1995-2000 cRPGs | 2000-2005 cRPGs | 2005-2010 cRPGs
Welcome to my cRPG Blog on the History of Computer Role-playing Games, from 1995 to 2000. The RPG games aka PC RPGs released between 1995-2000 are as follows:
Best 1995 cRPGs
From 1993 to 1996, most gamers preferred to play Doom at high framerates rather than doddle around in slideshow cRPGs.
Note that X-COM UFO Defense and Master of Magic are the most advanced pre-1995 cRPGs.
Diablo, Fallout and Baldur's Gate were in the pipeline. While altogether different gaming experiences, these three cRPGs would spark a much-needed Renaissance in cRPG History. Diablo would suggest combat-centric design, Fallout would suggest the simulation of traditional tabletop RPGs and Baldur's Gate would occupy the middleground between them.
1995 cRPG List
- Albion (BlueByte)
- Dungeon Master 2: Legend of Skullkeep (FTL)
- Jagged Alliance: Deadly Games (Sir-Tech)
- Might & Magic: World of Xeen (New World)
- Quest for Glory IV: Shadows of Darkness (Sierra)
- Ravenloft: Stone Prophet (Dreamforge)
Best 1996 cRPGs
1996 saw the release of Diablo (Dec. 31), but 1996 was really the year of Quake. And Quake would own 1997 as well. Quake's 3D engine running at 40 FPS made Diablo's 2D engine running at 20 FPS look like a complete joke.
Diablo 1
However, Diablo's gameplay and 2D aesthetics have aged like a fine wine whereas we can't say that about Daggerfall, which employs scaling sprites in a clunky, low-poly environment.
It could just be wishful thinking on my part, but I'd like to think that if Diablo was released as per its initial pitch of turn-based roguelike instead of realtime hack n slash, it would have been untouchably great. Especially if it was party-based. But no, that wasn't to be.
Diablo is the best 1996 cRPG. No cRPG before Diablo looked and sounded as good or played as well. Still holds up, too.
Diablo is the best 1996 cRPG. No cRPG before Diablo looked and sounded as good or played as well. Still holds up, too.
1996 cRPG List
- Diablo (Blizzard North)
- The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall (Bethesda)
- Nemesis: The Wizardry Adventure (Sir-Tech)
- Heroes of Might and Magic II: The Succession Wars (New World Computing)
- Hiouden - Maou Tachi tono Chikai II (WolfTeam)
- MissionForce CyberStorm (Dynamix)
- Strife: Quest for the Sigil (Rogue Entertainment)
- Amika (GO2)
- Exile II: Crystal Souls (Spiderweb Software)
- Yendorian Tales: Book I - Chapter 2 (SW Games)
- Odyssey: The Legend of Nemesis (Paranoid Productions)
- DeathKeep (Lion Entertainment)
- Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (Silicon Knights/Semi Logic Entertainments)
Best 1997 cRPGs
Like Diablo 1, the influence of Interplay's Fallout 1 on the cRPG genre has been incalculable. For example, there would be no Fallout 2 or Planescape: Torment by Black Isle, no Arcanum, ToEE or Bloodlines by Troika and no KotOR 2, Mask of the Betrayer, New Vegas or Alpha Protocol by Obsidian IF NOT FOR FALLOUT.
In other words, there would have been no cRPG reactivity to follow because the designers of the above cut their teeth on Fallout, and no cRPG before Fallout emphasized reactivity. Thus, Fallout constitutes THE BIRTH of pure cRPGs and, if you're new to the genre, Fallout is the best cRPG to start with.
Fallout is quite obviously the best 1997 cRPG. Fallout is notable because it was the first cRPG to seriously attempt to simulate tabletop gaming; you know, what pure cRPGs are supposed to do.
Before Fallout came along, role-playing a character in the genre was unheard of outside of LARPing. I've covered one aspect of its reactivity, in-depth: its Fallout 1 Time Limit. But Fallout flaunts heaps of stat-, kama- and quest-based reactivity, too.
