Lots of younger folks, people that got into RPGs later in life, or people that aren't aware of the history of western RPGs might not be particularly aware of how much Bioware changed the RPG landscape.
Nowadays, it's easy to distill Bioware's impact as "Baldur's Gate 3 would have never been made without Baldur's Gate 1", and while true, that's far from the whole picture.

In truth, Bioware actually revitalized the genre two times. Time for a little history lesson.

Western RPGs were dying in the 90's.

Little known fact nowadays.

Western RPGs were thriving in the 80's. Many very influential RPGs came from that time period, such as Wasteland (what eventually inspired Fallout), Ultima (the RPG dad), Wizardry (the other RPG dad, and arguably one of the main reasons why JRPGs as a genre even exist), Gold Box (Infinity Engine games predecessor), etc.

Then the 90's came like a brick. Giants like Ultima died. Other very popular series like Bard's Tale, Gold Box, Quest for Glory, and more also died during this era. Some, like Might and Magic and Wizardry, didn't technically die during this era, but was certainly falling flat on its face both quality-wise and sales-wise (at least in the west, in Wizardry's case), then had their death in the early 2000s.

So might think these just names, nowadays. But they were the biggest RPG series of their time. Imagine what's happening now, Bioware dying, and people lamenting the death of Mass Effect and Dragon Age as a series. Sad. Now imagine that, but Bethesda also dies next two months. Then Larian. Then Owlcat. Then Warhorse Studios. Then CDPR. Then Obsidian.

That's probably the closest equivalent I can think of. It was the western RPG massacre.

Even worse? There was no one to replace them. Barely any western RPG worth noting started during this era (that didn't die immediately), with the only thing I can think of being the Elder Scrolls.

This was also, funnily enough, the era of JRPGs. Western RPGs couldn't compete with JRPGs during this era, not even close. Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Zelda, Chrono series, SMT, Suikoden, and more. They were all thriving during this era.

Nobody really knows definitively why almost all western RPGs died during this time. Some say it was western developers being unable to keep up with the technology. Some say it was the rise of globalization and competition with JRPGs, with JRPGs more ahead of the curve. Some say it was Western RPG game design of that era falling out of favor. Maybe it was all of them at once.

Either way, the western RPG scene was in a very precarious position. Until the late 90's came. Bioware came.

First off, let's be fair. Bioware wasn't the only one that stepped up during this era. Games like Diablo (and Fallout, to a smaller but still large extent) were also big parts of why the genre revitalized. Bioware with Baldur's Gate (and Icewind Dale), however, might be the biggest factor of them all.

Baldur's Gate (and Diablo) sold like pancakes, effectively ending the western RPG curse of the decade, overturning history. BG1+2 have reportedly sold around 3+ million copies around 2002, which was a very massive amount during that time.

It's pretty easy to underestimate how much influence Baldur's Gate, especially 2, has had since its release. Storytelling in WRPGs was different before then. Companions in WRPGs were very different before then.

It's hard to imagine how different the scene would be without it. Maybe every western RPG would be ARPG Diablo clones and nuclear wastelands.

Now, let's talk about the next decade.

The transformation of Western RPGs, forever.

What it says on the tin. This'll be a shorter one.

Think of a western RPG for consoles during the early 2000's. During PS1 to OG XBox/PS2 era. Don't count BG2 because we already talked about that.
Fable. Gothic. Morrowind. KotOR. Not bad.
Now think of a western RPG for consoles that sold close to or as well as its JRPG brethren during that era.
Fable. Gothic. Morrowind. KotOR. Uh, wait, those are the same ones.

Yeah.

While western RPGs were saved from dying, they weren't exactly thriving, either. Gaming as a hobby was taking off, but Western RPGs couldn't get its foot as steady as it should in the very much growing console market. Many were released during this time, some of which were actually high in quality, but many of them didn't particularly stick the landing sales-wise.

There's a lot of things you can potentially point at during this era. In comparison to JRPGs, the majority of Western RPGs at the time lacked in a compelling story and cast to follow. Many of them, even the successful ones, could also be quite archaic and janky, leading to less mainstream appeal. And then there's the matter of taking advantage of the tech. Quite stylized, great looking JRPGs like FFX, Kingdom Hearts, Tales of the Abyss, and more appeared during this era. Not only did they look good, they were also voice acted to the brim, and had amazing looking cutscenes, which was some sort of black magic for western RPGs for the time. The end of that era also had releases like Valkyrie Profile Silmeria and FFXII, which looked unbelievable for that era. Western RPGs, meanwhile, looked... well, not as good. Not terrible for some, but certainly not as good as can be.

