Vamrem

There are few games which get better with time. I have started map after map alone, then skirmishes with friends, then I downloaded maps, then I made maps, and then I discovered mods that expand it to the absurd. Today there are 2 mandatory mods the HD for high resolution widescreen screen, and the last HERA as a mod manager to install easy any mod.

What happened to the Blizzard that made Diablo 1 and 2, Warcraft 1, 2 and 3, Starcraft 1 and 2, and the first WoW? Was that easy for Vivendi and Activision to destroy the best RTS and ARPG developer of all times just to have an online-only cash-grab casual service? This is literally a crime against the culture itself and should be illegal...

With its expansion Frozen Throne, this is the last project from Blizzard before Activision’s acquirement and the only-online + multiplatform policies that leave us pure casual online cash grab. If you like the innovative blending with RPG, you will love it, and if not you should at least recognize its polished gameplay and sheer amount of detail in each pixel, not mentioning its contribution, creating entire genres as the popular mobas or tower defense from user made maps. It is the last 100% Blizzard product.

Still playing this particular RTS from time to time since the 2000’s, with its remarkable physics system (unique for its time, and still innovative today!), particularly enjoying its soft RPG feature which makes units gain ranks, keeping me carrying small squads to gain levels until all my army gets gold. Its worst downside are the unbalanced dragon, and especially the avatar (which is insane), but you can banish units types in the map editor (making an extra challenge to leave the opposite faction with their dragon for example!), you decide.

Having played Freedom Force, DC Universe Online and City of Heroes, I can say that this is the best superhero game ever created (its only flaw is to not have an offline mode to mod it). Art and music makes you feel that you are in a comic book, practically unlimited appearance customization, a vast combination of superpowers, at level 30 you can design your nemesis that will attack you randomly, and also you can have a super-transport and a hideout, among many, many, many things to do.

You are not a “hero”, just a human modified, and need to choose a "real hero" mentor, limited by lame superpowers of fire, ice or magic, that leaves you as a stupid sidekick, and the worse: paying to win... Better go to Champions Online, being a superhero, with unlimited superpowres, designing your own nemesis that will attack you randomly and even your hideout.

A perfect RTS! Very similar to Starcraft with some differences, Starcraft is a sportgame (competitions), is about spamming units as soon as possible running against the clock while Grey Goo is designed "to be played", you can take more time to build an army and attack when you feel ready. The game is well designed, balanced factions, immersive cut scenes and beautiful environments. In synthesis: if you like Starcraft, Dawn of War, or Universe at War, you will love Grey Goo.

A 10/10 Starcraft in 3D with more options and modding possibilities, its only problem is its lack of LAN mode... the mode that I enjoyed more and they can say that is the same because today all people has internet, well is NOT, but even being the same is unacceptable a game with less features than its predecessor. So yes, is the best SC, but with the half of the fun to me and my friends, so it has the half note too.

Well, we have an RTS that people still playing since 1998 (even after Starcraft II). It popularized RTS and invented the e-Sports category because of its unique balanced asymmetric factions. I grew up with this game, the online is perfect but the LAN is the most enjoyable multiplayer with friends in cyber-coffee or at our homes, the map editor gave thousands of additional hours of fun!

Skyrim is the hugest TES and Bethesda has continued improving its toolset making the Creation Kit the best of the whole saga, there are more than 30.000 mods to improve each single aspect so if you don't like the game, no problem, change it! and you will have the game of your dreams. I have only one gripe and is a big one: outdated graphics; it basically looks like Oblivion with mods... We know that mods can do everything but improve graphics is the hardest job, of course Skyrim has the best graphics enhancer mods but could be even better with a solid game-base. I really hope Fallout 4 and TES VI with, literally, outstanding graphics. Bethesda must understand that their sandboxes worth for modding, history is literally secondary and RPG system is just not solid, but when you start to feed it with mods... oh man... the game shines in each corner, I don't get tired to walk those gorgeous landscapes, fight better random encounters, make my own home, armor and weapons... Great game Bethesda, just keep in mind that if you provide us with a great graphic base, we can do the rest much easier with mods to have the game of our dreams.

A technical improvement from Morrowind but a downgrade in playability with the system of "use an ability to level it", that keeps us doing things we don't wanted, for example, to improve Athletics we were jumping all the time instead of run or walk... fortunately all failures can be fixed and improved with mods. Thanks Bethesda for the TES Construction Set to improve beyond standards.

I remember my first's steps in Morrowind described as "disoriented", then turned "agoraphobic", and was slowly become in "awesomeness" as I discovered locations, NPCs, items, quests, freedom... of course it has lots of bugs but was solved with mods and today the game has aged well with a vast community that continues modding to keep it up to date. I think I'll play it again well modded...

