Good Party Based RPGs

[Eduku]

I thought I was starting to burn out on RPGs, but then I realised that all the ones I have been playing recently are solo based ones. I remember the days where I enjoyed games like Baldur's Gate 2 or Icewind Dale and later Dragon Age Origins, where there was some strategy involved with each encounter.

I'm willing to give these a chance before I burn out on the genre entirely. Can anyone recommend some recent party based RPGs?

I should also mention that these have to be for PC.

 

[sextus the crazy]

Fire Emblem: awakening is a party-based, recent RPG. It's not a PC WRPG based on D&D like the others are, but that doesn't mean you won't like it.

 

[lRookiel]

Snip

Off topic here but the first Baldur's gate is superior IMO. :3

I honestly don't know, past dragon age origins I haven't encountered any GOOD party based RPG's and it's quite sad really. I guess Mount and blade is sort of a party based RPG, except on a bigger scale since your party can grow to an army of hundreds (Seriously awesome).

Give em a try if you haven't already since they are dirt cheap and fucking rock. You want Mount and blade: Warband, it's the best one.

 

[Eduku]

Snip

Off topic here but the first Baldur's gate is superior IMO. :3

I honestly don't know, past dragon age origins I haven't encountered any GOOD party based RPG's and it's quite sad really. I guess Mount and blade is sort of a party based RPG, except on a bigger scale since your party can grow to an army of hundreds (Seriously awesome).

Give em a try if you haven't already since they are dirt cheap and fucking rock. You want Mount and blade: Warband, it's the best one.

I've actually been playing M&B a lot recently, but I've gotten bored of it now, even with its many mods. And yeah, there has been a distinct lack of party involvement recently, which is as you say, quite sad. Most RPGs nowadays seem to revolve around one character (Skyrim, Witcher 2, Dark Souls etc.).

 

[tippy2k2]

Sorry, I do not know the PC gaming world

I do have a recommendation however but it may not be what you're after...it's awesome...it's a RPG...and you have bullet sponges to throw at the enemy teammates who need to work together for it to work.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

I played it on the 360 (BOO!! HISS!!!!) but I absolutely adored this game to a pretty unhealthy level. Other than that, I don't know what else that was released on the console that was also released on the PC...

 

[lRookiel]

I've actually been playing M&B a lot recently, but I've gotten bored of it now, even with its many mods. And yeah, there has been a distinct lack of party involvement recently, which is as you say, quite sad. Most RPGs nowadays seem to revolve around one character (Skyrim, Witcher 2, Dark Souls etc.).

Then the last suggestion I have is Dawn of war 2, having additional units is completely optional so you can just stick with a party consisting of heroes from the different factions which you can level up and customize. So it's an RTS with some party based RPG aspects within it. I'm fresh out of ideas beyond that

 

[redmoretrout]

Neverwinter Nights 2, and every single MMORPG ever made.

 

[alphamalet]

An older Final Fantasy would be a great choice, (6, 7 or 9 are the best options).

Also, if you are really looking for something entirely unique, strategic and fun, pick up Valkyria Chronicles.


EDIT: Woops, just saw you're on pc. Too bad.

 

[ElectroJosh]

Well Wasteland 2 should be coming out this year and might have what you are looking for.

 

[Diablo2000]

An older Final Fantasy would be a great choice, (6, 7 or 9 are the best options).

Also, if you are really looking for something entirely unique, strategic and fun, pick up Valkyria Chronicles.


EDIT: Woops, just saw you're on pc. Too bad.

Well... There's Final Fantasy 7 on PC, the port sucks, but it's not unplayable.

Captcha: Which one is the hottest?
Tifa I guess, shake those square boobs...

 

[The Madman]

Spiderweb Software have been quietly toiling away at making old fashioned pc rpg for years now and are definitely worth looking into. Avadon: The Black Fortress is their latest game and a great place to jump into the developers work. Not the best rpg I've ever played, but it has a charm of its own and I'd recommend it to anyone interested in party-based tactical rpg.

