Game Recomendations - (Like KOTOR and Bloodlines)

[VFD]

I'm looking for recomendations for my next RPG to play. My favourite games are Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines and Knights of the old Republic and I'd like something with a similar gameplay style. As far as setting goes I'm open to anything

Thanks

[Siberys]

Neverwinter nights 2 has a very similar setting to KoToR. You might check that out.

[Faust]

KoToR and VtM: Bloodlines are both fun games, but they are very different from one another. It sounds like you like you might like other more action focused RPGs, like Jade Empire, Mass Effect, and Fable.

[Lemmus]

I never really thought of KotOR and Bloodlines being similar before, but I suppose that they are both combat heavy, story driven games, so I'm going to give you some rather odd options that you might enjoy.

1. The Gothic games. They are somewhat buggy, and have a number of non-bugs that drive people batty, but they have very interesting characters and stories, and worlds that seem realistic. Things like a hungry wolf will stop chasing you if it sees a sheep, and learning lockpicking from the carpenter, who builds locks. None of the "this universe exists to serve you" business that you get from most games. Best of all, there's a World of Gothic package available now with all three games for about $30.

2. Deus Ex. Marketed as an FPS, it contains all four basic RPG elements : Strong storyline, multiple paths, character advancement, and inventory juggling. Avoid the sequel Invisible War. It's not bad, per se, but it dropped the character advancement and simplified the inventory in favour of a more FPS feel.

3. The Thief games. Again marketed as FPS games (though here the "S" stands for Stealth rather than Shooter), and with no real character advancement other than through items, they are amazingly well realised stories. The first two games have problems running on modern systems, but are still great (even if the graphics are dated) if you can get them to work.

4. The Witcher. Like Gothic, it has a few weird bugs, though most have been addressed in the patches, and has some weird conventions that were intended but which annoy a lot of North American gamers, but overall it's one of the best realised RPGs of the decade.

I hope some of this proves useful to you.

[Siberys]

1. The Gothic games. They are somewhat buggy, and have a number of non-bugs that drive people batty, but they have very interesting characters and stories, and worlds that seem realistic. Things like a hungry wolf will stop chasing you if it sees a sheep, and learning lockpicking from the carpenter, who builds locks. None of the "this universe exists to serve you" business that you get from most games. Best of all, there's a World of Gothic package available now with all three games for about $30.

2. Deus Ex. Marketed as an FPS, it contains all four basic RPG elements : Strong storyline, multiple paths, character advancement, and inventory juggling. Avoid the sequel Invisible War. It's not bad, per se, but it dropped the character advancement and simplified the inventory in favour of a more FPS feel.

3. The Thief games. Again marketed as FPS games (though here the "S" stands for Stealth rather than Shooter), and with no real character advancement other than through items, they are amazingly well realised stories. The first two games have problems running on modern systems, but are still great (even if the graphics are dated) if you can get them to work.

4. The Witcher. Like Gothic, it has a few weird bugs, though most have been addressed in the patches, and has some weird conventions that were intended but which annoy a lot of North American gamers, but overall it's one of the best realised RPGs of the decade.

Several points I must make.

First, not one of those games is even remotely comparable to KoTOR or Bloodlines. Deus Ex is the closest and that's simply because Kotor and Deus Ex are both Science Fiction.

Secondly, The gothic series is by far the most self-centered series out of any open ended RPG, much more so than Two Worlds or Oblivion.

Third, Inventory juggling is not an element to RPG's. That's an element to nearly every single game out there, and it is very minor. Multiple paths is also not necessary for an RPG. Heavy stories and Choice of Character Improvement I agree on, but lets also not forget that an RPG must have NPC's, even pointless ones that give no quests and trade nothing but gossip have a purpose (even though severely flawed, in oblivion, Gossip proved an invaluable asset to your character), and another element would be Character Composition and Background. A mage that simply levels up is merely a faceless man.

Fourth, The witcher is a decent RPG yes, but the controls are even more impossible than Gothic. RPG developers have two main flaws, one is to create an overly dull point and click game that bores a player to death, and another is to try and force immersion but they end up doing it so much that the player want's to break something more than likely valuable. The elder scrolls series has done well to find an equilibrium, as well as other games, but the witcher is definitely not worth the time due to the amount of sheer hand-eye coordination and focus on where exactly to plot your mouse. The convention is beyond annoying, it's retarded and completely unnecessary.

Lastly, Thief, I can't say I've played any of them but if it's anywhere near comparable to Prince of Persia or assassin's creed, then it's not a game worthy of anyone's time, just in my opinion. If the games were legally free, that would be a different story. But no, you pay 50 to 70 bucks to buy the game, either beat it once or give up at the sheer annoyance of the controls, and never touch it again for at least three years. I have no doubt they are good games, but for a completely linear one plot single minded storyline with limited character options and a few select differentiations in items is not worth 50 to 70 bucks. I believe I saw Thief 3 to be somewhere near that, but I haven't seen it at walmart in a long time either so it could have gone down.

[Crenshinibon]

I have never played Assassin's Creed or Prince of Persia (except for that one on PC, where you have a limit of one hour to beat it), but I have played Thief. I liked the third one especially. The controls are pretty simple. It's very linear, but the fun of it is that you're forced to be stealthy, otherwise you're no match for anyway, and that you can break in to various places and rob them blind. All of the missions, while carrying different atmospheres, some of which are very well done, are very close to the same standard. So far, I have replayed the game twice.

[GawainBS]

Despite its bugs and unfinishedness, KotORII is a hell of an enjoyable title.
I also second Jade Empire.