With thousands of RPG games in the market, which are worthy of your time?
RPG games are my favorite genre. They always have been, since the very first time I was allowed to name the main character in Legend of Zelda, customize how I played in Fallout, and watch my decisions impacting the world in Chrono Trigger. I loved the worlds that games brought me into, and being able to be a part of that by stepping into the shoes of a legendary hero is what gaming is all about to me. RPG games, to me, represent a true interactive narrative, where my game experience is different from yours. There are hundreds and hundreds of amazing RPGs out there, but here's a list of 11 that I feel are must-play (in no particular order or ranking).
Many games have RPG elements in them, even mainstream titles like Call of Duty allow you to shape your character stats and make decisions, but we're focusing on “pure” RPGs here, if there is such a thing. While the settings, graphics, and gameplay may be different across the board, these RPGs have a few things in common: great storytelling that draws you into the world, respect for your decisions, and control over who your character is. You can't go wrong with any of these games, and many hours later, you'll find yourself still thinking about that world you were a part of for a little while.
11. The Baldur's Gate series (1998-2016)
The Baldur's Gate series is renowed for its story and characters, with tons of options for interacting.
Many RPGs have been set in the D&D world called The Forgotten Realms, but this epic fantasy setting has never been better presented than it was in Baldur's Gate. It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of the series, and which a half-dozen games to choose from, there's plenty to discover and enjoy.
Baldur's Gate is a top-down classic PC RPG, where you gather characters in your party, learn skills, make decisions, and save the world. Every character has goals and a purpose, and everyone from your closest companions to that random shopkeeper has a personality. Meeting these characters and getting to know them is at the core of the game. Combat, items, and character leveling are all heavy on stats and dice rolls, so if you a more technical game with challenging choices to be made in all aspects, Baldur's Gate is the way to go.
My favorite game in the series is Baldur's Gate 2, which expanded the story, improved on the gameplay, and offered arguably the best D&D RPG experience to date.
10. The Witcher series (2007-2015)
Alchemy is one of the game's many deep, interesting systems that tie into gameplay and story lore.
When The Witcher was first announced, many were skeptical of this generic-sounding game based on a series of Polish fantasy novels, but it wasn't long until RPG fans realized that the huge open world of The Witcher was one of the most original and refreshing in years.
Drawing on common fantasy tropes like goblins and trolls, and bringing them into a more practical setting against a detailed political backdrop, The Witcher's basis in novel-writing is clear from the outset. This is a living, breathing world with rules and history. You step into the shoes of a Witcher, a sort of supernatural bounty hunter responsible for saving the common folk from the powerful monsters in the world. They accomplish this by using a variety of magic spells, alchemical potions, and enchanted equipment, all of which translate into unique narrative gameplay that changes how you approach encounters.
Another thing The Witcher is notable for is having very gray morality. “Right” and “wrong” are never clear, and the choices you make might not have consequences for a long time, or ever. The game doesn't reward one over the other, and you make and live with your choices throughout the series. What's more is that choices can set you down completely different paths in the games, where your story will be unique to you.
There are three games in the series. You can start with the first, or jump right into The Witcher III, which is the highest-awarded game of all time, and a modern masterpiece of the RPG genre. Thanks to an in-depth backstory logged into the game, you should be able to catch yourself up with a little reading.
9. The Fallout series (1997-2015)
Fallout's patented VATS targeting system, which has been in every game of the series.
Dark, gritty, violent. Fallout takes place following a nuclear war, and America is a wasteland where everyone is struggling to survive, and it's kill-or-be-killed. Fallout breaks away from the standard fantasy tropes of most RPGs by providing a grounded, realistic setting with some futuristic technology.
Fallout is broken into two eras, the classic and the modern. The classic games, Fallout and Fallout 2, are top-down RPGs similar to Baldur's Gate and other cRPGs from the late '90s. The modern era games, Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, and Fallout 4, are first-person shooters that retain the RPG elements and development of the classics. Whichever gameplay style you prefer, the setting, story beats, and many of the mechanics are the same. A highlight of those mechanics is the perk system, which grants special abilities every couple of levels in addition to your standard skills. These include anything from higher tolerance to the ever-present radiation in the world, to kung-fu mastery, to a mysterious guardian angel with a Colt .44 who randomly appears to blow away your enemies.
