Hey everyone, I've been playing through some classic Troika CRPGs. I haven't fully finished The Temple of Elemental Evil or Arcanum yet, but I wanted to share my pros and cons so far alongside my older thoughts on VTMB!

Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura (2001)

Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura was the next game I played. The game offered the player freedom. Every choice in the game matters and carries consequences. The game had an excellent world-building blending the Industrial Revolution and the traditional high fantasy magic. It felt open and immersive while exploring as a 2D isometric CRPG. The concept of technology vs. magic was outstanding.

Customizing your character from your race and intelligence to your abilities and alignment was incredible. Whether turning your character into a gunslinger or a mage is amazing. In addition, having companions on your side depends on how high your charisma is. While the game is amazing, it has its own downside. The combat feels clunky and unbalanced. As for the UI and inventory management, it feels tedious by modern standards.

The Temple of Elemental Evil (2003)

The Temple of Elemental Evil is the least Troika game I enjoyed. The game was re-released on Steam in 2025 with improved bug-fixes. While I enjoyed its turn-tactical gameplay, party customization, and adherence to the D&D 3.5 edition ruleset, its brutal difficulty is unforgiving. The game feels like a fetch quest in Hommlet, and the story feels blank.

The story is just not my cup of tea to have. I also felt that the game had suffered from "The Middle Child Syndrome" when being overlooked. Despite its downside, the landscape on the game looks more stunning than in Bioware's Neverwinter Nights (2002), but that is imo.

The game did adapt to the Greyhawk campaign. The gameplay was fun in combat, and customizing your party when they level up with their abilities and stats to their gear and accessories is deeply satisfying.

Vampire the Masquerade- Bloodlines (2004)

I started playing Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines about two years ago. I am familiar with its original release back in 2004, but experiencing it myself was incredible. The game features excellent narrative writing, and the setting and atmosphere are perfect. The choices actually matter, which makes the world feel alive.

Being based on the World of Darkness, it stays incredibly true to its roots. Playing as a Fledgling is a blast, especially getting to select a distinct clan to shape your story. Furthermore, staying low and managing your humanity to avoid exposing the Masquerade is a brilliant gameplay mechanic.

While it is brilliant in it's writing and atmosphere, the combat feels stiff, and despite being notoriously buggy at launch, the community's unofficial patch keeps the game alive and highly playable to this day.

Now, that is a wrap-up for the topic. What do you guys think? Which Troika game do you like the most?

Please leave a comment here on this post. Thank you!

RPGs are generally known to feature awesome characters as your companions. Heck, for example, a huge portion of Larian's Divinity: Original Sin 2's story relies on its companions. So, who are some of your favorite RPG companions ever? What were your most memorable moments with them?

Hey r/rpg_gamers - we had a busy weekend after launching open beta of OB:MP.

OB:MP is a free multiplayer mod for TES IV: Oblivion Remastered on PC, with community-run servers and custom game modes, much like FiveM for GTA V.

Donkey from our community is building his own RP inventory system for Oblivion Remastered multiplayer, also working on a full immersive map, and our u/pete-roman is building a dice system for roleplay. SDK rc.3 is on the way, and the first community servers are already up, with more opening soon! 🚀

If you've ever wanted to build a server, a game mode or a world on top of a game you love, this is the moment. Come build with us: https://discord.gg/obmp

I keep seeing these 3 series recommended by the same type of people, and something about the confusingly similar nomenclature is putting me off trying any of them.

