Great! Then I really recommend playing games that you love. No need to play a game just because a lot of other gamers think it's a masterpiece. As I said before - gaming shouldn't be a chore. Right off the top of my head I can name at least 5 games that are considered to be must-plays and true masterpieces that I haven't played yet. And in some cases I'm quite certain I will never do so. There are certain games I just can't get into so I don't play them. Luckily we have many, many games to choose from and they are cheap so let's play those we like :)

I know the feeling! I used to prefer in-depth RPGs like Wizardry and Baldur's Gate and spent countless hours playing that stuff. But recently I haven't been in the mood for RPGs where you have multiple quests going on simultaneously. All those quests piling up reminds me too much of real life which is counter productive because I'm playing games to get my mind off things, not to be reminded of what it's like when the task list gets longer and longer.

Here's the best recommendation I can give you:
<span class="bold">NOX</span>

Just bought this yesterday and finished it today. NOX is an easy but not entirely brainless action RPG that minimizes many of the usual RPG features that can turn into grievances if you're not in the mood.

What NOX is like:

+ easy controls, hardly any learning curve
+ linear gameplay, you won't have to worry about where to go next.
+ never more than 1-2 entries in your quest logbook
+ no insane backtracking. keys are usually not too far from the doors they open.
+ no need for anal retentive level grinding and obsessive compulsive loot management.
+ no worrying over character builds and skill trees, it's all very simple, streamlined and to the point
+ easy difficulty without getting stupidly repetitive
+ replayability is good, started over as soon as I finished which is a thing I rarely ever do.
+ The game doesn't take itself too seriously and doesn't dump loads of redundant lore on you


To sum it up, this is the perfect antidote for anyone suffering from RPG fatigue. Give it a try!

I enjoyed Fallout 2 because of the amount of freedom and the fact it's just a hilarious game. You can be a drunken womanizer who kicks kids in the face just for the heck of it. It's a game where you have to make your own fun, but it really is great. I just bought my first D&D game this weekend, so I cannot really comment on that right now. Diablo esque games such as Divine Divinity or Torchlight are enjoyable for me because of the ability to drop in and kill a few monster and leave a few minutes later without feeling hugely vested in any particular quests. I also like Mount and Blade for similar reasons, but it does play rather differently from the aforementioned games. Still, try to make your own fun is my main suggestion. And if that doesn't work, The Witcher is really good.

Great write-up about NOX, thanks for sharing! I can guarantee that none of the accolades you're giving this game are overstated. I didn't expect to like this game all that much but was positively surprised that it really lives up to the compliments it gets from old fans.

I never played NOX until I got it a while back on GOG. And I agree. Excellent game.

When I read the OP's post, I thought "Oh no! They didn't get ToEE!" That's easily my favorite turn-based RPG ever made. The story's a pile of blah, but there are no better games that mimic DnD rules like that game.

As far as BG -- after I bought it here, I gave my CDs to my brother. He likes Skyrim, but isn't a big RPG player. He couldn't find his way out of Candlekeep. He didn't even know it was called Candlekeep. And the reason is that he has a different set of expectations when he plays.

When I feel like reading or writing, that's when I enjoy playing an RPG. It excites the same places in my brain (I have not had an fMRI to prove it yet :D). RPGs use such a different part of your brain that I think some people just simply don't like them as games b/c they require non-game-thinking (or, at least, not what they associate with game-thinking).

Games like NOX, Skyrim and Kingdoms of Amalur play like many traditional games. They direct you where to go (either through good design [NOX] or an arrow [Skyrim, Kingdoms]) and you focus on game mechanics to survive. You place points in categories, you learn what buttons to mash at just the right time, etc.

Other RPGs like Baldur's Gate or The Witcher require a whole different part of your brain. Reading, lankmark associations, remembering character traits and history, learning geography and history of a fantasy land, creature lore (what do they look like, what are their weaknesses, what are their ambitions [most games ambition = kill you, but other games may have other ambitions -- Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic have tons of characters you can persuade or pay off]). RPG players love the immersion they get. They get to live in another world, explore it, subjugate it and exploit it.

If that's not something you want to do, don't do it. But if it sounds like your cup of tea, then the next time you're in the mood to read a book, read the starting text and character interactions in Baldur's Gate. Ask characters meaningful questions. And look for ways to go to places that you haven't been. If it gives you a thrill, then you'll be hooked for life.

Nope, you're not alone. I liked the Icewind Dale games much more than Baldur's Gate. Still lost interest most of the way through. Planescape: Torment is the most unique of the D&D games, with less of an emphasis on combat and more memorable conversations.

Some people just don't like the isometric top-down view. I prefer having a single character with 3rd-person or 1st-person POV. If you're the same, the Neverwinter Nights 2 might be more what you want. Neverwinter Nights 1 is a decent game but the plot is pretty stereotypical. Both NWN and NWN2 have mods that can make things much more interesting, though.

NWN2 has a similar party system to the Infinity games though, only NWN is true single character (if you don't count babysitting stupid henchmen). NWN2 is probably the one that's more attractive to someone looking for a decent story and a bit less dated graphics, while NWN has more community content to offer (and you should buy it mainly for being able to play the great community modules, not for the official content).

I'd perhaps get it, if Joe the Idiot wasn't holding me back...