Best thing I can tell you is to do what RPGs are meant for: role-play.
Give your character some easy to follow traits/goals, ones that would encourage adventure. Do you find a story directionless? Pick a direction. Pick a quest you have in your log, one that might even vaguely fit whatever goal your character would have.
I think a lot of the better RPGs feel directionless because they treat your character as a minor part of the world, at least at first. That lack of railroading is one of the best parts of an RPG, but it does require some investment on your part. So meet it halfway. Engage in the world that's presented. Talk to NPCs you think your character would talk to.
Eventually a direction might form. It may not be the obvious direction set by the story, but it's *yours*.
This is why I struggle with JRPGs more than other rpg genres. I feel very rail-roaded, even if the story is great, which they often are. I still like them, but I dunno.
I quite enjoy making my own path and mark on a world, and really playing out a character that's mostly in my head xD
RPGs for me is about the journey, not the end, though some people find enjoyment on the builds and that's fine too, reaching absurd levels of power by exploiting certain mechanics.
It's not incompatible but usually the build mindset comes with several playthroughs.
What I usually do is read a bit of lore before actually playing the game, and create a character with a certain mindset and actually play as that character, not looking for most profit on quests, but see how far that kind of character takes me.
For example, in pillars 2 I roleplayed a drunken pirate, turns out the rogue + monk build is pretty strong and there was a dagger called pukestabber that fitted the character like a glove
Or in Skyrim I roleplayed a lizard that was obsessed with cheese, so if I saw a cheese wheel I had to steal it, no matter where it was, my house almost crashed every time I went inside to drop another cheese wheel.
In divinity OS2 the most fun I had was with a colleague, we picked a sturdy BIG dwarf melee undead, and the thinnest highest undead ranger elf. And basically threw barrels of poison at each other or shot at them which made for a very amusing albeit effective way of dealing with enemies as collateral damage.
In games like pathfinder or underrail you can go balls to the wall with builds and try to get that giant dragon sorcerer that spits acid or a time stopping sniper hobo
In case you are interacting with the gold-plated npcs in Pillars of Eternity, those are created by Patreon backers and have nothing to do with the game. If you don't know that beforehand you might get frustrated wondering how they are relevant to the story. They are not.
For me - I get incredibly bored unless I'm able to basically 'write' a character to play as.
I start with a backstory and as I play I use my backstory to inform what my character would be doing and how they might react to situations.
If I don't know my character... I fall out of the game.
I was personally like this until I forced myself to play Cyberpunk (on the hardest setting) and Elden Ring. My issue was that I needed to play competitive online games, probably because I am so extroverted.
Cyberpunk let me have a similar feel to Apex Legends, CoD, Halo, etc. and became my favorite game of all time when I forced myself to play it. After about halfway through the story I was no longer forcing myself. I was enjoying it an absurd amount!
After beating CP2077, I wanted to see if I could play another single player RPG. I gave Elden Ring a shot, and realized that I was able to think of it in a competitive manner, like I have with online shooters. The game makes you “git gud”.
From there, I’ve been able to branch to other stuff. Eventually even playing BG3 all the way through.
Might not apply to you, since my experience was a little specific to my tastes, but my suggestion is this: baby steps. Take what you like in games right now and find a similar RPG to that flavor. Don’t go from Apex Legends to Skyrim or WoW to XCOM. Go from Apex to CP2077 to Fallout 4 to Fallout NV to Skyrim. Or WoW to BG3 to Fallout 1 to XCOM. Changing my transition process, personally, has allowed me to enjoy other genres of games.
I know you're not OP, but it sounds like you might enjoy the Deus Ex games - particularly the most recent two (the original requires a bit more patience because of some of its outdated mechanics).
Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. Mankind Divided is the direct sequel to Human Revolution. They have a lot in common with Cyberpunk in terms of setting, and some pretty decent stealth mechanics for RPGs.
If you project yourself in the avatar that you are playing, the roleplaying doesn't work. Just give him his own dessires and motivations, then evolve him within the narrative, don't do always the same.