I have encountered feelings with this title because of its name "Fallout" with a consecutive number that has broken the saga of isometric RPG with this first person shooter. The vanilla game also is plain, with very poor NPC design, an easy RPG system and a linear story-line. But it has one of the strongest mod systems in history of games that makes it one of the best RPG and good-looking games even in 2015. The NMCs textures with MMM and FWE are crucial to make this a game challenging, or better, play Fallout 3 with the FNV engine with Tale of Two Wastelands. Whatever, the GECK toolset is the best of this game and turns it incredibly deep.

A blend between RPG and RTS, the game is similar to Nevwrinter Nights 2 with elements of Warcraft 3. You can design your character and develop he or she in a skill tree, and also will be recruiting and commanding an army. The graphics are clearly from a decade but still acceptable (very similar to Neverwinter Nights 2), and when you get immersed in the plot, graphics will be the last thing you will noticed. It deserves a sequel Spell Force 3.

This is just what Baldur's Gate would have been if it were released today, in fact is the same team, with the same motivations and the people who founded it has the same expectations. An isometric RPG with wide character development, full party control, with 3D "sprites" running over stunning backgrounds painted with extreme care to details. This game feels a "choose your own adventure book", with pieces of the story narrated among beautiful illustrations, in fact you can take decisions during narrations. A must have RPG and is coming to being the next big reference in the whole RPG genera as the rightful successor of Baldur's Gate.

That was all that I expected from the developers of Diablo 1 and 2. This is not a "Diablo 2 clone" this is "another Diablo 2", it seems that this guys are doing exactly what they know. Even the situation is the same, Diablo 1 with the traditional warrior, archer and mage crawling a dungeon, and Diablo 2 with completely different classes exploring four acts... they are just in their known environment repeating a successful experience, modernized and open to mods, I feel that Torchlight 3 will be the real Diablo 3...

I've started playing this wonderful adventure as a hobby on my laptop, but ended as AAA, later I've noticed that it came from the Diablo 2 developers; it is obvious that Blizzard couldn't buy talent in Diablo 3 because these guys were the real brain behind Diablo 1 and 2. This game feels as a "light Diablo clone" but it came from the original developers so it is not a clone, is just what they do.

Path of Exile is just how Diablo 3 would be if its original team would made it, accepting the lack of the offline mode and all what it implies (since play whenever you want to have mods), but neither Diablo 3 have it, right? The fact is that this game is best than Diablo 3 in each feature: dark gothic ambient with realistic adult graphics; a fair rewarding loot system; bigger and randomly generated maps; 7 epic characters absurdly customizable by an endless constellation of passives and exchangeable actives; a worthy crafting system leading barter as the only economic system in which there is no money! To resume, each feature feels as the real evolution of Diablo 2 in straight opposite way from Diablo 3, all of this in a true free game... Are you still reading? Go for this masterpiece and if you like it buy some stupid cosmetic to contribute to a well thought ARPG!

Timeless classic. One of the few videogames that can be classified as "endless" in which you just can't get enough. I was immersed from the start in its dark atmosphere, with environmental sound and adult graphics, reminds a time when games takes itself seriously, not insulting the player's intelligence. Epic characters, randomly maps, great difficulty progression and rewarding drop encourage us to continue "another run". Even today still having decent graphics and with the Hi-Res mod you can play it in modern monitors on **** or even better LAN with friends. Diablo 1&2 were developed by Blizzard-North but Diablo 3 from the WoW team destroying the groundbreaking formula in favor to a kind of "Linear MMO" with nothing in common; if you want more from the original team is Torchlight in different shape, Path of Exile if you don't care about Offline, and Grim Dawn with, Online, LAN & Offline, and MODS.

I don't know how to rate this game, I really I liked its campaign but at the same time it is what killed it. Obsidian clearly ignored the purpose of this system, leaving the online mode careless by doing whatever they wanted... the same happened to Dungeon Siege 3 and Fallout New Vegas, I only want to say them: do your own game but stop destroying sagas! It seems they thought the same when they've planned Pillars of Eternity, an interesting project 100% Obsidian and I hope the best to this game to keep them far from other sagas! The other cause of the fall of this saga would be the MMO system but never will be the same: in NWN you are a hero known by the rest of the server by your feats and your story, while in a MMO you are a number, with lucky you would be known by your guild but never among other players or enemies. NWN is a more close experience, with real DM supervision and a history to share with your community. I thank all the gods that the recent MMO was called simply "Neverwinter" without a "3" (Did you see Obsidian?), leaving a different game outside the NWN series, so we can still hoping that someday we will see a NWN3...

