Summary
Western RPGs are always in demand. The success of games likeBaldur’s Gate 3has made it clear that fans are willing to throw their wallet at epic games that take them on wild adventures with a satisfying progression loop.
As appealing as it may be to make these role-playing games appealing to everyone, there’s a certain level of challenge fans will always love. This is why some people love to check out Western RPGs that take them seriously and encourage them to explore the game’s many systems.
Kingdom Come: Deliverancefelt like a breath of fresh air, sticking to a realistic medieval setting where players are a blacksmith’s son with little to no fighting talent. They must rise from nothing to become a soldier powerful enough to take on multiple bandits without dying.
Unlike the sequel, combat is finicky when players need to deal with more than one foe. This can make for a tough time, especially since the game limits saves and can force players into life-or-death situations with frustrating end results if they fail to survive against an ambush when all they wanted to do was fast travel from one location to another.
Gothicmakes it clear that the Nameless Hero is a pathetic wretch when he’s dumped into the game’s massive prison. He can only take on weak foes one by one, with anyone other than a lowly Scavenger taking them out in a flash.
This makes it important for players to reach a camp and use the services of experts to become stronger. It’s an immersive way to gain levels and ensures that players will enjoy a satisfying progression loop as they’re finally able to take on tougher foes to gain more experience.
Larian Studios has never stopped growing, with their work onthe laudedDivinity: Original Sinmarking the start of something special. The sequel featured more balanced combat and tougher progression, making every fight a tense affair for players who must come to grips with how the combat system works.
Original Sin 2’s focus on Physical and Magical Armor means that players must deplete these numbers before finally being able to pepper enemies with status effects. The same applies to the party, and there’s nothing more frustrating than being a few levels behind on expensive equipment and struggling to come out victorious against regular foes.
Those looking for an old-school CRPG willfindThe Age of Decadenceto be right up their alley. The game tries to let players develop a character they want who isn’t restricted by their class, but poor skill point allocation is punished later on.
Players must be wary in the game’s turn-based combat system and use appropriate strategies to come out victorious. Early-game combat can be frustrating until things finally click and players find themselves enjoying the role-playing qualities of this great title.
There’s no shame in playing thePathfindergames on lower difficulties.BothWrath of the Righteousand its predecessorassume that players have an understanding of how tabletop RPGs work.
Without this knowledge, players must learn on the fly, which can lead to frustrating combat scenarios where the party is obliterated, and they have no idea why this is the case. The learning curve of this game is steep but well worth enduring for players who want to enjoy a rewarding Western RPG that challenges them every step of the way.
Theoppressive difficulty ofDarkest Dungeonis baked into everything from its mechanics to its story. Players will always fight against the odds, risking the chance of their heroes being traumatized with every foray into a dungeon as they face one nightmarish foe after another.
Slow and steady wins the race, which is why players can be frustrated early on when they try to reach the end of a dungeon, only to be handily defeated by the array of powerful enemies standing in their way. Knowing when to stop dungeon crawling is just as important as the strategies players implement in this hard-as-nails turn-based RPG.
UnderRailis the perfect gamefor fans of the originalFalloutgames. It embodies the spirit of these CRPGs, all the way down to the bleak setting and the oppressive difficulty.
Players who stray from the beaten path inUnderRailwill realize why the game encourages them to stick to their lane. Every combat encounter is extremely challenging early on, but players who understand how this title works can manipulate its systems to great effect. Players should keep in mind that this will take some time, and it’s natural to struggle when they begin their journey inUnderRail.
Fear & Hungeris a game that will beat players down with its intense difficulty. Every run is a learning experience as players make valuable progress, only for an errant encounter to spell the end of their journey.
This leads to a refreshing sense of tension in each run as players struggle to make it to the end of a horrifying adventure with elements of cosmic horror. The difficulty ofFear & Hungermakes itone of the hardest turn-based RPGsplayers can get their hands on, but the experience is more than worthwhile.
