Professor Donna Ellard is offering a course in Skyrim to her students at Rice University. It isn’t a development or game design class, either. “Scandinavian Fantasy Worlds: Old Norse Sagas and Skyrim,” which first hit the course catalogue in 2012, is interdisciplinary but leans towards the humanities–students play the game, of course, but they also read Norse mythology and Freudian psychoanalysis to try and determine why Skyrim holds such appeal for American audiences.
Replaying Skyrim after 13 years is a reminder of the progress made in western RPGs over the last decade, but also what's been lost.
RPGs are often huge, sprawling endeavours. With limited playtime, we have to choose wisely, so here's the best western RPGs available today.
"I started playing games yesterday" the List... Meh!
How about a few RPGs that deserve some love instead?
1 - Alpha Protocol - Now on GOG
2 - else Heart.Break()
3 - Shadowrun Trilogy
4 - Wasteland 2
5 - UnderRail
6 - Tyranny
7 - Torment: Tides of Numenera
And for a bonus game that flew under the radar:
8 - Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden
Not only glorious jank, but the idea that the story can completely change depending on what you do, or say, or side with, makes it one of the most forward thinking games ever. The amount of story permutation is the equivalent of a Hitman level but in Story Form. And it wasn't just that the story changed, no, it was that you met completely new characters, or missed them, depending on your choices. Made Mass Effect feel static in comparison.
Alpha Protocol was absolutely glorious, indeed. And it was, and still is, more Next Gen than most anything out there these days. In this regard at least.
Pity.
A new Partner Spotlight Sale is now live on the Switch eShop, including Skyrim, lowest price ever for Bomb Rush Cyberfunk, and more.
Good. Bethesda does a great job at creating the most immersive, detailed and believable worlds in gaming. They put more work in than anyone else in to Ai routines and interaction with those npc than anyone, and it shows. Many are trying to tap into their formula. I would like to see others not only learn how to do it, but and even more detail and better Ai. I know some don't like the fighting, but it works for me. I would just like the to get rid of all the hand holding. Let me earn my weapons and money. Even if it means I resort to stealing and murder to get them.
Sweet. My college taught a course on Tolkien. That was like the only cool course.
I think I tried to apply to rice a few months ago, but because I couldn't get past the learning curve they call, Common App, I just quit.
Edit: Just applied right now for the heck of it.
I feel like theres a reason i have no idea what Rice University is