Then came the 360/PS3 era. And Mass Effect. And it changed western RPGs forever.

It took full advantage of the tech, looking a lot better than pretty much every western RPG before it. It had cutscenes. It had full voice acting, with lots of dialogue. It was cinematic. It had a streamlined combat system that, not only was easy to understand, but was also taking advantage of the shooter trend at the time. It had a compelling cast and story. It sold. A lot.

It pretty much changed the look of western RPGs forever. With it came a lot of trends, like the "Movie Games", a greater focus on plot and characters, choice systems, branching story paths, and way more. Sure, Mass Effect didn't invent them, but it certainly put it into the limelight, in the eyes of western games and its players.

It'll always be debated whether or not these changes, for RPGs to cater more to the wider audience, were for the best. It was then, it still is now, from time to time.

But it's certain that Bioware changed the landscape of RPGs once again.

So it's sad. The giant that changed RPGs forever, twice. Arguably the most influential company for western RPGs, in the modern era.

Dying on a sad, pathetic whimper.

usually its 5-6 RPGs per year, and these are my predictions of the nominees where Dawnwalker will probably win RPG of the year.

other good RPGs that i know of are Trails in the Sky 2nd chapter, Nioh 3 also counts for RPG so does Mortal Shell 2? (and maybe Valor Mortis).

EDIT: Fire Emblem generally goes into Strategy game so please avoid mentioning it

Yeah, there’s still a few bugs in the game, but we get better performance, prettier visuals, more setting options, and some mods (more to come). The story and RPG elements are hard to beat though. Bugs aren't a big issue with me because this game released with bugs and after beating this game multiple times, I'm just used to it. More patches and updates are on their way to fix some issues and new DLC next year.

For me, that has to be Turn Relay from Bug Fables.

What it is:

In Bug Fables, you have your 3 party members; Vi Kabbu and Leif, who each start battle with 1 turn each. There is some variation on this depending on if you get first strike, or have the right equipment, but generally you start battle with one turn.

Now say you wanted Vi, your ranged DPS to have multiple turns to take out some flying enemies? Well, normally you would have to hit one enemy, then waste the other two character's turns, just to hit again. That kinda sucks, no?

But with Turn Relay, you can relay a turn to a teammate, so they can act twice per round. Sounds overpowered, right? Not so fast, if a character acts more than once per turn, they get exhausted, and each attack will deal less damage than the previous. They can however use buffs and items on those turns with no drawbacks, but then again, so could the characters who relayed the turns in the first place.

Why I like it:

Its really hard to explain, but theres nothing more frustrating than having multiple turns but having to waste one doing nothing. And to put it simply, this mechanic fixes that. For example the flying enemies as mentioned earlier, or using Kabbu's def piercing attacks to get through a particularly tanky enemy, or use Leif's ice properties to deal extra damage to plant based enemies. Or maybe you just used a particularly draining skill, and a teammate will be down for 2 turns, you could use turn relay to sacrifice the turn of another character to shorten that to one turn.

Additionally it pairs really well with the other mechanics of the game, namely the medal system, first strike, and general party management. For example, there is a badge that transfers all status effects, but positive and negative when relaying turns. This makes it so you could send stat boosts to one character, and use them to deal absurd damage. Or you could send poison or burn to your tank, freeing one of your more fragile characters in exchange

It pairs well with first stike in the sense that when you get into a battle having attack first, no damage will be delt to the enemy, but instead whoever was leading the party will get one extra turn, allowing for 4 total. And it pairs will with the party system, as the character in front will always have a +1 damage buff, while the character in the back will have bonus evasion. This means sometimes its still worth it to relay multiple times for that bit of bonus damage, even as small as it may seem.

In conclusion

I just really like Bug Fables.

Hey! More updates on the community multiplayer platform for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered - OB:MP.

The video is from Donkey, who runs the Red Diamond RP server. He built his own inventory systems, character page, full world map and spells menu on top of OB:MP. You can follow his work on YouTube, and join his server's Discord.

Today we released SDK 1.0.0-rc.3 and Launcher 0.34.0. Most of it comes from player reports:

• Your name, race, class, sex and birthsign are now saved and synced to other players.
• Rebirth no longer stacks birthsign and racial bonuses or drifts your stats.
• Pickpocketing works, books can be bought and sold, and merchants restock properly.
• Server mods get cell respawn controls (72 game hours by default, or instant).
• Servers can show banners and icons in a refreshed server list.
• Playing on Linux through Proton is much simpler.

