First timer cRPGs (2024 edition)

[Spike]

Best RPGs ever from Metacritic.

DUUUUUDE!!! FALLOUT 3!

 

[Camel]

DUUUUUDE!!! FALLOUT 3!

Don't forget Oblivion and PoE. The gamedevs get bonuses for Metacritic scores btw.

 

[rojay]

I love Pool of Radiance but I'd only recommend it as a first RPG if it was also the person's first experience with an electronic game, whether console or computer.

I'd start someone with Baldur's Gate or Icewind Dale as a first crpg, I think. Having said that, my son bounced off BG when I first tried to turn him onto it 15 years ago or so. He's never really gotten into RPGs apart from Skyrim and I'm not sure that counts.

 

[mediocrepoet]

I love Pool of Radiance but I'd only recommend it as a first RPG if it was also the person's first experience with an electronic game, whether console or computer.

I'd start someone with Baldur's Gate or Icewind Dale as a first crpg, I think. Having said that, my son bounced off BG when I first tried to turn him onto it 15 years ago or so. He's never really gotten into RPGs apart from Skyrim and I'm not sure that counts.

I think the Infinity Engine games are a hard sell for a newbie in this day and age. Your first moments are of a 1st level 2E character where you basically watch them flail about missing all the time and potentially getting one shot.

For a pure RPG, I'd think turn based games are a far better introduction with no time pressure and likely mechanics that are designed not to have a miss-fest.

 

[rojay]

I love Pool of Radiance but I'd only recommend it as a first RPG if it was also the person's first experience with an electronic game, whether console or computer.

I'd start someone with Baldur's Gate or Icewind Dale as a first crpg, I think. Having said that, my son bounced off BG when I first tried to turn him onto it 15 years ago or so. He's never really gotten into RPGs apart from Skyrim and I'm not sure that counts.

I think the Infinity Engine games are a hard sell for a newbie in this day and age. Your first moments are of a 1st level 2E character where you basically watch them flail about missing all the time and potentially getting one shot.

For a pure RPG, I'd think turn based games are a far better introduction with no time pressure and likely mechanics that are designed not to have a miss-fest.

Yeah, that was sort of my experience 15 years ago, at least with BG. I think it was also because my son was already playing faster-paced games. I'm not sure a turn-based game would have done the trick, but maybe I should have started him on ToEE.

Edit to add: with the mod that adds combat-quests so you can avoid all of the Hommlet "quests."

 

[mediocrepoet]

I think the Infinity Engine games are a hard sell for a newbie in this day and age. Your first moments are of a 1st level 2E character where you basically watch them flail about missing all the time and potentially getting one shot.

For a pure RPG, I'd think turn based games are a far better introduction with no time pressure and likely mechanics that are designed not to have a miss-fest.

Yeah, that was sort of my experience 15 years ago, at least with BG. I think it was also because my son was already playing faster-paced games. I'm not sure a turn-based game would have done the trick, but maybe I should have started him on ToEE.

Quite possibly, it's hard to dial that back. But it may also mean that he's just not into RPGs, at least not at the time. You could try introducing him to ARPGs to see if he finds any interest in those.

I actually had some success running tabletop D&D as a family game. I think it's easier to go from an interest in TTRPGs to CRPGs than just go cold to CRPGs, YMMV.

 

[kangaxx]

System Shock 2 or Deus Ex.

 

[Berengar]

I think the answer is "any one that interests you"

This is the correct answer but if for some reason someone was just so alien to the genre that this wouldn't work for them I'd say... Shadowrun Returns

its very streamlined and simple but I think it would be solid for someone completely new to crpgs and by the end of their playthrough they'd be ready to figure any others out.

 

[rojay]

I think the Infinity Engine games are a hard sell for a newbie in this day and age. Your first moments are of a 1st level 2E character where you basically watch them flail about missing all the time and potentially getting one shot.

For a pure RPG, I'd think turn based games are a far better introduction with no time pressure and likely mechanics that are designed not to have a miss-fest.

Yeah, that was sort of my experience 15 years ago, at least with BG. I think it was also because my son was already playing faster-paced games. I'm not sure a turn-based game would have done the trick, but maybe I should have started him on ToEE.

