75 RPGs for Attractive People
A series coming up soon. 3 RPG's a week. Alphabetical order.
1. Anachronox
2001, PC, Ion Storm
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ronoxcover.jpg
A JRPG by a Western developer. Sounds strange? This is a strange game. Released with little fanfare, primarily due to Ion Storm's financial woes (Daikatana, anyone?), Anachronox was released to critical acclaim despite its quirkiness and reputation as being gimmicky. While the combat is not especially engaging, being a serviceable ATB-inspired turn-based system, Anachronox's incredible script, gripping story, excellent sense of humor, and loads of style and personality is what really sells this game as being sci-fi gold.
Easily the best aspect of this game is the sense of humor and wit, from the characters (a shrunken planet that decides literally every aspect of its policy by having the entire country participate in its newly-discovered democratic process) to the absurd plot points. Despite this, Anachronox's story and writing can carry a surprising bit of emotional power as well, with a later game sequence being especially heart-wrenching. I'd rather not go into too much detail as this game is best experienced blind (as I did), but you can pick it up at Good Old Games (gog.com) for $5.99. Do it; this game is excellent.
Pros
- Excellent adventure elements, rewarding exploration, investigation, and attention to detail.
- Very good quality writing and narrative, with very good sci-fi ideas and a sleek and original setting.
- Unparalleled sense of humor for the genre.
- Visually interesting, good soundtrack and voice-acting.
Potential Drawbacks
- Combat can be slow and limited in depth.
- Some skills and spells are hard to acquire as they depend on completing often complex tasks and quests.
- A bit buggy.
- Aforementioned adventure elements can be frustrating and obtuse for those looking for a more straightforward narrative.
