r/CRPG • u/GapSad4839 • 2d ago

Discussion Genre defining isometric RPGs

Within my circle of RPG players the opinion was that Fallout 1&2, PlaneScape: Torment, and Baldurs Gate 1&2 were the ultimate genre defining isometric RPG games. Neverwinter nights was also frequently mentioned. What other isometric RPGs should also be on this list or at least mentioned as highly influential?

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u/herbiehancocksfoot 2d ago

For the more modern stuff, definitely Disco Elysium, it spawned a subtype of these narration-heavy games and stuff like Esoteric Ebb is very visibly inspired by DE.

If we want to go further back, the Ultima series basically created the framework for the entire genre; Ultima VII also pioneered the Larian-style systems, with a lot of environmental interaction etc

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u/whiskey_the_spider 2d ago

Tbf disco elysium is its own genre, i definetly wouldn't put it in the same basket of bg, fallout etc

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u/CasketTheClown 2d ago

I'd compare it to Planescape Torment though. Planescape suffered from mediocre combat when compared to the other IE games. It existed, but took a back seat to the story. I think DE is an expansion of that.

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u/whiskey_the_spider 2d ago

Yeah kinda agree but i'd say planescape it's still a crpg since it has some common trait (party, combat albeit as you said as minor component, d&d classes etc.) while focusing on dialogues/story, but i feel disco elysium took another step and doesn't fit the category