Final Fantasy IV DS-Who is getting it?

[scy]

[Hobbun]

[scy]

[Teclo]

The only WRPG that made a real impression on me in terms of atmosphere, plot, characters and sheer imagination was Planescape: Torment. I'd say it's no coincidence that it's more similar to console RPGs than most WRPGs (though still distinctly a PC RPG). The amount of things you can do in it is staggering, and I'm not talking "Oh lol I stoled ur bread" Oblivion-type stuff, but things like if you have maximum INT, maximum WIS and have discovered ALL the things to do with the main character's history, you can actually logically prove to the final boss that he doesn't exist (via dialogue choices) and such is the profound logic and sheer correctness to what you say, the boss simply ceases to exist.

Fallout 2 is also very good. It doesn't have a plot so much as it has a large backstory that you discover (part of which is to be found in Fallout 1). It's very open indeed, so much so that you can actually head to the final boss as soon as you leave your settlement (though he'll kick seven varieties of shit out of you) which I know you can also do in Morrowind and possibly Oblivion, though it sort of ruins it to know that if you're level 1, he'll be level 1.

In terms of Oblivion-style openness, imagination comes into it a lot more here. For example, there are these pickpocketing kids in one village; they'll run past you and steal a random item from your inventory. You could kill them and get your item back but then you'd be tagged as a Child Killer. Instead, you may do this: drop all your inventory on the floor apart from one stick of dynamite. Set said dynamite to explode in, oh, twenty seconds and then walk into and around one of the pickpocket kids. They'll "randomly" steal the dynamite and run off. In less than 20 seconds they'll explode, killing everyone around them and the best thing is, it's not your fault.

[Kitsunexus]

Thank you for mentioning Fallout as a great Western RPG Teclo. I was afraid I was gonna have to kick a LOT of asses. >_<

[scy]

Like I said, there's exceptions (Fallout, Baldur's Gate, Planescape: Torment). Sadly, the good ones are the exceptions and not the rule Like I said, the Bioware (and Black Isle, I can't believe I forgot those) are pretty much great games. Bethesda's stuff is fun but it's more of a "here's the world," and the player / community "add" the real game. It's more of a "potential" than anything.

Morrowind had set levels for enemies; only Oblivion had the enemies level as you do, which is usually one of the first mods people install as the level system (both how you level and how enemies level) is just stupid.

Ugh, if this goes on any longer, I may have to go back and replay some of these games.

[Dan Smith]

Actually I've always preferred western rpgs due to their stories. Games like The Witcher, though it can be hard to get into at first, and Mask of the Betrayer for instance are really good games. Really good stories and devoid of annoying characters that tend to be found in JRPGS. I like my characters not to be overly emotional children damn it! Less recent ones like Deus Ex, Vampires, and Planescape Torment are all damn good games. Etrian Odyssey is really the only JRPG I can stand. But I don't think anyone can deny that FFIV looks very nice graphically. Artistic direction is lacking, in my opinion, but overall it looks damn good.

Also Oblivion really isn't a good example of a good western rpg. It is a sandbox game that stops being fun without mods after a few hours. It does have mud crabs though.

[Kitsunexus]

The PS3 version has GIANT mud crabs with real time weapons change and RIIIIDGE RACER!

[scy]

[Dan Smith]

[Kitsunexus]

[Dan Smith]

[Kitsunexus]

Well Warren Spector wasn't personally involved with it, was he? That dude is awesome.

[Hobbun]

[Riseatrance]