Best story?

[Anaximander]

What game has the best story? Exile 1, 2 or 3? I think Exile 3 has.

[Princess Ruth]

I prefer Exile 2 out of all of them. Then again it was the 1st demo I found but the last game I registered so I spent a good 2 years going through everything in the demo. The Vahnatai are excellent, and it's a lot harder to cheat in 2.

[Anaximander]

Hey Princess Ruth was that question good? I'm new here in forums, and you are a "veteran" so maybe you should know.

-Anaximander

[Kelandon]

You know, that question has been done before, but we have not actually discussed it in recent enough memory for it to be annoying. We've made references to our own opinions (I think the Blades community overall leans towards liking E2/A2's story the most, with individual variations), but we haven't really discussed why.

 

Certainly the overarching plotline of E3/A3 is a bit stupid: the vahnatai? Monsters plagues? Because of vengeance? Still? Jeez. Perhaps if E3/A3 spent more time developing the vahnatai's attachments to their crystal souls — show us why they care so much — then it would perhaps be more reasonable. But as it is, it seems forced. The vahnatai seem crazy. Their fight seems largely groundless (less so if you've played E2/A2 lately, but still), and the monster plagues seem cliched.

 

That said, the execution of the plotline is pretty good. Each dungeon was really, really fun. I just think the greater narrative could've used some work.

 

Meanwhile, E2/A2's narrative is generally fairly reasonable, in that each of the three quests pretty much logically follows, and we're not asked to swallow too much when the vahnatai make their initial mistake and then afterwards side with the exiles. E2/A2 structurally seemed like too much of a copy of E1/A1, but it did well as far as greater narrative.

[Alorael at Large]

Chapters 2 and 3 of E2/A2 earn it bonus points.

 

E1/A1 does the best job of providing a good introduction to Avernum. The actual plot is all but nonexistent, but it's great fun for exploring, massacring, and learning what's what in the underworld.

 

—Alorael, who thinks that in some ways E3/A3 is better at imitating E1/A1's style than being a game with a plot. As Kel noted, its plot leaves much to be desired. The exploration aspect also suffers from the plethora of utterly generic and meaningless towns.

[Controversial]

I'd say they each have their own unique storylines that are equally valuable, and I like them all. However, if I'd have to choose one of them, I'd have to say exile 3, just because I like the idea of going back to your homeland and destroying the plagues inhabiting it.

 

Btw, next time you make a poll, you might want to make only 1 box "clickable"

[Xan Kreigor]

I liked E2's plot the best. It was in my opinion the most involved of the 3. I also like the fact at how you weren't even supposed to be big heroes or anything, your group were small-time adventurers who were supposed to rid NE Exile of Nephilim. When in the end, you end up saving all of Exile.

[Arch-Mage Solberg]

I happen to like E1/A1's plot the most. You have to understand that these two games were the starting point and that they had to build an entire history and some clues to the future into the plot.

You meet a Vahnatai for the first time in one of the caves, and also meet Garzahd when you look into the orb at the Goblin Cave. He even says that there will be war soon.

E1/A1 had alot to build on and I think that they did it very well. In conclusion, E1/A1 have my vote on the better plot.

[Cryomaniac]

Exile 2, because of the way it was oragnised into chapters, Chapter 2 is the coolest part.

[Toenail Returns]

I like E3. The Empire finally decides to play nice.

[Tonweya]

As usual, I'm in the minority, but chose E1.

I feel that E3 is excessively abstract and E2 is simply excessive.

E1 is a good, solid adventure without a lot of hyperbole. (Mule Fritters)

If I ever reach the advanced stage that many of you are, I'll surely change my opinion to E2. I can't deny that it's the "best" scenario, but for the "lay" player, it wears on you, making it excessive.

In the BoE group, there are a lot of "simple" scenarios that allow one like me to "grow", but it's a long process and I'm only now getting closer.

(* Though I'll probably always favor E1 over all others, because it's the "first experience". Well, with these games anyhoo.)

