Community RPG Codex 2023 GOTY - POLL IS CLOSED!

[Mortmal]

Is Baldur's Gate 3 actually bad gameplay-wise? I haven't paid any attention to it and only know about the bear memes.

Is it hated because it's mainstream? Because it's shallow/dumbed down? Because it has nothing to do with the first two? Because it's woke? Because it's not made in some former soviet shithole? All of the above?

No, it's not bad gameplay-wise; it's the best RPG ever made, non-ironically. It has the highest production value ever seen in every single aspect, with a lot of care in details and never-before-seen reactivity. The memes are about an infinitesimal small amount of content compared to what the game has to offer. The only real criticism is that it's indeed very woke; however, it never forces anything on you. Then you have the usual Codex schizos who will spam every thread about it. Now it's all fine as long as you are not about to spend money; but then if you are about to buy games , don't believe their lies and go for some garbage indie praised here.
It's hated because it's mainstream and successful, and it's an awesome success story, while many people here have very sad lives, and someone successful and hard worker like Sven is their antithesis.

 

[Crispy]

If Baldur's Gate 3 is the best RPG ever made, then I'm a Chinese jet pilot.

Its combat is excellent, some of the best I've seen since ToEE, but its controversial content is so cringeworthy, so almost forced on you (you can successfully dodge most of it but you just know if you click on the wrong response a single time you're going to be forced to watch a cutscene of yourself getting drilled from behind by an illithid, and no, I'm not kidding) so you have to decide whether the former is worth putting up with the latter.

I'll put it this way: if the writers and designers of the game weren't so fucking liberal and actually took their own product a little more seriously, BG3 could have been one of the best RPGs in the last ten years.

 

[Mebrilia the Viera Queen]

If Baldur's Gate 3 is the best RPG ever made, then I'm a Chinese jet pilot.

Its combat is excellent, some of the best I've seen since ToEE, but its controversial content is so cringeworthy, so almost forced on you (you can successfully dodge most of it but you just know if you click on the wrong response a single time you're going to be forced to watch a cutscene of yourself getting drilled from behind by an illithid, and no, I'm not kidding) so you have to decide whether the former is worth putting up with the latter.

I'll put it this way: if the writers and designers of the game weren't so fucking liberal and actually took their own product a little more seriously, BG3 could have been one of the best RPGs in the last ten years.

It kinda is... Problem is people today are way more sensitive to certain topics. Hell even bg1 had some stuff that would make people scream WOKE today.

 

[Reality]

The games I rated highest were hybrids that I would never consider eligible for an RPG poll on my own.

 

[Tyranicon]

Doubtful unless they're self-published on some obscure Thai website or something

Itch.io has a lot of games being released every day, how many of them have you ever heard about?

A fair amount, since I also sell my games on Itch.

But, it's pretty obscure. Serious devs who sell their games on Itch do so because it's one of the most DRM-free platforms that you can sell stuff on. Not because the sales there are significant.

 

[Viata]

It's also the place with the most experimental shit out there. I praise the existence of itch.io everyday. Simple as that.

 

[Tweed]

Demon Lord Reincarnation was the only good RPG of 2023 it seems.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

Is Baldur's Gate 3 actually bad gameplay-wise? I haven't paid any attention to it and only know about the bear memes.

Is it hated because it's mainstream? Because it's shallow/dumbed down? Because it has nothing to do with the first two? Because it's woke? Because it's not made in some former soviet shithole? All of the above?

Lessons developers should learn from Baldur's Gate 3:

• Tactical, turn-based combat sells
• An RPG should have at least a semblance of exploration
• A considerable amount of interactivity with the world can be accomplished, even in a game with turn-based combat
• Quests can have various Choices & Consequences associated with them, and there can also be consequences for player actions outside quests
• RPGs can have a fairly non-linear structure

Lessons developers will learn from Baldur's Gate 3:

• Sex sells, especially with viral marketing
• Aside from a single player-generated character, the party members should be pre-generated and have ludicrously convoluted backstories
• Vast amounts of money should be spent on voice-acting and motion-capture, especially for those pre-generated companions
• Embrace the worst fantasy setting possible
• Players don't care about basing your game on a poor ruleset, such as "D&D 5th edition"

 

[raeven]

If Baldur's Gate 3 is the best RPG ever made, then I'm a Chinese jet pilot.

