All-Time Highest Rated Games Tagged 'core, Windows, rpg' on The Great Games Experiment All-Time Highest Rated Games Tagged 'core, Windows, rpg' on The Great Games Experiment http://www.greatgamesexperiment.com/css/logo.jpg All-Time Highest Rated Games Tagged 'core, Windows, rpg' on The Great Games Experiment en-us System Shock 2 A dark and moody cyberpunk RPG that brings back to life SHODAN one of the best realized arch-nemesis in computer gaming.

This time around it is a ship - not a station that has been taken over.

Story telling elements such as voice mail as 'ghost' residue are used to great effect. You can see similar mechanisms being used in F.E.A.R and others.

Uses a modified Thief engine so there is a significant focus on 'sneak'- although the game can be player through in multiple ways.
]]> 06 Dec 2006 06:56:49 Fallout 2 The sequel to the greatest rpg of all time (I think so anyway) This one packs even more humor and gratuitous violence than ever before.

You play as an ancestor to the vault dweller after he founded a tiny village. You must go on a quest to find a G.E.C.K or Garden of Eden Creation Kit.
]]> 08 Nov 2006 07:52:41 System Shock System Shock is one of the classics: a science fiction horror game that set nerves on edge as the player -- a cybernetically-augmented hacker -- tries to rein in a rampant AI on Citadel Station. Constantly taunted and hunted by the AI SHODAN, the player must counter SHODAN's attempts to destroy human life on Earth.

System Shock went on to receive critical acclaim and garnered awards in the adventure genre, despite its mediocre commercial performance. The game's legacy influences game development to this day.

Developer: Looking Glass Studios
Release: 1994

Platform: PC, Macintosh

Producer: Origin Systems
]]> 28 Nov 2006 05:43:10 Ultima VII - The Black Gate From the Moby Games description:

You are the Avatar, returning to Britannia after 200 years of absence. Strange ritual murders are committed in the land while an organization known as The Fellowship is gathering a huge following. And there is this being known as The Guardian whose mockery follows you on your travels. Your old companions will join you on your quest through Britannia as you slowly discover the secret behind the Fellowship and the Guardian.

Ultima VII features completely revamped graphics and controls. The traditional Ultima top-down view of the world now fills the entire screen, with other informational windows overlaid on top of it only when necessary. Both world interaction and dialogue are fully mouse-controlled. The tactical combat system of previous Ultimas was replaced with a real-time system where only general strategies can be set and party members fight automatically.

The Britannia of Ultima VII is a large virtual world with lots of details: hundreds of NPCs can be talked to, virtually every object in the game is usable in some way and many side quests await the player.
]]> 05 Dec 2006 02:27:09 Fallout Set in a future apocalypse version of the 50's-60's, Fallout is an RPG made by the now out of business Interplay and Black Isle Studios. It's violent, funny, and it can be played 100 times and never lose its appeal.

You play as a member of a high-tech vault made to protect from the bombs. Now you must find a water chip to save your vault.
]]> 01 Nov 2006 10:22:36 Planescape: Torment Planescape: Torment is a computer role-playing game developed for Microsoft Windows by Black Isle Studios. Released on December 12, 1999, the game takes place in the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Planescape campaign setting. Unlike other computer role-playing games, such as Baldur's Gate, Torment places emphasis on conversation and storyline instead of combat.

The game begins in Sigil, where the protagonist, an enigmatic and heavily scarred immortal dubbed The Nameless One by the game's interface, wakes up in a mortuary with no memory of his identity and past experiences. Assuming the role of The Nameless One, players embark on a quest to solve the mysteries surrounding him.

Torment received almost universal critical praise, and has since become a cult classic. The game was added to Gamespy's "Hall of Fame" in August 2004, and to Gamespot's "Greatest Games of All Time" list in October 2005.

(from the Wikipedia page on Planescape: Torment)
]]> 04 Dec 2006 09:51:58 Hellgate: London Notice: In production

London, 2038. The once great city lies in ruins. A massive, sinister gash in the fabric of our reality gnarls and churns, dominating the horizon as it blends into a permanently darkened sky. The unspeakable cataclysm that befell London threatened to engulf the world as the shadow of the demons fell across the face of mankind.

  • Introduction

    • According to legend, when the ravens depart the Tower of London, it will crumble to rubble and disaster will befall England. As man became more dependent on science, ancient lore and rituals were lost to the antiquity of time.

  • Classes

    • Mankind is a race of survivors. A rebellious few survive in the shadows of their former dominance, combining the holy, ancient, and arcane rites with the fringe sciences of the modern era.

  • Demons

    • Emerging from the swirling chaos of the Hellgate, the demons overwhelmed humanity's defenses. The Hellgate writhes and seethes like a living thing, a tornado of eldritch energies through which the minions of the netherworld surge forth.

  • Mods

    • Some equipment can be modified through the introduction of various technological and magical elements, commonly called Mods. These Mods are typically integrated into pre-defined slots or hard points on an item through a simple procedure that can be performed by any adventurer.

    Bill Roper said,
    Success should be based on skills, level, items, and so on. So it's really based on what makes you successful in an RPG. That being said, it certainly isn't going to hurt a guy if he's good at shooters.

    Additional Game Features:

    • First person perspective!

