A discussion on From Software's first person action-RPGs.

[Exhuminator]

If you don't mind my asking, out of curiosity, which of the Souls games have you played?

I do own Demon's Souls, Dark Souls and Dark Souls 2 all for PS3. But I have not played any of them yet. I want to wait until I finish KF3:Pilot Style, KF3, Shadow Tower, and Shadow Tower Abyss first. I am hoping to get on those next year.

I actually bought Eternal Ring while I was halfway through my playthrough of Ancient City.

Nice. The best thing about that one is its magic ring system. Mixing and matching rings to produce new spells. It also has some good music and a couple of nice dungeons. While it's not up to KF standards, it was still a fun game on its own right IMO. 7/10 kinda material.

Feels like you get it too late in the game to use as a reliable map.

I think From Software meant for you to use it go back and revisit earlier areas, to look for missed hidden passages and rooms. I probably did miss some things because when I played through Ancient City I did so without a walkthrough. I chose to do so because I didn't want to stumble upon any spoilers accidentally.

Since we're talking about PS2 RPGs with solemn atmospheres, I want to mention these to you as well:

Baroque - You can play this one in first person.


Wizardry: Tale of the Forsaken Land


Shadow Hearts

I believe those are all worth your time.

Now MrEco, please join in my campaign to convince others to play the majesty that is King's Field: The Ancient City!

[MrEco]

If you don't mind my asking, out of curiosity, which of the Souls games have you played?

I do own Demon's Souls, Dark Souls and Dark Souls 2 all for PS3. But I have not played any of them yet. I want to wait until I finish KF3:Pilot Style, KF3, Shadow Tower, and Shadow Tower Abyss first. I am hoping to get on those next year.

Ah okay, good to hear. No rush, I completely understand wanting to take your time and play them in your preferred order. I'm confident that you'll enjoy them since you like King's Field so much. As long as you don't mind the somewhat more combat oriented approach that I mentioned before.

I actually bought Eternal Ring while I was halfway through my playthrough of Ancient City.

Nice. The best thing about that one is its magic ring system. Mixing and matching rings to produce new spells. It also has some good music and a couple of nice dungeons. While it's not up to KF standards, it was still a fun game on its own right IMO. 7/10 kinda material.

I've heard similar. It looks like a solid title that I'm sure I'll enjoy, even if it's a bit simpler than KF/Souls.

Since we're talking about PS2 RPGs with solemn atmospheres, I want to mention these to you as well:
Baroque - You can play this one in first person.

Wizardry: Tale of the Forsaken Land

Shadow Hearts

I believe those are all worth your time.

Those all look like good recommendations to me, thanks. I've actually heard of Baroque and Wizardry: TotFL before, loooong ago, but I didn't give them much of a chance. Now that you've reminded me of their existence I looked up some gameplay on Youtube and they look fantastic. I especially liked the NPC's I saw in Baroque, they look like a creepy group of people.

As for Shadow Hearts, on that one I'm actually ahead of the curve. I bought all the Shadow Hearts games long ago, but haven't played them yet. They look seriously good as well. Hah, I gotta say you've got good taste in games friend.

Now MrEco, please join in my campaign to convince others to play the majesty that is King's Field: The Ancient City!

Lol, I'll gladly join your crusade. I'm not a very charismatic or persuasive person, but I'll give it a shot.

[Exhuminator]

I was thinking about other PS2 games that capture the "feel" we were talking about. I can only think of one other at the moment. I'd like to know if you've played...

[MrEco]

I was thinking about other PS2 games that capture the "feel" we were talking about. I can only think of one other at the moment. I'd like to know if you've played...

Aha, another great looking game that I own, but haven't played yet. An unfortunate side effect of collecting games and not having the time to play them as much as I wish. So far the only Shin Megami Tensei game I've played is Persona 4, and I was never even able to finish that one since real life got in the way back then.

Thinking about it, it's a real shame how hard it is to find the sorts of games with the dark and lonely atmosphere you and I like so much. I guess it hasn't become quite popular enough yet for many developers to latch onto the idea. But three games did come to my mind that you may be interested in.

