Completed Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon. Had never played it before, got it with the Broken Sword Trilogy compilation I bought for the first two games.

Alright, first an objective view. It's an adventure game released back in 2003 when the genre was already more or less dead in the water and console games were outselling PC games, so understandably they made consoles their primary platform and console gamers who likely had no experiece in the genre their target audience.

This means exactly the things you might expect; very easy puzzles, full 3d movement with light platforming, few QTE's and even slight breast physics. Overall it's a very avarage PS2 era game, but I can see it offering a soft landing for newcomers to the genre while also appealing to more casually minded players.

But for me personally? All I got from it was a headache. No mouse support on the PC version and the keyboard controls are a nightmare. Entry level puzzle design makes it boring, occasionally even tedious to play, writing is bad, the plot is utter drivel and several characters made me want to beat them in the face with a shovel. I didn't much care for the humor in the previous games but now it's straight up juvenile.

The game has these painfully simple and boring platforming sections that only tests your patience, though I suppose I should be thankful they are simple thanks to the genuinely awful keyboard controls. You also can't skip dialog or cutscenes which is really great while checking the billion locked doors the game has and getting forced to listen some type of "it's locked, I can't open it" response over and over while being locked into place until the player character shuts their mouth.

So thanks but no thanks. I'd toss the disc if the previous two games weren't also there. There's also Broken Sword 4 & 5 out there and apparently sixth one coming, but my motivation to check them out just got flushed down the crapper.

After finishing and loving SKALD : Against the Black Priory I've been trying to find something to fill the turn based RPG void it left, with mixed results. This is what I'm looking for in my next RPG:

- team based
- turn based
- tactical combat where positioning of characters and terrain is a factor
- controller support, or at least a control layout that's workable with Joy2Key
- interesting story and thoughtful dialog
- not just endless battles with trashmobs, or at least the possibility of avoiding fights using sneak, etc

The obvious choice is probably BG3 but I didn't enjoy Divinity Original Sin 2 so have my doubts, and it's expensive. Thanks to GOG's constant sales and excellent return policy I've been able to try several candidates, this is what I'v bought recently:

(I also have several games I've bought on sale over the years like UnderRail, Baldur's Gate 1/2, Shadowrun, Lords of Xulima, Pillars of Eternity II)

Currently I'm playing Pathfinder: Kingmaker, and it ticks most of my boxes. As a bonus it looks great and supports 5.1 surround sound, but geez the battled mechanics are complicated. So many damn rules and abilities and items and spells, etc. I often find myself lost in it all and unsure of why things are happening, or why I can't perform a certain action. And the fights are constant, often with the same enemy, so it can get tedious. It can be quite difficult, which I don't mind, but I've been thrown into several fights without knowing what I was getting myself in for - magic enemies for example that I have no way of effectively damaging.

I'm starting to level up and round out my party with different abilities so am progressing, but it's very slow going with very little story to keep my interested.

Colony Ship looks interesting and Wasteland 3 sound good too - I'll grab that when it comes on sale.

Find a new game has turned into quite a fun game in itself.

I enjoyed Lords of Xulima. It's very Might and Magic, and also kind of structurally numbers based just like it. I enjoyed it though.

Kings Bounty II is that the one a couple years old? I enjoyed that too though it's more strategy then RPG.

Yes Lords of Xulima looks good, I've only jumped in and had a peek at that one so far. Kings Bounty II - haven't tried this one at all yet, just spotted it on sale. But yes it's only a few years old that one.

Nice list of games!
Of those, I've played...

Pathfinder: Kingmaker
This checks most of your boxes as you've found, but can be complicated to jump into. However, the game provides a lot of information and it's not insurmountable imo.

Solasta
This also checks most of your boxes, but the story and dialogue are pretty awful. It's best to compare it to Neverwinter Nights; it's an RPG engine with a game meant to show off what can be done attached (there are apparently some really good user-made campaigns available though).

Knights of the Chalice
This is a good game, but it's hard as hell and has very little story/dialogue. I don't think this could easily be played with a controller as it's primarily mouse controlled with keyboard shortcuts.

Eschalon
This is also a surprisingly good game for a turn-based game with just a single character. Good quests and a large world to explore. I really don't think this could be played with a controller, though.

Legends of Amberland
These games check all of your boxes except for "tactical combat" and "no trash combat." However, enemies don't respawn, so once you've cleared an area it's easy to get through it. I used mouse+kb, but I think it would be a fun and breezy game to play on a couch with a controller.

Tyranny
This is a good game, but it's more like a story game with combat. Battles are interesting during the first hour or so, but quickly become mindlessly easy. I felt that the writing became increasingly juvenile and edgy as the game went on, unfortunately.

Lords of Xulima
This is a good one, like an overhead version of Might & Magic III/IV/V. I was completely addicted to this one for a while, but got burnt out and haven't revisited it since then. It's a really, really LONG game.