In addition, Fallout's aesthetics were ground-breaking for a visually-starved genre stuck in the Stone Age. Post-apocalyptic theme aside (gritty visuals), think of the amount of pre-rendered frames employed in the "talking heads" and death animations (thousands).
Sprite-wise, not only were they much more detailed, but Fallout employed many more anim cycles and many more frames per cycle than the subsequent Infinity Engine games. The sprites get blown up, vaporized, melted, dismembered and cut in half!
When we change weapons, our character can actually be seen changing weapons. As well, our characters crouch to pick things up and can even climb ladders! Only Jagged Alliance 2 did more in this respect.
Couple its reactivity and aesthetics with its open-world design and impeccable pacing, and Fallout is inarguably the greatest pure cRPG of all-time.
Anyone who devalues Fallout's legacy or calls it overrated can be safely written off as an ignorant idiot.
The other elite game to come out in 1997 was X-COM Apocalypse. Casual gamers need not apply. Seriously, don't go near X-COM Apocalypse if you are a casual gamer; don't even click the link.
1997 cRPG List
- Fallout (Interplay)
- Descent to Undermountain (Interplay)
- Diablo: Hellfire & Birthright: The Gorgon's Alliance (Synergistic Software)
- Dungeon Keeper (Interplay)
- Lands of Lore 2: Guardians of Destiny (Westwood Studios)
- Betrayal in Antara (Sierra)
- Aleshar: The World of Ice (Hypothermia)
- Realms of Arkania: Shadows Over Riva (Sir-Tech)
- Amulets & Armor (United Software Artists)
- Final Fantasy VII (Square)
- Exile III: Ruined World (Spiderweb Software)
- X-COM: Apocalypse (Mythos Games)
- An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire (Bethesda Softworks)
- Yendorian Tales: The Tyrants of Thaine (SW Games)
- Halls of the Dead: Faery Tale Adventure II (The Dreamers Guild)
- Blades of Exile (Spiderweb Software)
- Lords of Magic (Impressions Games)
Best 1998 cRPGs
Baldur's Gate 1
There can be no doubt that BioWare's Baldur's Gate 1 is the best cRPG of 1998. Baldur's Gate, along with Interplay's Fallout and its Black Isle sequel, Fallout 2, constitute the birth of the "Role-playing Renaissance" declared by then-fledgling dev, BioWare.
Say what you want about present-day BioWare, but early BioWare peaked straight off the bat.
Baldur's Gate and its robust Infinity Engine ushered in a new era for the AD&D 2nd Edition role-playing game, one that not only managed to outdo all party-based cRPGs of the past, but indirectly made a complete mockery of them.
Quite a few current gen or Kickstarter devs have cited Baldur's Gate as a "huge" influence in their pitch; it's how they get people to even look at their games, and it's a bit sad because none of them have come close to matching what eventually became known as the three-part Bhaalspawn Saga.
Fallout 2
Black Isle's Fallout 2 was not as good as its god-tier predecessor. It was larger, offered a lot more content, made some improvements to companion control and the interface in general, but it lost something of the intimacy and pacing of the original Fallout 1, got carried away with pop-culture references, and muddled the lore and world. For example, New Reno has no business being in the Wasteland.
Having laid down its groundwork while at Black Isle, Tim Cain and crew moved on to form Troika, and it shows. Still, and despite having one of the worst starts in cRPG history (cf. Fallout 1 vs Fallout 2), no one can reasonably argue against Fallout 2 being a great game.
Fallout 2 chargen:
The Temple of Trials:
Fallout 2 adventuring party:
1998 cRPG List
- Baldur's Gate (BioWare)
- Fallout 2 (Black Isle Studios)
- Quest for Glory V (Yosemite Entertainment)
- Might & Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven (New World Computing)
- Return to Krondor (7th Level)
- Nethergate (Spiderweb Software)
- Icarus: Sanctuary of the Gods (KRGsoft)
- Dink Smallwood (Robinson Technologies)
- Cybermercs: The Soldiers of The 22nd Century (Digital Impact)
- Rage of Mages (Nival Interactive)
- Avalon (MiG Outpost)
- Hexplore (Doki Denki Studio)
- Lamentation Sword (Trigger Soft)
- Jewel of Arabia: Dreamers (Quarter Note Software)
Best 1999 cRPGs
Jagged Alliance 2
1999 was probably the best year in PC gaming. I mean, what can beat Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri and Jagged Alliance 2?
