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What is the best PC action RPG?

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18 Games Considered

18 Options ConsideredPriceSteam RatingGenre
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Overwhelmingly PositiveAction RPG
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
–Action Role-Playing
Path of Exile
Very PositiveDungeon Crawler RPG
Nioh
Mostly PositiveAction-RPG
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
Very Positive–
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The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

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Monika
Top Pro

Choices matter

•••
The Witcher 3 has three completely different endings. The decisions during main quests and side-quests affect how the endings play out, adding up 36 possible outcomes. It feels refreshing to actually impact your character's fate and not just trot along a path to an inevitable conclusion.
Monika
Top Pro

Attention to detail in almost every facet of the game

•••
The Witcher 3 is how an AAA title should play, sound, and feel like. Its deep combat, beautiful graphics, amazing sound, interesting quests, immersive story, and almost every other aspect of the game has a surprising amount of polish.
Aubrey
Top Pro

Immersive story

•••
The dialogue of the game is very intriguing as well as voiced superbly making for a very immersive experience as far as story is concerned. It is through the care the developers took to implement such realistic writing and voice work that makes the game so intriguing and an experience to play.
Monika
Top Pro

Convenient ways to get around the massive world

•••
The world is intimidatingly massive but thankfully there are ways to cut down on travel time. You can ride a horse, use a boat, or just simply fast travel to explored locations. This makes the experience more accessible and enjoyable as a whole.
Monika
Top Pro

Side quests are as good as the main quests

•••
There are almost no lazy "go get me 12 turtle shells" quests in the Witcher 3 and you get to experience some amazing writing even in the most obscure side quests.
Monika
Top Pro

Gigantic openworld

•••
The total size of Witcher 3's world is about 52 square miles, which is 3.5 times larger than Skyrim and 1.5 times larger than Grand Theft Auto V. Thanks to the sheer size you feel like you're in a real world and not a constrained box.
Monika
Top Pro

Lots of random side quests

•••
You can just walk around for hours, find abandoned structures, caves, etc and find interesting side quests to do.
Aubrey
Top Con

Story feels like a chore

•••
Most quests feel like a chore in that it is basically fetch quests in exchange for information to advance the story. While this is often a mechanic found in games to keep the gameplay long it does get tiresome.
Specs
Steam Rating:Overwhelmingly Positive
Genre:Action RPG
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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

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thermoplastics
Top Pro

Moral choices that can affect gameplay

•••
Things like stealing (and getting caught), fighting or killing in towns will change how the game plays as now those people or towns will be angry with the player, which makes things much more difficult. There are also many moral choices in game such as if one should betray the person who gave then...
thermoplastics
Top Pro

Unrestrictive skill-based RPG system

•••
Skyrim has no concept of character classes, and there are no restrictions on what equipment or magic a given character can use or learn. A character's capabilities are defined by skills (e.g. heavy armor, marksman, enchantment) which automatically improve as they are used. Levels are gained by...
thermoplastics
Top Pro

The longest-running RPG-FPS franchise, with world lore rivaling classic fantasy literature

•••
The Elder Scrolls series stretches back 20 years and has always focused on providing a rich world to explore. Skyrim inherits the stories and world-building of over half a dozen previous games.
thermoplastics
Top Pro

Huge variety of mods

•••
Bethesda Softworks has upheld a tradition of releasing their internal content-creation tools to the public since Morrowind (2002). Many modders transition to new Bethesda games as they are released, bringing their experience with them and helping newcomers through forums and wikis. As a result, Sky...
thermoplastics
Top Con

Immersion can be broken due to game limitations

•••
While the game offers players many choices some of these choices are not reflected in the game accurately. There are instances where NPCs should know who your character is or what classes they belong to but due to the limitations of the tech used in the game it is unable to "remember" the...
thermoplastics
Top Con

Buggy and crash prone

•••
Skyrim, like all Bethesda in house game engines (GameBryo) is buggy and prone to crashing. Non modded games have plenty of issues, but to then add mods on top is just asking for a crash or corrupt game save. There are still many community mods for Skyrim that try to make the game more stable by ad...
Specs
Genre:Action Role-Playing
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Path of Exile

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Georgia
Top Pro

Great setting

•••
Path of Exile is set in a dark fantasy world where everything is gradually becoming worse. At the foreground, you have the massive continent of Wraeclast that once was the home to a flourishing empire, but now is a place filled with the undead, evil spirits, ruins, and echoes of the past. To make m...
Georgia
Top Pro

Feels exhilarating to play

•••
While the gameplay might feel a little slow and clunky in the beginning, it gradually picks up speed as you progress, allowing you to swiftly destroy large groups of monsters with any skills you choose. Whether you're shooting ice arrows with your bow, freezing and shattering every enemy on-scr...
Georgia
Top Pro