Still on Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. This game has a lot of optional content, especially if you're trying to find all the hidden world map locations. Among other things, these can net you some useful item crafting bonuses, and potentially increase the power of certain summons. There's also a nice callback to the Fort Condor battles, complete with low-polygon character models. Lastly, you will level up a fair bit from all the extra combat, which can make the main plot battles slightly easier.

Speaking of which, I just completed the village of Gongaga. At this point, Rebirth introduces some weird story changes. Basically, the devs added a cringy plot event, which never occurred in the original FF7. In my view, the classic game already had an interesting and compelling story way back in 1997. It didn't need to be changed, or re-tooled with this "what if" crap that they seem to be pushing.

Also, the mini games are starting to get annoying, especially the ones that have been shoehorned into the main plot. Meaning, you actually have to complete them in order to progress further. So far, the worst offender was the 3D brawler which automatically triggers when you first arrive at the Golden Saucer. The rules weren't clearly explained, so I was stuck there for like five minutes before finally figuring it out. Winning was easy once I knew exactly what I needed to do, but my point is, this shouldn't have been mandatory.

On the positive side, the game continues to run fairly well on my system. I did notice some minor shader compilation stutters, usually when a new spell effect would appear on screen for the very first time, but these were few and far in between. Didn't have a single crash either, and performance remained mostly locked at 30 FPS, per my self-imposed limit, while delivering the highest quality visuals. Considering the current state of most AAA titles, this was a pleasant surprise.

newtmonkey wrote on Yesterday, 02:17:

Nice list of games!

Thanks for the rundown! So what's your GOAT turn based RPG?

badmojo wrote on 2025-09-02, 23:09:

After finishing and loving SKALD : Against the Black Priory I've been trying to find something to fill the turn based RPG void i […]
Show full quote

After finishing and loving SKALD : Against the Black Priory I've been trying to find something to fill the turn based RPG void it left, with mixed results. This is what I'm looking for in my next RPG:

- team based
- turn based
- tactical combat where positioning of characters and terrain is a factor
- controller support, or at least a control layout that's workable with Joy2Key
- interesting story and thoughtful dialog
- not just endless battles with trashmobs, or at least the possibility of avoiding fights using sneak, etc

The obvious choice is probably BG3 but I didn't enjoy Divinity Original Sin 2 so have my doubts, and it's expensive. Thanks to GOG's constant sales and excellent return policy I've been able to try several candidates, this is what I'v bought recently:

The attachment Untitled.png is no longer available

(I also have several games I've bought on sale over the years like UnderRail, Baldur's Gate 1/2, Shadowrun, Lords of Xulima, Pillars of Eternity II)

Currently I'm playing Pathfinder: Kingmaker, and it ticks most of my boxes. As a bonus it looks great and supports 5.1 surround sound, but geez the battled mechanics are complicated. So many damn rules and abilities and items and spells, etc. I often find myself lost in it all and unsure of why things are happening, or why I can't perform a certain action. And the fights are constant, often with the same enemy, so it can get tedious. It can be quite difficult, which I don't mind, but I've been thrown into several fights without knowing what I was getting myself in for - magic enemies for example that I have no way of effectively damaging.

I'm starting to level up and round out my party with different abilities so am progressing, but it's very slow going with very little story to keep my interested.

Colony Ship looks interesting and Wasteland 3 sound good too - I'll grab that when it comes on sale.

Find a new game has turned into quite a fun game in itself.

Based on your previous comments about not having a lot of time, enjoying shorter RPGs, etc, I'd recommend Eschalon. This is one of my all-time favorites. I could not believe it was free. Probably before I finished it, I bought parts 2 and 3. It does not tick the party-based wish, but it's still very fun. Very easy to get in and out of. You can play 5 minutes if that's all the time you have, and feel like you've made a little progress.

I loved Xulima, one of my all-time favorites as well, for all the reasons already mentioned. But as it's been said, it's super long! Whereas Eschalon Book 1 took me about 30-40 hours, Xulima took me 150.

badmojo wrote on Yesterday, 07:34:

Thanks for the rundown! So what's your GOAT turn based RPG?

That's a really hard question to answer, because I end up with a different #1 every time I think about it!
Instead, I'll give you my top 5 (in the order they come to mind):

• Wizardry VI: Bane of the Cosmic Forge -- This is probably completely unplayable to most people today, but I finally played through it this year and absolutely loved it. It's got a great story for a dungeon crawler (with some really excellent writing) and the combat is awesome.
• Might and Magic Book One: Secret of the Inner Sanctum -- This looks like it would be completely impenetrable, but once you get beyond the graphics and learn the interface, it plays great. It's also completely nonlinear, so it's never very frustrating; if you get stuck, just go explore somewhere else.
• Pool of Radiance -- This had some rough spots (especially the interface), but the combat is very satisfying and the world is a joy to explore.
• Dragon Warrior II (NES) -- Unlike most JRPGs, the game opens up after just a few hours and becomes a nonlinear quest of gathering information and tracking down doodads, much like the Ultima games. Great soundtrack, too.
• Romancing SaGa (Super Famicom) -- This is a completely nonlinear JRPG, where you are free to explore the world, gathering information and solving quests. The world actually runs on a timeline (based on the number of battles you fight), and you can fail quests if you ignore them. There is so much to this game that I could write endlessly about it, so I'll stop here.
  It has actually been remade for modern consoles and PC (Steam) as Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered, which adds a bunch of stuff but is apparently very faithful to the original, but with modern(ish) graphics, an improved UI, and QoL features.