Its combat is excellent, some of the best I've seen since ToEE, but its controversial content is so cringeworthy, so almost forced on you (you can successfully dodge most of it but you just know if you click on the wrong response a single time you're going to be forced to watch a cutscene of yourself getting drilled from behind by an illithid, and no, I'm not kidding) so you have to decide whether the former is worth putting up with the latter.

I'll put it this way: if the writers and designers of the game weren't so fucking liberal and actually took their own product a little more seriously, BG3 could have been one of the best RPGs in the last ten years.

It kinda is... Problem is people today are way more sensitive to certain topics. Hell even bg1 had some stuff that would make people scream WOKE today.

Same with Jagged Alliance 2.

 

[raeven]

• Players don't care about basing your game on a poor ruleset, such as "D&D 5th edition"

Look on the bright side, it could have been Divinity Original Sin 2

 

[mediocrepoet]

If Baldur's Gate 3 is the best RPG ever made, then I'm a Chinese jet pilot.

You're Chinese Jetpilot?

 

[Blutwurstritter]

If Baldur's Gate 3 is the best RPG ever made, then I'm a Chinese jet pilot.

Its combat is excellent, some of the best I've seen since ToEE, but its controversial content is so cringeworthy, so almost forced on you (you can successfully dodge most of it but you just know if you click on the wrong response a single time you're going to be forced to watch a cutscene of yourself getting drilled from behind by an illithid, and no, I'm not kidding) so you have to decide whether the former is worth putting up with the latter.

I'll put it this way: if the writers and designers of the game weren't so fucking liberal and actually took their own product a little more seriously, BG3 could have been one of the best RPGs in the last ten years.

Choice and consequences; choice and consequences. But it seems that some people just can't keep their mind out of the gutter. It has to be bear sex and tentacles on their mind, no matter what.

 

[Viata]

The problem is that it's another year without a game with good combat like ToEE.

 

[Mortmal]

If Baldur's Gate 3 is the best RPG ever made, then I'm a Chinese jet pilot.

Its combat is excellent, some of the best I've seen since ToEE, but its controversial content is so cringeworthy, so almost forced on you (you can successfully dodge most of it but you just know if you click on the wrong response a single time you're going to be forced to watch a cutscene of yourself getting drilled from behind by an illithid, and no, I'm not kidding) so you have to decide whether the former is worth putting up with the latter.

I'll put it this way: if the writers and designers of the game weren't so fucking liberal and actually took their own product a little more seriously, BG3 could have been one of the best RPGs in the last ten years.

 

[H. P. Lovecraft's Cat]

I vote Monster Hunter World: Iceborne.

Everything on the list is shit and all the actual good games that came out are absent from the list.

 

[Nostaljaded]

Not sure why repeat the same mistake (1-5 rating scale, instead of 1-4) again this year, when it was admitted post-results last year.

I did ask Twiglard to change it, he didn't. I don't know if it's because he forgot, it's annoying to change it or he just prefers 1-5. He's already doing this whole poll as a favor, so whatever.

Thanks, saw you asking and tagging Twiglard for 1-4 rating in the other thread, but only after posting my message.

 

[Nostaljaded]

..If they're on Steam, GOG or any other popular storefront, I don't think there's that many 5/5 hidden gem cRPGs that aren't at least mentioned in passing here...

For cRPGs, agreed.
Whereas for the eastern dark alley... [crickets]

An example will be the 2022 GOTY eroge nominations.
Instead of The Impregnat*** of the El*** (by Taiwanese developers and a hard ask to even rate it 2/4, but no doubt a 2/6) being nominated for ______ reasons,
I would rather have it replaced by any of the below ero doujin JRPGs titles (which are at least 3/4s [~worth to buy/play further beyond their demo]).

In order of their 2022 ENG release date:

a. Blazing Aries (Steam): Single character Tales of Destiny action gameplay.
b. The Heart of Darkness (Steam/GOG): Large topdown dungeon where your direction bearings may be seriously tested; male protagonist.
c. Magical Girl Celesphonia (Steam/GOG): Top end on what a female protagonist can offer in an ero doujin JRPG.
d. Castaway of the Ardusta Sea (Steam/GOG): Stealth game with 2.5 different game styles. This is the 3rd series and the only one with VA, 1st series (Escape from Fortress Lugohm) gameplay is a bit rough on the edges and 2nd (Mage of the Olekta Desert) is like the 3rd.
e. Yes My Lord (Steam): Single character Valkyrie Profile gameplay; male protagonist, lovey dovey.

