Party-based Computer Role-playing Games

In cRPG History, party-based cRPGs have been commonplace due to genre focus on the idea of adventuring as Fellowships. By party-based, I mean cRPGs that allow us to adventure with a party or squad, and cRPGs in which parties or squads are integral to tactics and other modes of gameplay.

While it is usually preferred, full party control is not required for cRPGs to qualify as party-based. Note that experts can solo party-based cRPGs (cf. IWD2 solo, BG2 Solo), but that doesn't mean they're not party-based at their core.

In mentioning Fellowship above, I am of course referencing the first book in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings (FotR: 1954). Tolkien specifically referred to the goal of destroying the One Ring as a quest, and that is exactly what the Fellowship sets out to do at Elrond's behest.

Loosely speaking, the Fellowship is a party of adventurers consisting of Wizard, Ranger, Paladin (who Falls), Dwarven Fighter and Elven Archer, with Hobbits being basically synonymous with Rogues. In addition, the Fellowship sing songs like Bards to lift their spirits and often share Lore in context. When the Ring sets out from Rivendell and is taken through the wilderness and into Moria (a dungeon crawl), that segment of storytelling can evoke a template for the traditional party-based Dungeons & Dragons adventure.

List of the Best Party-based cRPGs

Ranked in order of their greatness, the best party-based cRPGs are as follows:

Jagged Alliance 2 (Sir-Tech, 1999)
X-COM UFO Defense (Mythos Games, 1994)
Baldur's Gate 1 (BioWare, 1998)
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura (Troika, 2001)
Icewind Dale 1 (Black Isle Studios, 2000)
Icewind Dale 2 (Black Isle Studios, 2002)
Temple of Elemental Evil (Troika, 2003)
Silent Storm (Nival Interactive, 2003)
Dungeon Rats (Iron Tower Studios, 2016)
Storm of Zehir (Obsidian, 2008)
Planescape: Torment (Black Isle Studios, 1999)
Master of Magic (SimTex, 1994)

Ranked in the order of depth of companion-based interaction and cRPG Reactivity:

Mask of the Betrayer (Obsidian, 2007)
Planescape: Torment (Black Isle Studios, 1999)
Arcanum: Of Steamworks & Magick Obscura (Troika, 2001)

Companion Reactivity in Party Based cRPGs

By "companion-based interaction and cRPG reactivity", I mean companions reacting to our decisions, other NPCs, the story and the gameworld, and vice versa. MotB and PS:T are most notable in this respect because in addition they impact our stats, itemization and quest resolutions in non-trivial ways.

MotB and PS:T companions are part of the story, the world and its lore. While that might sound cool, I think the concept is overrated and over-baked; it's a slippery slope to the cRPG devolving into a relationship sim, which I despise. I much prefer the middle-ground of Baldur's Gate, Jagged Alliance 2 and Arcanum. cRPGs are about adventuring, not standing around talking with companions about history, philosophy and their personal and political issues.