Since doing the demo beta test for Eschalon, I've been really wanting (aside from the full game!) a good fantasy-setting RPG to play, so I'm asking the pool of resources here for suggestions.
I want something with a good story where my character choice matters, and I like a good deal of character customisation. I'm not too picky on graphics, but I like graphics that give a sense of immersion and atmosphere (Infinity Engine-grade graphics for example, are just fine).

Played the usual suspects, so I'm looking beyond those. Any thoughts?

You probably already know my response: get yourself DOSBox and start going through all the classics!

Or for something that'll work with XP (iirc) how about Wizardry 8 (for some value of 'fantasy' which includes oddball ScF intrusions). Unless you already played it. Do get the patch that speeds combat movement though (pity there isn't one for missile movement).

Where-else can you have a ninja pixie? Indeed where else would you need one. 8>.

The graphics are sub-Infinity engine though. Most graphics are.

I'm not really in the mood for the old classics, I do admit that I want something a little more graphically interesting. What I want is to be able to really get into my character, which does include visual elements, so I think I'll play the "graphics whore" card with this one

A couple of titles that are rattling around in my head are Divine Divinity and Kult: Heretic Kingdoms. I tried the demos for both and neither sold me but I've heard good stuff about them. Anyone played through either?

I've played both, and while Kult has interesting aspects (attunement to your skills, I believe they called one of them -- using certain skills allows the use of others), I prefer Divine Divinity. In fact, I was going to suggest it. Based on the opinions you've expressed here, I think you'd like it. I did.

So presumably DivDiv is more than the hack and slash aspect that the demo presents?

I don't remember the demo, and it's been a long while since I played the game. Although the combat is Diabloesque hack and slash, the quests were good, and well fleshed-out, with some humorous bits.

Sounds like it's worth tracking down... I've seen Beyond Divinity fairly often, but Divine seems a lot harder to find.

Have you played the Avernum series from Spiderweb software? Good classic CRPG, excellent character development system. Graphics may not be quite what you were looking for, but they work and work well.

Adam

I've looked at those games, and they just don't interest me, not quite what I'm looking for, really.
What I want is something a bit "gritty", more low-fantasy than high-fantasy.

It's not technically a CRPG, but...

Vampire: Bloodlines is very well done for atmosphere. It's a very gritty world indeed, and you have a variety of character options so every game can be played differently. And you can't get much grittier than playing a vampire...

The only trouble with it is the necessity of patches, and possibly a fan patch; there's still some bugs in the last official patch release. (1.2) That and, as I said, it's more an action/adventure FPS with CRPG elements. Still, it is based on a role-playing game, and it's probably the last taste of the old World of Darkness you'll see.

Adam

Played it

Yeah, it was really good, it's too bad it fell apart in the last third or so, turning into a run-and-gun shooter with the inevitable Big Fight at the end of it all.
Where Bloodlines really stumbled was in it's general allowance for any sort of character to make it through, but ultimately requiring solid combat skills (both in character build and in personal player skills) to finish. I had to use the God Mode cheat to beat that big bat thinger at the end.

But as for what I'm looking for, I guess if you took the setting of, say, the Icewind Dale games, that hard, rough campaign ground, but with more character-driven content, that'd be pretty close to what I want.

It's possible you may be able to find some 3rd-party mods that suit your tastes. For example, NWN modules really run the gambits of tastes, and many are very professionally done. I haven't really looked into this market, but perhaps someone else could recommend something?

Commercial game-wise... I assume you've already played System Shock 2? It's a bit old now (1999) but a definitive classic, and talk about grit...

Adam

Certainly have played SS2. But I'm not looking for sci-fi right now (for that, I fully intend to give Deus Ex another go with the re-texture mods).

Been thinking of checking out some NWN mods.. That just means re-installing, patching, downloading haks, files and on and on and on.

I would go definitly for Divine Divinity. A great RPG with a nice touch of Hack´n Slash. But never really annoying!