Abandonware DOS title

The best top-down party-based RPG games

Party-based role-playing games played in a top down perspective were perhaps the first CRPGs to get some attention by fans of pen & paper RPGs. After all, a top down view is the ideal way to convey the feeling of looking at a map, and it's the perfect way to show every member of the party in a turn-based combat. The most fondly remembered top-down CRPGs of the golden age of gaming were perhaps the ones designed by the immortal Richard Garriott: the Ultima series. Let's not forget classics such as The Magic Candle, Dark Sun, Wasteland.

Most popular top-down party-based RPG games

ultima7-2

Ultima 7 Part 1: The Black Gate

DOS19924.3/5 Origin Systems
Ultima VII: The Black Gate is a top-down RPG where you, the Avatar, have to find out what's happening in Britannia by solving quests, meeting interesting NPCs and fight hordes of headleass monsters. The land of Britannia is shaken by mysterious earthquakes, a new religion (the Fellowship) is spreading and is replacing the old virtues, and who is th...
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Ultima 6: The False Prophet

DOS1990protected4.2/5 Origin Systems
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Ultima 3: Exodus

DOS19854.2/5 Origin Systems
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Ultima 5: Warriors of Destiny

DOS19884.2/5 Origin Systems
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Fountain of Dreams

DOS19904.1/5 Electronic Arts
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Phantasie 3: The Wrath of Nikademus

DOS19874.1/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
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Ultima 4: Quest of the Avatar

DOS1985freeware4.1/5 Origin Systems
Ultima IV is remembered as one of the best Ultima games ever released, designed as usual by Richard Garriott. Garriott took the Ultima series to a whole new level by introducing the eight virtues: honesty, compassion, valor, justice, sacrifice, honor, spirituality, humility. Ultima IV started the trilogy known as "Age of Enlightenment".
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Tunnels & Trolls: Crusaders of Khazan

DOS19904.1/5 New World Computing
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Dark Sun: Shattered Lands

DOS1993protected4.1/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
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Blades of Exile

Windows 3.xMacWindows XP/98/951997freeware4.1/5 Spiderweb Software
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Ultima 7 Part 2: Serpent Isle

DOS19934/5 Origin Systems
After the well received Ultima 7 The Black Gate, Origin decided that their Ultima engine could be used for one more game. Ultima 7 Part 2: Serpent Isle begins right after The Black Gate ends. This time the Avatar travels to a whole new land, far away from the usual Britannia. Serpent Isle brings its own charm to the series; exploring new lands...
planetsedge-8

Planet's Edge

DOS1991protected4/5 New World Computing
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Dark Sun 2: Wake of the Ravager

DOS1994protected4/5 SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
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Ultima 1: The First Age of Darkness

DOS19874/5 Origin Systems
This is the first of the very popular RPG saga Ultima. The setting is the land of Sosaria, the enemy to defeat is Mondain. It's a classic cRPG. The wilderness and cities are represented from a top down perspective, while dungeons can be explored in a first person 3d view.
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Ultima: Worlds of Adventure 2: Martian Dreams

DOS19914/5 Origin Systems
Ultima: Worlds of Adventure 2: Martian Dreams is an abandoned science fiction RPG designed by Jeff George, developed by Origin Systems and released in 1991 for DOS. Martian Dreams uses the Ultima VI engine to depict Mars in a top down perspective.
magiccandle-1

The Magic Candle

DOS19894/5 Mindcraft Software
The Magic Candle: Volume 1 is the first chapter of a series of fantasy old school RPGs. The Magic Candle was developed and released by Mindcraft Software in 1989 for DOS but was also published for Apple II and Commodore 64. The whole Magic Candle series is very similar to some of the early Ultima games in every aspect: turn-based combat, top-down v...
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Worlds of Ultima: The Savage Empire

DOS1990freeware4/5 Origin Systems
After the success of Ultima 6: The False Prophet, Origin decided to "create worlds" not part of the popular Ultima series (strictly speaking) using the same engine of Ultima 6. They came up with two games: The Savage Empire and Martian Dreams. The Savage Empire is set in a stone age-like world and features prehistoric tribes, dinosaurs, insectoid a...
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J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I

DOS19904/5 Interplay Productions
J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I is an abandoned fantasy top-down DOS RPG game set in the The Lord of the Rings universe. The Lord of the Rings I was developed and released by Interplay Productions in 1990. The Lord of the Rings, Vol. I is based on the popular The Lord Of The Rings book by J.R.R. Tolkien and it's focused on the f...
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Amberstar

DOS19924/5 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...
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Ultima 2: Revenge of the Enchantress

DOS19834/5 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.
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Bloodstone: an Epic Dwarven Tale

DOS19934/5 Mindcraft Software
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J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. II: The Two Towers

DOS19923.9/5 Interplay Productions
J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, Vol. II: The Two Towers is an abandoned fantasy top-down DOS RPG game set in the The Lord of the Rings universe. The Lord of the Rings II was developed and released by Interplay Productions in 1992. The Lord of the Rings, Vol. II: The Two Towers is based on the popular The Lord Of The Rings book by J.R.R. Tol...
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Exile: Escape from the Pit

Windows XP/98/95MacWindows 3.x1995freeware3.9/5 Spiderweb Software
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Scavengers of the Mutant World

DOS19883.9/5 Interstel Corporation
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The Magic Candle 3

DOS19923.9/5 Mindcraft Software
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Space 1889

DOS19903.9/5 Paragon Software
Space 1889 is an abandoned top down RPG developed by Paragon Software and released in 1990 for DOS, Atari ST and Amiga. Space 1889 setting is classic science fiction, but is set in the Victorian. It's worth noting that Space 1889 is loosely based on the tabletop game of the same name.
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The Dark Heart of Uukrul

DOS19893.9/5 Digital Studios Limited
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The Temple of Elemental Evil

Windows XP/98/95Mac2003protected3.9/5 Troika Games
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The Aethra Chronicles

DOS19943.9/5
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...