    • Dynamically generated content and levels including tons of weapon and item drops for scavenging.

    • PvP will be included, although it is likely that it will be for Elite members only. PvP modes may include duels and arena matches

    • Has some combat aspects of a shooter, but is first and foremost an action rpg. Players will not need to scavenge for ammo. The only mention of "ammo" refers to a type of modification.

    • Quest driven story, yet with a lot of freedom to adventure and treasure hunt in hopes of finding the best of the randomly generated goodies, as was so popular in the spiritual predecessor Diablo!

    Proposed Subscription Details (thanks Hellgate Guru!) These are just a few of the features discussed, visit the Hellgate Guru links for more info:

    • Free player accounts as well as "elite" optional subscription play options that are currently stated as $9.95 per month for U.S. players.

    • Free players can access all initial content and play with free or elite players, but elite accounts will receive regular content updates.

    • Elite players can access premier 24/7 customer support via phone and email, and will have priority in case of player ques.

    • Free players may create 3 characters, Elite players up to 12. Elite players will have a 40 item "swap stash" versus 20 items for free players.

    • Elite accounts can access additional play modes.

    • Elite players will have enhanced graphical options for characters.


    Ex-Blizzard employees Bill Roper, Erich Schafer, Max Schafer, and Dave Brevik--the men behind Diablo, are the heart of the development of Hellgate: London.

    Developers: Flagship Studios
    Co-publishers: Namco Bandai Games & Electronic Arts

    The game runs on a proprietary engine developed specifically for this game. The only other component that Flagship has licensed is Havok for physics.

    System Requirements: Pending!
    ]]>     16 Dec 2006 10:48:21     Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic It is Four Thousand years before the Galactic Empire and hundreds of Jedi Knights have fallen in battle against the ruthless Sith. As the last hope of the Jedi, you must lead a band of freedom fighters in an epic struggle to save the galaxy. Can you master the awesome power of the Force on your quest to save the Republic? Or will you fall to the lure of the dark side?
    Hero or villain, savior or conqueror...you must choose wisely as you alone will determine the destiny of the entire galaxy!
    ]]>     25 Nov 2006 04:18:12     Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles Shivering Isles is an expansion for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. It is available for download on Xbox Live or for the PC.
    ]]>     10 Apr 2007 02:46:54     Deus Ex The year is 2052 and the world is a dangerous and chaotic place. Terrorists operate openly - killing thousands; drugs, disease and pollution kill even more. The world's economies are close to collapse and the gap between the insanely wealthy and the desperately poor grows ever wider. Worst of all, an ages old conspiracy bent on world domination has decided that the time is right to emerge from the shadows and take control. No one believes they exist. No one but you.
    ]]>     22 Nov 2006 09:26:12     Ultima IV - Quest of the Avatar From the Moby Games entry:

    The fourth game in the now well-established Ultima series featured an improved game engine, with color graphics and better character interaction (you could now have actual conversations with NPCs). But what really makes Ultima IV shine is its radical departure from any other RPG made before or since in terms of the story and goal.

    Instead of building up your character by any means possible in order to face the Ultimate Evil in a big bang up showdown, in Ultima IV you were trying to become the Avatar, a role model of sorts for the people of the land. This meant upholding the "eight virtues" and basically trying to become a better person. In most RPGs you chose to be a just/nice hero because the people you'd help would usually provide you with some nice equipment for your services, but in Ultima IV you helped people not for a reward or to advance the plot but simply because it was the "right thing to do". The game actually frowns on behavior that was typical of most other RPGs, such as backstabbing fleeing monsters or picking up everything that wasn't nailed down even if it didn't belong to you. The game keeps track of all your actions, so if you went about killing and looting like in most RPGs, you'd never finish the game.

    This VERY different approach to the game's ultimate goal is what makes Ultima IV famous so many years later, and became the sort of design philosophy that made all the following Ultimas so unique in their genre.

    Of course, the game still has plenty of traditional RPG elements such as dungeons to explore and hostile monsters to kill, as well as a typical final "Holy Grail" type quest where you had to find the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom to complete your transformation into Avatarhood.

    In 1996 Computer Gaming World named Ultima IV as #2 on its Best Games of All Time list on the PC.

    The game was released for free to the public. The original MS-DOS version is available on many sites, and a game engine recreation is now available for for Windows, Mac OSX, and Linux.
    ]]>     05 Dec 2006 01:59:25     Baldur's Gate II

    Shadows of Amn


    Welcome to a world of intrigue, adventure and fierce combat.

    Every world has conflict. Good and evil. Friend and foe. Safety and danger. In Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, you'll find yourself between these factions. This epic sequel will immerse you in a world of intrigue, adventure and fierce combat where your ability to discern the difference between these sides - with the assistance of steel and spell - determines your fate.

    In Baldur's Gate I, you defeated your evil half-brother Sarevok and prevented your father Bhaal, the dead Lord of Murder, from returning to the Forgotten Realms. Now, in Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, the stakes have become much higher. Will you resist the evil within you, and forge a legend of heroic proportions? Or will you embrace your monstrous inner nature, and carve a swath of destruction across the Realms?