The game also had a unique combat system called VATS, which allowed players to target specific areas of the body while fighting, in hopes of disabling a weapon arm or blinding the enemy. The game pauses when you enable VATS, allowing you a breather in the midst of a fight. Different body parts have different chances of success based on your weapon and stats, and require a mix of strategy and gambling.
Accompanying all of this is an incredibly charming and often darkly humorous retro 1950s aesthetic, featuring upbeat doo-wop music and atomic-age design. The game's mascot character, Vault Boy, smiles and gives thumbs up as he demonstrates how to fire bazookas, heal crippled limbs, and disable bombs.
If you're interested in the classic series start with Fallout for a solid introduction to the post-apocalyptic world presented as a top-down RPG. If shooters are more your style, Fallout: New Vegas has the best story among the modern releases, and an incredibly robust modding community.
8. The Bard's Tale (2004)
The game offers a unique choice between being kind of snarky and really snarky. Both are funny.
Not to be confused with some of the classic games from the mid-1980s, the 2004 game The Bard's Tale was a wonderfully irreverent look at standard RPG and fantasy conventions, and made fun of the idea of a serious, moral story with plenty of wit and humor.
The game plays much like other popular action RPGs such as Diablo and the console versions of Baldur's Gate, but where its unique role-playing experience comes in is in the dialogue. The game features a “snarky or nice” system that lets you choose between being rude and sarcastic or nice and sarcastic for essentially every line. Unlike other games, you never know exactly what's going to be said, so while you are controlling the direction things go in, you're just as surprised by what comes out of the Bard's mouth as the people he's undoubtedly insulting.
All of the Bard's exploits are motivated by desire and whim, rather than some big noble quest, and everything he does in the story is narrated by a man who really doesn't like the main character, creating a funny, running commentary on your actions unlike anything you see elsewhere.
Did I mention that the titular Bard is voiced by Cary Elwes, better known as Wesley from The Princess Bride? He brings that dashing, witty repartee that made his performance in the movie so likeable to this game. This is a game that I can recommend completely on humor and writing alone, although the hack-and-slash gameplay and upgrading talent systems are fun in their own right.
7. Undertale (2015)
Undertale's approach to combat is different from anything else, and based more in puzzles than power.
Undertale is a bit different from the other games on this list. It doesn't feature heavy customization of stats, and its possible to beat the game without ever attacking a single monster. In fact, it's recommended. Undertale is a highly creative and unique look at RPG games, and the choices we make when we play. An homage to the RPGs of the Super Nintendo era, such as Earthbound and Chrono Trigger, Undertale is a beautiful examination of right and wrong, of understanding and patience, or embracing differences. It's an RPG game for long-time RPG gamers, littered with tropes and references to gaming's history.
Gameplay in Undertale is a departure from standard RPGs, with combat that plays out in turn-based battles peppered with “bullet-hell” segments (where one tries to dodge oncoming attack patterns). Where the combat gets really interesting, though, is in figuring out how to avoid fighting each individual monster, which results in getting to know their personalities, and realizing they're more than enemies.
The game is filled with puzzles throughout, all accompanied by quirky, charming dialogue and amazing retro music. Toby Fox, the creator of the game, is famous around the internet for his music, and the soundtrack to Undertale is absolutely one of the standouts of this unique RPG experience.
6. Knights of the Old Republic (2003)
Become a Jedi, fly around the galaxy, dual-wield lightsabers...what's not to love?
Back before Disney acquired the rights to the Star Wars franchise and reset the universe's many, many spinoff stories, Knights of the Old Republic was considered one of the best and most interesting looks at the galaxy far, far away. Letting players live out their dreams of being whatever Jedi they wanted to be, and offering tons of Force powers, customizations, and the type of sympathetic companions that BioWare is known for, Knights of the Old Republic still stands as a great RPG and top Star Wars game.