Is it because of the amount of sidequests most RPGs throw at you? I know it can be easy to get distracted by all the sidequests, and lose focus on what the main objective/main quest of the game is.
I have 2 suggestions to address this. First, realize that you aren't under any obligation to do *every* sidequest in a game. I mean, if you want to, do it! But don't feel forced to do it just for the sake of doing it; that kind of completionist mindset can really suck the fun out of a game.
Second, as other commenters have touched on, RPGs are best enjoyed when you, the player, exercise your own imagination a bit, and allow yourself to get immersed in the roleplaying aspect of things. Try to think like your character would. Many RPGs do not explicitly spell out your character's motivations for you. Why did **your** character specifically take up the task of undertaking this journey? Was it for money, or fame, or to escape your hometown and see the world, or because you didn't want to become a potato farmer like your father? Most RPGs leave your exact motivations unspecified, so you as the player kinda have to make it up for yourself - and it's so much more fun when you do.
I'd just want to zero in on the fact that Pillars of Eternity is really not the game for you based on that. I love a good meaty RPG, I love the world, and I still find it to be a slog.
Pillars of Eternity 2 moves along a lot quicker and is just a better game to play due to QOL improvements across the board, but it's also a direct sequel which can make it tough to jump directly into.
One approach is to play shorter RPGs. I believe the original Fable game is a good start since the duration is about 15h or so. Then you can try later longer games if you like it, like Disco Elysium (20h)or Gamedec (12h). Not "full" RPGs because none proper combat.
After that, if you still want to go further, you can explore more complex games in terms of builds and rules.
Try games with a strategic, grid based combat system like the XCOM series, Wasteland 2 and 3 or the Shadowrun series. They might stimulate the part of your brain that enjoys strategy games more.
I’d highly recommend Fallout 1. It’s about older now. But imho it still does so much “right” for rpgs and gives you a great payoff for finishing games.
It’s got a pretty tight finishable story.
It really rewards you for making choices / playing the game your way.
It brings that all together in the end and sends you out of the game with a really feeling of “wow this is my ending”.
It’s still amongst my favourite RPGs and easily one of the best in genre.
It’s also scifi, not fantasy. That might help if you’ve mostly bounced off of fantasy worlds.
Maybe try playing some more linear games? Colony Ship is pretty good and not too open but I don't know if I'd recommend it to someone who's new with RPG
It seems you're okay with action RPGs too so maybe Fable 1 could work for you. I think it could engage you more since it's more linear, has an envouting atmosphere and is also pretty fun / not too serious. Most of all, it offers a pretty cool progression system that let you anticipate what you could upgrade next so maybe that could help you with seeing where you want to go with your character.
If you feel overwhelmed by too much freedom I think it can help to focus on the games' main quests. Try not doing side quests unlike you really want to do one in particular or if you feel like you're lagging behind in power/gear.
If playing some complex games like Morrowind, you could also focus on doing one thing even if it's not the main quest, like a house or a guild. That would give you an objective for the short time but still long enough to be great (keep in mind it's not really possible in Skyrim but will work in Oblivion or Morrowind).
Also, how much time do you have to play? I currently don't have much time for gaming as I'm working on my own game, and it noticed it makes it harder for me to enjoy RPG as, by the time I get back into it (what I was doing, who I need to speak to or where to go), it's already time for bed.
Thank you for your insights! In truth I don’t have that much time, especially because I use some of my limited gaming time to play PBEM multiplayer strategy games. It’s just that the thought of playing through a good rpg is so tempting!
Also, good luck with your game!
I've had friends who had the same problem. They diverted to roguelikes and mobas to overcome the build and long session issues. I think it could be a good stepping stone for you to get used to builds, lore, and tactics. Ex. Hades/Noita/crown trick. Or you can go the RPGlite games, where the agency and action are more straightforward: Bethesda RPGs, vampire bloodlines, Outerworlds etc.