    Your story begins anew in the exotic southern kingdom of Amn, amidst the opulence of the sinister capital city of Athkatla. Journey through the fierce, unforgiving wilderness of Amn, and through the treacherous caverns of the Underdark, in your quest for artifacts of awesome power and treasure of inestimable wealth.. even challenge dragons, if you dare. Such is the life of a legend.
    ]]>     26 Nov 2006 06:24:56     Quest for Glory 2: Trial by Fire Directly following from the events of the first game, the newly-proclaimed Hero of Spielburg travels by flying carpet with his friends Abdulla Doo, Shameen and Shema to the desert city of Shapeir. The city is threatened by magical elementals, while the Emir Arus al-Din of Shapier's sister city Raseir is missing and his city fallen under tyranny.

    After defeating the four elementals that threaten Shapeir, the Hero travels to the city of Raseir. There, he is imprisoned by Khaveen and under hypnosis helps the evil tyrannous wizard Ad Avis to resurrect the evil genie Iblis. In the final fight, the Hero attacks the palace and battles with Ad Avis, who falls to his presumed death begging for assistance from his Dark Master. As thanks for the Hero's success in liberating Raseir and restoring its lost splendor, the Sultan of Shapeir, Harun al-Rashid, rewards the Hero by adopting him as his son.
    - from Wikipedia
    ]]>     22 Apr 2007 07:55:46     The Continuum The Continuum combines classic turn-based wargaming, collectibility and RPG character development into one multi-player adventure that will change the way you game. Characters, abilities and equipment combine with in-game artifacts, epic battlefields, and changing scenarios to provide an experience that is at once familiar and all-new.

    Players will have a huge impact on the ultimate design, features, and direction that the game takes as the beta rolls out. Pre-registration for the beta is open at the official website for The Continuum.
    ]]>     17 May 2007 01:28:46     Gothic Gothic is a hybrid real-time 3D action RPG in which the player is forced to survive in a prison world divided into competing factions. As the player is mercilessly thrust into the prison world, he must choose to be one of four character classes and develop in that faction, moving up through the hierarchy and fighting new battles. The main character must evolve and develop, battling ever changing enemy factions and attempting to move up through the callous hierarchy. In the beginning, the character is merely a newcomer - an outsider - and must fulfill menial, insignificant tasks in order to make allies and survive. As time passes and the character accomplishes various tasks, he achieves a higher reputation among the others. As his reputation improves, other members will ask him to perform increasingly important tasks. Eventually, he is an influential, powerful member of the penal colony.
    ]]>     06 Dec 2006 10:24:21     Baldur's Gate Baldur's Gate was the first great daptation of the classic tabletop, role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons that reinvigorated the hardcore role-playing genre for the PC.

    It offers six separate races and eight core character classes, from which the player can create a completely original character. The game world is beautifully designed in the best 2d renders of its time, and players are free to explore this wonderful game environment in any way they see fit, all against the backdrop of a thoughtfully conceived and versatile plot written by the genre's finest at Bioware.

    Your adventures begin as a young orphan living with your stepfather within the safe and scholarly confines of Candlekeep on the Sword Coast. It is an idyllic life until you are forced to leave the place in order to ensure the safety of everyone within. Your stepfather is killed on the night of your journey, and it becomes clear that you are intended to be next. You, as the young protagonist, then set out to discover your true identity, which your stepfather kept from you, and your ultimate destiny.

    During the adventures, you recruit a number of personable allies, battle foes, delve into dungeons, trek across wilderness, solve mysteries, and complete a plethora of epic quests that are seamlessly sown into the fabric of the overall plot. The story line unfolds in response to your choices to reveal your character's true identity as well as the nature and motive of your enemies.

    Baldur's Gate is the epitome of the classic role-playing experience. It won several awards in 1998 for being the Role-Playing Game of the Year, and as such, it sets itself as the standard by which all such games will be judged. Games like Planescape: Torment, Neverwinter Nights and Knights of the Old Republic all take inspiration from the masterpiece that is Baldur's Gate.
    ]]>     25 Jan 2007 03:49:28     Quest For Glory: So You Want to be a Hero "Quest for Glory: So You Want to be a Hero" is the first game, and a
    ]]>     11 Apr 2007 05:04:40     Diablo 2 Since the beginning of time, the forces of Order and Chaos have been engaged in an eternal struggle to decide the fate of all Creation. That struggle has now come to the Mortal Realm...and neither Man, Demon, nor Angel will be left unscathed...

    After possessing the body of the hero who defeated him, Diablo resumes his nefarious scheme to shackle humanity into unholy slavery by joining forces with the other Prime Evils, Mephisto and Baal. Only you will be able to determine the outcome of this final encounter...

    In Diablo II, return to a world of dark fantasy. As one of five distinct character types, explore the world of Diablo II -- journey across distant lands, fight new villains, discover new treasures, and uncover ancient mysteries, all in the quest to stop the Lord of Terror, once and for all...

