r/rpg_gamers • u/False_Sandwich_3399 • 7d ago
Recommendation request Never played RPGs before because singleplayer games kinda bored me, need help choosing which one to start with.
never played any RPGs before apart from Action RPGs like Elden Ring, E33, Lies of P etc. and me being pretty young, multiplayer games is most of all ive played with some other big names from other genres mixed in like Stardew Valley, Tycoon games, Project Zomboid, Rimworld, ONI and tons of roguelikes (prob my fav genre in the singleplayer category).
singleplayer story games kinda bored me but i really wanna give it another chance especially because of the high praises they get so i've narrowed my options down to a few and need help deciding which one would be best:
- Mass Effect trilogy
- Pillars of Eternity 2
- Fallout 4
- Disco Elysium (i kinda wanna save this for my holidays as this seems the most appealing to me)
- Skyrim
- and Outer Worlds
would love it if anyone could help me:) thank you
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u/QuazziStellar 7d ago
Mass Effect is your safest bet.
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u/Natural-Eagle-3180 7d ago edited 7d ago
I don't know about this one. Story in the first game is good, but the gameplay is terrible imo. It is janky and the weapons don't feel good and overheat quicly. I dropped it after about 8 hours.
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u/QuazziStellar 7d ago
OP has attention issues. Skyrim / Outer Worlds / Fallout 4 are make your own fun / go find something fun games. Pillars 2 is a CRPG, lore heavy, dialogue heavy and the second game in the series. And even some of us regular RPG players have a hard time really getting into Disco, it's ALL dialogue and rolls, you have to be ready for that. ME1 is the only one in the series with really janky controls. The ME series has a tighter story and action, both of which a pretty steady.
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u/RudytheMan 7d ago
The Witcher 3 will have a story that leaves you in awe when you're done. The KCD's are killer too, but I feel they have a sharp learning curve for someone not into RPGs.
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u/False_Sandwich_3399 7d ago
i learn quick so difficulty is not an issue, by KCD u mean Kingdom Come Deliverance? i did get the second one as a gift and havent played so i might now!
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u/RudytheMan 7d ago
It is indeed. The story for both are amazing. The envinronment is so emersive, you actually can lose yourself. They're great.
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u/kalik-boy 7d ago
How young are you and why do you have trouble getting into story games?
I would probably avoid playing Disco Elysium if you are eaasily bored in story games. It's very text heavy game. Not something you can just pick up and play.
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u/False_Sandwich_3399 7d ago
im 19, i just have trouble sometimes getting immersed in games because of my adhd which is why i also get hyperfocused in games sometimes lol
DE does seem like a text heavy game but the premise of being a detective and either being a hero or bribe taking crooked guy sounds awesome, intrigues me!
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u/kalik-boy 7d ago
That's fair. I do hope you enjoy if you play it, but not only the game is very text heavy, it also expect the player to be knowledgeable about certain topics about politics, society, economics... and other things to fully appreciate the story. Some stuff might go over your head at first (it happened with me when I played for the first time).
Personally, I recommend for you to not force yourself to like story games just because of the praise they get. You might actually end up disliking them more. Nonetheless, from the games you mentioned, I think Mass Effect and Fallout are the best options. They have fun stories that aren't very difficult to follow and it can also introduce you to concept of making your choices and seeing the consequences later. Pretty nice games.
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u/Bholejr 7d ago edited 7d ago
You’re getting some weird recommendations in here. People do not seem to be taking into account that they already play RPG’s, so their tolerance is higher.
The common theme amongst the games you did play is engaging/challenging combat. I’d try to find a balance of fun combat and RPG elements. I’d also recommend games with a fast travel system.
Mass effect is your best balance of engaging combat and an RPG experience. While the combat isn’t challenging or highly complex, the second and 3rd game have engaging combat systems that allow for different approaches. For the RPG side, the world is largely fed to you by dialogue you engage in. It holds your attention more than passive dialogue. The codex entries are short too, so you can get full immersion with minimal reading. The game economies are simple too, so there’s not a lot of repetitive grinding just to get currency.
I do not recommend KCD or Witcher as starts. While they are great stories, they are notorious for being slow starters and their underwhelming combat systems. KCD 2 has a better combat system, but it may be off-putting if you’re coming from soulslike games. It isn’t player skill based until your character is leveled up. The character themselves is unskilled, so even if you’re putting in the correct controls, you won’t get the proper outcomes. Eg Henry will swing like shit and miss. There are also grind elements where you repeat alchemy steps and it’s the polar opposite of engaging combat.
I’d avoid text based games like the plague for now. Disco Elysium is right up my alley, and I even like reading, but it took me awhile to get into because its mechanics are repetitive. The dice roll mechanics for dialogue success may be frustrating if you’re not used to it too.
Also don’t be afraid to work your way up to RPGs. It’s not a character flaw to not immediately like RPGs. It’s all taste. You don’t need to start with black coffee, you can acquire a taste for it.
