Vlajdermen
Arcane
Inspired by the thread about RPGs that pissed you off. This is about whatever RPG turned out better than you expected. Maybe gave you something new that you never knew you wanted.
I can think of two games that did that to me: Arx Fatalis and Kingdom Come: Deliverance. The first one may be because I never played Ultima Underworld, so I didn't know what to expect, but it just felt more concrete and tangible than other RPGs. The lack of dialogue trees, unobtrusive UI, minimal amount of menus, and magic system are all in service of the idea that this is a world you interact with with your hands, not your mouth. Like how some items, like books, are found sitting out there in the world as physical objects, not just icons in a menu. How you have adventure game-esque puzzles, platforming segments that can be cheesed with levitating spells, fish that can be caught and then cooked by physically placing them in a fire, botlles that can be filled with wine. Randumb rune combinations that lead you to spells that you have no clue what they do. They had this idea of interactivity and got creative with it, they explored their possibilities instead of just doing conventional things in an unconventional way.
Plus, the soundscape and atmosphere are top-tier. I salute you, France.
Are other Arkane games as good?
I already gushed about KCD 2 years ago, but the gist of it is that it commited to its medieval theme down to the little details, like the look of the UI, and did so with a pleasant, non-cynical approach. It indulges in the small and simple. A homely-looking blacksmith's son getting drunk with a priest, humble romantic walks along a river, random chivalrous duels, the backstories of all the monastery novices. It may have many big flaws, the main quest is p. repetitive, but I loved it nonetheless. It did with realistic-medieval what I wish skyrim did with norse fantasy.
I can think of two games that did that to me: Arx Fatalis and Kingdom Come: Deliverance. The first one may be because I never played Ultima Underworld, so I didn't know what to expect, but it just felt more concrete and tangible than other RPGs. The lack of dialogue trees, unobtrusive UI, minimal amount of menus, and magic system are all in service of the idea that this is a world you interact with with your hands, not your mouth. Like how some items, like books, are found sitting out there in the world as physical objects, not just icons in a menu. How you have adventure game-esque puzzles, platforming segments that can be cheesed with levitating spells, fish that can be caught and then cooked by physically placing them in a fire, botlles that can be filled with wine. Randumb rune combinations that lead you to spells that you have no clue what they do. They had this idea of interactivity and got creative with it, they explored their possibilities instead of just doing conventional things in an unconventional way.
Plus, the soundscape and atmosphere are top-tier. I salute you, France.
Are other Arkane games as good?
I already gushed about KCD 2 years ago, but the gist of it is that it commited to its medieval theme down to the little details, like the look of the UI, and did so with a pleasant, non-cynical approach. It indulges in the small and simple. A homely-looking blacksmith's son getting drunk with a priest, humble romantic walks along a river, random chivalrous duels, the backstories of all the monastery novices. It may have many big flaws, the main quest is p. repetitive, but I loved it nonetheless. It did with realistic-medieval what I wish skyrim did with norse fantasy.
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