Looking for an RPG like Dragon Age: Origins

[ninja666]

I want an RPG like Dragon Age, as the topic states. What do I mean by that? An RPG that's more traditional in general gameplay and mechanics, but far more lenient and forgiving than any of the older ones. I generally like the idea behind Dragon Age, despite firing it up basically because I was bored to death and had nothing better to do, but can't stand playing it right now. Why? Because of how ill-considered the character cast is - there's a shitton of warriors and rogues of all sorts, but only one offensive mage (Morrigan), who's unlikable as fuck, and basically every conversation in the game ends with her disapproving of my actions. But enough ranting. What I want is:
- isometric view with an option of controlling the character with a keyboard (it was way more convenient than clicking on the ground all the time)
- "start-stop" combat that requires tactical thinking to some degree
- leniency and forgiveness (don't confuse it with being balls easy; I want a challenge, just not in a way where I lose the whole fight because of one tiny factor)
- a really good storyline, preferably dark and not about saving the world
- fantasy setting (the more original, the better, as I'm not fond of Tolkienesque "elves, dwarves and wizards" worlds)
- not being based on any version of Dungeons and Dragons (I can't and won't uderstand its rules, even if my life depended on it)

Thank you for all the help in advance. And I sincerely hope you'll understand what I mean.

 

[Bellvedere]

Have you played the first Witcher?

The game has aged a little but I replayed it recently and thought it was still fun. You can also pick it up for dirt cheap now too. It can be somewhat clunky at times but otherwise it seems to meet your requirements.

 

[ninja666]

Have you played the first Witcher?

The game has aged a little but I replayed it recently and thought it was still fun. You can also pick it up for dirt cheap now too. It can be somewhat clunky at times but otherwise it seems to meet your requirements.

I have, actually. It's a different type of experience than Dragon Age, though (or at least it strikes me as such).

 

[ninja666]

Divinity: Original Sin, has been well received and is recent, so maybe try that.

I heard some good things about Divinity: Original Sin, however I'm a bit skeptical about all the fanboyism since my huge disappointment with Dark Souls 2. Although I don't really like that it has a turn-based combat system and no party whatsoever (afaik, you only have this pink-haired girl by your side for the sake of co-op; correct me if I'm wrong). Is it really worth my time regardless?

Divine Divinity was better than its name would suggest.

It's also worth noticing that it's more like Diablo than Dragon Age in every aspect.

Other than that, keep an eye out for Tides of Numenera, Pillars of Eternity and, to an extent (just because you mentioned a fantasy setting), Wasteland 2.

I'd rather prefer games that have actually been released (and I don't mean the recent blight of gaming that is early access), thank you very much. I'm not a big fan of traditional RPGs and will probably lose all the will to play them by the time they're released.

 

[shrekfan246]

Divinity: Original Sin, has been well received and is recent, so maybe try that.

I heard some good things about Divinity: Original Sin, however I'm a bit skeptical about all the fanboyism since my huge disappointment with Dark Souls 2. Although I don't really like that it has a turn-based combat system and no party whatsoever (afaik, you only have this pink-haired girl by your side for the sake of co-op; correct me if I'm wrong). Is it really worth my time regardless?

You create two characters at the start of the game who become your main party for roleplaying (solo or co-op; you choose the dialogue choices for both if you're playing solo and didn't set them with a personality AI) and then as you go through the game you can find other followers to join your party.

And to be honest, it's not like the combat being turn-based makes it all that much different from Dragon Age: Origins. The only real difference is that it doesn't continue moving without your input, and the combat mechanics of Original Sin have many more tactical options than those of Dragon Age: Origins.

"Really good storyline" might be a catch here, though, since the writing of Divinity has always been a fairly light-hearted "love-it-or-hate-it" kind of deal. But I mean, if you won't look into D&D-based games (and I don't blame you) then you've probably already pretty much played the only other CRPGs with "really good" storylines, leastways ones that don't have turn-based combat. Shadowrun Returns comes to mind, though that's a fantasy cyberpunk setting and turn-based again, and while I personally love it a fair few people were left feeling disappointed by it.

EDIT: Actually, I've just been reminded of a game because of a post I saw last night.

Aarklash Legacy.

It's an isometric party-based real-time-with-pause RPG, though it might be a tad too difficult for what you're looking for. Almost every combat encounter in the game is designed with making the player have to micromanage positioning and abilities in mind (the four-person-party is often set up with the classical MMO class triad of Tank to absorb damage, DPSers to deal damage, and a healer), though I do believe it has difficulty options.

Again, the story will be hit-or-miss, but from what I remember it's definitely set in a dark fantasy world and it's not really about "saving the world" or anything, since it's focusing on a mercenary guild who are dishonored and disavowed by the world at large due to some event (if my memory doesn't fail me; it is entirely possible that the plot changes halfway through since I haven't actually beaten the game yet myself).