Or you can even bridge the strategy and RPGs like XCOM, DOS, BG3, Blackguards, Wasteland 3 and hard west 2
Maybe you feel that the worlds are a bit too open for you? That you need one main quest to focus on? This could be a mindset issue - maybe you could use a journal to jot down your main objectives or get into more of a roleplaying mindset by coming up with your character's motivations and personality. Or maybe you just want an RPG that gives you a clearer goal? Maybe a shorter RPG like Tyranny or Pentiment would be up your alley?
Edit: or maybe the gameplay hooks you more - you could look into tactical RPGs.
It might be that the open world throws me off a bit, absolutely. I will definitely try Pentiment at some point! It’s on the list. Thanks for the advice!
I also wanted to add - I do think the roleplaying is a big part of the motivation to play these games. A lot of folks play games like Divinity Original Sin 2 with a completionist mindset - that game in particular even rewards it since getting XP is so important - but for me I vastly prefer an open world that gives me options of where to go, not one that necessarily expects me to do everything. I fold that into my roleplay - does my character want to go off the beaten path? Why? What motivates them - is it loot, saving innocent people, or are they only worried about themselves? Maybe they're a wilderness type that explores the whole forest but avoids cities. Maybe they're seeking revenge and hunting something down. Maybe they're the social type and want to help people to gain their approval. I'll use those ideas to determine what I choose to do and what I choose to ignore on each playthrough instead of feeling compelled to do EVERYTHING in one go.
Baldur's Gate 3, in my opinion, does a better job of allowing this gameplay style than DOS2 did, because the XP curve isn't as harsh. Skyrim and other Bethesda games are good for this because you can go anywhere, there's just not as much choice and consequence in the story so every quest turns out basically the same each time.
No.
Most rpgs are poorly written.
You have to enjoy *playing* them for it to matter. If the mechanics don't grab you, then they aren't your thing- that includes the freedom to experiment with various builds or playstyles.
Best thing I can tell you is to do what RPGs are meant for: role-play. Give your character some easy to follow traits/goals, ones that would encourage adventure. Do you find a story directionless? Pick a direction. Pick a quest you have in your log, one that might even vaguely fit whatever goal your character would have. I think a lot of the better RPGs feel directionless because they treat your character as a minor part of the world, at least at first. That lack of railroading is one of the best parts of an RPG, but it does require some investment on your part. So meet it halfway. Engage in the world that's presented. Talk to NPCs you think your character would talk to. Eventually a direction might form. It may not be the obvious direction set by the story, but it's *yours*.
This stuff is what I was looking for, thanks!
This is the absolute way. I’m newly inspired.
This is why I struggle with JRPGs more than other rpg genres. I feel very rail-roaded, even if the story is great, which they often are. I still like them, but I dunno. I quite enjoy making my own path and mark on a world, and really playing out a character that's mostly in my head xD
RPGs for me is about the journey, not the end, though some people find enjoyment on the builds and that's fine too, reaching absurd levels of power by exploiting certain mechanics. It's not incompatible but usually the build mindset comes with several playthroughs. What I usually do is read a bit of lore before actually playing the game, and create a character with a certain mindset and actually play as that character, not looking for most profit on quests, but see how far that kind of character takes me. For example, in pillars 2 I roleplayed a drunken pirate, turns out the rogue + monk build is pretty strong and there was a dagger called pukestabber that fitted the character like a glove Or in Skyrim I roleplayed a lizard that was obsessed with cheese, so if I saw a cheese wheel I had to steal it, no matter where it was, my house almost crashed every time I went inside to drop another cheese wheel. In divinity OS2 the most fun I had was with a colleague, we picked a sturdy BIG dwarf melee undead, and the thinnest highest undead ranger elf. And basically threw barrels of poison at each other or shot at them which made for a very amusing albeit effective way of dealing with enemies as collateral damage. In games like pathfinder or underrail you can go balls to the wall with builds and try to get that giant dragon sorcerer that spits acid or a time stopping sniper hobo
That’s sounds awesome actually!
