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Whats a good strategy game with heavy rpg elements?

YES!

Hi, I'm Roqua
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Hello:

I was wondering if anyone could recommend a strategy game to scratch an itch I've been having.

I am looking for an XCOMish game or a strategy game with heavy rpg elements. I've played all the usual recommendations such as Xenonauts (with X-Division it is really good minus more rpg squad character development). UFO Extraterrestrials, etc. From Hammer & Sickle to JA I've played them all.

I usually do not play 4x and I am actually not certain I know exactly what it means. I first heard that term on rpgdot about some space game with shitloads of fleets in some space 3d jumble of shit. I didn't care for it. I did like Master of Orion somewhat when it came out originally. It may be easier to note what I can't get into

1) I dislike "generations." I want my characters, not their great-great-grandchildren.

2) I dislike rpg lite - where there are only a couple upgrade options for characters or units or mostly insignificant or superficial character development or itemization.

3) I dislike having to replace units. I somewhat liked Civilization 5 or Master of Orion type games, or I liked the start of the games until I build up some units that then become irrelevant with new tech updates.

4) Full 3D space battles with lots of ships in RT. I much prefer TB in general, but full3D space battles with fleets in RT I can't handle. Star Wolves is good because it had the 2d map you could fight in. But the flying time is usually retarded in those games.

5) Games that steal all your shit. Like Legends of Eisenwald - you work hard getting items and leveling up units and when you clear a map it steals all your shit. I can't do that. I want my units or squad to always be my unit or squad unless they die.

6) I dislike arcade type shit. Like combat revolving around temporary powerups or tower defense.

7) I can't do just combat combat combat combat like a lot of RT squad games such as Red Solstice or the new Syndicate type game. I need some other game mods and things to do to split up the monotony.

8) Cards - I have never played a game with cards in it that had any of the complexity I like. Hard West had a sophomoric character development because of it. I've never played a TCG but I honestly do not seeing one having any sort of heavy rpg elements character development wise or itemization wise.

What I do like more than other things

1) I like in the new XComs how you only have one base instead of tons of bases but the base building and upgrading was really good. I know there are two camps, with people thinking the new XCOMs removed all the complexity from the originals. I disagree. I think they are far better than the originals. I like the more complex focus of the one base and the much needed rpg character development of the squad, and then it opening up psi options and genemods and mechs, etc.

2) I like the split focus of the XCOMs between all the stuff to do. It keeps it from getting too repetitive (besides Long War the missions every two seconds kind of wears you down. But it has tons of carrots on a stick to keep you going).

3) I was just looking at a game called Ravenmark on steam. It claimed to be an rpg so I was looking into and it looked awesome, until I looked deeper and saw there was no rpg elements at all. They call it an rpg because it has a story. That is fucking retarded. A game like that but with highly and heavy rpg character development would be awesome.

4) PC please. I tried various games on my kid's hand helds and even the ones I liked when I was a young man I can't get into now such as Ogre Tactics, FFT, FFA, etc. I did get into Blazing Souls for a bit, but it was too lite to hold my attention.


I've heard good things about a game called King Arthur something or other but it seems rpg lite from what I can see. Any recommendations would be awesome though. I basically have rpg blinders on so do not know a lot about other genres any more. Every time I try something I dislike it. Like Invisible Inc. If they added heavy rpg elements and some base building I could get into maybe.

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
 
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YES!

Hi, I'm Roqua
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Your requirements are somewhat retarded but if you like the XCOM games you should try XCOM: Apocalypse, it wasn't hugely popular when it came out but it adds some cool features to the formula.

http://www.tacticularcancer.com/content.php?id=4603

How are my requirements retarded? Too sensible for you?