    Game Features

  • Five all-new character classes with unique attributes and abilities

  • Four different, fully populated towns complete with wilderness areas

  • Multiple dungeons, caverns, and crypts in every town for players to explore

  • Expanded world, filled with all-new quests, weapons, spells, armor, monsters, and non-player characters

  • Advanced combat system, incorporating class-specific fighting techniques and spells

  • Full Multiplayer support, including Internet play over Battle.net®

  • Optional 3Dfx and Direct3D support
    • ]]>     07 Dec 2006 12:38:51     Valendera: Epoch of Shadows RPG based on the world of Valendera.
    ]]>     21 Dec 2006 08:44:37     Wizardry 8 Wizardry 8 is an epic fantasy RPG that picks up where Wizardry 7: Crusaders of the Dark Savant left off. You may recall that all hell had broken loose at the end of Wizardry 7. The Dark Savant had taken flight with a device called the Astral Dominae, an incredibly powerful artifact containing the secret of life itself. Following him are two powerful races, the T'Rang and the Umpani, as well as your own brave party of adventurers. Everyone is headed to Dominus, a world on the cusp of the Cosmic Circle, birthplace of the Astral Dominae and home of the Cosmic Lords. Many paths will converge on Dominus, and many long-hidden secrets will be revealed.
    ]]>     08 Mar 2007 06:04:44     S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl
    Man made hell...

    S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow Of Chernobyl takes you into a near future where nuclear disaster has taken place. When a strange second explosion at the old Chernobyl site rocks the landscape, it leaves a vast "Exclusion Zone" plagued with deadly energy disturbances in its wake. The quarantined Exclusion Zone expanded over time, and by 2012, specially equipped poachers, known as S.T.A.L.K.E.R.s, venture into the Zone to claim radioactive artifacts for the black market. You are a new S.T.A.L.K.E.R. battling for survival among rivals, soldiers and mutant creatures while trying to discover the true nature of Chernobyl's dark past and horrific future.
    ]]>     07 Jan 2007 09:06:28     Last Scenario Last Scenario is a game made using the popular RPGMaker XP that could possibly rival Aveyond's level of professionalism, perhaps even surpass it. Tiles, music and sound effects are standard material that is included with the package, but most of the character portraits, sprites and backgrounds seen in this release were created by the developer.

    The C key is used for most interactions and menu selections. Press the X key to access the inventory screen or to cancel any choices. A medium length RPG with over a thousand rooms, side quests, a unique spellcard system and even a collectible board game, it's quite unlikely that any fan would complete this production in a couple of sittings

    (from Indy Gamer)
    ]]>     26 Jun 2007 12:16:14     World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade Several years have passed since the Burning Legions defeat at Mount Hyjal and the races of Azeroth have continued to rebuild their once shattered lives. With renewed strength, the heroes of the Horde and Alliance have begun to explore new lands and broken through the Dark Portal to investigate the realms beyond the known world. Will these heroes find friends or foes? What dangers and rewards lie in wait beyond the Dark Portal? And what will they do when they discover that the demons they thought vanquished have returned to renew their terrible Burning Crusade? World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade is the exciting new expansion to Blizzards award-winning massively multiplayer online role-playing game. It expands the game by tremendous bounds, adding new races, lands, battlegrounds, professions, items and more.
    ]]>     03 Feb 2007 06:53:20     Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Step inside the most richly detailed and vibrant game-world ever created. Oblivion is the latest chapter in the epic and highly successful Elder Scrolls saga and utilizes the latest PC and next-generation video game hardware to fully immerse you into the experience.
    ]]>     25 Nov 2006 06:28:05     The Witcher The Witcher is a computer role-playing game in development for the PC by CD Projekt. Based on the book series of the same name by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski,the game utilizes BioWare's proprietary Aurora Engine and is currently slated for release in 2007.

    The Witcher follows the story of Geralt, a man who becomes a "witcher" .
    ]]>     05 Apr 2007 01:08:16     brave soul Brave Soul is a game originally released in Japan and translated into English. It features the original Japanese voice tracks, but English text. The artwork is of a Japanese "anime"-like style. The game portrays the journey of a young man who was raised in the countryside of Souvania, on the continent of Valencia. Disowned by his own father and forced to make his way in life, he chooses to become a Hunter, a mercenary who accepts jobs for a variety of adventures. Along the way he meets many interesting characters, including several beautiful women, one of whom he may end up spending his life with.

    Brave Soul employs an action-RPG system, with parties of up to four characters moving over scrolling maps and fighting monsters in real time. Depending on the missions chosen, different characters will join or leave the adventuring party. Each ending of the game features the main character falling in love with one of the women and ultimately having intimate relations with them.
    ]]>     23 Mar 2007 06:16:29     The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind A strange land, home to the dark elves, is under siege from within. The evil Dagoth Ur strives to conquer all, and the Tribunal which protects the land are weakened and can no longer hold out against the onslaught. To Morrowind, to the island of Vvardenfall, you are sent, to do battle with Dagoth Ur and free the false gods of the Tribunal from their ancient folly.
    ]]>     09 Jan 2007 10:43:39     Titan Quest: Immortal Throne "Titan Quest: Immortal Throne is the action-packed expansion to the 2006 RPG hit, Titan Quest. Brian Sullivan, award-winning co-creator of Age of Empires and Titan Quest, continues the epic story across the dark and more sinister Underworld of Hades.

