General News - Classic RPGs to play in 2021 @ Fextralife

HiddenX

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Redglyph spotted a new top RPG list on Fextralife:

Top 10 CRPG 2021: The Best Classic RPG Games to play on PC, Consoles, Mobile Switch



00:00​ Top cRPG Intro
00:50​ Dragon Age Origins
01:27​ Pillars of Eternity
02:12​ Divinity: Original Sin
03:05​ Tyranny
03:49​ Divinity: Original Sin 2
04:28​ Pillars of Eternity 2
05:11​ Pathfinder: Kingmaker
05:55​ Disco Elysium
06:37​ Wasteland 3
07:21​ Solasta: Crown of the Magister
08:09​ Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous
08:56​ Final Thoughts
More information.
 
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And no, BG3 isn't there :lol:
Nobody believes it'll be released in 2021 it seems, probably with good reason.

I wonder how he made that list. I mean, taking an older DAO or PoE, but no Atom RPG, no AoD, no Torment: Tides of Numenera, no Encased (I know, I know, there's no release date)... Is he going for the easy, wider-audience?

Still, nice to see there's Pathfinder and Solasta!
 
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It looks like a fairy solid list (I'll ignore the easy chance to take pot-shots at Original Sin two). And yeah, it looks like he stuck to the mainstream choices for the most part, at least that's how interpret his picks here.
 
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Hard to disagree with that list, really. Only with calling them "Classic" seems off, but I guess it means they have a similar general gameplay reminiscent of cRPGs in previous decades.
 
Funny how it includes two games that have not been released yet.

"classic"... right.

I have played all these games except the last two (I'm waiting till the release) and Disco Elysium. I would say that the best one is Pathfinder: Kingmaker.
 
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Well, it's the usual "Classic" of "Classic Role-Playing Games" (which were previously called Computer RPGs). I see no problem with that, it's a common acronym by now.

Yeah, I guess you are right. It's "classic" as in "regular non action, non roguelike, party based rpg"
 
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I think it's more common for people to associate the term "classic" with both quality and age. Unless you're simply referring to a particular style which seems to be the case here.

Imo, he should have been more specific and just said "isometric" or "party-based" here. Not all classic crpgs were the same.
 
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He should probably just use "CRPG" to avoid the debate… or maybe he knew people love a debate ;)

Many people use "Computer RPG", many others use "Classic RPG", or even "Classic Computer RPG"… I stand by Neverknowsbest's history lesson ;) Computer RPG has become weird since there are other types of computer RPGs. "Classic" RPG reminds that this is about the early Computer RPGs.

The point is, both are widely used, so either one is fine by me.

EDIT: yes, isometric is quite explicit too (even if that's not always a real isometric view, but that's splitting hair)
 
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People usually use the term "classic RPG" when they're talking about a classic RPG. ;)

I don't have a problem with him using the term here. It's just that, when I think about classic RPGs, I also think about games like Dungeon Master, Wizardry, etc.
 
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They shouldn't list anything that is in Earlly Access or hasn't been released yet. They padded the list with the last 2 entries. Wait till the full game comes out before you start making these lists..
 
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It's a different sense of the word "classic", I suppose. As in having a "timeless" quality. But the modern world is so full of hyperbole that I find it to be dubious usage. Come back in 20 years and see if they are still considered "classics".
 
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They shouldn't list anything that is in Earlly Access or hasn't been released yet. They padded the list with the last 2 entries. Wait till the full game comes out before you start making these lists..
Why shouldn't they? It's about games to play in 2021 after all, and those are released in 2021. Those are actually the most relevant of the list, or they'd have called it "CRPGs you can still enjoy today".

It's a different sense of the word "classic", I suppose. As in having a "timeless" quality. But the modern world is so full of hyperbole that I find it to be dubious usage. Come back in 20 years and see if they are still considered "classics".
Not far, "classic" because they have the same presentation as the classic RPGs (the early, original ones on computer).

Or maybe now CRPG is "Crowdfunded RPG"? ;)
 
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Computer
Role
Playing
Game
Nut.

Nothing classic about it. :D
 
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Why the hell does every genre of RPG's have an identity problem nowadays? It doesn't help when almost every goddamed game has incorporated RPG elements nowadays.
 
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Why the hell does every genre of RPG's have an identity problem nowadays? It doesn't help when almost every goddamed game has incorporated RPG elements nowadays.

We probably need a distinction such as "weak" and "strong" RPG elements. It's weak, for example, when you have some control over the character in the forms of stats and load-out. But it's strong when there is a branching story line that is heavily influenced by non-combat decisions by the player.
 
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It's called variety, not necessarily a bad thing. Just looking at the CRPG analyzer tool of this site, there are a lot of parameters, each of which could indeed be "weak" or "strong" (or non-existent - for the tool it's just ON or OFF). So trying to compile all these parameters with a few acronyms won't always satisfy everyone. Especially when the acronyms themselves adapt with time ;)

We have discussed quite a lot on "RPG" and "open-world" not long ago, it was obviously quite difficult to agree on those. I like to take the common, basic elements to say it's RPG, then specify the important additional features. Like RPG with heavy C&C, or CRPG with the 5E ruleset and TB combat. But it's not the case for other fans who have a higher standard for "RPG" (or "open-world", and other terms).

For ex, the CPRG analyzer tool defines the "must have" as character development, exploration and story (each having multiple criteria). Then "should have" adds combat.
 
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