What’s more fun than being true to yourself? The answer… playing as a more powerful, better looking, maxed out version of yourself.
When the real world becomes unbearably boring, nothing brightens one's mood more than a good ol’ RPG, filled with countless enhanced alter-egos.
Here’s a list with some of the most highly rated (and anticipated) RPGs on the market.
#21. Pillars of Eternity (2005)Like any standard RPG, Pillars of Eternity is mainly a dungeon crawl platform where players explore, kill, battle, and loot the homes and lairs of powerful monsters and enemies. It captures the essence of working as a team in raids and encourages banding together over going solo.
Top 3 Things That Make This Game Great
- In-depth character creation. With over 10 classes to choose from, players can create as many character profiles as they like.
- A choose-your-own-adventure story arc. Joining specific guilds and performing certain actions will yield different results for your character..
- The straightforward gameplay allows for beginners of RPGs to learn the standard mechanics of this type of game.
T is for Teamwork, Guys!: Round up as many players as you like and engage in countless numbers of raids and dungeon crawls.
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Hundreds of combinations to choose from when designing a character.
#20. Pillars of Eternity II: DeadfireApparently, the previous game did very well because the sequel is even higher on the list! LIke it’s successor, this isometric RPG focuses on exploration, with new features such as pursuing an almighty God for the ultimate challenge, and being the captain of your very own sailing ship to go beyond the original game’s borders.
Top 3 Things That Make This Game Great
- AI companions. Recruit up to 7 NPC followers to help you in raids and battles.
- New region exploration. DIscover a brand new continent added to the game’s map.
- Enhanced game graphics that improve upon the previous game’s aesthetic.
Yo Ho Ho and a bottle of Sprite: Battle ruthless pirates on the high seas in your quest to chart unexplored lands.
*Insert Attack on Titan Theme*: Battle ancient and powerful deities in tense combat to prove your skills.
#19. Mass EffectPlay as the noble and brave space fleet commander, Shepherd leading your squad of elite extra-terrestrial explorers on dangerous missions throughout the galaxy. It’s like pillars of Eternity, except in space, and with electricity (and probably plumbing).
Top 3 Things That Make This Game Great
- High resolution graphics and textures (even for a game released in 2008).
- Real time character and environment interaction.
- Free additional “face-off” content when purchasing the game.
It’s a Crowd: Command a trio of explorers and blast your way through alien enemies.
It’s a Crowd: Command a trio of explorers and blast your way through alien enemies.
#18. Mass Effect 2Look, guys! They made a sequel! Taking place 2 years after the first game’s story arc, a new alien threat has emerged after the previous alien threat had been defeated, and they’re able to abduct whole human colonies! How does one do this? Work with a mafia-like organization of course!
Top 3 Things That Make This Game Great
- Updated graphics and a refined dialogue system.
- Massive improvements to the third-person shooter combat.
- Deeper character customization for Commander Shepherd to make him more suitable to the player.
Let’s Make a Difference Guys!: Bulk up your squad for optimal combat results.
Electric Boogaloo: Gear up for the 2nd installment in the Mass Effect trilogy.
#17. Rebel GalaxyGrand Theft Auto. In space (I’m sensing a theme here). Pilot and command a personal star destroyer and zoom across the galaxy and beyond while you battle pirates, explore strange areas of space, befriend friendly aliens, scavenge battle wreckage, mine asteroids, and discover artifacts.
Top 3 Things That Make This Game Great
- The level of morality that you choose for your character affects the outcome of your character’s adventure.
- Lack of a main story arc gives players a relaxing game that isn’t confined by completion anxiety.
- Simple trade and credit system when purchasing items in-game.
Millenium Falcon Ain’t Got Sh*t on me: Customize and outfit your personal space craft for speed, strength, or both.
Mother Friggin Space Pirates: Need I say more?
#16. Mutant Year Zero: Road to EdenIn the wake of humanity’s inevitable nuclear demise, deformed animal and humanoid mutants fight for their lives in a world with no food, no clean water, and ALMOST no cigarettes. Play as a band of mutants joined together by their mutual goal of survival, and the hope of finding a safe haven to call home.
Top 3 Things That Make This Game Great
- The characters. Who doesn’t love a cynical and sarcastic duck and his friend, the literal fat pig that talks and shoots semi-automatics?
- Unique and surprisingly beautiful soundtrack (not much room for culture during a fallout, so nice touch).
- Heavily emphasised reward system. Completing even small tasks yield amazing rewards.