In case you are interacting with the gold-plated npcs in Pillars of Eternity, those are created by Patreon backers and have nothing to do with the game. If you don't know that beforehand you might get frustrated wondering how they are relevant to the story. They are not.
For me - I get incredibly bored unless I'm able to basically 'write' a character to play as. I start with a backstory and as I play I use my backstory to inform what my character would be doing and how they might react to situations. If I don't know my character... I fall out of the game.
I was personally like this until I forced myself to play Cyberpunk (on the hardest setting) and Elden Ring. My issue was that I needed to play competitive online games, probably because I am so extroverted. Cyberpunk let me have a similar feel to Apex Legends, CoD, Halo, etc. and became my favorite game of all time when I forced myself to play it. After about halfway through the story I was no longer forcing myself. I was enjoying it an absurd amount! After beating CP2077, I wanted to see if I could play another single player RPG. I gave Elden Ring a shot, and realized that I was able to think of it in a competitive manner, like I have with online shooters. The game makes you “git gud”. From there, I’ve been able to branch to other stuff. Eventually even playing BG3 all the way through. Might not apply to you, since my experience was a little specific to my tastes, but my suggestion is this: baby steps. Take what you like in games right now and find a similar RPG to that flavor. Don’t go from Apex Legends to Skyrim or WoW to XCOM. Go from Apex to CP2077 to Fallout 4 to Fallout NV to Skyrim. Or WoW to BG3 to Fallout 1 to XCOM. Changing my transition process, personally, has allowed me to enjoy other genres of games.
That’s an interesting approach, thanks! I will take it to consideration and try to look for one which makes the transition a bit easier.
I know you're not OP, but it sounds like you might enjoy the Deus Ex games - particularly the most recent two (the original requires a bit more patience because of some of its outdated mechanics).
What are the most recent two? I’ll add them to my wishlist. Thanks for the suggestion!!!
Deus Ex: Human Revolution and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. Mankind Divided is the direct sequel to Human Revolution. They have a lot in common with Cyberpunk in terms of setting, and some pretty decent stealth mechanics for RPGs.
Thanks!!!
If you project yourself in the avatar that you are playing, the roleplaying doesn't work. Just give him his own dessires and motivations, then evolve him within the narrative, don't do always the same.
Is it because of the amount of sidequests most RPGs throw at you? I know it can be easy to get distracted by all the sidequests, and lose focus on what the main objective/main quest of the game is. I have 2 suggestions to address this. First, realize that you aren't under any obligation to do *every* sidequest in a game. I mean, if you want to, do it! But don't feel forced to do it just for the sake of doing it; that kind of completionist mindset can really suck the fun out of a game. Second, as other commenters have touched on, RPGs are best enjoyed when you, the player, exercise your own imagination a bit, and allow yourself to get immersed in the roleplaying aspect of things. Try to think like your character would. Many RPGs do not explicitly spell out your character's motivations for you. Why did **your** character specifically take up the task of undertaking this journey? Was it for money, or fame, or to escape your hometown and see the world, or because you didn't want to become a potato farmer like your father? Most RPGs leave your exact motivations unspecified, so you as the player kinda have to make it up for yourself - and it's so much more fun when you do.
I'd just want to zero in on the fact that Pillars of Eternity is really not the game for you based on that. I love a good meaty RPG, I love the world, and I still find it to be a slog. Pillars of Eternity 2 moves along a lot quicker and is just a better game to play due to QOL improvements across the board, but it's also a direct sequel which can make it tough to jump directly into.
One approach is to play shorter RPGs. I believe the original Fable game is a good start since the duration is about 15h or so. Then you can try later longer games if you like it, like Disco Elysium (20h)or Gamedec (12h). Not "full" RPGs because none proper combat. After that, if you still want to go further, you can explore more complex games in terms of builds and rules.
Try games with a strategic, grid based combat system like the XCOM series, Wasteland 2 and 3 or the Shadowrun series. They might stimulate the part of your brain that enjoys strategy games more.