Quite possibly, it's hard to dial that back. But it may also mean that he's just not into RPGs, at least not at the time. You could try introducing him to ARPGs to see if he finds any interest in those.

I actually had some success running tabletop D&D as a family game. I think it's easier to go from an interest in TTRPGs to CRPGs than just go cold to CRPGs, YMMV.

Skyrim hooked him for a while. He played Elden Ring and he's apparently very good at games like Overwatch, but it may take him a while to get into more contemplative games.

 

[mediocrepoet]

I think the Infinity Engine games are a hard sell for a newbie in this day and age. Your first moments are of a 1st level 2E character where you basically watch them flail about missing all the time and potentially getting one shot.

For a pure RPG, I'd think turn based games are a far better introduction with no time pressure and likely mechanics that are designed not to have a miss-fest.

Yeah, that was sort of my experience 15 years ago, at least with BG. I think it was also because my son was already playing faster-paced games. I'm not sure a turn-based game would have done the trick, but maybe I should have started him on ToEE.

Quite possibly, it's hard to dial that back. But it may also mean that he's just not into RPGs, at least not at the time. You could try introducing him to ARPGs to see if he finds any interest in those.

I actually had some success running tabletop D&D as a family game. I think it's easier to go from an interest in TTRPGs to CRPGs than just go cold to CRPGs, YMMV.

Skyrim hooked him for a while. He played Elden Ring and he's apparently very good at games like Overwatch, but it may take him a while to get into more contemplative games.

One of my kids got hugely into Oblivion, liked action RPGs and World of Warcraft, etc. Anyway, the only way he engaged with Oblivion was a way that I found blasphemous even for playing Oblivion in the first place: he just wanted to use cheats to spawn stuff like in a meme or give himself god mode, etc.

Sometimes you just have to let go and accept that at least he isn't eating glue.

 

[Zlaja]

You people are either taking a piss or you didn't get the question. You really think a person who's never played an RPG in 2024 can get into the genre by playing the likes of Lands of Lore, Ultima VII, or Pool of Radiance FIRST? Get real! And no, your own experience in 1997 or 1989 is irrelevant for obvious reasons. A first timer today doesn't even know what DOSbox is, ffs.

I think the most "hardcore" RPGs an actual first timer might not get totally intimidated by these days are the likes of BG3, DA: Origins, KOTOR 1+2, Deus Ex: Human Revolution/Mankind Divided (first one is out of the question), New Vegas etc. I think even something that we find rather simple like Morrowind is a no-no.

 

[mediocrepoet]

You people are either taking a piss or you didn't get the question. You really think a person who's never played an RPG in 2024 can get into the genre by playing the likes of Lands of Lore, Ultima VII, or Pool of Radiance FIRST? Get real! And no, your own experience in 1997 or 1989 is irrelevant for obvious reasons. A first timer today doesn't even know what DOSbox is, ffs.

I think the most "hardcore" RPGs an actual first timer might not get totally intimidated by these days are the likes of BG3, DA: Origins, KOTOR 1+2, Deus Ex: Human Revolution/Mankind Divided (first one is out of the question), New Vegas etc. I think even something that we find rather simple like Morrowind is a no-no.

If Lands of Lore was directed at me, I said Caves of Lore. Totally different. (and if I did write LoL, I did mean CoL)

Totally agree with you otherwise though.

 

[Zlaja]

If Lands of Lore was directed at me, I said Caves of Lore. Totally different. (and if I did write LoL, I did mean CoL)

No, it was Covenant that mentioned LoL.

 

[Spike]

If Lands of Lore was directed at me, I said Caves of Lore. Totally different. (and if I did write LoL, I did mean CoL)

No, it was Covenant that mentioned LoL.

Hmm. Fair, but some times kids are precocious. BG 1 or 2 could possibly work. But for most newbies, yeah maybe start with New Vegas and company (still very high quality).

 

[Camel]

You people are either taking a piss or you didn't get the question. You really think a person who's never played an RPG in 2024 can get into the genre by playing the likes of Lands of Lore, Ultima VII, or Pool of Radiance FIRST? Get real! And no, your own experience in 1997 or 1989 is irrelevant for obvious reasons. A first timer today doesn't even know what DOSbox is, ffs.

