Role-playing games, more commonly called RPGs, have been around since the 1970s when Dungeons & Dragons launched.
RPGs are a natural fit for video games. They let us live out our fantasies, whether exploring epic landscapes, traversing the galaxy, or saving the world from total destruction.
As the genre has adapted and innovated, we’ve been treated to some of the best games of all time. Today, we honor the RPG genre and review some of the best RPGs ever made.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Larian Studios.
Digitize your Dungeons & Dragons playthrough in this award-winning roleplaying game from Belgian developer Larian. The tabletop-inspired title masterfully incorporates all elements that make D&D great, including dice rolls (and bad luck streaks), turn-based combat, rich storytelling, and hyper-customizable campaigns.
In this choose-your-own-adventure game for the ages, create a playable protagonist using the game’s elaborate, innovative character design hub. Explore countless maps, discover hidden pathways, forge relationships, connect with NPCs, craft weapons, and even romance your fellow campers.
While Baldur’s Gate 3 hit PCs and consoles in 2023, it still gets star treatment from its passionate team of creatives. The game’s Patch 8 Stress Test went live on January 28.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Before Dragon Age and Mass Effect, there was Knights of the Old Republic, Bioware’s legendary Star Wars RPG.
These games are the definition of “it’s about the journey, not the destination.” Its gameplay may feel more linear than a modern RPG, but you’re here for the story and its characters. You’ll travel from point A to point B in the story no matter what. How you get there, though, is entirely up to you.
In true Star Wars and BioWare fashion, your decisions will affect your character. Will you stay true to the part of the Jedi or fall victim to the allure and power of the Dark Side?
BioWare would improve on this formula in future games, but there’s just something about Knights of the Old Republic that still impresses today.
The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind
Many people are aware of Grand Theft Auto III‘s impact on the industry, but I’d argue Morrorwind‘s impact was just as significant, even if the game didn’t offer the same mainstream appeal.
Morrowind gives you all the freedom you could ever want. Arguably, it gives you too much freedom, but that’s neither here nor there.
Yes, it’s a little janky to jump back in today and give it a go, but that’s part of the charm. It’s an experience made better by its imperfections, offering a deep, old-school RPG experience you don’t often see today.
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World of Warcraft
Speaking of old-school RPG experiences, they don’t make them like they used to anymore when it comes to the MMO genre.
World of Warcraft, especially its Classic iterations, was the perfect game for its time. It offers players a chance to get lost in its world. There’s no real sense of direction; quests do their best to guide the player, but ultimately, you can forge your own path, whether you’re level 1 or at the game’s max level of 60.
Most of today’s audience will pigeonhole the endgame content to instanced raids, but there’s so much more than that. We’ll never have that same feeling that we did back in 2004-2006. We got lost in dungeons and were doing full Blackrock Depths runs with our friends, which took well over six hours. Players enjoyed messing around in open-world PVP because it’s fun. Discovering the game’s secrets that await us, even if they’re not supposed to be there.
World of Warcraft is the ultimate playground, and there’s nothing else quite like it.
Fallout 3
War. War never changes. The Fallout franchise sure did once Bethesda got their hands on it, though.
While some argue whether or not it was for the better, I firmly believe Fallout 3 is the best game in the series. It has the right balance of open world exploration and traditional Fallout vibes.
Yes, it shares a lot of the DNA you expect from a modern Bethesda game, including the bugs, but that’s neither here nor there. Fallout 3 is an excellent balance of an old-school RPG experience in a more modern game. Exploring the wasteland will never be more fun.
Earthbound
I mean this in the best possible way: Earthbound is weird; there’s nothing else quite like it.
While many RPGs focus on fantasy tropes, Earthbound takes place in a fictionalized version of the United States. While protagonist Ness fulfills the “chosen hero of destiny” trope, it’s nowhere near as heavy-handed as in other RPGs.
One reason for this is the game’s incredibly wild, over-the-top premise. Yes, Ness is a psychic child who is the only person who can stop an evil alien force, but he also takes instruction from a beetle-like creature and is constantly thrust into wild scenarios.
