Kotaku - The Best Isometric Video Games

[HiddenX]

Eye spotted this list at Kotaku:

The Best Isometric Video Games

There’s just something about video games with an isometric viewpoint, isn’t there? Something...cute about them. No matter how dark and brutal a game’s setting and art may be, tilting a camera up and around makes everything look like an action figure.

And I don’t mean that in a bad way! There’s something comforting about this to a grown man like me, in the same way that otherwise mature adults enjoy things like board games with miniatures. Something makes isometric games feel strangely tangible, as though by mimicking the presentation of a toybox, the game feels a little more real.

FALLOUT
SUPER MARIO RPG
JUNGLE STRIKE
Q*BERT
ULTIMA VIII
SYNDICATE
ROLLERCOASTER TYCOON 2
LITTLEBIGADVENTURE
LANDSTALKER
BALDUR’S GATE
XCOM
DIABLO III
AGE OF KINGS
CRUSADER: NO REMORSE
SIMCITY 2000
CIV V
POPULOUS
FINAL FANTASY TACTICS
STARCRAFT
THEME HOSPITAL

More information.

 

[borcanu]

commandos
diablo 1 > 3
homm
gorky17
nightlong
thats all i can come up with on the spot

 

[HiddenX]

Jagged Alliance 2
Divinity Original Sin
Ultima 7
Icewind Dale

 

[DArtagnan]

1. X-Com

 

[Silver]

- Commandos series doesn't get enough love.
- x-com 1, 2 and apocalypse was pretty cool too.
- Obviously infinity engine games
- D:OS
- Civ games
- Transport Tycoon and Railroad Tycoon
- HOMM i,ii,iii
- Crusader series
- Diablo i and ii

 

[txa1265]

The comments are hilarious ... many heads bursting into flames over missing Warcraft or having Diablo III but not 1 or 2. Oh well

My fave isometric game is definitely Divine Divinity, and also love ToEE ... and Nox ... I think in general I like isometric games (and non-isometric games).

 

[GothicGothicness]

Ultima VIII but not Ultima VII ?

No reason to read the list, obviously the person who made it has awful taste!

 

[Silver]

Well Ultima 7 is more a top down perspective than isometric. Maybe thats why.

 

[Archangel]

Can 3d games that allow rotation or zoom of the camera even fit into this list?

 

[Ripper]

Can 3d games that allow rotation or zoom of the camera even fit into this list?

People are including D:OS, which isn't isometric, so I think they're just using the term loosely to describe that general view angle.

 

[JDR13]

Easily the IE games for me. Diablo 1 and Divine Divinity were great as well.

XCOM if we're talking about non-RPGs, and StarCraft for RTS games.

 

[Icefire]

Sacred 1 & 2
Titan Quest & Immortal Throne
Grim Dawn
Loki
Torchlight 1 & 2
Fate Series
Throne Of Darkness

 

[lackblogger]

The best? OMG! THE BEST!!!!!!

The BEST

People are including D:OS, which isn't isometric, so I think they're just using the term loosely to describe that general view angle.

Indeed. While NWN isn't technically Isometric, I'd class something like the original Neverwinter Nights as an isometric game, the sequel maybe not so much though.

This seems to be my favourite view, so I recognise and/or have tried most games on the lists. Not all though, so that's cool, some things to have a look at.

I don't know if these are strictly in the same category, but I think they are:

Total War games
Myth games
Broken Sword games
The Longest Journey
Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood
King's Bounty games
Even… Plants vs Zombies

Most of which I'd rate higher than most of the games in the OP…

 

[JDR13]

Divinity: Original Sin isn't isometric, but NWN is?

If D:OS isn't isometric, then how would you describe it?

 

[Ripper]

D:OS is just a 3d game with a high-angle third-person perspective, and so is NWN. Isometric is 2D, drawn to create the illusion of 3D, but really taking place on a flat plane.

BG, POE and Diablo were isometric.

http://gamedevelopment.tutsplus.com...ds-a-primer-for-game-developers--gamedev-6511

 

[lackblogger]

Yes. From my list half of them are 3D camera, but all with the long-zoom isometric-style viewpoint. It's a shame really, how some people view isometric as 'old fashioned' when really, what should be happening, is that devs should always first ask themselves "does my game need to be 3D?" before they do anything.

Does Plants vs Zombies feel like an 'old fashioned' game? Nope. But do an RPG isometric? Oh, hi Dartagnon, sorry, this isometric game is actually still modern and up-to-the-minute you know... :lolface:

 

[JDR13]

Seems like splitting hairs to me. I think most people consider isometric as a camera angle regardless if it's 2D or 3D.

I'm not sure what D:OS is, but it's definitely not third-person. At least not to me.

 

[Format92]

Where is Planescape Torment?

Or doesn't count as isometric whatever ?

 

[Deleted User]

Just a random comment, but I think Divinity: Original Sin suffers from being 3D-isometric instead of 2D-isometric. At this point I would rather just play Divine Divinity because I think the art style of 2D-isometric is so much nicer than 3D-isometric.

But that's just me.

 

[Ripper]

Planescape should be on the list, IMO, and it's definitely isometric.

3D isometric is really a contradiction in terms, because an isometric projection actually removes correct perspective to achieve its illusion, whereas 3D relies upon it.

This shows the difference:

I think it does make quite a big difference to the gameplay and the visuals. It's the difference between this:

…and this: