In the late 1990s, isometric RPGs appeared with enviable regularity. PC has become the main platform for such products. Such video games could not boast of fully three-dimensional graphics, but always had an excellent design. Since then, computers have become more powerful, and games - more perfect, but game devs are in no hurry to add an isometric projection to the list of anachronisms. This article provides an overview of the best isometric RPGs.
Planescape: torment
Describing the best isometric RPGs, special attention should be paid to Planescape. A video game was released at the turn of the century (in 1999), and immediately earned the title of legend. The action takes place in the city of Sigil. Thousands of roads intertwine here, but before traveling through each of them you need to open a portal, and for this you need keys. Some doors will be opened by a bewitched sphere, others - rubbish, which even a homeless person will not pay attention to, others - only a right thought.
The plot and features of the game
The main character has lost his memory. Even his own name is a mystery to him. But he is immortal. When the HP level drops to zero, Bezymyanny is taken to a local morgue, where he simply falls asleep before continuing the adventure. The main character will have to die in the game often, and not only because of the attack of enemies - sometimes it is impossible to complete the quest, surviving.
After death, Bezymyanny loses all his memories, so he keeps a detailed diary, and in the course of the plot he searches for old records made in "past lives". Gradually, the player learns that Bezymyanny was a participant in almost all of Sigil's major events.
The main charm of the game is not in the combat system and the leveling scheme of the hero, but in the dialogs, non-linearity, plot, character relationships. Planescape has a minimum of videos and animations, and most scenes are transmitted in text. The volume of all dialogs is more than six megabytes. During the passage, the player will have to read more text than in the work "War and Peace."
Tyranny
Describing the new isometric RPGs, one cannot but say about the fruit of the joint work of Obsidian Entertainment and Paradox - Tyranny. I must say that the game is similar to modern RPGs as much as Chekhov’s plays are like modern sitcoms. There are no good and bad people, no struggle for justice, no high elves and warlike orcs. Tyranny is a story about people.
The plot and features
Almost the entire continent is subordinate to Kairos - a powerful magician, only one small kingdom remains independent. The plot does not reveal uniquely bad and good. Although Kairos captured all the lands, his actions ruled out the possibility of a bloody civil war. The main character (contrary to the expectations of the players) will have to help the magician capture the last independent kingdom, and not overthrow his regime.
The player himself determines the background of the game. Previously, isometric RPGs did not offer such capabilities. The developers allowed the gamer to choose what happened in the last three years before the start of the main events. Each decision will affect the plot.
As in many other RPGs, the protagonist can recruit brothers in arms. There are not so many partners here as in Dragon Age, but their fighting qualities depend not only on the level and equipment, but also on the relationship. Each satellite needs a unique approach. Someone likes iron discipline in battle, and someone is inspired by extraordinary and chaotic decisions.
The only minus of Tyranny is close locations and a small number of quests. If not for these shortcomings, the game could be compared with the legendary RPG Planescape: Torment. But, despite all the disadvantages, playing Tyranny is interesting. Moreover - after completing the plot, I want to go through the game again, choose other options for the development of events, see what these or those actions will turn out to be. On modern platforms, role-playing games of this level are extremely rare.
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
When describing isometric RPGs with an open world, one cannot ignore Arcanum. This game is considered to be a masterpiece. She is revered by RPG lovers, but little known in wide circles.
Arcanum is a smart, versatile game with a great storyline. The developers took the best elements from other representatives of the genre and mixed them with their ideas. An open world, many dialogs, ample opportunities to influence NPCs with auxiliary skills, a non-linear plot, a pumping system similar to Fallout - all this is in Arcanum.
The game was forgotten due to a misunderstanding - before the start of sales in the global network, someone leaked copies of the raw beta version with many shortcomings and errors. This, in turn, led to a failed sales level.
The plot and features of Arcanum
The world of the game is inhabited by habitual fantasy creatures, but technological progress does not stand still. Mechanical devices, steam engines, flamethrowers, firearms - all this is adjacent to the classic fantasy canons.
The plot is nontrivial. During the flight of the protagonist to the capital, the airship crashes. The passenger asks the protagonist to deliver the ring to an unknown person, after which he dies from his injuries. Immediately after this, the protagonist learns from an accidental acquaintance that he is now the chosen one and the hunt has begun on him. The further development of events depends only on the player.
