Most Atmospheric RPGs

[Hastar]

Might and Magic series really drew me in and also Wasteland had great atmosphere. For a newer game Skyrim really made me feel like I was there. For a MMO the original Everquest just had amazing atmosphere when it was new.

 

[Drithius]

LotrO was wonderfully atmospheric back in SoA and Moria.

 

[Arhu]

The music in the original Diablo had that "suck me in and not let go" feeling to it also (one of the only games I actually keep the music on for).

Example by contrast: Diablo 3 wasn't very atmospheric at all, IMHO.

 

[JDR13]

Yeah, it's hard to top Gothic 1&2 when it comes to atmosphere. Gothic 3 and the Risens have it as well, but they weren't at the same level for me.

I thought Divinity II also had great atmosphere in some areas. Sentinel Island in particular comes to mind with that fantastic music track helping to make it especially atmospheric.

The Witcher had fantastic atmosphere throughout as did VtM:B.

For first-person RPGs, Bethesda pretty much has the market cornered in that department. All of their games have strong atmosphere, and FO3 would be my favorite.

Of course you can't talk about first-person RPGs without mentioning Arx Fatalis. That game has incredible atmosphere from start to finish.

For isometric RPGS, everyone seems to want to mention PS:T, but Baldur's Gate did a better job of making me feel like I was there. The ambient sound effects are nothing short of perfect for the setting.

As far as non-RPGs go, they've all already been mentioned here. System Shock 1&2, Thief, and Deus Ex in particular for me. Dead Space 1&2 would be at the top if we were only talking about more recent titles.

Oh… and someone has to mention Doom 1&2.

 

[Asdraguuhl]

Atmosphere is something that I appreciate a lot and I also consider Gothic, The Witcher and VtM:B to be prime examples of games with excellent atmosphere.

I remember playing that famous part in the Ocean Hotel in VtM:B for the first time and at one moment I thought to myself: "C'mon Asdraguuhl….you're a f***ing adult …..grow some balls and start walking through those corridors".

 

[Nerevarine]

Ah, you beat me to mentioning Arx Fatalis, JDR This is the benchmark in my mind for Underworld Ascendent to match or beat.

Gothic 2 really impressed me atmosphere-wise when I first played it 10 years ago, and I have fond memories of my first playthrough (thus the avatar). I've found that it hasn't aged as well as other classic RPGs that I still adore, but it still deserves remembrance for what it did at the time it came out.

Then of course: Bloodlines. Good lord, that might be one of the finest examples of atmosphere in any genre, let alone just within RPGs. While the combat, interface, and even basic character movement have not aged kindly (to put it gently), the atmosphere is still enthralling, and I have a feeling that it will be timeless in that regard.

 

[ilm]

Yes yes, atmosphere is the solely criterion I rate RPGs on these days a game needs to set a strong mood before i can care about the story and characters.

I'd like to point out that almost every atmospheric game mentioned can be considered an RPG classic. Does that mean atmosphere is the only thing that matters for everyone ? of course atmosphere actually depends on all other criteria such as graphics, sound and gameplay. So it is more like a meta score weighing the above components in a specific way. And above all it's subjective.

 

[Nerevarine]

I'd like to point out that almost every atmospheric game mentioned can be considered an RPG classic. Does that mean atmosphere is the only thing that matters for everyone ?

It does seem like atmosphere creates a very strong pull for RPG fans. It's interesting how many of the games mentioned are actually quite flawed mechanics wise. If you were to take just the gameplay, combat, and stealth mechanics of Bloodlines and make a game purely around those elements without the attention to detail and superb atmospheric touches, it would never stand on its own, for example. But a great, compelling atmosphere with excellent writing can go a long way towards making up for various flaws.

I think it's that feeling of exploring a whole new world, and feeling like you are actually there that is very attractive to many RPG fans. Escapism, fantasy, and imagination are all stimulated by a strong atmosphere.

 

[Arkadia7]

I agree with a lot of the games mentioned, such as Gothic, Dead Space, Stalker, Icewind Dale, Baldur's Gate.

Some other games I thought were very atmospheric not yet mentioned:
Far Cry
A little known budget shooter called Code of Honor
An adventure game called Black Mirror
Half Life 1
The original Everquest when it was new and you first started exploring it
Splinter Cell
Tomb Raider anniversary

 

[Zloth]

A game with good atmosphere is pretty much the same as having a great NPC character in a game - it just applies to the setting instead. The game has good atmosphere if the setting itself is something you want to see more of and explore.

Skyrim (particularly Blackreach) and Bioshock for sure. System Shock 2, too, after it had some time to develop. Vampire:TM:Bloodlines mostly did, though it had one or two areas that were rather weak.

Anachronox started out with an interesting setting which felt a lot like playing inside an Escher painting but then got mighty dull.

Sacrifice.... leading an army of crazy critters over that landscape was great stuff (though I'm not sure if that quite counts as atmosphere).

