Clearing The Backlog! / Giveaway Added!!

Of course, this doesn't include replaying it to choose a different side and to get one of the alternate endings, or to try out a different party mix (11 races, 14/15 classes; party of 6).

7 is, in my opinion, the pinnacle of old-school party-based cRPGs. If you like the old Ultima, AD&D or Might and Magic games (or Grimrock, for that matter), this one beats them all. It's somewhat open-world, in that you can go anywhere at any time, and do everything out of order. . It also has something quite unique, even today. You need to find a number of map pieces. But, you're not the only ones looking for them, and if you take too long, you may find that someone else already took a particular piece, and you then need to track down whoever currently has it - and not only does that npc move around, the npc can also trade it with another npc, or could have it stolen. Which, btw, can also happen to you, and merely asking around about the other pieces can put your own at risk.

8 is a very good swan-song for that style of game, incorporating some modern elements (e.g. movement like an FPS, has enemies that scale, true 3D maps). The story is also very good, and does a better job of blending sci-fi into its high-fantasy setting.

6, on the other hand, is IMO entirely skippable, but which ending you choose affects where you start in game 7, and some items acquired in 6 have special use in games 7 and 8. But really, I only play 6 for massive marathon sessions - and completing the entire trilogy takes months. But if it's your first time playing, you should probably go straight to #8, which is the most accessible for modern-day players. Just keep in mind that perma-death is a thing in this series, so save often.

TL:DR these are great games and you should really play them, especially if you like old-school RPGs. First playthrough, skip #6