    In this epic quest of good versus evil, players will encounter the greatest villains of Greek mythology, brave the attacks of Cerberus, and hazard the banks of the River Styx. Along with new foes, players will fight alongside Agamemnon and Achilles, interpret the prophecies of the blind seer Tiresias, and use the wiles of Odysseus to conquer this dark new adventure."
    ]]>     06 Apr 2007 09:30:27     Nethack After the Creation, the cruel god Moloch rebelled
    against the authority of Marduk the Creator.
    Moloch stole from Marduk the most powerful of all
    the artifacts of the gods, the Amulet of Yendor,
    and he hid it in the dark cavities of Gehennom, the
    Under World, where he now lurks, and bides his time.
    ]]>     26 Nov 2006 12:00:10     Gothic II The mine valley of Khorinis. The glorious days of the once productive mines in this small seaside region were long over. Surrounded by the impenetrable magical barrier, the slaves eked out their miserable existence in this apparently natural prison.

    One brave man managed to burst the bonds of imprisonment. Following his own call to freedom, he ventured deep into the subterranean temples. Willing to do whatever was necessary, he went out to banish Evil and destroy the magical barrier forever. Spurred by the hatred of men long-suppressed, the prisoners streamed trough the only pass to freedom.
    ]]>     06 Dec 2006 10:38:43     Geneforge 4: Rebellion From the game's description:
    "The Shapers have the ability to create life, in any form they choose. They can make plants to grow in harsh wastelands, living tools that obey their commands, and powerful monsters to crush any who oppose them. They jealously guard their powers and destroy any who question their will.

    Or so they did. Then the revolution came.Your Army

    Some of their creations, tired of bondage, rose up. Jealous humans, wanting the powers of the Shapers for themselves, joined them. Now the lands of Terrestia are full of ruins, refugees, and maddened mutant beasts, hunting for prey. There is war. And the Shapers are winning."

    You play as an apprentice life crafter, a rebel in the war against the Shapers. Of course, like most Spiderweb games, you have a choice of allegiance. Will you continue to fight against the tyranny of the Shapers, or will you help the Shapers restore order to the world?
    ]]>     26 Mar 2007 10:10:40     Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines brings White Wolf's famous pen-and-paper role playing game to the back to the PC . For the first time players can explore the World of Darkness from a first person perspective in a game which utilizes Valve's striking Source Engine.

    Unlike third person role playing games, Bloodlines will put you in the shoes of the character you control. You will get up close and personal with the brilliantly animated characters that populate the game world and tangled in the web of intrigue that is the staple of Troika Games' roleplaying titles.

    Although set in the same universe, Bloodlines is not a sequel to the last Vampire title: Redemption.

    You begin your journey this time in modern day Los Angeles as a newly embraced vampire. By creating you without the consent of your clan's Elders, your sire has violated one of vampire society's most hallowed laws. As punishment for the crime he has been put to death. Normally you would be expected to share the same fate but the newly installed Prince of Los Angeles thinks you might have some merit: you're a newly embraced vampire with no sire to guide you; you are unfamiliar with the world of vampires and their laws and customs. You would be useful and expendable pawn in his grand scheme.

    You will employ a variety of firearms and skills such as computer hacking and lock picking as well as your devastating array of vampiric powers called Disciplines. And what would a game about vampires be if there wasn't some blood drinking?

    You choose to play as a member of one of seven diverse and specialized vampire clans and you'll need to employ all of your preternatural skills to survive. You'll need to charm, sneak, intimidate and fight your way through the dangerous world the vampires inhabit and along the way decide just who you really owe your allegiance to.

    With so many different clans, as many as 5 different endings and the ability pursue several avenues of specialization as you upgrade your character, Bloodlines will provide a great deal of replayability.
    ]]>     01 Dec 2006 06:25:23     Puzzle Quest Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords is a brand new, genre-bending title that ups the ante on traditional puzzle games by incorporating strategy, role-playing elements and a persistent storyline. Set in the Warlords universe, the game challenges players to save the land of Etheria from evil Lord Bane as gamers engage in battles fought by means of competitive, head-to-head "match-three" style puzzle games in one of three gameplay modes: Single-player, Instant Action or Multiplayer. Victory will advance a player's customisable hero, magical arsenal, creature companions and more—ultimately rewarding gamers at nearly every turn and deepening their immersion into the richly diverse world. The game's remarkable mix of classic puzzle gameplay and an abundant suite of characters, customisations, spells, companions, tameable monsters and more provides a fresh take on the puzzle genre that offers endless hours of replayability. Designed specifically for handheld gaming systems, Puzzle Quest can be enjoyed in long or short doses, cultivating a casual but deeply satisfying and compelling gameplay experience.
    ]]>     31 Mar 2007 09:08:10     Kingdom Elemental Kingdom Elemental is a light-hearted and comical real time tactics game with serious game play. Set in a fantasy setting Kingdom Elemental takes core game play elements from RTS, tactics and RPG games and combines them into a game that is easy to play without investing most of your real life. Kingdom Elemental features an unlimited number of possible tactics by pitting combinations of your ten hero units and their unique abilities against waves after waves of enemies ranging from the lowly kobold to the mighty minotaur.