And of course I know about XCOM Apocalypse. I bought Terror from the Deep off a game store shelf when game store's were 90% pc games. I'm basically looking for recommendations for Strategy+ plus games that have come out in the last 10 or so years. Like that Ravenmark game but if the units had significant rpg development. There is a new WH 40k game that has unit advancement, but I guess it is lite and they don't allow a lot of the customization as the TT game. Or maybe a game like Master of Orion or Civ game but instead of replacing units you level them up and add traits and perks and give them new equipment. What I am looking for in a game is never explained well and never answered well when I ask on steam. For instance, I saw a thread on here saying renowned explores is like the new XCOMs. It doesn't actually seem to be, but it could be a decent game fitting my taste. Is it rpg light? Are there different gameplay types or is it just combat, combat combat.


I like rpgs because there is a mix of things to do. Combat, exploring a town and getting quests, shopping, etc. Same for XCOM. Same for some other games that may have heavy rpg elements and none of the shit I hate.
 

Skittles

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I've started playing the Piratez TC mod for OpenXcom, since you mention X-Com like games. Its tone is bonkers, but the gameplay feels fresh.

I also really liked the Mordheim adaptation. It has serious UI problems and scaling that I dislike, but its combat is solid. The small number of troops to control and develop as well as a fairly straightforward management layer make me think it might be up your alley.
 

laclongquan

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UFO Afterlight. Aftershock is lighter on RPG element than that.

UFO Afterlight tell the tale of human colony on Mars after aliens deposit them there. They must survive in the harsh Martian environment, combat aliens, protect the cryo facility that house thousand of sleepers, and expand.

Each one of 20+ character has stat, skill, trainings, class. They are defined by their classes, and limited number, so they have certain uniqueness to each of them. Interpersed with the game flow is the dialog events between characters about story progress.

Although you can replace human characters with unlimited robots, it's actually discouraged to change them like so much tissue papers because of experiences. You need to retain high level characters so their exp and trainings help in tough battle, and demanding jobs.

At lower difficulty you can have abundance of loots and made weapons. But higher difficulty can have you play a scavenging game with full use of the alien loots, as production can not keep up with battle usage.

Although the game built around battlefields, you have plenty of time to do other shits. In fact, higher level strategy has you battle at the time and place of your choosing because a wound character is an unproductive character. You can explore the lands, build the mines, research, produce, training, THEN battle.
 

YES!

Hi, I'm Roqua
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UFO Afterlight. Aftershock is lighter on RPG element than that.

UFO Afterlight tell the tale of human colony on Mars after aliens deposit them there. They must survive in the harsh Martian environment, combat aliens, protect the cryo facility that house thousand of sleepers, and expand.

Each one of 20+ character has stat, skill, trainings, class. They are defined by their classes, and limited number, so they have certain uniqueness to each of them. Interpersed with the game flow is the dialog events between characters about story progress.

Although you can replace human characters with unlimited robots, it's actually discouraged to change them like so much tissue papers because of experiences. You need to retain high level characters so their exp and trainings help in tough battle, and demanding jobs.

At lower difficulty you can have abundance of loots and made weapons. But higher difficulty can have you play a scavenging game with full use of the alien loots, as production can not keep up with battle usage.

Although the game built around battlefields, you have plenty of time to do other shits. In fact, higher level strategy has you battle at the time and place of your choosing because a wound character is an unproductive character. You can explore the lands, build the mines, research, produce, training, THEN battle.

Thank you. I have all three. There isn't an XCOM like game I don't have. I am more looking for games that wouldn't really be known by someone who sticks to rpgs almost exclusively for the last 10 to 15 years. Or games with heavy rpg elements. Something like Battle Brothers that came out 10 years ago.

It can have military units instead of individuals. Any army strategy games with highly customizable units? or even decently customizable units? Any mods for any strategy games that change the game from having replaceable or throwaway units to having upgradable units? Anything?

I tried the Heroes of Might and Magic and a couple of games like that when they first came out and never really could get into them. Any games like that but improved? Like Thea Awakening - is it good and does it fit what I think I would like? These games use a lingo I am not familiar with. And nowawadays since people think rpg is story it is impossible to get specific answers on steam.

I am asking people who have played and are familiar with strategy games like I am familiar with rpgs. I could easily tell a strategy fan what rpgs or xcom like games would fit their criteria if they listed out what they like because I know rpgs. That's my hobby and what I do.