[Cryomaniac]

Quote:

Originally written by Ahbleza:
As usual, I'm in the minority, but chose E1.
I feel that E3 is excessively abstract and E2 is simply excessive.
E1 is a good, solid adventure without a lot of hyperbole. (Mule Fritters)
If I ever reach the advanced stage that many of you are, I'll surely change my opinion to E2. I can't deny that it's the "best" scenario, but for the "lay" player, it wears on you, making it excessive.
In the BoE group, there are a lot of "simple" scenarios that allow one like me to "grow", but it's a long process and I'm only now getting closer.
(* Though I'll probably always favor E1 over all others, because it's the "first experience". Well, with these games anyhoo.)

I just noticed, you are member 2626, i'm number 2627, cool

[Controversial]

Quote:

Originally written by Xan Kreigor:
I liked E2's plot the best. It was in my opinion the most involved of the 3. I also like the fact at how you weren't even supposed to be big heroes or anything, your group were small-time adventurers who were supposed to rid NE Exile of Nephilim. When in the end, you end up saving all of Exile.

Now that you mention it, I do see your point. I kind of like that concept too. Such as in exile 3 you know you're the exiles' only hope. This also plays into the concept of e1, though not as strongly.

[Arenax]

This is a hard question. I'm going to have to go with E1 (but that's because I've been playing A1, in part).

 

E2/A2 is simply too sprawling, and, unlike some of the other BoE/BoA people, I like a game that involves more smashing than wandering around and oohing and aahing at special nodes.

 

As for E3/A3--no. The game is very fun, but the storyline is pure drek, for reasons Kel explained above.

[Anaximander]

I didn't realize that I'll get this many replies... Cool.

-Anaximander

[Controversial]

Probably cause it's a tough decision. I like all 3 of them, and I just said Exile3 if I had to have a favorite, probably because it was only a little bit better than the others in my view. The slot for me is pretty much still unsure.

[aquadraconus]

Exile 2 I find is the best.

 

Exile 3 is a random series of plagues (which is very fun in its own way. I am trying to deal with the Golem quest.)

 

Exile 2 deals with a sequential *hope I spelled that right* events which have 3 key events that have to be done.

[banned sapmmer]

Rather difficult to choose. . . but I am for the Exile II. The most exciting waterfall ride and that into the unknown, where the plot meets a sudden change. Should get the A2 next.

[Italianhitman]

you know, at first I thought Exile II was just "alright" but after reading everyone elses thoughts about it, I think it is my favorite, or it comes very close to Exile I. And as Xan Kreigor said, you weren't big time heros. In fact, if I remember right, wasn't it just a quick mission in Formello that you had to go into the cave area, and after which going down that waterfall, you had nowhere to go? I think thats right. So my final decision is, Exile II.

[Spring]

Yea I liked E2 the best, although I must admit I have only played the demos of E2/E3 and have'nt played Exile 1. Im working on registering though, thats the main thing.

 

Origianlly written by Kelandon:

Quote:

...and the monster plagues seem cliched.

Hmmm...I just fail to see how giant cockroaches and troglodytes are 'cliched'.

[Drakefyre]

I don't think that the monster plagues are clichéd either. But I just love Exile II, and Exile III is a close second. I never really got into Exile I, and I only played it through to the end once.

[Toenail Returns]

I liked Exile III the best. I hated all the boating around in Exile II and in Exile I, it was WAY to easy to get beat by sliths in the beginning. Exile III gave you a "mini-world" to train in. Plus, you start out with good equipment like chain mail instead of stone knives and crude bucklers.

[Miriam]

I found Exile 2 to be like most second movies in a trilogy, very important storyline to link the first to the third but otherwise boring.

[Alorael at Large]

I view E1 as the lengthy introduction to the world. Only the very end has anything to do with plot, and the plot carries over into E2. I like E1, but E2 is the one that actually has things happening.

 

—Alorael, who doesn't think he would have enjoyed E2 nearly as much if he weren't already familiar with Exile. Seeing Cotra in ruins is much worse when you remember shopping there fresh out of Fort Exile.

[bogus standard candidate]

E2. No reason that hasn't been mentioned already.