    Kingdom Elemental combines the popular fantasy, strategy, tactics and RPG genres into a compact gameplay package. It is easy to pick up and play and has a simple 2d interface to get users involved in the 3d action.
    ]]>     23 Nov 2006 12:34:44     Granado Espada Granado Espada, also known as Sword of the New World, is an Age of Exploration fantasy MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) developed by IMC Entertainment. Set in a detailed fictional gameworld that mirrors the 17th century and the European colonists' forays into the New World, the game allows players to explore the newfound continent of Granado Espada in a hunt for treasure, adventure, and fame.
    ]]>     15 Feb 2007 05:52:25     Darklands Darklands was a long and engaging role-playing game from 1992 where you guided a party of four adventurers around medieval Germany. It was very open-ended, in that you could travel to any city and get quests from just about anyone (as long as your reputation was high enough). There wasn't magic in the traditional sense, although characters with the right skills could conjure potions or pray to different saints to receive important blessings. There was also a long main plot which took the party through numerous cities and dungeons, although you could keep playing even after defeating the final bad guy.
    ]]>     10 Apr 2007 09:36:32     Morning's Wrath Morning's Wrath is a Classic Adventure / RPG fusion. It combines rich story and puzzles with intense melee and spell-casting combat.

    Assume the role of Princess Morning of the Leowyn Kingdom and guide her on a quest to master the ways of magic and save her kingdom from invasion.
    ]]>     30 Dec 2006 08:25:10     Jade Empire: Special Edition The rich tapestry that is the world of Jade Empire will soon be yours to explore in an updated version for PC!

    Step into the role of an aspiring martial-arts master and follow the path of the open palm or the closed fist. In this mult-award-winning action-RPG, your choices and actions will determine the fate of the entire Jade Empire. Will you prevent the destruction of this beautiful land, or will you crush it beneath your heel? Are you a warrior who uses his strength and fighting mastery to bring peace, or will you instead use your power to bring pain and ruin?

    The choice is yours.
    ]]>     05 Mar 2007 08:50:04     Silent Storm Silent Storm is a true 3D tactical turn-based Role-Playing-Game set against the backdrop of WWII.
    As the conflict rages on the frontlines, you'll be leading a small multinational squad behind enemy lines to gather information and wreak havoc on your enemies while trying to thwart a mysterious new rising power whose plans are even more horrific than anything the world has yet witnessed.

    Silent Storm is fully rendered in breathtaking 3D and includes fully destructible environments, realistic weaponry and unlimited tactical possibilities. Turn-based gaming has never looked this good! Choose your squad from over 40 operatives of 30 different nationalities, each with a unique background and mix of specialties and skills.

    US PackshotYou'll be able to arm each of them with a mix of over 75 authentic WWII weapons ranging from commando daggers to shoulder-mounted rocket launchers. Silent Storm sets a new standard for the turn-based genre with rag-doll kinetic physics and bullet trajectory tracing lending a level of realism to characters and warfare that surpasses any title in the genre. Two non-linear campaigns let you command Allied or Axis forces and give you full control over the style and difficulty of play.

    The variety of squad members and weaponry let you emphasize stealth or maximum firepower, and nearly unlimited random encounters let you prepare your squad for their secret missions where skill and tactical cunning will make the difference between life and death.
    ]]>     28 Nov 2006 01:08:01     Final Fantasy VIII In a time of both sophisticated technology and powerful magic, an evil sorceress corrupts the world's largest military power through manipulation and deception, enslaving mankind to do her bidding. Her goal is not something as simple as world domination; but to completely conquer all of space and time.

    To counter the turn of events, various leaders head combat training schools, known as Gardens, that turn out elite fighting forces. Known as SeeDs, they defend, serve, and protect humankind from the sorceress. The sole purpose of these academies is to vanquish the sorceress and save humanity as we know it, although they take many other assignments for the right price.

    A small, loose-knit group of SeeD graduates find themselves wrapped in a much bigger endeavor than simple military combat. Now, a gunblade specialist, together with a diverse group of young heroes, must set aside his fears, face the emotions he's run from, and become the leader that he never wanted to be.
    ]]>     14 Jan 2007 09:18:24     Neverwinter Nights According to wikipedia:
    "Neverwinter Nights (NWN), produced by BioWare and published by Infogrames (now Atari), is a third-person perspective computer role-playing game that is based on third edition Dungeons & Dragons and Forgotten Realms rules (with minor changes). It was originally to be published by Interplay Entertainment, but the publisher's financial difficulties forced the change. Infogrames released Neverwinter Nights for Windows on June 18, 2002. BioWare released the freely downloadable Neverwinter Nights Linux Client in June 2003. MacSoft released a Mac OS X port in August 2003."
    ]]>     10 Dec 2006 08:21:17     Freedom Force vs The Third Reich
    When Nuclear Winter returns with a plot to destroy Freedom Force and the free world, gaming's greatest heroes must team up with a flurry of fresh faces! As the sinister soviet's plan unfurls, patriot city's finest find themselves flung through time into the greatest conflict the planet has ever seen: World War 2!


    The second of the series, Freedom Force vs. the Third Reich is a superhero tactical-rpg/strategy game with an extensive character customisation system. As in the original Freedom Force game, the interface is intuitive and easy to use, the storyline is lighthearted and humorous, and there are excellent character development tools.

