I play a lot of games. Top 3 won't be easy to narrow down. Hmm.... in no actual order, here we go.
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
Brilliant RPG that melds steampunk and more typical fantasy tropes. Tech cancels out magick and vice versa. The story was not all that original (I don't remember much of it offhand) but it was well told. It was the world that was fun, and the mechanics (pun intended) of the game. I played through it multiple times.
Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind
I'm a fan of all the Elder Scrolls games, but this has been my favorite so far. The story was great and well-told, and the variety of skills made it feel very diverse. My first time through I role-played a custom character who was kind of like a witchhunter, and the game gave me plenty of opportunities to make me feel like I was actually pursuing that role at the same time as I was following the main storyline. I should also mention how varied the spells were, with lots of travel and 'utility' spells that gave the magic system a much more realistic feel (wow, its ironic to use that word in this context) than most games where all magic is focused on combat.
Birthright: The Gorgon's Alliance
Under-appreciated gem, though it did have a few bugs that made loving it more difficult. It had a great world. Blend of RPG and grand strategy game. You would raise armies and fight battles for the main focus, but you could also take your character and a small band on quests for powerful artifacts. The quests were fun, and some quite challenging. They also put out a couple books set in the world, and both of the ones I've read I love.
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
Brilliant RPG that melds steampunk and more typical fantasy tropes. Tech cancels out magick and vice versa. The story was not all that original (I don't remember much of it offhand) but it was well told. It was the world that was fun, and the mechanics (pun intended) of the game. I played through it multiple times.
Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind
I'm a fan of all the Elder Scrolls games, but this has been my favorite so far. The story was great and well-told, and the variety of skills made it feel very diverse. My first time through I role-played a custom character who was kind of like a witchhunter, and the game gave me plenty of opportunities to make me feel like I was actually pursuing that role at the same time as I was following the main storyline. I should also mention how varied the spells were, with lots of travel and 'utility' spells that gave the magic system a much more realistic feel (wow, its ironic to use that word in this context) than most games where all magic is focused on combat.
Birthright: The Gorgon's Alliance
Under-appreciated gem, though it did have a few bugs that made loving it more difficult. It had a great world. Blend of RPG and grand strategy game. You would raise armies and fight battles for the main focus, but you could also take your character and a small band on quests for powerful artifacts. The quests were fun, and some quite challenging. They also put out a couple books set in the world, and both of the ones I've read I love.