I think Age of Decadence goes much much further on that end than Tyranny does. In that - you really unconver different aspects of the story depending on character class (and with that which guilds you belong to). I.e. AoD really requires multiple playthroughs to 'complete' it. It really is a completely unique game in that there's nothing out there that branches as much, is willing to hide as much content from you on just one playthrough as this does. The shortness of it is wanted - if you'd had to replay a long campaign it'd really not be as appealing.

I was a backer for Pillars of Eternity, but only played it quite late - once all the patches were done. I went through around 90% then lost interest. The story in parts is fabulous, as are some characters, but it's all very uneven and really does peter out somewhat, eventually. For me I feel some of the back story that comes through would have been far more interesting as scenarios to play through. I didn't like the fights; the amount of them: the way they were structured - but then I never really liked RTP systems all that much. I think the problem is that you have a system that actually would allow for quite tactcal play with a lot of options - but it's too complex for a RTP system.

Nominally, if you are after story more than after epicness than Torment should be better Similar as to how Baldur's Gate I/II differ from Planescape Torment. That said as for now the new Torment is an unkown quantity (was a backer, too, haven't played). If you are after story / atmosphere than the Shadowrun games are definitely the known quantity that goes for them. I much prefer the turn-based system of those, too, even if option wise it is actually more simplistic (!) than PoE's.

I've only played Shadowrun Returns so far and understand it is the lesser of the series, but, I found the combat utterly boring and the story only so-so (it was a good story but wayyyy too drawn out for what it gave.)

consider checking out Age of Decadence and UnderRail, I highly recommend them both (I'm itching to play UnderRail more than PoE, but I'm going to start getting into PoE because I'm waiting for the UnderRail expansion now)

While Returns is definitely the lesser of the three official campaigns I thought it was a great introduction to the world and rules that prepares you for Dragonfall & Hong Kong. Returns is kind of like the base Neverwinter Nights campaign in comparison to the superior expansion packs. Returns is at least fairly short.

I've only beaten the Shadowrun games once (though I'd love to replay them at some point, working on my backlog) and my completion times are:
-Returns: 14 Hours.
-Dragonfall: 35 Hours.
-Hong Kong: 51 Hours. Nice... my next CRPG is either going to be Pillars or Wasteland 2... pretty much equally excited so my decision will likely be based on a coin flip!

Shadowrun Returns came at the perfect time for me. Was absolutely starving for a top down CRPG and Returns scratched that itch. It is extremely flawed as a CRPG as it is literally the most linear one I've ever played. I'd been warned of that myself before I started playing and the most severe warnings of linearity did not prepare me for how linear it was! I STILL like it and I'm still glad I played it as the story was interesting, it was awesome to see returning characters having played the Sega & SNES versions & it acted as a decent 'tutorial' for the later games.

Returns was my first contact with the Shadowrun game and universe, and it was a pretty great introduction. I've only played it once, but I think I will eventually go back to it. I think it will be even more fun now that I really get the system and the world, will make a better character etc.


I don't equate linearity with a flaw, at least not by definition. That's one of the big differences between cRPGs and tabletop for me. In a pen & paper game I always take great care to avoid any plot railroads. I have a plot, but if the players decide to go go and do whatever- fine, I'll improvise. I know from experience that being railroaded by the DM is the worst thing.

In a cRPG it's different. A game can't improvise, and often the more freedom the player is given the more diluted and shallow the game is. Returns is not a perfect game masterpiece, but I still feel like there is more proper content in those 14 or so hours than is often to be found in twice as much time of wandering around in open world games.

I just finished Wasteland 2 DC 3 days ago(or was it 2?) I liked it a good deal but it had some medium-level drawbacks that kept it from being really great in the long-run of it all, and I can't help but wonder if it was because the DC wasn't as well refined as the original release (I played the original release up to near the end of Arizona before stopping and waiting for the DC.)

I'm probably going to start PoE in the next week or two, now that the expansions have been out a while and everything is hopefully patched nicely.