Finished game - now what?

[JorisS]

Hello all!

Just finished the game the other day, and unfortunately I'm not one who starts anew with a different class and does it all over again (once I know the entire storyline, I don't find it nearly as much fun).

So the question: now what? Plenty of spare time, but no game.

Any recommendations?

Earlier games I've played a lot:

* HoMM series
* Baldur's Gate/Icewind Dale/Neverwinter Nights
* C & C/Starcraft etc

I also did a lot of FPS online gaming, but right now I'm more interested in finding another strategy game that can be played single player - I'm somewhat cautious with respect to games such as WoW and the likes, for risk of getting drawn in too deep ;)

So, any good game recommendations? Haven't been following the news and releases lately, unfortunately :(


Cheers,
Joris

[wig]

Any of the Total War series. I liked Rome best.

[Nike-it]

Try Fantasy Wars, really cool and interesting turn-based strategy.
more info here: http://forum.1cpublishing.eu/forumdisplay.php?f=88

[JorisS]

Thanks for the suggestions, will have a look at those! :)

Just realized I never started 'Neverwinter Nights 2 - Mask of the Betrayar' really, so I have some work left to do there as well :cool:

[Kings Bounty Hunter]

Try Fantasy Wars, really cool and interesting turn-based strategy.
more info here: http://forum.1cpublishing.eu/forumdisplay.php?f=88

Great game, any good mods for it like using Star Wars troops :grin:

[muskcat83]

Try Spell force that is great as well

[LiveInABox]

* Baldur's Gate/Icewind Dale/Neverwinter Nights


If you liked those, then Planescape Torment and Fallout are a must (assuming u haven't played em). PS:T is the best RPG ever made and probably ever will be so yeah u gotta make sure you play that if u can. No game has come close to matching its story, dialogue, plot or characters.

As for new stuff..well i aint really played many games in the last year or so, but Company of Heroes is really good.

[Kings Bounty Hunter]

Have a nice cup of tea?

[jacksone]

Elder Scrolls: Oblivion is a very good game. Tons of mods for it as well. A LOT to do in the game.

[phoenixreborn]

Nah I had tons more fun with MM 4-7 and I played them after I played Oblivion.

I also like Fallout. But Planescape is plagiarized.

[GeneralGonzo]

Space Rangers 2 !


...coming soon: Fallout 3 (end of month)

[Newton]

Dungeon Siege II is also a must if you have not played it yet. :-)

[Almightygnome]

Haven't finished it yet, but I think I'll start it over again when I will :)

[ACEofHeart]

A couple of questions,, how do you know when you are finished a game ? Do you run out of quests or does the game retire you when you reach a certain level.. (31) ???

[spamm]

http://www.kingsbounty.ru/princess/

[jake21]

But when will it be available in English ?


http://www.kingsbounty.ru/princess/

[marc]

If you liked Baldur's Gate and you aren't afraid of reading, you definitely have to play Planescape: Torment and Fallout 1/2.

Planescape has to be the CRPG game with the deepest story ever realized. If you play a high wisdom / high intelligence character, you can solve 80% of the quests without fighting. There are tons of dialog stat checks (Is your dexterity high enough to grab someone and actually break his neck before he can resist? Are you wise enough to spot when someone is lying to you?). The downside is that you have to like reading, because there's about 3 novels worth of text in that game. Built with the same engine as the Baldur's Gate/Icewind dale series. It's my favorite RPG game of all times, I've played it through 3 times (and still found new stuff!). Besides, how many games can you name where the goal of the game is to actually die? :grin:

Fallout 1/2 are also extremely well realized, allowing you to truly role-play a character. The Fallout 2 interface is a bit more polished though, so if you're going to only play one of the two start with it. The dialog choices are also very involved with lots of ways to solve quests. Here's one of my favorite dialog moment (you don't have to choose those dialog choices but I can't help myself whenever I do this quest):

