Geneforge

[Mech]

I was reading the other "Years in review" editorials and I noticed a mention of Geneforge in one of them.
So I clicked the link, looked at it. Wasn't quite sure what to think about, but decided to download it anyway just for kicks.

And damn, I must say I was impressed enough to play for 3 hours straight. I'll likely end up buying this when I finish the demo.

Anyone know of any other games with a similar style?
(It reminds of Baldurs Gate to be honest)

 

[LlamaGod]

Geneforge 1 is the only one I really like, 2 is alright. 3 is even less good, but it's still alright.

Avernum series is much better.

 

[spacemoose]

My reccomendation is to get Exile III, (not Avernum). In my opinion, Jeff Vogel's finest hour.

 

[almondblight]

Well, I second the Exile suggestion, but I would say go for Blades of Exile instead, probbalt the best bang for your buck.

Oh yeah, and Vogel announced Geneforge 4 is next. Then all signs point to Avernum 5 (which would be the 10th game set in that world). Meh...

 

[LlamaGod]

Avernums got a pretty badass world through

 

[Psilon]

Oh yeah, and Vogel announced Geneforge 4 is next. Then all signs point to Avernum 5 (which would be the 10th game set in that world). Meh...

Oh, fucking hell. He's seriously doing GF4 next? What's next, Batons of Geneforge?

Given the tepid GF3 and the mixed reviews A4 seems to be getting, I think Jeff will have some definite difficulties sustaining these franchises in future. He needs a completely new engine, graphics that aren't rescaled sprites from Avernum, and a radically different setting. I of course suggest space opera, but at this point anything not involving Shapers, serviles, Avernites, or freaking Vahnatai would be acceptable.

 

[LlamaGod]

I like his games, but they are becoming all too the same.

He needs to sit down and spend a good amount of time and bust out a new series with new everything.

I'm tired of these 4 month sequels.

Avernum 4 might still be good, though. If it has more stuff then 3 did, that's pretty rad. Alot of fun hack'n'slash gameplay.

But if there is Avernum 5, I will scream.

 

[Whipporowill]

Well, from what I read on the Spiderweb forum after the AV4 release, there were some rather "meh" moments. Some people seemed generally let down. That's pretty much worrying me.

 

[wizard]

But if there is Avernum 5, I will scream.

Jeff has hinted AV5

About GF4: it should be a little different than earlier GFs mainly because you aren't playing a Shaper this time. Jeff is also trying to make it more dialogue heavy than Avernum 4. Personally I'm looking forward to see what Jeff will do with GF4.
And what's with all you people whining about graphics? They're fine for a small firm like Spiderweb who don't have the money to buy fancy graphics from their freelancer artists.

 

[Sisay]

I think the combat is the biggest problem in the GF engine (I've only played GFs and Nethergate so I don't know about the rest), not just the graphics. Turn-based is nice but playing mostly agents and guardians I don't think there's a lot of actual combat options available. Controlling more creatures doesn't suddenly turn it into JA2 either. I just don't find it that much fun and by Geneforge 3 I was really getting tired at the combat and the overabundance of it.

I don't think the problem with the graphics is that people want particle effextz and bloom, I'd wager it's more that people are getting tired of seeing the same sprites over and over again. I'd really like a new setting but I'm still looking forward to Geneforge 4. I'm just hoping he doesn't make it more linear and episodic like GF 3. It'd be nice if the combat path, mechanics path and leadership path wouldn't often be so obvious, too. It's not like there's a ton of other games to look forward to either of course.

Edit:
And damn I want those factions back. The multiple factions (or loner powerhungry bastard) aspect was one of the things I really enjoyed in the first two games and he completely screwed that part up with the whole only two factions thing in GF3.

 

[FrancoTAU]

Fuck, Jeff is really going to the well too many times. He needs to do one of two things. New Engine or New Setting. There is too much Deja Vu going on when i play his stuff now.

That being said, i'll still give the AV4 demo a try when it comes on PC to see if can see past it.

 

[Azael]

I've only fully played Avernum 3 and Geneforge and thought those games were pretty damn great, but I just couldn't get interested in the other titles, they look and feel completely the same, almost like playing carbon copies of the same game. The fact that he's a small time producer doesn't really excuse this recycling of not only graphics, but also ideas. If you look at graphics, a miniscule team could make Mount & Blade look brilliant.

That said, Geneforge is a bloody good game and I recommend it to everyone interested in CRPGs.

 

[LlamaGod]

Avernum 2 and Geneforge 1 are his best games, I lub them to pieces.

 

[LCJr.]

Don't forget Nethergate. Nice mix of history and fantasy.

 

[feta]

playing geneforge 3 too.
The plot twists and possible options are on par with the best of em.
The story is good, the world looks good.
The only thing I didn't love about this game is the combat system.
Turn-based is a very good step, but the rest is too simplistic. I'm not asking for JA2 combat, but combat gets a bit too mechanical after a while.
But we can't have it all now can we?

In overall, I'd say this is one of the best rpg's I've tried in the past years. When I'm finished with it I'll start exploring the rest of the games they got

 

[Psilon]

playing geneforge 3 too.
The plot twists and possible options are on par with the best of em.

Not really. Figuring out $(SHAPER) is a bad guy doesn't really take much effort, and the drakons were obvious after GF2. What's more, each island has an obvious rebel path and an obvious loyalist path; complete one, and then proceed to the next island for more of the same.

That said, it is nice that the rampantly-homicidal-maniac path doesn't completely break the game. Try killing Diwaniya rather than repairing the generator, for instance.

 

[feta]

I'm used of being able to guess exactly what will happen etc...
In this one I was hit with one choice impact after the other.
Now I'm kissing ass to get some shaper training... damn shapers hate me...


As i said, I haven't tried the previous ones so I can't make guesstimates based on previous lore.

What I liked (reminded me of fallout to a certain extent) that you can never be too sure what will happen in a given situation. For example the rebels on the 2nd island (I'm still trying to find a way for them to give up dammit).

 

[almondblight]

As i said, I haven't tried the previous ones so I can't make guesstimates based on previous lore.

I think that's the main problem with Jeff's games...the first one or two you play are interesting, but the more games you play, the more repetative they get. Playing since Exile III means I'm damned tired of it by this point...especially since they actually seem to get less interesting as time goes on.

 

[corvax]

I must have given Geneforge (1) about 3 or 4 tries already. On my first attempts I fucked up because my character was a jack-of-all-trades and that doesn't work too well. However my last character was a kicking ass shaper with almost no problems in combat...and I still have given up towards the end. There's just too much reliance on combat, period. It's not as ridiculous as Baldur's Gate but it's still very annoying. That's too bad because Jeff's games seem to have the story depth and choice variety I've been looking for since Fallout.

 

[LCJr.]

Jeff seems to think his fans want endless combat for some reason. Personally I think his games are getting worse and worse and judging from his forums I'm not the only one. I was somewhat surprised and very disappointed to hear his next games were going to more sequels. He really needs to do something new and with far less combat.

 

[crpgnut]

It seems like Vogel is done. He hasn't released anything decent since the first Geneforge. Everything since then has left a bad taste of deja vu that lingers throughout the game.

 

[k_bits]

I was reading the other "Years in review" editorials and I noticed a mention of Geneforge in one of them.
So I clicked the link, looked at it. Wasn't quite sure what to think about, but decided to download it anyway just for kicks.

And damn, I must say I was impressed enough to play for 3 hours straight. I'll likely end up buying this when I finish the demo.

Anyone know of any other games with a similar style?
(It reminds of Baldurs Gate to be honest)

Prelude to darkness. Freeware now IIRC