The Island's Computer Role Playing Games Page


Arial, from Ultima Underworld I, The Stygian Abyss.

Reviews of Computer Role Play Games.

Michael's Soapbox - my ramblings of current CRPG topics.

Controversy Corner - Games that where the bugs stopped me from completing the story.

Recommended - Games that I can happily recommend.

Some other links.

ROLE PLAY GAMES REVIEWS

SOAPBOX CORNER

Random Dungeons

The random dungoen is used in a few games. Daggerfall was full of them, and more recently Darkstone and Diablo have hailed them as a desirable feature. Randomness comes at a price and that price is well constructed dungeons that require some brain work to solve. Random dungeons ring an alarm bell with me.

RECOMMENDED !!!

  1. Ultima Underworld 1 - This game is a few years old now, but I would be happy to go out and find a similar product on the shelf tomorrow. Great Atmosphere.
  2. Civilization and Civilization 2 - The original Civilization had for its time game play and depth that was unequalled . In my mind the best strategy game ever released. Civilization 2 improves upon the original with updated graphics, more units and other improvements. The Computer AI still cheats though !
  3. Star Control II - A huge game that combines action and strategy. Very hard to to finish.
  4. Arena - Elder Scrolls - A massive game play area, but beware of the bugs. Great monster sound affects .See Review.
  5. Betrayal at Krondor - One of the best RPG games ever released. See Review.
  6. Albion - Albion combines traditional RPG elements like turn based movement with a refreshing original story.
  7. Fallout - Another game with an original story. Set in a post nuclear environment. A bit gory though.
  8. Balder's Gate - A lightweight in the grey matter department, but none the less a well constructed game.
  9. Wizards and Warriors - at last a return to true CRPG experience.

A list of games that have left me angry, even with the ' patches ' I was not able to finish the game.

STONEKEEP - The game was built on hype. It has serious bugs and I struck just about every one of them. Naturally I freed Enigma before visiting the Fairy Realm ( A big bug ! ). The animations and intro are good, but the game play graphics leave much to be desired, even Crusaders of the Dark Savant has more graphical variety. Sorry but I can't see the were the years producing this game went too.

DAGGERFALL - What else you say about a game that cannot be finished for many people, even with ' all ' the patches. Arena's bugs were mostly crashes, which did not stop one finishing the storyline. However Daggerfall's bugs are game plot based, such as not having completed quest x, which means the story and quest y does not kick in. Aside from that Daggerfall's dungeons quickly become repetitive and it's still a big meaningless world outside the story.

MIGHT & MAGIC VI - It even pains me to place MM6 into this category, but it qualified. I was really enjoying the game and having spent weeks battling towards the end I found that I could not finish the game. As soon as I tried to place a crystal on one of the pedestals the games bugged out. I tried all the patches, all the advice, etc, to no avail.


Some other Links.
Jeanne's great games links - a very extensive list of invaluable information for the gamer.

Any questions, comments or hellos can be sent to michaelt@ozemail.com.au


 
 

Last update 25th July 2001.