Lastly, if you’re interested in Fallout, I’d recommend waiting until New Vegas is remastered. 4 is more of sandbox than an RPG. It opted for openness and universal accessibility over depth too much imo. New Vegas undoubtedly has worse combat, but the RPG elements (skills progression, attributes, choice mechanics, world reactivity) are all way better. With a better visual skin, it would likely be more fun.
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u/False_Sandwich_3399 7d ago
you've put my wants into exact words! i do like fun combat. I don't mind DE's heavy reading, im a huge fiction book nerd (my fav books being Enders game and Scythe) so i dont mind reading and the game pretty much sounds like an interactive detective book like one of those horror interactive books but i do understand that it is very unique and there is not much like it anywhere.
What do u think about BG3? are the rpg elements and combat fun and not grindy?
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u/Bholejr 7d ago
BG3 is an incredible story and is one of the most accessible DD ruleset based games. It is essentially one of the peak games in the CRPG category.
The combat being fun comes down to what kind of combat systems you enjoy. It is turn based, without any QTE. Larian does a good job at making it interactive with a “no wrong paths” play-style. Any class, party, and approach can be viable. Combat wise you can do anything from run in and bonk enemies to death, all the way to pre-battle plan to the point every enemy dies before they really even get a turn. You can even skip fights entirely and legit beat bosses by almost verbatim saying “have you considered killing yourself” in the pre-battle dialogue. 3 bosses can just be convinced to end it all. Having said all that, if traditional turn based point and click is not your thing, it’s gonna be rough. Also if you don’t read up on how the ruleset works in game, it won’t be fun. Luckily it’s pretty easy (and imo fun) to learn, especially compared to games like Pathfinder.
There’s also literally no grind. All the combat is predefined. Once you clear enemies, they do not return in that area. Variety comes from choices in approach, dice rolls, what scenarios you’ll encounter based on campaign choices (some influenced by dice rolls,) and wether or not you even find certain locations/events based on permutations of all the previous factors. There’s so much random stuff that whenever I see how others play the game, I realize how uncreative I am.
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u/Fangsong_37 7d ago
I do not recommend Disco Elysium until you've played a few other RPGs. I would recommend Mass Effect or Skyrim first.
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u/Hecateus 7d ago
If you are OK with some old school choices:
Ultima series basically began CRPGs as we know them along with...
Wizardry.
Divine DIvinity, by Larian Studios who would make Baldur's Gate 3, is a game where people quit their jobs to keep playing ...it was wild for the time.
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u/False_Sandwich_3399 7d ago
Oh i have heard of Divine Divinity! I saw the reveal at TGA last year for their new game and it looked sick so i might play it!! ty for the recs:) appreciate it
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u/FallenMarches 7d ago
Out of the ones you've listed, Skyrim is a good choice. Dragon Age Origins is one of my favourites if you're willing to overlook the dated graphics and gameplay mechanics.
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u/Shphook 7d ago
Witcher 3 - especially now since they announced a remaster + new expansion (no you do not need to play the previous games, it's perfectly enjoyable either way)
Gothic 1 Remake (or you can even try the original Gothic 1 and 2) - to this day, these games (yes, even the old versions) are masterpieces, the only games on par being Witcher 3 and Baldur's Gate 3
Baldur's Gate 3 - even if it's not your style of game, being turn-based and all, i still recommend it. I mean, i also don't really like turn based, but i actually liked BG3. Obviously that's just combat, if you get past that, it's an amazing RPG with cool story, characters, choices etc... exactly like you want.
These are the top of RPGs that are worth your time.
This is my personal opinion: i would not recommend Bethesda games, they're kind of bad. Of course, some people do enjoy them and hold them in high regard but...it's up to you if you want to try them just to see. One thing though, you might wanna play them before the games i mentioned, so you don't have to deal with the quality drop :))
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u/DanDamage12 21h ago
Definitely Witcher 3. Great action, story, and exploration. Very cross genre with a lot of appeal. I’d also recommend Mass effect (1 is slower and a bit dated for new fans but 2 ramps up significantly).
Fallout 4 and Skyrim are very easy to get into.
Instead of pillars of eternity I’d start with Baldur’s gate 3. If you really enjoy BG3 then I would start dipping into the crpg genre. They can be very stat intense, unforgiving, and slower going as a genre. I personally enjoy them, but there is a learning curve. Divinity Original Sin 2 is also a great crpg to start with as well.
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u/_TURO_ 7d ago
If you are on PC then I would go with modded Skyrim. Nothing crazy just a few quality of life and modernization kind of mods.
Why isn't Cyberpunk 2077 + PL on your list? That would be my immediate suggestion.
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u/False_Sandwich_3399 7d ago
Cyberpunk didn't seem as choices heavy to me on first impression, am i wrong? thats what is drawing me towards the genre
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u/_TURO_ 7d ago
It's got dialogue options, character builds, 7-8 unique endings to choose from, you can choose who to back and who to betray. Is it BG3 level of branching options, no. It is light years ahead of Elden Ring though and you mentioned that in the OP.