KOTOR, as it's lovingly called by fans, makes players a part of the Star Wars universe in a story that is directly changed by the player. You can skew the events and people around you towards the Dark Side of the Force, and see the results reflected in the character design, music, and more. You can meet and interact with tons of different species that were only ever hinted at in the movies, and learn all about various locations, like Dantooine, sight of a former Jedi temple (referenced briefly in the films). You can customize your lightsaber, and fly around through hyperspace on your very own ship. Although the combat and leveling systems are enjoyable, it's the writing of the quests and the characters that KOTOR is so venerated. The game gave rise to perhaps one of the most famous companion characters in an RPG, the bloodthirsty assassin droid HK-47, who displays open contempt for you and everything you do (unless, of course, you're also a murderous monster).
BioWare released an MMORPG set in the same time period back in 2010, titled simply Star Wars: The Old Republic, but it wasn't quite the sequel fans were looking for. Play KOTOR 1 and 2 first, and if you find yourself wanting more, the free-to-play online RPG is also a good, fun experience.
5. The Mass Effect series (2007-2012)
Cinematic conversations play out like a movie, with plenty of choices for going good or rogue.
This is the last BioWare game, I promise. The developer is hard to avoid when talking about deep, interesting RPGs that offer great writing, moral choices, interesting characters, and fun gameplay—since Baldur's Gate, it's been their entire business. With the Mass Effect series, the studio took a departure from the medieval fantasy settings they'd been building (even Star Wars is mostly space fantasy), in favor of a new, hard sci-fi more similar to Star Trek. Mass Effect wanted to present that feeling of exploring a wide galaxy and interacting with alien races and cultures. On top of that, they sought to revolutionize how they presented dialogue scenes. Where BioWare had already proven their writing skills, the scenes were always static. In Mass Effect, BioWare created cinematic camera angles and action that occurred throughout conversations. This required a huge undertaking of voice recording, motion capture, and animating. The result is a game series that prioritizes deep, interesting conversations above all else.
They are among the best RPGs of the last generation, and many feel that Mass Effect 2 is the pinnacle of what they've done. Taking the pulp sci-fi setting from the first game, and improving every last detail, Mass Effect 2 is an unrivaled gameplay experience. The story and world feel huge, every companion feels like a real person, and the gunplay mechanics are a major step up from the rough third-person shooting experience of the first (in that it's actually fun to shoot and use your powers, whereas the first game was a little slow and clunky). Mass Effect 2 introduced players to a galaxy-wide conflict that had very personal consequences, where your decisions directly influenced who lived and died. It was a deeply impactful game that remains on many fans' must-play lists.
4. The Banner Saga (2014)
The battles play out on a grid, with enemies of different sizes that have different strengths and abilities.
Developed as a passion project by 3 former BioWare developers (I half-lied about being done with BioWare), this strategy RPG was funded through Kickstarter and sought to bring several new things to RPG games. Taking the consequence-heavy dialogue and choices that BioWare made famous and integrating in some turn-based strategy reminiscent of the Fire Emblem or X-COM series, The Banner Saga takes place in a Viking-inspired fantasy setting that draws heavily on Norse folktales and mythology, which was a fresh departure from the standard zombies and dragons of most games.
The first thing anyone notices about The Banner Saga, when first starting up the game, is the beautiful, hand-drawn art. Taking cues from iconic animators such as Ralph Bakshi (of the animated Lord of the Rings fame) and Eyvind Earle (who designed Disney's Sleeping Beauty), the art style of the game is incredibly attractive, and immediately pulls you into the world. Since the game was made by a small team, you won't find any long, super-complex cutscene animations, but the developers put a lot of detail into idle movements such as breathing after a big attack, looking at people who are talking, and other natural things which give the characters a lot of life.
The combat is very challenging, requiring a good understanding of the game's unique grid-based system, but once you get the hang of it, you get addicted very quickly. If you are a fan of choice-based RPGs and tactical combat, you owe it to yourself to try this game.
3. Deus Ex (2000)
You can make your way through the game using guns, computer skills, or espionage, leveling each up as you go.