Regularly updated

•••
Every 4 months or so, Path of Exile has major updates, adding new interesting mechanics, skills, items, and various other content. As a result, every time you come back to Path of Exile after taking a break, it feels like a new game.
Georgia
Top Pro

Hundreds of possible character builds

•••
There's a staggering amount of builds and skills you can try out in Path of Exile. There are 7 classes, 19 subclasses, 194 active skill gems, 107 support gems, and over 1000 skill nodes on the expansive skill tree. As a result, there are hundreds of possible combinations, allowing you to spend...
Georgia
Top Pro

Completely free without pay to win mechanics

•••
You can just download and install the game without any purchases. On top of that, there are no pay-to-win mechanics and the only things locked behind paywalls are cosmetic effects, pets, and additional storage space. You can easily play the game for hundreds of hours without spending a dime.
Georgia
Top Con

Very high learning curve

•••
There's quite a lot to learn when starting to play Path of Exile. There are the mechanics, the crafting system, and the skill gem system. However, the most intimidating factor is the massive skill tree with over 1000 skill nodes, 6 classes and 19 subclasses, allowing you to create hundreds of u...
Georgia
Top Con

Some aspects of the graphics look dated

•••
While the graphics have received updates over time, a lot of the visuals still lack polish you'd see in most AAA games. Some textures are fairly low res, certain character models look weird when they have armor on, and the animations feel somewhat stiff and clunky. You probably won't notice...
Georgia
Top Con

Clunky trading system

•••
The western PC version of Path of Exile currently requires using an external site to find deals or sifting through scam attempts in the trade chat. After you find an item you want to buy, you need to message the seller, and if they respond, enter the same area as them to make a direct trade. There...
Georgia
Top Con

Endgame can get really repetitive

•••
It takes an exceptionally long time to get any wealth, useful items, or access to endgame bosses in this game. You endlessly farm the same maps, hoping you'll get lucky with a few good items, but that usually won't be the case, which can be really discouraging to keep playing. This is made...
Specs
Steam Rating:Very Positive
Genre:Dungeon Crawler RPG
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Nioh

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Kristaps
Top Pro

Fast-paced, intense combat

•••
Nioh is a very fast-paced game, which also rewards awareness and patience. The combat in it is all about dodging, countering enemy attacks, and looking for openings. You will quickly regret any hasty decisions (like fighting three demon Samurai out in the open) since they'll most likely lead to...
Kristaps
Top Pro

Rewarding exploration

•••
Exploring in Nioh feels worthwhile since it helps you find new equipment and rare materials. This will help progress your character, allowing you to defeat enemies in fewer hits and giving you a smoother playthrough overall. It's also very exciting to accidentally stumble upon secret areas.
Kristaps
Top Con

The story isn't particularly good or meaningful

•••
Nioh has kind of a throwaway story. You won't fall in love with any characters, and nothing that happens will shock or awe you.
Kristaps
Top Con

Punishing difficulty for beginners of the genre

•••
Nioh, like any other Souls-like title, has a very brutal entry difficulty. If you're new to the Souls-like genre, you'll have to get used to a lot of the mechanics, dodging, and, most importantly, dying. This can be the source of extreme frustration for the first ten hours or so, which caus...
Specs
Steam Rating:Mostly Positive
Genre:Action-RPG
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Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor

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Monika
Top Pro

Entertaining combat

•••
Shadow of Mordor has very fast-paced combat, allowing you to have exciting fights with groups of orcs. You parry, you counter, you roll, and you slash away at the orcs with your sword. You even have supernatural abilities that give you an edge in a bad situation. For example, after stunning an ene...
Monika
Top Pro

Great stealth combat mechanics

•••
In Shadow of Mordor there are various ways you can kill enemies while staying unnoticed. You can simply sneak around by staying low, breaking line of sight behind walls and carts, backstabbing orcs when you sneak up on them. You can climb walls and traverse building roofs, dropping onto unsuspecti...
Monika
Top Pro

Mind control mechanic that adds depth to tactics

•••
Players can mind control orcs to call upon them in battle, turning a one-vs-many battle, into a more evenly balanced showdown. You can even use your makeshift allies as fodder, allowing you to sneak up on unsuspecting enemies in the heat of battle and take them out instantly. It's up to you to...
Monika
Top Pro

Enjoyable preparation element

•••
Bosses in this game have different immunities and weaknesses to in-game skills. For example, a boss can be immune to takedowns, but can also be vulnurable to fire, so it's best to have a flame-infused weapon ready to fight him effectively. This makes preparation very important to succeed, some...
Monika
Top Con

Unskippable cutscenes interrupt gameplay

•••
Every time an orc leader enters the screen, there is an unskippable cutscene where he rambles a bit, focusing the camera on him and halting combat until the cutscene ends. This usually happens as you're fighting another enemy, potentially disrupting your rhythm, which can be really frustrating,...
Monika
Top Con

