Ten Computer RPGs You’ve Never Heard Of

[tindrli]

interesting Mordor was not on the list

 

[Crooked Bee]

Mordor is not that obscure.

 

[felipepepe]

However, I imagine some are obscure for a very simple reason... they weren't very good to begin with.

Yeah, a list of good obscure RPGs would be better. (Personally I think there are quite a few, depending on what you enjoy in an RPG.)

I intend of doing one of these in the next weeks... an "Obscure RPGs I found out for the book and are awesome" clickbait article with stuff like ZanZarah, Marauder, Shadowlands and The Return of Heracles, to get some spotlight on the book & review list.

That "Top 15 cancelled RPGs" post I did on the blog got me more traffic in a week than I had in the last 3 months.

 

[Crooked Bee]

However, I imagine some are obscure for a very simple reason... they weren't very good to begin with.

Yeah, a list of good obscure RPGs would be better. (Personally I think there are quite a few, depending on what you enjoy in an RPG.)

I intend of doing one of these in the next weeks... an "Obscure RPGs I found out for the book and are awesome" clickbait article with stuff like ZanZarah, Marauder, Shadowlands and The Return of Heracles, to get some spotlight on the book & review list.

That "Top 15 cancelled RPGs" post I did on the blog got me more traffic in a week than I had in the last 3 months.

Be sure to include Labyrinth of Touhou so it can get some publicity

 

[Siveon]

I've seen that Musketeer game on his site (as mentioned), I don't know if it's any good but I'm sold on the setting at least.

 

[Zetor]

I think there are also a lot of 'obscure' games that weren't obscure at all in their native countries, they just never got translated to English. F'rex, I remember somehow obtaining this game back in jr. high school, and it must've been Big in Taiwan to make it across half of the world to the mainstream warez groups... reading the blurb, it has gameplay similar to Lords of Xulima of all things (top-down exploration, TB blobber combat) bog-standard jrpg gameplay, but at least the winged eye thing looks amusing.

The language barrier made it a bit uh... difficult to actually progress in it, and the attention span of me and my friends lasted for exactly one afternoon, then we just played Doom 2 instead. /popamole.jpg

 

[Scroo]

Finished Inaria. That was short, even for a 5 Euro game, it didn't take me much longer than an hour. Considering games like Dark Disciples are for free but take far longer... also the gameplay basically solely consisted of grinding a dungeon until you are strong enough for the next dungeon, repeat this until the endboss, gratz you have won the game.

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/inde...game-the-omega-syndrome-now-part-three.64239/
Awor Szurkrarz apparently made an LP of the game in hard mode, which implies there is also a non iron-man mode that the dev implemented after recieving a lot of criticism because of ironman.

Oh shit, September 2011. It was when I still was certain I'll be a Computer Science Engineer and wasn't terrified of the future. I miss these times .

 

[felipepepe]

I think there are also a lot of 'obscure' games that weren't obscure at all in their native countries, they just never got translated to English.

Yeah, Chinese Paladin is one of China's most famous RPGs, yet few even heard about it elsewhere:

Shame really, it's a great game, if you are Crooked Bee can stomach some lengthy maze dungeons.

 

[Baron Dupek]

Hard to be a God? Based on the Strugacky's book. I played only the demo, don't remember bugs but overall slow action and animations. Maybe I even try to do LP from it?
I liked the concept of "gods" that were just humans with advanced technology, who can't stand the barbarism of the planet they put on observation.

Gorasul - Legacy of the Dragon - remember that talking sword from BG2? You have it here. Plus the orphan rised by the dragon, who give him some powers.
And serviceable combat. You can do thing like System Shock - set difficulty setting for combat and puzzles separately. Your personal weapon have EGO meter, when he reach some line - he can question your action, when you don't want it.

Amulet and Armors - IIRC it got some sort of remake somewhere in 2011-2013, or just better working version?

Summoner - smell like PS2 era with some jRPG touch but I liked it, plus some p.cool music. The sequel on PS2 went Dark Alliance path and stink.

About canned games in Felipepepe's book - well, there was a project about Van Burren but now, for month, silence. Typical modder behavior...

 

[Nigger]

Does anyone have Axe and Fate Rebirth unlock code?

 

[ColCol]

Does anyone have Axe and Fate Rebirth unlock code?

This isn't the beg thread......

 

[eric__s]

Some extremely obscure games, I've only heard of a few of them but I really do think the most obscure CRPG ever made is The Holy Sword: The Ring, the only game I've ever taken back to the store, which I regret now. The only references on the internet are me talking about it.

 

[Saduj]

Most recent Omega Syndrome thread (aside from this one) with developer's take on why he scrapped it: http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?threads/australian-ufo-themed-fallout-clone.78645/

I had heard good things about it (maybe on NMA?) and remember trying to buy this game some years back. Plenty of versions of the demo are available but I never could find the actual game.