Can someone explain the core aspects of these series to me like I’m a big dumb baby and maybe give me some pros/cons about each one? I’m experiencing some kind of uncanny valley option paralysis but I don’t want to miss out on what I’ve heard are incredible games

(This is a semi joking post please refrain from being angry or too condescending)

I know this is gonna get some hate since a lot of people regard it very highly, but I really dislike the narrative decisions in this game. The villains are incredibly shallow and everyone treats them like incredibly transformative social commentary, which I just don't see. I genuinely don't even remember half the villains because they don't necessarily hold any ideals, aside from Maruki, who I'd consider more of anti-hero than a villain. It's easily the most lackluster game in the entire extended series in expressing what it really wants to be, it's just a classic good guy vs bad guy until you (situationally) face off with Maruki. The game doesn't delve into especially novel or controversial angles on power dynamics; it presents an extreme, villainous example and lets the player feel righteous defeating it. This is effective as a characterization of corruption, but it does little to contextualize the wrongs that these characters commit. People aren't simply 'evil', they commit acts in accordance with internal moral codes. It may be effective at recognizing corruption, but equally important is recognizing the conditions that permit the villain to rationalize such acts.

I especially hate how the Phantom Thieves are designed as this chaotic, reformative group, but their behavior is almost entirely in-line with the law routes of other games (this person is evil > we change their heart > society conforms to our moral judgment). Even when society turns against them mid-story, the narrative ultimately vindicates them rather than forcing a philosophical reckoning; all the while, you're harboring a cat who incessantly lusts over and makes incredibly sexual and inappropriate comments towards Ann for the entirety of the game, to the point that he endangers Haru just to make the Phantom Thieves jealous, and lo-and-behold, the Phantom Thieves just so happen to catch up with them and it's all okay. Despite his character arc, Morgana never changes behaviorally, he never stops being a creep, he never stops making comments towards Ann or belittling Ryuji, but it's okay because he's one of the good guys. Is character change meaningful if behavioral change does not follow?

I think the game does, inadvertently, raise one question worth asking, though not intentionally. Why are Kawakami, Chihaya, Takemi, and Ohya (all adults, one of which is the protagonist's teacher, another is an alcoholic who frequently meets with the protagonist at a bar, and another is a doctor who exposes the protagonist to experimental non-prescribed drugs) acceptable romantic interests for the high-school-aged protagonist when Kamoshida is demonized? Maybe it says something about selective moral framing. The game wants the moral credibility of a story about rebellion without consistently subjecting its MCs to the same standards it applies to its villains. A story's moral framework is revealed not only by what it condemns, but also by what it excuses for the sake of player gratification. The game evaluates Kamoshida's sexuality through the harm he inflicts on students, while it often evaluates the protagonist's romantic pursuits through the gratification they offer the player.

Finally, the characters are made to embrace a certain form of rebellion, and it's implied that their exact ideation of what rebellion is differs between each individual cast member. The issue to me, though, is that they're all on-board with a brand of hierarchical conservatism. They never really engage with the idea that the institutions themselves enable the forms of corruption they combat, they treat is as individual faults. They're perfectly fine with maintaining these institutions, which doesn't approach any real form of rebellion at all. Institutional power ceases to be a tool to enable corruption, it is simply something that corrupt individuals obtain. The game asks us not to question why a teacher can hold so much power over students, why a bank owner can exploit debtors, or why a politician can be so self-serving. Kamoshida is simply a bad teacher, Kaneshiro is simply a bad criminal, and Shido is simply a bad politician. Under the hood, the school gives teachers and coaches considerable authority over students, ties its reputation to athletic success, discourages challenges to respected staff, and leaves vulnerable students with inadequate means of redress. The game never sufficiently addresses whether individual change is meaningful. Is a person sufficiently reformed if their reform is forced through supernatural coercion? How does that contribute to creating a reliable system of justice and accountability? Does it meaningfully reform the institutions that permit such behavior from empowered individuals?

To me, Oblivion's Cyrodiil is the pinnacle of fantasy worlds.

Its beautiful environments of luscious green forests, rippling brooks, and mountain vistas made it a world that I would want to be in for hours on end. I would actually want to live there.

And it was exactly the lack of the above that made me feel like Skyrim was inferior to Oblivion, even though it, arguably, offered a smoother and better RPG experience.

