While tons of fans who absolutely love isometric games don't necessarily know this, the point of view explored in these (mostly) RPG games is a lot more common than most players would assume.
Quite a few recent titles have delved into the top-down/isometric perspective. Here, we'll be exploring both top-down and isometric games to see which titles have left the biggest mark in gaming history.
10 Pillars Of Eternity
Pillars Of Eternity is a game that was developed by a company that a lot of gamers should be pretty familiar with. Obsidian is the mastermind behind this particular release, who is well-known for games like Fallout: New Vegas and The Outer Worlds. This game, however, makes a return to the original games in the Fallout series, mostly in presentation and graphics. The game is a spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale, which are well-known games in the genre and takes place in a fantasy setting where children are born without souls.
9 Baldur's Gate
As with a lot of isometric RPGs, Baldur's Gate is an absolute classic of the genre. The game is actually set up according to the rules of Advanced Dungeons And Dragons second edition, meaning that at this point, Baldur's Gate is pretty much just a digital version of the analog Dungeons And Dragons. It takes place in a high fantasy setting and is the inaugural entry in a series of the same name. For players who want a truly immersive experience, this is it.
8 Fallout 2
While we might see another entry from this series just a little bit further down, this one really can't be allowed to be left out. If the initial game was one where the developers were just trying out something new, then Fallout 2 is a game that pretty much perfected the initial formula.
There are a lot of elements that fans in the first-person-shooter camp established in the later games will very much enjoy, although Fallout 2 has tons of dark comedy elements baked in.
7 Wasteland
Wasteland really hasn't gotten nearly the amount of press that it should, until very recently when the second sequel to the game, Wasteland 3 was released. The game set forth tons of precedence for other isometric games that would follow. The game is famous for the fact that as a way to save on programming space, they instead opted to fill the game's manual with tons and tons of lore. It also includes tons of red herrings and fake passwords for people who attempt to cheat. It has a very similar setting to the Fallout series, although it definitely goes out of its way to be funny.
6 Diablo 3
While it's not the first in the franchise, there's a reason it's been so long since the game was released and Blizzard still isn't keeping up with the demand to put out a real sequel. The first two Diablo games are great, playing like the arcade game Gauntlet or something similar, but with an interesting 2.5D perspective put forth. The third game pretty much perfects a lot of the ideas that the first two put forward and takes place in a beautiful gothic world.
5 Fire Emblem
For those who are only familiar with the franchise through the inclusion of characters like Marth, Ike, or Roy in Super Smash Brothers, the Fire Emblem franchise as a whole can be pretty overwhelming.
While there have been plenty of additions to the series since its introduction on the Game Boy Advance, there's still no better place to start than the first entry. Just be wary! This turn-based strategy game does have permadeath for each member of the player's squad and doesn't do a good job notifying them.
4 Fallout
The one that started it all, Fallout isn't really a game to write off just due to the fact that players might have gotten used to the later entries in the series and aren't well-versed in isometric games. This game does a lot that the second entry in the series does, in addition to keeping with the pervasive dark comedy. The game features turn-based gameplay, post-apocalyptic settings, but one of the biggest features is simply the immersion, and seeing the roots of a now-famous franchise.
3 Super Mario RPG: Legend Of The 7 Stars
This game is often forgotten both by fans of Mario and by fans of JRPGs, and while it might seem like kid stuff to a seasoned RPG player, it's very important.
The game has really interesting mechanics, one of the best stories we've ever seen in a Mario game, and maybe the earliest entry available in a 3D Mario game. The series also kickstarted the RPG direction of Mario games, from Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga to Paper Mario: The Origami King.
2 The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past
This game is frequently cited as the best in the series, although it's sometimes overshadowed by other entries in the series, mostly Ocarina Of Time and Majora's Mask. While whether or not this game is necessarily the best game in the series is up for debate, but it's definitely the best of the top-down entries in the series. The game really just takes elements from earlier Zelda games and makes almost every necessary change, so much so that the game is constantly emulated in later games.
1 Chrono Trigger
This is perhaps one of the best JRPGs of all time. Nay, perhaps one of the greatest games of all time. While the appeal of the game generally reaches only fans of the RPG genre, that doesn't mean that literally anyone else who's gotten their hands on it wasn't immediately enthralled. With Akira Toriyama of Dragon Ball working on art, and a lot of the team belonging to the Final Fantasy team on the project, how could it not end up a classic? Chrono Trigger also took risks, allowing the player to follow multiple character arcs first-hand.