Progressing through the storyline can be confusing

•••
While excessive hand-holding in games is bad, you might get lost in this game with no idea what to do next. This is mostly because the game almost never tells you what you should be doing, so it's up to you to find out, which can sometimes result in you aimlessly running around an area for up...
Monika
Top Con

Extremely repetitive

•••
The game can begin to feel like a chore after 3 hours. Every area has the same missions, requiring you to unlock towers, kill/dominate that orc, or defend/attack a base. There isn't much change over the course of the game, so it can feel pretty disappointing if you're expecting more variet...
Specs
Steam Rating:Very Positive
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Diablo III

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Georgia
Top Pro

Easier to learn and enjoy than most other similar titles

•••
Diablo III is very simple, requiring very little to no planning to succeed. You create a character, pick a skill and just progress through the game while occasionally upgrading your equipment. You can change skills and any stat points you've earned without penalties. You can also choose from o...
Georgia
Top Pro

Fun to collect loot

•••
One of the better parts of Diablo III is collecting the piles of gold, the colorful gems, and various pieces of equipment. It's especially exciting when a legendary quality item drops from a monster since it makes a distinct sound effect and shoots a beam of orange/green light into the sky. So...
Georgia
Top Pro

Decent selection of character builds to try out

•••
There are more than 50 distinct class/skill combinations, including ranged builds, melee builds, support builds, defensive builds, pure-offense builds, and many more. You're sure to find a build that you'll enjoy playing, whether you prefer to play alone or with friends.
Georgia
Top Con

Endgame grinding can get really repetitive

•••
The endgame in Diablo III consists of only two things – completing bounties and clearing greater rifts. Both of these have very little variation in them, so quite often you'll run through the same map layouts, clear the same enemies, and complete the same objectives. This gets extremely stale a...
Specs
Genre:Dungeon Crawler RPG
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Middle-earth: Shadow of War

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Monika
Top Pro

You can lead an orc army and expand your own dominion

•••
As part of the Nemesis system, you can recruit orc leaders after you've bested them in combat. Each one has his own unique strengths and weaknesses, so making the best possible army for conquering enemy territories might take a while. For example, an orc leader can be completely immune to ran...
Monika
Top Pro

Satisfying combat

•••
Shadow of War gives one of the better feeling combat systems in recent times, allowing you to be either stealthy or go for direct confrontations. If you choose to be stealthy, you can skewer unsuspecting orcs from behind with your dagger, drop onto them from a building while impaling them with yo...
Monika
Top Pro

Character connections make for a compelling experience

•••
Shadow of War uses the Nemesis system to create a more immersive and alive-feeling world. Thanks to it, orc leaders have names, ranks, titles, tribes they belong to, and most importantly, connections to other orc leaders. For example, an orc leader might be at war with another orc leader. This co...
Monika
Top Pro

Addictive gear collection fuels your thirst for orc blood

•••
As you kill orc leaders, they'll drop random quality gear items, ranging from common rarity every-orc weapons/armor to legendary rarity artifacts with unique names. Each item serves to improve your character, providing various stat increases and damage bonuses. You can also upgrade gear with ge...
Monika
Top Con

Unskippable cutscenes disrupt the flow of the gameplay

•••
Every time an orc leader enters the screen, there is an unskippable cutscene where he rambles a bit, focusing the camera on him and halting combat until the cutscene ends. This usually happens as you're fighting another enemy, potentially disrupting your rhythm, which can be really frustrating,...
Monika
Top Con

Can get repetitive

•••
The overall gameplay formula doesn't change much over the course of the game. You fight orcs, take over strongholds, upgrade your character, and collect blips on the world map. After a while it can start feeling like a grind, especially during long play sessions. This is made worse in the final...
Specs
Steam Rating:Mixed
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Fallout 4

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Mleri
Top Pro

Deep perk/skill system

•••
Fallout 4 has a great selection of perks centered on surviving in the wasteland. You'll gain a point each time you level up, allowing you to select one of the perks. The perks can give you an increase to your sneaking ability, improve your lockpicking skills, or even add unique effects such as...
Mleri
Top Pro

Diverse enemy types keep the gameplay exciting

•••
There a lot of different enemies found in the game such as super mutants, feral ghouls, robots, mutated wildlife, and many others. All of them have their unique behaviors, strengths, and weaknesses. For example, robots often use heavy weaponry such as rocket launchers and lasers, making it really...
Mleri
Top Pro

Great storyline

•••
The main story has a very personal theme of family and revenge, featuring a main character looking for their lost son in a post-apocalyptic version of Boston. The side-quests also provide a decent backdrop, expanding on some of the plot elements of the main story. There are many twists and mysterie...
Mleri
Top Pro