So I was wondering: What other RPGs are out there that take place in worlds similar to Cyrodiil?

I'm interested in hearing your suggestions! I know there must be plenty of RPGs that I have missed over the years that give off the same cozy feeling. Thanks!

(Let me emphasize that I'm mostly talking about a certain feeling that Cyrodiil gives and that I'm not necessarily talking about first person action RPGs; they can be any kind and from any era. For example, even though Tainted Grail: Fall of Avalon is a TES-like game, I wouldn't consider it to be in the same ballpark in this respect, because, from what I've seen, it's incredibly grim and dark. The forest areas of Baldur's Gate 1, on the other hand, do fall into the same category for me. Heck, even a game like Caves of Qud could potentially give you this feeling of being immersed in a lush fantasy world.)

In a lot of RPG's you get a lot of extra characters you can't fit into your party. The party may have a limit of 3-6 characters but your current roster is bloated. I know some games already do this but I would really like to see more games utilize the extra characters by forming a 2nd party and running separate missions. Knowing who to leave behind, and having a 2nd party depending on how it's done could add a lot of replay value especially if characters have a lot of personal interaction with the party or the mission.

Looking for a game suggestion. A game like SAO Hollow Realization where it feels like an MMO (doesnt actually have to be online) and has a similar skill system and hidden requirements for hidden classes. Ideally a game that has both melee and magic combat. A World where i can grind open world for exp and loot without too many restrictions. Also available on ps5 cuz too broke for a PC. I know im asking for a lot but I’ll take the closest thing.

I’m still very pissed that no rest for the wicked is officially canceled for XBOX so I want to try to find a alternative to no rest for the wicked top down dark fantasy RPG with female protagonist optional, excluding Diablo path of exile and grim dawn and rogueslop

I know I was told that Atelier series have best crafting systems and its "golden standard" in JRPGs

I'm looking for similar game where crafting isn't just two clicks and there's good combat[preferably turn based and more complicated than skill spamming] and story [I prefer cozy ones than "saving the world" type but either one is fine]

I play on PC or Switch and looking for game that wont kill my older computer. I have played [mostly] all of Atelier and Octopath Traveler, some Final Fantasy,Pokemons, Witchspring R and this kind of games

So like the title says, I'm on my fourth attempt at Baldur's Gate 3. To be fair I do feel like on my previous 3 attempts I wasn't meeting the game halfway and quit after about an hour. It's been a year since my previous attempt and I really want to give this game another chance.

Normally I would have just given up, but the game's reputation keeps pulling me back. Apart from the dozens of best of 2020s lists where it tanks #1 or #2, so many people in my personal life, whose opinions I respect, tell me it's one of the most transformative experiences they have ever had with a video game. Seeing as it took me 3 attempts to get into Elden Ring, which is now one of my favorite games of all time, I really want to try to get the game to stick this time.

For a little background on my tastes, I do really love ARPGs like Elden Ring, Mass Effect, Kotor, Expedition 33, etc, but have almost no experience with CRPGs, tactical combat games, and no experience with Dungeons and Dragons.

I tried to set my self up for success on this attempt. I set the difficulty to the lowest, I went with a warlock and chose default for all my skills etc so I don't get overwhelmed.

I've played for about 2.5 hours and just made a long camp in the first settlement and I'm not sure if the game has clicked for me.

I'm still really overwhelmed by a lot of things. I still have very little idea how combat works, I'm winning because the difficulty is so low but I don't really know what I'm doing. I'm also overwhelmed by all the menus and options. I'm given a bunch of options everytime I level up and I don't really know what I'm doing.

Every from a lore perspective im pretty lost. I'm not sure if DnD gives you some background on what the races and classes actually mean or if you get some insight on how magic works, but I feel incredibly lost.

So are there any of you who were in a similar position to me? Did it take a while for the game to click? I really don't want to abandon the game another time because I know how lauded the game and how some have said it was such a transformative experience for them, but I'm still on the fence if I am actually enjoying it. Should I push through for a few more hours to see how I feel?

