Vapourware RPGs that can legitimately be called masterpieces

[The_Mask]

Yeah yeah yeah you have a blog or something. Don't get a swelled head.

I don't have a swelled head. The guy was saying I'm a newbie to JA2. What better way to prove I'm not a newbie than by citing my own authoritative, unequaled sources. Be glad I didn't post links, scrub.

Citing yourself is lack of class.

 

[Bruma Hobo]

Diablo is good sure and doesn't have any major flaws, but it doesn't shoot very high either. Game is as barebones as fuck.

This, you'r completely ri...

Actually just night, because this game had no budget for even daytime.

Holy fucking shit, you're a retard, I can't keep going.

Take a rating.

 

[Lilura]

Citing yourself is lack of class.

Not at all. It just saves me time. I'm not going to rewrite my retrospectives on the 'Dex for one dumb troll.

 

[Surf Solar]

Who cares? If you don't want to play a great game because Lilura likes it, that's your problem, not mine.

Who cares indeed. I simply like that the game is more talked about here since you started to champion it on the 'dex.

 

[Fishy]

If Diablo qualifies as RPG masterpiece, then I'll throw nominations for Gauntlet 2, Ghost'n'Goblins and Candy Crush.

 

[Valky]

Star Stable is a masterpiece.

 

[Lilura]

I simply like that the game is more talked about here since you started to champion it on the 'dex.

I'm not the only one that champions it on the 'Dex, but yes, I'd like to see more people talk about it here and elsewhere. There are lots of combat connoisseurs on the 'Dex, but all they seem to talk about are games with subpar combat systems.

The truth is, though, not many RPGs even have good combat systems let alone good combat systems and good combat encounter design.

Who can we blame?

 

[Surf Solar]

I simply like that the game is more talked about here since you started to champion it on the 'dex.

I'm not the only one that champions it on the 'Dex, but yes, I'd like to see more people talk about it here and elsewhere. There are lots of combat connoisseurs on the 'Dex, but all they seem to talk about are games with subpar combat systems.

The truth is, though, not many RPGs even have good combat systems let alone good combat systems and good combat encounter design.

Who can we blame?

Imo there's not much talk about it here because there is not much to criticise. The game is good as it is and I don't know of any glaring flaws - the longest threads here are about games that are (rightfully) ridiculed.

JA2 doesn't have that and there's also many experiences to choose, vanilla, straciatella, the full 1.13 balls to the wall gun nut experience etc. GarfunkeL can go into much greater detail with it than me though.
Back when I had more time I wanted to make a mod for it, make some custom maps etc but its not really needed actually as the game is perfectly fine as it is and Arulco doesn't get old, if it's good enough for 1-2 playthroughs annually why change it?

Thus is the crux of actual good games here.

 

[Lilura]

I think there is truth in what you say... JA2 is almost a flawless victory and the 'Dex likes to be critical and to ridicule. One would come off second best trying to ridicule JA2. But then, look at all the talk about BG and IWD combat, which is not of a critical nature. It's people just playing and talking about their builds, tactics and party composition. And yet, what are these games compared to the towering monolith that is JA2?

In respect to modding, I'd love to mod JA2 as well. But I'm just a lowly commentator with no artistic, coding or design skills to speak of. I'd love to make a minimal-impact mod. One that just beefs up combat encounter design, without changing the nature of the game. Something more ambitious but perhaps unfitting, would be to add more subterranean environments (dungeon crawls) in order to facilitate multiple pathways, or stealthy bypasses. And just to act as grueling dungeon crawls which can't be easily escaped, and which challenge the player's tactics and resource management for lengthy intervals.

 

[Master]

You sound like some kid who just recently discovered JA2 and thinks how its teh best gaem evar!

Do you know who I am, infidel? I've posted some of the top write-ups for JA2. If you were literate and able to read them, there would be no doubt in your mind that I'm not new to the game.

Yes its good, but how can it even be compared with a game thats:
1. in medieval times; 2. single character; 3. real time. ???

A medieval popamole, infidel? Who would've thunk it?

Party of 18 >>> one dork that runs like a fag
Turn-based >>> popamole
War-torn country with guns >>> dinky fantasy with swords and spells

Silly infidel.

You can't be serious with that, and must be trolling.
But if true i doubt you even played Gothic. Its not a game where you can stick a tumb up your ass and happily stroll around.
And for a self proclaimed "combat connoisseur" you should be singing it praises for its combat system?
So, you must be trolling.
But if we're going to compare apples and oranges, two games doing different things, i might as well fault JA2 for not being fully 3d realized world, with no loading to go into a fucking basement.
What about the fact, that in Gothic the AI can climb rooftops just as you. Afaik this had to be patched in JA2? Lol, talk about literal popamole; camp on a roof and popamole defensless soldiers. In Gothic the AI would just climb too and fuck you up the ass. Superior german engineering baby!

