Which Geneforge game(s) should I get?
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Shock Trooper
Member # 461
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written Tuesday, August 21 2007 17:40
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I'm thinking of buying at least one at some point in the near future. I cleaned out the GF1 demo twice awhile ago, and I've played parts of the demo for 2 and 4. I recall 1 being fun, but I also recall 2 making a lot of interface improvements. I understand that 4 has been pretty well received. How connected are the games storywise? EDIT: I should probably mention that I'm also considering getting Avernum 4 or Nethergate Resurrection. [ Tuesday, August 21, 2007 17:44: Message edited by: Jawaj ] -------------------- "If you held a weapon to Fwiffo's head, he would say anything you wanted him to. In fact, if you held a vegetable to Fwiffo's head, he'd say whatever you wanted him to." - Spathi high council, Star Control 2. Posts: 346 | Registered: Sunday, December 30 2001 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 6785
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written Tuesday, August 21 2007 19:47
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Buying in bulk offers some savings. You can get the entire Geneforge 1-3 for less than individually. Geneforge 1 and 4 have the best plots, but the interface improves as the series progresses. It's a continuing storyline, but you can start anywhere. Nethergate: Resurrection is an update to modern computers of the original with 2 new dungeons added and some more features. Avernum 4 is a new game engine but a mostly recycled plot from Avernum 3 and graphics from Geneforge. Avernum 2 is better. Avernum 5 is in developement and looks to be somewhat better than Avernum 4. Haven't seen enough to compare to Avernum 2. Jeff is moving away from letting people wander whereever they want. Posts: 4643 | Registered: Friday, February 10 2006 08:00 |
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Councilor
Member # 6600
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written Tuesday, August 21 2007 20:34
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If you can put up with fewer features (or intend to buy and play the entire series as time goes on), then I highly reccommend G1. It has the best atmosphere and most intriguing plot. My next recommendation is G4. Better interface, better combat, and the most PC builds and shapable creations of any game. My one complaint is that, in my opinion, the game bogs down in the fourth chapter (five chapters in total). G2 isn't bad. Four factions to choose from, or you can choose none at all. The engine is a step up from G1 and has fun features like the ability to create artifacts and numerous creations that can join you. The world you explore feels big. G3 I don't know much about, since I didn't like the demo enough to buy it; it's the same old story as the first two, but with fewer factions and less freedom to do whatever. However, it was well recieved by people who hadn't played the first two games, so it's not bad as a stand-alone game. Each game builds upon the previous ones but is designed to be played by a newcomer to the series. You'll get the condensed version of previous games in the current game, but miss out on the exact details and reoccuring characters. If you hate ruined surprises, play them in order. G1-G3 are played as a Shaper, while G4 is played as a rebel. Dikiyoba. Posts: 4346 | Registered: Friday, December 23 2005 08:00 |
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BANNED
Member # 10021
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written Sunday, August 26 2007 08:05
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All of them of course. -------------------- Theres a starman waiting in the sky Hed like to come and meet us But he thinks hed blow our minds Theres a starman waiting in the sky Hes told us not to blow it Cause he knows its all worthwhile He told me: Let the children lose it Let the children use it Let all the children boogie The game of life is hard to play I'm gonna lose it anyway The losing card I'll someday lay so this is all I have to say. Weve got five years, stuck on my eyes Five years, what a surprise Weve got five years, my brain hurts a lot Five years, thats all weve got Weve got five years, what a surprise Five years, stuck on my eyes Weve got five years, my brain hurts a lot Five years, thats all weve got Weve got five years, stuck on my eyes Five years, what a surprise Weve got five years, my brain hurts a lot Five years, thats all weve got Weve got five years, what a surprise Weve got five years, stuck on my eyes Weve got five years, my brain hurts a lot Five years, thats all weve got Five years Five years Five years Five years Posts: 157 | Registered: Saturday, August 25 2007 07:00 |
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Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
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written Sunday, August 26 2007 08:12
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Well somebody's a Ziggy fan. -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central "Making poorly-sourced claims is not the same as determining something." Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
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Shock Trooper
Member # 9906
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written Monday, August 27 2007 12:53
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Get geneforge 2 and 4. 3 sucks and 1 is a good game but a bad graphics game -------------------- Vie va la Travokites Vie va la Kyryk Vie va la Serviles Vie va la Dryaks Posts: 301 | Registered: Tuesday, August 21 2007 07:00 |
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Canned
Member # 8014
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written Monday, August 27 2007 13:24
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quote:You can't say that here :P -------------------- Muffins n' Hell|Muffins n' Hell: The Muffins Are Back Again I have an addiction to Spiderweb games. I like this image Posts: 1799 | Registered: Sunday, February 4 2007 08:00 |
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Councilor
Member # 6600
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written Monday, August 27 2007 13:45
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Huh. It's probably because I started with G1, but I don't think it has bad graphics at all. It has fewer graphics, for sure, but they aren't bad. In fact, Dikiyoba likes the original thahd graphic much better than the newer one. -------------------- Episode 4: Spiderweb Reloaded Posts: 4346 | Registered: Friday, December 23 2005 08:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 9790