Falling Skies the game from the show is like XCOM lite. The combat is decent, character development is decent, but the base building is very lite compared to XCOM. The story is good though. I'm just throwing this out there incase someone else was going to recommend it. I also played all the JA games. Every single game with JA in the title. And every game from maurader to e5 to every single game made with the Silent Storm engine.
 

laclongquan

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Strategy with RPG element is a tall order.

Ascension to the Throne: Valkyrie got RPG element, but it's a strategy lite. More like open world TB strategy. And it's not that good even with a nekkid tattoo woman running around on screen.

King's Bounty Armored Princess might be what you ordered but I hesitate to call it strategy.

Space Rangers 2 might be what you need in term of SF strategy. MIGHT.
 
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Galdred

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Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
You could still try King Arthur indeed, it is definitely not an RPG, but you keep your heroes from the beginning to the end, level them, and get to play through interactive text sequences. The core gameplay is total warish, so it depends on how you like this.
Invisible Inc is a bit like XCOM but about infiltration.
Mordheim has character development and tactical battles, but both Mordheim and Invisible Inc are just a sequence of battles.
the Stiorm Guard: Darkness is somewhat close to Battle Brother, with fantasy elements but less dying with a mini management layer.
Warlock 1/2 are 4X lite with lots of unit customization, and you get to upgrade your units, so they are never obsolete. You can give them an insane amount of buffs.
You should definitely try the Age of Wonder series (if you have not , start with the first, as it has the strongest single player IMO).
You could give a try to the Panzer Corps series, as it has upgradable units, and officers, but you don't really choose how to spec them. If you don't mind an older game, Elven Legacy works better in this field.
Star Wolves is a bit old, but it is a space RTS with persistent heroes that you can spec. you played it already
I probably forgot a few of them, and I am not sure any meets all of your points.
There is also the Spellforce series you could try, but it probably won't qualify for good. A guilty pleasure at best.
 
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Dayyālu

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Templar Battleforce is a cheapo Xcom with too weak RPG elements to truly matter for you. Likewise the old Chaos Gate. But we can also consider....

1) I like in the new XComs how you only have one base instead of tons of bases but the base building and upgrading was really good. I know there are two camps, with people thinking the new XCOMs removed all the complexity from the originals. I disagree. I think they are far better than the originals. I like the more complex focus of the one base and the much needed rpg character development of the squad, and then it opening up psi options and genemods and mechs, etc.

Uhhhhhhhh......

You may suffer from a terminal case of shit taste, but it happens. If you say you have "played 'em all" there isn't much we can suggest. Incubation: Time is running out is not what yer searching, Warzone 2100 has a permanent base but it's a stock RTS and no RPG elements, you surely have played Fallout Tactics, Valkyria Chronicles is too anime for your own good, 7.62 and Marauder probably you already played them, Close Combat has some great campaigns (the Market Garden one is awesome) but again it's now what yer searching....

Men of War? Nah. Myth? nah. Mechcommander 1&2! But it's RTS.

SPELLCROSS! But again, no RPG. Abomination: the Nemesis Project is a weeeird one, but RT and no RPG elements.

Oh well, I tried.

EDIT: Warlords Battlecry?
 

octavius

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You should definitely try the Age of Wonder series (if you have not , start with the first, as it has the strongest single player IMO).

Yeah, try the Age of Wonders games; they are like CRPGs with a Strategy layer. Personally I rate AoW Shadow Magic higher than AoW 1, though, although AoW 1 can be played almost like a pure CRPGs when your hero has become so powerful he needs no supporting units.
 

Galdred

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Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
You should definitely try the Age of Wonder series (if you have not , start with the first, as it has the strongest single player IMO).

