Personally I´ve never find very attached to Western-RPG, at least those from mainstream like TES, Fallout or DA, I find them a bit... oh well I could enjoy them, but never fall in love. I feel them somewhat soulless. Euro-RPG is another story, first entries of Gothic franchise were the game changer to me as a player, Witcher franchise become what Gothic hasn´t been able to achieve, and Kingdom Come was the "Skyrim" I´ve been able to fall in love with.

Too all eurojanks lovers, what´s youre favorite euro-RPG, and why?

Albion (1995). Unique story and just has a charming feel I've encountered in few other games.

I can't really contribute here, Avernum and Ultima were made in the USA.

You mention 3 games made in the US. How about all the others? (and there are many)

Mentioned them because is the more mainstream franchises and that sell a tons i think. It so many games there, and so few time, that that kinds of topis always be subjective, personal experience. I no doubt there are fantastic Western- RPG i would love and still not discovered/play, but in 18 years of ma gaming experiencie the best RPG in general, but by far, was Gothic 1-2 until Witcher 3 came, Kingdom Come was close too I think.

PS.
In RPG i dont include games like Diablo 2 or Grim Dawn which I adore too. Respectfully disagree. Gothic 2 NotR is the game with the best feel of hero progression i ever played and pinnacle of franchise. Actually its not so hard if you enjoy exploring each square of the map and talking with all NPC. There are tons of information/goodies you can get that way and that means a lot of experience when you still weak.

Sure sure, I get that - you can't play everything. How about the older Bioware games? Baldur's Gate 1 & 2? KOTOR? Or the first 2 Fallout games? Planescape Torment? Ultima (Underworld)? Eye of the Beholder? Lands of Lore? Temple of Elemental Evil? Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, etc etc...

Here we go, I come late to the party when Bioware were considered RPG Goods - or so says players - and late Bioware (DA, ME) dont take my atention. But as we will have Baldur´s Gate 3 I actually bought BG1&2 here on sales to try, but still didn´t start. I tried Pillars of Eternity and... lore and so on was really fantasting, just that subgenre on RPG (isometric - a team) i enjoy a bit less. Overall I enjoyed PoE but also the game make me so tired that i postpone play PoE2 or Divinity (both in my library) for later. In general im very into fantasy medieval like universe so game from other setting need to call me big big attention to make me try it.

Thanks for titles anyway, some of them are new to me. Will check them out.

Main beef with NotR: Cost of improving going up as you improve more, so if you pair that exactly with all the stuff you find to improve yourself, it means you need to know exactly how far you want to improve something with LP and only once you're done use the "free" skill improvements, otherwise you're wasting LP, since the same increase will end up costing more if you use what you find first. Plus that having a significant part of the character development rely on fixed stuff found in world, that makes improving up to the point reached by using those things fixed, and only the difference player's choice.

STALKER, nothing will ever top it for jank and love

I honestly don't see enough of a difference to set them apart, but since you asked...

I'd say Gothic 2 or the first Risen. I'm honestly not a big fan of The Witcher 3, I find it too directed and simplified. I felt like I was just going from one map marker to another instead of exploring naturally or doing any interesting quests. I know I'm in the minority, but it is what it is. Gothic 2 I haven't played since it came out, but I remember loving it at the time. Risen I also liked a lot, and it's probably more polished, so maybe I'll go with that.

I'm looking forward to play Elex sometime soon.

Uhh, I tried the first one earlier this year and this was a big meh for me. Perhaps because I played it just after entire Metro franchise and had big expectations, but secondary quest killed for me any enjoyment. Also the end with thousands portals was... traumatic. But sometimes atmosphere were there, I admit, the reason why I finish it.

I truly believe that Gothic 2 NotR has the best exploration in RPG. Every plants, every animal killed (exp), every stuff, count. But at the same time gameplay isn´t become in looter cave exploration - as in TES - because the world have consistency and internal logic. I love the Gothic feeling when you have to enter deep into the wood, and you too weak, and you have to find out how you can do it. You can ask for help. Old friend. But what after you get you looking for? You back to safer zone, or your risk and go deeper alone? Just because ther could grown extra rare plant or you can find something you cant buy or find in merchants. Thats atmosphere 11/10. I love Witcher 3, I love exploring it, but in thats regard nobody beats Gothic 1/2. Its a shame Gothic 3 was such a mess. A tragic end to franchise.

Elex is a nice game, i have like 140 hours in it or something like that. If you expect magic of first Gothic you won´t find it, Elex its far behind. But its still a solid 7. And if you fan of Piranha Bytes RPG, then perhaps even 8-9. Hovewer, as I recomended you try Elex, i recomended you even more Kingdom Come. Is like Gothic 2 get married with Witcher 3, and they have babie. And that babie is called Kingdom Come.

I'll get around to Kingdom Come eventually, yeah. It not being fantasy is kind of a turn off to me, but I still want to play it. I think the next 3D RPG I might play is GreedFall, I just love the colonial concept and it seems to be getting good reviews from hardcore RPG gamers. I'm current obsessed with Hitman 2, but once that's done I think GreedFall is the ticket.