I think the most "hardcore" RPGs an actual first timer might not get totally intimidated by these days are the likes of BG3, DA: Origins, KOTOR 1+2, Deus Ex: Human Revolution/Mankind Divided (first one is out of the question), New Vegas etc. I think even something that we find rather simple like Morrowind is a no-no.

BG3, Witcher 3, ME2, newer Deus Ex, New Vegas are probably good entry RPGs. New players wouldn’t stomach DA:O’s dated brown graphics.

 

[Eisen]

You people are either taking a piss or you didn't get the question. You really think a person who's never played an RPG in 2024 can get into the genre by playing the likes of Lands of Lore, Ultima VII, or Pool of Radiance FIRST? Get real! And no, your own experience in 1997 or 1989 is irrelevant for obvious reasons. A first timer today doesn't even know what DOSbox is, ffs.

I think the most "hardcore" RPGs an actual first timer might not get totally intimidated by these days are the likes of BG3, DA: Origins, KOTOR 1+2, Deus Ex: Human Revolution/Mankind Divided (first one is out of the question), New Vegas etc. I think even something that we find rather simple like Morrowind is a no-no.

I still think that Lands of Lore is a good entry, but i agree with Ultima and PoR

 

[Maxie]

Which titles would you recommend for a first timer?

Thanks in advance.

If that person is already interested in CRPGs and wants to learn more about specific types he likes or dislikes, then you should encourage that person to experience every major CRPG subgenre, via at least 1 or 2 quality games that fit well into that subgenre, e.g.

1. Rogue-likes: Rogue (1980), Telengard (1982), Nethack (1987), Ancient Domains of Mystery (1994)
2. Turn-Based Blobbers: Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord (1981), The Bard’s Tale (1985), Wizardry VI: Bane of the Cosmic Forge (1990), Might & Magic: World of Xeen (1994)
3. Garriott-likes: Ultima III: Exodus (1983), Ultima IV: The Quest of the Avatar (1985), Ultima VII: The Black Gate (1992)
4. Real-Time Blobbers: Dungeon Master (1987) & Chaos Strikes Back (1989), Legend of Grimrock (2012) & Legend of Grimrock II (2014), Eye of the Beholder (1991), Black Crypt (1992)
5. Tactical RPGs: Pool of Radiance (1988), Death Knights of Krynn (1991), and other Gold Box games, Perihelion (1993), Temple of Elemental Evil (2003)
6. Underworld-likes: Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss (1992), UU II: The Labyrinth of Worlds (1993), The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall (1996), King’s Field IV: The Ancient City (2002)
7. JRPGs: Final Fantasy VI (1994), Final Fantasy IV (1991), Final Fantasy IX (2000), Planescape: Torment (1999)
8. Diablo-likes: Diablo (1997), Diablo II (2000), Divine Divinity (2002)
9. Choice & Consequences RPGs: Fallout (1997), Fallout 2 (1998), Arcanum (2001), Age of Decadence (2015)
10. Open World RPGs: The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (2002), The Faery Tale Adventure (1986), Fallout: New Vegas (2010), Kingdom Come: Deliverance (2018)
11. Action RPGs: Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen (2012/2013), Demon’s Souls (2009), Dark Souls (2011), Salt & Sanctuary (2016)

If you're trying to interest that person in CRPGs, then you need to provide us with some detail about that person's prior experience with RPGs and other types of games. Someone who has little experience with gaming in general should be recommended games that aren't too difficult and that have good explanations of their mechanics at the beginning (not necessarily through tutorials), someone who enjoys tactics games should be recommended Tactical RPGs, someone who enjoys action games should be recommended Action RPGs, someone who enjoys Rogue-lites should be recommended Rogue-likes, someone who focuses on story-telling should be recommended a story-focused subgenre (Garriot-likes, JRPGs, or C&C RPGs), someone who enjoys exploration should be recommended an exploration-focused subgenre (Real-Time Blobbers, Underworld-likes, or Open World RPGs), et cetera.

you're the equivalent of the fucking retard who tells his granny to install gentoo to check her emails every now and then