Need RPG with Over the Shoulder Camera Recommendation

[rabadi]

Hi RPG expert guys and gals, lately I am slightly bored (hopefully not for long though) with either Third Person Isometric and/or First Person view in RPG, so I am looking for RPG with a different view: Over the Shoulder camera. Prime examples of games with Over the Shoulder view that I like are Tomb Raider series, Star Wars: Jedi Knight II - Jedi Outcast, Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Jedi Academy, Star Trek Deep Space Nine: The Fallen, Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine, etc. Except that they are all Action Adventure games, not RPG. I am specifically looking for RPG with this view.

Good and evil alignment as well as possibility to change the outcome or alter the course of the game or have different endings (for example a la Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic series) are definitely a plus but not mandatory.

Options to switch from Over the Shoulder view to First Person view (for example a la Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines) is not necessary.

Real-time combat with pause option is preferred. However, normal real-time combat or even turn-based combat is alright.

Non typical fantasy medieval setting, for example futuristic/sci-fi, steampunk, post-apocalyptic, is also nice, but again is not a requirement.

Preferably not a game that requires lots of RAM and video memory as my laptop currently only has 512MB RAM and 128MB video memory. Therefore newer games like Drakensang: The Dark Eye, The Witcher, Mass Effect, Shadowrun, etc., regardless of whether they employ Over the Shoulder view or not, are sadly out of my league for now. I am saving to buy a better gaming laptop, but I am afraid that has to wait at least for another year or so :(

Sorry for all those restricting condition, but if you RPG experts have any recommendation anyway, I'd love to hear it from you. Thanks in advance! :3:

EDIT: The VGA RAM is actually 256MB, not 128MB.

[viejator]

Try OVERLORD-- is not exaclty a RPG but is great :thumbs:

[Maxor127]

There's Fable, but it might not run on your laptop even though it's like 5 years old now. Plus it's probably too hard to control unless you have a real mouse and keyboard to hook up.

The Prince of Persia: Sands of Time trilogy games are platformers, but you might like them. I think the first one is good, second one is meh, and third one is kind of a mix between the last two.

An older game is Omikron: The Nomad Soul, but I barely played it. It barely ran on my computer back then and was a bit intimidating, but it might seem primitive now.

Gothic II was a solid RPG. I can't speak for the other two Gothic games because I haven't played them. That's all I can think of for the PC. Consoles have a lot more RPGs like that.

Otherwise, the best you'll find is probably Bioware/Obsidian games, most of which probably won't run on your laptop... Knights of the Old Republic 1 & 2, Neverwinter Nights 1 & 2, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Jade Empire, etc.

[rabadi]

Try OVERLORD-- is not exaclty a RPG but is great :thumbs:
I just read the review on Gamespot, and it does sound fun. I am going to check it out. Thanks for the suggestion! :)

The Prince of Persia: Sands of Time trilogy games are platformers, but you might like them. I think the first one is good, second one is meh, and third one is kind of a mix between the last two.
I did play and finish the first one. I lost interest of the second one just after playing it for a few hours. Unfortunately I do not have the third one.

Gothic II was a solid RPG. I can't speak for the other two Gothic games because I haven't played them.
Of course! Gothic is exactly an Over the Shoulder view RPG! I had tried out the Gothic I demo several years ago, but somehow I forgot about this. Thanks for reminding me.

Otherwise, the best you'll find is probably Bioware/Obsidian games, most of which probably won't run on your laptop... Knights of the Old Republic 1 & 2, Neverwinter Nights 1 & 2, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Jade Empire, etc.
I have played and finished Knights of the Old Republic I & II, that's why I mentioned them in my post above. They actually played without problem on my laptop. Again thanks for the other sugestions :thumbs:

[Tomekk]

Dragon Age : Origins :rocks:

You can adjust the camera to isometric or over-the-shoulder any time, and it's great! :D

[TotalAnarchy]

right, except you guys don't see he mentioned he doesn't have an ultra new PC.

[hunvagy]

Ultima IX :) Also Anachronox may be worth a try.

[Maxor127]

I suppose King's Quest 8: Mask of the Eternity could be considered an RPG. Good luck getting it to run though. I lost interest in it after playing a little. The ugly 3D graphics, which may or may not have looked awesome 10 years ago, just look ugly now or even 5 years ago when I probably tried playing it. Plus it was buggy as hell. I'd like to return to it one day though just to say I played it and won it.

Return to Krondor is another game that comes to mind. I enjoyed it back in the day. Familiarity with the Raymond E. Feist books and Betrayal at Krondor might help, but isn't that necessary.

I suppose Vampire the Masquerade: Redemption would fit too.

Might check out the Grand Theft Auto games. San Andreas is the most like an RPG. You level up stats and everything.

[supa_mario]

What about Vampire the masquerade: bloodlines (Better than redemption^) If your PC can run Half life 2 it should run it fine.

[rabadi]

Also Anachronox may be worth a try.
Yes I have heard about Anachronox before. Will check it later, thanks!