    Missions are framed within stylish cutscenes that are highly reminiscent of the golden age of comics. Nearly all of the action and movement in the game can be controlled by mouse, but shortcut keys are also functional. Gameplay is in real time by default, but with a turn based aspect, as with a tap of the spacebar you can pause the game and issue orders.


    Additional game features

    • A brand new chapter in the ever-expanding Freedom Force universe.

    • Six new playable heroes from two distinct eras of comic books.

    • A hoard of new villains bent on world domination.

    • Radically enhanced graphics running on a brand new engine (Gamebryo).

    • Vastly improved multiplayer, including several completely new modes.

    • For the first time in gaming, a trip to the Golden Age of comics.

    • Create your own comic battles with story-based multiplayer.

    • Fully destructable environments.

    • Real-time shadows, dynamic lights and more new rendering features.

    • Create your own hero with the hero editor.

    • Robust Modding tools.


    Computer Gaming World's Strategy Game of the Year 2002!


    Developed by Irrational Games, and released in the U.S. on March 8, 2005 by publisher Vivendi Universal Games.

    System Requirements:
    733 MHz P3 or Athlon processor or equivalent. 128MB RAM, ATI Radeon 7000 or NVIDIA Geforce GTS or equivalent DirectX 9.0c compliant 32MB video card with hardware T&L. 700MB hard disk space. DirectX compatible sound card. 56K modem or broadband internet connection for online play. Windows 98/ME/2000/XP
    ]]>     16 Dec 2006 03:04:54     Dragon's Blood: The Rise of Vanir Dragon's Blood: The Rise if Vanir is a single player RPG in an island based world. You play Vanir, a dragon rider, and with your dragon counterpart, you journey on a quest to thwart evil.(cliche?) DB(for short) is the first game in development by Twilight Glow Studios, and is slated for release in 2008-2009.
    ]]>     30 Dec 2006 05:01:30     Dune Dune, by Cryo Interactive, was the first attempt of making a commercial game based on Frank Herbert's Dune universe.

    Dune blended adventure with economic and military strategy, and is considered by many the most immersive Dune computer game. Loosely following the story of the novel, the game casts the player as Paul Atreides, with the ultimate goal of driving the Harkonnen from Dune, while managing spice extraction, military, and later, ecology through the native Fremen tribes. As the player progresses, his troops are equipped with weapons from "krys knives" to atomics, tap into Paul's latent psychic powers, and get acquainted with such characters from the book as Chani and Liet Kynes.

    The game, seen always through the eyes of Paul, is a mix between RTS and adventure gaming. While the basis of the game is the strategy component, dialog between characters and a linear plotline give the game more depth than most strategy games. The player is also required to do some miniquests involving talking to characters and traveling to locations, which adds a small adventure game element.



    (loosely edited text from wikipedia)
    ]]>     13 Feb 2007 06:52:47     Aveyond Aveyond is an independent RPG in the style of the classic 16-bit console RPG adventures like the best selling "Final Fantasy" series and "The Secret of Mana."

    Rhen Darzon's life in her quiet village has been peaceful and uneventful until the day a mysterious priestess, barely alive, comes to her for aid. Within hours, Rhen becomes captured by the evil forces that had attacked the priestess, and she slowly becomes aware that her life has never been what it seems. She discovers powerful magical powers within herself, coupled with a dark destiny that she must choose. As the "chosen one," she and her companions must face the powerful demon Ahriman bent on destroying the land.

    Aveyond is a thrilling fantasy role-playing game with tons of secrets, items, spells, vast dungeons, monsters, mysteries, and quests! It features beautiful 2D graphics, an epic story, and a completely original musical score. Boasting over 50 hours of gameplay, 60 quests, and hundreds of locations across five large islands, Aveyond offers MANY MANY hours of exciting adventure!
    ]]>     22 Nov 2006 11:52:04     Avernum 4 From the creators of the Avernum and Geneforge series comes the latest edition of Avernum. In an entire nation underground you begin your journey ready to gather treasure and to find out why everyone is acting so strange in your homeland.
    ]]>     02 Jan 2007 07:27:56     Blade Runner
    They don't advertise for killers in the newspaper. That was my profession. Ex-cop. Ex-blade runner. Ex-killer.

    The year is 2019 and you are Blade Runner Ray McCoy in this 1997 Westwood Studios adventure game based loosely upon the legendary 1982 science fiction film and the Philip K Dick novel that inspired it.

    Advertised as "the first real time adventure game", Blade Runner places you in a future Los Angeles, where replicants are known to be on the loose once again. The city is dark and gritty, and teaming with smatterings of the multitude of cultures who have so far resisted the beckoning recruitment to populate the "off-world" colonies.

    The universe created within the game coincides with that of the movie, and is faithful to the rich, dark vision of Philip Dick, as well as film director Ridley Scott.



    Additional Game Features:

    • Elements of the typical "point and click" games, with puzzle and mystery solving, plus some 3rd person action such as shooting.

    • As a Blade Runner you have access to advanced technologies such as the Voight-Kampff test, the Esper and the KIA.

    • Greatly enriched with numerous 3d atmospheres, many adapted from the film, and a number of characters from the original film.

    • Musical score includes film themes by Vangelis as well as original tracks composed for the game.

    • Sumptuous dramatic cutscenes rivaling any computer animations of their time.