Huge world with loads of content

•••
The world of Fallout 4 is massive so there's quite a lot to do. Many areas to explore, tons of quests to complete, and lots of collectibles to find. There's easily enough content to keep you playing for over a hundred hours.
Mleri
Top Pro

Interesting settlement management

•••
In Fallout 4 you can set up thriving communities in various locations. You'll have to provide the settlers with housing, bedding, water, food, and protection. Over time you'll be able to establish trade routes between the settlements and expand into an empire spanning the entire territory...
Mleri
Top Pro

Addictive to collect loot

•••
You can pick up most of the stuff you see laying around in Fallout 4. Every item, including weapons and armors, can be broken down into reusable crafting materials. This makes it hard to stop yourself from going around and collecting everything in sight because everything has a purpose. You can a...
Mleri
Top Pro

Solid gunplay with an interesting twist

•••
The gunplay plays so well it almost feels like a pure FPS. You can shoot from the hip, aim down the sights/scope, or even just run and gun. However, what makes Fallout 4 stand out is VATS (Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System). When you activate VATS, the time slows down to a crawl, allowing you to...
Mleri
Top Pro

Companions can help make the game a little easier

•••
There are a bunch of companions to find in the game, starting with Dogmeat, the dog. Each companion has their own skills that can help you. For example, Dogmeat can dig up hidden items and bring them to you. They can also distract the enemy, causing the combat to be a little easier since all the at...
Mleri
Top Pro

Addicting building mechanic

•••
One of the more interesting parts of managing your settlement is the house building aspect. There are various preset houses you can put down quickly, but you can make large structures entirely from scratch, starting with the foundation and ending with the roof of a 10 story building. While there a...
Mleri
Top Pro

Great selection of mods

•••
You can can find all sorts of mods at the Bethesda website, giving you the freedom to change the parts of the game you don't like. This includes interface adjustments, graphical improvements, additional quests, and many other things.
Mleri
Top Pro

You can adjust equipment to suit your playstyle

•••
In Fallout 4 you have a lot of options when modifying your equipment, giving you a chance to make equipment that matches your playstyle. You can take an assault rifle and change most of its parts. Each part you can change has an upside and a downside to it. For example, adding a long range scope...
Mleri
Top Con

The dialogue choices are confusing

•••
Most of the dialogue choices will only show a few words that don't actually reflect what your character is gonna say. This creates a disconnect between you and your character, making it seem like you don't control what your character is gonna say at any point.
Mleri
Top Con

Occasional bugs

•••
There are bugs in the game that users will run into. While most are not game breaking, it can detract from the experience.
Mleri
Top Con

Pipboy UI feels unpleasant to use

•••
When you open your Pipboy (a personal computer that manages your quests, inventory, character data, etc) the screen containing the useful information only covers about a fourth of the entire screen. As a result some of the elements are too crammed, requiring a lot of scrolling. This can be really a...
Specs
Genre:Action RPG
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Dragon Age: Inquisition

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MagicalSjofn
Top Pro

Lots of Interesting characters and lore

•••
MagicalSjofn
Top Pro

Building relationships with companions is enjoyable

•••
MagicalSjofn
Top Pro

Large amount of content

•••
The game offers a very long main story, with even more side quests and hidden areas that can take hundreds of hours to complete. For those looking for something to eat up a large amount of time, Dragon Age Inquisition is a good choice.
Monika
MagicalSjofn
Top Con

MMO-like quests

•••
Repetitive mechanics, fetch quests, pick up stuff in maps.
Specs
Genre:Action Role-Playing, Tactical Role-Playing
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The Surge

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Hloja
Top Pro

Engaging combat system

•••
The Surge's combat primarily consists of you fighting robots or cybernetically enhanced humans in close quarters. You have to read enemy patters, dodge when needed, and strike when there's an opening. What makes the combat stand out, however, is the ability to target specific body parts of...
Hloja
Top Pro

Good selection of weapons

•••
The Surge has many types of futuristic weapons - from a vibration powered chainsaw, to a large axe with an energy blade, to even a giant robot's arm re-purposed as a weapon. The most important differences between weapons, however, are in speed, reach, and available combos. For example, you can...
Hloja
Top Pro

Enjoyable loot system

•••
In most games items tend to have drop chances, so you're often stuck killing an enemy over and over until you get the item you're looking for. The Surge changes this up by allowing you to slash off pieces of equipment from enemy bodies when finishing them off. For example, when you're...
Hloja
Top Con

Might feel a bit too punishing

•••
Even when you have good equipment, the regular enemies can still kill you in a couple of hits if you're not careful. Some enemies are very aggressive and fast, so a momentary lapse in focus can cause you to restart an area from the beginning. This is further amplified during boss fights where m...
Hloja
Top Con