Oh! Alice: Madness Returns! Excellent atmosphere. So-so game but the art... wow. I think I might put Zeno Clash in the great-atmosphere-but-not-much-else bucket, too.

I'm not sure where you folks are getting atmosphere out of Gothic 2. The setting seemed pretty average to me.

I'm not so sure that a great RPG needs a great atmosphere. Final Fantasy 7 had some atmosphere here and there but mostly it was the characters keeping that going. Same for the Divinity games and what I've seen so far of Pillars of Eternity. I've put hundreds of hours into Last Remnant but that was for the fun combat system, not the atmosphere.

 

[Deleted User]

Final Fantasy 7 had a HECK of an atmosphere. I loved that Steampunk setting and Midgar was just dripping with atmosphere, as a huge, sprawling, mechanical metropolis with the ever-looming Shinra Corp overseeing it.

I'll never forget exploring that world. The first time leaving Midgar was something to behold as well. Stepping out into the world for the first time and wondering what you will find out there. Great memories, man.

 

[Deleted User]

LotrO was wonderfully atmospheric back in SoA and Moria.

Absolutely. Exploring the Trollshaws was magical.

 

[Aubrielle]

For real. LOTRO oozed atmosphere. I actually got seriously creeped out way out in the Lone Lands and up in the North Downs when night came and you started hearing those drums way, way out in the distance...

I still shiver thinking about it.

 

[Menigal]

Then of course: Bloodlines. Good lord, that might be one of the finest examples of atmosphere in any genre, let alone just within RPGs. While the combat, interface, and even basic character movement have not aged kindly (to put it gently), the atmosphere is still enthralling, and I have a feeling that it will be timeless in that regard.

Yep, the atmosphere is definitely the draw.

I despise modern vampires and always thought Vampire the Masquerade (and whatever the latest version is now) was a pretentious mess with all the depth and maturity of a 90's comic book, but Troika took all of that and somehow made one of my all-time favorite games. There are very few games that can draw me in the same way, and it's all down to this slippery, hard to define thing called atmosphere.

 

[DArtagnan]

I agree the atmosphere is great in Bloodlines, but I think the exploration and story/writing represent the primary draw - for me.

 

[Nephologist]

Absolutely. Exploring the Trollshaws was magical.

The Trollshaws were amazing. Remember the first time you walked over the ridge and got the first sight of Rivendell? Or how about wandering through the creepy Old Forest and stumbling upon Tom Bombadil's house? The huge statue across the lake at Evendim? The northern lights of Forochel? Magical is correct.

I have to say though I have a soft spot for both the Lone Lands and Forochel. I spent waaaaaaay too much time grinding reputation in the Lone Lands just so I could get the Eglain's mount, the Appaloosa style painted horse.

I haven't played LOTRO in almost 4 years, now I'm getting the itch to again.

 

[Aubrielle]

What server are you on, Neph? Nobody's ever on mine (Arkenstone)...

 

[TheEternalFlame]

I agree with Wiretripped, the Gothic series is quite possibly the best thing out there for, well, atmospheric gameplay. I haven't played Gothic I though, but I've got II gold edition with me, and have been playing III (and FSG expansion, but that's crap anyway) for months.

THe thing that makes me want to go back again and again. and yet again, to the world of Gothic III (Myrtana, especially) is the beautiful feeling of travelling through the woods on a rainy night, finally reaching the edge of a town, and cooking my meat with the folks (all the while listening to their chatting).

Then again, Gothic III packs a solid variation in climate as well, and not just weather alone. Varant is sunlit, with clear skies and twinkling stars (I haven't seen it rain there, yet), while the northern mountains of Nordmar are truly cold, with the snowy breeze wheezing past your ears as you move from one clan to the other. Myrtana, the central plains, is abuzz with the maximum variation in weather.

I can feel and understand what you're saying about Neverwinter Nights. I was quite excited about the Dungeon Siege series, and DSII was my first true RPG. But I was deeply saddened to see that the weather there is entirely superficial, and mostly static.

P.S: I don't have a proper screenshot yet, but this somewhat does the job (from Youtube).

 

[Menigal]

I agree the atmosphere is great in Bloodlines, but I think the exploration and story/writing represent the primary draw - for me.

In this game I'd lump the story/writing in with atmosphere. It's not just visual and aural. Bender's induction to vampirism alone is worth at least 5 bonus points.

 

[Nephologist]

What server are you on, Neph? Nobody's ever on mine (Arkenstone)…

Arkenstone as well, although not because I actually knew anybody on that server. It just happened to be first on the alphabetical list of servers when I first signed in.

I had (have?) a level 50 something minstrel as my main that I played though most of the SoA content and just into Moria before I got burnt out. Then real life issues intervened that limited my gaming time, and as we all know limited gaming time and MMOs just don't mix. Last time I logged in was sometime in the summer of 2011.

Do they still run the Seasons festivals? I had a great time playing the fishing mini-game during the Summer festival and hanging out in the Shire setting off fireworks.