Fabled Lands
Fabled Lands is adaptation from the open world gamebook series of the same name, originally written in the 1990s.
If you are not familiar with the original books, what you can expect is a primarily text-based adventure in a medieval world in pen and paper style, accompanied by pretty illustrations and graphic UI. This isn’t your typical RPG game. There isn’t a single main story to follow, instead you explore the world and do whatever you please. Dice rolls determine the outcome of events, danger lurks around every corner, and your adventure only ends when you die permanently.
– Real player with 58.9 hrs in game
Read More: Best Hex Grid Early Access Games.
Back in the 90’s in Germany Ravensburger released the first four of the Fabled Lands solitaire-RPG game books in German under the Trademark “Sagaland” (not the Board Game). Already the first book “Kampf um das Königreich” (“The War-Torn Kingdom”) got me deeply involved in the world of Harkuna and the mechanisms of the books. Although I already had known the Fighting Fantasy Classics game books like “Death Trap Dungeon” there was nothing like the “Fabled Lands”-Series.
Those books are outstanding and unique in every way: You could travel back and forth in the book itself, from book to book, buy ships and become a sea trading mechant, the books “remembered” you decisions and changes the world accordingly.
– Real player with 28.9 hrs in game
Blackguards
Blackguards is the 3rd Dark Eye game Daedalic has released (I believe they also recently released a Blakguards 2 which would be their 4th). The series is based on the German Table-Top RPG game ‘The Dark Eye’. Their first Dark Eye game was ‘The Dark Eye: Chains of Satinav’ followed by ‘Memoria’. Those two games were directly part of the same story line. This game is not a continuation of that story line. I have yet to finish this game but have not currently found much of anything that ties it together with the other games. The first 2 Dark Eye games were point & click adventure/puzzle games. This one is a turn based RPG.
– Real player with 183.2 hrs in game
Read More: Best Hex Grid Turn-Based Games.
Warning : in about 35 years of playing video games, mostly RPGs and tactical games, this is one of the hardest I have ever played. You will fail some fights the first time, as you will have to discover strategies and some “puzzles” so-to-speak (traps on maps, etc.). That said, I always succeeded my second attempt much more easily. There is a sweet Retry button, which makes the pain sting less.
Still, if you do not feel like getting kicked brutally between the legs while playing a game, I really do not recommend you start this game. It is important for your enjoyment and frustration management that you know this in advance.
– Real player with 95.8 hrs in game
Expeditions: Viking
STORY
Good. Is well written and very immersive. I always wanted to know what is going to happen next. I don’t know if is historically accurate but it feels so. There is at least three ways to beat up the game: gaining wealth as trader, gaining support of a powerful ally or impose the Danish law (kill, burn and pillage) which gives you replayability. The only fantastic thing is the game so you won’t fight against orcs or elves and you won’t use magic missiles and fireballs. Your choices matter and will greatly influence the way you will walk the story, the factions attitude toward you and if some joinable characters will leave or not the party.
– Real player with 158.5 hrs in game
Read More: Best Hex Grid Turn-Based Games.
This is probably my favorite game of all times, and I’ll definitly be honest and say I have a bias towards Vikings and the setting, that’s not why it is my favorite game of all time(though it’s a great bonus, no question!). I’ll split things into sections to make it easier to read:
Map\Travel\Exploration
The game is an isometric turnbased RPG, you travel between locations on a world map, and in\on the locations you have a local area to run around in, Like in Fallout, Wasteland, etc. Unlike Fallout there are no random encounters, but instead random events(often bad, but sometimes good), where you are given some sort of decision to handle(when sailing it could be a companion falling off the boat, or a storm closing in etc, dependant on your ship and resources depends on the effects that’ll happen and what decisions are avalible).
– Real player with 130.1 hrs in game
Expeditions: Conquistador
Expeditions: Conquistador
…is a turned-based tactical RPG. Along with your company of soldiers, you embark on a voyage for the New World to conquer and tame its lands and native people for the glory of Spain.
⚙ Game Description & Mechanics ⚙
You play as a company leader of noble birth, taking the place of Hernán Cortés as you board your ship to map America. The first chapter will have you land on Hispaniola to deal with problems facing Santo Domingo, then move on to Mexico where you meet the Aztec Empire. As the story unfolds, the choices you make will branch out into a few paths and different endings to the game.
– Real player with 77.4 hrs in game
Expeditions: Conquistador is a tactical RPG, set, as implied by the name, during the historical Spanish invasion of parts of the American continent. You play a Spanish nobleman, in command of your military unit, set on a ship from Spain to America.
Your first duty is to choose the members of your unit. I really like the idea that you don’t only have to consider their tactical roles (Soldier / Scout / Hunter / Doctor / Scholar) and how many of which class you’re going to need, but also their personal views and agendas. Some of those people are either racists or extremely religious, while others are more tolerant and open-minded. Some are adventurous and like taking risks, while others are more cautious and calculated. As squad-leader, you must consider how well those people are going to be able to interact and get along with each other, and how easy it is going it be for them to accept your leadership, considering the differences between them. Having half your squad be adventurous risk-takers and the other half very cautious, for example, is probably not a very good idea, as any decision you make during the game which will have anything to do with taking risks, would end up making half your squad lose morale.
– Real player with 65.0 hrs in game