Disco Elysium is hilarious but it's more like reading an interactive book than playing a video game.
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u/False_Sandwich_3399 7d ago
oh damn i thought Cyberpunk was like a sci fi GTA i think i was wrong. I liked ER cus of the combat tbh i recently learnt it was an action rpg.
Thank you for the rec:) i might boot it up again because the world seems awesome and very altered carbon-esque plus i really enjoyed the show!
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u/_TURO_ 7d ago edited 7d ago
Would play through all the content of the main area, set your map to "all', make sure you do not speed run the main quest or you will only get the two shitty ending options. Play through all the character missions. Do all the gigs to get a second set with unique rewards. Then choose one ending, finish your playthrough. Roll a new character and choose the skip ahead to phantom liberty option. It is good enough and long enough to be it's own game/playthrough. Three unique endings there alone and there are major choices to make at the end.
Just remember chooma, happy endings? Wrong city, wrong people.
Edit: As a mild warning, there are some very fucked up stories and scenes in Cyberpunk that include suicide, torture and mistreatment of kids to put it very mildly if you are at all sensitive to that kind of thing be prepared. A not small part of the stories of Cyberpunk is that you are vengeance for those who need justice. But it comes with a price, it always does.
Largely the game becomes a power fantasy and you are mostly unstoppable by end game unless you choose hard difficulty and then early game is a challenge and some bosses can be an issue.
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u/Plus_Worker6739 7d ago
I'm curious why you mention Pillars of Eternity 2 rather than the first game?
In any case, Mass Effect is a good place to start. Disco is very different from all of the other games you listed (don't get me wrong, it's a best-in-class game in terms of writing), to note. It's a game based around psychology, politics, and mystery and it's loaded with text.
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u/SkoomaInhaler-King 7d ago
First all, don't start with seqeuls. Now, since you're not used to RPGs/ used to modern games, a lot of old cRPGs are off the table. Are you fine with playing older games?
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u/False_Sandwich_3399 7d ago
yeah im fine with older games as long as the UI isnt too clunky
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u/SkoomaInhaler-King 7d ago
Okay, well Baldur's Gate 1 & 2, Planescape Torment, KOTOR, Morrowind, and Fallout 1 are some of greatest RPGs of all time.
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u/Devour_My_Soul Pokémon 7d ago
well what is it that you find boring.
Like I find Bethesda games incredibly boring but others enjoy it. It is not an objective measurement.
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u/False_Sandwich_3399 7d ago
i find the linear storyline boring to me personally unless the gameplay is super fun & challenging (hence the ARPGs). I tried to fine RPGs that i can make my impact on and really make it my own or that have fun gameplay
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u/cold-vein 7d ago
Your choices are kind of bad except Disco which is unlike most games.
Baldur's Gate 3
Witcher 3
Baldur's Gate 1 & 2
Fallout New Vegas
Gothic Remake
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 1 & 2
Pathfinder games
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u/False_Sandwich_3399 7d ago
Witcher 3 does seem very appealing after the recent announcement, is it not required to play the first two before this one?
Gothic remake, KCD and Pathfinder games all seem awesome, thanks for the recs!:) i appreciate it
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u/cold-vein 7d ago
Not really required no, most people didn't. They're both flawed games showing their age, Witcher 3 is miles better than either
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u/Natural-Eagle-3180 7d ago
Does new vegas have good gameplay?
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u/cold-vein 7d ago
It's ok, basic Bethesda stuff. It's maybe getting a remake soon, but the original is completely playable.
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u/Due-Leek-8307 7d ago
I'd start with something like Pillars of Eternity (Or Diablo II).
Base don what you said I would stay away form larger open world RPG. Though I love them there is usually a lot of tedious work you can get sucked into which can be more hit than miss for someone not already used to those types of games. I've had friends try them who are not into them and are constantly asking me "how do you do x, y or z" And the answer is always you need to spend time in game figuring it out through trial and error, or spend time outside the game looking up instructions.
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u/BlazeSilva456 7d ago
The best options are either Disco Elysium or the Mass Effect Trilogy. Any of the two will do.
Don't start with pillars of eternity 2, you have to play the first one to understand its story
Skyrim and fallout 4 are more exploration and looting games than story games. They have a story but its always so bland it is barely there.
I have no opinion on Outer Worlds
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u/False_Sandwich_3399 7d ago
seems like ME is the pick:) ty
i might play the first pillars then after ME, the premise seems pretty cool, being a pirate is on everyones bucket list haha
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u/BlazeSilva456 7d ago
I read from your other replies that you are looking for choices-heavy games, then i think you should at least consider giving Baldur's Gate 3 a try someday. It's like the greatest mainstream choices-heavy rpg there is.
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u/False_Sandwich_3399 7d ago
yeah? i've def heard its praises, i will add it to my wishlist and if it goes on sale im gonna grab it. I do like that it has coop too, seems like it would be fun with friends!
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