Are you familiar with Ultima Underworld, The Dark Spire, or The Legend of Grimrock? All of them are classic style dungeon crawl RPG's. They don't have quite as good world design in my opinion as The Ancient City, but they do have very dark atmospheres and the gameplay has a lot to do with exploring. I think you might like them.

[Exhuminator]

Aha, another great looking game that I own, but haven't played yet.

I absolutely loved SMT:Nocturne, and I believe it is the greatest JRPG on the PS2. It does often contain the atmosphere you and I adore, among all its other layers of perfection.

Are you familiar with Ultima Underworld, The Dark Spire, or The Legend of Grimrock?

I played the Ultima Underworld games many many years ago, and I do recall portions of them having that "feel". I never beat either one though, and I would like to do so someday. The spiritual successor Arx Fatalis is fantastic, at least on PC anyway. When you get down in the catacombs and dank caves it's got the feel. And parts of the game are legit creepy.

I own a copy of The Dark Spire, but I have not played it yet.

I put about 15 hours into The Legend of Grimrock. Although I agree the game does have fantastic atmosphere (its strongest trait), Grimrock's actual game design was subpar and I had to put it away.

All of those were good suggestions. So here's a few more I've thought of:

Thief: The Dark Project for PC

Thief is actually my all time favorite game ever. Parts of it are very similar to King's Field actually, and IIRC the developers took some inspiration from that series. Either way, Thief expertly conjures up that dark and lonely atmosphere quite often. I mean the mission Down in the Bonehoard is a master class effort in that regard, absolutely amazing level and game design. You will feel alone and enveloped in sadness in many parts of this one. I could literally write pages and pages as to why I love this game so much and how insanely awesome it is. But I'll just say if you've never played Thief: The Dark Project, I cannot implore you enough to get it and play it immediately. It's on GOG: http://www.gog.com/game/thief_gold


Theresia for DS

This is the most atmospheric and legit creepy game on DS. It is genuinely creepy and disturbing to play. The melancholy lonesome atmosphere we're talking about is in full force in this game. Unfortunately I can't say it's an actual good game, it's an adventure game that is often not well designed. However as an atmospheric experience, it should certainly be given a chance. You'll be surprised how convincing a little DS game can be at horror. This is NOT a survival horror game though, so don't worry about that.


Echo Night Beyond for PS2

From Moby Games:In the year 2044, Richard Osmond and Claudia Seifer take a flight into space in order to be married on Earth's Moon. However during the flight there is an accident and Richard wakes up disoriented and alone. Something strange seems to be going on, and maybe Richard is even seeing ghosts! He has to find Claudia before it's too late, and figure out what's going on. Echo Night: Beyond is a 1st person adventure game. Controlling Richard, the player moves around picking up and interacting with objects, including security cameras and computer logs. He remains in his space suit which provides a flashlight as well as a heart monitor. As he explores his surroundings on the moon, he's bound to become fearful and a little creeped out. If Richard's heart rate ever goes above 300, he'll die and the game is over.j

Made by From Software so you know it's good!

[MrEco]

I've got all the Thief games (On GOG no less), but I had no idea they got dark. Haven't played them yet, and I assumed they were simply games about stealing things.

As for Theresia and Echo Night Beyond, I've heard of both but haven't picked them up yet. It's hard to find a good copy of Echo Night Beyond, or the original Echo Night for that matter. Theresia flew under my radar though, and I never really checked ito ut. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Exhuminator]

I've got all the Thief games (On GOG no less), but I had no idea they got dark.

I promise you, if you play through the first Thief you will not regret it. Once you get past the beginning mission (the only semi-boring mission in the game) everything after just gets better and better. Or should I say darker and darker. Considering how close our tastes are I can't imagine you wouldn't love this game.

Unfortunately Thief II is not nearly as scary or lonesome or macabre. It's much more action-adventure against steampunk robots and such. It's still a good game, but I think it lost a lot of the astounding atmosphere of the first Thief.

Thief III is kind of half and half. Everyone loves the Shalebridge Cradle mission from this one though, and it is a legit creepfest. You have to infiltrate a humongous abandoned orphanage, all alone, at night, and did I mention it's haunted?