-. The Scarlet Demonslayer (Steam/GOG): Not even remotely a JRPG, but included for its ero.

Skimmed through some ero doujin Steam publishers.

Caveat: Don't ask me how's their ENG translations, as I don't play ero doujins in ENG.

One good thing about 'separate adult patches' is one can play and more objectively rate the non-adult game features if one wishes so (pointless for The Scarlet Demonslayer though).
Edit: [Just discovered] Without 'Adult Patch', some all-ages content might be cut too!

 

[Nostaljaded]

Itch.io has a lot of games being released every day, how many of them have you ever heard about?

A fair amount, since I also sell my games on Itch.

But, it's pretty obscure...

It's also the place with the most experimental shit out there. I praise the existence of itch.io everyday. Simple as that.

So, anyone able to recommend some itch.io (but not in Steam/GOG) 2022/2023 full-release (aka content-complete, not in Early Access) games?

 

[Aemar]

Voted for Caves of Lore, Colony Ship and Underrail: Heavy Duty.

 

[Tyranicon]

So, anyone able to recommend some itch.io (but not in Steam/GOG) 2022/2023 full-release (aka content-complete, not in Early Access) games?

Adding to my point previously, I don't know of any itchio exclusive games that are both finished and I would recommend.

I only know of a few itchio exclusive games and they're all highly controversial shit that's been banned from Steam or straight up not allowed. None of which I will name in public.

At least one has a thread in this prestigious forum's JRPG section.

Edit: No, it's not my stuff.

 

[BosanskiSeljak]

The most popular thing can never be the best by virtue of catering to the lowest common denominator in its target market. There can be debates and conversations on what actually is the best, but the best selling/most popular is out of the discussion instantly.

By thinking it's possible, you showcase to the world you've never excelled at anything, never been an expert. Unfortunately, too many people are mediocre in every aspect of their life to be aware of this, including on this supposedly "hardcore" forum.

 

[H. P. Lovecraft's Cat]

The most popular thing can never be the best by virtue of catering to the lowest common denominator in its target market. There can be debates and conversations on what actually is the best, but the best selling/most popular is out of the discussion instantly.

By thinking it's possible, you showcase to the world you've never excelled at anything, never been an expert. Unfortunately, too many people are mediocre in every aspect of their life to be aware of this, including on this supposedly "hardcore" forum.

Tell us your secrets perfect all-knowing God. What is really "the best"?

 

[felipepepe]

So, anyone able to recommend some itch.io (but not in Steam/GOG) 2022/2023 full-release (aka content-complete, not in Early Access) games?

Basilisk 2000 was one of my favorite games of last year. It's a 2023 full release that is itch.io exclusive, and it's a sort of "found media" game where you use a game editor to explore the files of a (fictional) unreleased RPG from the 2000s. Really cool stuff, but it's not an RPG.

And that's the thing, if a game is itch.io-only, then usually they're experimental stuff, like 5-minute long adaptations of short stories or poems done in bitsy. Half of this thread is people saying they didn't play anything and making up excuses to hate on BG3, of course this isn't the place you'll find more about these games.

 

[BosanskiSeljak]

The most popular thing can never be the best by virtue of catering to the lowest common denominator in its target market. There can be debates and conversations on what actually is the best, but the best selling/most popular is out of the discussion instantly.

By thinking it's possible, you showcase to the world you've never excelled at anything, never been an expert. Unfortunately, too many people are mediocre in every aspect of their life to be aware of this, including on this supposedly "hardcore" forum.

Tell us your secrets perfect all-knowing God. What is really "the best"?

you're only allowed to make conversation with me when you've had at least 1 post about an RPG, an extremely low bar you've somehow failed to meet, nigger man

 

[H. P. Lovecraft's Cat]

The most popular thing can never be the best by virtue of catering to the lowest common denominator in its target market. There can be debates and conversations on what actually is the best, but the best selling/most popular is out of the discussion instantly.

By thinking it's possible, you showcase to the world you've never excelled at anything, never been an expert. Unfortunately, too many people are mediocre in every aspect of their life to be aware of this, including on this supposedly "hardcore" forum.

Tell us your secrets perfect all-knowing God. What is really "the best"?

you're only allowed to make conversation with me when you've had at least 1 post about an RPG, an extremely low bar you've somehow failed to meet, nigger man

This sounds like a insecure deflection. Only mortals show insecurity. You're no god, poser. Also it is difficult to use kbm with paws.