Looking for a good RPG, action-adventure game and/or indie game on steam for 20 dollars or less

[Justin1221]

I decided to try the new Steam card and added 20 dollars to my steam account. Now I'm just trying to decide what do buy and play.

I originally had intentions of buying and playing Torchlight 2. Personally, I don't really care much for dungeon crawling games, but I hear that Torchlight 2 is much more open than the first one. I also like the combat, the style, and the new features and improvements of the game.

That being said, I can't help but to feel like I could spend 20 dollars or less on some good action-adventure game, or RPG, or some cool indie game. I also have been some-what interested in the Fable game series and the first Fable game is currently on sale for $9.99, but from what I've read, the Fable games are a bit over-hyped, and something tells me that I would get a bigger kick and more of what I want out of Minecraft, Oblivion and Skyrim, and I already have Minecraft and Oblivion. The only reason I don't got Skyrim is because I haven't been able to afford it lately and my computer isn't good enough for it, which leaves me with getting it for the PS3, but I can't because it's rated M for mature and there's no way my parents are gonna let me get that even though I'm 17. I was just barely able to convince them to let me get Oblivion.

While looking at the first Fable game, I came across Beyond Good & Evil which was on sale for the same price. From what I've read and heard, it's an incredible game. A classic, and yet, I don't really feel compelled or convinced to buy it.


Does anyone have any good RPG, action-adventure game, sandbox game and/or indie game that they would like to recommend? And while you're at it, Can anyone give me their input on Fable, Beyond Good and Evil and Torchlight II?

 

[Bostur]

I wouldn't recommend Beyond Good and Evil. It seems to be a really bad PC port with some convoluted keybindings that can't be changed. It looks like a good game but for me it's unplayable due to porting issues.

Fable has similar issues, but not quite as bad. Deeply nested menus makes basic actions in the game a chore in my opinion. Maybe I'm overly sensitive to these things, but I lose my patience after a while when the UI works against me.
It also feels like a generic and simplistic action RPG, I couldn't really get into it.

Torchlight 2 is very good, I like it. The graphics are a little whimsical and fluffy, which may not be to everyone's taste.

Terraria is a good Minecraft'ish sandbox game. It uses 2D platforming mechanics with more structure and progression than Minecraft.

If you like puzzle platforming I can recommend both Braid and Limbo. Great games with their own unique style and mechanics.

Psychonauts is also an option. It's a 3D platforming action-adventure. An interesting and funny story, with some weird aesthetics.

 

[aguspal]

Ok, I will go for each game you said:

Skyrim: I recommend it easily. Very, very good game. It does have its flaws (What game dosnt?), namely BUGS. You *WILL* have to use the console if you want to complete every single quest... well on pc anyways. No idea how you would do that in a console... But still, a very interesting and enjoyable, if a bit boring by level 50 (but by that level you should have a couple of hours with the game already) or so game.

Fable: OK I can only speak for the first because I havent played the others yet. But, Personally, I thougt it was a pretty good game too. A little too stupidly easy, but even me who wants challenges in the games I play didnt care that much about it, because the game was fun and whatnot (I wouldt complain if they upped the difficulty a bit thougt. I only died once because I wanted to see what happens if you die... and got revived by some potion or something. LOL). Anyways, I didnt fall for any "Hype" simply because I didnt knew anything of this game before I tried it, so no trailers or whatever for me

Beyond Good And Evil: Definitivly a pretty good game. Dont belive what people say, thougt, it is FAR from "The best game ever in existence of mankind" as some of them make it out to be. Still pretty damn good. Also like fable a bit too stupidly easy, althougt Fable is even easier.




I couldt care less about Torchlight 2, so I am not the correct person to say anything about it.


So I guess then it boils down to Fable Vs Beyond Good And Evil... both pretty underrated games in their own way, In my opinion...

Honestly, I know its the easy way out both you should get them both. Judgind by the kind of games you posted you will probably like them both, and I personally like them both... but if I HAD to choose one of them, I would go with Beyond Good And Evil, because:

1)The game has something that most games lack, and that is "soul". As in, it has some likeable characters and the setting is alive (All of this considerating its a 2003 game mind you)... well its hard to describe but its something that not many games manage to do well... Skyrim is another game that I would say it has "soul" as well , in its own way (particulary in the first few hours of the game. After that, the magic starts to disappear slowly... but still good).

2)By the simple fact is the less known of the two. You will probably have a lot more opportunities to get Fable than to get BGAE, me thinks.

3)BGAE is longer than Fable (Not by much thougt. Maybe 1 hour of difference?), considerating a normal playthougt of the games anyway (As in, no replaying the game. If you do that then Fable might just last longer). But really, at the end of the day both games are actually pretty short. They both will last around 8-12 hours max.

EDIT: Actually after posting this I am not so sure witch game is longer... I actually think Fable is longer now. Oh well. My point still stands. Both games should last 8-12 hours give or take a couple.

4)Apparently, Fable is a series thats going downhill since Fable 2 and 3 arent exactly the best games out there (or so I have heard). BGAE is getting a sequel, but its begin made at a snail pace so theres that...

5)Personally, I have zero trouble with the PC version of the game. I dont know if I am a weirdo or anything but I actually thougt the controls where good, never got the feeling it was a bad pc port that emulates the console controls or anything (Save maybe for the main menu because there is no cursor control at all. But thats at the very beggining of the game anyways, you dont see it anymore after that). Mind you, I am the same guy who actually didnt have any troubles or complained about the Skyrim Menu system (You should know how terrible it apparently is to a lot of people if you even read anything about the game. Theres mods if you dont like it).

I think thats about it, really. Beyond good and evil wins. But get Fable as soon as you can, it is also a very good game, althougt some people who where blinded by the hype think its game´s fault when in fact they themselves were at fault...


Oh yeah sorry for my bad english I know theres some typos (probably).

 

[Baralak]

Some RPGs on Steam I'd recommend, $20 or less

Divinity II: The Dragon Knight Saga/Developer's Cut
Neverwinter Nights 2 Platinum
Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
Dark Messiah of Might & Magic
The Last Remnant

Sandbox games:
Saints Row (any of them)
Just Cause 2 (one of the best sandbox games of all time)
Evochron Mercenary (incredibly deep and complex space game, but totally open world)

Indie games:
Mount & Blade: Warband (also sandbox)
Magicka
BIT.TRIP.RUNNER
Serious Sam: The Random Encounter
AirMech

Generally good games:
Lara Croft & The Guardian of Light
Serious Sam 3: BFE
Serious Sam: The First Encounter HD
Serious Sam: The Second Encounter HD
Star Wars Battlefront II
Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
Prince of Persia (2008)
Max Payne
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne
Prototype
Hard Reset
Binary Domain



I just went through my owned game list. There might be 1 or 2 that are more than $20, but generally, they're all in your price range.

 

[DioWallachia]

I dont remember if Planescape Torment was on Steam but if you see it, give it a try.

Also, on the Non Steam side and for free, there is IJI. Deus Ex Meets Metroidvania

 

[Baralak]

I dont remember if Planescape Torment was on Steam but if you see it, give it a try.

Also, on the Non Steam side and for free, there is IJI. Deus Ex Meets Metroidvania

It's not. GOG has it, though.