Game suggestion

[srakken]

Hello guys,

 

I am new to spiderweb games and have started playing Avadon after finding it on steam and so far have been enjoying it immensely. Reminds me of the old ultima days.

 

I am curious of the other spiderweb games and would like to try another one and am looking for suggestions.

 

I know some of the older ones have slightly crappier graphics but I might be able to look past it provided that it is engaging enough and that it has a functional UI.

 

What do you recommend?

[Micawber]

To my mind, Geneforge has the most engaging and original story, and not a few tactical challenges as well.

[Alorael at Large]

Nethergate!

 

Actually, since all the games have substantial demos available, try them out and see which ones you like and can tolerate. Nethergate and Avernum 2 are perennial favorites, but with the first Avernum trilogy being remade it might be worth waiting on A1-3. The Geneforge series is beloved, and the second Avernum trilogy is quite good, more modern, and requires no knowledge of A1-3, although it will spoil them slightly.

 

—Alorael, who will reiterate use of demos. In particular, try the Geneforges. If you don't mind the engine roughness of G1, it's considered one of the strongest stories in the series and it's the foundation.

[Tyranicus]

[Actaeon]

It may take weeks without sleep and all sorts of tech savvy, but someday, I will beat Tyran to the punch.

[Rowen]

Avernum: Escape from the Pit is being updated and remade. It should be out for Mac is November-Decemberish, and for Windows in early spring. Its a a remake of the first game Spiderweb published I think. It might be worth trying when its done.

[Actaeon]

Ah. Right. Contributing to the theme. Try first of each series, and find out what suits you. It's nicer to visit them in roughly chronological order, and easier to progress with the engine rather than losing features as you go along.

 

Edit: At the risk of making an enemy of Tyran, I must also throw my personal support behind Geneforge. It's the game that brought me here.

[Ceiling Durkheim]

Seconded on the Geneforge recommendation, but it really depends on what you're looking for. They're all fairly similar in terms of gameplay, but the stories differ a great deal in flavor.

[Randomizer]

You should try to decide before the end of the month to catch the annual sale.

[srakken]

Thanks for the suggestions. When are the remakes of the first Avernum series coming out? What is the difference between Nethergate and Nethergate resurrection are they the same game just remade? Do I need knowledge of the first one?

[Jerakeen]

They are basically the same game with a different engine, although Nethergate: Resurrection has a little extra content. So you don't need to play both.

[Tyranicus]

N:R is a remake of Nethergate with a little bit of new content and a revamped engine. I personally prefer the original, but it is very much showing its age. I would recommend playing N:R.

[srakken]

Ok Maybe I will try Nethergate:R next. Geneforge seems to be getting a lot of comments how does the UI etc stack up against a game like avalon?

[Tyranicus]

Originally Posted By: srakken

Ok Maybe I will try Nethergate:R next. Geneforge seems to be getting a lot of comments how does the UI etc stack up against a game like avalon?

In the strictest sense of the term, Geneforge 1 and Avadon use the same engine. However, that engine has seen 10 years of refinement since Geneforge 1 came out. Avadon uses a much more polished version of the engine. All in all, Geneforge 1 will feel like a cruder version of the Avadon engine, but still very much playable.

[Alorael at Large]

The engine is the same, but Avadon's skill system isn't like the one used, with variations, for every other Spiderweb game. The interface for Geneforge is fine, but it doesn't offer quite as many options, the gameplay isn't as refined, and so on. In exchange, you get a really interesting world, a compelling story, and, potentially, a small army of fire-breathing dinosaurs.

 

—Alorael, who prefers the original Nethergate engine for its braveness in discarding levels entirely. For gameplay and balance, the revamp is probably better. For not having to struggle to get it to run on a newer computer, N:R is definitely better. And the added areas are actually very nice.

[ex post slarto]

Geneforge 1 and Avadon use two different branches of the same engine: the first branch, and the third branch. Thus they are closely related but quite different.

[Death Knight]

-Geneforge 1 is a great game and is probably the most unique game in that series as the others use a different leveling system (The one from exile is only on G1).

 

-Avadon is a great game too and you may find it easier to get into as the game is much more forgiving in the beginning. However the game does get harder and definitely has a good storyline.

 

I would recommend Avadon if you are an old school bioware fan and geneforge if you like playing with one character. Both games are good and can be replayed again with a different setup as there are different ways to complete the game and classes to choose from.