Exploration can feel disorientating since there's no map

•••
While a lot of games without maps and/or waypoints play fine, The Surge may feel too disorientating at times. This is mostly due to its over-reliance on maze-like environments that tend to look exactly the same, so even though you've entered a room for the first time, it may feel like you'...
Hloja
Top Con

The story isn't that good

•••
The story starts out intriguing, but it doesn't do much with the initial setup afterwards. The main character's motivations don't seem very believable, the side characters aren't that interesting, and even the conclusion isn't satisfying. In the end, the story in The Surge is ju...
Specs
Steam Rating:Mostly Positive
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Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen

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Superuser
Top Pro

Action gameplay that is influenced by Devil May Cry

•••
Has mid-air cancels and a control scheme that recalls Devil May Cry. Developed by much of the same team.
Superuser
Top Pro

Demands competence in both action and RPGs

•••
Superuser
Top Con

Sparsely populated, large open world

•••
With limited fast-travel options, the sparse open world will eventually make your journeys feel arduous.
Superuser
Top Con

Easy to underlevel/overlevel

•••
The game's open nature and lack of strict gating can make it seem imbalanced, as you can be overlevelled in one area and very underlevelled in an area next to it.
Specs
Steam Rating:Mostly Positive
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DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin

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thermoplastics
Top Pro

New lighting system

•••
Before the original Dark Souls II was released the developer had shown off a lighting system where areas were pitch black and a torch was necessary to see. This was eventually removed before the release. Now with the release of the DX11 version, DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin is able to ac...
thermoplastics
Top Pro

Slow and deliberate fighting with reward/risk mechanics

•••
Each enemy encounter needs to be calculated and precisely timed, as any mistake will most likely mean death. An added level of complexity to this equation is enemies that can be ignored but will then gang up on the player once a boss is beaten. This creates a risk/reward scenario that the player ne...
thermoplastics
Top Pro

Excellent boss battles

•••
There are many iconic boss battles throughout the game that make for some of the most difficult moments to be played. But once finally defeating a boss the feeling of accomplishment is well worth it.
thermoplastics
Top Pro

Expansive fantasy settings

•••
Dark Souls II offers a wide variety of locales to explore, all within a fantasy setting. The amount of differing locations does give a feeling of lack of cohesion though but does have the benefit of locations that are wildly different from each other, which can be refreshing at times.
thermoplastics
Top Pro

Branching gameplay with plenty of choices

•••
The branching gameplay within Dark Souls II makes for not only a great way to tailor each adventure to each player keeping everyones experiences unique, but also a reprieve from many difficult points in the game. If one area has become to tough or something has the payer stuck from advancing furthe...
thermoplastics
Top Con

Difficulty that requires a lot of time and patience

•••
To be honest, difficult is a nice way of putting it, this game can destroy ones will to live. It is not even worth counting how many times one dies, as it will be in the hundreds if not thousands. Only through patience and sure determination will many reach the ending of the game. So much time is n...
Specs
Steam Rating:Mostly Positive
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Salt and Sanctuary

thermoplastics
Top Pro

Deep combat

•••
While this is a 2D platforming game, the combat is actually quite diverse, depending on what equipment one is using (and there is quite a lot of equipment). Players have a light and hard attack that each can be charged. They can also be combined to create combos, with some that may even result in s...
thermoplastics
Top Pro

Exploration based gameplay

•••
The player does not start with much in items or story. It is up to the player to explore and figure out little by little what is going on in the game. This makes for an adventure that the player can be immersed in by filling in any gaps with their own imagination, which in turn allows the player to...
Stuart Kearney
Top Pro

Great difficulty mechanics

•••
If you're struggling to get past a certain area or boss you can simply grind out levels or upgrades in the previous areas until you are able to proceed. This works due to enemies being the same level no matter what your level is.
thermoplastics
Top Pro

Interesting perk mechanic

•••
There is a feature in the game called "creeds" that allows on to sign up for one creed at a time. These creeds will give you access to certain specific perks such as building out their sanctuary (of which each creed has one) where you can customize vendors of items, find new quest givers...
thermoplastics
Top Pro

Risk reward gameplay

•••
The player throughout the game is always earning salt when defeating enemies. This salt is used to purchase upgrades and items in the game, so the more you have the more you can purchase. The thing is though that you can lose all of the salt you have collected if you die, and being that this is a d...
thermoplastics
Top Pro

Huge selection of upgrades

•••
The player earns salt by killing enemies in the game. This salt can then be used to purchase upgrades and new abilities for their character on a large spherical grid. This grid has many branching paths that cover just about any skill or ability one can think of for a dark fantasy game. Want to bran...
thermoplastics
Top Pro

Good use of metroidvania level design

•••
Metroidvania genre games tend to lock portions of the game behind elements that can not be traversed until a certain item or skill is earned. This makes for a world that requires a lot of backtracking and familiarity, meaning the player needs to keep track of all the areas they have already explore...
thermoplastics
Top Con