Lloyd: "All right, I've hidden the cash under that grave here."
Me: "Ok Lloyd, dig it up."
Lloyd: "What? No way, I told you where the money is, I'm outta here!"
Me: "There are two kind of people in this world Lloyd. There are those with loaded guns and there are those who dig. I don't see a gun in your hands."
Lloyd: "All right! All right! I'll do it."
You watch as Lloyd carefully digs in the grave, pausing often to disarm several land mines and setting them aside. After a while Lloyd reveals a trap door with a ladder going down.
Lloyd: "I'm done, can I go now?"
Me: "Go down."
Lloyd starts to protest but thinks better of it. He climbs down the ladder.
Me: "Hey Lloyd, CATCH!"
You pick one of his land mine up and drop it down the hole. There is a loud explosion then you don't hear anything. :evil::rolleyes:

This is just one example, but generally the dialog choices are top notch.

Erm ok anyway, those are my two cents. If you like RPGs but you haven't played those games, you really owe it to yourself to do so, you're going to have a great time.

[it-ogo]

1) Planescape:torment for the storyline and world description
2) Morrowind for the freedom (much more then in BG) and atmosphere. (not Oblivion!!!)
3) Might and Magic 6,7,8 + Wizardry 8
4) Fall from Heaven: Amateur fantazy mod for Civilization IV:BTS.

[Metroplex]

Try Titan Quest if you haven't tried it, the quality is similar to King's Bounty although it is not turn based but real time RPG, also as a shooter try 'Infernal' I've just finished it and it is awesome and under-rated it is top notch FPS action with supernatural themes, try it... the power of hell at your command.:)

[Gatts]

1) Planescape:torment for the storyline and world description
2) Morrowind for the freedom (much more then in BG) and atmosphere. (not Oblivion!!!)
3) Might and Magic 6,7,8 + Wizardry 8
4) Fall from Heaven: Amateur fantazy mod for Civilization IV:BTS.


I would add:

Fallout 3 is like Oblivion - with all its minuses... so I am afraid that I won't be the only disappointed Fallout 1,2 fan.

I would also advise Dungeon Lords (will be DL 2 released soon, you trying the first game before will just give you the magical spice add-on magic)

RPG like turn based strategy that I would totally advise : Disciples 2 (if possible, than the full collection - all datadisks alltogether)

[kennec]

after reading an post earlier in this thread i got my self an example of spellforce2.

i love spellforce 2 realy realy good game. mix of rts and rpg with alot of strategy in it.

[MajorS]

Also try Etherlords 2. Its like a mix of KB and Magic the Gathering.

[Metathron]

Just finished the game for the second time.

Hmmm...Etherlords looks interesting. Would you recommend the first one as well, or just skip to the second one straight away?

[Acererak]

I think no one has mentioned Age of Wonders II (there is an expansion called Shadow Magic also). That is a great game many KB fans will like imo. A great turn based fantasy strategy game very similar to the mythical Master of Magic.

A try to the Civ IV mod Fall from Heaven II is worth it, although is still unfinished. Very promising.

[MajorS]

Just finished the game for the second time.

Hmmm...Etherlords looks interesting. Would you recommend the first one as well, or just skip to the second one straight away?

I actually never played the first part. But i highly recommend the second.

[Gatts]

I think no one has mentioned Age of Wonders II (there is an expansion called Shadow Magic also). That is a great game many KB fans will like imo. A great turn based fantasy strategy game very similar to the mythical Master of Magic.

A try to the Civ IV mod Fall from Heaven II is worth it, although is still unfinished. Very promising.

Just to point at the Master of Magic game - I still play it nowdays from time to time (using DosBox) and as I was real addictive Civ 1 freak - also hard core fantasy fan -> Master of Magic is the ageless game (and I am happy I am not the only one who remembers this game)

Also Age of Wonders 1, 2 are great - but maybe you may look on old-school Turn based fantasy strategy Warlords 1,2,3 series (there is olso Warlords battlecry 1,2,3 series - whic is RTS / Fatnasy)

When someone mentioned RPG games - try Albion, and if you like it (or you already played it and liked it) download AMIGA emulator, and Ambermoon + Amberstar games

Actually it is only few weeks ago when I bought Etherlords II (as it is pretty cheap nowdays) and I like the man campaing, maps and the best of best is DUEL system (where you can create / edit your own heroes and try them with any pre-created or your other heroes in duel match) - GREAT!