Earthbound truly needs to be seen to be believed.
Persona 5 Royal
Class is in session!
Looking through the lens of a troubled high school student, Persona 5 carries you through the journey of Ren Amamiya (later known as Joker) as he navigates the tumultuous life of the modern teenager. After being framed for an assault he witnessed on the side of the road, Ren is expelled, put on probation, and sent to live with a family friend in Tokyo for a fresh start.
From the struggles of making friends at a new school, attending classes with dropping grades, and concealing your alter ego, the life you choose to lead in Persona 5 will alter your gameplay experience. Taking risks, achieving your goals, romancing your crushes, and working through the evening for a quick buck, the life Ren lives is completely up to you.
Can he successfully hide who he really is? Or will his alter ego be discovered by his new classmates?
Mass Effect 2
Save the universe from Collectors in the second installment of the beloved sci-fi franchise. Third-person gameplay won’t keep players from getting a front-row seat to intergalactic drama, interspecies romance, tragedy, comedy, and everything in between.
Master mechs, gather materials, and make friends. Take risks, play it safe, make sacrifices, or be selfish. Gamers get complete creative control over their extraterrestrial experience.
Those playing through the franchise in order can transfer character customizations and choices made in the first title to the second, making already masterful storytelling even more cohesive and immersive.
Pokemon Gold & Silver
Recent entries in the Pokemon franchise have felt somewhat lacking, failing to capture the magic of the original titles.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: nothing beats the feeling of playing through Gold & Silver. While there’s something magical about the original Red & Blue releases, Gold & Silver expands the game while staying true to its roots.
It’s a perfect combination of pushing the franchise forward while properly playing on nostalgia as you return to Kanto after completing your Jhoto journey.
Final Fantasy VII
A game so beloved it’s being remade into a full-blown trilogy.
Final Fantasy VII is a landmark JRPG for so many reasons. Beyond its groundbreaking 3D visuals and gameplay breakthroughs, the game’s story resonates most with people. The characters are iconic, and the plot twist of Sephiroth killing Aerith ranks among the best in gaming.
Even today, the major themes of Final Fantasy VII ring true: a group of people fighting against corruption, each character’s journey of self-discovery, and their attempts to save a dying world.
Final Fantasy VI
Final Fantasy VII has more mainstream acclaim, but many argue that VI is the superior Final Fantasy game.
While Sephiroth is undoubtedly an iconic villain, Kefka can easily go toe-to-toe with him, especially since he puts his money where his mouth is.
What really puts Final Fantasy VI over the edge, though, is its characters. These are some of the most fleshed out, well written characters in any RPG. In fact, you could say it’s undoubtedly the best RPG of the 16-bit era, but our next contender would like a word.
Chrono Trigger
With all the legends at the helm during the creation of Chrono Trigger, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the result was a timeless masterpiece.
One of the most challenging subjects to base a story around is time travel. Chrono Trigger does it flawlessly. Traveling through different areas allows your party to show you the effects of actions taken by humans throughout the story. Pairing the beautiful sprite work with one of the best soundtracks in all of gaming makes the full presentation hard to top.
Chrono Trigger removes a lot of the tedious elements in RPGs to provide a brilliant experience. The influence of this masterwork can still be felt in modern RPGs.
Cyberpunk 2077
Join Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba, and countless other notable names in the neo-futuristic and dystopian region of Night City. Tailor your character, named “V,” to suit your preferences. Put them on their path forward, assigning them a role as a Nomad, Street Kid, or Corpo. Wrassle with your fate in this aggro-capitalist landscape as you manipulate mob bosses, buy ability-granting body modifications, hack infrastructure, and hassle henchmen — all alongside 2020’s rocker Johnny Silverhand (Reeves) and one of the best game soundtracks since Grand Theft Auto V.
Cyberpunk 2077 and its DLC grants gamers radical freedom and uninhibited creativity. Feeling frisky? Take down corporations, turn in allies, and tear the town apart. A more merciful V can extend a cybernetic olive branch to enemies, collaborate with surprising allies, and use your powers for the greater good.
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