Old RPGs always attract fans of nostalgia for the classics of the genre. Hits of the past, such as Diablo 2 or NOX, probably lie on the shelves of connoisseurs and are far from always gathering dust. Meanwhile, new games catch no worse than old ones.
RPG
To begin with, I would like to note what features determine this genre. The abbreviation stands for Role Playing Game, that is, a game in which you have to play some role. Not at all theatrical, of course. This means that the player controls a certain character (or group), which must be drawn through the entire plot of the game to achieve any goal. You will have to experience all difficulties with your own character. Involuntarily, the player begins to empathize with his hero. From here follows an intuitive understanding of the features of the genre.
The beginning of the game, as a rule, is presented by a character editor, where everyone can create an image of his hero. In the process, the protagonist accumulates points that are spent on the discovery of skills, abilities and achievements.
Traditions are not lost over time: old RPGs serve as a fulcrum for many new ones. Developers often experiment by combining genres. The result is very interesting results. An example of this is the brainchild of firms such as BioWare, Blizzard and Bethesda.
These old RPG games ...
The list of those, perhaps, should start with Diablo. At the end of the nineties, the game attracted the attention of players for many evenings, making it possible to wander through countless deserted deserts, castles, basements, catacombs and caves teeming with demons, ghouls, ghouls and other evil spirits. Several classes of characters to choose from: each has its own characteristics and methods of warfare. To this day, many gamers consider Diablo 2: Lord of Destruction the pearl of the genre, even despite the release of Diablo 3, characterized by a dizzying plot, stunning mechanics and unsurpassed graphics.
The undeservedly forgotten first part of Dungeon Siege - an equally interesting action RPG - is also worth mentioning. At least for the reason that the game earned the nickname "Diablo's killer", because it is not inferior to the above in terms of graphics, plot and battle mechanics. But this does not mean that the old RPG games are alike. This happens, but it is not a trend.
Old RPGs on the computer also came out not only in the fantasy genre. The familiar canon was violated by Deus Ex, recognized in 2000 as the game of the year. She liked the fans of secret corporations, industrial locations and the harsh atmosphere of dystopia. Everyone could choose a convenient style of play: imperceptibly sneak up and strangle the enemy with fishing line from a watch, arrange a shootout and shred enemies or break into a security system and slip unnoticed in the shade. In the process of passing the gamer will have to make difficult decisions that will affect further events and the end of the game. Thus, especially sophisticated players are interested in passing the game several times. This creation marked a new milestone in the development of the genre, and the game still attracts the attention of those who want to remember the old RPGs on the PC. The list of those does not end with those mentioned. There are a great many of them. Special ones should be highlighted.
Divinity Old RPG games on PC
The list goes on with the Divinity quartet - a game whose mechanics change from one part to another.
Developers (Larian Srudios) are an example of a company that is definitely not afraid of experimentation. At first there were two parts, practically copying the mechanics of the notorious monster of the gaming industry Diablo 2. The third game in the series (Divinity 2: Ego Draconis) comes from a third person, and the protagonist is able to turn into a dragon. And here is the final part, Divinity: Original Sin, released in 2014, is a turn-based strategy.
The plot of the company's creation does not stand out much, like many old RPG games on the computer: the same demonic image of a powerful evil that promises to return and arrange a total armageddon to all living things, and several fantasy races that inhabit the game world, and, undoubtedly, the only hero capable of stop everything.
NOX
This project should be singled out, because sometimes old RPG games on PCs are undeservedly forgotten. Many people remember the game by its red-black cover with the wickedly grinning witch Hekuba, around which, in fact, the plot revolves. No less interesting, in comparison with Diablo 2, the game was pushed back not only to the second or third plan, but many were not even noticed. The reason is still the same blockbuster Diablo 2, which, although it came out a little later, but overshadowed by its leading NOX fame.
RPG is characterized by uncomplicated mechanics, the presence of puzzles, the solution of which will have to be worked on, and a mass of colorful spell animations. There are three classes to choose from: mage, warrior and sorcerer. The player has to explore gloomy dungeons and abandoned castles filled with evil spirits in order to fight the evil witch in the final.
Piranha Bytes and the Gothic Series
Old RPG games of the “Gothic” type are distinguished by a gloomy atmosphere, unfriendly characters and an abundance of curses. The impression is that the action takes place not in a fantasy world, but in a criminal ghetto where it is forbidden to appear on the street after curfew due to the high crime rate.
