Harbinger (2003)
Genres:Role-playing (RPG)
Themes:Action, Science fiction
Game modes:Single player
Story:A huge ship, known as the Harbinger, enters a solar system destroying planets and civilizations in its path. Survivors are taken aboard the havoc-wreaking ship to work in labor camps, or be unluckily sent off to the laboratories for vicious tests and experiments that often lead to insanity. Few have managed to escape into the deep, forgotten wasteland levels of the ship, where an underground society exists. They search for a means of escape while fighting for their survival with anything they can scavenge as they attempt to ward off the relentless patrols sent for them.Show more
Vote to bring this game to GOG and help preserve it.1 582
Very cool Sci-fi hack and slash from the era when we used to call them Diablo Clones. It stood out from it's peers due to the fact that not only did it feature multiple playable characters, all of whom had recorded speaking lines, but their inventory system, their stats and the weapons they can use were all entirely unique to that character and the campaign had an entirely unique progression for each of them.
Fairly simple ARPG in terms of systems, but the story turned out to be better than expected. The setting was also interesting with sci-fi technologies and alien factions. The weirdness is fairly well communicated by story and visuals. Gameplay could become somewhat dull at times, but the environments are well done and somewhat varied and the atmosphere is fairly strong. There are three characters which do follow their own storylines.
Nothing spectacular gameplay-wise. It feels closer to diablo 1 than 2, although released way after the latter. What makes it unique is the story and writing which are actually really good. I'd actually love to revisit this universe.
It's very climatic game full of memorable character and environmental designs. The lore is also quite interestingl because of the hidden stuff - easter eggs and unique dialogs which sometimes uncover unnerving elements of worldbuilding. It's overall very basic gameplay-wise, but the cool thing is that all characters have their own stories with special quests giving each of them an unique flavour. It's a nice game and because of its current scarcity it can be only obtained via piracy.
Well, I remember seeing this. On a shelve somewhere in the supermarcket : "oh this looks nice" But I was still a teen, and couldn't ask my parent to get it for me.
I managed to finish it (with only one character), thanks to abandonware, much later. But getting it 100% legaly would be nice. If I do get it here, maybe I'll try another character ? Emulation is nice, and was a great part of my gaming, a long time ago. Now ? I guess my will is lacking. I either forget the game, lose the files needed to play the game ...lots of stuff...
22 years later, I still have my disc for Harbinger. Sci-fi ARPGs are relatively few and far between, so any entry into the genre is worth noting, but Harbinger succeeded where so many others fail in managing to make a setting that actually felt that perfect blend of alien and futuristic and just on the edge of probable in some far off future. There are definite rough patches and signs of both a tight budget near the end of development as well as ambitious plans for a sequel that never came to fruition, but for all that, I still have fond memories of the characters and the Harbinger itself even as I wish they’d been able to do more with the groundwork laid.
I should also note that I appreciate the way the game plays, as I felt it forced more attention to your loadout for most of the game rather than continually looking for the next item in your build or just another bigger-number-better plug in. You are incentivized early and often to experiment and figure out what kinds of enemies are coming up, what kinds of damage they are vulnerable to, and what kinds of damage you need to resist to better navigate the corridors and systems of the Harbinger.
A final, particular note of appreciation should be noted for the fact that you actually do get more from the story by playing through with all three characters. While they all hit the major story beats, they have different conversations, motivations, and observations, some of which shed light on one another even as they never meet. Think… Eternal Darkness meets Nox.
If you are a fan of older, somewhat slower ARPGs and have a penchant for dystopian far-future sci-fi, I would strongly recommend taking a few hours to play Harbinger if you can lay hands on it.
On that note, one last thought. The intro to the game is a wonderfully grotesque introduction to just how bizarre and twisted this universe is that you’ve stepped into. Wik certainly leaves quite the impression.
Atomic HeartAtomic Heart is an adventure first-person shooter, events of which unfolds in an alternate universe during the high noon of the Soviet Union. The principal character of the game is a special agent P-3, who after an unsuccessful landing on enterprise "3826" is trying to figure out what went wrong.Open world Action Science fiction
Victoria's BodyPure lewd transformation fetish combined perfectly with turn based combat and puzzle/exploration gameplay make Victoria's Body an experience unlike any other. How will your deepest desires change you?New Erotic
Genshin ImpactGenshin Impact is an open-world action RPG, where you embark on a journey across Teyvat to find your lost sibling and seek answers from The Seven, the gods of each element. Explore this wondrous world, join forces with a diverse range of characters, and unravel the countless mysteries that Teyvat holds...Open world Action Fantasy
Ghost of TsushimaUncover the hidden wonders of Tsushima in this open-world action adventure. Forge a new path and wage an unconventional war for the freedom of Tsushima. Challenge opponents with your katana, master the bow to eliminate distant threats, develop stealth tactics to ambush enemies in order to win over the mongols.Open world Action Historical Stealth Drama
Monster Hunter Freedom 2The hunt-or-be-hunted adventure continues with more content and options than ever before. In Monster Hunter Freedom 2, gamers increase their play skills as they battle through breath-taking environments while defeating bloodthirsty creatures. As mighty hunters, players can face a variety of quests alone, but the true spirit of the game comes from playing with others.Open world Action Fantasy Sandbox
Elden RingElden Ring is an action RPG developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, released in February 2022. Directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki, with world-building contributions from novelist George R. R. Martin, the game features an expansive open world called the Lands Between. Players assume the role of a customisable character known as the Tarnished, who must explore this world, battle formidable enemies, and seek to restore the Elden Ring to become the Elden Lord.