Any modern isometric RPGs will envy the role-playing capabilities. At a minimum, the main character can be rude, rude, deceive, fall in love with the characters. And the number of these opportunities is growing along with the pumping of side skills. The player can create a character for passing without fights - in this case, the protagonist will pry, convince, deceive, force. Fans of war will like the opposite situation - going through without talking to anyone and not taking a single quest, just killing everyone they meet. Completing all tasks is possible in several different ways.
In addition, the gameplay will be affected not only by the actions of the gamer, but also the race and gender of the character. The dialogue system is so complicated that you should think about choosing the next replica several times: some words will help to complete the quest with a minimum of losses, while others will forever ruin the attitude of the NPC towards the protagonist.
Baldur's gate
Not a single top isometric RPG is complete without Baldur's Gate games. This RPG will appeal to retro lovers, but any self-respecting gamer should be familiar with it. Today, the game is considered classic, but at the time of release, gaming publications called it revolutionary. It was Baldur's Gate that brought to the genre those elements that are still used by computer game developers.
Historical reference
BioWare developed its own engine on which most of the isometric RPGs of the late 90s and early 2000s were subsequently built. But initially, publishers were skeptical of this software product. Only representatives of the Interplay company believed in BioWare.
The first step that none of the companies ventured to BioWare was to change the position of the camera. The first-person view has lost its relevance, and the player has the opportunity to view what is happening from a height of a small high-rise building. It is with Baldur's Gate that the isometric RPG games began their history.
Combat system
The combat system combined the tactical depth of the desktop version of AD&D and dynamics. All fights took place in real time. But the player could pause at any time, calmly assess the situation and give commands to the characters.
Fans of the desktop version did not like this idea, however, after the release of the game, everyone recognized that the system works better than expected and reproduces the classic rules.
Game world
The plot, although it was a collection of genre clichés, was presented at a deeper level. NPCs in the game existed not only for the distribution of quests. You could talk with them not only about how many orc ears should be brought to increase the level. The amount of text in the dialogs was comparable to the size of a rather big book.
Also, the player could communicate with teammates. If earlier the fellow travelers were faceless and answered with one or two phrases, now, thanks to the dialogues, each of them has got its own unique character. Companions pursued their goals and possessed a biography. If fellow travelers with opposing philosophical views fell into one detachment, it came to disputes, abuse, and even murder. All these nuances helped create the illusion that the world is alive.
The size of the Baldur's Gate map is huge, but the textures of cities, castles, and dungeons are hand-drawn. The world is cozy and beautiful. RPG series Baldur's Gate will present dozens of hours of fun for all fans of the genre.
Diablo 3
Diablo 3 is a game that, a week after its release, became the best-selling game for the PC. Classic isometric RPG games on PC are the exact opposite of Diablo.
In Diablo 3, dialogue and plot are given minimal attention. The main elements here are fighting and pumping. Regardless of the class of the character and his skills, the hero will have to cut hundreds of monsters, receiving in return loot and experience. Although the game’s plot goal is to save the world, in the third Diablo 3, it seems the protagonist’s goal is uncontrolled violence.
Three-dimensional models are killed beautifully, variably, dynamically. Moreover, the player does not need to stop often to pick up gold, it will jump into the pockets automatically.
The only drawback is that the passage of a video game ends too quickly. But usually isometric RPGs offer dozens of hours of gameplay. However, if the gamer wants to extend the passage, there is an option to choose a high level of difficulty. In this case, the plot will not receive new branches of development, but the passage will slow down due to the increased survivability of monsters. In addition to increasing the level of HP and the damage dealt, mobs will receive several superpowers at once, which will force the player to think through battle tactics.
I must say that the plot of the game is quite good for an action movie. Whether the developers were inspired by the works of George R. R. Martin, but gamers will have to watch the death of key characters regularly. One who has recently been an enemy swears allegiance. One who was a friend strives to stick a knife in the back.
Part of the plot is revealed through in-game books. This approach is reminiscent of the TES series. NPCs here are not only for issuing quests. Many of them have their own story. Of course, the elaboration of dialogues and plot can not be compared with Arcanum or Planescape, but they are not a driving force in this game, but an element of decor. They are designed to explain the actions of the protagonist, to dilute the process of "cutting" of monsters, to make it interesting, not routine. Although the classic isometric RPGs are far from the spirit of Diablo 3, this game is still one of the best in the genre.