[jake21]

if you go with age of wonders shadow magic you will also want the fan patch 4. Just do a google search for it - that site also has some very very good scenario. Only catch is that the game is out of print and is very difficult to find (and can be very expensive - even used).


I think no one has mentioned Age of Wonders II (there is an expansion called Shadow Magic also). That is a great game many KB fans will like imo. A great turn based fantasy strategy game very similar to the mythical Master of Magic.

A try to the Civ IV mod Fall from Heaven II is worth it, although is still unfinished. Very promising.

[YENKO]

Fallout 3 is like Oblivion - with all its minuses... so I am afraid that I won't be the only disappointed Fallout 1,2 fan.



The transition 2D-->3D ruined many a game already. I played Morrowind for a long time, i am still playing Oblivion, and i don't really need another Oblivion in my collection. And what is all this fuss about remaking 2D games into 3D games? 'Oomph' graphics won't help some crap-playability game to take-off no matter what. Maybe it's just the old dreadded 'cool gfx sells' executive-tactic spreading further. 'Sex sells', 'Violence sells' and hence, 'Cool gfx sells'. Forget about playability, unimportant :-x

KB's 3D isometric look is showing us that a relatively simple game with old, old roots can still go a long way without SLI/QUAD graphical monster setups.

[Gatts]

The transition 2D-->3D ruined many a game already. I played Morrowind for a long time, i am still playing Oblivion, and i don't really need another Oblivion in my collection. And what is all this fuss about remaking 2D games into 3D games? 'Oomph' graphics won't help some crap-playability game to take-off no matter what. Maybe it's just the old dreadded 'cool gfx sells' executive-tactic spreading further. 'Sex sells', 'Violence sells' and hence, 'Cool gfx sells'. Forget about playability, unimportant :-x

KB's 3D isometric look is showing us that a relatively simple game with old, old roots can still go a long way without SLI/QUAD graphical monster setups.

How right you are in the point of 3D instead playability, and how much I agree with you... neverthless, nowdays players go for visuals (3D) and sound much more than any other time... why not, when they spent so much money in graphic cards... they are counting FPS, effects, resolutions much more than the game overall playability... these new gamers do not get me when I tell them "I played Fallout 2 for at least 100 times" - they now buy a game, finish it once and try again for 20 minutes to forget the game forever...

Luckily KB has one of the best video/music implemented, so even new generation players can enjoy great game as KB surely is - and realize that there is something as playability and it counts as well... (otherwise they would not bother to install such game in first place)

Morrowind for instance is from Bethesda as Oblivion, is from the same world/ series... but still Morrowind had nearly the same "magical aura"/ playability as Arena/ Daggerfall and I could play it again and again... (countless mods helped a lot) but Oblivion was try once and never again game (I even did not buy the datadisks - as they were plane free mods, which Bethesda shamelessly banned and made them commercial)

KB has great engine, Armored Princess will probably come with 3d-google effect, and if Armored Princess will have as great music as KB tL -> developers can be one of the happiest in game world - as they have the base platform for making buetiful and playable games and still sell them to new-generation gamers, who look only the screenshots and can be fooled by payed reviews / commercial reviews...

Best example: I had strong argue with 3 collegues who are hard-core NEW AGE gamers - thay said Fallout 3 has to be best of best, becouse (commercial bullshit + non logical arguments) so I backed off... now I ask them how do you like your Fallout 3? Thay say "it is good" - but
1.) "is good" is what I never said about Fallout 1,2 -> I always said "BEST of BEST! ADDICTIVE!"
2.) Do you feel to try the game again? (they ansered either, not, it would not make any sense, or "I even didn't finish it as I don't like it that much")

Now now... is this what Bethesda wanted? Probably yes - just sell it and that's it...