Yeah, try the Age of Wonders games; they are like CRPGs with a Strategy layer. Personally I rate AoW Shadow Magic higher than AoW 1, though, although AoW 1 can be played almost like a pure CRPGs when your hero has become so powerful he needs no supporting units.
Aow: Shadow Magic is a better strategy game indeed, but AoW 1 feels much closer to an RPG, as your character must not die, and you play him/her from the beginning to the end.
 

lemon-lime

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Endless Legend is a game you could take a look at. It's a 4X empire building game first and foremost (roughly similar to CivV). But I'd say, it fits most of your criteria. RPG elements are not super heavy but clearly above average. That starts with faction choice. Each faction has some unique mechanic. Including one faction that can't build/occupy any additional cities besides its main starting city (which fits one of your preferences more than the average faction in the game.)
It features heroes leading armies composed of units. Each faction has its own set of 3 basic unit types that can be equipped with researchable gear. Which basically means you don't replace old units with new units; you put new gear onto them to upgrade their combat strength. Heroes have a small skill tree in addition to their gear slots.

There's a lot more details, like each hero or unit type belonging to a certain class (ranged, infantry, cavalry, support, flying) - defining their attack, movement and special abilities. The ability to include 1-3 of many different minor factions into your empire, which each gives you access to an additional basic unit type to maybe compensate for a weakness in your 3 basic unit types.
 

flushfire

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Escape Velocity: Nova

edit: not really strategy, but you can have multiple units (not fleet size tho afaik) under your command
 

YES!

Hi, I'm Roqua
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Strategy with RPG element is a tall order.

Ascension to the Throne: Valkyrie got RPG element, but it's a strategy lite. More like open world TB strategy. And it's not that good even with a nekkid tattoo woman running around on screen.

King's Bounty Armored Princess might be what you ordered but I hesitate to call it strategy.

Space Rangers 2 might be what you need in term of SF strategy. MIGHT.
You could still try King Arthur indeed, it is definitely not an RPG, but you keep your heroes from the beginning to the end, level them, and get to play through interactive text sequences. The core gameplay is total warish, so it depends on how you like this.
Invisible Inc is a bit like XCOM but about infiltration.
Mordheim has character development and tactical battles, but both Mordheim and Invisible Inc are just a sequence of battles.
the Stiorm Guard: Darkness is somewhat close to Battle Brother, with fantasy elements but less dying with a mini management layer.
Warlock 1/2 are 4X lite with lots of unit customization, and you get to upgrade your units, so they are never obsolete. You can give them an insane amount of buffs.
You should definitely try the Age of Wonder series (if you have not , start with the first, as it has the strongest single player IMO).
You could give a try to the Panzer Corps series, as it has upgradable units, and officers, but you don't really choose how to spec them. If you don't mind an older game, Elven Legacy works better in this field.
Star Wolves is a bit old, but it is a space RTS with persistent heroes that you can spec. you played it already
I probably forgot a few of them, and I am not sure any meets all of your points.
There is also the Spellforce series you could try, but it probably won't qualify for good. A guilty pleasure at best.
You should definitely try the Age of Wonder series (if you have not , start with the first, as it has the strongest single player IMO).

Yeah, try the Age of Wonders games; they are like CRPGs with a Strategy layer. Personally I rate AoW Shadow Magic higher than AoW 1, though, although AoW 1 can be played almost like a pure CRPGs when your hero has become so powerful he needs no supporting units.
You should definitely try the Age of Wonder series (if you have not , start with the first, as it has the strongest single player IMO).

Yeah, try the Age of Wonders games; they are like CRPGs with a Strategy layer. Personally I rate AoW Shadow Magic higher than AoW 1, though, although AoW 1 can be played almost like a pure CRPGs when your hero has become so powerful he needs no supporting units.
Aow: Shadow Magic is a better strategy game indeed, but AoW 1 feels much closer to an RPG, as your character must not die, and you play him/her from the beginning to the end.
Endless Legend is a game you could take a look at. It's a 4X empire building game first and foremost (roughly similar to CivV). But I'd say, it fits most of your criteria. RPG elements are not super heavy but clearly above average. That starts with faction choice. Each faction has some unique mechanic. Including one faction that can't build/occupy any additional cities besides its main starting city (which fits one of your preferences more than the average faction in the game.)
It features heroes leading armies composed of units. Each faction has its own set of 3 basic unit types that can be equipped with researchable gear. Which basically means you don't replace old units with new units; you put new gear onto them to upgrade their combat strength. Heroes have a small skill tree in addition to their gear slots.