The game builds on the challenging gameplay mechanics familiar from the Dark Souls series but introduces a more open-ended structure with vast exploration, dynamic weather, and a day-night cycle. It offers deep lore, complex characters, and an interconnected world filled with secrets, dungeons, and powerful bosses.Open world Action Fantasy
Monster Hunter FreedomThe game revolves around the player completing quests and gathering materials to upgrade their equipment in order to advance. The more rare the items and equipment, the stronger the main physical aspects of the character will be. Unlike other hack 'n' slash games, this game requires planning and skill in order to overcome large monsters instead of brute force. There are many weapons which the hunter can use to bring down the monsters, these are sword and shield, great sword, dual swords, hammer, lance, bowgun and the heavy bowgun. Each requires a variety of items to create which are acquired by completing quests, and collecting the spoils carved from monsters or found on the ground.Action Sandbox
Digimon SurviveThis is a story of survival in a strange new world.
Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Digimon Anime, Digimon Survive presents a brand-new adventure set in a mysterious world with characters designed by Uichi Ukumo, and music by the much-acclaimed Tomoki Miyoshi.
Digimon Survive sees a brand-new group of teenagers, led by Takuma Momozuka, get lost on a school camping trip, finding them transported to a strange new world of monsters and danger.
As they fight their way back home through an animated world of difficult decisions and deadly battles, players’ choices throughout the game will impact the evolution of their monster allies, and the final ending. Battles in the game are fought in 2D, in a more classic SRPG style.Fantasy Science fiction Survival
Drakengard 3Drakengard 3 transports players to a medieval world where six goddess-like sisters known as "Intoners" have brought peace to the earth with their power to manipulate magic through song. Harmony is disrupted, however, when the eldest sister, Zero, attempts to murder her younger sisters with the help of her dragon companion, Mikhail. As the story progresses, players find themselves in a battle to unravel the mystery of Zero and learn her true intentions.
A prequel to the original Drakengard, Drakengard 3 features the series’ signature brand of action, pitting players against hordes of fiends and foes in remorseless hack-and-slash ground combat, and then sending them soaring for pitched aerial battles on the back of the dragon Mikhail.Action Fantasy
Wizardry: The Return of Werdna - The Fourth ScenarioThe fourth game in the Wizardry series, The Return of Werdna takes a decidedly different approach from all the games that preceded it. Instead of playing as a party of six player-generated characters, the player controls Werdna himself, the evil Archmage from the first game. It seems that after Werdna was defeated by the party of adventurers who stole his amulet, he was imprisoned at the bottom of his ten-level labyrinth in an eternal slumber to be tortured by nightmares for eternity. Although Werdna was supposed to sleep forever, somehow he has awakened, and now he is out for revenge.
At the beginning of the game Werdna finds himself in a situation that is singularly unique for most arch-villains: he is stripped of his powers, trapped within his own former stronghold, and filled with the realization that the same traps and monsters he created to keep adventurers out now act as obstacles to his freedom.
Werdna will slowly regain his magical powers as well as have the ability to summon helpful monsters to accompany him on his journey and aid him in combat. Unlike other role-playing games, no experience is awarded for defeating enemies. Instead, Werdna can only become stronger by searching for pentagrams found in the labyrinth. Accessing a new pentagram allows Werdna to summon stronger monsters and restore his health and spellcasting powers. Werdna will have to fight a variety of monsters and guardians, but many of the randomly appearing enemies in the game are parties of adventurers not unlike those who were controlled by the player in the previous three games. In addition, Werdna is being chased by the rather ticked-off ghost of his old enemy Trebor.
The game features a somewhat tweaked version of the same engine and graphics used in the earlier installments of the series. The difficulty level has been increased due to the lack of an experience points system, which often leaves the player-controlled party underpowered. The labyrinth contains abundant traps and complex mazes. For obvious reasons it is no longer possible to import characters from the previous games. The game features three different endings: a good ending, an evil ending, and a special Grandmaster ending which is often considered to be the single most difficult task to achieve in the entire series.Fantasy