2005 RPG of the Year Thread

[Greatatlantic]

All major SP PC RPGs that I know of have been released. So, its now time to discuss what the best RPG released this year was, whether or not it was actually good is another matter... that should be discussed in full. I grabbed the list from Whip's sticky, if I'm missing any I'll edit later. I've already added Fate, for example.

KOTOR II
Freedom Force vs Third Reich
Restricted Area
Dungeon Lords
Geneforge 3
Metalheart: Replicants Rampag
Dungeon Siege II
Sacred Underworld
Silent Storm: Sentinels
Cops 2170: Power of Law
Kult
Seal of Evil
Fate
Gothic 2: Night of the Raven
Hammer and Sickle
Fable: The Lost Chapters

My vote goes for KotOR II, though it was the only game on that list I actually played, excluding the FFvTR demo. I'm just not interested in Diablo clones, or bad games. And I found KotOR II to be enjoyable and have several great innovations to improve the rather "wanting" formula handed down by Bioware, which gives me hope for NWN2. Now, if only they knew how to make combat challenging the game would be even better.

P.S. I won't be tallying votes, I just want to see what everyone like this year.

 

[Naked_Lunch]

Geneforge 3, by far. It's the weakest in the series, but it's still better than all the other crap out there now. It has some good roleplaying choices, nice dialouges, good selection of skills, and yeah the combat system (and the entire game engine really) is getting long in the tooth, but I enjoyed it quite a lot overall.

 

[Volourn]

None. As far as I'm concerned KOTOR2 was a 2004 release. hwoever, cosndieirng the competition it wins byd efault anyways. However, WTF innovations? LMAO What innovations?

It had none.

It dodn't mention the lame ass influence thing which has been around for YEARS. Frickin' BG series had it. FO even it had. PST had it. And, even some FF games had it.

Frickin' lame.

So, again, what innovations?

KOTOR2 was a fun little game with even eaiser combat than the original, a good story and characters (but overrated), and buggy. But, there was no innovations.

 

[Whipporowill]

SHORTEST THREAD EVER!

And Dungeon Lords was the Combat RPG of 2004, so that's disqualified... no matter if it was released in 2005.

Uh... seriously, my pick would have to be KOTOR II, even though I didn't get more than 1/3 or so. It's the most RPG of the year at least, I guess. FF vs 3rd Reich wins most Hilarious RPG of the year, even if it's not one.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Hmm, actually, what Volourn said. 2005 didn't have a decent RPG. Period.

 

[Spazmo]

KOTOR II

Terrible.

Freedom Force vs Third Reich

Good, but too short, too easy and not really all that RPG.

Restricted Area

Also terrible and no action RPGs, thanks.

Dungeon Lords

No, seriously.

Geneforge 3

I'm getting really tired of that engine. Geneforge 2 got a tiny bit annoying towards the end and Spiderweb needs to do something more impressive than more of the same to be a solid developer.

Metalheart: Replicants Rampage

This actually came out? In English? In any case, it's a Russian game, so I have to assume it was shit.

Dungeon Siege II

Hah.

Sacred Underworld

An expansion to an action RPG? If we give this RPGOTY, what kind of behaviour are we encouraging in the industry (I'm not having delusions about the Codex's influence on any companies, but it's a matter of principle).

Silent Storm: Sentinels

Never played it, but again, it's an expansion and isn't quite the kind of RPG I want to be playing.

Cops 2170: Power of Law

Yeah, okay.

Kult
Seal of Evil
Fate

Meh. These games are okay, but just not anything to get excited over to the point of declaring them best of the year.

Nope, everything was just kinda shitty this year... just like last year... and the year before! And based on the games currently in development, 2006 will suck for RPGs, too!

That said, it was good of you to compile a list of this year's releases. It'll come in handy when the time comes.

 

[Whipporowill]

Shouldn't Gothic 2: Night of the Raven be on the list, since it's just out in the US? Still not in the english-speaking Europe... crap. I'd bet my shoes that'd be the winner otherwise.

Edit: Hammer & Sickle as well. Out next week or so.

 

[Greatatlantic]

@Volourn- you are pain in the carpal tunnel. They did more than implement an influence system to change the sequel from the original. They added truly customizable weapons, PST-esque dialogue, non-combat intensive quests, etc. My point was they innovated the KotOR series, not the genre as a whole. And calling it a 2004 release is just silly.

@VD-If you can't find anything nice to say, then go ahead and say bad things. Why wasn't Sith Lords a decent RPG? Or Geneforge 3 for that matter. Though I haven't played it, Naked Lunch has piqued my interest, but you don't seem to agree with him that the game has merits. Why?

Edit:

@Whip, its your list, so if something is missing its entirely your fault!! :wink:

That being said, I'll go ahead and add them.

 

[Human Shield]

Lets name Replaying Fallout as the best RPG of the year until a better game comes out.

 

[ExMonk]

Volurn & VD: the two crotchety old men who sat in the balcony on the old muppets show.

Edit: Spazmo makes three.

Tough to get crotchety before your time.

And what about Fable: the Lost Chapters -- clearly the RPG of the year for the PC!

 

[POOPERSCOOPER]

I vote NONE because never before have I had so much fun playing a game.

