4302

Dragonshard looks interesting, but almost all RTS’s look great to me then I buy them and I’m terrible at playing them, I end up wishing they were TBS’s instead.

But I have enjoyed RTS/RPG hybrids before, the two Spellforce games have been a favorite of mine…just the right amount of RTS for me to handle in those.

I’d be interested if anybody here has played either of the Spellforce games and Dragonshard to compare them.

4303

What are some good picks for the Jowood sale? The only game that I already have is the Painkiller set.

4304

Spellforce looks intriguing for $4. Is it worth playing on its own, or is this one of the cases where the sequel is so much better that the original isn’t worth bothering with anymore?

4305

Spellforce is totally worth playing on its own. Got many, many hours out of the original.

4306

Spellforce is a fun game, nice mix between RPG and RTS. For that amount it’s well worth picking up. You’ll just have to take care not to spread your character’s stats too thin: just because you can stick points in every skill doesn’t mean you should.

4307

Spellforce Platinum is an excellent mix of RTS and RPG that has tons of content. Panzer Elite is one of the best WWII tank games ever made. I also got the AquaNox games, which are fun, but not as good as their predecessor, Archimedian Dynasty, sadly.

4308

I think I am going to grab the Aquanox games, because I love submarines. Hey, can’t go far wrong for a buck and a half.

4309

Just keep in mind they’re pretty arcadey, but still fairly fun.

4310

I’m hesitant to mention it, because everyone has by now exhausted recommending Gothic 1 & 2, and I’m assuming everyone already has a cheap copy, BUT Gothic 2 is a very enjoyable RPG.

The first two Gothics remind me of Ultima VII. I played G2 seven years ago, but that’s what my memory is telling me. More linear than a Elder Scrolls game, and because of that the story feels more engrossing.

4311

Like I said in an above post I really liked the Spellforce games.

Spellforce 1 is more RTSish where I found Spellforce 2 was a little more RPGish overall.

4312

Oh yeah, missed it on the list, but The Guild is also a great game.

4313

I can deal with that. I can’t quite wrap my brain around the truer ‘sim’ sub games, though I wish I could.

4314

This should work for you then. If you don’t mind even older games, try to track down Archimedian Dynasty and Subwar 2050, excellent games.

4315

I agree. It’s far better than any of the Guild 2 games, in my opinion, and well $4.

Has anyone played either of the Darkfall games? Are they any good?

4316

I’ve played the first one. It’s excellent, for what it is. What it is is a deep, intricate puzzle game with a lot of interlocking clues. Extensive note taking is required and getting completely stuck is entirely possible.

A good review from back when it was newish:

http://eblong.com/zarf/gamerev/darkfall.html

4317

I played both, and actually, the second one was even better than the first. Both definitely worth playing, if you like adventure games and can put up with a UI that can sometimes be a little clunky.

4318

Thanks guys. I think I’ll get both, since it seems like a good deal.

4319

SpellForce is a mix of action-RPG, RTS and base building (think Settlers). The first game included lots of elements from all 3. Pretty much overkill, but a good and daring game. It has a couple of issues, but also innovation and easily 50 hours of enjoyable gameplay. The add-ons supposedly are even better.

SpellForce 2 was much more streamlined. RPG & RTS were more focused, the base building lost a lot of fat. It was my favourite game that year. I have to admit though that seeing SpellForce become mainstream was quite a shock. It’s probably the best such genre mix so far.

What both SpellForce games have in common is a lot of content, great music and very good graphics. Especially SF2 looked fantastic back in 2006.

4320

Still does today, IMO. ;)

4321

Great, thanks for the recommendations. I’ll go ahead and pick it up.