Gothic comes to my mind at first, Gothic II especially. They are very similar, but Gothic II just made the fine-tuning.
This was my first proper RPG game and it was just awesome. The world, which you didn’t need a map for, because everything was hand-made and unique. You knew were things are. This and combined with the awesome atmosphere makes G2’s world my favourite of all.
Factions were the shit. You really felt as if you are part of it, even got your uniforms (armor) as you progressed further. And those things actually were worth something, both in style and gamplay (looking at you, Dark Souls).
You need to get used to the fighting system, but it’s just nice how you get better, simply because the animation changes as you level up.
Story and sidequests were also a lot of fun (Who would have thought, that the thing actually exists? Awesome twist in G1, but G2 therefore made a real heroe’s quest…hunting dragons 10 years before Skyrim and even in a better way.)
Not to forget the awesome humor and easter eggs. The guy, who built his hutt in the middle of the way…the alien dwarf easter egg behind the orc wall…etc.
Gothic 1 is even better than Gothic 2 because of the atmosphere. It’s more rough, no green grass and trees, older architecture, a lot better voice acting (german original) and better storytelling. You never know what the evil is while in Gothic 2 you get told that dragons are the evil directly at the beginning. But there is no Gothic 1 vs Gothic 2, they are both together one game. Both are masterpieces and the best games ever made.
I would disagree with atmosphere. I like this moody but still green style of Gothic 2. There seems to be more life in Gothic 2. And well…you have a very rough section 
More life, farms, windmills, pirates etc. This all is beautiful, but not moody. Only Gothic 1 was moody. Brown vegetation, no farmers with sheep, no pirates.
What do you mean by shallow story? Is it very traditional-fantasy (cause I don’t mind that) or very predictable? What about the characters? Sorry for so many questions but I’m still deciding if I should get it.
Gothic 1 & 2 are a must-have!!! Don’t ask questions, just get it and play it and experience some of the absolutely best RPGs ever made. The story is just traditional fantasy (with less fantasy part as The Elder Scrolls for example). Gothic has no elves or such things. But the story-telling is genius. And the whole atmosphere is unique. Nothing is generated. The world is completely hand crafted and organic. It doesn’t feel like it’s a game. And you don’t get 10 swords throwing on your feet. Every piece of armor or weapon you have to earn first. And you are weak and and bad at combat at the beginning. Everything you have to learn by experience.
What you need for modern systems:
The PlayerKit and the SystemPack for both games. No other mods! Don’t use graphic patches, they may look nice, but they destroy the original Gothic atmosphere.
I don’t know… probably try and see for yourself, if possible 
For me, I lacked more realism with the plots, the characters, I probably expected something more ‘real’ or ‘realistic,’ more complex economy, management… there are some nice reviews on steam, it’s good to read them and decide :-
Oblivion and Skyrim: They are the two best Open World RPGs in their specific lore/genre. Norse mythology runs rampant in Skyrim and the Elder Scrolls universe is so detailed and massive that I can get lost in it for years. The controls for the games are top notch and the storylines are definitely good enuff to keep me interested. Bethesda has been quite amazing with these two games but failed me with Elder Scrolls Online. I hate it.
Fallout 3, 4 and New Vegas: Again, Bethesda is an open world RPG champion in my eyes. The same reasons as above but change the genre to post apocalyptic. Same great controls. I have 76 and have yet to play it because I’m scared it’ll kill it for me like ESO.
Final Fantasy VII and IX: Legendary, classic and iconic RPGs that feature turn based, old school, RPG combat mechanics. Great overall stories. Way ahead of their time and will always remain relevant in this category. They are also open world in a really big way that not many games could do as well or at all back then. I get to name all of my characters. Don’t get me wrong, I love the advances in video game technology: graphics, size, depth and voiced characters/NPCs and voiced, beautiful cutscenes that could be almost movies but nothing says RPG like actually Role Playing the Game. I mean it’s the name of this whole entire category of gaming. If you can name your characters, it is more immersive and can suck you in even further. Bethesda does a great job keeping the ability to name your character and that makes the voiced games of now, much more tolerable and enjoyable.
Final Fantasy Tactics: Again, as my previous listing, it’s a Final Fantasy game. Good story for what the game itself is. I love games that let me strategize and calculate my killing blows like putting an opponent in CHECKMATE in a game of chess.