 

[Whipporowill]

@Whip, its your list, so if something is missing its entirely your fault!! :wink:

I somehow haven't been acting like myself since I lost my most awesome moderator powers of utter awesomeness.

 

[jsaving]

KOTOR II. Its ending may have been disappointing, and its engine may have been derivative, but Avellone knows how to write interesting RPGs where characters are offered morally difficult choices that have an effect on the overall game world.

Most of the other games on this list either don't have enough RPG elements to merit the award we're discussing here or are too poorly designed to merit an award in this or any other category. I could potentially see a fan of action RPGs giving the nod to Fate (a surprisingly entertaining Diablo clone that was cheap to boot), but as a game without any meaningful dialogue it would have only limited appeal for most RPGers.

 

[EEVIAC]

2005 didn't have a decent RPG. Period.

Depends on how far you want to stretch the RPG definition. Here's my list.

* Space Rangers 2 - varied, freeform gameplay, often with multiple solutions and strategies. The character system is shallow but the rest of the game isn't. My pick for RPG of the year.

* Europa 1400 - The Guild - released in 2004 but got its official Australian release in 2005. Management sim mixed with RPG, focuses on finance and intrigue and lots of politics. Like SR2, the skill system is shallow but the game is entirely freeform. You also get to build a dynasty so your progeny continue on after you die, something I've wanted to see in a game for years.

* Psychonauts - I'm adding this as an "action RPG" (it has levels ) even though its an adventure/platformer. Reminds me, in turns, of Day Of The Tentacle and UBIK by P. K. Dick.

 

[Shagnak]

And what about Fable: the Lost Chapters -- clearly the RPG of the year for the PC!

Yeah that should be on the list.

Anyways, these are the only ones that I have played from that list:

Freedom Force vs Third Reich - a small part of it. Enough to know I like it, but not enough to rank it.

Restricted Area - enough to know this is crap of the first order.
Dungeon Lords - I played approx the 60% of this in my duty as Lord of Crap Games. Never again, unless an uber patch comes along.
Dungeon Siege II - played the demo, thought it was okay. Bought the full game, still haven't played it to any depth. Divine Divinity is next on my "CRPGs to play" list, but I intend to get back to DS2 one day. It is certainly pretty good compared to the rest on this list, but that may be little consolation
Sacred Underworld - repetitive as fuck, but still enjoyed it.
FATE - repetitive as fuck, but still enjoyed it.
Fable : TLC - should be on that list. Played a fair amount of the time through. I can honestly say that I am more likely to go back to Dung Lords than this game. Utter utter dreck.

So. Pretty poor really.
At this stage I would have to say Dungeon Siege 2 based on what I've seen/played so far. And that is pretty damn fucking sad. I won't count Fate or Sacred Undies, as I dont consider them "best rpg" material despite the fun I had for a while.

FFvsTR, Kult, Silent Storm: Sentinels are all on my "to play" list; so if the year were a few months longer no doubt my evaluation would be different.

Fuck it - my game of the year is Vampire : Bloodlines. I don't care that it was not released this year, I'm going to save my sanity by pretending that it was

 

[ExMonk]

I finally bought my second rpg of 2005, because none of the ones released interested me at all. The one I just bought was Dungeon Siege II - yesterday. It's installed, but I haven't started playing. The first was KOTOR II. It HAS been a dry year.

Next year, I will definitely buy:

Oblivion
Gothic 3
Hammer & Sickle

Possibly:
NWN 2
Hellgate: London
AoD

Any other suggestions?

 

[Twinfalls]

Fable : TLC - should be on that list. Played a fair amount of the time through. I can honestly say that I am more likely to go back to Dung Lords than this game. Utter utter dreck.

Thankyou, thankyou Shagnak for helping preserve my sanity.

 

[LlamaGod]

Freedom Force vs. The Third Reich is an RTS and nothing else, jerks.

 

[Jason]

Damn, that list is depressing. I'm going to have to partially agree with Human Shield and say Replaying Planescape was the best RPG of 2005.
Either that or kingcomrade's Rex love poems. Bring on the awards banquet!

 

[Chefe]

FABLE!

 

[kumquatq3]

can't even remember when it came out, and it's not an RPG, but off that list: Silent Storm: Sentinels

EDIT: O ya, Hammer & Sickle hits in like 5 days, so voting is premature. Hopefully.

 

[kingcomrade]

Lets name Replaying Fallout as the best RPG of the year until a better game comes out.

I'm a noob. I first played Fallout a long time ago, but didn't get far and didn't enjoy it much. I installed it again at the beginning of this year since so many people said it was so good and played it through. So Fallout is the best RPG of MY year.

Thanks baby arm, I appreciate it

Aren't Silent Storm and the upcoming Hammer&Sickle strategy games? I mean, I guess they have character stats...

 

[roguefrog]

Space Rangers 2 is currently my GAME OF THE YEAR

It was great!

 

[Greatatlantic]

Hey, we might just be able to pull a Bioware and get Fallout on the list again... sort of.

http://www.nma-fallout.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16600

Anyone try it yet?

 

[Stella Brando]

GTA:San Andreas will have to do, even if it did feature unsavory characters like prostitutes, drug-dealers and African-Americans.