bring forth the swords shields and magic
it’s time for some old-fashioned
role-playing welcome to watchmojo.com
and she’ll be counting down our picks
for the top ten classic Western RPGs
here we’ll be taking a look at games
from the 80s and 90s that best embodied
the tropes and style of western
role-playing fiction games that were
released from the year 2000 and onward
we’ll be getting a list of their own so
sad
so sad we’re not including MMORPGs as
they have their own list and we are
placing a limit of one game per
franchise number 10 the Bard’s Tale with
a song to be sung and a tale to be told
there’s more than a few reasons to give
this game a look the Bard’s Tale follows
a group of adventurers venturing through
the town of skara brae while battling
monsters in its dungeons and catacombs
though it’s narrative is certainly
respectable the game is more remembered
for its openness and role-playing
options and high-quality visuals
and that’s without bringing up how bard
party members can both provide helpful
buffs and play songs that solve in-game
puzzles now that’s a dedication to the
theme number 9 dungeon master to The
Legend of skull deep familiar yet
distinct would be a fitting term here
dungeon master 2 commences in an
underground cavern where the player
selects their party from a variety of
cryogenically frozen warriors magic
users and assorted adventurers there our
champions are powerful than I expected
on chaos from there it’s a noble quest
to lay siege to the fortress of skull
key in order to prevent the arrival of
an invasion force the game’s focus on
exploration and experimentation is
pivotal magic spells are created through
mixing items there are secrets and
hidden areas to uncover and the world is
packed with risks and rewards in equal
measure number 8 Shadowrun cyberpunk and
role-playing a match made in heaven thus
we have the setup for the Sega Genesis
and SNES game Shadowrun players take on
the role of Joshua a man investigating
his brother’s death in a technologically
advanced Seattle all while being drawn
into a grander mystery
Shadowrun smartly divides into three
story branches matching with the game’s
sandbox designed to create an open-ended
experience factor in a karma system in
place of experience points and the
ability to change Joshua’s skills over
time you have a game that stands out
from the pack number seven the elder
scrolls two Daggerfall scope is key here
with ambition as a close second
Daggerfall the sequel to 1994’s the
Elder Scrolls arena certainly begins
with an interesting hook the player is
asked to assist an emperor with two
tasks
freeing a king’s ghost and investigating
a letters disappearance
however the game then opens up and its
scope is awe-inspiring
there’s a spell creation system a
complex political system equipment and
chant meant and variable melee combat
all viable options in a game world said
to be 160 1,600 square kilometers in
size
the
number six System Shock 2 it may not be
the deepest RPG on this list but it’s
definitely the scariest basically
writing the book on creepy spaceships
chilling audio logs and sci-fi horror
games in general the atmosphere that
oozed out of every pore of this game
just barely concealed its hardcore RPG
roots although at first it appears to be
just another shooter underneath the
surface you’ll find a punishingly
restrictive RPG one where you have
limited inventory space and a constant
need to upgrade your skills and
abilities in order to even have the
faintest hope of getting out alive
remember
legatus my will that guy did you hear
number 5 wasteland venture into the post
nuclear wastes if you dare
wasteland puts gamers in the role of a
party of desert Rangers exploring the
radioactive ruins of America as part of
an investigation said premise gives way
to a nonlinear and persistent game world
wherein challenges could be deadly and
problems can be solved through a variety
of skills though remembered most for its
impressive difficulty wasteland also
stood out for its statistic based
experience system permitting players to
develop whatever skills they desired
number 4 Ultima 7 the black gate
developed by origin systems this
remarkable RPG stands the test of time
as the seventh installment of the Ultima
series the Black Gate served to inject
the game’s formula with new features
ranging from real-time gameplay to party
members being controlled by AI to the
introduction of a dialogue treat
matched by a darker take on the land of
Britannia a vast number of objects with
which to interact and a subtle morality
system Ultima 7 was something to respect
and adore in equal measure know that my
tanya has entered into a new way of
enlightenment number three Planescape