Massive Chalice: This game is the best I’ve seen of its kind. It’s pretty linear in the fact that it goes on for 300 years but every playthrough is different. The events are random, the combat is strategic like FF: Tactics and turn based like FFVII and FFIX. But the real hidden gem about this game is the fact that it’s one of only a mere few games ever to utilize a BLOODLINE feature where you Decide who marries who, you get to pick from a massive (I mean more than you’d ever need) list of Houses (names and characteristics and warrior class) they mate and have children and pass down traits and if you play your cards right you can even create new classes with certain House unities and breeding choices. They are also sensitive to the LGBTQ community and you can unite/Mary anyone to anyone basically. And there is so much more about this game that’d take me forever to type. Lol you play God but in a unique way in video gaming that hasn’t been replicated much and not been done very well.
Rockstar games (Red Dead Series and GTA Series): I should never have to explain myself here. Of you disagree… you don’t appreciate a great game or a company that delivers them over and over.
South Park: (Both of the newest releases) I wanted to add an odd entry to this thread for those who enjoy more than just serious warrior type RPGs. They scroll left and right or up and down with freedom to roam the town, linnear but open world at the same time. They have a great amount of depth surprisingly and they are 100% South Park humor. What’s not to love. Also the amount of character customization is unmatched in a game of this quality. It isn’t a Skyrim or Kingdom Come: Deliverance by any means but it’s a good play.
I really enjoy this thread and I read a few on here that I will try after KCD.
P.S. the Witcher series is amazing as far a depth of content and basic sheer amount of story in the universe like The Elder Scrolls games or any long running RPG series universe should be, but the controls make the game so unplayable for me that I can’t even give them a chance. Controlling an RPG needs to feel smooth and natural, the controller is an extension of my hand in this universe I dive into but the Witcher devs destroyed that crucial yet always overlooked aspect of an RPG.
Thanks for reading and posting all these good comments.
-KiNG
Opinions are different. Elder Scrolls and Bethesda in general stands for very weak storytelling if you ask me. A RPG champion?
“Storylines are definitely good enuff to keep me interested” is what I said. Never said they had the best stories at all. I don’t even think they do. But as far as content, immersion, controls, size, playability, comfortability, vision, fun factor, freedom and a Quality Universes that have as much involved in them as George RR Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” universe, they reign supreme. They do have magic n stuff but I’m not a big Science Fiction, outer space heavy, anime enthusiast RPG fan. I like a medieval feel, warriors and the things warriors kill, epic tales that let me control what I wanna do and when and how I wanna be. That’s the point of an RPG, playing the role. So yes I have my opinion. They are RPG champions and when you can change my mind, please do so because I’d love to play games better than the best. But until then, don’t knock my opinion.
Just a little correction - FNV was created by Obsidian, not Bethesda, and that’s exactly the reason it’s the best of nonisometric fallout games.
Elder Scrolls is wide as an ocean, but only depth as a puddle. Almost everything is generic. Every dungeon looks like the previous 100 dungeons. You aren’t a character which takes a role in a story. You are just someone somewhere. Quests feels like being part of a check list. The voice acting is high-fantasy, the speakers just reading their text from a letter. Elder Scrolls is a good mediocre RPG, but far, lightyears away to count them to the best RPGs.
The age of decadence is great if you like to have alot of replayability. Every faction has it’s own part in the story and thats what makes it so good, because you can’t discover everything in a single playthrough. I wish more games took a similar approach because usually when you finish a game you’re kinda done with it because there is nothing left to see.
I don’t agree at all. But oh well. What’s your favorite again?
I actually had no idea it was made by Obsidian. That’s weird as fuck. Haha
Do you mean me?
It doesn’t matter whether you agree or not. My favorite is Gothic (1+2).
Yeah… No shit it doesn’t matter if I agree or not. But you saying that it doesn’t matter if I agree with you completely nullifies your entire opinion because my comment about my favorite games on a post about what our favorite games are… Doesn’t require your two cents. So tell me… Are you just a troll or do you actually think disregarding people’s opinions and making it a point to tell everyone they’re wrong is actually working for you? Here’s an idea Checkers, I’m on here to discuss games and enjoy it so take your snarky comments elsewhere. You don’t have to ruin things for people. Loser
Idiot. You said “Oblivion and Skyrim are the best RPGs in their lore/genre”. This sentence means it’s a fact. You haven’t wrote “In my opinion these games are the best in their lore/genre”. And now you said it’s your opinion. From where should I see that in your original post?
I didn’t know we needed to hold your hand and guide you step by step thru deciphering what a post means … Jesus Christ you have a tiny little mind. Next time I’ll make sure I fuckin include every word, in correct context so as to instruct you thru getting the grasp of you trying to live above your capabilities n hang with the big kids. It’s obviously an opinion. Didn’t know I needed to write a fucking disclaimer so SIMPS like you could avoid spastic drooling and tearing your helmet off. Seriously go bug someone else cuz you’re so much of a NONFACTOR to me now after this. Hahahaha no wonder you don’t like Elder Scrolls, you don’t understand it.