LevelSkip’s Top 25 Best PC RPGs Ever

Ready for another top RPGs list that may or may not include your most beloved classics and will inevitably draw the ire of at least a reasonable portion of the role-playing enthusiast community? I thought so, and that’s why I’ll point you over to LevelSkip’s “Top 25 Best PC RPGs Ever” list, which places the original Bard’s Tale, Pool of Radiance, Eye of the Beholder, Ultima VII, and Betrayal at Krondor in the top 5 positions:

1. Bard’s Tale (1985)

The first Bard’s Tale is probably only remembered by geeks 30+, but those that do remember it do so fondly. It was originally released for the Apple II, but was ported to all other platforms too eventually. With its revolutionary grid-based 3D dungeoneering the game looked amazing at the time. By the way: the 2004 Bard’s Tale is neither a sequel or remake of the original series, although it’s a pretty amusing parody of classic RPGs.

2. Pool of Radiance (1988)

Pool of Radiance was the first PC RPG to use real Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules. It also introduced computer gamers to the Forgotten Realms setting – the fantasy world created by Ed Greenwood in the 60s that has been polished to perfection ever since in fantasy novels by R.A Salvatore and several other great writers. The game was obviously a rather archaic experience by today’s standards, but compared to what was available at the time it took PC gaming to a new level. Pool of Radiance was followed by the equally great Curse of the Azure Bonds and others. There’s also a rather uninspiring sequel from this decade (2001) – Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor.

As you might have expected, Fallout, Planescape: Torment, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, and many other well-known titles round off the remaining, er, 24. Yeah, it’s a “top 25” list with 29 games.