Somehow I’ve never played it. As a 90s cRPG veteran it is interesting to go fresh into a cRPG and be smacked with a lot of confusion about mechanics and stats that I don’t have from games I’m used to playing. It took me a frustratingly long amount of time to figure out how to use the world map travel.
As seems to be a trend with Tim Cain games, the combat isn’t very good but the game is carried by the social detail, world, and variety in how to approach quests. I’m going for a social build with a lean towards magic in order to get the most out of social interactions.
Yes it is. Drog’s patch is the universally recommended patch that fixes bugs and has a lot of optional changes like adding new playable races, removing annoying sound effects, and more evenly distributing party experience instead of a per-hit system.
Is Drog’s patch the Multiverse Edition? That’s what I played back in like January when I played Arcanum for the first time. Fixes a lot of things but still can’t polish the turd that is Arcanum combat sadly.
Better recommendations for… what? For Arcanum or for RPGs in general? 😄Multiverse Edition was pretty good as far as Arcanum goes and I’m glad to have played it, but there are certainly better CRPGs out there.
I will begin by pushing my personal agenda: Jade Empire is a super underrated older Bioware game and I think could fit your description. While you do amass a large set of followers over the course of the story, they mainly reside at camp. While out and adventuring you’re only ever bringing with you one at a time: exactly the sidekick you’re looking for!
If you want to stay isometric I hold Baldur’s Gate 2 very highly as far as retro RPGs go. You do have a party of six there however. You only have 3 companions for the first few hours though, so at least you get eased into it. And you could just choose to not have a full party if you want. Will make the game a bit harder, mind.
Fallout 1&2 are also retro RPGs and pretty much just better than Arcanum in every way. Not really a party focused experience, you can have companions but they’re more like the sidekicks you mentioned.
Neverwinter Nights 2 just recently got an enhanced edition and that’s also a smaller party experience. The main campaign is decent, but the expansion Mask of the Betrayer is often brought up as one of the best CRPG stories of all time and heralded for its stellar writing.
I tried baldurs gate (3?) and it was like 6 persons right away and I died in the tutorial (I guess you have yo use each and ones special abilities to overcome the others weaknesses ir something).
I’m not a fallout person, a shame it wasn’t a more fantasy setting 😁
Played nwn back in the day, liked it a lot, but when I retried it lately it felt really old, I’ll have a look at nwn2.
Arcanum. (with Drog’s patch)
Somehow I’ve never played it. As a 90s cRPG veteran it is interesting to go fresh into a cRPG and be smacked with a lot of confusion about mechanics and stats that I don’t have from games I’m used to playing. It took me a frustratingly long amount of time to figure out how to use the world map travel.
As seems to be a trend with Tim Cain games, the combat isn’t very good but the game is carried by the social detail, world, and variety in how to approach quests. I’m going for a social build with a lean towards magic in order to get the most out of social interactions.
curious if you are on [email protected]
I am now.
Arcanum, is it that one that starts with a blimp crash?
If so, what’s Drogs patch?
Looking for something along those lines…
Cheers
Yes it is. Drog’s patch is the universally recommended patch that fixes bugs and has a lot of optional changes like adding new playable races, removing annoying sound effects, and more evenly distributing party experience instead of a per-hit system.
Is Drog’s patch the Multiverse Edition? That’s what I played back in like January when I played Arcanum for the first time. Fixes a lot of things but still can’t polish the turd that is Arcanum combat sadly.
Thanks! I might have a go at it again then. Or if you have any better recommendations 😊!
Better recommendations for… what? For Arcanum or for RPGs in general? 😄Multiverse Edition was pretty good as far as Arcanum goes and I’m glad to have played it, but there are certainly better CRPGs out there.
I’d love a good old rpg 😊! Especially a non group one, or like a side kick or small group but when you start out with 7 it’s too much for me.
I will begin by pushing my personal agenda: Jade Empire is a super underrated older Bioware game and I think could fit your description. While you do amass a large set of followers over the course of the story, they mainly reside at camp. While out and adventuring you’re only ever bringing with you one at a time: exactly the sidekick you’re looking for!
If you want to stay isometric I hold Baldur’s Gate 2 very highly as far as retro RPGs go. You do have a party of six there however. You only have 3 companions for the first few hours though, so at least you get eased into it. And you could just choose to not have a full party if you want. Will make the game a bit harder, mind.
Fallout 1&2 are also retro RPGs and pretty much just better than Arcanum in every way. Not really a party focused experience, you can have companions but they’re more like the sidekicks you mentioned.
Neverwinter Nights 2 just recently got an enhanced edition and that’s also a smaller party experience. The main campaign is decent, but the expansion Mask of the Betrayer is often brought up as one of the best CRPG stories of all time and heralded for its stellar writing.
Thank You!
I’ll checknout jade empire for sure!
I tried baldurs gate (3?) and it was like 6 persons right away and I died in the tutorial (I guess you have yo use each and ones special abilities to overcome the others weaknesses ir something).
I’m not a fallout person, a shame it wasn’t a more fantasy setting 😁
Played nwn back in the day, liked it a lot, but when I retried it lately it felt really old, I’ll have a look at nwn2.
Cheers !
No, it’s from here:
https://terra-arcanum.com/drog/uap.html
Ah I see. It’s included in Multiverse (plus a lot more). I can recommend it if you’re ever doing a second playthrough, I thought it was pretty good!