Junior Adventurer's Guild - July: POLL OPEN

[Oyster Sauce]

Games nominated by those who beat Dark Messiah this month

[Valter]

I played Fable Anniversary. Is that the same game as The Lost Chapters?

[Oyster Sauce]

I played Fable Anniversary. Is that the same game as The Lost Chapters?

It's the remake

[rusty_shackleford]

If you want to suck up to the admin, I nominated King's Field: The Ancient City

[wndrbr]

I played Fable Anniversary. Is that the same game as The Lost Chapters?

it's an Unreal engine remake, but a pretty faithful one. Only the graphics were changed, the gameplay and the story remained the same.

[Oyster Sauce]

I played Fable Anniversary. Is that the same game as The Lost Chapters?

it's an Unreal engine remake, but a pretty faithful one. Only the graphics were changed, the gameplay and the story remained the same.

I found that you could mess with .ini settings to fix a lot of the artstyle issues, but that was many moons ago

[Eyestabber]

It's about time a real RPG was selected, so ToEE is the morally correct choice. Don't let the peasants win!

[wndrbr]

I played Fable Anniversary. Is that the same game as The Lost Chapters?

it's an Unreal engine remake, but a pretty faithful one. Only the graphics were changed, the gameplay and the story remained the same.

I found that you could mess with .ini settings to fix a lot of the artstyle issues, but that was many moons ago

might be a controversial opinion, but i think both the OG Fable and the Anniversary remake look equally ugly.

[rusty_shackleford]

ToEE isn't particularly good and there's a reason it sold so poorly beyond being woefully unfinished. It's a game for 3.5e nerds and that's about it.

[Tweed]

Time to Nox up the HQ:

NOX - Preview [VHS] (Westwood Studios/EA, 2000)
Trailer : Nox (PC, 2000)

[Dorateen]

Temple of Elemental Evil it is.

[Valter]

****, torn between KOTOR 2 and Witcher. Also Parasite Eve though I haven't played that one, just curious since I hear the plot is unhinged.

[rusty_shackleford]

If you want to suck up to the admin, I nominated King's Field: The Ancient City

Nobody wants to dungeon crawl?

[Tweed]

Why hasn't @J1M voted for his game yet?

[SpellSword]

Time to Nox up the HQ:

NOX - Preview [VHS] (Westwood Studios/EA, 2000)
Trailer : Nox (PC, 2000)

The pull of Front Mission's giant robots is strong... but I'll put my vote behind Nox.

I'm intrigued by the concept of a western Isekai, diablo clone made by the developer of Command & Conquer.

If you want to suck up to the admin, I nominated King's Field: The Ancient City

Nobody wants to dungeon crawl?

► The trailer looks good:

King's Field 4 Trailer 2

► Nice soundtrack as well:

King's Field IV Track - Main Theme

Vexingly, I'm not setup to emulate PS2 at the moment.

[Tweed]

I'd be in for Kangz Field if I wasn't already in for Nox, even though Rusty doesn't know how to count. KF games are like discount, Japanese versions of Ultima Underworld, but p.fun.

The pull of Front Mission's giant robots is strong... but I'll put my vote behind Nox.

I'm intrigued by the concept of a western Isekai, diablo clone from the year 2000 made by the developer of Command & Conquer.

It's decent fun and when you know the history of the development it's a marvel of game design what Westwood pulled off with what little they were given by EA.

[Acrux]

ToEE isn't particularly good and there's a reason it sold so poorly beyond being woefully unfinished. It's a game for 3.5e nerds and that's about it.

Before anyone takes rusty's word on this, remind yourself of the games he's lauded over the years.

[rusty_shackleford]

ToEE isn't particularly good and there's a reason it sold so poorly beyond being woefully unfinished. It's a game for 3.5e nerds and that's about it.

Before anyone takes rusty's word on this, remind yourself of the games he's lauded over the years.

Games like ToEE are barely more than just X-COM with some extra character stats. Wholly detached from the actual RPG experience of your character's story but instead a tactical combat simulator for small scale warfare with units you command.
Too many people forget that D&D wasn't even intended to be played with miniatures let alone a tactical map. D&D was not "Chainmail but more", it was a hard break from Chainmail with some bones thrown for sales.

When I write the original D&D ms. I wasn't sure how many of the players would be cming directly from CHAINMAIL. when it became apparent that only a small fractin of D&D fans were also miniatures players, I wnet with the system that suited the game.

No, as far as I am concerned miniature figurines are more of an impediment to the imagination required for RPGing than they are a help...save in combat situations.
However, as RPGs are not meant to be accurate/realistic combat simulation exercises, the use of miniatures tends to cause an erroneous focus to the play. Yur questin about weapon length highlights this point.
The only time weapon speed and length should be used is when a critical combat between an Avatar and one ot more NACs is being conducted. In general melee with a party, ignore those factors and use initiative only without uncluding them.

Tactical combat in 3e was a complete deviation from what came prior.

If ToEE was sci-fi instead of fantasy, it would be labeled a tactical game or tactics-RPG hybrid. Much like how the Hexen games get labeled RPG despite just being Doom with a fantasy aesthetic.

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When you can't identify your own personal character in the story, then it moves out of the RPG genre into a tactical combat genre. It's why ULTIMA was the true adaptation of D&D as intended, not WIZARDRY.

[Acrux]

I don't disagree with any of that. It's still a good game.

[chud_irenicus]

I assume there's a top-2 runoff vote in the event of a tie? Or is there one regardless? Would be cool to have one even if it's not a tie, runoff voting tends to produce more flexibility in what people are willing to choose (i.e. choosing true favorite vs. choosing favorite-most-likely-to-win).