May be too niche

•••
The setting of the game is quite dark and may be draining to spend any significant amount of time in the world. The gameplay itself can be quite difficult as well, which means this may not be the game for everyone.
thermoplastics
Top Con

Difficult to know where you are

•••
There is no map in the game, which is exacerbated by the fact that this is a 2D title. In 2D there is basically no way to tell where you are in relation to where you want to go other than from memory. This can be troublesome if it has been a few days since you last played, as you now need to rememb...
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Lords Of The Fallen

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thermoplastics
Top Pro

Arcade like combat

•••
The combat in Lords of the Fallen is a bit arcade like in that it plays like a hack and slash more so than a tense combat parrying game. This makes for an easier to get into game.
thermoplastics
Top Pro

Risk/reward loot system

•••
There is a risk reward loot system within Lords of the Fallen in where the player, the further they progress without saving, the better loot they will receive as drops. So depending on when the player wants to save can create a very tense situation when having not saved in over an hour and running...
thermoplastics
Top Pro

Highly detailed graphics

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Lords Of The Fallen features some very gorgeous graphics, something that really sets it apart from the game it takes its inspiration from.
thermoplastics
Top Pro

Easier than the Souls series

•••
Lords of the Fallen has been pretty much modeled after the Dark Souls series with gameplay that is very similar. Though with LotF, the gameplay is a bit easier, with enemies not being as excruciatingly as tough. While the easier gameplay does make Lords of the Fallen more accessible, it is still a...
thermoplastics
Top Con

Frame rate issues and crashing

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Lords of the Fallen has suffered from frame rate issues and crashing since it's release. Various patches have been released to address these issues but they still remain to be an issue.
thermoplastics
Top Con

Last half of the game can be too easy

•••
In the second half of Lords of the Fallen the player is able to accrue runes that allow for stat boosts, making the game arguably a lot easier that the first half.
thermoplastics
Top Con

Flat story

•••
The story in Lords Of The Fallen never really explains much to the player, leaving the player feeling a bit disconnected from the game, not really caring about the characters or their outcome.
Specs
Steam Rating:Mixed
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Dark Souls III

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Patricia Q
Top Pro

Unique experiences through exploration

•••
The game focuses less on linearity which means that the player can go their own direction in large environments, in order to explore what appeals as the best path to them. It sees the player constantly winding around different paths that interconnect, all while holding secret passages and hidden it...
thermoplastics
Patricia Q
Top Pro

Great combat system

•••
The combat in Dark Souls 3 asks you to understand how each enemy moves, what are the weak spots in those movements and exploit them. To exploit enemy moves, you'll have to know how your equipped weapon behaves as they have wildly different behaviors and timings. There are different kinds of mel...
thermoplastics
Top Pro

Vast variety of equipment and spells

•••
The equipment found in this game is quite numerous. There are many different swords, bows, spells as well as a huge selection of different armors. Weapons such as swords can each have unique abilities such as different strikes. So while one sword may have a long reaching sideways swipe, another m...
thermoplastics
Patricia Q
Top Pro

Can give a great feeling of accomplishment

•••
The Dark Souls series is known for how difficult it is and Dark Souls 3 is no slouch in this area. The game is difficult and the player will die a lot. This of course can give a feeling of aggravation, but once a difficult boss is finally defeated, there is a sense of achievement that is not often...
thermoplastics
Patricia Q
Top Pro

Unpredictable boss fights

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The boss battles will see the boss shift their strategies and attacks often, making for a battle that will react to how the player is fighting as well as constantly change in order to keep the player on their toes, which makes for challenging battles.
thermoplastics
Patricia Q
Top Pro

Good selection of classes

•••
There are 10 total classes the player can choose from during character creation. This makes for a quite a few options for the player to pick from, giving them a sense of originality as well as a character that can fit just about anyone's playstyle.
thermoplastics
Patricia Q
Top Pro

Appealing graphics that illustrate a dark and interesting world

•••
The design of said graphics makes for a world so in depth it is quite a site to behold. Everything in the game feels and looks like it belongs and only serves to further flesh out this dark mystery of a world. The game definitely takes advantage of better hardware over the previous titles and it sh...
thermoplastics
Patricia Q
Top Pro

Fast load times

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The load times in the game can vary, depending on if the user has an HDD or an SSD, but even when using an HHD the games load times are under 10 seconds, with the majority taking under 6.
thermoplastics
Patricia Q
Top Pro

Save points in the game are easy to find

•••
There are a lot of bonfires (where the player can save) scattered around the game. This makes it easy to save before death, which is a big help for many, due to how difficult the game can be.
thermoplastics
Patricia Q
Top Pro

