Vapourware RPGs that can legitimately be called masterpieces

[Lilura]

Speaking of ambitious, the amount of effort and money that SirTech put into the voiceover and portrait animations for Jagged Alliance 2 and Wizardry 8 always impressed me.

Agree. So there are 63 potential companions and every single one of them has VOs for key moments down to seeing a crow pecking at a corpse. And that on top of the normal VOs.

There are about 150 individual NPCs, all fully voiced and with animated portraits. All well-written and voice-acted. In 1999.

Even though I usually don't like VOs, it's ok because they're to-the-point (+ we can skip through them quickly on replays).

And yes, as I've said before, I much prefer JA2 style/brevity over walls of fluff-text as seen in PS:T.

Someone once said brevity is the soul of wit: for JA2, that holds true.

 

[Max Damage]

Forgot to add, Space Rangers 2 is a masterpiece too. Started replaying it again, still holds up really well.

 

[Theldaran]

What about an RPG... "Second Renaissance"?

https://youtu.be/jNiO2sTe2wo

 

[Agesilaus]

This post caused me to create this topic. In that topic, people were saying that third-rate RPGs were "perfect", which is ridiculous. I don't even think Jagged Alliance 2 is perfect.

Masterpiece: A work of outstanding skill, mastery or workmanship.

Note how it says "a work". In other words, it isn't enough for an RPG to have great this or great that, but fail elsewhere. When taken as a whole, the RPG must equate to a masterpiece. Thus, Troika games are out despite my undying love for them.

There are not many masterpieces. Off-hand, and in no particular order:

- Fallout (PC)
- Deus Ex (PC)
- Jagged Alliance 2 (PC)
- Warband (PC)
- Diablo (PC)
- Darklands (PC)
- Wasteland (C=64)
- Captive (Amiga)
- Hired Guns (Amiga)
- Dungeon Master (Atari ST)

I can call any of these masterpieces with a straight face. There are others, of course, but that's what I can think of, off-hand.

So what, to your mind, are examples of genre masterpieces?

I skimmed the entire first page and I didn't see AoD mentioned anywhere. Absolutely ridiculous, definitely not going to read the rest of the thread.

Here is my review of OPs claims:

Masterpiece tier:
Fallout (PC) - yeah ok
Deus Ex (PC) - I GUESS
Jagged Alliance (PC) - fine, whatever
Diablo (PC) - Almost put this in the fun tier, but to be fair it is a masterpiece for what it is and the era it was produced
Wasteland (C-64) - Sure, there are a bunch of solid games from this era that share similar mechanics (Mines of Titan, Crescent Hawk's Inception, Gold Box Games). I am not as familiar with Wasteland as I am with others, but some of them definitely belong in the masterpiece tier.

Fun tier:
Warband (PC) - Definitely not a masterpiece, but it has very fun mechanics and is easy to dive into whenever you please.

Blob of shit tier:
Captive (Amiga) - Blobber
Hired Guns (Amiga) - Blobber
Dungeon Master (Atari ST) - Blobber

 

[The_Mask]

Day 8: After mating Lilura eats Darth Roxor.

Roguey can watch.

 

[Lonely Vazdru]

Absolutely ridiculous, definitely not going to read the rest of the thread.

...but I'm still gonna post.

 

[Master]

Forgot to add, Space Rangers 2 is a masterpiece too. Started replaying it again, still holds up really well.

Thats my favorite game. Dont know why i forgot about it.
So, Gothic, Fallout, SS2 and SR are basically the best RPGs and true "masturpieces".

 

[Chippy]

I'm thinking of playing Diablo 1+2 again. I have the CDs in the attic. Only played Diablo 1 once and Diablo 2 was too autistic for me (all the clicking). I suppose a persons standards lower somewhat over the years, and what was crap years ago is good by today's standards.

I looked at Diablo 3 on Youtube...but I don't get it.

 

[Butter]

I'm thinking of playing Diablo 1+2 again. I have the CDs in the attic. Only played Diablo 1 once and Diablo 2 was too autistic for me (all the clicking). I suppose a persons standards lower somewhat over the years, and what was crap years ago is good by today's standards.

I looked at Diablo 3 on Youtube...but I don't get it.

The lesson developers seemingly learned from the success of Diablo 2 was that players just wanted to blitz through 200 trash mobs a minute.

 

[Roguey]

Mostly MAME and a couple of Neo Geo emulators.

Wasn't really fond of the Neo Geo selection for the most part. :\ Who are your favorite King of Fighters characters? It shouldn't be too much of a surprise to learn that the women's team was my favorite with King being my #1.

 

[biggestboss]

Leona is best girl

 

[Akratus]

Dark Souls 1.

 

[LudensCogitet]

I'm thinking of playing Diablo 1+2 again. I have the CDs in the attic. Only played Diablo 1 once and Diablo 2 was too autistic for me (all the clicking). I suppose a persons standards lower somewhat over the years, and what was crap years ago is good by today's standards.

I looked at Diablo 3 on Youtube...but I don't get it.

I played through Diablo 3 (with Reaper of Souls) and I can't see what the appeal is beyond basic lizard brain dopamine drip.

It is *stupid easy*, and even the people that defend it online say the *entire* campaign is basically a throw away prologue and the gameplay itself is something you turn your brain off for.

And it is really really not an RPG. Not unless Gauntlet is.

