I Play Old Games: RPG Democracy Edition!

by arbitrarywater

Hello all. Once again it's time for me to ask you, the public, what games you would like me to play, hopefully beat, and summarily write a blog thing about. You may remember me deciding to play and finish Jade Empire. After a few hours with the game's horrendous combat system I gave up. There is still a chance I might finish it, being that I liked the direction the story was going and I am a stupid huge fan of Bioware, but for now let's focus on the new candidates, all of which are RPGs that came out before 2004.
Really. If you pick this I have a good 45% chance of actually finishing it.

Coming in at #1, Fallout 2.

Although the original Fallout was a target of my most recent diatribe, this time on the legions of worthless character building options in older CRPGs I forgot to mention that Fallout 2 doesn't fall under that issue nearly as much as it's predecessor. However, the opening windup in F2 is much slower than its predecessor, and that isn't fun at all. However, after reinstalling the first one, I remembered how much I liked it, and figure that I probably could suck it up and try to finish it. However, I understand that there is a restoration mod that not only fixes F2's myriad of bugs but also adds some cut content (Oh Black Isle, even the studios that spawned out of your festering corpse have this problem). If you vote for F2, also include if you want me to install this or not, so I don't "dilute the experience", or something.
Dave Snider Approved!

Numero Dos: Temple of Elemental Evil

If Baldur's Gate 2 is the vanilla standard for all good D&D CRPGs, then Temple of Elemental Evil is some weird lime flavored sorbet that has LOW FAT written above the name tag. (For the record, Neverwinter Ni ghts is chocolate, Icewind Dale is Cookies and Cream, and Planescape is Mixed Berry). For those who don't know (which I assume is a lot of people. I don't remember hearing a about this game until a few months ago.) TOEE attempts to not only recreate a classic Pen and Paper D&D adventure, but also recreate the D&D 3.5 ruleset in its entirety, as opposed to the more accessible or "watered down" version found in NWN. That means tumble rolls, trip attacks, and spiked chains. It's also #1 on Dave Snider's list that was part of last year's April Fools Joke.That sounds like the kind of crazy I approve of, and it's made by the now-defunct Troika Games. However, it also had a bunch of bugs and was kinda broken in some spots (If you don't know, Troika was made up of former Fallout developers. Coincidence?), so I have decided that I am using the Fix Pack.
Also Dave Snider Approved!

Continuing the level of inane obscurity... Arcanum.

Also made by Troika, and also #2 on Dave's List, Arcanum is a game with an incredibly unique setting, basically the concept of a fantasy world thrust into the Victorian Era of flintlock pistols, trains and electricity with a little steampunk thrown in for good measure. That sounds alright, even if the combat is apparently ass and technician characters suck. I really don't know much otherwise, but I guess it sounds like a decent enough title. However, since I know so little about it my chance of success with be lowered somewhat.

Dude, I don't know. It's like Elder Scrolls?

However, in terms of not knowing anything about a title, yet understanding that a lot of people like it... Gothic wins this blog.

It's $10 on Good Old Games. I hear people in germany like it, and that's about all I know. Even if you aren't voting for it, you could at least tell me what the hell it actually is and if it's even a viable choice or not.

And that's my list. Since I can't have a blog and a poll in the same topic, you are going to have to vocalize your decision. Sorry. Also, be assured that I will continue to play Wizardry 8 regardless of how any of these titles turn out for me (coincidentally? It's #3 on Dave's List. That man has taste). So then, get to voting!