Katauri & 1C made great deal with KB -> brought after long time a game that can return old good addictive feelings about PC game back to real players who could start to doubt that visiting game shops is worth anymore (instead they download amiga emulators, dosbox and look for old game-loves)

[YENKO]

How right you are in the point of 3D instead playability, and how much I agree with you... neverthless, nowdays players go for visuals (3D) and sound much more than any other time...............
..........................Katauri & 1C made great deal with KB -> brought after long time a game that can return old good addictive feelings about PC game back to real players who could start to doubt that visiting game shops is worth anymore (instead they download amiga emulators, dosbox and look for old game-loves)

/signed :)

[Acererak]

Just to point at the Master of Magic game - I still play it nowdays from time to time (using DosBox) and as I was real addictive Civ 1 freak - also hard core fantasy fan -> Master of Magic is the ageless game (and I am happy I am not the only one who remembers this game)

Also Age of Wonders 1, 2 are great - but maybe you may look on old-school Turn based fantasy strategy Warlords 1,2,3 series (there is olso Warlords battlecry 1,2,3 series - whic is RTS / Fatnasy)


I guess we might be around the same age Gatts...or at least have very similar game taste. ;) Also happy to find in this forum people with that "old school gamer" attitude, and strongly recommend the "youngsters" to try Master of Magic if they loved KB as much as we did. So many games after that one borowed so many ideas from it, and still very few have come close to produce that nice strategy-fantasy enviroment (Katauri guys probably the closest so far, hehe) Even today many people in the internet are eagerly waiting for a sequel, and a few companies have been trying to get the rights to do it....but for some reason, its still there, untochable. And still great fun to play.

In this game line, i would like to remember the great Panzer General (probably just 1 and maybe 2) in terms of great turn based strategy (another mythical game), and a funny adition to the family called Fantasy General, which worked just nicely translating the game engine to a fantasy setting. Worth a try.

And i do agree tottally with your opinions about the strong impact of 3D graphics in the new games and how much this has been a handicap for the story behind the game, or even the playability, or even, ironically, the pure fun, which is considered less important by the developers than having a great impact in the customer with the first image you get from the game....but this could take us into some sociological discussion not belonging to this forum i guess....oh gosh, i really do sound like old grandpa speaking....:shock:

[YENKO]

....oh gosh, i really do sound like old grandpa speaking....:shock:

Speaking about grampas..i started my gaming 'career' back in the 80's on Sinclair Spectrum 48k! :grin:

And, I too played Panzer General (and the spin-off Allied General). There was also Star General, which i disliked for some reason. This was before PG2 arrived.
Cheers.

[Gatts]

When mentioning Master of Magic - try also Master of Orion (1, 2... the 3rd edition is somehow different, but I don't say bad) it just go sci-fi ... instead of magic cities and nodes you conquer galaxies.

Now I have also to call out DOMINIONS (1,2,3) - these game is complex, also has great gameplay / variability / huge strategy differences and the third part aslo great music. (It may just be little bit buggy, but hay - there are plenty patches)

I also liked the demo of Fantasy Wars and if I won't be able to wait for Armored Princess anymore, I will go for this one as well.
Old good Fantasy General took also few of my sleepless nights

BTW - I am 28, and count myself as youngster (hehe)
I first met (played)games on programming course (for children) and even I my addiction started to rapidly (geometrically) increase - I was the only one of the course who still liked basic/turbo pascal more than some games... but the world is full of traps and tricks - I found CIV 1, Dune 2 (I was 9 or 10) and lost I was
Prior that I only saw games when I visited my more fortunate friends - mostly ATARI / Sinclair TV/PC's (I was 7~8 years old)
At school we found on school PC Wolfenstein 3D (I was 10 ~ 11 years old) - we made it multiplayer - one of us used arrow keys, the other one used ctrl/alt/space (fire, strafe, shoot)
When I was 12, I was most fortunate to get my first PC 286, hercules (who does not know what hercules could mean - don't even bother to google it) - and games like 3D-block, South vs. North, and after some time waiting I got Dune 2 (w/o mouse - huge problem) and CIV 1 (than I had EGA already... yipeee)

[Metathron]

