What camera do you prefer in a ARPG with a lot of melee combat? Controlling 1 character

[Lemonhead]

Edit: Messed up the title of the question and now can't change it. Think of ARPGs where you control one character.

After discussing in the Kingdom Come: D2 news-thread I thought it'd be interesting to poll how many prefer 1st person view vs 3rd person view primarily. To take into account is how much of the combat is melee vs ranged. I was thinking of games like KCD, Skyrim, The Witcher 3, Elden Ring. Isometric is of course also possible with games like Diablo. For this poll I was thinking what view you prefer when you only control one character, so no not party-based.

 

[Stingray]

I assume this poll means action melee combat (such as the ones you named), rather than Diablo-style or CRPG melee combat (eg Fallout 1&2 / BG / etc). Because I'd vote 3rd person for the first, but of course isometric for the latter two.

 

[Vaelith]

I prefer it when they are good games, and couldn't care less about the camera they use. Some of my most favorite ARPGs of all time use different cameras, and I wouldn't change anything about them, or think they would be better if they used a different one. Examples:

Isometric: Diablo, Titan Quest, Dungeon Siege.

Top-down 2D: Classic Zelda, Illusion of Time, Alundra, Secret of Evermore.

2D sidescrolling: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Bloodstained, Salt and Sacrifice, Tails of Iron.

3rd Person: Modern Zelda games, Dark Soulborne sagas, Dragon's Dogma.

First person: Most modern Bethesda games.


Bottom line is, I don't prefer any camera, I just prefer if it's a good game.

 

[JDR13]

I'm glad Captain Obvious stopped by to remind us that good games are better than bad ones, even if she completely missed the point.

 

[danutz_plusplus]

3rd person all the way, generally speaking. You really need the spatial awareness of how close you are to enemies, in melee combat.
1st person is an idealistic idea that never works very well. Though Cyberpunk 2077 does a serviceable job, since it allows you to slow down time and also to block and send bullets back.
I don't think the diverting bullets back would feel as solid in 3rd person.

I remember Dark Messiah was also pretty decent.

 

[Redglyph]

It really depends on the game. Most of the time, I prefer 3rd-person view.

As discussed in the KCD2 thread, I think 1st-person view is what makes most sense for a realistic and fully immersive game, and probably for most games that also have ranged combat.

Isometric would be the worst choice for me, though it could work if it's very well done.

 

[Philistine]

I always play 1st Person if it's an option because I care more about immersion than tactical advantage.

 

[danutz_plusplus]

The first person melee in TES games is probably among the worst, for some reason. Not even Skyrim can I enjoy in first-person.
Morrowind's is also significantly worst than the later TES games, but at least Morrowind has plenty of other things to make it interesting.
The worst part is TES games are also pretty awful in 3rd person as well. So, you kind of have to accept that when playing them.
They somehow managed to make me not be able to tell how far I am from enemies, even in 3rd person.

Witcher 2 and 3's 3rd person melee is probably among the best. I love that you can also roll under enemies's sword swings.

 

[JDR13]

The worst part is TES games are also pretty awful in 3rd person as well. So, you kind of have to accept that when playing them.
They somehow managed to make me not be able to tell how far I am from enemies, even in 3rd person.

I know what you mean. I rarely switch to 3rd-person in Bethesda's games because it feels like it was tacked on just to have it.

 

[Carnifex]

I prefer top down, yet sometimes first person works out better, it can often depend on the game/actual combat mechanics.

 

[Qayto]

3rd person (with Dishonoured being a notable exception)

 

[purpleblob]

The thread title says "ARPG" and poll says "CRPG" so I'm confused

For cRPG with more than 1 character to control - isometric. For ARPG with just 1 character to control - 3rd person.

I can hardly play any 1st person due to motion sickness.

 

[Lemonhead]

The thread title says "ARPG" and poll says "CRPG" so I'm confused

Thanks fixed it

 

[Redglyph]

CRPG is quite vague; you won't get any meaningful data. Maybe you should allow multiple choices, then, or everything will fall down into 'Other' (which I had to choose).

From the two first posts and the context, I thought it was for ARPGs, but if it's all the RPG games, then I'll have to add isometric for everything turn-based and classic RPGs.

 

[Lemonhead]

Ok maybe ARPG is better title then. I find it very hard to define what is ARPG vs RPG
Edit: I can't change the title of the question it seems. Argh...

 

[SirJames]

I think where there's a lot of enemies 3rd person is better because you can see behind yourself.

If it's turn based, something like a blobber, 1st person is fine.

There's been heated discussions in online PVP games like PUBG and Fortnite about how 3rd person is an unfair advantage because it lets you see around corners.

 

[Alrik Fassbauer]

Depends on the situation in my case.
With lots of enemies, 3rd view is preferred, because othweise one might lose the overview, what's going on.
First view is especially good for immersion. Playing DDO in 1st view is something special, imho. Same for any other game I played and still do play.
"Immersion" can mean "emotional", because you'll never know if there's something lurking around the corner ... I've never seen some kind of "comic relief" regarding that, though. I've never seen a colourful, good-hearted halfling being behind a corner when I expected something dangerous.
Great are in my opinion games which allow both - but I must admit that this is a LOT of work.

 

[wolfgrimdark]

I do have a favorite camera and game combo style that I prefer above all others. You didn't list it so I went with "Other" as my vote.

It's the MIX of First and Third person. I don't like being locked into either. It is one reason I love Beth games as I can freely move in and out of third and first person at will. When in combat I prefer first person and almost always play in that mode. I also prefer first person when exploring a dungeon or other tight spaces.

When running around exploring the world, in towns, talking to NPC's, etc., then I almost always use third person.

It isn't even a struggle for me to decide, hands-down I prefer games that let you alternate between the two.

I don't like 2D scrolling games and not a big fan for Isometric when it locks the camera completely. I really liked how the camera worked in BG3.

The camera in DD2 was too limited and had to get a camera unlocker and the ability to scroll in/out more to enjoy it better.

First person is probably my least favorite when you can't get out of it at all. I got used to it in C2077 though, and at least you went to third person on bikes, cars, and have photo mode.

I don't really find first person any more immersive then other camera modes. I am still very well aware I am sitting in a chair with a monitor moving around with a mouse. My ability to get immersed is more on the game itself not its camera mode.