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[Farseer]

I'm looking for RPGs in the same vein as Oblivion, Avernum, Eschalon, Geneforge etc. RPGs with big open worlds that you can explore.

Please don't suggest any Bethesda games (got them all :p) or any Spiderweb software games (again, got them all).

Setting doesn't matter as much as the open world exploration. And, no, I don't want Mass Effect. :p

What I mean by "big open world" is a world that doesn't really limit you by what point in the "main questline" you're on but by how strong you are.

Spoiler: Games With Big Open Worlds That I've Played (click to show/hide)

Baldur's Gate
Planescape Torment (Kinda has one)
Oblivion
Morrowind
Tried to get Daggerfall running
Risen
All Avernum games
All Geneforge games
Nethergate
Eschalon
Fallout 3
Fallout 2
Fallout
Fallout : New Vegas

[Ioric Kittencuddler]

I know you said no Bethesda games but you left out Daggerfall and Arena from your list.  Arena is basically a more primitive version of Oblivion but with some random stuff, and Daggerfall is the game that sort of set up much of the lore and style that was butchered in Oblivion.

You might also want to try the Gothic Series, which Risen is a spiritual successor to.  Two Worlds is pretty much completely open world though it's for some reason really hated by a lot of people.  I don't really get why.  It's better than Oblivion, and it's sort of like a cross between Oblivion, Gothic, and Diablo.

Speaking of old games, look of Darklands.  It considered one of the best open world games ever.  You run around medieval germany fighting mythological monsters in defense of Christiandom, and stuff.

FAKEEDIT: Oh wait you didn't leave out Daggerfall you just didn't play it.  Well you should try getting it running again.  There are several guides out there and it's totally worth it if you can stand old style games.

[Ivefan]

Two Worlds is pretty much completely open world though it's for some reason really hated by a lot of people.

Combat was horrible, controls poor and If i recall correctly, so was the dialogues.
also, "mmm, wet" all the time.

I guess Dungeon siege has an open world, even if its rather linear paths.

[Graven]

You've tried Risen, so why not try Gothic, especially the second part. It's significantly better, and if you can get used to the somewhat awkward controls, it's the best there is. Depending on the person it could be classified as better than all Bethesda games. It is quite hard and unforgiving, have in mind. Personally I welcomed it, but I've noticed most people don't.

On the other hand, we're posting in the forum for a game the tagline of which is "losing is fun", so I guess you're OK with that x)

Other than that, huge, open world RPGs are and have been somewhat rare, and if you find a hidden gem somewhere do share, because I'm kind of wishing for one too.

[Virtz]

The Ultima series from 1 to 7. Easiest to get into 6 and 7. You can move around anywhere in Brittania (the world of Ultima) and even sail a ship. There's also a remake of Ultima 5 made as a mod for Dungeon Siege (although Dungeon Siege itself is pretty dreadful).

I'm also fairly certain at least some of the Might & Magic RPG series worked like that, but I don't really like first-person party-based RPGs, so I can't confirm.

EDIT: Also if you happen to get a liking for Ultima 6, there are two spin-offs on the same engine, one of them being Martian Dreams, based around sort of 19th century pop sci-fi, and The Savage Empire, based around a "lost world" sort of setting.

[Detrevni|inverteD]

The Ultima series from 1 to 7. Easiest to get into 6 and 7. You can move around anywhere in Brittania (the world of Ultima) and even sail a ship. There's also a remake of Ultima 5 made as a mod for Dungeon Siege (although Dungeon Siege itself is pretty dreadful).

I'm also fairly certain at least some of the Mount & Magic RPG series worked like that, but I don't really like first-person party-based RPGs, so I can't confirm.

Ultima is the mascot of my childhood. I definitely recommend it if you do not mind primitive graphics from the late 80s/early 90s. It has a huge world to explore, as well as a lot of other hardcore RPG conventions that they just do not do anymore nowadays.

That and you have to fly into space in a rocket in the first one.

Even though it's set in tolkien style fantasy setting.





And you kill aliens. With lasers.

[Ioric Kittencuddler]

Two Worlds is pretty much completely open world though it's for some reason really hated by a lot of people.

Combat was horrible, controls poor and If i recall correctly, so was the dialogues.
also, "mmm, wet" all the time.

I guess Dungeon siege has an open world, even if its rather linear paths.

Well I'd agree if you're talking about the bow combat, but the rest really wasn't all that bad.  It was more enjoyably than Oblivion.  I didn't find the controls a problem at all, and the dialogues were kind of hammy, but in a good way, even if they didn't stand out much.  Hm, I guess the main reason I enjoyed it so much more that OB was that it never pretended to be something it wasn't.