 

[Stompa]

Hard to be a God? Based on the Strugacky's book. I played only the demo, don't remember bugs but overall slow action and animations. Maybe I even try to do LP from it?
I liked the concept of "gods" that were just humans with advanced technology, who can't stand the barbarism of the planet they put on observation.

Gorasul - Legacy of the Dragon - remember that talking sword from BG2? You have it here. Plus the orphan rised by the dragon, who give him some powers.
And serviceable combat. You can do thing like System Shock - set difficulty setting for combat and puzzles separately. Your personal weapon have EGO meter, when he reach some line - he can question your action, when you don't want it.

Amulet and Armors - IIRC it got some sort of remake somewhere in 2011-2013, or just better working version?

Summoner - smell like PS2 era with some jRPG touch but I liked it, plus some p.cool music. The sequel on PS2 went Dark Alliance path and stink.

About canned games in Felipepepe's book - well, there was a project about Van Burren but now, for month, silence. Typical modder behavior...

Nigga, that shit isn't that obscure, especially Summoner of all things, that actualy even got a sequel. I guess you can make the case for Hard to be a God, but it definitely was well enough known here at the time of the release solely because it was based on Strugatskies' work.

 

[Gozma]

It's rough being in the 1% of 1% of RPG nerds when you know you could be in the 1% of 1% of 1%

 

[Deuce Traveler]

interesting Mordor was not on the list

Hey! I remember playing that one! I'm sure there are a number of Windows 95 CRPGs that are now more obscure because the technology doesn't allow for people to easily revisit them. DOS games made a resurgence due to the awesome DOSBox program.

 

[Murk]

Does anyone have Axe and Fate Rebirth unlock code?

This isn't the beg thread......

*whiiizzz*

 

[felipepepe]

Most recent Omega Syndrome thread (aside from this one) with developer's take on why he scrapped it: http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?threads/australian-ufo-themed-fallout-clone.78645/

I had heard good things about it (maybe on NMA?) and remember trying to buy this game some years back. Plenty of versions of the demo are available but I never could find the actual game.

Good things about it? I only played the demo, and while the game is as an obvious clone of Fallout as you can get, the few choices the developer made by himself aren't very good.

You can create any character using a SPECIAL rip-off (down to the skills and traits), but the start of the demo is linear as hell, filled with nothing but corridors, empty containers and trash mobs. And you have only a melee weapon and a pistol with very few bullets. Meaning any character that didn't invest in melee WILL suffer in the first area. That's very un-Fallout-ish, and just bad design.

Also, there's a clearly noticeable fade & load each time you open or close a loot container, among other minor engine details and a very poor UI.

 

[Saduj]

You can create any character using a SPECIAL rip-off (down to the skills and traits), but the start of the demo is linear as hell, filled with nothing but corridors, empty containers and trash mobs. And you have only a melee weapon and a pistol with very few bullets. Meaning any character that didn't invest in melee WILL suffer in the first area. That's very un-Fallout-ish, and just bad design.

So basically its like the Temple of Trials?

Spoiler

 

[flabbyjack]

Devil Whiskey is good, but there's a distinct lack of info/faqs on the game and it costs a small fortune. All the stuff I read on their 'official' forums indicate the game was only half-complete.

Three Musketeers demo is available and it's also pretty good. Also Infinitron the picture seems to be of the wrong game (Gangsters?)

In every game of Parhedros: TOS you will explore up to 11 of 21 sprawling, danger-filled levels.

I'm so confused... so there's some sort of replay value?

 

[Kane]

Buzzfeedtron

 

[thesoup]

However, I imagine some are obscure for a very simple reason... they weren't very good to begin with.

Yeah, a list of good obscure RPGs would be better. (Personally I think there are quite a few, depending on what you enjoy in an RPG.)

I intend of doing one of these in the next weeks... an "Obscure RPGs I found out for the book and are awesome" clickbait article with stuff like ZanZarah, Marauder, Shadowlands and The Return of Heracles, to get some spotlight on the book & review list.

That "Top 15 cancelled RPGs" post I did on the blog got me more traffic in a week than I had in the last 3 months.

A true gamasutra / kotaku jurnlolist.

 

[Mustawd]

However, I imagine some are obscure for a very simple reason... they weren't very good to begin with.

Yeah, a list of good obscure RPGs would be better. (Personally I think there are quite a few, depending on what you enjoy in an RPG.)

I intend of doing one of these in the next weeks... an "Obscure RPGs I found out for the book and are awesome" clickbait article with stuff like ZanZarah, Marauder, Shadowlands and The Return of Heracles, to get some spotlight on the book & review list.

That "Top 15 cancelled RPGs" post I did on the blog got me more traffic in a week than I had in the last 3 months.

Actually didn't know this existed. Thanks, adding to my favorites.

 

[mondblut]

I didn't know Jimbob makes games alongside comics...