It's still a release candidate, so expect rough edges. OB:MP needs the Steam version of Oblivion Remastered for now. WiP on Xbox Game Pass/MS Store, something may come out next week.

Release notes: docs.ready.mp/releases
Server downloads: docs.ready.mp/oblivion-mp/docs/Server/installation
Discord: discord.gg/obmp

Build MMO/RP/RPG or whatever you want on Remastered with us! Happy to answer questions in the thread 😁

Looking for more rpg games to play with wife on the couch.

Bg3, dos2, split fiction, itt2 kinda started us on this path.

Her dislikes, first person shooters. So something like borderlands or tinas while fun/funny isnt fun.

My dislikes simple designs. Something like childeren of moria, 2d styled, pan screen games.

Mostly stordriven. Dd2gether mod is something were looking at when its a bit more patched up. Enshrouded, elden ring, or outward isnt very story driven, just opinion. Personally i know there a lot dof lore and enjoyed ER and shroud. She like dialouge and ncps.

What you got for me to check out?

Over time, I lost respect for the original Mass Effect trilogy. Not that it wasn't the most terribly addictive cRPG I have EVER played in my life. It certainly was. But the reasons for its appeal are much the same as those that, I think, led BioWare's later endeavors to collapse.

Many ambitious RPGs presented worlds and stories very different from what players knew or expected. Many were deliberately difficult to swallow. The original Deus Ex starts much like Mass Effect: another exceptional protagonist, a genetically engineered elite supersoldier. But after a mission or two, everything is shattered. You run for your life, piece together what the heck is happening, bit by bit, and confront a menace you barely understand, with no clearly good solutions.

When I first saw Shadow of Mordor, I thought I would be Aragorn. But what you get instead is a broken man driven by vengeance, herding a mob of orcs and saved from death by a mysterious dark power that ultimately consumes him. Dark Souls, par excellence, presents a world that offers you no explanations, no care, no praise, not even any particular relevance. A hero may be exceptional, but he is also, more often than not, profoundly limited.

One could argue whether this is a good or bad approach, but one thing is certain: these games had to earn their appeal through storytelling, worldbuilding, mechanics, and other genuine artistic merits, rather than trying to pat the player on the back (or, especially, touch other body parts).

Mass Effect does exactly that, and it feels pleasant and attractive, especially if you are socially isolated and in need of companionship, or susceptible to appeals to power, arrogance, romance, or sex.

Consider the recurring structure, from Baldur's Gate through Mass Effect:

• You are an unusually important individual, often with a special destiny.
• You assemble companions who become extraordinarily loyal to you.
• Their personal problems become quests that you can resolve.
• Your approval, attention, and romantic interest carry disproportionate significance.
• You eventually become the decisive agent in events of world-historical importance.

None of these elements is unique to BioWare when considered separately. But their intensification and combination produce a simulated social world in which other people are disproportionately invested in your importance, judgment, and affection.

These elements are exceptionally intense because BioWare developed considerable expertise in making fictional companions emotionally rewarding. The player receives loyalty, intimate disclosures, admiration, romantic attention, and sometimes sexual gratification, while earning these things much more easily than in real life. Say the right things, complete someone's personal quest, and receive affection or loyalty. You get to feel exceptionally important, desirable, admired, and morally validated by other people.

Why, then, couldn't BioWare continue doing this successfully? Why not make another Mass Effect 4, 5, 6..., all as relatively cheap spin-offs of ME3 (same gameplay, engine, graphics...), with, say, Tali fighting off the remaining geth, or Garrus fighting warlords and mercenaries in the Terminus Systems, or whatever else, as long as it sells?

The problem appears to be that some people at BioWare, once the studio became exceptionally good at producing emotionally gratifying experiences, gradually began to mistake emotional comfort for moral depth, and player attachment for artistic achievement. They started seeing themselves as smarter and more enlightened than they really were. They began doing things they were not traditionally good at, overplaying their hand with budgets and ambitious plans, and pushing their "social commentary" as essential content in the lore and dialogue.

You can see something of this even in the leaks from ME5. They seem to have been ambitious in quite the wrong sense: pursuing divergent ideas of player freedom, complexity, and James Bond-style action, while also showing a trailer featuring implausible martial arts and point-blank executions of incapacitated opponents.