In 1999, Sir-Tech released not only the best cRPG of 1999 but also the best cRPG of all-time: Jagged Alliance 2: a masterpiece by virtue of broad vision, tremendous ambition and coding wizardry.
JA2 is the top-ranked combat cRPG, the top-ranked isometric cRPG, the top-ranked turn-based cRPG and the top-ranked party-based cRPG. It is ranked first in cRPG writing and 4th in cRPG reactivity.
It is the most intelligently-designed cRPG ever. It is the best-coded cRPG ever. Its user interface, playing field and control systems are almost flawless. Its exploration is non-linear and open-ended. Its attention to detail is unmatched. Even its voice-acting and characterizations are peerless.
In the realm of cRPGs, nothing can match JA2, nothing is in its ballpark and nothing can stand alongside as an equal without being laughed at, booed and egged off-stage. Towering above and casting a shadow over everything else, JA2 stands alone like a mighty monolith. It's almost an insult to call JA2 a computer role-playing game because JA2 transcends the genre, a lowly genre that is unworthy of being graced by its presence. IT'S A GAME: ONE OF THE GREATEST GAMES.
If JA2 was set in a medieval fantasy world that featured elves, dwarves and goblins along with pixies, sparkling magick and damsels in distress, it would be declared by the mainstream as the greatest cRPG of all-time. But merely because its setting is semi-realistic, because it has guns and other modern weapons, because it's just SO GOD DAMN GOOD, the mainstream barely acknowledges its existence -- though some mainstream commentary has begun to acknowledge JA2 since this blog highlighted its virtues for a broader gaming audience. But what excuse do game journos have for ignoring JA2 for 20 years in their rankings?
Laughable.
Update: In 2024, we now have people going out of their way to call Jagged Alliance 2 "overrated". This is what happens when cRPG veteran casuals (yes, they do exist) discover games that absolutely annihilate the games they have been calling masterpieces for 20 years: instead of acknowledging supremacy, they get mad and lash out.
Akin to gimped epic level builds, cRPG veteran casuals are gamers that didn't look beyond BioWare, Bethesda and Blizzard for two decades.
That makes them 90th level builds with Level 1 functionality.
***
Planescape: Torment
Planescape: Torment is regarded by me as having one of the best cRPG stories on PC. Writing aside, its unique and gritty setting along with its faction- and companion-based reactivity impressed people at the time, and it's still held in highest regard by fans of the genre today.
Tales of the Sword Coast
Next, the add-in expansion for Baldur's Gate hosted what I consider to be the greatest dungeon crawl ever in Durlag's Tower. See also: Lead Writer of Baldur's Gate.
1999 cRPG List
- Planescape: Torment (Black Isle Studios)
- Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast (BioWare)
- Jagged Alliance 2 (Sir-Tech)
- System Shock 2 (Irrational Games/Looking Glass Studios)
- Silver (Spiral House)
- Revenant (Cinematix Studios)
- King of Dragon Pass (A Sharp, LLC)
- Lands of Lore 3 (Westwood)
- Ultima IX (Origin Systems)
- Might & Magic VII & Heroes of Might & Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia (New World Computing)
- Septerra Core (Valkyrie Studios)
- Age of Wonders (Triumph Studios, Epic MegaGames)
- Ancient Evil (Silver Lightning)
- Gorky 17/Odium (Metropolis Software / Hyperion Entertainment)
- Dark Secrets of Africa (New Generation Software)
- Darkstone: Evil Reigns (Delphine Software International)
- Rage of Mages II: Necromancer (Nival Interactive)
- Throne of Darkness (Click Entertainment)
- Final Fantasy VIII (Square)
- Cythera (Ambrosia Software)
- King of Dragon Pass (A Sharp, LLC, 1999)
Best 2000 cRPGs
Baldur's Gate 2
2000 was a monster year for cRPGs: Baldur's Gate 2 was critically acclaimed but is actually the second-most overrated cRPG of the Renaissance. It's good, but it's not as good as people think it is. As can clearly be understood by reading BG1 vs BG2, the sequel made too many changes to the original masterpiece's formula.