While many RPGs present players with static choices in dialogue, Deus Ex grants you freedom in a different way: multiple paths through a level. Today, a lot of modern games give you little choice but to fight your way out of a situation with guns, swords, magic, or some combination of the three, but with Deus Ex, the way you designed and built your character decided how you played every part of the game. Maybe you were a hacker, which meant you could override security, turn on automated defense turrets, and use computer skills to get your way through a level. Maybe you talked and snuck your way through, playing more like a spy. Or maybe you did just go in and kill everyone with your cool future weapons and gadgets. What's more, however you play will affect your relationships with the game's characters and factions, who will approve or disapprove of how you handle your missions, which puts real consequence to not only the things you say during “story time,” but everything you do in the game outside the conversations, as well.
There are several sequels that did a decent job of recreating what made the original great, and the 2014 medieval-steampunk game Dishonored borrows many of its gameplay ideas from the series, but they all miss out on some of that beautiful cyberpunk attitude that you can only really get from the late-90s. If you're not sure what “cyberpunk” is, please play this game. It's a perfect demonstration of the aesthetic, and a great game for anyone who wants more choice in how they pursue a mission.
2. System Shock 2 (1999)
The inventory systems and gameplay are classic '90s RPG style and revolve around a lot of mysterious deaths.
Not many gamers are familiar with System Shock by name, but they are familiar with its offspring: a game called BioShock. BioShock was a spiritual successor to System Shock 2, which many considered to be ahead of its time and revolutionary for its combination of roleplaying, survival horror, action, and first-person shooting. Like Deus Ex, it also has a cyberpunk setting, but deals with a darker, more speculative horror side of it when a ship's AI goes rogue. Unraveling the mystery of how it all happened is the core mission of the game, and like with BioShock, much of the story is revealed through audio logs and things left after the fact.
Controlling mostly as a shooter, System Shock 2 features character progression, inventory management, and cybernetic powers that will all be familiar to RPG fans, but feel incredibly different thanks to the setting and unique way they're handled. The shooting feels good, as does upgrading your character along the various skills as you fight off hordes of infected crew members.
1. Planescape: Torment (1999)
Your main character, known as the Nameless One, is on a quest to be able to die after reincarnating over and over.
Widely considered to have the greatest writing and story of any RPG ever, Planescape: Torment often tops the lists of not only “great RPGs,” but also “best games of all time.” It's for good reason. Planescape: Torment is the pinnacle of western-style RPGs. It is the culmination and perfection of all the ideas that games like Fallout and Baldur's Gate were aiming for.
Planescape: Torment, on its surface, looks similar to those two games, and the combat is the same kind of party-based, dice-rolling, spell-casting strategy. Where the game sets itself apart, however, is in its unique setting, unforgettable story, and insanely compelling characters. At the very start of the game, you wake up in a morgue, and your first companion is a wise-cracking floating skull who's better for jokes than he is for a fight. Getting out involves disguising yourself, talking to a wise, ancient force, reconnecting with the ghost of your dead lover, hitting people with a dismembered arm, and trying to talk to zombies. That's all within the first hour in the first area.
The remainder of the game only gets better and better, with a dark, interesting world that operates on completely different rules from our own, or from any world you see in other RPGs. Every story for every character could fill its own novel, and you leave each encounter with a small piece of your mysterious past, as the story explores themes of redemption and destiny.
Although I love all the games on this list, if, for some reason, you were only going to play one RPG ever, this is the perfect one. If you enjoy it, there's also a sequel currently in the works thanks to Kickstarter.
What are you waiting for?
With all these games, you should have hundreds of hours of engaging stories, unforgettable characters, challenging gameplay, interesting upgrading stats, and more! “RPG” is such a huge genre, and at the base of it it's all about telling stories while you build and customize a character. While this list is a great place to start, and includes some of the best in the genre's history, it's important for you to find one that lines up with the settings, aesthetics, and gameplay you enjoy!
So, what are your “must-play” RPGs? Let us know what we missed in the comments below!
