Thursday, June 12, 2008

Single Player RPGs of 2008 - 2009

So, its been said single player RPGs are dead due to the success of World of Warcraft, and other MMORPGs. Well, that's probably as inaccurate as console fanboys claiming that PC gaming is dead. Without any real research or digging, here's the short list of single player RPGs in 08-09 in no particular order.


Knights of the Chalice
Indie RPG, returns to the old school turn based days of the SSI gold box. This game won the Gamebanshee '09 indie award.

TorchLight - Nov 2009
Developed and Music by the folks that did Diablo 1 & 2, and the folks from now defunct Flagship Studios. This Action-RPG was quickly developed using the open source engine OGRE.

Time of Shadows - Sept 2009
First game was so bad (Dawn of Magic) they changed the name for the sequel in America. An Action RPG, ie Diablo clone.

Venetica- Q4 2009
Your the daughter of Death, and pissed your not picked to be next successor in line.

Dragon Age: Origins -Oct 2009
Spiritual successor to Bioware's Baldurs Gate, and yes Bioware still makes PC games...geez.

Eschalon: Book 2 - Q2 2009
Has classic turn based combat, like Goldbox SSI games. 2nd of a trilogy.

Divinity 2: Ego Draconis - Q3 2009
Sequel to Divine Divinity, a Belgium developed game.

Risen - October 2009
Fantasy German ARPG, about a dude (you) stuck on an island.

King's Bounty: Armored Princess - 2009
Expansion to the Might and Magic style game King's Bonty: The Legend

Alpha Protocol - 2010
A modern day RPG. Think Bond meets Sam Fisher. Obsidian must be tired of swords and Dwarfs.

Dungeon Lords: The Orb and the Oracle - TBD
Nothing known on this other then the first had poor reviews, so the team has much baggage to shake off.

Dark Eye: Drakensang - Feb 2009
Germans love it, international release in 2009. Based on Northland Trilogy.
Metacritic: 74

NWN2: Mysteries of Westgate - April 2009
Listed as an "adventure pack" which will have a very low price, probably DLC only, 8-15 hr gameplay, and few new monsters, etc. Made by Ossian, to be story rich.
Metacritic: 73

The Last Remnant - March 2009
Originally slated only for consoles. Will have button timed combat; typical console novelty. For those that care, this is an Asian style RPG, think Final Fantasy.
Metacritic: 65

King's Bounty: The Legend - Sept 2008
Heroes of Might & Magic style game play (turn based). Game was delayed in US due to Russian translation to English.
Metacritic: 80

Fallout 3 - Oct 2008
Greatest Sci-fi RPG series ever. Sadly, new developers this round.
Metacritic: 91

Mass Effect PC - May 2008
From Bioware, one of the top selling X360 games last year. Improvements made for the PC.
Metacritic: 89

Sacred 2 - Nov 2008, Arpg
Diablo Clone. Will also have 16 player "free-mode".
Metacritic: 71

Space Siege - August 2008, Arpg
From the makers of Dungeon Siege...this is sci-fi Dungeon Siege.
Metacritic: 60

The Witcher Enhanced - September 2008
Play it the way the game was supposed to turn out, before it was rushed out the door. Free download for those that own the game.
Metacritic: 86

NWN2: Storm of Zehir- Nov 2008
2nd release from Obsidian for NWN2. Stand alone campaign to add new everything, and 15hr gameplay.
Metacritic: 73

Mount & Blade - September 2008
Made by a Turkish developer. Game will use the shareware model. Game will highlight calvary combat.
Metacritic: 72

Two Worlds: The Temptation - Q4 2008
Sequel to Two Worlds. Similar to Oblivion gameplay.

Age of Decadence -TBA
Turn based, old school.

The Broken Hourglass - TBA
Baldur's Gate 2 inspired

Fable 2 - Not Announced ...Yet.
Promises new immersion like we've never seen before. And you get a dog too. Well, okay we've seen that before. Not announce for PC, yet...but it is a Microsoft X360 game...so...that means it'll be on PC too.

Updated 8/2009

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