Drinks In Classical Role Playing Games? Baldur's Gate or Icewind Dale?
Every Steemit generation has their favorite video games that a new gamer cannot appreciate in the same way.
What was yours?
Recent post about Jagged Alliance 2 by @moon32walker stirred some very poignant memories of my childhood. Instead of being a nuisance to adults I preferred spending hours immersed into magical world of RPGs. Themes varied, post-apocalyptic, steampunk or fantasy, whatever spurred my imagination.
Oh, how pleasant and carefree that was when I was 12 (2000) :)
I will go into brief overview of, what I consider, seminal 2D role playing games.
1995-2000
Fallout 2: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game (1998)
Once upon a time, in the not so distant future, there was a village facing starvation. Naturally, village elder sends the most prominent savage into the unknown for a godsend technology that will restore the village to former glory. Expect guns, drugs, sex, dismembering and lots of life or death choices. Communities prosper or perish in your wake.
Fun fact: the first game ever where same-sex marriage was possible.
Baldur’s Gate (1998)
Do you like killing dragons? Wielding epic swords? Casting time-stops? Well, why don’t you wait for the sequel? Extremely frustrating game if there ever was one. Saves meant certain death due to high respawn rate of monsters. Loot hidden in grass without any way of locating it. Slow, ghastly slow pace. Yet, very rewarding and very sincere game. It required nerves of steel and enthusiasm. Just like Steemit.
Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (2000)
Now this is awesomeness. Find a fault in BG1 and have it dispelled. Here you actually killed dragons! And wielded Holy Avenger +5 swords! Warm fuzzy feeling! Minsc and Boo!
Planescape: Torment (1999)
A weird one. That sums it up. Story is out of this world, metaphorically and literally. If I had to choose, I’d say the narrative of this one wins. Hint: play a mage. It is by far the most rewarding!
Icewind Dale (2000)
If you like ice, snow and freezing wind this is for you! Expect lots of white background and eerie but warm music. One of the best soundtracks I ever heard! Starting a new game? Try some Luskan Stout in Winter's Cradle Tavern.
Cheap and filling: A dark and malty stout; almost a meal unto itself. Immediately restores 5 energy when purchased or when collected from a chest.
2000s
Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal (2002)
Only an expansion but a loooooong game if you take it as a whole. I admit, I never finished it because I have this compulsive need to replay games and remake decisions to perfection. Which, ultimately and sadly, is never reached :(
Icewind Dale II (2002)
Some more white. Some more fun. Kill a goblin, kill a goblin, kill it again.
Revival after 2015
Experience your youth once again with Enhanced (remastered and adapted to new operating systems) editions of Baldur’s Gate and Icewind Dale, more are in the works.
Also, game which follows the tradition of these games: Pillars of Eternity (2015) . Funded by a Kickstarter campaign.
Once more into the fray. Allow yourself to experience the magic again!
All images taken from Wikipedia pages and Thumbsticks
Intro to Icewind Dale
Minsc: GO FOR THE EYES, BOO!!!!!!!!!
Torment wins. Most f* up. Great game.
8 months ago? Thanks for reminding me :)
He he no problems, I'm new here and I was wondering what people are saying about my favourite games! Thanks for taking the time to write it.
All classics right there. I played every one of those games and those truly are the best. My favorite is Arcanum from that era, if you haven't played Arcanum yet, you must try it. Epic is a small word to describe that game.
Planescape Torment is probably number 2 for me. I'm sure you know about Tides of Numenera, just released 6 days ago. Very close to the original, I'll probably write a review tomorrow if i complete the game today. Great blog.
Arcanum is a true classic.
Thanks! I didn't know it was released, I'll check it out. Time flies when you get immersed, that's my biggest issue, hehe. I couldn't decide whether to include Arcanum, but yeah, also a good one!
Real life is overrated :D
Realms of Arkania.
1992? Huh. Seems like an interesting choice!
2nd part was the best (1994)
cool stuff
;)
I will "date" myself here by confessing that my first "graphics intensive" game was Myst, in 1994.
Then I will "date" myself even further by confessing to having played text-based adventure games... anyone remember "You take three steps to the left... you've been eaten by a Grue!"
I know it only from the media, but always seemed cool to me! I've tried Myst somewhere around 2000. Couldn't get it at all. I think I tried it too young. I watched some game play a few weeks ago. Psychedelic if you ask me.
Haven't tried it yet, but I'm told there's a new "legacy" release with all the graphics updated to current processor speeds and standards... lots of layering and texturing simply not possible back then.
I have to admit I haven't played any of these! Back when I was younger, I mostly played Pokemon games and Heroes of Might and Magic. Later on I mostly played MMO's like World of Warcraft and Guild Wars (2). One of the few single player RPG's I've played was Skyrim, which was so awesome and looked stunning.
Heroes were cool! I remember playing for hours in multiplayer with some of my friends. World of Warcraft is awesome for lonely time during holidays. My problem with it is that people rush all the time, nobody stops for a chat. These mentioned here are meant to be played as if you were reading a book. Takes a while to get addicted :)
I'm guilty of rushing, aswell. Atleast after a while. I love improving my skills, even secondary ones in professions. I don't always follow the story, though. I guess that's why MMO's hold my interest easier than single player RPG's do. Skyrim was an exception though. But that game always distracted me from my goals! Ooh, what's behind that corner? I'll just have a quick look... while doing quests :-)
Yup, Skyrim can derail. Suddenly, it's 2 AM :)
If a "gamer" didn't play Baldur's Gate and/or Icewind Dale... It simply does not know what an RPG is.
I've to replay those! (I believe I do have my character saved at some of my cloud disks)
You are right. I should have made it clearer. Good point for the future. Thanks!