Best Free RPG or Strategy games

moultano

<div class="IPBDescription">Suggestions?</div>Suppose you had to pick the best RPG or strategy games that are currently available for free. What would be your top 5? I'm not looking for anything specific, just a survey of people's opinions. This is a research project of sorts.

TychoCelchuuu

Dwarf Fortress is both. Mount & Blade is a bit of both and has a free trial thing that kind of counts. Barkley Shut Up and Jam Gaiden is a great RPG. Full Spectrum Warrior might not be free anymore but it was at one point. Ground Control is a great RTS. Total Annihilation: Spring is a good RTS with tons of great mods. That's it off the top of my head.

NeonSpyder

1.<a href="http://www.wesnoth.org/" target="_blank">Battle for Wesnoth</a> (Free, Tactical Turn-Based Strategy Game)
2.<a href="http://spring.clan-sy.com/" target="_blank">Total Annihilation: Spring</a> (Recreation in 3d of the original TA game)
3.<a href="http://www.anarchy-online.com/wsp/anarchy/frontend.cgi?func=frontend.show&template=main" target="_blank">Anarchy Online</a> is somewhat decent. (Free to play MMO,)
4.<a href="http://www.eveonline.com/" target="_blank">EVE Online</a> (Because it's the law that I have to mention it.)
5.Fallout 2, Planescape Torment, Fallout 1 (For being the three best RPGs ever, in a rough order of awesomeness)

lolfighter

<!--quoteo(post=1703578:date=Mar 26 2009, 08:24 PM:name=moultano)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(moultano @ Mar 26 2009, 08:24 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1703578"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->[...]that are currently available for free.[...]<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--quoteo(post=1703583:date=Mar 26 2009, 10:26 PM:name=NeonSpyder)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(NeonSpyder @ Mar 26 2009, 10:26 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1703583"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->4.<a href="http://www.eveonline.com/" target="_blank">EVE Online</a> (Because it's the law that I have to mention it.)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

NeonSpyder

It has a free trial.

lolfighter

I doubt that's what moultano had in mind.

spellman23

lol EVE.

Bonus for Wesnoth.

Total Annihilation Spring isn't quite up to snuff imo, but it's very close. However, it does have tons of mods, so it can keep you occupied. A little annoying to get everything setup the first time you try it, but once you're in it's pretty sweet.

Scythe

I must add:

<!--sizeo:5--><span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo-->Nethack!<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec-->

--Scythe--

juice

EVE is free if you can manage to make 300,000,000 in the free trial. lol

lolfighter

<!--quoteo(post=1703609:date=Mar 27 2009, 12:07 PM:name=juice)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(juice @ Mar 27 2009, 12:07 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1703609"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->EVE is free if you can manage to make 300,000,000 in the free trial. lol<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Don't you still have to pay the one-time purchase fee in addition to the monthly subscription?

Crispy

Not sure if it's abandonware or been made free, but <i>XCOM</i>/<i>UFO: Enemy Unknown</i> is one of the greatest games of all time, let alone one of the greatest strategy games.

TychoCelchuuu

<!--quoteo(post=1703709:date=Mar 29 2009, 10:15 AM:name=Crispy)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Crispy @ Mar 29 2009, 10:15 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1703709"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Not sure if it's abandonware or been made free, but <i>XCOM</i>/<i>UFO: Enemy Unknown</i> is one of the greatest games of all time, let alone one of the greatest strategy games.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It's neither. The game is for sale on Steam.

NeonSpyder

<!--quoteo(post=1703610:date=Mar 27 2009, 06:33 AM:name=lolfighter)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lolfighter @ Mar 27 2009, 06:33 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1703610"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Don't you still have to pay the one-time purchase fee in addition to the monthly subscription?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

afaik there is no 'one-time purchase fee' you just start doing the monthly subscription. Which makes me think that since you're already in the game and if you have the ISK you could buy one of the PLEX items off the market for a 30 day subscription or something. so theoretically you wouldn't ever have to pay real money to pay EVE if you were good enough at making ISK.

lolfighter

Assuming you can make 300 million isk in 14 days with a new character.

NeonSpyder

I said it's theoretically possible, albeit not particularly feasible.

In any case, can we get back to the free rpg or strategy games discussion? This is relevant to my interests and would like to know more.

spellman23

I also suggest you scour moddb for any good mods for stuff you already have. Trust me, you'd be surprised.

Granted, in the RTS realm it's usually re-skins and more bland stuff, but there's some awesome nuggets of, well, awesome.

Also, I managed to get sucked back into Wesnoth. Curse you all.

spellman23

Oh man, I forgot about Gate88. Think side scroller space shooter (without the auto scrolling) + RTS.

<a href="http://www.queasygames.com/gate88/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.queasygames.com/gate88/index.html</a>

Prepare to be swamped.

Konohas Perverted Hermit

Savage 2 or Air Rivals.

Drfuzzy

Not free, but command and conquer first decade is worth getting because it has like 5 games with it, i dunno the current asking price for it now but its sure worth it <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />