What's a good PC RPG if I liked ToEE

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I loved pen&paper D&D when I was young, but no computer game ever really captured that magic, at all, EXCEPT for ToEE (but DAMN the bugs really just drained me, in the end). Baldur's Gate 2 got SUCH high reviews, but it left me cold - it felt cartoony and silly...like it was pandering to 12y.o.'s sensibilities. I made it 1/2 through NeverwinterNights (1, not 2) but got tired of how repetitive/generic it felt...the story had no soul...

Anyway, now I'm building a gaming rig and getting back into PC games after many years away. I'd LOVE to experience a good RPG if it can touch the old 'magic'. I'm not so much into techie stuff like stats, and not so much into replayability...I'm more into the story itself, and the quality/details/'little things' in each individual scene. A one-time-playthrough game would be fine...preferable even.

I see ES-Oblivion, Witcher, and DragonAge standing out - so I'm here seeking recommendations from other ToEE lovers. Which one should I go with? Or any others?

Thanks!

P.S. Not interested in online/multiplayer stuff.

 

You might enjoy Betrayal at Krondor. Its old, but it has turn based combat. The might and magic games also has turn based combat. So if any, those two might be most similar to TOEE, I think.

 

I'm not a ToEE fan, the bugs prevented me from enjoying what looked like a rather good adaptation of a classic but I'd like to make a few suggestions.

Arcanum may be a good pick. It is story driven and there is a wide screen mod. I love it but I have a hard time with the combat system. I haven't finished it myself but I intend to before I turn 40. If you have been able to play through ToEE, it's really doable. The story and the setting (steampunk) really make up for what is the only major flaw (the combat system).

Oblivion, The Witcher and Dragon Age Origins are really not turn based.

Oblivion has a silly dialogue system, terrible level scaling and a very poor main quest. It makes up for it with freedom and some really good pieces (some quests are awesome and Shivering Isles is a real treat).

The Witcher doesn't allow you to create your character, you play a monster hunter who suffers from amnesia (which is convenient). It allows for a very precise plot that caters to the character of Geralt very nicely (you can choose whether you want him to be a nice guy or a bastard), it's very story driven and the game is thoroughly enjoyable. The environment feels like some medieval setting and not just fantasy. It deals with racial issues and religion in a rather realistic way. The music is certainly one of the best music in any CRPG (the music in Arcanum is very good and sometimes I just listen to the soundtracks of these games even when I'm not playing). You can watch the intro movie on the net somewhere, the game itself doesn't look that good but it will give you an idea.

DAO is a game I like a lot. Combat is not turn based, character builds seem complicated at first but once you get it building up a character is rather straightforward. It allows you to pick one origin among six different origins to play a somewhat different game. The game reflects your choices in many ways although it may feel a bit linear at times. The strength of the game is the story and there are many things to read in game if you're into that kind of things. The characters are really interesting and likeable. It has been promoted as the Baldur's Gate successor but it can better be described as a fantasy version of Kotor IMO (it also has a lot in common with Jade Empire). Mostly because of the way the follower system works. I don't know if it's the game for you and I can't say whether or not you'll like the story or feel that it is too generic. My advice would be to look for the intro movie on youtube (or a trailer -although they may be misleading because they tend to focus on gore and violence) and see for yourself. Some say DAO plays like Wow, I've never played Wow but it makes for a rather swift paced combat system (which you can pause at any time to issue orders). To be honest, ever since DAO has been released I've had a hard time playing any other game. But then I loved BG1 and 2 and despite what I've said earlier there are many things that remind us that DAO is (at least) meant to be a successor to these games.

The best thing would be to try these games first if you can (although you probably wouldn't ask for advice from strangers on a forum if you had the opportunity to try them at a friend's). It also depends on the money you want to spend. Oblivion and The Witcher should be rather affordable by now, make sure you get the Goty edition of Oblivion or the Complete/Expanded Edition (or is it Limited Edition?) of The Witcher (you can download the extra stuff from the official stuff if you didn't, I think the American version is different from the European).

Anyway, in terms of story, The Witcher and Dragon Age are way better than NWN1 (no contest here, I haven't played NWN2 so I can't comment on that one). It depends on what you're looking for. The Witcher will probably be a bit repetitive at times but the story will help you get through these stages and if you don't mind some monster hunting and real time combat you will probably enjoy what it has to offer.

Last but not least, Planescape Torment. It's not a twelve year olds game that's for sure. It also feels a lot like reading a (good) novel so if you really want a good story you should give it a try.

Planescape Torment and Arcanum should be really cheap and they're definitely worth it if you're into classic CRPGs.

 

The game most similar to ToEE is its predecessor "Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor".
But you have hardly any choices for character development, the first half is a long and repetitive dungeon crawl and everything moves very slooooowly (inside and outside combat), so you need to download the speed patch unless you want to spend more time watching sluggish movement than playing.

Other rpgs which use top down view and become turn based for combat are "Dark Sun: Shattered Lands" and "Fallout". Both are great if you don't mind the outdated graphics.

IWD2 uses 3rd edition D&D rules like ToEE, you can create a 6 character party, it's not as "cartoonish and silly" as BG2 but uses the same game engine.

"Planescape: Torment" has an enourmous story depth if you don't mind the strange setting and reading a lot.

You might also enjoy the classic gold box games, like "Champions of Krynn", "Gateway to the Savage Frontier" or the original "Pool of Radiance", the first of the turn based AD&D crpgs.

Might&Magic 3-7 are great party rpgs which feature turn based combat if you like first person view.

 

I've never played ToEE, but I have played NWN1 & 2, BG 1 & 2, Planescape: Torment, IWD, and many other CRPG's and I have to agree with the posts above.

I'm hugely into Dragon Age: Origins and it's expansion and, while not turn based, the storyline really draws you in. Plus, if you play on the harder modes, you really need to stop and think on tactics to be able to get through the battles in one piece, more or less. It's definitely not a 12 y.o.'s game, and quite enjoyable. As Cara said above, depending on your gender, origin choice, and decisions throughout the game, each playthrough can have different endings and consequences. For me, that's a big plus because then each time you play, while main sub-plots stay the same, the game changes. I used to play WoW and honestly, after playing that game for a few years, I really don't see how others can compare DA:O to World of Warcraft outside of the fact that the action/spell bar is similar as well as a few other combat related tricks - hell, in that case I could also compare it to another MMO, Guild Wars, since their gameplay engine is quite similar to WoW's as well.

Planescape: Torment, IWD 1 & 2, and the Might & Magic CRPG's are also good choices as well. Been a while since I played them, and with my focus on Dragon Age, at the moment, I can't remember too much of the storylines and how they run much anymore, so you'll have to listen to what Cara and kmonster have stated about them.

 

Thanks guys - while a couple of those older games sound interesting, I think I'll go w/ eye-candy since DOA sounds pretty cool.

 

Awesome!

Another thing to think about is the fact that Dragon Age does have downloadable content that you can get from their website for a small fee (Feast Day DLC starts at around $2 while the most expensive is $7 I believe for either Warden's Keep or Return to Ostagar). While some of the DLC you can't carry into the expansion game, the add-ons are quite good and enjoyable.

 

I tried ToEE... it bored me out of my skull while frustrating the hell out of me, which is by all means impressive.

 

DAO is a nice game and hopefully you'll be able to enjoy it. Check out mods, especially after a first playthrough (although some mods like Circles be gone or White Teeth make for a much better first time experience). Alley of Murders is a very good adventure mod that is as good as official DLCs (and probably better than most). I agree with CelticDream that getting DLC content for the game is cool but most of the DLC stuff is not really that impressive. Warden's Keep is good but way too short. Return to Ostagar is only worth it if you intend to replay the game (it ties up some loose ends but doesn't bring much to the game). The Stone Prisoner is probably the best. The rest is just extra (a nice word for almost useless) stuff like Feast Day and the Blood Dragon Armour. Don't get me wrong, I like this game a lot but the DLCs are only really worth it if you're really into the game.

 

If you're going for eye candy, I'd recommend The Witcher over DA:O, actually. Even though the game's a few years older, it still looks quite pretty and especially the animations are much better than they are in DA:O, where it always bothered me that even my female elven mage swaggers around like a bandy-legged sailor.

Just a word of caution: While many here find DA:O a very good game, I, and others as well, find the combat too repetitive and the level scaling annoying. The story is basically what you've seen in every Bioware game in the past decade: Collect 4 pieces of the puzzle to unlock the end boss (in very general terms), though the execution is fairly well done. The best part of DA:O is without a doubt the joinable NPCs, which have plenty of interaction and can be hilarious at times.

 

Oh I have to agree. I don't know how many times I've sat here and giggled my butt into nothingness just listening to the conversations the NPC's in my party are having with each other. I think some of the best ones are between Zevran and Wynne with his mention of her 'bosoms'. While others might find him annoying and obnoxious, Oghren is another funny one to have in the party in regards to conversations with him... esp one between him and Leliana where he's asking about what, if anything, is worn under Chantry robes hehe.