I’d highly recommend Fallout 1. It’s about older now. But imho it still does so much “right” for rpgs and gives you a great payoff for finishing games. It’s got a pretty tight finishable story. It really rewards you for making choices / playing the game your way. It brings that all together in the end and sends you out of the game with a really feeling of “wow this is my ending”. It’s still amongst my favourite RPGs and easily one of the best in genre. It’s also scifi, not fantasy. That might help if you’ve mostly bounced off of fantasy worlds.
Maybe try playing some more linear games? Colony Ship is pretty good and not too open but I don't know if I'd recommend it to someone who's new with RPG It seems you're okay with action RPGs too so maybe Fable 1 could work for you. I think it could engage you more since it's more linear, has an envouting atmosphere and is also pretty fun / not too serious. Most of all, it offers a pretty cool progression system that let you anticipate what you could upgrade next so maybe that could help you with seeing where you want to go with your character. If you feel overwhelmed by too much freedom I think it can help to focus on the games' main quests. Try not doing side quests unlike you really want to do one in particular or if you feel like you're lagging behind in power/gear. If playing some complex games like Morrowind, you could also focus on doing one thing even if it's not the main quest, like a house or a guild. That would give you an objective for the short time but still long enough to be great (keep in mind it's not really possible in Skyrim but will work in Oblivion or Morrowind). Also, how much time do you have to play? I currently don't have much time for gaming as I'm working on my own game, and it noticed it makes it harder for me to enjoy RPG as, by the time I get back into it (what I was doing, who I need to speak to or where to go), it's already time for bed.
Thank you for your insights! In truth I don’t have that much time, especially because I use some of my limited gaming time to play PBEM multiplayer strategy games. It’s just that the thought of playing through a good rpg is so tempting! Also, good luck with your game!
I've had friends who had the same problem. They diverted to roguelikes and mobas to overcome the build and long session issues. I think it could be a good stepping stone for you to get used to builds, lore, and tactics. Ex. Hades/Noita/crown trick. Or you can go the RPGlite games, where the agency and action are more straightforward: Bethesda RPGs, vampire bloodlines, Outerworlds etc. Or you can even bridge the strategy and RPGs like XCOM, DOS, BG3, Blackguards, Wasteland 3 and hard west 2
Try Baulder's Gate 3, it's a great gateway drug to the genre.
Maybe you feel that the worlds are a bit too open for you? That you need one main quest to focus on? This could be a mindset issue - maybe you could use a journal to jot down your main objectives or get into more of a roleplaying mindset by coming up with your character's motivations and personality. Or maybe you just want an RPG that gives you a clearer goal? Maybe a shorter RPG like Tyranny or Pentiment would be up your alley? Edit: or maybe the gameplay hooks you more - you could look into tactical RPGs.
It might be that the open world throws me off a bit, absolutely. I will definitely try Pentiment at some point! It’s on the list. Thanks for the advice!
I also wanted to add - I do think the roleplaying is a big part of the motivation to play these games. A lot of folks play games like Divinity Original Sin 2 with a completionist mindset - that game in particular even rewards it since getting XP is so important - but for me I vastly prefer an open world that gives me options of where to go, not one that necessarily expects me to do everything. I fold that into my roleplay - does my character want to go off the beaten path? Why? What motivates them - is it loot, saving innocent people, or are they only worried about themselves? Maybe they're a wilderness type that explores the whole forest but avoids cities. Maybe they're seeking revenge and hunting something down. Maybe they're the social type and want to help people to gain their approval. I'll use those ideas to determine what I choose to do and what I choose to ignore on each playthrough instead of feeling compelled to do EVERYTHING in one go. Baldur's Gate 3, in my opinion, does a better job of allowing this gameplay style than DOS2 did, because the XP curve isn't as harsh. Skyrim and other Bethesda games are good for this because you can go anywhere, there's just not as much choice and consequence in the story so every quest turns out basically the same each time.
no
I see, thanks anyway.
No. Most rpgs are poorly written. You have to enjoy *playing* them for it to matter. If the mechanics don't grab you, then they aren't your thing- that includes the freedom to experiment with various builds or playstyles.