I suppose King's Quest 8: Mask of the Eternity could be considered an RPG. Good luck getting it to run though. I lost interest in it after playing a little. The ugly 3D graphics, which may or may not have looked awesome 10 years ago, just look ugly now or even 5 years ago when I probably tried playing it.
Agree. I did try out the demo several years ago, and lost interest immediately, especially after comparing it with Quest for Glory V, which was roughly released in the same year.

I suppose Vampire the Masquerade: Redemption would fit too.
I consider Redemption to be regular Third Person view RPG, albeit not Isometric, and not Over the Shoulder view. Anyway I have already finished it, and in fact I started a thread about it here (http://www.abandonia.com/vbullet/showthread.php?t=21833).

What about Vampire the masquerade: bloodlines (Better than redemption^) If your PC can run Half life 2 it should run it fine.
Yes, I have been playing it since late December, that's why I also mentioned it in my original post above. My progress is slow, though. So many things to do :)

[Scatty]

Not that many RPG's with such view there, compared to the first person view. I for my part second that with Gothic I, Gothic II + the expansion Night of the Raven (absolutely recommended to install that one as well) and Ultima 9. As for Ultima 9 I would also recommend to install the unofficial community patch after installing the last official patch, the game is still quite buggy with only the official patch.

[riccso]

Real third-person RPGs: Gothic I,II+exp. and Fable, 'nuff said.

You should try:
Spellforce,the awesomest mix of RPG-RTS
Boiling Point,a STALKER-like FPS with lower system req.
Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines
The Godfather,the best GTA-like game in the 'verse! Epic atmosphere,enjoyable gameplay and somewhat important RPG elements

[supa_mario]

Probably too obvious but Morrowind?

[El Quia]

Probably too obvious but Morrowind?


Morrowind is first person, although you can play it third person (although I prefer it first person). BUT! The Morrowind Code Patch (http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=19510) can (among other great, very necessary things) implement an over-the-shoulder view. I haven't tried it, because I prefer the first person view. But maybe you could try it.

[supa_mario]

I do most of the exploring and such in Third person, then switch to first person for combat.

[DarthHelmet86]

Thats what I do to, I like watching my charater run around the map, but when it comes to dungeons or towns I switch in to first person view.

On the note of a over the shoulder RPG, I think most of them have been mentioned. Though you could play Oblivion or Fallout 3 in a over the shoulder mode by a little bit off fiddling with the third person veiw.

[supa_mario]

Fallout 3 is over the shoulder in third person by default. Oblivion is just normal 3rd person can't really change it without mods.

[Saccade]

You can change Fallout 3 and Oblivion to use a better over the shoulder view by using the developer's console:

fov 40, narrow, fov 90, wide angle lens. fov 75, default lens.

There's a function to use an OTS view, but I can't remember what the code is...
The above work fine. Though I don't know why you want to play these over the shoulder, as that is the worst way to play these two games.

I switch to 3rd person only when I take a screenshot in most games, using:

tfc, to toggle free camera and tm, to switch off menus. sucsm xx [xx=1 to 10] to make camera move faster/slower.

[ed]
Has anyone recommended Assassin's Creed? I can't be arsed to read all this. Or argue about whether it's an RPG or not.
Silent Hill, Resident Evil, Gauntlet Series, Guildwars.

[TotalAnarchy]

Well, if you want mediocre games, you can always try the Knights of the Temple games. Haven't played them myself, though, so I can't say if they're indeed as bad as the reviews say.

[rabadi]

Thank you all for the suggestions :thumbs: I managed to get hold of Gothic from a local game rentals. I think I'd settle with it for now. I'll keep other suggestions in mind for future reference. Fable is also available in that local game rentals, but they only have one copy and currently it is being rented.

Has anyone recommended Assassin's Creed?
No it has not been suggested, but my laptop won't be able to handle it either :doh: The same with Fallout 3. I am saving to buy a new gaming laptop next year.

Well, if you want mediocre games, you can always try the Knights of the Temple games.
I remember trying the demo several years ago. Not exactly Over the Shoulder view if I recall correctly. More like Vampire: The Masquerade - Redemption view, but I can be mistaken because I do not remember much from the demo.

[El Quia]

I am not sure if you should be bothered with fable... at least from my point of view. I just plainly hated it :(

But, your mileage may vary

[Maxor127]

I liked Fable. Especially the PC Lost Chapters version. There are some things that could've been better, but there's a lot to like.

[El Quia]

I liked Fable. Especially the PC Lost Chapters version. There are some things that could've been better, but there's a lot to like.

I played the same version, and found the game seriously lacking... but I guess we like different things, then :p

[Tomekk]

Fable was more like an action game with added RPG stuff just for the hell of it. Not that good.

[rabadi]

I already started playing Gothic (simultaneously with Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines), so I probably will not be able to play other games at least for the next several weeks (As I said the progress is slow, due to many things to do, real life or otherwise). I guess in the meantime I will do more review reading on Fable, and see whether I still want to pick it up or not in the future :)

[Maxor127]

Fable is like a Zelda style RPG. I don't see anything about it that would make it a bad game. Like El Quia said, it just boils down to taste. I like any game as long as it's well-made. It got mostly positive reviews, and most negative reviews were based on high expectations. Peter Molyneux is notorious for promising lots of features and boosting expectations and ultimately failing to meet them.

