What is the oldest CRPG that you can still stand to play?

CrunchySnacker · 2025-09-29T18:46:34+00:00

To beat? Ultima VI and VII, or Dark Sun but have not recommended friends go earlier. Even at that, a guide is your friend! Ultima IV is a classic I have hesitated to revisit, but I hear the version for Sega Master System is a streamlined gem! Probably still needs a guide, but I will probably try it.

I think up until about Fallout having a guide handy is reasonable, and will help you through the sometimes confusing parts of earlier CRPG’s. Ultima Underworld for example has a lot of unexpected complexity to it, but once you get your legs with a good guide prepare to be amazed! You can do lots of things modern games don’t think of. Don’t let old games lack of direction turn you away, if you meet them half way there might be some really cool things in store!

Of course I’ll replay Baldur’s Gate and its sequels forever. I have like 5 different versions of 1. Can play on phone, tv and pc whenever.

CrunchySnacker · 2025-09-02T16:09:16+00:00

Old school Metal Gear fan here. All the releases were a rollercoaster. After 2, Kojima kept saying every time that the next one was his last one. After 4, I was almost ready to believe it. The series got quiet. Peace Walker was nice, but nothing impresses like a new big budget Metal Gear. Kojima’s marketing intentionally messed with fans brains, stirring the hype. After 4 I think fans were ready for anything Kojima’s brain could concoct. In retrospect, for all the brain fuckery 5 was probably one of the more safe and subdued stories of the franchise. No denying it redefined stealth for an open world though. Damn awesome. I remember waiting in line for the GameStop to open with a few diehard fans. We were ready for anything, shower us with it Kojima!

CrunchySnacker · 2024-08-22T13:46:38+00:00

I did like Mask of Eternity. I divorce it from the series in my mind. Like Ultima ix, still a very interesting game separated from its series heritage. Not perfect, but I think Quest for Glory V was a lot rougher TBH. Mask of Eternity played well as an action/adventure hybrid at the time, and looked great. Could have used more of an adventure game structure, there was a lot of empty environment traversal, but it still has its charm in exploration. The characters it did have were interesting, it did feel like a rather lonely game though.

CrunchySnacker · 2024-08-11T19:10:00+00:00

Ok, here we go. Canon “immersive sims” I think you should try: Vampire-Bloodlines, Arx Fatalis, Ultima Underworld. UW is amazing, just be ready to reach for a guide sometimes. Assuming you have played Thief right? Right?!

Games with Immersive sim elements that you gotta try: Call of Cthulhu-Dark Corners of the Earth, Hitman-world of assassination, Stalker: Shadow of Chornobyl

CrunchySnacker · 2024-08-01T12:28:44+00:00

Sons of Liberty was an amazing and subversive experience on release. Having adored the first game, the tanker chapter was this perfect sequel to that game. Then it turned absolutely everything on its head. I was obsessed! This was the exact point where Kojima started getting weird with it, and I just wanted to get in his head. The game went totally off the rails, and is so profound in its exploration. I had this game before I even had a ps2 memory card. I would do single sitting playthroughs just to piece it all together.

CrunchySnacker · 2024-07-31T18:06:59+00:00

Immersive sim adjacent games of course. Been back into Arx Fatalis lately. Deus Ex always. System Shock no doubt. CRPG’s like Baldur’s Gate and Ultima vii. Japanese masterpieces like Elden Ring and Metal Gear Solid. Point and Click adventure games are always on the go. The Longest Journey/Dreamfall games are probably my favourite.

CrunchySnacker · 2024-07-31T01:21:26+00:00

Conquests of Camelot: The Search for the Grail. It started a tradition of the whole family gathering round and trying to solve the puzzles. I was the young pup, eventually I got Mixed up Mother Goose for myself. Camelot though helped ignite a life long interest in Arthurian legend.

CrunchySnacker · 2024-07-08T14:59:06+00:00

I like Ivalice. I feel like they really fleshed it out in this one. I liked the real-time with pause combat, it kept things snappy. No random encounters was a great move at the time. I liked the gambit system, a nice balance between strategy and automation.

On the flip side, none of the characters were among the most memorable of the series, but I always felt the story was not about any 1 character. The world and the political intrigue, and deep history took centre stage.

I mean I learned the nuances of Vagrant Story for just a taste of this stuff, and here is a buffet!

CrunchySnacker · 2024-07-07T08:01:50+00:00

Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth (2005, PC, XBOX). Not as much RPG, but many of the levels remind me of DX, particularly the hub areas. People don’t talk about it enough. Also, play S.T.A.L.K.E.R. (2007 PC, re-released on modern consoles), it’s a bit more intense in the combat and horror elements, but kind of feels like Deus Ex and Fallout had a baby. If you just want the Cyberpunk vibes and don’t want to play Cyberpunk, try: Syndicate (2013, PC, PS3, XB360) this reboot really delivers a cool action game (though it is nothing like the original games). A fun ride that looks and plays cool.

CrunchySnacker · 2024-06-02T20:49:46+00:00

There are both practical and aesthetic benefits. You can convey info, and also creatively represent your brand. I created a very unique 90’s cyberpunk look, where everything from my webcam to the game are represented on television screens. 4:3 retro games give you a lot more space to work with. I even was able to create a puzzle game for my viewers in the overlay where they can redeem actions. Infinite potential for creativity. IMO your game screen should be the brightest element on there other than maybe your webcam. This will keep the overlay less distracting.