I have not played Master of Magic (though it looks alluring), but this game has been dubbed "Not Master of Magic" due to not being able to obtain rights to the name:

http://www.elementalgame.com/index.asp

[YENKO]

BTW - I am 28, and count myself as youngster (hehe)
I first met (played)games on programming course (for children) and even When I was 12, I was most fortunate to get my first PC 286, hercules (who does not know what hercules could mean - don't even bother to google it) - and games like 3D-block, South vs. North, and after some time waiting I got Dune 2 (w/o mouse - huge problem) and CIV 1 (than I had EGA already... yipeee)

OMG, we talk like some old farts... ;)

[Smash]

Magic and Mayhem if you will be able to find it :)

[Zhuangzi]

When mentioning Master of Magic - try also Master of Orion (1, 2... the 3rd edition is somehow different, but I don't say bad) it just go sci-fi ... instead of magic cities and nodes you conquer galaxies.

Now I have also to call out DOMINIONS (1,2,3) - these game is complex, also has great gameplay / variability / huge strategy differences and the third part aslo great music. (It may just be little bit buggy, but hay - there are plenty patches)

I also liked the demo of Fantasy Wars and if I won't be able to wait for Armored Princess anymore, I will go for this one as well.
Old good Fantasy General took also few of my sleepless nights

BTW - I am 28, and count myself as youngster (hehe)
I first met (played)games on programming course (for children) and even I my addiction started to rapidly (geometrically) increase - I was the only one of the course who still liked basic/turbo pascal more than some games... but the world is full of traps and tricks - I found CIV 1, Dune 2 (I was 9 or 10) and lost I was
Prior that I only saw games when I visited my more fortunate friends - mostly ATARI / Sinclair TV/PC's (I was 7~8 years old)
At school we found on school PC Wolfenstein 3D (I was 10 ~ 11 years old) - we made it multiplayer - one of us used arrow keys, the other one used ctrl/alt/space (fire, strafe, shoot)
When I was 12, I was most fortunate to get my first PC 286, hercules (who does not know what hercules could mean - don't even bother to google it) - and games like 3D-block, South vs. North, and after some time waiting I got Dune 2 (w/o mouse - huge problem) and CIV 1 (than I had EGA already... yipeee)

Gatts, I am 27 so we've played pretty much the same stuff. Dune 2 was the first RTS by my understanding of the word and I loved it intensely. And then Command and Conquer came out. :cool: My dad and I ordered Wolfenstein 3D when it was first released (by Apogee I think) and I remember the bundle of disks arriving in the mail. And then Doom... :-P

I have mainly played turn based strategy over the years though. Master of Orion 1 is what started it for me. I still crank it up occasionally. For some reason I never got into Master of Magic, but I did try. If you like squad based TBS there's always XCOM and Jagged Alliance 2. Good times. :grin:

[Smash]

Doom really looks lovely in very high resolutions.

[Gatts]

Magic and Mayhem if you will be able to find it :)

Long time ago I played only DEMO - then I forgot about it, these days (half year ago) I was so game-desperate (due low quality of new games) I got magic and mayhem but sadly it did not provide me with the same game lovely experience I had playing the demo - but the game logic/ system was quite unique and funny.

Lords of Magic is a game that I sometimes fish out from my game repository - fine fantasy TBS, indeed.

Ageless games of mine: I play from time to time Dune 3000 (fan remake of Dune 2), Master of Magic, Fallout 2 + mods, Albion, HOMM 3 WOG.
[with pauses I play these again and again]

From new games I play HOMM V 3.1 and KB tL of course

[Metroplex]

I just finished this excellent game 'Timeshift' it was a bit hard because it makes you think and find ways to survive, I admit it has some puzzles that had me scratching my head but a quick look at the guide from gamepressure.com solved it, if you haven't played this overlooked and under-rated game, it gets a 9/10 from me, buy it now and play it!:grin:

[YENKO]

I still play Jagged Aliance 2. On the hardest setting, and with 8000+ enemies (modded save). Sometimes 50+ enemies in one sector :D Had to completely go for night-battles only :P

'Time for the enemy to say its prayers! " :D

[Smash]

...
I hope you played Magic and Mayhem by Mythos Games not Magic & Mayhem: Art of Magic. I played demo 3 moths OO. I love this game.

