Solo vs. Party-Based

[Laz Sundays]

Ok, "Horserer".

 

[Ysaye]

Whilst I can get enjoyment from both, games where you define a party of four or more characters are dying out in favor of single PC games or make one character (typically of the action RPG format) and get a party of NPCs who have to follow some diversity policy put forward by the publishers or they are a JRPG with all the other npcs being calibrated to be a potential Waifu / harem member.

As Dorateen said, the definition of this hobby game genre was grounded in (wargaming) parties, which means a party of characters to complete a quest; and it is part of the game to choose an appropriate team to complete said quest, so I favor that.

 

[Vulpes]

I prefer solo games. Micromanaging (aka tard wrangling) a party of more than four characters can get pretty annoying, especially when it comes to RtwP combat since most RPGs tend to have terrible party AI and pathfinding.

 

[gooseman]

Full party creation. Pregens are ok, as long as they aren't written by faggots like Bioware and Larian. Solo is fun too.
I think I like co-op multiplayer the most. NWN, Diabloids, something like Gauntlet (I guess it's more of an arcade game, but is vaguely in the area of a diablo precursor) and those beat em up arcade RPGs like Dragon's Crown and Shadow over Mystara. Monster Hunter! I'd kill for proper multiplayer game like Dragon's Dogma (there's the MMO that was revived, but I heard it's worse).

 

[Erebus]

As far as combat is concerned, party-based games are vastly more to my taste. Preferably a party of six characters, as SSI intended.

Managing a single character in combat (or a character with companions that you can't fully control) is less tactical and more actiongamey. It can be reasonably entertaining, but I often find it too repetitive and not stimulating enough.

 

[The Nameless One]

The game's a bit more complex and interesting if you're in a party. You combine strengths/weaknesses of every char in favor of a strategy for every situation.
In solo you just cheese things out to avoid dying on turn 2.

 

[ColossusCimmerian]

I like it either way. I prefer to play solo sometimes, I don't mind if I have a partner later on. Although I like to play in a group too, it is party-based, with AI controlling the party members (Fallout) and me controlling the members (ToEE and Icewind dale).

 

[ShiningSoldier]

I like the way Might & Magic games do that: you have a party, but you control all members as if it was the single character. Because it removes the main issue I have with the most party-based RPGs: making these stupid fuckers to do what you want them to do.