You have just discovered what I loved so much about Arcanum. Non-ideal characters were designed into the game mechanics, you don't have to do some crazy min-max crap to have a blast.

I command an army of skeleton knights, fyi.

That's true for a new release, but 10 years after, with such an industrious modding community, it hardly matters anymore. I know plenty of hardcore NWN players who don't even know the "official content" because they never felt the need to try it in all those years.


Are you actually looking for suggestions? If so, this would be a good place to start. :)



Surely you must have some idea what to expect from a RPG, what you are looking for in them (story, action, strategy, customization etc.), or what settings you prefer (typical fantasy, post-nuclear, steampunk etc.)? Which RPGs did you play so far and what did you like about them? It's easier to recommend something if we know your tastes.

Generally I would agree that Neverwinter Nights probably offers the richest co-op experience. It''s not just a game but a game creator that allows people to build their own adventures and even worlds and host them online. So you can either play through the original content or high quality fan-made story modules with your friend, or you can join a so called "Persistent World", a world to roam in, created by other gamers, with its own setting and rules etc. and join other people who play in that world. Or you can join a campaign with other players worldwide lead by an actual dungeon master who can react to your character's behavior and create encounters on the fly.

Of course you can also have lots of fun in single player mode. And there is so much custom content that almost everyone should find something they like, once they get accustomed to the basic gameplay of NWN.

On the other hand, if you're looking for a great story, in my opinion (and lots of others agree), that would be Planescape Torment. It's one of the best written games ever with an intriguing plot and lots of background info about an unusual and original setting. You might not like it though if you're looking for quick action because to properly enjoy this one, you have to read through a lot of dialogue. This is a purely single-player game.

Nox and Arx Fatalis are quite good games in their own way, more on the Action side and less story and reading, but good atmosphere and enjoyable gameplay. I think Nox had a multiplayer mode, not sure if it's still working though.

Lots of other good RPGs to choose from, it really depends on what you're looking for.

Fallout 2, Fallout, Planescape Torment, Baldurs Gate.

The isometric RPGs from the late 90's are mostly about story to be honest. The combat can be fun and strategic but a lot of the time you're just clicking enemies. The stories are what pull the games together and Fallout and Planescape have the best stories and worlds to explore.

The good thing about GOG is that you really can't go wrong with any of the high-profile CRPGs that have already been listed. However, if you want to play Co-op, than Neverwinter Nights really is your best bet. Think of it as a platform for modules however, as playing the original campaign is an exercise in boredom more than anything else. You could also try co-op with the Infinity Engine games, but I'm not entirely sure how that would work considering those games practically demanded you pause them every few seconds to issue new commands.

Other than that, I pretty much recommend everything that has already been said. Baldur's Gate, Planescape, Fallout, etc. I'm not the biggest fan of Arcanum, and think that a new player going into it without any sort of help is bound to be confused by the incredibly open and somewhat imbalanced character development system, but if you're a fan of these kinds of games you at least owe it to yourself to check it out at some point.

EDIT: Oh yeah. Right. How could I forget Might and Magic? Get the 6 pack. The first two are perhaps a little too old for the average person, but from III onward they're still surprisingly accessible. VI is considered the high point of the series, but World of Xeen and VII are no slouches either.

Thanks a lot guys.

I will definitely buy a few now.