The plot in this sense was worked out perfectly: the king needed valuable resources for the war, which can only be obtained on the island of Khorinis. To achieve these goals, it was decided to exile prisoners there, thereby condemning them to life imprisonment. So that the convicts could not escape, the area was covered with a magic dome, which only lets in, but does not let out. Suddenly, something went wrong, and the dome grew, swallowing a significant territory, and the magicians who created it. As a result, there was an uprising, the prisoners established their order on the occupied land and chose the leader.
The self-proclaimed micro-state quickly found a way to bargain with the king on mutually beneficial terms: a valuable resource in exchange for food.
The first two parts of the game are considered the best. Gamers are talking about them, remembering the old RPG games. The third part was a disappointment for the fans due to the large number of errors, the curved balance of the battle and graphic bugs. As a result, the modmakers independently made a patch that rules the flaws, and distributed it for free via the Internet. But this did not save the game.
The reason for the “step back” was professional disagreement between the developer ( Piranha Bytes) and the publisher of the game (JoWood). As a result, the publisher signs a contract with SpellBound and releases Arcania - Gothic 4. But fans of the release almost did not notice because of the lost interest in the Gothic series.
A vivid example of how great the game series begins and how ineptly it ends. Alas, this pops up in the memory of gamers recalling old RPG games on cold winter evenings.
Piranha Bytes and Risen
Having failed the series, the developers focused on the Risen trilogy. According to gamers, the game is much like Gothic. Because fans warmly greeted the franchise.
The plot is also typical: the forces of evil that threaten the world, secret conspiracies, hidden enemies and warring factions, between which the player must make a choice.
The game has a lot of quests, the implementation of which helps to obtain unique skills, ornate plot developments and many NPCs for interaction.
The downside of the first part was only the developers' explicit desire to “clone” the characters: many NPCs have the same faces, which differ only in the shape of their mustache, beards or hair color.
The second part turned out better: added the ability to travel to another continent. As well as new fractions. Third - sustained in the spirit of the first part of Gothic, all the bugs with the release of Risen and Risen 2 were fixed. Thus, Piranha Bytes managed to save its reputation.
Monster BioWare
Remembering the best old RPG games, you can not pass by such masterpieces as Baldur's Gate, Mass Effect, Star Wars and, of course, Dragon Age.
The Baldur's Gate series, perhaps, laid the foundation for games in the RPG genre, which takes into account the attitude of the squad members to the actions, decisions and phrases of the protagonist. The emphasis is not only on the furious sweeps of endless labyrinths, tunnels, caves and other locations from many enemies, but also on interpersonal relationships. A partner who is finally disappointed in the main character can leave the squad, or even attack. If a high level of trust is reached, the member of the squad receives a bonus to the characteristics.
In 2012, a re-release of Baldur's Gate was released, thanks to which modern gamers can appreciate the classics of the genre, and players with experience can recall old RPGs.
Mass Effect trilogy
You can not pass by this amazing space saga, mentioning the best old RPGs. The story begins in the distant future, when humanity was confronted with the fact that there are many other races in the universe. Not all of them are friendly to each other and even fewer are ready to cooperate on mutually beneficial conditions. Nevertheless, after a certain number of light years, a galactic council, which included people, was formed.
The invariable protagonist of the series is the celebrated captain Shepard, who was allocated (though not immediately) the place of the Spectrum with the mentioned council. This post plays the role of a sort of “right hand” council. That is, something akin to military intelligence.
The first part tells about the invasion of an unknown ship and a series of killings in space colonies, the investigation of which is sent to Shepard. During the game, the scale of the threat begins to unfold. Heroes learn about the once-existing protean civilization, which disappeared without a trace about 50,000 years ago. The clues left by the super race allow Shepard to prevent a catastrophe of universal proportions.
The arsenal of the team is represented by various types of weapons, it is possible to upgrade it. The intuitive interface of the game allows you to completely immerse yourself in the atmosphere of what is happening.
The second part continues the best traditions of Bioware. The graphics are significantly improved, a more convenient, understandable and modern interface, as well as a significant number of levels of interaction between the gamer and the game: you need to hide in shelters from bullets, dodge strikes and recharge on time.