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written Monday, August 27 2007 14:14
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if you've got the money, go for all of the geneforge sereis. They're all worth it. I see a lot of knocks on any of them, but personall, i don't have complaints. there i things i wish thye could better, but they are all fanastic games well worth your time and money. I'd go for the trilogy if you're indecided between some oof them, the trilogy is a great deal and are all great games. Despite the kncks on GF3, it's a good game and the storyline is a set-up for #4, which is stupendously awesome. -------------------- Perfect Geneforge artifact: Solidified flame+unmelting ice+Belgian chocolate+ Never-fade food colouring= The perfect m'n'm. Always heals you and never runs out. Take THAT, you make-expensive-chocolate-that-costs-too-much-andd-that-you-make-cost-too-much- because-your-jerks-and-you-store-everyone's-money-and-jewelry-and-your-stuck-up swedes!!!!!!! :D:D:D:D Posts: 79 | Registered: Thursday, August 16 2007 07:00 |
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Triad Mage
Member # 7
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written Monday, August 27 2007 14:21
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My favorites are 1 and 4, definitely. Geneforge 1 just has the novelty factor and a really unique story, whereas Geneforge 4 is both tactically and plot-wise engaging and intriguing. -------------------- "At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool." - Menander ==== Drakefyre's Demesne - Happy Happy Joy Joy Encyclopedia Ermariana - Trapped in the Closet ==== You can take my Mac when you pry my cold, dead fingers off the mouse! Posts: 9436 | Registered: Wednesday, September 19 2001 07:00 |
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Lifecrafter
Member # 7331
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written Monday, August 27 2007 14:29
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I can wholeheartedly recommend 1,3, and 4. For whatever reason, GF2 never really stuck on me. -------------------- You Shall Die Laughing: http://www.worfthecat.ermarian.net/converted The Roost: www.roost01.proboards104.com. Birds of a feather flock together. Posts: 794 | Registered: Thursday, July 27 2006 07:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 9790
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written Monday, August 27 2007 14:29
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i thin 2 and 3 dont get enough credit because they're no "jump-off" points. GF1 introduces the shaper order and stuff, while GF4 shows you the other side, the rebellion. But the oher 2 games are great too -------------------- Perfect Geneforge artifact: Solidified flame+unmelting ice+Belgian chocolate+ Never-fade food colouring= The perfect m'n'm. Always heals you and never runs out. Take THAT, you make-expensive-chocolate-that-costs-too-much-andd-that-you-make-cost-too-much- because-your-jerks-and-you-store-everyone's-money-and-jewelry-and-your-stuck-up swedes!!!!!!! :D:D:D:D Posts: 79 | Registered: Thursday, August 16 2007 07:00 |
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Lifecrafter
Member # 7331
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written Monday, August 27 2007 14:36
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I think my favourite would have to be #3, because of the new creations and other graphics. -------------------- You Shall Die Laughing: http://www.worfthecat.ermarian.net/converted The Roost: www.roost01.proboards104.com. Birds of a feather flock together. Posts: 794 | Registered: Thursday, July 27 2006 07:00 |
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Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
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written Monday, August 27 2007 18:49
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#3 didn't actually have new creations. #2 did. The only new things in #3 (as far as game mechanics go) were the anvils, and Alwan and Greta (unique to #3). -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central "Making poorly-sourced claims is not the same as determining something." Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 6785
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written Monday, August 27 2007 20:50
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There were some minor modifications as well. Daze finally became a multi target area effect. Mostly GF3 improved the engine and fixed problems from GF2 like parry. Posts: 4643 | Registered: Friday, February 10 2006 08:00 |
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Electric Sheep One
Member # 3431
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written Monday, August 27 2007 22:05
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G3 also introduced zones-inside-zones, which added some surprise to the zone layout. It let you build your own artifacts, which were mostly pretty good. It was the first Geneforge game with cutscenes, and with NPCs whom you met repeatedly throughout the game in different places. It introduced powerful 'creator' enemies, as opposed to mere spawners. In Alwan and Greta it gave you NPC allies with whom you could interact throughout the game. It introduced you to advanced Shaper (and Rebel) magic, including long-term mind control, powerful defensive regeneration, and teleportation — none of which the player gets to use, but still, you see them. And it had this six island structure (counting the Monastery of Tears) that was annoying in some ways, but that gave you radically different climate, terrain and atmosphere in different chapters of the game. People dissed G3 because these were all technical advances, and the plot of G3 was simple and comparatively constrained. In other games the actual number of things you could reasonably do at any point might not be that many either, but in G3 the limitations were more obvious: small islands and short-term missions. It was a sort of stepping-stone game, a chain of islands in plot as well as setting. I still liked it a lot, and felt that it was the right game for its spot in the overall Geneforge story arc. The war had been joined in earnest, the battle lines were drawn, the number of options had shrunk. That's how it had to be. But that also means that if you have to skip one of the four games, G3 is the one whose plot is most easily summarized. So I'd agree with the priority ranking 4-1-2-3, or maybe 1-4-2-3. Yes, perhaps 1-4-2-3 is best, as the priority list if you are going to play only one, two, or three of the four games. Because if you really love 1 when you try it, you'll still be able to switch over to the truly optimal 1-2-3-4 sequence. -------------------- We're not doing cool. We're doing pretty. Posts: 3335 | Registered: Thursday, September 4 2003 07:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 8872