2000 was a monster year for cRPGs: Baldur's Gate 2 was critically acclaimed but is actually the second-most overrated cRPG of the Renaissance. It's good, but it's not as good as people think it is. As can clearly be understood by reading BG1 vs BG2, the sequel made too many changes to the original masterpiece's formula.
Icewind Dale 1
For Icewind Dale 1, Black Isle eschewed the deep role-playing and cRPG reactivity of their own Planescape: Torment, and the non-linear exploration and questing of BioWare's Baldur's Gate, in favor of a campaign focused on dungeon crawling & tactical combat encounter design.
Many fans embraced the focus on combat and noted that IWD was a polished, well-paced dungeon crawler that made no pretense of deep role-playing and storytelling. Lastly, its painted backdrops and portraits are top-tier, and its OST and VOs are second to none.
For Icewind Dale 1, Black Isle eschewed the deep role-playing and cRPG reactivity of their own Planescape: Torment, and the non-linear exploration and questing of BioWare's Baldur's Gate, in favor of a campaign focused on dungeon crawling & tactical combat encounter design.
Many fans embraced the focus on combat and noted that IWD was a polished, well-paced dungeon crawler that made no pretense of deep role-playing and storytelling. Lastly, its painted backdrops and portraits are top-tier, and its OST and VOs are second to none.
Many fans embraced the focus on combat and noted that IWD was a polished, well-paced dungeon crawler that made no pretense of deep role-playing and storytelling. Lastly, its painted backdrops and portraits are top-tier, and its OST and VOs are second to none.
Deus Ex 1
An immersive sim featuring emergent gameplay, Deus Ex 1 is easily the best 2000 cRPG. Deus Ex is widely considered the greatest action RPG of all-time by people with good taste. This cyberpunk game allowed players to approach areas based on their character build; for an example that is rarely given, those skilled in swimming and with aqualung augmentation could infiltrate paths in which others would become desperate, or simply drown. Also, its itemization and inventory management are impeccable.
cf.
An immersive sim featuring emergent gameplay, Deus Ex 1 is easily the best 2000 cRPG. Deus Ex is widely considered the greatest action RPG of all-time by people with good taste. This cyberpunk game allowed players to approach areas based on their character build; for an example that is rarely given, those skilled in swimming and with aqualung augmentation could infiltrate paths in which others would become desperate, or simply drown. Also, its itemization and inventory management are impeccable.
cf.
Diablo 2
2000 cRPG List
- Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (BioWare)
- Deus Ex (Ion Storm)
- Icewind Dale (Black Isle Studios)
- Diablo II (Blizzard North)
- Nox (Westwood)
- Vampire: The Masquerade - Redemption (Nihilistic Software)
- Might & Magic VIII: Day of the Destroyer (New World Computing)
- Soulbringer (Infogrames)
- Wizards & Warriors (Heuristic Park)
- Avernum & Avernum 2 (Spiderweb Software)
- Jagged Alliance 2: Unfinished Business (Sir-Tech)
- Sea Dogs: An Epic Adventure at Sea (Akella)
- Konung: Legends of the North (1C)
- Dragonfire: The Well of Souls (ComputerHouse GBG AB/Target Games Interactive AB)
- Arcatera: The Dark Brotherhood (Westka Interactive)
- Droiyan 2 Absolute Monarch (KRGSoft)
- Arcatera: The Dark Brotherhood (Westka Interactive GmbH)
- Demise: Rise of the Ku'tan (Artifact Entertainment)
- Europa Universalis (Paradox Development Studio)
Moving on:
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