CRPGs That Feel More Like TTRPGs Even Though Technically They're Still CRPGs Not TTRPGs Since You Play Them On a C and Not a TT

Being VERY loose with my definitions here, I know. What I'm looking for is games with the story-rich, character-centric, relationship-oriented, open-ended ("choices matter") nature of classic tabletop RPGs or gamebooks, but that unlike straight visual novels, interactive fiction or adventure games, also have robust RPG-style gameplay mechanics involving stats/exp/levels, builds, skill checks, gear, survival, etc. (and which ideally "show their hand" more than the typical CRPG, i.e. through visualizing dice rolls, card play, etc). This is kind of a nebulous category, so I'm including things that fall outside the usual "CRPG" label.

Definitely eager for some recommendations for this one!

Disco Elysium
Disco Elysium
Book of Travels
Book of Travels
Citizen Sleeper
Citizen Sleeper

Unrated

Signs of the Sojourner
Signs of the Sojourner

Unrated

Academagia: The Making of Mages
Academagia: The Making of Mages

Unrated

A House of Many Doors
A House of Many Doors

Unrated

Basements n' Basilisks: Storms of Sorcery
Basements n' Basilisks: Storms of Sorcery

Unrated

Betrayal At Club Low
Betrayal At Club Low

Unrated

Book of Hours
Book of Hours

Unrated

Caves of Qud
Caves of Qud

Unrated

Children of Zodiarcs
Children of Zodiarcs

Unrated

Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector

Unrated

Clam Man 2: Open Mic
Clam Man 2: Open Mic

Unrated

Crimson Shroud
Crimson Shroud

Unrated

Cultist Simulator
Cultist Simulator

Unrated

Dark Egg
Dark Egg

Unrated

Esoteric Ebb
Esoteric Ebb

Unrated

Fallen London
Fallen London

Unrated

Fighting Fantasy Classics
Fighting Fantasy Classics

Unrated

Gamedec
Gamedec

Unrated

Glasshouse
Glasshouse

Unrated

Gnosia
Gnosia

Unrated

Griftlands
Griftlands

Unrated

I Was a Teenage Exocolonist
I Was a Teenage Exocolonist

Unrated

King of Dragon Pass
King of Dragon Pass

Unrated

Pathologic
Pathologic

Unrated

Pathologic 2
Pathologic 2

Unrated

Pentiment
Pentiment

Unrated

Roadwarden
Roadwarden

Unrated

RPG Time: The Legend of Wright
RPG Time: The Legend of Wright

Unrated

Sacred Fire
Sacred Fire

Unrated

Shadowrun
Shadowrun

Unrated

Shadowrun
Shadowrun

Unrated

Six Ages: Ride like the Wind
Six Ages: Ride like the Wind

Unrated

Solasta: Crown of the Magister
Solasta: Crown of the Magister

Unrated

Sorcery!
Sorcery!

Unrated

Sorcery! 2
Sorcery! 2

Unrated

Sorcery! Part 3
Sorcery! Part 3

Unrated

Sorcery! Part 4
Sorcery! Part 4

Unrated

Sovereign Syndicate
Sovereign Syndicate

Unrated

Sunless Sea
Sunless Sea

Unrated

Sunless Skies
Sunless Skies

Unrated

Suzerain
Suzerain

Unrated

Tales of Fablecraft
Tales of Fablecraft

Unrated

Tharsis
Tharsis

Unrated

The Council
The Council

Unrated

The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante
The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante

Unrated

The Pale Beyond
The Pale Beyond

Unrated

The Warlock of Firetop Mountain
The Warlock of Firetop Mountain

Unrated

Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales
Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales

Unrated

Torment: Tides of Numenera
Torment: Tides of Numenera

Unrated

Vagrus: The Riven Realms
Vagrus: The Riven Realms

Unrated

Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong
Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong

Unrated

Voice of Cards Trilogy
Voice of Cards Trilogy

Unrated

Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Heart of the Forest
Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Heart of the Forest

Unrated

Wildermyth
Wildermyth

Unrated

World of Horror
World of Horror

6 Comments


10 months ago

i would almost certainly put roadwarden here based on many of these entries

10 months ago

Cool list! From your description I feel like KotOR would qualify. According to wikipedia:

The game's system is based on Wizards of the Coast's Star Wars Roleplaying Game, which is based on the d20 role-playing game system derived from the Third Edition Dungeons & Dragons rules ... the full breakdown for each action (including die rolls and modifiers) is accessible from a menu.

10 months ago

@poyfuh: It's on there! Probably next on my list of games to play after I finish Citizen Sleeper :)

@cowboyjosh: I didn't know about the die roll breakdown feature of KotOR!! That's cool. I've thought about including this one, but then it feels like I should also include stuff like Divinity: Original Sin, Pillars of Eternity, Pathfinder: Kingmaker, etc and then if I do that I might as well include all the Baldur's Gate games and the Fallout games and the Elder Scrolls games and then before I know it 50% of all CRPGs ever made are included, ya know? Idk I think I'm realizing I actually need to play more of these classic CRPGs if I want to make this list less vague! And KotOR is one I definitely want to check out so thanks for the reminder :)

10 months ago

lmao i went through the list literally like 3 times and i missed it being the fourth game huge L for ina

7 months ago

i have found my genre

7 months ago

@xaien 🙌


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