There's a lot more details, like each hero or unit type belonging to a certain class (ranged, infantry, cavalry, support, flying) - defining their attack, movement and special abilities. The ability to include 1-3 of many different minor factions into your empire, which each gives you access to an additional basic unit type to maybe compensate for a weakness in your 3 basic unit types.
Escape Velocity: Nova

edit: not really strategy, but you can have multiple units (not fleet size tho afaik) under your command

Thank you guys for the recommendations

Thea: Awakening is on sale right now - how does this game rate?

If that isn't good what would people recommend more for me - Endless Legends or Warlock games? And Warlock 1 is more expensive than 2 for some reason (maybe it had more expansions)?



---------
About the others-
King's Bounty - I have it and played it for some time. Not too bad but not really my cup of tea either.
Invisible Inc just didn't have anything going for it. It would need much more and much heavier rpg elements for even the combat to be interesting to me, nevermind being just a combat game.
Mordheim - I returned it before the two hours. I can't remember why I didn't like it but I know I didn't.
Valkyrie Chronicles - I like the art and the combat wasn't too bad, but the character development and upgrades available were very lite.
Storm Guard was okay - king of like a Blackguards lite.
Age of Wonders I know I played when it first came out and I didn't care much for it. Same with the HoMMs. I know people love these games but they HoMM model just doesn't do it for me. Granted this is the early ones - they may have evolved to be better or more to my taste. But the newest ones are really pricey for each.
I own Soellforce 2 gold and put 5 hours into it but have no recollection of playing it. I played King Arthur collection today through the second zone. I think my issue may be the same for both - I really dislike RTS. It just takes too much time and doesn't give me nearly the satisfaction of a good TB game.
Space Rangers - I don't know why but I just can't get into it. I bought it when it was newish and a couple times since then (including the newest one) and it just never clicked with me. I don't dislike anything specific with it. It has everything I like in games. I can't really articulate the reason.
 

YES!

Hi, I'm Roqua
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Templar Battleforce is a cheapo Xcom with too weak RPG elements to truly matter for you. Likewise the old Chaos Gate. But we can also consider....

1) I like in the new XComs how you only have one base instead of tons of bases but the base building and upgrading was really good. I know there are two camps, with people thinking the new XCOMs removed all the complexity from the originals. I disagree. I think they are far better than the originals. I like the more complex focus of the one base and the much needed rpg character development of the squad, and then it opening up psi options and genemods and mechs, etc.

Uhhhhhhhh......

You may suffer from a terminal case of shit taste, but it happens. If you say you have "played 'em all" there isn't much we can suggest. Incubation: Time is running out is not what yer searching, Warzone 2100 has a permanent base but it's a stock RTS and no RPG elements, you surely have played Fallout Tactics, Valkyria Chronicles is too anime for your own good, 7.62 and Marauder probably you already played them, Close Combat has some great campaigns (the Market Garden one is awesome) but again it's now what yer searching....

Men of War? Nah. Myth? nah. Mechcommander 1&2! But it's RTS.

SPELLCROSS! But again, no RPG. Abomination: the Nemesis Project is a weeeird one, but RT and no RPG elements.

Oh well, I tried.

EDIT: Warlords Battlecry?

I enjoyed Templar Battleforce. I think the rpg elements are pretty significant in this game. Far more than any XCOM type game besides the Faraxis XCOMs for unit development with the map unlocks, the weight factor, and individual character development system. If it had more too do besides the combat missions I would have liked it a lot more personally.

I recently just played Xenonaughts with the X-Division mod and UFO Extraterrestrials (which for some reason gets no attention event though the gold version is pretty fucking awesome. I bought it from the dev when it first came out and didn't understand why it didn't get more love. All the RTS UFO games got a ton of attention and had very little going for them compared to this game). I played the shit out of Terror from the Deep when I was younger. I played UFO defense and Armageddon a good amount too. I don't understand where people are coming from when they say the new XCOMs have no strategy. The main difference is one base with satellite coverage over other countries versus multiple bases.

