Since the beginning of time, geeks everywhere have been trying to mesh the nerdiness of tabletop roleplaying with the nerdiness of computer gaming to create an unholy creature with power such that no mortal should ever wield. Back rooms in comic-shops went silent in despair as the one known as Baldur’s Gate emerged from a virgin (obviously) womb. DM’s everywhere shed silent tears, knowing their day of reckoning was at hand. Here are 5 upcoming turn-based RPG games like Baldur’s Gate.
Zoria: Age of Shattering
This is a story-driven, party-based RPG with strong tactical elements and follower management that takes place in the expansive world of Zoria, a world filled with magic, ancient history, politics, and mysteries. All the adventures in the game are hand-crafted, with multiple branching and various options for exploration, depending on the setup of your party and their environment abilities. You can always revisit a dungeon with another party to see previously inaccessible places and finish all the side quests. For example, you may need a mage in your party to conjure the bridge over the abyss or someone with engineering to open mechanical doors. Also, as always, it would be nice for them to have a vodka bender class. It may not be a most powerful hero, but I can bet you on a head of a kikimora – it would be the most popular party member amongst other members. Let’s say If you were a brave adventurer, what you would want your party member to be? Thief, Priest, or Vodka Bender?
Colony Ship
Hundreds of years ago spaceship with 50 thousand colonists was sent from Earth to colonize Proxima Centauri. You, as one of the colonists, you will never feel the sun under a blue sky, never hear the wind in the branches of a tree, never swim in the ocean, never drink vodka in Latvia and forget how you even got into that country, never eat the most famous pink soup of šaltibarščiai in Lithuania, never get your ding dong amused by the ladyboy in Thailand, all because you had the misfortune to be born in the Ship, chained to a fate you didn’t choose. You have never seen Earth and you’ll never see Proxima Centauri either. You’re doomed to live and die on the Ship in the name of the Mission, like your father before you, like his father before him. A grim setting indeed, somehow it reminded me of a movie Pandorum. If you like stuff like that, this movie is a must-see for you. Just don’t google anything, it has some surprises you don’t want to spoil for yourself. That movie is dope. So, in Colony Ship, you will find a skill-based character system, with feats and biological implants. Also, you can choose from 12 recruitable party members with different personalities, agendas, and beliefs. By the way, the belief system is made quite well, religion is one of the main factors of this game. Here you can be a ruthless fanatic and do everything in your God’s name or fight for mind freedom as a brave atheist. It’s up to you to decide the fate of the Colony Ship itself.
The Dark Eye: Book of Heroes
The game puts you right into the fantasy world of Aventuria where you can raid dungeons and experience adventures, together with friends or alone. Here you can play co-op mode with up to 4 players and combine the specialties of the different species and professions to overcome enemies, puzzles and challenges in the myriad of procedurally generated maps. Also here you will find 12 different professions, such as Assassin, Mercenary, Knight or Black Magician, and four playable races: elves, half-elves, dwarves and humans. Nothing innovative in that field. It is sad that creators have no imagination to create new races. It seems so simple, every child can create some shmogolds or fufanians, but yet it is impossible for so many serious developers because they want to create generic stuff and I can only guess that they are afraid of originality whatsoever.
Broken Roads
This is a narrative-driven RPG that brings exploration, strategic turn-based combat and meaningful philosophical choices. This time it’s post-apocalyptic Australia with authentic Australian locations and environments. Here you can control up to 6 party members and enjoy hand-drawn artwork. Though for me it looks a bit too much cartoonish, I like more realistic, dark environments, but hey, it’s just me. Despite that, game looks not bad and it uses a unique morality system, which is based on four areas of moral philosophy. It reminds me of Disco Elysium a bit, although I’m pretty much sure, it has only a fraction of what Disco Elysium had. Anyway, in a 360-degree chart of possible options, players are able to choose from those within a certain range of their character’s core alignment, meaning that you can’t do brave things if you’re a coward and you probably will not lie if you’re a truthful man. I wish that creators of Game of Thrones had something like that before letting Daenerys Targaryen suddenly scorch down the city.
Alaloth – Champions of The Four Kingdoms
This is a skill-driven RPG inspired by classic turn-based games. Set in a rich fantasy world, resembling the darkest period of the Middle Ages, the game offers fast-paced action with a deep narrative. Here you will find unique combat and reputation system allowing you to unlock quests, 12 companions with their own backstories, and world lore created in collaboration with legendary Chris Avellone – a dude who put his filthy fingers on such games like Knights of The Old Republic 2, Planescape: Torment, Fallout, Neverwinter Nights 2, Pillars of Eternity and many more. This guy is real RPG heavyweight and I trust his wisdom. Also in Alaloth, you will find 4 different races: Bimbons, Fifanians, Gleebs, and Shikipuffs. Nah, I’m obviously kidding, only Humans, Elves, Dwarves and Orcs will be available. Disappointed! I hope you liked my list.