Solid controls

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No matter if using a keyboard and mouse or a gamepad (or Steam controller), the controls work well and can be customized easily in the settings. This makes the controls versatile as they can be customized to fit any type of player and their preferred control scheme.
Patricia Q
Top Pro

Customizable HUD

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The heads up display in the game can be turned on or off as well as set to a new third setting where the HUD adjusts itself automatically to only show what is important at the time of play.
thermoplastics
Patricia Q
Top Pro

Fixed issues found in previous titles

•••
The first game in the series had some issues with roll direction, the second had issues with a boring layout and forgettable bosses. This being the third game in the series takes the best out of the previous two and combines them into a cohesive experience. Everything is polished to improve the gam...
thermoplastics
Patricia Q
Top Pro

Fast and precise gameplay

•••
Dark Souls 3 adds a bit of speed over its previous releases. This makes for an exciting new experience for players of the franchise as well as an overall exciting experience for new players, as it requires impeccable timing of how one can react to counter, dodge or hit an enemy.
thermoplastics
Patricia Q
Top Pro

Worthwhile equipment combinability

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Any and all equipment in the game can be useful at some point of gameplay. The players is not penalized for wanting to use particular equipment for looks over usefulness, as all equipment is useful in some way. This greatly opens up how one can combine the equipment they find as the player is not h...
thermoplastics
Top Con

Poor support for mouse+keyboard control

•••
The default DS3 key/button bindings actually prevent full use of certain weapons by requiring the shift key to be pressed and not-pressed simultaneously. Rebinding is possible, but limited by issues like the left mouse button overriding all others and certain bindings not actually working in game (...
thermoplastics
Patricia Q
Top Con

Open atmosphere makes for confusing paths

•••
With the game having more of an open world feel it can be difficult to know what direction to go in. While much can be explored, there is a certain feeling of being lost that can make for a frustrating experience.
Patricia Q
Top Con

May be too depressing and dark for some

•••
This game can feel like a weight on ones shoulders. Everything about it is dark, gloomy and depressing. Some people may not enjoy this atmosphere at all.
Patricia Q
Top Con

Some areas have slowdown

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No matter the equipment being used, there are portions of the game (even when using the best equipment) that will see a dropped framerate.
Patricia Q
Top Con

Designed to work better with Intel CPU

•••
The game can only take advantage of up to 4 cores of a CPU, meaning those using AMD CPUs (which tend to have 8 cores) will only be able to use half of their cores for the game. This will make for a poorer experience if using an AMD CPU.
thermoplastics
Patricia Q
Top Con

Some graphical pop in

•••
No matter ones graphical settings or rig being used, the game does suffer from some pop-in when turning fast. This can be distracting when noticed, which detracts from the feeling of polish and immersion in the game.
Specs
Steam Rating:Very Positive
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Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age

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Chipester
Top Pro

Intuitive player-programmed combat with the gambit system

•••
The gambit system allows you to assign pre-set conditions and commands for your characters in real-time battles, like using healing spells when a party member is at less than 50% HP, or only using physical attacks when an enemy reflects magic. As you progress through the story, you'll find more...
Chipester
Top Pro

Huge and diverse open world to explore

•••
The world of Ivalice is a medieval fantasy setting that has elements of magical technology beneath the surface, with several locations to explore out in the wild. The grand, magnificent Royal City of Rabanastre is sequestered between a desert, branching off to plains that alternate between dry and...
Chipester
Top Pro

Amazing amount of challenging optional content

•••
Once you reach the later parts of the game, you'll be free to go after many different side quests like hunting powerful enemies for great rewards, and taking down stronger Espers, Final Fantasy XII's version of the series' magical deity summons. You'll be able to traverse each map...
Chipester
Top Pro

Additional content, changes and upgrades for the HD remaster

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The HD remaster includes new content from the PlayStation 2's Japanese International version that didn't get a Western release. When assigning battle roles for your characters, you have the option to give them two jobs instead of one. If you decide to make Balthier's initial job a white...
Chipester
Top Pro

Standout characters among the cast

•••
Unlike the majority of the cast whose motivations and growth are too closely linked to the plot, Fran and Balthier have their own lives that don't revolve around the story, making them feel more authentic than the others. Balthier is a charming, witty sky pirate who always has his eye on the pr...
Chipester
Top Con

Airship travel is limited to picking destinations on the map

•••
When you gain access to the airship, that excitement sours quickly once you realize you can only select locations on the map and travel to them instantly. You'll only get to see a cutscene of the airship taking off for flight before you're faced with a loading screen.
Chipester
Top Con

Later parts of the story feel tacked on

•••
Final Fantasy XII's political story is dense, mature, and captivating--until you reach a certain point after the halfway mark where things become too predictable. Plot holes begin to crop up, competent characters make questionable and reckless decisions for the sake of drama, and compelling vil...
Chipester
Top Con