[Gatts]

I hope you played Magic and Mayhem by Mythos Games not Magic & Mayhem: Art of Magic. I played demo 3 moths OO. I love this game.

I played Art of Magic - did I bought wrong game? (I hope so as that would explain the huge gap between my demo experience and the game experience, where I thought the problem is in the time difference)
Also I would not admit that ones game taste changes so dramatically - as in my old times there were thousands of games, so we old players developed much higer game sensitivity than the real youngsters :)

BTW - I also found (thanks to "http://kb.heroes-centrum.com/kb/kb.html" = in Slovak only, sorry) that Master of Magic has multiplayer version : just google for Master of Magic client

[Smash]

I was speaking about this game http://media.pc.ign.com/media/011/011185/imgs_1.html
Art of magic is a sequel done by other company, imo inferior to original game.

[Gatts]

I was speaking about this game http://media.pc.ign.com/media/011/011185/imgs_1.html
Art of magic is a sequel done by other company, imo inferior to original game.

Yep - thanx - that is it... I just wonder that the first version is better than the second (if I read the reviews correctly - art of magic is second from series Magic & Mayhem)

[Smash]

Problem is with buy or even find this game anymore, when my cd crashed i spent 3 moths searching on torrents for this game, it is kinda abandonware while meantime you can still buy art of magic <blah>.

[Gatts]

When I look back in time - it is quitle unbelievable for me that I still re-start KB again and again (well, not so often as now I am able to finish the game always -> I am not stuck due high difficulty so often) ... For singleplayer, this is quite awesome... (for other games of this type I would start to either be bored, or to whine for random map creator)...Not to mention that the last time I started with great MOD to my likings (AoD), but the maps/ game/ qeusts are still the same... and I am totally not bored...

[Speed112]

Wow, I can't believe i actually spent over 45 mins to read this whole thread :D
What i might add is that some games are just incredible, I am a very versatile gamer and switch my game type very often, I get into streaks and play many different games from a category, but there are always some amazing games that have an x-factor that gets me addicted (For example Diablo2 at its time, Counter-Strike when i'm into FPS, WoW in MMO streak, Lords of War and Money when i play browser-based games and last but not least KB:L at TBS phase)
Usually I get bored of a game once I know the whole storyline (even tho I didnt finish every quest or found every kind of mob or found out every unique stuff), It simply gets dull and thanks to that game i abandon the whole game-type, until I remember those great games from the respective type with the x-factor and I start playing them again, so I dump the current type and re-embrace one from the past.
A few games that marked me and made me spend countless hours in front of the computer are Fallout 2, M&M series, some old games (such as Baldur's Gate that i still play from time to time), Planescape: Torment, numerous shooters, Diablo series, Spellforce, and a few other but the names are slipping.

PS: I want to apologize because i use so large posts to express my thoughts and opinions

[Gatts]

No need of apology - your post is just OK (under 5K letters/signs )

I am happy to find out similar game styles attached players (Fallout2, Planescape Torment, Diablo 2, from shooters Call of Duty4, counter strike 1.6, 2.0) And I am very good-mood started due the hidden notice on Fallout3 (that it is missing, even if F2 is referred, it was released few weeks/month ago and nearly no one is addressing it as "game I love to play") Honestly F3 is great game disaster... based on my huge expectation from it (played at least 10 mods of F2 just to survive while waiting on F3) I would call F3 as the Mistake of the Year 2009!

Anyway, I spend cca 4 hours at PC in my free time each day, where at least 90% is playing games (there was time I tried to become game maker... but it stopped at wannabe level) So the list of games I have played would be hell long... but without long thinking one can tell the best when he puts them in 10 seconds in a post :)

[Vendetta]

Hello.

You might enjoy "Mount & Blade". Even though it is a little bit more "action-like", it's a really, really good game. I'm playing it for a few month and it is still inspiring, fun and motivating.

http://www.taleworlds.com/

Here you can get an overview. Perhaps you will like it.