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written Wednesday, August 29 2007 04:27
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quote:Indeed. I second that. -------------------- Feel free to rate my karma. Please. The Mystic: "Vista is a funky and finicky OS to begin with." Posts: 197 | Registered: Saturday, June 2 2007 07:00 |
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Agent
Member # 27
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written Wednesday, August 29 2007 12:26
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G1 had the best and most original setting, but its plot wasn't very immersive. After completing the original Awakened quests, the game basically fell apart. Joining the Awakened yielded no answers or direction except for "just travel around and report back." G2 has been a blast so far. I don't think I've ever played an RPG as open ended as G2 (all the Geneforge's are open ended), in fact, no other RPG I've played has ever been open ended. G2 is open ended, but the plot is immersive no matter which faction you join. I'd just buy every game and play them in order. -------------------- Enraged Slith's Blades of Avernum Website "Rain drops keep fallin' on my head, but that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turnin' red. Crying's not for me, no, cuz' I'm never gonna stop the rain by complaining." Posts: 1233 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00 |
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Canned
Member # 8014
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written Wednesday, August 29 2007 14:18
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If you enjoy the Avernum series, Avernum 5 shall come out eventually. According to the description, it will be a hell of a lot better than Avernum 4. -------------------- Muffins n' Hell|Muffins n' Hell: The Muffins Are Back Again I have an addiction to Spiderweb games. I like this image Posts: 1799 | Registered: Sunday, February 4 2007 08:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 9790
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written Thursday, August 30 2007 03:51
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I think if you were to decide between the 2, you should decide if you prefeer the open-endness of avernum or the slightly more structureed geneforge. Geneforge, while more-openended then most games, is more structured than avernum, averrnum allows for much more freedom but has a skightly less-developed storyline. That's my opinion -------------------- Perfect Geneforge artifact: Solidified flame+unmelting ice+Belgian chocolate+ Never-fade food colouring= The perfect m'n'm. Always heals you and never runs out. Take THAT, you make-expensive-chocolate-that-costs-too-much-andd-that-you-make-cost-too-much- because-your-jerks-and-you-store-everyone's-money-and-jewelry-and-your-stuck-up swedes!!!!!!! :D:D:D:D Posts: 79 | Registered: Thursday, August 16 2007 07:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 9099
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written Friday, August 31 2007 19:57
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I agree with Lifecrafterandnoobeditor. All of the geneforge games are open-ended turned based rpg's with immersive plots and addictive gameplay. gf1 is definitely the best.closely followed by gf4. gf2 gave us new creations, while three seemed to be fine tuning and introducing alwan and greata ( important charcters in gf4) and giving us the enchanted anvil we all love and know so well. If you have the money, purchasing all four is something I reccomend. Posts: 51 | Registered: Tuesday, June 26 2007 07:00 |
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Apprentice
Member # 7624
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written Friday, November 2 2007 14:16
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I highly, highly recommend playing the whole series in order. They each stand alone, yet if you play them all you get to see the whole history, to watch the power of the Geneforge spread like a virus. Some folks have their favorites...I personally like GF4 the best, but that's coming from a guy who played and enjoyed them all. GF4 may be the culmination, but I recommend playing them all in order to get maximum enjoyment. So, really, begin with GF1. Posts: 10 | Registered: Wednesday, November 1 2006 08:00 |
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Nuke and Pave
Member # 24
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written Friday, November 2 2007 14:47
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My recommendation would be to play G1, G2, and G4. G1 - The main reason for its charm is that it introduces a completely new setting and game mechanics. However, the engine is not as polished as the later ones. So if you are going to play it, make sure you play it first. G2 - The best game in the style of G1. There are enough factions for anybody to find one you like, and supporting any of them can lead to a satisfying victory. G3 - It might be a technological improvement over G2, but was so boring that I didn't finish it. However, part of the reason for my disappointment was that the only choise presented to the player was which of the two evils was the lesser, and I was too spoiled by G2's multitude of options. G4 - Is supposedly the best game in the series. It's not as open-ended as G2, but makes up for it by engrossing atmosphere and much better engine. -------------------- Be careful with a word, as you would with a sword, For it too has the power to kill. However well placed word, unlike a well placed sword, Can also have the power to heal. Posts: 2649 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00 |
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Apprentice
Member # 11521
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written Friday, November 2 2007 15:32
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If you're a newcomer, I'd recommend starting with 3. It leads directly into 4, has better gameplay then the first two (especially the inventory window), and, if you start with it, the plot still seems new and different. Posts: 3 | Registered: Wednesday, October 31 2007 07:00 |