Main protagonist adds little to the plot

•••
The main character, Vaan, is a teenage pickpocket who aspires to be a sky pirate with his own airship, which sounds interesting, but his relevance to the plot falls off sharply within the first 6-8 hours. He wants to avenge the death of his older brother Reks, but this becomes only a tertiary goal...
Specs
Steam Rating:Very Positive
Genre:Role-Playing
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Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition

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Chipester
Top Pro

Excellent combat that runs smoothly

•••
The flashy active combat system looks amazing and runs well. It's full of spectacle, with Noctis dashing from enemy to enemy with his warp strikes, and his magic spells that scorch the earth or freeze the winds nearby. With the freedom to switch between Noctis, Ignis, Prompto, and Gladio whenev...
Chipester
Top Pro

Impressive visuals

•••
Final Fantasy XV is an epic game that knows how to put on a show with its visuals. Some of its best moments are visually awe-inspiring, standing out from other games through sheer ambition and huge proportions, like fighting boss battles against enormous foes. Even during regular battles, if you...
Chipester
Top Pro

Amazing performance and textures on high-end PCs

•••
For players with top-of-the line PCs, Final Fantasy XV looks incredible in 4K and HDR, with hardly any dips in the framerate. If you want to see every little detail, you'll need to install the HD textures. The textures will take up about 155GB of space, but it's worth it to flesh out the ga...
Chipester
Top Pro

Solid companionship between the main characters

•••
Playing as the main character Prince Noctis, journeying across the world with his friends is the most authentic part of the game because of their realistic bonds. Other than the main story scenarios, you'll get to see the smaller ways that Noctis interacts with Prompto, his upbeat best friend,...
Chipester
Top Pro

Powerful soundtrack

•••
The soundtrack in this game is grand and inspiring, going the extra mile to help plenty of moments stick out in your memory alongside the music. The prologue alone gives a great preview of a fiery level you'll reach later in the story, playing the song "Hellfire" with an energized cho...
Chipester
Top Con

Core character development for Noctis' companions isn't in the main story

•••
The weak story in Final Fantasy XV links back to Noctis' companions--Ignis, Gladio, and Prompto--and how you won't get to know the guys all that well unless you exit to the main menu to play through optional DLC. You have to reach certain points in the story before these DLC stories are ava...
Chipester
Top Con

Weak story

•••
Because the Final Fantasy series is known for its great stories, it's frustrating that the one here is badly executed. There are a lot of payoffs in the plot that the writers intended to be dramatic and emotional, and yet you probably won't feel the full impact of them since the buildup to...
Specs
Steam Rating:Very Positive
Genre:Action Role-Playing
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Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom

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Mleri
Top Pro

Great starter RPG experience for younger players

•••
With it's cartoonish graphics, anime-based characters, and simple to understand combat, this is a great game for the younger generation of gamer to get into RPGs. Nothing feels overly challenging throughout the duration of the game. The story moves along at a nice pace to prevent boredom and ho...
Mleri
Top Pro

The kingdom building is satifsying and strangely addicting

•••
One of the cool features is the ability to plan and build your own living, breathing kingdom. You can build and upgrade a variety of different buildings. These buildings provide bonuses such as being able to craft better weapons and armor, providing special rare items, and generating income. By tra...
Mleri
Top Pro

The combat is simple but entertaining

•••
The combat is as simple as swinging your weapon and dodging attacks. It's quick to jump in without a steep learning curve. You may feel a bit overpowered at times, but that just adds to the action as you're dispatching enemies with ease. You won't be fighting alone though. Your pets add...
Mleri
Top Pro

There's a fun pet collecting and leveling system

•••
There's cute little creatures you can collect during your travels called Higgledies. Not only are they adorable, but they are quite fierce little fighters. They will heal and fight alongside you, adding to the fun of combat. If you have a particular one you enjoy, you can level it up to help it...
Mleri
Top Con

Skirmish mode feels like something you have to trudge through, rather than enjoy

•••
The Skirmish mode allows you take your armies out in a watered down RTS style mode in which you move your units around and watch them fight in a rock paper scissors type battle system. However, some quests require this mode far too often to the point of it becoming grindy and repetitive. It's n...
Mleri
Top Con

Some weird inconsistencies in the voice acting presentation

•••
From time to time the voice acting will suddenly stop mid conversation and only display the written dialogue. It's almost as if they forgot to record some lines. It tends to happen randomly and can be a bit distracting and immersion breaking when it occurs, such as listening to half a conversat...
Mleri
Top Con

Main character walks way too slow

•••
Until you unlock fast travel waypoints and pick up some speed boosts to your walking later in the game, the extremely slow pace at which you move can be downright annoying. Walking through the sprawling dungeons or between towns just doesn't feel like it matches the brisk pace of the story itse...
Specs
Genre:Action Role-Playing
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16 Community Recommendations

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