Classic PC RPGs

[Helbrecht]

We seem to have a lot of gamers in our midst, so I figured I'd bring up the subject of the classic PC RPGs of the late nineties. It's my opinion that, as a rule of thumb, in terms of storytelling and the overall experience, they greatly exceed most of the comparable things on the market these days, largely because a lot of them really did focus on setting and story - to the point where actually gameplay mechanics have noticeably suffered.

My favourites would be PlaneScape: Torment and Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura. I've been meaning to check out Baldur's Gate too, but haven't gotten around to it.

What does everyone else think?

[Black Dragon]

Great thread idea!

My favorites from that era will always be Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II. I replayed the first one again a few years ago, and it still stands out for its incredible storytelling.

The Icewind Dale series used the same engine as Baldur's Gate, but the story wasn't quite as engaging. Ultima Underworld was also very good.

[Artless]

I frigging LOVE Arcanum. It's such a detailed world...
I'mma go find it and re-install it now...

Nox is also a good old game - fills me with Nostalgia.
ANd of course, lets not forget the Mighty Fallout franchise

[BeigePalladin]

Baldur's gate, as mentioned, was an amazing game.
as was Knights of the Old Repibluc, and Neverwinter Knights.

but those poor folk are now owned by EA so we can expect a butched, cliche'd, heavily streamlined parodies of those games to soon be re-released

[Behelit]

Baldur's Gate for sure. I believe Bioware had to trash the third installment of the series since their publisher Interplay lost the DnD License to Atari. Damn you, Atari!!!!!!! That would have been a definite purchase. Now I just want to find the BG1/BG2 set.

I remember Nox! I haven't played it in yeeaars though, lost the CDs.

Played Neverwinter Nights, that was good, but didn't care much for the 2nd.

I tried to get into Arcanum, but I just couldn't. I have the CDs, but it just plays too awkward.

I need to try PlaneScape, I hear so many good things about it.

I can't recall anymore in the way of Classic PC RPGs but I tried to play one of the Ultimas:... Ascension. I don't remember it too well, my computer didn't run it optimally.

[Black Dragon]

but those poor folk are now owned by EA so we can expect a butched, cliche'd, heavily streamlined parodies of those games to soon be re-released

Actually EA has been leaving them alone, as far as I can tell. The makers of Baldur's Gate (Bioware) have released two big RPGs since the EA acquisition, Dragon Age and Dragon Age 2, both of which are superb. They are meant to to be the "spiritual successors" of the Baldur's Gate series, and they do deliver.

[Meg the Healer]

I only ever played Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate 2 on the Xbox. And I played Ultima: Exodus on the Nintendo

But I loved Daggerfall on the PC and Might & Magic VII and Might and Magic VIII.

The game that got me started on "Epic Storytelling" games was Legend of Dragoons on the Playstation.

[Veralius]

Baldur's Gate I and II, Planescape, Knights of the Old Republic and Arcanum are all fantastic games.

I have a soft spot for Return to Krondor, a slightly clunky RPG set sometime before Raymond E Feist's Serpentwar Saga. The combat is awful, but I remember really liking how the developers nailed the setting. Might be a case of hindsight overpowering my recollection though.

Whilst they divide opinion like nothing i've ever seen before, I love the Final Fantasy games as well. Especially the playstation-era ones.

[Map the Dragon]

Loved Swords and Serpents on basic Nintendo, and then Dungeons and Dragons on that system as well.

Never really played any RPGs of note when I moved to the Sega, but when I bought my first Playstation, The Legend of Dragoon was freaking awesome! I had a lot of fun with that game, the fighting, the animation, etc.

BG 1 and 2 were some of the most fun for me, bringing me back to my D&D roots.

[Telcontar]

Arcanum was on my Top Fantasy game list, buried somewhere in this forum. I'm glad to see some others played it as well - truly brilliant game.

I played Planescape: Torment, but I found it so hard to progress in the plot that I never actually finished it, and that is rare for me. It did have a lot of style, though.

How about a REAL oldie... Castle of the Winds, anyone? Barebones, basically a roguelike with some graphics, but I played it a lot when I was ten or so. I didn't have much else to play.