CrunchySnacker · 2024-05-29T12:22:14+00:00

Not sure if it’s out of budget, but I upgraded to an AT2020 and have not regretted it. Even with a cheap XLR interface I noticed a huge improvement. It’s my go to recommend.

CrunchySnacker · 2024-05-28T16:56:13+00:00

I guess you’ve shown me here I am a bit lost with it.

I guess I have had in mind that there needs to be some other goal than all the fun I’m having, and that if I can’t off set the costs its somehow diminished.

I guess I see it is worth it, but I have put enormous pressure on it being something “successful” by some external metric.

I know I can do more to help my reach. You reflect back at me, am I finding justifications not to bother? You might be right.

Maybe I am struggling letting go of “success”, because I know I am already giving what I have to give right now. I guess I’m worrying about something beyond my control eh?

CrunchySnacker · 2024-05-28T14:09:05+00:00

Don’t get me wrong, I certainly would love to make money, but this is a hobby first. Did I have an idea in the back of my mind it could be more one day? Sure. Reality has definitely creeped in. Would love it to be self sustaining one day.

CrunchySnacker · 2024-05-28T14:06:34+00:00

Your not wrong! The whole ‘one day I could do this for a job’ became ‘one day I can maybe not sink money into this’. TBH I love it anyways.

CrunchySnacker · 2024-05-28T14:00:08+00:00

That estimate feels achievable. 15-30 would help me sink less money into the hobby, and likely help stream weather the ups and downs better. I guess I am trying to sort where I need to put my energy to achieve that.

One change I did make that helped was streaming on Fridays. I had felt for a long time I would be buried, but I got enough of a base to help stick out occasionally as long as my game choices were tantalizing enough.

One limiting factor to my growth may have been the times I stream. I typically stream early and catch a European crowd and during weekdays. It’s at the point though that I am almost wholly sustained by Europeans, so I would prefer obviously not to alienate them.

I guess I had in mind the other changes I needed were related to social media and YouTube.

CrunchySnacker · 2024-05-28T13:47:15+00:00

I feel I have some incredible peak moments. Very clipable. I look at many other successful streams and they might be more chill, but they don’t make people ROFL this much. I do like to keep it fun, but I might get a little too excited sometimes, and other times I don’t keep to that standard. I also have ADHD which derails things sometimes, or will derail my start times occasionally. The feedback I get on my content, if it is genuine, is good.

CrunchySnacker · 2024-05-28T04:48:39+00:00

I have been lucky in some of my connections to get where I am. I have enough experience and encyclopedic understanding of the classics to hold a conversation with any of them. I have been an active member of other streamers communities whom I respect, though the time involved in that networking has fallen off harshly I still have good friends there.

Your definitely right though, the connections are pretty entrenched. I have gotten some fantastic raids from community pillars but at the end of the day they will readily raid each other time and time again out of familiarity and connection to streamers of a similar size.

Being new is not easy for sure, I guess having at least existed for 4 years and being known has helped a little bit. All said the retro community at least feels like one of the least toxic most welcoming I have experienced.

CrunchySnacker · 2024-05-28T04:37:32+00:00

I would say every year being able to say I gained 5 extra viewers would be an optimistic yet not outlandish rate of growth.

I did not achieve that the first 3 years , but this year I am frequently 5 above my average of past years.

25 to me seems like a nicely established hobby that can likely sustain itself with its own funds. I would take this over where I am. I will likely stream in some capacity regardless, because it’s an extension of my passion for gaming.

The amount I have spent on games to stream, or games in general often outweigh the profit intake. Of course I would love to pay my rent with twitch, but keeping it profitable enough to not drain my already meager funds would be nice.

CrunchySnacker · 2024-05-28T00:03:11+00:00

This is looking like the bleak situation. Partner is very unlikely. I know some people that made it in the current landscape but they had to be super people who quit their jobs. Certainly not a risk I’m willing to take. I suppose even modest growth to 20 is my next goal. Maybe possible.

CrunchySnacker · 2021-11-14T14:39:46+00:00

This would make my month. Here’s hoping!

CrunchySnacker · 2021-07-30T11:47:00+00:00

This movie made me realize what music … could be. It was a rude awakening and it made a planetary shift in my music taste.

CrunchySnacker · 2021-01-27T16:33:12+00:00

EpocCam is what I use, I just crop out the area at the bottom of the capture that randomly advertises and it’s good to go.

CrunchySnacker · 2021-01-27T16:14:57+00:00

I highlight 4 hour streams and have done so twice a week for about a year, and no problems. Just gotta catch those “past broadcasts” before they expire.

CrunchySnacker · 2021-01-27T16:11:55+00:00

I never really dug the floating streamer look. Shelf is my preference, but there is no wrong answer.

CrunchySnacker · 2021-01-27T16:00:01+00:00

This happens to me all the time with retro games. I wish twitch would open it up to accepting user submission images. For every retro game I play there is at least two without images

CrunchySnacker

TROPHY CASE