    • Alternate endings (4) based upon your paths, as well as some variations in storyline in this single player adventure with "real-time" gameplay.

    Developer: Westwood Studios
    Publisher: Virgin Interactive Entertainment
    Released: Oct 31, 1997


    System Requirements
    90 MHz CPU, 16 MB RAM, 2 MB video card RAM, 4X CD-ROM drive, DirectX 5.0, 150 MB available hard disk space, Windows 95.

    Trivia! Lucy in the game is voice acted by Pauley Perrette, later to be known for her role as Abby Sciuto on the CBS television crime drama NCIS!
    ]]>     31 Dec 2006 05:07:39     Glow The player is charged with the task of retrieving data on a biological weapon from the site of a major test failure. Assisted by military allies, the player will adapt his character to survive the environment and upgrade with larger weapons and improved strategy.

    It features a unique shader-driven art style and a streamlined play interface that will seem familiar to enthusiasts of Robotron and Tri-Stat-based game players.
    ]]>     20 Dec 2006 11:54:52     The Repopulation You awaken in unfamiliar surroundings to find that earth has been destroyed. You are part of a Repopulation effort on Novus Orsa, Alpha Centauri. This Post-Apocalyptic multiplayer RPG aims to break the boundaries of modern MMORPGs.

    Players can join or form societies in their effort to rebuild humanity. Innovative PVP systems will pit society vs. society while working together, and against one another at the common and conflicting goals.

    Unique features include a completely dynamic quest generation system that breaks the molds set in previous titles. Player created societal systems, tournaments and sporting events. We promise to show you things you have never seen before.
    ]]>     23 Nov 2006 08:46:24     Fallout 3 Numerous videos and screenshots are now available. Visit the sites linked below for more.

    GAMESPOT said,
    After being canceled at Interplay, this sequel to the cult post-apocalyptic role-playing game was resurrected by Bethesda, where it is currently in development.

    The Fallout series is in a way a descendant of Interplay's 1988 "Wasteland", to which Electronic Arts retains the rights. The Fallout series takes place in a fictional post-holocaust earth inhabited by the "Vault Dwellers" who survived the fallout of the brief but deadly nuclear war of 2077 in meticulously managed underground facilities, and a variety of others who met different fates, which include, of course, mutation.

    The series introduces the player to a quest of survival and adventure in an often harsh world of varied cultures, where not quite all that was good of mankind has perished, and the player may determine their own morality, skill and creativity.

    Bethesda Software announced in 2004 that they had acquired the rights to produce Fallout 3 and subsequent sequels, though Interplay retained the MMO rights (and in November of 2006 set in motion a process that might lead to the funding and creation of a Fallout MMORPG.)

    As of April 12, 2007 Bethesda appears to have purchased the IP to the Fallout franchise outright, as development continues.

    Game Features (both known and speculated):

    • Bethesda is using the Gamebryo engine, with which they previously produced The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

    • Actor Liam Neeson has been cast for a major voice acting role.

    • RPG elements are at the heart of the Fallout series, and also a staple of Bethesda Software, so it is anticipated that this aspect will remain.

    • Open-ended non-linear gameplay is likely.

    • Three different perspectives: Isometric, behind the shoulder, and first person.

      • (New Details from Game Informer magazine)
    • Game runs on an evolved version of the Oblivion engine. Third person view has been reworked since the verdict was that the Oblivion version was bad.

    • Game starts with your birth and your mother's death in a vault hospital. This is essentially the character customization part of the game. Your father hands you up to have your DNA analyzed and you get to pick out all your character traits. Your dad takes off his mask to reveal similar traits to the ones you picked.

    • You grow up in the vault and as you grow you get your first book titled "You're Special" which allows you to choose you baseline stats for each of your 7 primary aptitudes. You'll also get your first weapons and wrist computer (menu) as you get older and take tests to determine the initial layout of your skills and traits.

    • Every aspect of character creation is based on S.P.E.C.I.A.L. system. Of your 14 skills you can tag 3 to grow at a faster rate than the rest as you level up.

    • Battle system is called the Vault-tec Assisted Targeting System (V.A.T.S.). The article states. "While you'll certainly be able to tackle enemies in real time using first person shooting, V.A.T.S. lets players pause time and select a target at their leisure". Battle system still uses action points, but once you've used them up you'll still be able to fight targets in real time while they charge back up.

    • Game is still violent and gory. One of the featured screens is of a guy's head exploding in super gory detail. Apparently all gory deaths in the game will be in slow motion.

    • More than one way to play the game. Go balls out and kill people, or sneak past situations, or perhaps talk your way out of situations.

    • Enemies can target you just like you can target them, so you can get injured in very specific points on you body. This in addition to an all new health/radiation system. This new system has you measuring how radiated certain things (like water) are and how they affect you when you consume them.

    • Karma system returns.

    • The game does not scale like oblivion, so if you enter a high level area expect to be promptly murdered.

    • Level cap is 20.

    • Definite ending to the game, but there are 9 - 12 possible endings.

    • There are NPC's you can hire, but this is not a party based game.

    Developer: Bethesda Software
    Publisher: Bethesda Software
    Released: TBA

    System Requirements
    TBA
    ]]>     28 Jan 2007 04:08:39