Hi

I like single player RPGs with a fairly simple interface.
A "must" is a Pause Button and another important element is the option of an "easy" setting

My favourites are games like Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Knights of the Old Republic, The Witcher and currently I'm really enjoying Divine Divinity II.

Does the "Sacred" series offer anything similar in gameplay ??

Thanks.

Mad

How about the lord of the rings series? Right now I'm playing the return of the king - lots of fighting, some stealth. You earn experience points and can buy upgrades with them. Am enjoying it.

I found a review of the original game and it included the sentence :

"I would only recommend the game to fans of Middle Earth who are familiar enough with game rules to re-write the combat system to their tastes. "

That is definitely not me !! [Nor am I good at "stealth" ]

So I think I will pass, thanks all the same.
But it was good of you to reply

Hi Mad

There's a demo out for both Sacred 1 and Sacred 2, if you want to see if these games are something for you. I don't think there's a pause button, though, but I could be wrong...

Have you tried Drakensang? You can pause the game at any time and it plays much like the Baldur's Gate games...

There's also Eschalon, Book 1 and Book 2. You can
download these games legally (e.g. buy them) from the Basilisk Games website. They play a bit similar to Baldur's Gates as well. However, the combat is an updated turn-based system; it's much more fluid than the one used in Fallout 1 and 2 and Arcanum and other such games.

Hi

You are correct. No pause button in Sacred

Yes, I played Drakensang until very close to the end - when the fights just got too difficult.
The same with Risen.
But I enjoyed both games very much and I don't mind not being able to do the last couple of fights in a game, if I've had a good time getting there

I'll go find some reviews about the Eschalon games though. Thanks, Karsten

[I still have Dragon Age unplayed but I do like to have more than one "in hand" .... just in case ]

Cheers.

Mad

There should also be demos out for both Book 1 and Book 2 for the Eschalon games. And best of all, you can use your demo save(s) in the full game...

edit:

When you play Dragon Age, remember to left-click to select an enemy, then right-click to get your characters to attack. Drove me until I figured it out.

Thanks, Karsten !!

Mad, if you're looking for something simple and fun, Sacred is incredibly easy to play on Bronze difficulty level (there are also Silver and Gold difficulty levels), so no real need for a pause button. It's a no-stress game, fun from the get-go, and a huge game world. No party interactions, though, because there's no party for most of the game.

Since all the games you mentioned as your favourites are also my favourites, I must encourage you to try Dragon Age, because it is the only game that comes close to Baldur's Gate in terms of party interactions. It's a wonderful game. I can't say enough about it. Also among my current new favourites are the Mass Effect games.

I will play Dragon Age, hagatha. It looks to be a really good game.
[I bought it as soon as it was released and I've been savouring it ]

But I don't think I'll attempt any more that don't have pause buttons.
I've not had enough success with them.
I go into panic mode very quickly and then get myself killed way too soon

Thanks, Mad

I have to agree with Hagatha on this one. This is one amazing game, the characters have their own motivations, their own depths, and if you do or say something they don't like, they strongly disapprove - or approve- if that's the case. The conversations feels like real conversations to me; it is not always easy to estimate what the outcome of a conversation would be. I try a bit to roleplay the Dalish Elf, I'm currently playing.

An example of this:


As for combat, there's a casual mode(I think it is called?) for players who just want to enjoy the story. I'm playing at this mode

And btw, there's a mod that let's you have your dog (I named him Baldur ) with all the time as 5th companion. Really nice, especially since his charge and howl can stun people...


You just have to get used to the fact that what looks like a cutscene actually is the game playing out before your very eyes.

You can zoom in and out of the map as well as turn of what is called 'Legend'. (this basiccally shows you things)

Btw, what I said about combat goes for talents and skills as well.

Remember that when you level up you get 1 new talent. If you need them, remember to drag and drop them to your quickbar.

And please remember to collect elfroot, (put one skill in herbalism at the start of the game) and buy many flasks at merchants. You'll need them, since healing spells won't become accessible for a very long time. (at least that how it has been in my game so far...)

And Mad; I would encourage you til install the game now, and then maybe play it later. If you, you can still get Shale, the Blood Armour, and maybe some other stuff, too, for free. [There was a limited time to this, but that's been cancelled, but no knows how long that's going to last?]

Thanks again, Karsten !!

I've made a note of what you have said (a nice lot of info there) and I'll install the game - to play later - so I don't miss out out on any possible goodies

Cheers.

Mad

I am playing Sacred 2 and I agree it is very easy in bronze but I am still missing the pause button because if you need to interrupt the game for a few minutes you probably get killed and appear miles away from where you were.

Although you can't pause in Sacred you can build up our character fairly easy. At the beginning you can do a couple of quests that give you goodies then die. When you start again you have the same goodies and the stats you've built up. do this a lot at the beginning and your character is strong enough to handle anything plus you have a good sword and enhancements.

I'm a wimp at combat but was able to get my character strong enough in Sacred that even I could kick butt.

Thank you all for your suggestions

I've taken ONE positive step already - in that I've had another drive fitted to my machine so I can have more than one RPG installed at once

So next will be the deciding of which extra game will be going on it !!

Cheers and again.

Mad

oldman, I guess I was not clear, when I am killed as a result of not being able to pause is when I am not actually playing because I have stopped to answer a call, for example.