 

[Jason Liang]

Lilura makes an interesting distinction between-
Tier 0 - Masterpiece
Tier 1 - Legendary
Tier 2 - Classic

With adventure games, for example, it is pretty straightforward that the ranking would be like ~

Masterpiece adventure games-
Grim Fandango
Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Father

Legendary adventure games-
Sam and Max: Hit the Road
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis
The Last Express
Lara Bow The Colonel's Request
Lara Bow Dagger of Amon Ra
Day of the Tentacle
Monkey Island 2
King's Quest VI
Riven
Neuromancer

Classic adventure games -
Zork
Shadowgate
Deja Vu
Maniac Mansion
Monkey Island
Leisure Suit Larry 3
Loom
Gabriel Knight 2: Beast Within
Myst
Beneath a Steel Sky
etc...

I would say here are the masterpieces in the types of games that we like in Codex (which is really what our poll should be):

Masterpiece Western RPGs:
1) Bloodlines
2) Baldur's Gate 2: Shadow of Amn
3) Dragonfall
4) Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny

5) Planescape: Torment
6) Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar
7) Pool of Radiance
8) Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord

Legendary Western RPGs:
Wizardry IV: Return of Werdna
Wizardry VII: Crusaders of the Dark Savant
Betrayal at Krondor
Darklands
Ultima 7
Ultima Underworld 2
Neverwinter Nights
Temple of Elemental Evil
Fallout: New Vegas
Witcher 3

Classic Western RPGs:
Wasteland
Wizardry V: Heart of the Maelstrom
Might and Magic 2: Gates to Another World
Might and Magic IV and V: World of Xeen
Wizardry 8
Fallout
Fallout 2
Icewind Dale
KotOR 2
Baldur's Gate 1
Arcanum
Morrowind
Darkest Dungeon
Skyrim
etc...

Masterpiece JRPGs:
Kichikou Rance
Sengoku Rance
Rance X
Phantasy Star 4
Final Fantasy VIII

Legendary JRPGs:
Rance VI: The Fall of Zeth
Skies of Arcadia
Final Fantasy VI

Classic JRPGs:
Final Fantasy IV, V, VII, IX, X
Phantasy Star 2
Dragon Quest III

Masterpiece Tactical, TRPG:
X-Com
Jagged Alliance 2
Chrono Trigger
Final Fantasy Tactics

Legendary Tactical, TRPG:
Shining Force 2

Masterpiece ARPG/ Arcade RPG:
The Legend of Zelda
Diablo
D&D: Shadow over Mystara
Dark Souls
Breath of the Wild

Masterpiece MMORPG:
World of Warcraft

Other gaming masterpieces:
Genghis Khan (KOEI)
Sid Meier's Pirates!
Star Control 2
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri
Another World
Flashback
Doom
Quake
Starcraft
Heroes of Might and Magic II
Heroes of Might and Magic III
Deus Ex
Thief
Thief 2
Victoria 2
GTA San Andreas, V

 

[Heroic Liberator]

Masterpiece Western RPGs:
1) Bloodlines
2) Baldur's Gate 2: Shadow of Amn
3) Dragonfall
4) Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny
5) Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar
6) Pool of Radiance
7) Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord

Won't comment on all of them, but c'mon - Bloodlines? It is an unfinished mess akin to KotOR2, nowhere near being a masterpiece (although I do appreciate both of them for what they are).

As for SRR Dragonfall, it's quite the bland experience. Decent character interactions and combat mechanics, but both of them could've used some further fleshing out.

 

[Sranchammer]

All games are shit.

 

[Heroic Liberator]

All games are shit.

Yet some are shittier than others.

 

[Falksi]

Masterpiece JRPGs:
Phantasy Star 4

Reading back through the thread, and you really need to get some more of the likes of these tucked into your life Lilura

Only Deus Ex & possibly Fallout (I'm still yet to play through it, but it's reputation speaks for itself) compare from your list.

 

[Darth Canoli]

Ghost'n'Goblins

Ah, memories, i used to play this one on arcade, still, Ghouls'n'Ghosts was even better.
Both beat the crap out of little turds like Diablo.

 

[Lilura]

Actually, I was at one point thinking of covering such arcade games on my blog, as I know more about arcade games than I do PC RPGs.

But I'm going to wait until I crack 10 million views.

 

[Darth Canoli]

But I'm going to wait until I crack 10 million views.

Don't hold your breath ...

 

[Lilura]

Don't hold your breath ...

Without meaning to sound haughty, you would need to Google even more furiously in order to keep up with me on arcade games.

 

[Fishy]

Ghost'n'Goblins

Ah, memories, i used to play this one on arcade, still, Ghouls'n'Ghosts was even better.
Both beat the crap out of little turds like Diablo.

That arcade was brutal. I lost much of my kiddie savings to it. No regrets though, some awesome memories were had. That first time reaching the ogre's house felt like winning the lottery.

 

[Citizen]

The most flawlessest RPG award goes to:

 

[Jack Of Owls]

"What better way to prove I'm not a newbie than by citing my own authoritative, unequaled sources. Be glad I didn't post links, scrub."

Statements like this this always make me lol and lift my spirits because they're posted with absolutely no irony. There's something... pure about thoughts like this

There are three categories or degrees of greatness in gaming:

- masterpieces

- classics

- games I actually want to re-play.

Therefore, Fallout is the only one on the OP's list in that third category for me.

 

[Valky]

The most flawlessest RPG award goes to:

Wait wait wait I've got this one.

Birthright Headcrest

 

[biggestboss]

 

[Verylittlefishes]

The most flawlessest RPG award goes to:

Disco Elysium?