 

[Lilura]

Who are your favorite King of Fighters characters?

Who cares, Roguey. All that matters to me at this point is, do you rate JA2 a masterpiece?

Well, do you?

Or, if you don't consider any RPG a masterpiece (which is fine), how do you rate it?

I note that it isn't in your top 5. Which makes me suspicious. I'd hate to have to put you in my iggy bin.

 

[Darth Canoli]

Wasn't really fond of the Neo Geo selection for the most part.

What about Robot Army, Nam 75, Metal Slug, Viewpoint, Alpha Mission II, ...

 

[Roguey]

Who cares, Roguey. All that matters to me at this point is, do you rate JA2 a masterpiece?

Well, do you?

Or, if you don't consider any RPG a masterpiece (which is fine), how do you rate it?

I note that it isn't in your top 5. Which makes me suspicious. I'd hate to have to put you in my iggy bin.

I cleared Drassen but couldn't get past the strategic management that was demanded of me at at that point https://rpgcodex.net/forums/index.p...-1-missions-content.93751/page-2#post-3450450 https://rpgcodex.net/forums/index.p...-the-test-of-time.120498/page-12#post-5611847 That's not a fault of the game's, it's on me. I don't like that kind of gameplay.

I did finish and like Unfinished Business for the most part as you're aware https://rpgcodex.net/forums/index.p...also-silent-storm.114658/page-12#post-6274542

What about Robot Army, Nam 75, Metal Slug, Viewpoint, Alpha Mission II, ...

Metal Slug is the only one I recall in that list. It felt just kind of there.

 

[Jason Liang]

Speaking of SNK, let's not forget they also made Crystalis!

(in fact, Athena and Kensou are in Crystalis)

 

[Viata]

Many characters of the KoF series came from different games.

 

[HarveyBirdman]

Indeed, masterpiece is differentiated from classics, flawed diamonds and "my favorites". We are trying to look at RPGs that approach flawless victories here. That I don't have Baldur's Gate or Troika's trio in there should have been a dead giveaway, since I hold them in high esteem and have vested interests in overrating them.

Okay, high bar.
As the self-elected representative of modern RPGs, the picks are:

>Dark Souls
>Dark Souls 3
And since you didn't specify CRPGs...
>Bloodborne

From Software is the only company in the last 20 years to fire on all cylinders. This reflects Western civilization teetering on a knife's edge.

 

[Lilura]

I cleared Drassen but couldn't get past the strategic management that was demanded of me at at that point https://rpgcodex.net/forums/index.p...-1-missions-content.93751/page-2#post-3450450 https://rpgcodex.net/forums/index.p...-the-test-of-time.120498/page-12#post-5611847 That's not a fault of the game's, it's on me. I don't like that kind of gameplay.

Thanks for reminding me to put a couple of people on ignore from those threads.

 

[jebsmoker]

Indeed, masterpiece is differentiated from classics, flawed diamonds and "my favorites". We are trying to look at RPGs that approach flawless victories here. That I don't have Baldur's Gate or Troika's trio in there should have been a dead giveaway, since I hold them in high esteem and have vested interests in overrating them.

Okay, high bar.
As the self-elected representative of modern RPGs, the picks are:

>Dark Souls
>Dark Souls 3
And since you didn't specify CRPGs...
>Bloodborne

From Software is the only company in the last 20 years to fire on all cylinders. This reflects Western civilization teetering on a knife's edge.

call me crazy but i don't think a tide of overwhelmingly mediocre computer games is objective proof of the collapse of western civilization or whatever

 

[Beggar]

Well, with such tempo the next poll will be "Is there an RPG that isn't shit"

 

[HarveyBirdman]

Indeed, masterpiece is differentiated from classics, flawed diamonds and "my favorites". We are trying to look at RPGs that approach flawless victories here. That I don't have Baldur's Gate or Troika's trio in there should have been a dead giveaway, since I hold them in high esteem and have vested interests in overrating them.

Okay, high bar.
As the self-elected representative of modern RPGs, the picks are:

>Dark Souls
>Dark Souls 3
And since you didn't specify CRPGs...
>Bloodborne

From Software is the only company in the last 20 years to fire on all cylinders. This reflects Western civilization teetering on a knife's edge.

call me crazy but i don't think a tide of overwhelmingly mediocre computer games is objective proof of the collapse of western civilization or whatever

You're a psychopath.

 

[d1nolore]

Lilura #1 RPG blog on Google and #1 longest ignore list on Codex.

 

[jebsmoker]

Indeed, masterpiece is differentiated from classics, flawed diamonds and "my favorites". We are trying to look at RPGs that approach flawless victories here. That I don't have Baldur's Gate or Troika's trio in there should have been a dead giveaway, since I hold them in high esteem and have vested interests in overrating them.

Okay, high bar.
As the self-elected representative of modern RPGs, the picks are:

>Dark Souls
>Dark Souls 3
And since you didn't specify CRPGs...
>Bloodborne

From Software is the only company in the last 20 years to fire on all cylinders. This reflects Western civilization teetering on a knife's edge.

call me crazy but i don't think a tide of overwhelmingly mediocre computer games is objective proof of the collapse of western civilization or whatever

You're a psychopath.

i don't know. seeing some cookie-cutter crpg on steam that went into early access that got abandoned after like a year or two due to the devs' lives being overtaken by adult responsibilities isn't a good citation for the collapse of western civilization or whatever