The #5 RPGs of the Decade (that we think you should play)

[relootz]

DIABLO 2 IS HACK&SLASH IT IS NOT RPG!!

WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a great game though.

 

[Humanophage]

I wonder if there's a difference between a good RPG and a game you like which also happens to be an RPG. For instance, I personally enjoy BG1 more than Fallout 2, but it has objectively inferior RPG mechanics.

The ones I enjoyed playing the most would be:
1.. Baldur's Gate II - ToB
2. Gothic II + NotR
3. KotOR I
4. Bloodlines
5. Gothic I
6. Geneforge IV
7. Neverwinter Nights + HotU/modules
8. Anachronox
9. KotOR II
10. Arx Fatalis

However, if I am to think globally and choose the best RPG based on features I believe a good RPG should have, then the top-10 would be quite different:
1. Arcanum
2. Wizardry 8
3. Gothic II + NotR
4. Geneforge V
5. Bloodlines
6. Baldur's Gate II - ToB
7. Neverwinter Nights + HotU/modules
8. Knights of the Chalice
9. KotOR II
10. Arx Fatalis

I didn't like Morrowind at all, save for the graphics and the setting. However, the world itself felt copy-pasted and extraordinarily bland. Oblivion had more unique locations and was de facto more fun exploring, in spite of its conceptually less interesting setting.

I don't think Diablo should be included, but as far as single-player is concerned, I decidedly prefer Revenant (it's 1999 and doesn't qualify though). The combat system was a lot more fun. Alas, they didn't really finish the game. I also personally like Nox more than Diablo, the game had a curious retro feel to it.

I'm not certain if M&B should be included. It's a brilliant game, but it belongs to the same genre as Pirates! or Space Rangers. Admittedly, I'm not sure about the latter either. Both would deserve a place in the top-10 if one regards them as RPGs.

I played pretty much all relatively famous RPGs of the decade - at least, all of those mentioned in the OP, - with the exception of NWN2 (or MotB), DA, Deus Ex, ToEE, PoR, FO3, ME2, and Torchlight. Most were decent, though I did abandon a few at an early stage for various reasons, such as Divine Divinity or Mass Effect.

P.S. PorkaMorka, JA2 and Odium were released in 1999. But it's nice of you to mention the oft-overlooked Odium.

 

[DarkUnderlord]

More like a long forum post rather than a well-written article

Well, half of it is essentially forum posts so that couldn't be helped.

 

[Black]

VoD: Yes I like BG2 more than ARC

Youa re dubm

Baldur's Gate 2 (4)

Jesus Christ, BG2 is such a terrible RPG it's not even funny.

 

[Volourn]

I am right. You are (all) wrong.

 

[Silellak]

Where's the love for World of Warcraft?!

Seriously though, I wish someone had mentioned "Ultima V: Lazarus" even once. It's probably the most fun I've had playing an RPG in the last decade, and, being free, it definitely had the best Price to Fun ratio (for those fags like me who still buy games, at least). I also think it differs enough from the original Ultima V to stand alone as its own creation, but I don't know if that's the rational being inside me saying that, or the fanboy.

Of course, the "someone" who mentioned it could've been me, but I guess I missed the boat there. Whoops.

I am right. You are (all) wrong.

Oh

Jesus Christ, BG2 I'm is such a terrible RPG poster it's not even funny anymore.

 

[Redshirt #42]

I am right. You are (all) wrong.

Do you have Assburger's too?

 

[Jim Cojones]

I am right. You are (all) wrong.

I think NWN is not a piece of shit.

 

[Serious_Business]

Dragon age and morrowind are definitivelitilitely the best rpgs of the last contemporary milenia of all-around joy and rape effdsdfdsfsd great article

 

[Achilles]

Not a bad list, but Diablo 2 seems a little out of place.

 

[DraQ]

LOL at Morrowind. What was great good about that game? Just another LARP simulator from Bethesda without even a single memorable NPC.

Lore and worldbuilding? Exploration? Art direction? Atmosphere? Flexibility of magic system? Including usefulness of non-combat magic?