I haven't played Long War 2 yet, but multiple bases don't really add any strategy I can think of. Long War 1 is the game where I was forced to have the deepest roster due to fatigue and fucking missions every two seconds. In every single other game I have troops at two bases and alternate two squads on missions. I want as few troops as possible. I want to be very personally invested in all my troops, like I am with crpgs with full party development.

Which game had the toughest combat? Long War - hands down. Long War forced me into a battle with a team of full rookies against the huge spaceships early in the game. It was the first time I came across the big armored guys and the fast insect things. It just never ended. Every time I thought it had to be the last wave of enemies there were more, and more, and it ended with like six or eight of the energy guys. It literally took me days of reloading to get through this. Not full days of playing - but normal playing sessions. It may have been a week of play sessions. Since it has the seed and reloading doesn't change the results you really have to get creative when stuck. In every other XCOM like game I get (besides Xenonaughts with X-Division on hard) I get through every single combat without getting hurt because I can and don't want my people in the hospital because of how I play. LW is the only XCOM game that I was regularly happy just to get through some missions. I should say I played it on higher difficulty and gave up on playing ironman early on, and even the semi-ironman where you could restart missions. I selected most of the second wave options that made it harder and none that made it easier (like save scumming).

What am I missing? Where does anything have to do with taste? What strategy layer is the new XCOMs missing with and without the LW mods? I see it stated often but the only reason ever given is base coverage. That doesn't add a ton of strategy to either play mode. I'd love to hear some specifics because I hear this all the time and I am missing something. Or I'm not and it is like people saying the generic combat of AD&D being more strategic than 3 or later - just people saying words to make themselves feel better with absolutely no valid points to support their assertion. The AD&D assertion is literally like saying ASCII graphics are far more complex than later graphic types for video games. It is just nonsense.
 

laclongquan

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The problem of UFO ET is that it doesnt happen on Earth. Who care about a planet far far away, Esperanza?

They really should have chosen a wellknown astrophysical name and go with it. Alpha Centaury has its problem but what about Sirius, Procyon, Barnard's Star, Epsilon Eridani...
 

YES!

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The problem of UFO ET is that it doesnt happen on Earth. Who care about a planet far far away, Esperanza?

They really should have chosen a wellknown astrophysical name and go with it. Alpha Centaury has its problem but what about Sirius, Procyon, Barnard's Star, Epsilon Eridani...

The planet doesn't matter to me in that game anymore than it does in 99% of crpgs which take place on a made up world. Hell, the JAs take place on made up countries that shouldn't matter to anyone. I honestly don't see how this would matter one way or the other. The third RTS UFO game took place on a different planet I think too. I'm not sure if it was real or made up though. My job is to defend it from the alien scourge, which is also made up.
 

laclongquan

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UFO Afterlight happened on Mars, and the locations are fully familiar if you happen to care abit about SF or astronomy. Not even at the level of nerd/otaku about it. Just a little bit of reader. It does help player's mentality.
 

Galdred

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Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
Thank you guys for the recommendations

Thea: Awakening is on sale right now - how does this game rate?

If that isn't good what would people recommend more for me - Endless Legends or Warlock games? And Warlock 1 is more expensive than 2 for some reason (maybe it had more expansions)?

Thea is definitely an interesting take on the genre. The devs also released several free DLC and no paid ones, which may be relevant to your choice or not.

Regarding Warlock 1 vs Warlock 2, Warlock 1 had a good DLC game mode that was not present in W2 iirc. (Edit, I think W2 plays more or less like W1: Armageddon).
I don't recall exactly, though. I spent 130h on W1 and 30 on W2, but I cannot say whether it is because W1 was better or W2 was too close to W1. That said, W2 is @ 65% Positivie Steam reviews vs 88% for W1 (although I think a good part of it is W2 basically being astand alone expansion pack).
What I recall is W2 having lot of Horse Armor grade DLC(only available through the in game Paradox shop, not through Steam), but Paradox gonna Paradox (note that W1 had much more reasonable ones).
I am not sure how the Renaissance mod for W2 changes things, though.
Note that both versions suffer from an abvysmal AI which is good at shuffling units, but horrible at buffing them or debuffing yours.
W1: Armageddon and W2 both remedy this somewhat by throwing horribly overpowered demons units (or whatever they are called) at you, but W1 also has a "normal" mode where you play against AI factions that don't have limitless resources, which also makes it more suitable to Human vs Human play (but it is really trivial vs the AI IMO).
so for SP, I think both work, maybe with a slight advantage for W2, but for MP, I have read that W1 had better MP.

