So this time I'll start with the obligatory product placement: Septerra Core and Gorky 17.

I enjoyed Septerra Core pretty well when I played it, oh, 7 years ago. However, I should note that I spent a Christmas break from college playing it, while I was suffering from a high fever and pneumonia while tripping balls on cough syrup. So you may have a different experience than I did. The gameplay was solid, if uninspiring, and teh story was pretty engaging. I enjoyed the setting, and the art was passable for its time. That said, it's a JRPG, and has all of the sins of that genre.

Gorky 17 I have not played. Take a look at the reviews, if you'd like. It looks like it's a Russian Fallout, but buggier.

Now let's stretch waaaayyyy back in time to 1988: Wasteland. One of those iconic RPG's; an innovator in persistent world-building, wonderfully evocative prose ("Thug is reduced to fine red mist" or something like that is the usual "You've killed the dude" notification.). The graphics are, well, 1988 graphics. Don't expect a lot. It's more or less Bard's Tale 1 meets SSI Gold Box. A strong recommendation.

Speaking of Gold Box, I'd be remiss to not mention the Buck Rogers Gold Box games: Countdown to Doomsday and Matrix Cubed. If you've ever played a Gold Box game and loved 'em, you'll like these. Solid writing, pretty much identical game play, and graphics that are ugly enough that even a mother couldn't love 'em. Especially when you take into account that Matrix Cubed was released in 1992, the same year as The 7th Guest, Dune II, Wolfenstein 3D, and Star Control 2, you'l find the graphics like stabbing yourself in the eyes. But don't let that put you off, they're great games.

I'd also recommend BioForge, but I sucked hard at that game and didn't get very far at it. Maybe someone else here can comment on it, since it's one of those loved games of the genre.

[[Edit: Make the stinking links work.]]

Many games would be improved if playing while hallucinating. Rise of the Triad shortcuts that particular need by providing you with a "shroom" mode. I recall playing through the entire demo with that cheat turned on. Made the game more fun, definitely.

Not fun enough to buy, sadly. Sorry, DIP.

[[Edited to correct a typo that made the last sentence nonsensical.]]

Well, I didn't mean Polish when I wrote the post. But I should have. Good catch, thanks.
I loved Judgement Rites and Final Unity, but wasn't sure if the OP would.

There's one more SF adventure I'm trying to remember, and it's been driving me batty all day. You start out in a ship trying to solve a murder, and end up crashlanded on a jungle planet with a race of feline alien people...things. I recall playing it about five years ago and liking the heck out of it, but the name completely escapes me now.

Yes, it was indeed Albion. Thanks!