The most popular top-down party-based RPG games

Party-based role-playing games with a top-down perspective were among the first CRPGs to capture the attention of pen-and-paper RPG fans. The top-down view is ideal for evoking the feeling of looking at a map and is perfect for showcasing each party member in turn-based combat. Among the most fondly remembered top-down CRPGs from the golden age of gaming are those designed by the legendary Richard Garriott, such as the Ultima series. Other classics, like The Magic Candle, Dark Sun, and Wasteland, are also worth mentioning.

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MegaTraveller 2: Quest for the Ancients

DOS1991 Paragon Software

MegaTraveller 2: Quest for the Ancients is the sequel to MegaTraveller 1: The Zhodani Conspiracy. It is a science fiction role-playing game (RPG) released in 1991, developed by Paragon Software. Like its predecessor, MegaTraveller 2 is set in the expansive Traveller universe.In MegaTraveller 2, players continue their journey in the Third Imperium, ...

Ultima 2: Revenge of the Enchantress

DOS1983 Origin Systems

The second chapter of the Ultima saga is much similar to the first one (same top down visual, same dungeon 3d visual, same gameplay), although there are many small improvements. The series begins to take the shape of the detailed, deep, rpg saga that gamers will always remember.

Disciples of Steel

DOS1994

Scavengers of the Mutant World

DOS1988 Interstel Corporation

Amberstar

DOS1992 Thalion

Amberstar is a fantasy old school RPG very similar to Ultima 6 that uses a top-down view for interiors and small locations and a first person pseudo 3D view for everything else. Unfortunately, the sequel (called Ambermoon) was available for Amiga only and no version existed for DOS or Windows. Amberstar was developed and published by Thalion for DO...

Demon's Winter

DOS1989protected SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.

Planet's Edge

DOS1991protected New World Computing

Wasteland

DOS1988protected Interplay Productions

The Aethra Chronicles

DOS1994

The Aethra Chronicles is not a well know fantasy RPG, but it deserves some praise. It was developed by only one person (Micheal Lawrence) and, as the title implies, was intended to be the first volume of a saga. Unfortunately, volume two and three were never made. For a shareware game, Aethra was pretty solid and is still loved by the ones who play...