Great Large-Scale RPG Battles
Hi, everyone!
I just finished "Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark", and while I loved the entire module, there's one moment in particular that sticks out in my mind: the Siege of Lith My'athar. I really enjoyed how the game allows you to set up the defenses and deploy the troops to different parts of the city; it gives the PC a measure of strategic control beyond the scope of typical gameplay.
And that got me thinking about similar scenarios in other RPGs - a few came to mind, but if you know of any others, please let me know!
Dragon Age: Origins has two examples, though they're slightly different in execution. First, there's the undead attack on Redcliffe, where you can recruit villagers, raise morale, set traps and so on. You must then fight the invaders in two phases, and the outcome can be affected by decisions you made earlier.
The other is the Battle of Denerim at the end of the game. While you have no control over where/how you fight, you can summon one of the armies you've been collecting at each stop in your path. There's a measure of strategy in picking the right people for the right job (ie: summoning mages or elven archers to deal with long-range threats), as your forces are finite and can be wiped out if you don't support them. Additionally, NPCs you've helped in various quests (ie: First Enchanter Irving, Arl Eamon, Kardol) will be present during the final fight with the Archdemon.
Dragon Age: Awakening has an optional scenario that runs throughout the entire expansion. At various points, you have the option of upgrading the defenses at Vigil's Keep, your headquarters. If you choose to fight the penultimate battle there rather than Amaranthine, those upgrades come in handy: fortifying the walls prevents Ogres from breaking through, upgrading your soldiers' armor (this can be done three times) makes them much harder to kill, and if you had the forethought to seal the underground tunnels, enemy reinforcements will not attack from the rear. In addition, you have the same "army" mechanism as Origins: at any point, you can summon militia, infantry or knights, call upon a master sniper to eliminate a specific target, or trigger a dwarven bomb strike.
The Suicide Mission in Mass Effect 2 is much smaller in scale, but the principle is the same: at various points of the final battle, the player is given a choice of assets for particular functions. Making the wrong decisions can lead to disastrous results.
There's also the Fort Condor segment in Final Fantasy VII, though most players I know tend to just skip that and fight the entire Shinra force themselves.
Any other examples?
I just finished "Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark", and while I loved the entire module, there's one moment in particular that sticks out in my mind: the Siege of Lith My'athar. I really enjoyed how the game allows you to set up the defenses and deploy the troops to different parts of the city; it gives the PC a measure of strategic control beyond the scope of typical gameplay.
And that got me thinking about similar scenarios in other RPGs - a few came to mind, but if you know of any others, please let me know!
Dragon Age: Origins has two examples, though they're slightly different in execution. First, there's the undead attack on Redcliffe, where you can recruit villagers, raise morale, set traps and so on. You must then fight the invaders in two phases, and the outcome can be affected by decisions you made earlier.
The other is the Battle of Denerim at the end of the game. While you have no control over where/how you fight, you can summon one of the armies you've been collecting at each stop in your path. There's a measure of strategy in picking the right people for the right job (ie: summoning mages or elven archers to deal with long-range threats), as your forces are finite and can be wiped out if you don't support them. Additionally, NPCs you've helped in various quests (ie: First Enchanter Irving, Arl Eamon, Kardol) will be present during the final fight with the Archdemon.
Dragon Age: Awakening has an optional scenario that runs throughout the entire expansion. At various points, you have the option of upgrading the defenses at Vigil's Keep, your headquarters. If you choose to fight the penultimate battle there rather than Amaranthine, those upgrades come in handy: fortifying the walls prevents Ogres from breaking through, upgrading your soldiers' armor (this can be done three times) makes them much harder to kill, and if you had the forethought to seal the underground tunnels, enemy reinforcements will not attack from the rear. In addition, you have the same "army" mechanism as Origins: at any point, you can summon militia, infantry or knights, call upon a master sniper to eliminate a specific target, or trigger a dwarven bomb strike.
The Suicide Mission in Mass Effect 2 is much smaller in scale, but the principle is the same: at various points of the final battle, the player is given a choice of assets for particular functions. Making the wrong decisions can lead to disastrous results.
There's also the Fort Condor segment in Final Fantasy VII, though most players I know tend to just skip that and fight the entire Shinra force themselves.
Any other examples?
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Comments
The majority of the above just give you the illusion that your choices actually matter...when they really have no impact on the outcome. Aside a few minor fluff elements or loss/gain of rep, or whatever.
And I think a game called Chivalry also has these, from 1st perspective.
And the multiplayer component forces force distribution by each army only having so many slots for particular troops. (200 vs 200 battles are pretty ridiculous to watch).
Nothing quite like storming a fort that has an army in it with a smaller force of badasses...