If you're expecting something deep, like a Bioware game, then you'll be disappointed. But if you want a fun, light-RPG, then Fable is a good choice. I liked its storybook quality, and thought the graphics and music were excellent.

[_r.u.s.s.]

maybe it's just that fable really sucks. it's a general knowledge :ouch:

[rabadi]

Oh I have no problem with light RPG. Heck, I am even willing to call Diablo, Dungeon Siege and other clones as light RPGs :3: When I come home from work, I am usually already tired and my brain needs rest. So, in order to relax I play videogames (in addition to having some time with my family, of course).

When I am having rough weeks, I do not want to play games that require me to think much. Hence, light RPGs and/or other casual games are much welcomed in that situation. Even then I usually also consult walkthroughs 'cause I really do not want to think much while playing. During those weeks I want to be relaxed, not challenged. During those weeks, even games with too easy gameplay are welcomed. Let me give you an example: Harbinger (http://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/harbinger). This Diablo-clone-in-space gets bad reviews everywhere. The gameplay is way too easy, consisting only of hits and runs. RPG stats there are way too simple. Not much story either. But in the end I found myself enjoying the game. Why? Because I played it during rough weeks, and in fact that too simple gameplay helped me relax.

On the other hand, when I am having easy weeks, challenges are fine (Although I also draw a line between challenge and frustrating gameplay). During these weeks, more in-depth RPGs are welcomed. If you use Bioware games as standard for in-depths RPGs, then I cite KotOR 1 as a Bioware game that I have played.

That being said, no matter what week it is, no matter how rough or easy a particular week is, I do not enjoy RPGs that are way too complicated (for my taste). Take for example: Icewind Dale II. The D&D Third Edition ruleset implemented there is superb, but is also too much for me. I remember spending almost an hour and a half just for the party creation. So as much as I want to play that game in the end I never really got to play it. Maybe it is just me :dunno: but I prefer videogames that are not too complex to play. Maybe that is why I also do not play strategy games either.

[El Quia]

The D&D Third Edition ruleset implemented there is superb

:eww:

[rabadi]

:eww:
Okay, I know next to nothing about D&D Third Edition ruleset. So maybe "superb" is not the right term. I meant to say "complex" :laugh:

[El Quia]

Okay, I know next to nothing about D&D Third Edition ruleset. So maybe "superb" is not the right term. I meant to say "complex" :laugh:

No, no, that is my opinion about the D&D Third Edition ruleset :p

[hunvagy]

No, no, that is my opinion about the D&D Third Edition ruleset :p

And I think IW2 is still AD&D 2.5, like BG2 :p

[Maxor127]

Icewind Dale 2 is supposed to be 3rd edition rules. I think KOTOR uses a modified version of 3rd edition rules too, which is what helped me understand the system for the Neverwinter Nights games.

[El Quia]

And I think IW2 is still AD&D 2.5, like BG2 :p

AD&D 2.5 was the most hideous thing I ever seen, if by 2.5 you are refering to the AD&D 2nd edition with the player options, combat options and crap like that. OMG, that thing left a stain on my brain :(

Icewind Dale 2 is supposed to be 3rd edition rules. I think KOTOR uses a modified version of 3rd edition rules too, which is what helped me understand the system for the Neverwinter Nights games.

KotOR didn't used a "modified 3rd edition rules", but the Star Wars d20 rule system (although with some modifications, of course). But you weren't that wrong, because the d20 System is the system over which D&D 3.0 and 3.5 is built. Of course, you can argue that it is the other way around, but the conclusion is the same :p


BTW, we are going OT, I think :p

[rabadi]

Try OVERLORD-- is not exaclty a RPG but is great :thumbs:
Yesterday I checked out this game. Unfortunately the game said my laptop processor is not good enough :wall:

I finished playing Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines on Sunday night. By right I should be concentrating on Gothic now, but I am currently distracted by Thief: Deadly Shadows. So I guess Gothic has to wait :max:

[Saccade]

Thief: Deadly Shadows..?
...and yr playing it using OTS view..?!?!?!

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu234/Target_Clan/Smilies/gnomesmileyf.gif

[rabadi]

Thief: Deadly Shadows..?
...and yr playing it using OTS view..?!?!?!

http://i651.photobucket.com/albums/uu234/Target_Clan/Smilies/gnomesmileyf.gif
Yes it is not RPG, yes I am playing it with OTS view, and yes I know I should play it with FP view, but I often get simulator sickness (http://www.abandonia.com/vbullet/showthread.php?t=11053), so... :dunno:

EDITED on 04/02/2010: Wow... I just checked this thread (http://forums.eidosgames.com/showthread.php?t=88507)... Never knew there are so much hatred and negative emotions towards third-person view players in Thief world... tsk...tsk...tsk...

EDITED on 16/02/2010: Finished Thief: Deadly Shadows about two days ago, playing it strictly with third-person view and enjoying it much!

[Scatty]

Overlord is kinda like Dungeon Keeper if you know that one. Both are worth trying out, and for Overlord I would get a new lappy if I was you :p