After the Masterpiece Baldur's Gate most players were shocked by the empty single player campaign but then it showed his true purpose: being a unique game! This is the only RPG in history that can be played online in Persistent Worlds; each world can be made with the powerful Aurora Toolset by simple users and hosting in their own PC; players creates accounts in the servers where they will store their Characters so they can return at any time to continue their progress, all of this with the possibility that real Dungeon Masters guide your adventures behind scenes. In other words: the closest that a computer could be to a pen & paper RPG.

This game from 1998 still a reference for all RPG, since the character creation you feel that you are entering in the Dungeons & Dragons world by the right way. The game begins with a hurried trip that will end leaving us alone in the woods with few things and one friend, since that point you will learn how to survive by your way in an hostile and huge world, exploring, surviving, sleeping and using all your potions and arrows until you reach a safe location. Today we have mods that allows to play the complete saga in one installation with the Baldur's Gate 2 improved engine, so, is a must have for each worthy RPG gamer.

Along with Dragon Age Origins, these are the only 2 "real modern RPG" in the line of Baldur's Gate, in which the result of a fight is through the character's stats calculations, not by the player's actions in dodging, blocking or jumping like the rest of multiplatform RPGs more oriented to pad action. The game is well done achieving a believable fantasy environment of elves, dwarfs and amazons, only few whims in some repetitive combats but nothing serious and its successor River of Time is even better, having heard all player's suggestions if this awesome RPG would support mods natively it would be a solid 10 to me.

This game redefined the Action-RPGs and till today games that approach its concept are venerated among their fans, but none of them became a true equivalent of what this masterpiece meant. A game that used the best technology available in a dark Nordic mythology of endless loneliness with dynamic shadows and scary sounds, even the long silences could be disturbing when you are risking your life at each step. From 2001 till today the 3D environment and models looks lovely designed and with mods is perfectly playable, a must have to each fan of Gothic, Dark Souls, Lords of the Fallen, and all kind of those games in which each strike counts.

An unforgettable RPG full of virtues: complete character editor in stats, appearance and background that encourages to customize since the portrait till its history; variety of items well designed in model and icons; clever mature dialogues with detailed descriptions; immersive environment in areas, decoration and soundtrack; credible NPC, really long duration. With some flaws mainly in polishing: attributes has little influence, most weapon skills are useless and other skills seem interesting but in game has few uses because most maps seem designed to classic combats instead of multiple strategies, leaving the sensation that could be more variety. Although InXile made an excellent job in all what really matters: the game core; and the flaws can be solved by patches, DLCs or even an Expansion pack. In fact some mods have already solved things as the rebalance in combat (search them in Nexus mods). In average is a superb game core (that deserves a 10 by itself), with a tightly acceptable campaign, and minor polishing flaws (so rules and level design deserves a tight 6 only because we feel that could be much better). Patches, DLC or Expansions could easily improve all those polishing issues, but I think that when the Toolset will be released this game would show its real potential.

To be part of a saga a game needs to keep the same gameplay. For Dungeon Siege this means an Action RPG with a full customized character progressing through cross-classes melee, ranged or mage, recruiting NPCs to make a team, and of course in isometric view with its editor to make mods. But this is a casual RPG with pre-defined characters in 3rd person without editor or mods. The problem is that I don't like games of the second genera described, so I can't even play it for more than 5' without getting bored. You can understand why the "third game of this saga" worth Zero to me, right?

Defenders claim we are misjudging this as "Sacred A-RPG saga" while it must be judged as "Gauntlet brawler saga", but why should I judge one of the bests A-RPG sagas as a casual brawler? I don't like brawlers; I only have bought this casual thing because it has the name of a famous A-RPG saga, so I'm judging it as what it is pretended to be. What most anger is not the scam (I even would have paid for this shame never would have been happened), but they had already the Spin-Off "Sacred Citadel" and this would fit perfect as "Sacred Citadel 2", instead they have destroyed an epic saga with that shameful "3".