torment the multiverse can be a sick and
twisted place but it also seems really
awesome that’s the odd charm of
Planescape torment an isometric RPG
based on the Planescape campaign setting
of Dungeons & Dragons like its worst
material the game focuses on strategic
combat and a dense collection of quirky
characters and locales all of which
circulate around the nameless one the
player’s avatar and a fascinating
antihero driven by his own lost identity
truly this is role-playing at its finest
number two fallout 2 war war never
changes as much as we love the original
fallout it’s follow-up brings much more
to the table 80 years after the first
game our fabled hero the chosen one
ventures into the post nuclear wastes in
search of a means to save his village
chosen one huh well pardon me for not
blowing sunshine up your ass but I’m a
little too busy for this your highness
fallout 2 takes the skill system and
action point combat of the first game
meshing both with a large open world
setting and a narrative rich with
engaging characters and quests to create
a role-playing game that balances scope
and depth war may never change but the
Fallout series does and it did for the
better it is said it can be life to the
wasteland before we unveil our top pick
here are a few honorable mentions
number one Diablo hello my friend stay a
while and listen developed by Blizzard
North Diablo is the resulting brilliance
that came effusing real-time action a 3d
isometric style and precious precious
loot its narrative is relatively simple
you are a lone hero sent to save a small
town from the unspeakable evil that
plagues them but it’s really the
gameplay that’s so key here the game
finds a healthy balance between hack and
slash combat and classic role-playing
item management creating an incredibly
addictive gameplay loop with remarkably
punchy satisfying combat it’s dark
intense atmospheric and an absolute
classic through and through I’m still
waiting for you to bring me that storm
from the heavens I know that I can make
something powerful out of it do you
agree with our list
oh yeah wise guy huh look I’m tracing
you right now pal
we’ll see how smart you feel with
internal security all over your freaking
ass dickhead what’s your favorite
classic western RPG for more nostalgic
Tom 10s published every day be sure to
subscribe to watchmojo.com
you
it’s time for some old-fashioned
role-playing welcome to watchmojo.com
and she’ll be counting down our picks
for the top ten classic Western RPGs
here we’ll be taking a look at games
from the 80s and 90s that best embodied
the tropes and style of western
role-playing fiction games that were
released from the year 2000 and onward
we’ll be getting a list of their own so
sad
so sad we’re not including MMORPGs as
they have their own list and we are
placing a limit of one game per
franchise number 10 the Bard’s Tale with
a song to be sung and a tale to be told
there’s more than a few reasons to give
this game a look the Bard’s Tale follows
a group of adventurers venturing through
the town of skara brae while battling
monsters in its dungeons and catacombs
though it’s narrative is certainly
respectable the game is more remembered
for its openness and role-playing
options and high-quality visuals
and that’s without bringing up how bard
party members can both provide helpful
buffs and play songs that solve in-game
puzzles now that’s a dedication to the
theme number 9 dungeon master to The
Legend of skull deep familiar yet
distinct would be a fitting term here
dungeon master 2 commences in an
underground cavern where the player
selects their party from a variety of
cryogenically frozen warriors magic
users and assorted adventurers there our
champions are powerful than I expected
on chaos from there it’s a noble quest
to lay siege to the fortress of skull
key in order to prevent the arrival of
an invasion force the game’s focus on
exploration and experimentation is
pivotal magic spells are created through
mixing items there are secrets and
hidden areas to uncover and the world is
packed with risks and rewards in equal
measure number 8 Shadowrun cyberpunk and
role-playing a match made in heaven thus
we have the setup for the Sega Genesis
and SNES game Shadowrun players take on
the role of Joshua a man investigating
his brother’s death in a technologically
advanced Seattle all while being drawn
into a grander mystery
Shadowrun smartly divides into three
story branches matching with the game’s
sandbox designed to create an open-ended
experience factor in a karma system in
place of experience points and the
ability to change Joshua’s skills over
time you have a game that stands out
from the pack number seven the elder
scrolls two Daggerfall scope is key here
