Western RPGs

[Sakurazaki1023]

When it comes to RPGs, I normally only play JRPGs. Mainly a combination of the Tales Series, Shin Megami Tensei, Shadow Hearts, and a few other random titles like Grandia, Star Ocean, and Baten Kaitos. However, I have tried playing western RPGs on multiple occasions and have found most of them to be almost universally dull, repetitive, and uninspired.

I really have not found a single western RPG that I have liked. For example, what little of The Witcher I have played was essentially just a long series of fetch and kill quests with no concrete story and rather boring combat. I even rented a copy of Elder Scroll: Oblivion (on the 360) and wasted 3 hours of my life wandering around a sewer killing rats and praying the game would stop glitching.

Any suggestions for a good western RPG with an actual story and an original combat system?

 

[SnootyEnglishman]

Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic or KOTOR for short.

 

[The Hairminator]

When it comes to RPGs, I normally only play JRPGs. Mainly a combination of the Tales Series, Shin Megami Tensei, Shadow Hearts, and a few other random titles like Grandia, Star Ocean, and Baten Kaitos. However, I have tried playing western RPGs on multiple occasions and have found most of them to be almost universally dull, repetitive, and uninspired.

I really have not found a single western RPG that I have liked. For example, what little of The Witcher I have played was essentially just a long series of fetch and kill quests with no concrete story and rather boring combat. I even rented a copy of Elder Scroll: Oblivion (on the 360) and wasted 3 hours of my life wandering around a sewer killing rats and praying the game would stop glitching.

Any suggestions for a good western RPG with an actual story and an original combat system?

Dark Messiah of Might and Magic is pretty neat, although not extremely role play focused (although some). Otherwise I can only say one thing: Mass Effect.

 

[Heart of Darkness]

inb4 Dragon Age: Origins.

But yeah, expect to hear a LOT of that. If you can get past the incredibly cliched story, give that a shot?

 

[mannsporte]

go play Baldur's gate series, arcanum, fallout, vampire the masquerade: bloodlines or knights of the old republic before you throw yourself off a bridge...

 

[DarkSaber]

I second Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines. Other answers depend on how far back you're willing to go for your games, because Deus Ex and System Shock 2 are solid games as well, but getting on a bit in years now.

 

[Jandau]

When it comes to RPGs, I normally only play JRPGs. Mainly a combination of the Tales Series, Shin Megami Tensei, Shadow Hearts, and a few other random titles like Grandia, Star Ocean, and Baten Kaitos. However, I have tried playing western RPGs on multiple occasions and have found most of them to be almost universally dull, repetitive, and uninspired.

I really have not found a single western RPG that I have liked. For example, what little of The Witcher I have played was essentially just a long series of fetch and kill quests with no concrete story and rather boring combat. I even rented a copy of Elder Scroll: Oblivion (on the 360) and wasted 3 hours of my life wandering around a sewer killing rats and praying the game would stop glitching.

Any suggestions for a good western RPG with an actual story and an original combat system?

First of all, don't play the crap Bethesda shovels out. They all have crappy combat and no story, so unless you love big empty open worlds, those have nothing to offer. If you value a good story in addition to solid gameplay, the questions are "How far back are you willing to go?" and "What exactly are you looking for?"

If you're willing to go for somewhat older games, three suggestions come to mind.

Baldur's Gate 2 - Best RPG ever made
Planescape: Torment - Best RPG story ever
Fallout 1&2 - Solid overall performers

Of the more recent games, you're basically going to be playing mostly Bioware games:

Knights of the Old Republic 1 (the second one is not bad either)
Mass Effect 1&2
Dragon Age: Origins
Jade Empire

Of the non-Bioware games the only one that really comes to mind is Vampire: Bloodlines, but it is an awesome game.

 

[Mortons4ck]

It seems to me you like RPGs with stronger, more definite characterizations of their characters.

Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic or KOTOR for short.

This one would probably fit your bill. As possibly (most) other Bioware games might.

Bloodlines and Jade Empire are good too. But they are Action-RPGs, and may not mesh with your preferable style of gameplay.

 

[Snotnarok]

inb4 Dragon Age: Origins.

But yeah, expect to hear a LOT of that. If you can get past the incredibly cliched story, give that a shot?

Don't forget the cliched (and clusterf*cky) combat system.
The cliched character types. The cliched enemies... well, let's just say DA:O is completely generic. It's not a bad game, just completely generic.

OP: My experience is similar to yours. I do enjoy some WRPGs though (Fallout, Oblivion) and as much as I think DA:O is a generic game (that is WAY too short), it's probably worth a play through. It's short enough to rent it for week, beat and return. if you like it enough afterward, purchase.