The plot all references the same mysterious Proteans. This time, the entire part is devoted to solving the mysteries of the disappearance of the aforementioned civilization. But getting the answer to the question poses the heroes of Mass Effect only before a new danger. Rather, in front of the old, but larger: Reapers whom Shepard met in the first part, were not stopped by the destruction of one of them. The hero faces a difficult choice: you need to destroy the relay, through which the said intruders must appear. But the explosion will destroy the entire solar system.
Having made a difficult choice, the hero realizes that he only postponed the Last Battle.
The third part is the climax of the gaming genius BioWare. Combines all the best of the first two. And here the scale of the threat looming over humanity appears in horror from the first minutes of the game: the Reapers are already here!
An indescribable atmosphere, constant tension, ornate dialogs and unpredictable plot development - these are the keywords for characterizing the top old RPGs from BioWare.
Dragon Age Saga
These old RPGs originate in 2009. And, in fact, they are not very old. That is the case when gray hair came to face the brainchild of developers.
Among the fans of the series, it is the first part that is considered the pearl of the trilogy. And there is a reasonable explanation for this: an extensive game world, a lot of different endings, a separate plot not only for each race (man, elf and gnome), but also for each class (mage, robber and warrior). In addition, the chosen origin is taken into account: from a rich family or from a poor.
Colorful animations of spells, a famously twisted plot and the presence of romantic lines - these are what have riveted gamers to the screen for a long time.
Unfortunately, Dragon Age 2 is a step backward both in terms of graphics, and in terms of plot and battle mechanics. Thanks to the released teaser, many fans spat on poison, accepting the upcoming game as a slasher.
Nevertheless, when it comes to the plot, the game tells about the events of a single Hawke family, who became refugees because of the plague that is described in the first part. The events take place over several decades and tell about the tragic fate of the Hawke family. If we ignore the mistakes of developers, it should be noted that the second part is a real drama, which is an integral connecting chain between the first and third.
Dragon Age: Inquisition thundered in broad daylight. This game should be compared with Mass Effect 3: the same image of a hero who is almost immediately recognized as the savior of all living things, the same powerful enemy who will erase all living things from the face of the earth. And not a step without romantic lines, ornate dialogs that affect the development of the plot, as well as situations where the protagonist has to make difficult decisions - to make a deal with conscience.
Conclusion
Old RPGs are very numerous and diverse. Many should be mentioned, described in more detail. But so much is known about such heavyweights of the genre as Bethesda with their The Elder Scrolls and Follout that it would be superfluous to write about them again. Unconditional flagships of the genre did not cease to amaze gamers from release to release. What are Morrowind, Oblivion and, of course, Skyrim.
The RPG genre is developing rapidly, games come out so vivid that they immediately overshadow recent releases. The next franchise overshadows the previous ones. And so this conglomerate of ideas sweeps, sweeping everything in its path, stepping on each other's throats and forcing gamers to save money on more modern hardware for their computers to be able to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of their favorite game on ultra-settings.
The companies mentioned firmly settled in the minds of gamers as rivals competing on a treadmill. Dragon Age: Origins used to be praised as the best game ever seen on titles like Gambling until Skyrim came out. But the throne of Skyrim was shaken by the release of Fallout 3 from the same developer. And then the world saw Dragon Age: Inquisition, and the dragon-born with his "fusroda" had to fade into the background.
What is most interesting, the old RPG games are not forgotten. They are taken all the best that gamers liked, and brought to perfection. The manner of imitating a game has disappeared (as was the case with Diablo 2).
The list of games given in this article does not purport to be complete. Nevertheless, it would be worth mentioning such creations as Drakensang, Wizardry (a series of games that was produced from 1981 to 2001. It is considered the most difficult in the RPG genre), Vampire: The Masquerade - Redemption, of course, The Witcher. These games either laid the foundation of the genre, or became an integral part of history along with those already mentioned.
As they say, the story is written by the winners, the old RPG games go to the dusty shelves of history, leaving the best features of the genre to descendants. The world froze in anticipation of such creations as the new part of Dragon Age or Mass Effect: Andromeda, as well as the new part of The Elder Scrolls, which will continue the history of mainland Tamriel.
Who knows what new things are still hidden in secret offices of developers and are waiting for their release. Perhaps the new franchise will bring glory or become a stumbling block for developers (as is the case with Gothic 3).
The Lord Inquisitor saved the world, Dovakin defeated the World Eater, and the space odyssey of the black Praetorians captain Shepard ended with the salvation of mankind. It remains only to wait with caution. Indeed, sometimes the hero dies at the end.