with ambition as a close second
Daggerfall the sequel to 1994’s the
Elder Scrolls arena certainly begins
with an interesting hook the player is
asked to assist an emperor with two
tasks
freeing a king’s ghost and investigating
a letters disappearance
however the game then opens up and its
scope is awe-inspiring
there’s a spell creation system a
complex political system equipment and
chant meant and variable melee combat
all viable options in a game world said
to be 160 1,600 square kilometers in
size
the
number six System Shock 2 it may not be
the deepest RPG on this list but it’s
definitely the scariest basically
writing the book on creepy spaceships
chilling audio logs and sci-fi horror
games in general the atmosphere that
oozed out of every pore of this game
just barely concealed its hardcore RPG
roots although at first it appears to be
just another shooter underneath the
surface you’ll find a punishingly
restrictive RPG one where you have
limited inventory space and a constant
need to upgrade your skills and
abilities in order to even have the
faintest hope of getting out alive
remember
legatus my will that guy did you hear
number 5 wasteland venture into the post
nuclear wastes if you dare
wasteland puts gamers in the role of a
party of desert Rangers exploring the
radioactive ruins of America as part of
an investigation said premise gives way
to a nonlinear and persistent game world
wherein challenges could be deadly and
problems can be solved through a variety
of skills though remembered most for its
impressive difficulty wasteland also
stood out for its statistic based
experience system permitting players to
develop whatever skills they desired
number 4 Ultima 7 the black gate
developed by origin systems this
remarkable RPG stands the test of time
as the seventh installment of the Ultima
series the Black Gate served to inject
the game’s formula with new features
ranging from real-time gameplay to party
members being controlled by AI to the
introduction of a dialogue treat
matched by a darker take on the land of
Britannia a vast number of objects with
which to interact and a subtle morality
system Ultima 7 was something to respect
and adore in equal measure know that my
tanya has entered into a new way of
enlightenment number three Planescape
torment the multiverse can be a sick and
twisted place but it also seems really
awesome that’s the odd charm of
Planescape torment an isometric RPG
based on the Planescape campaign setting
of Dungeons & Dragons like its worst
material the game focuses on strategic
combat and a dense collection of quirky
characters and locales all of which
circulate around the nameless one the
player’s avatar and a fascinating
antihero driven by his own lost identity
truly this is role-playing at its finest
number two fallout 2 war war never
changes as much as we love the original
fallout it’s follow-up brings much more
to the table 80 years after the first
game our fabled hero the chosen one
ventures into the post nuclear wastes in
search of a means to save his village
chosen one huh well pardon me for not
blowing sunshine up your ass but I’m a
little too busy for this your highness
fallout 2 takes the skill system and
action point combat of the first game
meshing both with a large open world
setting and a narrative rich with
engaging characters and quests to create
a role-playing game that balances scope
and depth war may never change but the
Fallout series does and it did for the
better it is said it can be life to the
wasteland before we unveil our top pick
here are a few honorable mentions
number one Diablo hello my friend stay a
while and listen developed by Blizzard
North Diablo is the resulting brilliance
that came effusing real-time action a 3d
isometric style and precious precious
loot its narrative is relatively simple
you are a lone hero sent to save a small
town from the unspeakable evil that
plagues them but it’s really the
gameplay that’s so key here the game
finds a healthy balance between hack and
slash combat and classic role-playing
item management creating an incredibly
addictive gameplay loop with remarkably
punchy satisfying combat it’s dark
intense atmospheric and an absolute
classic through and through I’m still
waiting for you to bring me that storm
from the heavens I know that I can make
something powerful out of it do you
agree with our list
oh yeah wise guy huh look I’m tracing
you right now pal
we’ll see how smart you feel with
internal security all over your freaking
ass dickhead what’s your favorite
classic western RPG for more nostalgic
Tom 10s published every day be sure to
subscribe to watchmojo.com
you
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