As much as I fap to memorable NPCs they don't necessarily make or break an RPG, besides, while Bethesda has always been pretty good at utterly failing at characterization, lack of memorable characters in Morrowind is overblown (mostly due to the fact that all those people who in FO were just named "drug addict" and communicated with floater text were given names and dialogue interface in Morrowind) - already mentioned Divayth Fyr or Vivec, were pretty good, although much of the characterization in game was done via circumstantial evidence, rather than dialogue which Bethesda sucks at - a bit autistic if you ask me.

C&C is also another downplayed element - Morrowind was definitely not a game you'd point at when discussing C&C, it did, however attempt to provide options and reward creative solutions whenever such things made sense - why else would you be able to offer casting invisibility (in dialogue) on an NPC you wanted to lead from the pack of angry Kagouti? The game did lack proper, long term consequences, but I'd chalk it up to devs growing too enamoured in what their leet new mechanics could do, to notice its shortcomings - the times like when game is made to recognise bribery (and bribery alone) done through standard persuasion interface as a dialogue criterion indicates that.

Morrowind may be just as much of a failed game as it is of a successful one, but it's successful part more than suffices in putting it in the ranks of all time classics.

The Bethesda RPG:s are the most overrated games I've ever played. Such useless pieces of generic shit. I only lasted a few hours in both Morrowind and Oblivion before I got bored to tears. They have no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Everything I saw in those games was bland and boring and felt like copypasta and the games have no gameplay. Bloodlines or Icewind Dale should be on the list instead of Morrowind. Hell, any other game should be on there instead of Morrowind.

You are a complete, utter moron.

Of course, if you only mentioned Oblivion, you would be perfectly correct, but mentioning "generic" in the single sentence with Morrowind", without any form of negation involved, simply disqualifies you from any meaningful discussion.

To the point, though - personally I'm utterly disgusted by D2 being on the list. First and foremost, it's not an RPG. It's poor man's MMO, complete with MMO mechanics, MMO lack of persistence, and MMO shittiness in general. It might be a fun little game if you gather a few friends to bash shit over the head, or if you are a sad little fuck who secretly faps to phat lewt, but seeing it on this list is a travesty.

Now, to see D2 and not Wiz8, Witcher, or even fucking Deus 'hi guise my mommy was an FPS' Ex on this list... Well, people have been shot for lesser offences.

 

[roll-a-die]

LOL at Morrowind. What was great good about that game? Just another LARP simulator from Bethesda without even a single memorable NPC.

Lore and worldbuilding? Exploration? Art direction? Atmosphere? Flexibility of magic system? Including usefulness of non-combat magic?

As much as I fap to memorable NPCs they don't necessarily make or break an RPG, besides, while Bethesda has always been pretty good at utterly failing at characterization, lack of memorable characters in Morrowind is overblown (mostly due to the fact that all those people who in FO were just named "drug addict" and communicated with floater text were given names and dialogue interface in Morrowind) - already mentioned Divayth Fyr or Vivec, were pretty good, although much of the characterization in game was done via circumstantial evidence, rather than dialogue which Bethesda sucks at - a bit autistic if you ask me.

C&C is also another downplayed element - Morrowind was definitely not a game you'd point at when discussing C&C, it did, however attempt to provide options and reward creative solutions whenever such things made sense - why else would you be able to offer casting invisibility (in dialogue) on an NPC you wanted to lead from the pack of angry Kagouti? The game did lack proper, long term consequences, but I'd chalk it up to devs growing too enamoured in what their leet new mechanics could do, to notice its shortcomings - the times like when game is made to recognise bribery (and bribery alone) done through standard persuasion interface as a dialogue criterion indicates that.

Morrowind may be just as much of a failed game as it is of a successful one, but it's successful part more than suffices in putting it in the ranks of all time classics.

The Bethesda RPG:s are the most overrated games I've ever played. Such useless pieces of generic shit. I only lasted a few hours in both Morrowind and Oblivion before I got bored to tears. They have no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Everything I saw in those games was bland and boring and felt like copypasta and the games have no gameplay. Bloodlines or Icewind Dale should be on the list instead of Morrowind. Hell, any other game should be on there instead of Morrowind.

You are a complete, utter moron.

Of course, if you only mentioned Oblivion, you would be perfectly correct, but mentioning "generic" in the single sentence with Morrowind", without any form of negation involved, simply disqualifies you from any meaningful discussion.