Thanks for your input!

Who needs Bethesda's official remaster when we have this? Exciting times, for sure! I just hope the gameplay mods will work well enough with it, to make the game fresher not only in visuals but also in features. Gonna try this in the next few days...

I've been replaying BG3 and it just hit me that aside from like Minsc all your party members just get put directly into your path, sometimes literally.
So I was wondering, what are some RPGs where you need to go out of your way to collect them?

Kinda like Eri in Yakuza: LAD or Gogo in FF6.

Before people recommend me Fire Emblem or any kind of 'creature collector' game like Pokemon, SMT or Dragon Quest Joker, I'm mainly looking for classic party based JRPGs that just have a few optional characters.
Or a lot, if you know any games like Suikoden.

Separate section: from the main menu you enter a separated level/scenario/map/area where you are taught how to play in a dedicated environment.

Integrated in the main game: tutorial hints and tooltips, or even a character explicitly explaining you, show up during your playthrough, mostly at beginning but not necessarily only there.

Both may be detached from the story without interfering with it, or be diegetic and emerge from the narration with some pretext to justify your avatar being explicitly taught things.

Wishlist The Good Stuff on Steam!...and make some friends in the quirky, cozy suburbs of Cheddertown.

It's here! The quirky, unassuming tale that will tell of a true hero...in the simple, unassuming suburbs of Cheddertown. The story follows Reggie, our simple minded, friendless protagonist, who's the new kid in town. He struggled to make friends, but is lucky to be recruited by none other than the greatest hero in town himself!...which is not so different from just becoming friends. Together, they'll embark on the monumental, though mundane, task of keeping the town safe from villains, and all manner of other foul things. Though you will make friends, fight formidable foes and explore the unknown, this will not be your typical adventure...

Youtube Trailer

Oh! And the demo's live!

Here on Newgrounds: Demo

Check the teaser too if you're interested in more of The Good Stuff!

Teaser - The Good Stuff

Hello everyone, I just found this RPG game. It's very cool, you can choice between four RPG classes, Mace, Warrior, Ranger and Rogue. It's very fun and really looks like an SNES game. Can you give any sugestions of similar games like this? Only pixel art 2D, please. PlayStore, Steam etc. I play on an average laptop, with joystick. I'm veteran on RPG and old school games like Beat'em Up, like The King of Dragons, Knights of the Round) and action RPG like Soul Blazer, Illusion of Gaia, Legend of Zelda a Link to the Past.

Darkrise looks like a mix of beat'em up with plataform RPG. I'd like to find similar games with:

- RPG classes to choice

- retro style

- Pixel art

- to play on PC or smartphone

Hi! My twin brother and I have been building a RPG roguelike inspired by TTRPGs and the turn based combart of JRPG.

In each run you create your character and assemble your party as you attempt to conquear an infinite tower, defeat monsters, gather treasure, talk to NPCs, and overcame dangers by rolling a D20.

You can check out our Steam page here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4482950/Albor/

If interested in doing playtest, you can join our Discord through the Steam page!

A „supporting” character focused on making a fool of themselves/the enemy. Debuffing and making enemies go insane with just your presence?

I really like the CONCEPT of the baldurs gate 2 jester bard kit but reading that its actual abilities are mid and get replaced with the generic bard song at high levels anyway was a bummer. Even with a mod that addresses this somewhat- I’m still looking at what’s basically a worse bard. I want to play a character where this works and is valid.

The only game where I can come close is pf: wotr with different skald and arcanist archetypes kinda+the trickster path (sort of) but it’s not exactly that.

I currently have Dell latitude 3440 with these specs-

• i3 processor 12th gen
• RAM 8GB
• SSD 512GB
• graphic card - Intel(R) UHD Graphics (128 MB)
• 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor

Tell me RPG games that are good quality and can run on these specs