 

[ninja666]

And to be honest, it's not like the combat being turn-based makes it all that much different from Dragon Age: Origins. The only real difference is that it doesn't continue moving without your input, and the combat mechanics of Original Sin have many more tactical options than those of Dragon Age: Origins.

Maybe it isn't that much different, but having a real-time combat system certainly makes the game more dynamic. Everything I've ever played that had a turn-based one felt really slow and sluggish. And the dynamism kinda does it for me.

But I mean, if you won't look into D&D-based games (and I don't blame you) then you've probably already pretty much played the only other CRPGs with "really good" storylines, leastways ones that don't have turn-based combat.

Ehhh... every time's the same - whenever I like a game and try to find something similar, it's suddenly so goddamn unique, there are no other games like it, or there are but they're from 12-15 years ago, when gaming and technological standards were entirely different.

 

[shrekfan246]

Ehhh... every time's the same - whenever I like a game and try to find something similar, it's suddenly so goddamn unique, there are no other games like it, or there are but they're from 12-15 years ago, when gaming and technological standards were entirely different.

See my edit above.

Aarklash Legacy is probably the closest thing I can think of from a pure mechanical standpoint, though it does have a few things which make the actual world feel less well-realized than something like Dragon Age. For one thing, at least from how much I've played so far, there isn't really a lot of exploration. The environments are pretty and quite varied, but there aren't many side-areas or hidden spots. And equipment is pretty limited as well, as there are only three equipment slots on each character from what I remember. And the combat really can be quite challenging, as it was intentionally designed with the idea of ensuring that the player would stay attentive to their party and enemies at all times.

I didn't stop because I didn't like it or anything, by the way, I just tend to get distracted by everything else after playing a game for three hours or so because I have far too many and have a difficult time trying to focus on one or two at a time.

 

[ninja666]

Aarklash Legacy is probably the closest thing I can think of from a pure mechanical standpoint

And looks like that's all they have in common. Every gameplay I see of it is a non-stop trip through dungeons and battling hordes of enemies. Is there any dialogue in this game at all? Any story? Subplots? Anything that'd make this game something different than a singleplayer League of Legends?

 

[shrekfan246]

Aarklash Legacy is probably the closest thing I can think of from a pure mechanical standpoint

And looks like that's all they have in common. Every gameplay I see of it is a non-stop trip through dungeons and battling hordes of enemies. Is there any dialogue in this game at all? Any story? Subplots? Anything that'd make this game something different than a singleplayer League of Legends?

Yes, there is, a fair amount actually, though I don't really recall if there are dialogue choices or not if that's what you're really looking for.

 

[ninja666]

I don't really recall if there are dialogue choices or not if that's what you're really looking for.

Is it really uncommon these days to look for a dialogue tree in an RPG that you're not sure if that's what I'm looking for?

 

[shrekfan246]

I don't really recall if there are dialogue choices or not if that's what you're really looking for.

Is it really uncommon these days to look for a dialogue tree in an RPG that you're not sure if that's what I'm looking for?

More that from what I've seen you tend to be pretty specific in what you are looking for in these threads and you didn't actually state that in this one.

But yeah, I would suggest that you maybe give turn-based RPGs another chance since they'll give you a much higher chance of finding what you're looking for. I'm just weird though in that I can enjoy pretty much any genre, so if you really just can't stand turn-based combat, then I unfortunately don't think I'll be much more help. Sorry.

 

[ninja666]

I've seen you tend to be pretty specific in what you are looking for in these threads and you didn't actually state that in this one.

True, I was less specific in this thread, but that's only because I was freshly out of the game, still a bit pissed at Morrigan's bitchy attitude and couldn't think clearly ;P

But yeah, I would suggest that you maybe give turn-based RPGs another chance since they'll give you a much higher chance of finding what you're looking for. I'm just weird though in that I can enjoy pretty much any genre, so if you really just can't stand turn-based combat, then I unfortunately don't think I'll be much more help. Sorry.

I tend to be more and more open to new ideas over time, especially since I'm running out of titles matching my extremely limited tastes, so I think we can drop the combat part (as in, it can be turn-based from now on) and you can start posting your huge list of games that perfectly match my other criteria, but I didn't want to play them because of the combat system.

 

[shrekfan246]

and you can start posting your huge list of games that perfectly match my other criteria, but I didn't want to play them because of the combat system.

I never said it was a huge list.

Not entirely sure about perfectly matching either, as I simply play too many games to really remember everything quite that well and a lot of games end up slipping my memory.

Although, actually, looking at my Steam list I am reminded of another game series that feels a lot like a somewhat lower-budget Dragon Age - Drakensang.