To the point, though - personally I'm utterly disgusted by D2 being on the list. First and foremost, it's not an RPG. It's poor man's MMO, complete with MMO mechanics, MMO lack of persistence, and MMO shittiness in general. It might be a fun little game if you gather a few friends to bash shit over the head, or if you are a sad little fuck who secretly faps to phat lewt, but seeing it on this list is a travesty.

Now, to see D2 and not Wiz8, Witcher, or even fucking Deus 'hi guise my mommy was an FPS' Ex on this list... Well, people have been shot for lesser offences.

:thump's chest: Word to my brutha man...

Exactly my thoughts on this list. I just didn't have the courage to flame about it.

 

[Reject_666_6]

You can tell that Volourn is trying to be formal when he writes roofles instead of r00fles.

 

[Genma:TheDestroyer]

I didn't like Morrowind at all, save for the graphics and the setting. However, the world itself felt copy-pasted and extraordinarily bland. Oblivion had more unique locations and was de facto more fun exploring, in spite of its conceptually less interesting setting.

You're claiming Morrowind was more copy and paste than Oblivion? Really?

Dungeon-wise: Morrowind had more dungeon types, more unique dungeons, more places where secret entrances would lead to dungeons, etc.

Overall world: One looked like a generic fantasy pulled out of a fairy's butt, while the other at times looked like a alien world. Morrowind isn't the one people felt a need to make an entire series of mods entitiled 'Unique Lanscapes' for. 'Cause that was already taken care of. That 'wild and interesting' design of Shivering Isles, the one lauded by so many players who love to diss Morrowind? Is nothing but an updated version of Morrowind with an included ruler who likes speaking nonsense about cabbage and cheese.


Be honest, you just liked that your sword hit more.




:thump's chest: Raaaagh motherfucker.

 

[Sceptic]

much of the characterization in game was done via circumstantial evidence, rather than dialogue which Bethesda sucks at - a bit autistic if you ask me.

I respectfully disagree. Doing characterization by circumstantial evidence was a brilliant move in a plot that is entirely about (fake) prophecies. Everyone is lying (maybe), no one is telling you the whole truth (almost certain) and you've got to put the plot together yourself. In such a plot structure characterization via circumstantial evidence is the best way to go.

The Bethesda RPG:s are the most overrated games I've ever played.

The fact that you lumped ALL Bethesda RPGs together, and therefore that you failed to distinguish between Daggerfall/Morrowind and Oblivion/FO3 is pretty fail.

 

[Volourn]

"The fact that you lumped ALL Bethesda RPGs together, and therefore that you failed to distinguish between Daggerfall/Morrowind and Oblivion/FO3 is pretty fail."

They all fuckin' suck. And, DF is perhaps the most overrated of the bunch.

 

[TwinkieGorilla]

They all fuckin' suck.

rare moments they are...when i agree with your retarded ass.

 

[kris]

Is quite funny when all those codex posters have been added. From the jokes, to the insightful and the meaningless.

 

[DraQ]

They all fuckin' suck.

rare moments they are...when i agree with your retarded ass.

One retarded ass applauding another - how fitting.

 

[Arem]

(immediate 100 bonus points to Dave Gaider for making the Ascension mod for Throne of Bhaal)

DG did not make Ascension, it was the BG2 modders who did most of the work. David wrote only a few lines of dialogue and that's it.

 

[Grunker]

No Bloodlines or Deus Ex, but Gothic II and Morrowind? What THE fuck? RPG = shitty sandboxes now?

 

[Darth Roxor]

No Bloodlines or Deus Ex, but Gothic II and Morrowind? What THE fuck? RPG = shitty sandboxes now?

Butthurt detected

 

[Grunker]

No Bloodlines or Deus Ex, but Gothic II and Morrowind? What THE fuck? RPG = shitty sandboxes now?

Butthurt detected

At least they didn't pick Risen

 

[Achilles]

Well, as much as I love Deus Ex, it was more of a shooter/RPG. I agree with you on Bloodlines though, it could/should have taken Diablo's place.

 

[Darth Roxor]

No Bloodlines or Deus Ex, but Gothic II and Morrowind? What THE fuck? RPG = shitty sandboxes now?

Butthurt detected

At least they didn't pick Risen

But they did pick Gothic 2 which is pretty much the same thing