Otherwise if you haven't played the Neverwinter Nights games I'd definitely recommend them. NWN2 is more party based while the original is mostly a solo experience by default, but both have their strong points and more importantly both also have some amazing fan modules available for them. Some of my favourite rpg experience in recent years haven't been the major rpg that took millions of dollars to develop, but these fan-made modules with all the heart that in come cases is evident went into making them.

Also Mask of the Betrayer for Neverwinter Nights 2 is really good. I'd even go so far as to say great and probably worth buying NWN2 for even just on its own.

Off topic here but the first Baldur's gate is superior IMO. :3

How so? I'll agree that the elements of exploration are better in the first game, definitely. But otherwise just about everything else is improved in BG2; character interaction, gameplay, soundtrack, visuals, and story although obviously that last one is pretty subjective.

I mean both are great games and I always encourage people to play both BG1 and 2 was they were meant to be played, but without mods to improve it I just find the first to be a bit of an inferior experience compared to the second.

 

[shrimpcel]

Why has no one mentionned this?

Mass Effect
Mass Effect 2

The third one I can't recommend because I haven't played it and don't really plan to. But you should definitely try the first two installments, with the second one being far superior in my opinion. Otherwise there's KOTOR but someone else already said that.

 

[CrazyCapnMorgan]

If you ever find a Pokemon PC port, I'd recommend that.

Sorry, I mostly play handheld and console. Only PC games I've ever played is Diablo 2 and Starcraft 2.

 

[piinyouri]

Would strategy RPGs count for you?

 

[ClockworkUniverse]

Ultima IV!

recent

Oh. Never mind, then.

Um...Mount and Blade: Warband? Don't know if that counts, as you only directly control your PC and direct your warband in a more general sense, but I quite like it.

Legend of Grimrock is probably closer to what you mean. It's pretty cool.

 

[Launcelot111]

Avernum: Escape from the Pit is a solid game. You make a party from scratch and go off adventuring. The graphics are so-so, but the gameplay is pretty good and the story/setting are cool. It's pretty cheap too so it's a solid way to scratch your itch

 

[Christopher Fisher]

Hm... You might like The Legend of Grimrock. That new Wasteland 2 looks like it has the style you might like (Fallout 1 and 2). Other than that, you have Bioware games and the new Project Eternity game from Obsidian.

 

[Grottnikk]

Legend of Grimrock is pretty fun. Not as hard on the RPG side in terms of "your decisions affect the world around you" kinda way and more in line with old school "just fucking kill everything" kinda RPGs .

I'd also say The Walking Dead is an RPG. True, it doesn't have stats or inventory management, but the decisions you make DO impact the people and environment around you in a variety of ways. It's also party based, though you don't get to pick and choose your party much.

Finally, I'd go with Temple of Elemental Evil. It's a D&D classic module brought to computerized life with the 3.5 ed. rules set. You make all your party members from scratch and start at level 1. Neat story with multiple endings, but more focus on the combat than anything else.

EDIT: Temple of Elemental Evil is available on GoG.com, as is LoG.

 

[Abomination]

Fallout: Tactics is a game I will always reccomend for people who enjoy RPG elements and tactical battles.

Do not expect much in the way of PC or inter-party dialogue but the game has a decent story and I think the greatest isometric tactical system I've ever encountered. It makes XCom look like Snakes & Ladders compared to Settlers of Catan.

Bioware/Black Isle are really the masters of party based RPGs though with inter-party dialogue and large variable rosters.

 

[ClockworkUniverse]

I'd also say The Walking Dead is an RPG. True, it doesn't have stats or inventory management, but the decisions you make DO impact the people and environment around you in a variety of ways. It's also party based, though you don't get to pick and choose your party much.

The weird thing about the term "RPG" is that in videogames, it came to mean something other than what the acronym actually stands for. TWD is a game involving roleplaying, but isn't an RPG in the videogame sense.