I can't actually speak for the storyline because it's been a long time since I last played any of them and it's another one I got distracted from, so it might end up being another droll "save the world" plot. I'm not sure if they allow the camera to zoom out to a full isometric perspective either, but aside from that it's a story-heavy real-time-with-pause party-based RPG set in a dark fantasy world (The Dark Eye universe, if you've ever heard of it) with a pretty large world and lots of characters. It is admittedly based on a pen&paper RPG again, but the rules aren't nearly so arcane as the likes of AD&D that games like Baldur's Gate were based around. There is also Neverwinter Nights 2, which uses a much less dense version of the D&D ruleset, but... well, obviously it's still D&D, so I would assume that's a no-go (though I do make the suggestion as somebody who doesn't like Baldur's Gate/Icewind Dale).

Aside from that, I would still personally recommend Divinity: Original Sin and potentially Shadowrun Returns. I would also say The Banner Saga, but I think that's probably stretching a little too far for this particular instance.

Hmmm. You could also try taking a look at Spiderweb Software's games. They're pretty old-school and don't have much in the way of shiny graphics, but Avadon: The Black Fortress, Avernum: Escape From The Pit (or the predecessor it's based upon, the Avernum trilogy), and the Geneforge series are pretty well-loved in niche sectors of the CRPG community. I'll apologize for not really going into detail on how those games all work, but I don't think I'd actually be able to do them justice.

Those are probably the only pure RPGs I could think of which vaguely fit your criteria without starting to delve into RPG/Strategy hybrids, but hopefully someone else can come along with something I've never heard of.

 

[Morgoth780]

What about KOTOR? I've never played DA:O but I know it at least has the pause/resume style combat.

 

[ScrabbitRabbit]

Maybe try Neverwinter Nights 2? It's D&D but you really don't need to know D&D to understand it - I didn't know D&D and I beat the whole damn thing. It's much more story-driven than the original NWN, with a party-based, real-time with a pause isometric combat system and the ability to swap to a behind-the-back camera that lets you run around with WASD.

Basically, it's a story-driven, dialogue heavy RPG with identical controls to Dragon Age.

The main campaign is divisive as the plot is a pretty by-the-numbers fantasy (albeit with a surprising ending). The Mask of the Betrayer expansion is sometimes considered one of the finest stories in the CRPG genre and expands the mechanics a bit.

I found Dragon Age way harder then either the vanilla game or the expansions, too. They aren't that much graphically worse, either.

 

[ninja666]

Although, actually, looking at my Steam list I am reminded of another game series that feels a lot like a somewhat lower-budget Dragon Age - Drakensang.

I can't actually speak for the storyline because it's been a long time since I last played any of them and it's another one I got distracted from, so it might end up being another droll "save the world" plot. I'm not sure if they allow the camera to zoom out to a full isometric perspective either, but aside from that it's a story-heavy real-time-with-pause party-based RPG set in a dark fantasy world (The Dark Eye universe, if you've ever heard of it) with a pretty large world and lots of characters.

I remember playing it some-longer-period-of-time ago. It didn't really strike me as good. I also keep hearing from people that the story is pretty mediocre in Drakensang series in general.

Hmmm. You could also try taking a look at Spiderweb Software's games. They're pretty old-school and don't have much in the way of shiny graphics, but Avadon: The Black Fortress, Avernum: Escape From The Pit (or the predecessor it's based upon, the Avernum trilogy), and the Geneforge series are pretty well-loved in niche sectors of the CRPG community.

Just looked at all of these. Maybe I'm not hardcore enough or something, but these look awful to me.

What about KOTOR? I've never played DA:O but I know it at least has the pause/resume style combat.

It's a Star Wars game, isn't it? I hate Star Wars. Will I like this game regardless?

Combat wise - any bog standard MMO will do, since they are nearly identical to DA:O's system.
Story wise - just watch LOTR as DA:O borrows heavily from it.

Fuck I hated DA:O...

EDIT:

Maybe try Neverwinter Nights 2? It's D&D but you really don't need to know D&D to understand it - I didn't know D&D and I beat the whole damn thing. It's much more story-driven than the original NWN, with a party-based, real-time with a pause isometric combat system and the ability to swap to a behind-the-back camera that lets you run around with WASD.

Basically, it's a story-driven, dialogue heavy RPG with identical controls to Dragon Age.

The main campaign is divisive as the plot is a pretty by-the-numbers fantasy (albeit with a surprising ending). The Mask of the Betrayer expansion is sometimes considered one of the finest stories in the CRPG genre and expands the mechanics a bit.

I found Dragon Age way harder then either the vanilla game or the expansions, too. They aren't that much graphically worse, either.

The "2" in the title concerns me. I generally don't like starting from a sequel, especially in a story-driven game. Do I have to know the events of NWN1 (and possibly the Baldur's Gate games) to enjoy NWN2 to the fullest?

 

[Tragedy's Rebellion]

Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer has a good story and it's exactly what you are looking for. The vanilla game is somewhat disappointing considering it is from Obsidian, but if you aren't bothered by a cliched story play it first and then MotB. If you don't have the patience for it, just start with MotB.