I'd have a hard time recommending the first three games on the list, only because they are truly old-school PC experiences--they are played on a keyboard (little if any mouse support) and require you to really sit down and put some time into them, mapping dungeons and taking notes. I love that kind of stuff now, but prior to 2018 I would have had absolutely no patience whatsoever for it.

Out of the two JRPGs, Romancing SaGa (specifically the Minstrel Song remake) would be the easier of the two to recommend. It feels more like playing a PC RPG, and the way that the story advances without you really makes it feel like you're traveling in a living world at times.

I've started Act III of Diablo II + LoD. I get my ass whooped a bit... Hope I can finish the whole game before September ends!

On topic of turn-based RPGs, for me Persona 5 takes the crown. Specifically, the original (non-Royal) PlayStation 4 release, since it has better pacing and fewer distractions for new players.

Note that it's an 100+ hour game though.

Now, having listed off a bunch of ancient games no one will ever play, here are some of the more modern turn-based RPGs that I liked (but wouldn't consider any of them GOAT):

The Bard's Tale IV: Director's Cut
The original release had a bunch of problems, but the Director's Cut is a fine RPG. Combat looks like a Wizardry or Might & Magic game, but takes place on a grid and is somewhat tactical (but abstract). There's a real feeling of progression as you add characters to your party, level up and unlock new abilities, and figure the combat system out. One of the coolest things about this game is the legendary weapons--each of these weapons have multiple levels of puzzles to solve to power them up and add new abilities, and a fully upgraded legendary weapon can be ridiculously powerful in the right hands.

Stygian: Reign of the Old Ones
This is a short but sweet horror RPG taking place in H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos. It plays most like Fallout (the original), though you have control over your party members. It's got a very unique look, and quests have multiple solutions. Early on, the game has a survival horror vibe because you have to manage your health as well as your sanity, and resources are limited... this stops becoming an issue a few hours in, though.

Operencia: The Stolen Sun
This is a modernish take on the classic Wizardry games, as it's a step-based dungeon crawler with turn-based combat. It's a fine game, but it's extremely linear and, besides generating your own character, you're stuck selecting from fixed characters for your party. It's very simplistic mechanically, but there is a good variety of puzzles and combat can be interesting.

Might & Magic X
I don't think this is a good Might & Magic game, but it's a fine classic-style RPG. The world is kind of dull and there's not much to the story, but exploration, party building, and combat are all fun. Unfortunately, the game has double DRM (Steam + Uplay)... it's worth playing, but it might be worth considering sailing the high seas for this one. If you decide to play this one, note that the last battle expects you to have a certain resistance (that's mostly useless throughout the rest of the game) and, since there are no random battles, it can become nearly impossible to win. It would be worth looking it up so you can prepare early on and not worry about it!

newtmonkey wrote on Yesterday, 14:24:

The Bard's Tale IV: Director's Cut

How long did it take to finish that game?

Thanks for all of the RPG suggestions, I have quite an epic list of games to investigate and try now 👍

badmojo wrote on Yesterday, 21:29:

Thanks for all of the RPG suggestions, I have quite an epic list of games to investigate and try now 👍

Cheers!

Just to add a little to the mix, I went through my completed games in the last 10+ years and sorted by RPG and personal score (0-100). I rate each game when I finish them, and that number (whether I agree with it today) stands. So here's my top 28 (if you count the System Shock series as RPGs 😀 )
Wizardry 8
System Shock 2
System Shock Remake
Wizardry VII
System Shock DOS
Ultima Underworld II
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Wizardry VI
Lords of Xulima
Pillars of Eternity
Ultima Underworld I
Ultima VII Pt. 2 Serpent Isle
Baldur’s Gate 1
Stonekeep
Eschalon Book 2
Might and Magic III: Isles of Terra
Might and Magic 4: Clouds of Xeen
Eschalon Book 1
Lands of Lore: The Throne of Chaos
Eschalon Book 3
Realms of Arkania II
Realms of Arkania I
Realms of Arkania III
The Bard’s Tale Trilogy Remake Pt 1
Legend of Grimrock 1
Anvil of Dawn
Icewind Dale Enhanced
Ravenloft: Strahd’s Possession

Wonderful thankyou, now I have an even more epic list 👍

I see Baldur’s Gate 1 on there but not 2 - is it no good or you haven't played it?

mtest001 wrote on Yesterday, 19:51:

How long did it take to finish that game?

This took me 50 hours to complete on the Hard difficulty level, but I had already completed the non-Director's Cut version before so I knew exactly what to do. It would probably take a bit longer for someone playing for the first time.