Just finished my review of Dragon Age Origins, Dragon Age 2, and this... well, I must say that all people who gave high rating to this are WRONG simply because of the title: "Dragon Age" (i.e. it need the same gameplay but technologically improved and this is more close to DA2, another "not Dragon Age" game). Resuming: is hard to play with mouse-keyboard, the isometric view is too close and confusing (seem thought as: "we have accomplished to put the feature but use by your own"), graphics are good to consoles but in PC I expect a bit more, and listen: Combat is Action! Yes, Bioware well done again! I must say that I have no issues with action games, I like Elder Scrolls, Witcher, Lords of the Fallen, etc, but as if there weren't enough ARPGs in the world Bioware wanted to be part of them. Bioware! One of the few studios that become famous with "Canonic-RPGs", they looks desperate to lose their identity, shame of you Bioware... The rest of the game is not so bad because unlike DA2 and Diablo 3, if you approach with no expectations maybe you would enjoy it as a casual "Hack'n Slash with RPG folklore", but still having serious flaws: combat is not RPG (like Origins), but neither completely ARPG (like Skyrim), so is a confusing mixture without soul. There are so few dialogue options a la Mass Effect, giving the sensation of being talking with robots. And romance options are insipid, there is only one "desirable" male straight option and you will not want to take it, (nothing compared with Morrigan, Elanee, Viconia...), and, if all of this were not enough, gay options seem forced (you know what I mean). The worse is the lack of a toolkit to make deep modding, so all mods will be by reverse engineering (i.e. like Dragon Age 2, nothing like Dragon Age Origins), shame of Bioware to forget your bests fans... Well... is another generic "Action Adventure with RPG folklore", if you liked ARPGs like B0und by Flame you may enjoy it, with common graphics, common dialogue options, a big generic world to explore, and, of course, there will be common mods (like environment, nudity, hairstyles, etc, nothing compared to Origins or NWN). Now, if you are seeking a true RPG, reinstall Origins or, better, be amazed by the new independent RPGs like Divinity: Original Sin, Pillars of Eternity, Wasteland 2 or Torment: Tides of Numenera, with no billionaires marketing campaign, nor cinematic of course, but you will have true RPGs that will enlighten your imagination as open books, trust me. Well, if the game is "digestible", why the low rating you may ask? Because its name: "Dragon Age"...

I've just finished the review of Dragon Age Origins and this is the opposite in any possible way. While DA:O is the succession of the gameplay from Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights, DA2 is more like a "social experiment" to test the players reaction at an "hybrid" of PC and Console gameplay, the result is that all console players love (when they hated DA:O isometric camera), and all PC players feels an empty gameplay totally focused to action and combos, it is the same what "build" you have because combos does more damage than skills. I will be clear: this IS a bad game, incomplete, invisible corridors, repetitive, recycle of scenarios, etc, but could be more close to be "digestible" as a "spin-off" in the saga, but that "2" ruined the saga irremediably, now we have to play Dragon Age: Inquisition with shame. And why? Because Bioware wanted to earn a handful of bills more...

There are few "real" RPG, almost all are "Action-RPG" in which you fight with "player's skills", dodging and attacking with mouse and keyboard movements, except few ones like Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights or Dragon Age Origins (not Dragon Age 2, of course). I will call them "Canonic-RPG" those in which your character fights "automatically" based only in its stats, not on player's manipulation, you can love or hate this kind of RPG but one thing is true: there are so few of them, and this is one of the best, with two points of view (isometric and third person), an epic story with unforgettable moments, the "cinematic" dialogue from NWN2, and a solid toolset that allowed more than 2000 mods. What more could may be asked to a game?

Good ARPG with some annoying bugs that surely would be corrected in future patches. It reminds me Blade The Edge of Darkness (yes, this was the very first ARPG that inspired Gothic, Dark Souls, Dark Siders and all of those ARPGs in which we risk our lives in each action... don't forget it). Well, it reminds me Blade because (unlike Dark Souls), this game uses the best technology available, and in a video-game this is a solid point to considered. About its flaws are the extremely "Blizzardy" ornamented gear that removes all realism of them, but the most important (and the only it makes me downgrade its score) is that we CAN'T physically customize the main character (face, body and gender), the customization is only in skills. And in a immersive game like this I want my very personal character (at least they should have done as Blade, in which you can choose among 4 different characters), but you will like or hate his face and deal with that...

"Diablo Online" should be called instead the shameful "3" that ruins the saga, it was meant to be played by a massive casual market, even most of the high scores to this game are based on "how good was simplified to all audiences" ignoring that this used to be a hardcore franchise. Also have lost features! There aren't stats, skill tree, lan, offline... how can be "good" a game who offer less than its predecessors? And new features was only to destroy the playability like real money, while new features that could improve the game like mod support were discarded... the shameful casualization of Blizzard.

Been years since I enjoy so much a game, the character development is incredibly deep influencing directly in the gameplay, talents like Lone Wolf are amazing to change completely the way to play and fit any player tastes and the combat system is mindblowing, full of possibilities to solve a combat. And no RPG would be complete without its toolset to make mods, adapting it even more to the player's desires. All RPG gamers should have this pearl.