And jrpgs aren't cliche? I think we're at the point where both are fairly cliche'd to the max.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

Planescape: Torment and Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines for story. Jagged Alliance 2 and Wizardry 8 for combat, also Temple of Elemental Evil.

 

[Hurr Durr Derp]

In b4 this turns into another pointless jRPG vs wRPG thread.

In my opinion, it's a mistake to assume that just because you like jRPGs, you'll like wRPGs as well. They're different genres that tend to attract people with very different gameplay and design aesthetics. If you haven't found a single wRPG that you like, maybe you should stick with your jRPGs because it seems wRPGs aren't meant for you.

I can't fault you for disliking The Witcher. I'm a fan of wRPGs, and I didn't like The Witcher either, mostly because of its awkward combat system.

If you're looking for straight-up wRPGs, you pretty much can't go wrong with Bioware games. Dragon Age, Mass Effect (arguably more of a shooter, but whatever), KotOR, Baldur's Gate, Planescape: Torment, etc. When most people think of a wRPG standards, they think of the standards that Bioware set with their games. There are many different types of wRPG though, and if you're willing to play some not-quite-new games there's a whole world to discover.

If I had to recommend one game, I'd tell you to give Wizardry 8 a try. It's certainly not a new game, but it has aged remarkably well despite its oldschool graphics, and more people need to recognise its greatness.

 

[Sakurazaki1023]

inb4 Dragon Age: Origins.

But yeah, expect to hear a LOT of that. If you can get past the incredibly cliched story, give that a shot?

Don't forget the cliched (and clusterf*cky) combat system.
The cliched character types. The cliched enemies... well, let's just say DA:O is completely generic. It's not a bad game, just completely generic.

OP: My experience is similar to yours. I do enjoy some WRPGs though (Fallout, Oblivion) and as much as I think DA:O is a generic game (that is WAY too short), it's probably worth a play through. It's short enough to rent it for week, beat and return. if you like it enough afterward, purchase.

I have heard good things about Fallout III and Knights Of The Old Republic and will probably get those soon, The thing that really bugs me is the games that consider the MMO brand of point and click combat to be a good idea. Not to mention first person sword swinging...

 

[ottenni]

If you are into JRPG's then Bioware games would be a good place to start. They have decent storytelling and decent characters. I really would not advise the Elder Scolls games to you, they are very much for fans of the genre. They have a habit of not giving you any help at all.

 

[inklewert]

Vampire the Masquerade series is certainly one of the best video game series (if its only 2 does it count as a series?) ever created. They are a little older but still very very good. The entire fallout series is good for its time.

It really depends on your play style, JRPG and WRPG are not completly differnt, many are very similar to each other despite their countries of origin. It basically depends on what you like. Personally I prefer the Bethesda RPGs to Biowares, many don't. I didn't like the Fable games, but a lot of people did. I can't stand turn based combat, some people swear by it. These types of games are around and considered Japanese or Western, but it is difficult to really segment an entire genre of games by their country of production.

 

[Mortons4ck]

If you're looking for straight-up wRPGs, you pretty much can't go wrong with Bioware games. Dragon Age, Mass Effect (arguably more of a shooter, but whatever), KotOR, Baldur's Gate, Planescape: Torment, etc. When most people think of a wRPG standards, they think of the standards that Bioware set with their games. There are many different types of wRPG though, and if you're willing to play some not-quite-new games there's a whole world to discover.

I've always felt that some Bioware games (read: KOTOR) were more in the style of a jRPG than a wRPG.

 

[NeutralDrow]

Any suggestions for a good western RPG with an actual story and an original combat system?

<url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.178061-Off-Topic-Reviews-Soulbringer>Well, since you ask...

 

[Robbob1508]

For straight up Dnd You can't go wrong with neverwinter nights 1
Its starting to show its age, but it has nice fan made mods.
Avoid nvn 2 like the plague tho...

 

[Hurr Durr Derp]

If you're looking for straight-up wRPGs, you pretty much can't go wrong with Bioware games. Dragon Age, Mass Effect (arguably more of a shooter, but whatever), KotOR, Baldur's Gate, Planescape: Torment, etc. When most people think of a wRPG standards, they think of the standards that Bioware set with their games. There are many different types of wRPG though, and if you're willing to play some not-quite-new games there's a whole world to discover.

I've always felt that some Bioware games (read: KOTOR) were more in the style of a jRPG than a wRPG.

Hah! Good one.

The KotOR games are little more than the D20 system (of Dungeons & Dragons fame) applied to the Star Wars setting and turned into a videogame. They're about as wRPG as it gets.