I have put all games I´ve revisited the past years in an Excelfile (I don´t know how I can link this file to my sidebar yet) and here are the games that have scored highest in each category:
The rating I set is rather conservative and now in hindsight there are several games that deserves a higher or lower rating when I compare them but there is no reason to change that now.
For example:
Demon´s winter scored 2 in gameworld & interactions. That is probably too high and better than Ishar 2 and on the same level as Wizardry VII which feels wrong.
Regarding NPC & Interactions Dragon wars scored 1 and Legend of Faerghail 1.5. Dragon Wars should be at least equal or more.
Regarding Manual, Legend of Faerghail scored a 5 but the manual is not better than the manual in Wizardry VII for example.
Section
|
Game
|
Gameworld & Story
|
Shadows over Riva
|
Economy
|
Might & Magic X
|
NPC & Interactions
|
Shadows over Riva
|
Monsters, tactics & combat system
|
Might & Magic X, Dark heart of Uukrul
|
Magic system
|
Might & Magic X, Eschalon Book 3
|
Character generation & development
|
Wizardry VII
|
Map design
|
Shadows over Riva, Faery Tale II
|
Manual
|
Legend of Faerghail
|
Graphics, Sound and Interface
|
Legend of Faerghail
|
Summary CRPG value
|
Might & Magic X, Eschalon Book 3
|
Gameplay
|
Might & Magic X
|
The rating I set is rather conservative and now in hindsight there are several games that deserves a higher or lower rating when I compare them but there is no reason to change that now.
For example:
Demon´s winter scored 2 in gameworld & interactions. That is probably too high and better than Ishar 2 and on the same level as Wizardry VII which feels wrong.
Regarding NPC & Interactions Dragon wars scored 1 and Legend of Faerghail 1.5. Dragon Wars should be at least equal or more.
Regarding Manual, Legend of Faerghail scored a 5 but the manual is not better than the manual in Wizardry VII for example.
What I find interesting now that I see everything condensed is that "Economy" has the same weight in your rating as "Gameworld & Story". That's at least an interesting statement. Admittedly, I was somewhat irritated by this aspect in the original Dark Disciples II, where every weapon store throughout the gameworld offered the same weapons for the same prices, which in my mind was a big waste of design scape (for instance, there is no satisfaction in saving for powerful high end weapons; nor is there a reward for exploring all corners of a city).
ReplyDeleteHowever, unless the economy is so ridiculously off that it ruins the game balance for a major part of the game, I don't think that it ever should have as much influence on an RPG rating as the story. There are games that you pretty much play only for their story. I doubt you will find a game you play for its great economic approach. (Or for its manual, for that matter :-/ )
I don't know. Maybe you can give me an example where the economy added so much to the game balance, the need to do quests etc. that I might be convinced otherwise. (Diablo III doesn't actually count.)
Hi Anthony! Nice to have you back ;-)
DeleteAll rating categories are weighted equal for simplicity. A few years ago I considered having different weight of them. For example, manual and map design should not be highly weighted. But for my casual gameplaying style and reviews I was content to break up the gameplay value separately as the most important value.
Regarding gameworld & story vs economy, you might be right. If we only see to story MIght & Magic X:s economy system was far more important. But if we also take into account the gameworld.....then economy might come second place.