle of those games.

Also, I have a slight aversion to "comedy" games.

 

[fantadomat]

Love the Gothic series but I think this time I'm after something party-based.

Drakensang games are really good,especially river of time. Also blackguard is not bad. Demonicon is really good game,but not something you are looking for. A farewell to dragons is pretty nice from what i remember it is an old unknown russian game if i am not mistaken. Vogel games are always a good fun,avernum and geneforge particularly. Oh and realms of arkania.