Nobody wants to dungeon crawl?

I didn't realize what game this was before I voted. Definitely want to play that at some point, could vote for it next time.

I picked ToEE because it was more familiar and I hadn't played it before, seemed cool.

Could be handy for nominators to include a single screenshot + blurb (i.e. sales pitch) to be included in the top post in the vote thread, so voters could look it over before choosing. I realize I could go and Google each game myself but, lazy, and it didn't occur to me.

[Tinky Winky]

ToEE is winning... The site is healing...

[mercerxiv]

Nox I can actually recommend. It's an oldie, but a hella fun cRPG-esque game.

[chud_irenicus]

Could be handy for nominators to include a single screenshot + blurb (i.e. sales pitch) to be included in the top post in the vote thread, so voters could look it over before choosing. I realize I could go and Google each game myself but, lazy, and it didn't occur to me.

I realized this is a job for AI. I don't actually know enough about most of these games to confirm if these are good blurbs.

Looking at this I suddenly find myself wishing I had selected Witcher.

► Summaries

One spoiler-free, atmosphere-first screenshot and a short sales pitch for every nominee.

Fable: The Lost Chapters



Begin as nobody and grow into the sort of hero—or public nuisance—the world remembers. Fable pairs brisk action, playful British fantasy, and choices that visibly shape your reputation, appearance, and legend.

Screenshot source

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Front Mission



Command a squad of walking tanks in tense, turn-based battles where every weapon and limb matters. Between missions, tune your machines, weigh hard choices, and push through a grounded military drama built for armchair tacticians.

Screenshot source

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Gothic II



Enter a rough-edged fantasy world that does not roll out a red carpet for you. Earn every scrap of respect, explore a living island on your own terms, and discover why danger feels better when the world refuses to revolve around the player.

Screenshot source

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I Was a Teenage Exocolonist



Grow up on a dazzling alien planet where every season brings new friendships, skills, and possibilities. Part life sim, part card-driven narrative RPG, it turns a decade of choices into a deeply personal science-fiction coming-of-age story.

Screenshot source

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Jade Empire



Master elegant martial arts, mystical techniques, and sharp conversation in a fantasy realm inspired by Chinese mythology. Your style, companions, and decisions help forge a legend that feels equal parts kung-fu epic and classic BioWare adventure.

Screenshot source

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King's Field: The Ancient City



Step slowly into an ancient, interconnected ruin where every corridor feels dangerous and every discovery feels earned. Its deliberate first-person combat and oppressive atmosphere reward patience, curiosity, and a willingness to get thoroughly lost.

Screenshot source

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Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords



Return to a wounded galaxy where the Force is less a simple answer than a difficult question. Build your crew, shape your path, and explore a darker, more reflective Star Wars RPG filled with tense choices and memorable companions.

Screenshot source

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Nox



Pick a warrior, conjurer, or wizard and tear through a fast, colorful fantasy world built for clever combat. With distinct campaigns, tactile spells, and arcade-like momentum, Nox is the action RPG for anyone who thinks dungeon crawling should move at a sprint.

Screenshot source

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Parasite Eve



A cinematic RPG-thriller brings supernatural terror to modern New York with a striking blend of tactical battles and survival-horror tension. It is stylish, eerie, and compact—the sort of late-night game that makes an ordinary city feel suddenly unsafe.

Screenshot source

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The Temple of Elemental Evil



Gather a party and test your tabletop instincts in one of the most faithful digital takes on classic Dungeons & Dragons combat. Deep character building, turn-based tactics, and richly detailed isometric environments make every encounter feel like a miniature campaign night.

Screenshot source

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The Witcher



Walk a muddy, morally tangled fantasy world as a professional monster hunter armed with steel, silver, and hard-earned judgment. Investigation, alchemy, and consequential choices give this adventure a distinct identity far removed from clean-cut fairy tales.

Screenshot source

[Acrux]

I assume there's a top-2 runoff vote in the event of a tie? Or is there one regardless? Would be cool to have one even if it's not a tie, runoff voting tends to produce more flexibility in what people are willing to choose (i.e. choosing true favorite vs. choosing favorite-most-likely-to-win).

Nobody wants to dungeon crawl?

I didn't realize what game this was before I voted. Definitely want to play that at some point, could vote for it next time.

I picked ToEE because it was more familiar and I hadn't played it before, seemed cool.

Could be handy for nominators to include a single screenshot + blurb (i.e. sales pitch) to be included in the top post in the vote thread, so voters could look it over before choosing. I realize I could go and Google each game myself but, lazy, and it didn't occur to me.

J1M decides

[Tweed]

John Romero is the blame for Heretic being Doom with a fantasy skin. Romero was helping them out and made suggestions Raven didn't feel comfortable questioning at the time, otherwise it would have been far more of an RPG. Hexen adopted a couple of RPG elements, but it was Hexen II that finally added in leveling, individual skills for classes, and junk like that.

[chud_irenicus]

John Romero is the blame for Heretic being Doom with a fantasy skin. Romero was helping them out and made suggestions Raven didn't feel comfortable questioning at the time, otherwise it would have been far more of an RPG. Hexen adopted a couple of RPG elements, but it was Hexen II that finally added in leveling, individual skills for classes, and junk like that.

Okay this has finally confirmed it, I am ********. I played the HELL out of Hexen 2 as a kid and I don't remember ever being aware there was leveling or passive skills mechanics at all.