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Elder Scrolls is good for awhile, and Morrowind GOTY is only 15 bucks. Chrono Trigger is alright, and the Final Fantasy series is always good.

Also, the Tales series of games, I can recommend Tales of Symphonia the most, and Tales of Phantasia somewhat.

I may be going on a limb here, but the Penny Arcade game on Steam is pretty decent. You can customize the gender and appearance of your character, but that's about it. The game is pretty linear but the RPG battles are actually vaguely interesting (thankfully to the dodging mechanic)

If you are into indie games, I'd suggest Aquaria. Not really fitting into your OP, but if you like exploration, action and a very "free" gameplay stlye, I recommend it.

I echo those who said Deus Ex, very good game with a lot to do and see and is very replayable. It has a lot of options as well. The AI is dumb and the graphics are a bit bad (flesh mittens) as is some of the accents but its worth seeing. There is a mod for the graphics as well.

As for Exile, I've never even heard of it, so I'll take a look. Thanks for all the suggestions!

You're welcome.

As for Exile, its a very, very old series. I'd have to install some software before I could even get it to work on my computer. I'm not suprised you haven't heard of it.

One word of warning though: I would not waste my time on the newer remake, called Avernum. Its graphics are more detailed, but also more cartoonish, and I found the gameplay very repetative.

Darth Onasi wrote:I really should check out Witcher, but I have a violent opposition to supposedly "free" RPGs that have set characters, especially when they're so darn ugly.

LOL

A game called the Witcher, about the Witcher, in which the Witcher does things, where people talk about his career and his nature drives the plot? Let's play 'I bet Witcher's non-garbage writing is unrelated to the focus on the character'. Quick get me 'hilarious' NPC banter instead!

Deus Ex is a pile of shit and doesn't fit the OP; it's got super-shallow character customisation and pretends to be open but is really just a shooter with delusions of grandeur. It's far less 'RPG' than System Shock, and nobody would recommend that.

Stark wrote:

Darth Onasi wrote:I really should check out Witcher, but I have a violent opposition to supposedly "free" RPGs that have set characters, especially when they're so darn ugly.

LOL

A game called the Witcher, about the Witcher, in which the Witcher does things, where people talk about his career and his nature drives the plot? Let's play 'I bet Witcher's non-garbage writing is unrelated to the focus on the character'. Quick get me 'hilarious' NPC banter instead!

Unless this Witcher guy is pre-established character in comics or whatever I fail to see your point.
Even if he is, I'm speaking only of my personal preferences. Besides, a game with customisable characters can have good enough plots and dialogue, like Saints Row 2 and Mass Effec... oh yeah you hate that one. Ass Erect and all that, very amusing.

I'll have to go with Stark's opinion on Deus Ex on this one. For all the 'internet hate machine' everyone ascribes to him in his posts, he's usually pretty accurate, if far less forgiving than I am.

Now that you've mentioned Avernum, Exile almost sounds familiar. I'll still check it out when I get the opportunity.

Additionally, what point were you trying to make with this?

Darth Onasi wrote:Besides, a game with customisable characters can have good enough plots and dialogue, like Saints Row 2 and Mass Effec... oh yeah you hate that one. Ass Erect and all that, very amusing.

Not only does that have nothing to do with what Stark said, it makes a claim that no one was trying to debate in the first place.

Joviwan wrote:Not only does that have nothing to do with what Stark said, it makes a claim that no one was trying to debate in the first place.

Stark was implying that the Witcher having a set character improves the story/dialogue, I was countering that.

Yeah I was aware that that isn't really true when I wrote it, but couldn't think of a way to phrase it. I think Witcher's plot works due to the tightness of the world/plot/character arrangement and it would be complete shit with the narcisstic ability to create a character. It's certainly possible to make a dynamic character game with a good story, but it's a) harder and b) usually turns into Mass Effect where you can't really do anything. In any case Geralt looks enough like a woman to satisfy Joviwan.

And yeah, Geralt is the star of an entire series of books in Polish. This is why the story, world and characters aren't flat lifeless cypher drones like in Baldur's fucking Gate.

Mind you I'm not saying the Witcher is in any way a bad game for having a set character, and being based off books explains it even more. Just that I'm personally resistant to it because of that, which is a character flaw on my part really.
I would say that of the likes of Gothic, which has a completely blank, gormless, boring, silent character and no customisation at all. Worst of both worlds, that.

Darth Onasi wrote:

Joviwan wrote:Not only does that have nothing to do with what Stark said, it makes a claim that no one was trying to debate in the first place.

Stark was implying that the Witcher having a set character improves the story/dialogue, I was countering that.

Ah. Alrighty then.

Stark wrote:In any case Geralt looks enough like a woman to satisfy Joviwan.

And yeah, Geralt is the star of an entire series of books in Polish. This is why the story, world and characters aren't flat lifeless cypher drones like in Baldur's fucking Gate.

Then I shall look into this game post-haste.

Darth Onasi wrote:Mind you I'm not saying the Witcher is in any way a bad game for having a set character, and being based off books explains it even more. Just that I'm personally resistant to it because of that, which is a character flaw on my part really.
I would say that of the likes of Gothic, which has a completely blank, gormless, boring, silent character and no customisation at all. Worst of both worlds, that.

They'll SAY that Gothic has a giant pile of fluff built up over the games, but it's so lifeless and horrible nobody cares. I'm not sure how much of that is the terrible translation.

Witcher is the only adventure game (it's got RPG elements but it's kinda a problem-solving detective game with RPG elements over top) where I give a shit about any of the characters. I'd actually like the next Witcher game to allow you to choose from the various Witchers that remain, and not just Geralt; they all have histories, personalities and specialties, and it'd be nice to not be the guy with the giant character shields. The guy with the messed-up face is awesome.

Stark, about the Witcher, did you know that originally, the developers wanted to make a custom-character thing but decided against it? I think there are still the old trailers where they show you a guy that you can create or was created.