From Steam Reviews:

ExHippy 11 Apr, 2014 @ 8:57pm
To answer duckmaster's question: Warlock 2 is the better game in general but only just. You can have 97% of the same experience for a lot less cash with Warlock 1. If they were the same price (or money is no object) then 2. If money is tight (or you already have Warlock 1) then 1.

So bhasically, it doesn't really seem worth it to pay more for W1.
 
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YES!

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UFO Afterlight happened on Mars, and the locations are fully familiar if you happen to care abit about SF or astronomy. Not even at the level of nerd/otaku about it. Just a little bit of reader. It does help player's mentality.

The universe is really big and we barley know any planets in any other solar systems. And the extremely small percentage we do know have more designators than names. If any are ever colonized they certainly could be named Esperanza. I honestly just don't see an issue with all the possibilities.
 

YES!

Hi, I'm Roqua
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Thank you guys for the recommendations

Thea: Awakening is on sale right now - how does this game rate?

If that isn't good what would people recommend more for me - Endless Legends or Warlock games? And Warlock 1 is more expensive than 2 for some reason (maybe it had more expansions)?

Thea is definitely an interesting take on the genre. The devs also released several free DLC and no paid ones, which may be relevant to your choice or not.

Regarding Warlock 1 vs Warlock 2, Warlock 1 had a good DLC game mode that was not present in W2 iirc. (Edit, I think W2 plays more or less like W1: Armageddon).
I don't recall exactly, though. I spent 130h on W1 and 30 on W2, but I cannot say whether it is because W1 was better or W2 was too close to W1. That said, W2 is @ 65% Positivie Steam reviews vs 88% for W1 (although I think a good part of it is W2 basically being astand alone expansion pack).
What I recall is W2 having lot of Horse Armor grade DLC(only available through the in game Paradox shop, not through Steam), but Paradox gonna Paradox (note that W1 had much more reasonable ones).
I am not sure how the Renaissance mod for W2 changes things, though.
Note that both versions suffer from an abvysmal AI which is good at shuffling units, but horrible at buffing them or debuffing yours.
W1: Armageddon and W2 both remedy this somewhat by throwing horribly overpowered demons units (or whatever they are called) at you, but W1 also has a "normal" mode where you play against AI factions that don't have limitless resources, which also makes it more suitable to Human vs Human play (but it is really trivial vs the AI IMO).
so for SP, I think both work, maybe with a slight advantage for W2, but for MP, I have read that W1 had better MP.

From Steam Reviews:

ExHippy 11 Apr, 2014 @ 8:57pm
To answer duckmaster's question: Warlock 2 is the better game in general but only just. You can have 97% of the same experience for a lot less cash with Warlock 1. If they were the same price (or money is no object) then 2. If money is tight (or you already have Warlock 1) then 1.

So bhasically, it doesn't really seem worth it to pay more for W1.

How is the combat and units in Thea though? Pretty good? RPG element and character development heavy?

So it looks like I am down to three choices - what do you guys recommend the most?

1) Thea
2) Endless legends
3) Warlock (I'd probably get 1)
 

Galdred

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Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
I didn't play 2.
1) is pretty abstract when it comes to mechanisms (card combat, with characters being cards, and the values on cards depending on their stats). 3) is rather traditional 4X.
I liked them both. Thea had cool exploration. Warlock is more of a classical conquer the world game.
I think warlock suits tour requirements better than Thea. I don't know how it rates against Endless Legends are both are fighting for the same niche.
 

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