What are the best RPGs that have a deep economy and base-building aspects?

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Nov 5, 2023

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Cataclysm Dark Days Ahead vs Mount & Blade : Warband vs SpellForce - Platinum Edition

vs Kenshi vs The Guild II

Specs

Platforms

Windows, Linux, Mac

Genre

Survival / Roguelike / Open World

Co-Op

Controller Support

Multi-Player

Single Player

Yes

VR Support

Developement Status

Beta

Campaign Length

Endless

Replayability

Yes, endlessly

Steam Rating

Publisher

Developer

Recommended Hard Drive Space

Recommended Sound

Recommended Memory

Recommended Processor

Recommended OS

Recommended Graphics

Platforms

PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Android, Microsoft Windows, Linux, Macintosh operating systems

Genre

Action-RPG, Strategy, Simulation

Co-Op

Controller Support

Multi-Player

Single Player

VR Support

Developement Status

Campaign Length

Replayability

Steam Rating

Overwhelmingly Positive

Publisher

TaleWorlds Entertainment, Ravenscourt Games

Developer

TaleWorlds Entertainment

Recommended Hard Drive Space

100MB available space

Recommended Sound

Standard audio

Recommended Memory

1GB RAM

Recommended Processor

Intel Core Duo 2.0 GHz or AMD Athlon 64 X2 3600+

Recommended OS

Windows XP or greater

Recommended Graphics

NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200, ATI Radeon 9600, or better

Platforms

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Multi-Player

Single Player

VR Support

Developement Status

Campaign Length

Replayability

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Publisher

Developer

Recommended Hard Drive Space

Recommended Sound

Recommended Memory

Recommended Processor

Recommended OS

Recommended Graphics

Platforms

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Multi-Player

Single Player

VR Support

Developement Status

Campaign Length

Replayability

Steam Rating

Overwhelmingly Positive

Publisher

Developer

Recommended Hard Drive Space

Recommended Sound

Recommended Memory

Recommended Processor

Recommended OS

Recommended Graphics

Platforms

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Multi-Player

Single Player

VR Support

Developement Status

Campaign Length

Replayability

Steam Rating

Mostly Positive

Publisher

Developer

Recommended Hard Drive Space

Recommended Sound

Recommended Memory

Recommended Processor

Recommended OS

Recommended Graphics

Pros + Cons

Pro
Super involved gameplay that allows the user to dive deep into the mechanics of the game

Everything from weather to crafting to martial arts are accounted for in Cataclysm. You can spend hours mastering the depths of this games systems that allow you to play however you want.

Comment

Pro
Graphics can be used instead of ASCII, for those that would enjoy something more visual

Not supported on every version of the game, but you can have a graphical experience if you want by using a graphical tile set for the game. This will need to be done manually.

Comment

Pro
Being in constant active developed allows the game to constantly grow

Experimental releases exit a few times in a single day. Many people are working on finding bugs, and developers are quickly fixing them and adding new features. This makes for a situation where the game is constantly growing and improving.

Comment

Pro
Classic computer gameplay that offers a lot of nostalgia

Get taken back to when games were completely made of ascii letters and your imagination. Venture forth as an @ and survive the wild. With the classic ascii art, it is hard to ignore that this is not a graphical powerhouse, but of course that is part of the fun, allowing your imagination to fill in this void.

Comment

Pro
Open source and very moddable, making for a game that anyone can change to their liking

The mod community is pretty active on this game, and you can create some really cool things with the tools they already provide. This way anyone can change their game to how they like.

Comment

Pro
Free for anyone to download and try, which leave no one out

The game is free of cost as well as open-source, meaning that anyone can download the game, install it and play it.

Comment

Con
Difficult to learn at first

This could be a pro for some but for many this will turn them away from the game.

Comment

Con
Lacking hardcore survival feel

The game gets to be rather easy once you spend a little time with it. Basements full of everything one needs to survive in every other house, and stores that look like they were left as seem out of place since in a disaster scenario most items would probably have been taken already. You can tweak the options to suit a more hardcore experience if you so desire. The options allow for a wide variety of difficulty and playstyles.

Comment

Pro
Deep economy aspects

Buying and selling items in the single player game can be deeply rewarding but will take a lot of time to learn the ins and outs in order to maximize profit.

Comment

Pro
Multiplayer

Multiplayer is a new part of M&B with Warband and allows for battles as large as 200+ players with tons of different class choices for each player, making for a varied online battle each time. There are also different modes and maps.

Comment

Pro
Tons of amazing mods

There are hundreds of mods for Warband, including full conversions, more choices, better diplomacy, etc.

Comment

Pro
Tons of stuff to do

This game is a medieval enthusiast's dream, you can build up a huge army and fight for yourself, become king, be a vassal for a king, choose to be a wandering tournament fighter, a wandering fighter who takes down bandits, a bandit pillaging villages as they see fit, you can get married, and even get involved more deeply into the politics of the world. You can even join a group of rebels to try and overthrow a king, they will, in turn, then be the king of their respective realm. You can go to taverns, and feasts, as well as set up your own feasts after getting married. You can build your own mills, velvet factories, etc, and be a wandering merchant. You can even be a slaver if you wanted to, whenever you defeat bandits or others, you can capture them and sell them to random brokers, which gives you money. The possibilities are endless.

Comment

Pro
Deep RPG mechanics

There are so many deep rpg mechanics in this game it's insane, you can level up with tons of different skills, improve weapon proficiency, as well as basic stats. There's also buying new weapons and armor, horses, etc. You can also upgrade your companion's skills, their weapons and armor, and their stats as well as weapon proficiencies. Basic infantry can also be upgraded to higher positions, upgrading them with better weapons and armor, as well as increasing their skills. There's also a morale system in place when you need to keep all troops happy, make sure you're well stocked with different varieties of food, etc.

Comment

Pro
Impressive & realistic Combat system

The game has one of the most realistic medieval combat systems ever, and it flows very well. There are different ways to control swordplay as well as archery, blocks are done using the mouse and moving it in the direction of the enemy's weapon and clicking the right mouse button. Archery is very realistic is well and there is always a sense of accomplishment when you kill or even hit a target.

Comment

Pro
Create your own story

Before the game even starts you get to choose every little bit of your character's backstory, are you a noble who was forced out of their home and thus started your journey? Or... are you a street urchin who wanted to see the world? You get to craft every meticulous detail, including who your father and family were, who you were as a child, etc. It's very interesting and can get you invested in your character.

Comment

Pro
Old but gold

This is an old game, but it's also a very, very good one.

Comment

Pro
Have your own army to command into battle

You can build up your own army and command them into battle, Total War-style, only with you leading directly and taking place in the battle. There are tons of different commands for you to give out to your army.

Comment

Con
No real story

The game does not have any real story, there is some semblance of a story early in the beginning of the game, with you choosing to possibly help out a merchant, but after that, there is no real story, you basically make your own destiny, but there is no set story that the game gives you, and therefore, there is no real narrative.

Comment

Con
Brutal and unforgiving

You get captured, and that is it, your entire army is gone completely, you will lose all your gold, and a lot of the companions you had, you may even lose some of your inventory or equipment, this is especially bad when you play under the "Realistic" save settings, as the game automatically saves after every event, which means you've lost everything and there is nothing you can do about it.

Comment

Con
Subpar graphics

Definitely not one of the best looking games out there, and age is not helping it either.

Comment

Con
Low graphics (old game)

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