I haven't played the fourth Thief game yet. I own it on 360, but it got so many bad reviews I don't know what to think yet. I'm almost afraid to play it.

[MrEco]

I've got all the Thief games (On GOG no less), but I had no idea they got dark.

I promise you, if you play through the first Thief you will not regret it. Once you get past the beginning mission (the only semi-boring mission in the game) everything after just gets better and better. Or should I say darker and darker. Considering how close our tastes are I can't imagine you wouldn't love this game.

Unfortunately Thief II is not nearly as scary or lonesome or macabre. It's much more action-adventure against steampunk robots and such. It's still a good game, but I think it lost a lot of the astounding atmosphere of the first Thief.

Thief III is kind of half and half. Everyone loves the Shalebridge Cradle mission from this one though, and it is a legit creepfest. You have to infiltrate a humongous abandoned orphanage, all alone, at night, and did I mention it's haunted?

I haven't played the fourth Thief game yet. I own it on 360, but it got so many bad reviews I don't know what to think yet. I'm almost afraid to play it.

I'm sure I will like it. I've heard nothing but praise for the first two Thief games. I know the second two aren't lauded as much, but from what I've seen I still think they look like solid stealth games. Not many to choose from these days though.

Also, kinda scrapping the bottom of the barrel here, but I do have one more game I think you might like. Shadowgate is a point and click adventure game, not an RPG, but it's a bit similar in atmosphere to the other games we've mentioned. It's got very nice art, and you're always alone. There's only one person you ever talk to on friendly terms in the game, and you never see them in person. Literally everything, including inanimate objects, in the game is either out to kill you or at least impede your progress. I wouldn't necessarily say it's depressing or dark quite like the rest we've talked about, but it's still quite lonely and threatening. Plus most of the puzzles can be solved with logic, and by observing the environment.

But considering how most of our suggestions seem to have gone, I won't be surprised if you've already heard of it.

[Exhuminator]

but I do have one more game I think you might like. Shadowgate

Great suggestion. However my old ass has already beat that one when I was 10 years old. That was via the 1989 NES version. I've been considering replaying it via the PC remake, so thanks for reminding me about it.

Actually Theresia is very similar in a lot of ways to Shadowgate. I really do think you would enjoy Theresia, if you own a DS or 3DS.

Since we're bringing GOG into the mix, I've got three more suggestions for you, and then I'll be tapped out for a bit. (Besides this was suppose to be a From Software thread... we've been gleefully derailing.) Here's a few that nearly no one played but they've all got that lonely and melancholy vibe:

http://www.gog.com/game/void_the

http://www.gog.com/game/miasmata

http://www.gog.com/game/the_penumbra_collection

[MrEco]

but I do have one more game I think you might like. Shadowgate

Great suggestion. However my old ass has already beat that one when I was 10 years old. That was via the 1989 NES version. I've been considering replaying it via the PC remake, so thanks for reminding me about it.

Ha, yeah I figured. Oh well, you're welcome either way for the reminder.

Actually Theresia is very similar in a lot of ways to Shadowgate. I really do think you would enjoy Theresia, if you own a DS or 3DS.

Well, that seals the deal then, lol. Yeah, I'll be picking up Theresia and Baroque pretty soon. Thanks for the suggestion/reminders on those.

Since we're bringing GOG into the mix, I've got three more suggestions for you, and then I'll be tapped out for a bit. (Besides this was suppose to be a From Software thread... we've been gleefully derailing.) Here's a few that nearly no one played but they've all got that lonely and melancholy vibe:

Yeah, I noticed that too. We kinda got carried away. Well maybe this'll help someone else out someday, if they stumble into the thread looking for games similar to The Ancient City? We just did all the work in advance!

http://www.gog.com/game/void_the

http://www.gog.com/game/miasmata

http://www.gog.com/game/the_penumbra_collection

Aaaand, check, check, and check. Yeah, I'm familiar with all of those. I've actually played The Void, but I never finished it. Kind of surprised I didn't think of it first. That was one of the first games I ever bought on PC. Definitely a creepy and atmospheric game.