[Labs]

I liked Two Worlds. The combat wasn't that bad, the world was decently large, there was a massive selection of armor and weapons, and you could become a walking tank and still be one shotted by some higher up monsters. That, and multiplayer. My cousin and I would play for hours with our sword/bow combo.

[Shadowgandor]

Space Rangers 2 might do

[Farseer]

Space Rangers 2 might do

I'd had a look at that, but I wasn't really interested in doing all the stuff to get it running in English. Is it difficult to do?

I know you said no Bethesda games but you left out Daggerfall and Arena from your list.  Arena is basically a more primitive version of Oblivion but with some random stuff, and Daggerfall is the game that sort of set up much of the lore and style that was butchered in Oblivion.

You might also want to try the Gothic Series, which Risen is a spiritual successor to.  Two Worlds is pretty much completely open world though it's for some reason really hated by a lot of people.  I don't really get why.  It's better than Oblivion, and it's sort of like a cross between Oblivion, Gothic, and Diablo.

Speaking of old games, look of Darklands.  It considered one of the best open world games ever.  You run around medieval germany fighting mythological monsters in defense of Christiandom, and stuff.

FAKEEDIT: Oh wait you didn't leave out Daggerfall you just didn't play it.  Well you should try getting it running again.  There are several guides out there and it's totally worth it if you can stand old style games.

I should try out Gothic. And Darklands (I think I've seen screenshots in the past and wondered "Huh, what game is that?"

I might try getting Daggerfall to run soon.

The Ultima series from 1 to 7. Easiest to get into 6 and 7. You can move around anywhere in Brittania (the world of Ultima) and even sail a ship. There's also a remake of Ultima 5 made as a mod for Dungeon Siege (although Dungeon Siege itself is pretty dreadful).

I'm also fairly certain at least some of the Mount & Magic RPG series worked like that, but I don't really like first-person party-based RPGs, so I can't confirm.

EDIT: Also if you happen to get a liking for Ultima 6, there are two spin-offs on the same engine, one of them being Martian Dreams, based around sort of 19th century pop sci-fi, and The Savage Empire, based around a "lost world" sort of setting.

I've never actually played the Ultima games. I think I tried, but the control system put me off due to how clunky it was. I'll have to get them off Abandonia or something.

Any more games, ladies and gents?

[Virtz]

Space Rangers 2 might do

I'd had a look at that, but I wasn't really interested in doing all the stuff to get it running in English. Is it difficult to do?

Uh, there's an official English release out, you know. As simple as installing and running it.

Also, I'm not entirely sure if it qualifies as an RPG, but the Uncharted Waters series, from what I recall, has a character story based on exploration and charting the world. I can't exactly remember how free you are versus how the story forces itself on you, though.

[Deon]

Arx Fatalis.

[Il Palazzo]

Bloodstone: an Epic Dwarven Tale.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloodstone:_An_Epic_Dwarven_Tale

It's an old game(1993; dosbox is a must), top-down, with turn based combat, and not too terrible graphics, for it's time that is. It's centered around a party of dwarves(you can get some humans/lizards in as well, but hey, this is bay12) on a quest to unite some tribes against the dreaded goblin menace that destroyed their fortress. You're given this quest at the beginning, then left in a sizeable world to find out how you're supposed to do it on your own.
I particularly liked the stat system, which practically got rid of leveling up and distributing points, and focused on improving skills through usage. Your party doesn't ever turn into unstoppable tanks, and while having highly skilled characters helps, it's the hard-to-find artifact-quality items and spells that make the difference between winning and losing a combat.
The game is very old-school in it's treatment of following quests - you will need to make lots of notes to be able to keep track of what you're supposed to do where, and what rumors you've heard about what. It doesn't tell you much, and you're left with figuring things out yourself.
The world is sufficiently large to warrant that you won't be able to keep track of it all without a sizeable notebook.
The above is actually a hassle, and might put you off, but I suppose the game is at least worth a try.

[Deon]

Haha, I have to try that! Thanks!

[Il Palazzo]

Man, there were so many great games back in the 90s. Or maybe I was more forgiving/less spoiled back then?
Realms of Arkania series, Albion, Betrayal at Krondor, Dark Sun, Wizardry 8(that's actually 2001).
Not all of them are strictly open-world(RoA: Star trail and Wizardry are, though), but they all make you feel as if they were(like e.g.Planescape does).