It's a kind of game I always wanted. Gives a kind of "Conan the Barbarian"-Feeling but ist also very strategic.

Enjoy.

[malcolmm]

After roughly 75 hours of play time I've finally finished the game. What a great game, very few games of this length have left me wanting to continue playing. I would rate KB in my top 10 all time games, and I've been playing computer games since the early '80s, including lots of RPGs.

Of course I plan to buy the expansion. In the meantime I will be making my way through the stack of mostly adventure games that I have accumulated.

[Gatts]

In the meantime I will be making my way through the stack of mostly adventure games that I have accumulated.

Hey, some examples would be welcomed :)

[jake21]

Any update on when the english version of the expansion will be available? Any idea if KB is profitable for the maker ?


After roughly 75 hours of play time I've finally finished the game. What a great game, very few games of this length have left me wanting to continue playing. I would rate KB in my top 10 all time games, and I've been playing computer games since the early '80s, including lots of RPGs.

Of course I plan to buy the expansion. In the meantime I will be making my way through the stack of mostly adventure games that I have accumulated.

[malcolmm]

Hey, some examples would be welcomed :)

I've started playing the adventure Syberia 2, which I picked up cheap in a combination pack. Not worth playing though, highly over rated, the first Syberia was much better.

I read bad reviews for HoMM 5, so I didn't try it when it came out. But a friend said that the expansion pack "Tribes of the East" is worth playing. I think it is a standalone game, so I will give it a try.

[Gatts]

I started playing Syberia 2 as well (my girlfriend likes it)... I like about S2 lack of bugness, S1 was full of bugs (and I had all patches installed, some of them were released only few months ago :) )

I would go for Tribes of the East if I were you -> it will provide you with that, what is most missed in KB tL : duel mode, random map generator, internet full of maps (some very great, some not) and... tadaa... internet fights :). Also Homm5 reminds a lot on HOMM3, which is based on forums the best of HOMM series :) (I like Homm IV, as it has much more variability... and having 3 mage heroes in army, each casting mass damage spells, is just great :) )

[psycoticlunatic]

If you feel like a strategy game that doesn't follow the norm, try the following games:

Space Rangers 2 - http://forum.1cpublishing.eu/forumdisplay.php?f=100
Spore
Fantasy Wars [if you're into tactical based strategy games] - http://forum.1cpublishing.eu/forumdisplay.php?f=88

Other games:

Civilization Series

[psycoticlunatic]

Just finished spending a good 30 minutes reading the rest of the posts after I made my suggestions and:

Jeeze, you guys are truly bringing back the old-school games.
Holy crap, I've played [almost] all of those, yet I'm only 23. [missed a few games such as might and magic 5-6]

I've played all those games, I sat like a ghost by my dad's side when i was 3 years old watching him play empire for hours...

I remember playing a few games called "renegade", and "buck rodgers", and "magic candle 3"...
...yeah that old...those were awesome games....

Anyways, as time goes on, standards of games increase. People like to see games with newer, better graphics while still having gameplay, that's how the market will always be.

---

I've been playing a ton of Warcraft 3 over the past few years, it's captivated me as I really haven't been able to get into other games as much due to them being pretty boring more often then not [strategy games aren't as prevelant as they used to be].

For me, I like to play one of three styles of games:
-Competative games
-Story Focused Games [RPG format usually]
-Strategy Focused Games

Unfortunately, I think the PC hasn't been doing so well lately on their ability to take over these markets. You guys have listed a bunch of great PC games, but as far as competition games go:

-Warcraft 3, Counterstrike, Halo 3, Call of Duty 5, Street Fighter 2 - These 4 are my favorite, I don't do shooters [or street fighter] too much so I stick to wc3, since I'm not too fond of the newer C&C series

As far as RPG style games, PC has backed down a bit on it, they do have a lot of great games, but the quantity is quite low. I do recommend to people to pick up a playstation 2 and buy a few games noteworthy of trying out.

PC: Neverwinter Nights, Baldur's Gate series, icewind dale, planescape, fallout, [buck rodgers lol] etc
PS2 - SMT: Persona 3/4 - Yes, I'd seriously suggest borrowing a ps2 just to play these games. The reason is that they're actually a blend of both strategy and rpg style gameplay, but it's a bit different than normal and actually a lot of fun.

Gameplay focused games are often times the best. Sometimes they neglect to have a story, but that doesn't always matter. Sometimes the story is really short. But it's mostly focused on the gameplay. These games often go beyond the concept of "aging"

-Masters of Magic, Xcom, king's bounty, fantasy wars, space rangers 2, jagged alliance, quite a few others.

---

Jeeze, as I keep writing, my ability to think lessons.

[Gatts]

If you feel like a strategy game that doesn't follow the norm, try the following games:

Space Rangers 2 - http://forum.1cpublishing.eu/forumdisplay.php?f=100
Spore
Fantasy Wars [if you're into tactical based strategy games] - http://forum.1cpublishing.eu/forumdisplay.php?f=88

Other games:

Civilization Series

Space rangers 2, I heard a log good about this one, I will try it... :)
Spore? Right after Fallout 3, my personal "greatest disappointment of 2008"... but as said, its only my personal opinion, very very subjective :)

Fantasy Wars I do play... I like... ^_^
Civilization series I do play, I like... now I found old civ clone: Call to Power II... I like...

[Johannes]

Wow, it's rare to find such a high ratio of excelent opinions :)
Played through dune2 on the dosbox last month and it was pretty good actually.

Since it's only mentioned once in the thread i'll have to beat the drum a little bit more for UFO: Enemy Unknown (or eu X-COM: UFO Defense), probably replayed that game once a year atleast since it was released in 1993. This is a franchise I really hope some talented people pick up very soon, there's a ton of so so copy-cats, with some decent examples in there like UFO: Afterlight (actually a good game not just decent). The rest of the official series didn't really make it on my all time hall of fame.

Dota was a good transition after deciding to quit wow and offers perfectly sized heaps of fun with your friends without the comitment bullshit of previously mentioned game. It's unfortunatly by far the most unfriendly game towards new players ever made.

Among more new games I think fallout 3 is worth a play through atleast even if it got nothing on it's ancestors, bioshock managed to keep me captivated in my least favourite genre (single player shooter, the shit genre that's destroying the entire industry, yes really). Starcraft 2 is the release of 2009 and really hope the gurus manage to deliver the first good rts since starcraft 1! (well excluding broodwar ;p)

I could probably go on all day but let's not (I think I need a blog!). The consoles can really not be completly neglected though, picking up an old n64 with all zelda games is highly recomended.

Lastly, thanks to the devs of KB for going against the mainstream trends and respecting the gameplay.

[Johannes]

Problem is with buy or even find this game anymore, when my cd crashed i spent 3 moths searching on torrents for this game, it is kinda abandonware while meantime you can still buy art of magic <blah>.

If it's not even available for buying there can't be a debate about just downloading it. hello piratebay or something along those lines. With all the crap on the market I'm not really ashamed about my dl first, buy if good policy.
http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/4513493/Magic__amp__Mayhem

[lordjani]

Some really excellent games you guys play, for RPG fans the game WITCHER is a must try !! It has one of the best stories a game could have.... Oh, has anyone mentioned the Disciples series...

[CannibalBob]

NWN will keep you entertained forever.

Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic - Highly recommended. If you can find it somewhere, it's an absolutely awesome game. It's turn-based game similar to HoMM and Master of Magic (more similar to MoM than HoMM). Graphics aren't 3D but they're pretty nice; better than Baldur's Gate 1 or HoMM3 imo.

[Levesque]

You should also try The Witcher. I just finished the Enhance Edition and it was a really GREAT RPG!

Drakensang was also really nice. Surprisingly good old-style RPG. I really enjoyed that one.

Spellforce (and the expansion pack) is also a great and fun game.

[Birdmon]

For old school folks, try this one:Eschalon book 1

http://basiliskgames.com/book1.html

Turn based and funny, notice the save game icon....