These are Not the Mutants You’re Looking For: The game focuses more on stealth instead of open combat. Ideal for gamers who prefer to off enemies from the shadows.
Donald DICK: Along with his faithful pal, Pork Ya Pig.
#15. Wasteland 2Another nuclear fallout game….. But this time with cowboys. Command a squad of rough ridin’ gunslingers in a game of survival where the only certainties are guns, and busting doors down to shoot people with the guns.
Top 3 Things That Make This Game Great
- Precision gun techniques. Players can cripple an enemy by shooting their leg, headshots that can blow a head to bits, shoot the enemy’s gun clean out of their hands, and many more.
- Give each squad member their own unique personality using “perks and quirks”.
- Choice based story line. Your actions and decisions actively affect just how screwed you are in this, well, wasteland.
Now You Know Something: This game was created by the producer of the original Fallout game.
Do You Feel Lucky, Punk?: Beef up your squad enough to face the ultimate gunslingin’ hellhole.
#14. Mount & Blade: WarbandBasically “Game of Thrones: The Video Game”. To put it simply, this game’s objective is to create a band of loyal followers, build up your army, and conquer neighboring lands with the hopes of becoming the supreme leader over the other rulers with the “hack and slash battle” style gameplay.
Top 3 Things That Make This Game Great
- A storyline that grants you power over a faction with the ability to recruit lords as supporters, soldiers, and vassals.
- Multiplayer mode with battling on randomly generated maps or personally designed ones.
- A soldier morale feature where soldiers will break and run away if their morale gets too low within your faction.
Eye of the Tiger Plays: Shields can defend against arrows even when gamers are not actively defending.
I Saw it First!: Weapons used against another faction can be picked up by anyone, including the opposing side, if it lands on the ground for extra ammo.
#13. Yakuza 0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
*Record Scratch*. This is you. You’re probably wondering how you ended up entangled with the Japansese Mafia, but here you are. So, what are you gonna do? Well, if you play this game, then you fight as three separate characters through Tokyo and Osaka, using street signs, bicycles, and car doors to defeat the gangsters that are after you.
Top 3 Things That Make This Game Great
- 80’s Japan inspired game setting, complete with disco clubs, neon lights, and some not-so-subtle SEGA game background cameo’s.
- Over a hundred side quests including helping an S and M dominatrix, and a street performer who needs to go to the bathroom.
- Intense martial arts that use the large and blunt weapons mentioned above.
Everybody Was Street Sign Fighting: Oh yeah. Neon signs as weapons. That’s a thing.
The Hangover Part 0: And drunk naked guys. Lots and lots of drunk naked guys.
#12. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of AmnTo be a murderer, or not to be a murderer? Whether tis nobler to f*uck up your enemies and become a god, or to bury your shameful instincts deep, deep, down where they can fester as a mental illness. In non-fancy speak, Baldur’s Gate II challenges the player with the choice of fighting those who made you a monster, or accepting your fate and becoming uber powerful. Tough call, right?
Top 3 Things That Make This Game Great
- Basically an isometric version of Dungeons and Dragons. Classic fantasy RPG.
- Free range character customization.
- Quest parties and dungeon raid squads for the true group RP experience.
Thar Be Dragons!: Well…. Duh. D and D PC game. What does the second D even stand for?
Oh: Red Dragons too. Grrreeeeeeaaaaaat -_-
#11. Middle-earth™: Shadow of Mordor™They’re walking, they’re walking, they’re walking….. Oh wait. Those were the books. Based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s famous fantasy series, this action packed expansion of the LOTR universe takes the gamer to Middle Earth, where they will have to battle through hordes of Sauron's minions in order to discover more about the origins of the infamous Rings of Power.
Top 3 Things That Make This Game Great
- Adds alternate storylines to the beloved book series while also staying canon to Tolkien’s original writing.
- Awesome magical powers, including making an enemies head explode with your mind.
- Giant map that covers almost all of Middle Earth.
Hero of Mordor! Open Up!: Literally enter the thoughts of your enemies to gain valuable information.
Here, Buddy. Let Me Pull That Out For You: ………….Got it.
#10. Borderlands: The Handsome CollectionAww yeah. Both Borderlands games in one purchase for the price of…… slightly less than the original sum. Play through all of the games in the highly praised Borderlands series as you “shoot and loot” your way through Pandora with guns. Millions of guns…….. *whispers* so many guns.
Top 3 Things That Make This Game Great
- Obviously, both games in one convenient place.
- Hours of added bonus gameplay that come with both games.
- Added co-op gameplay for up to four players online.
One of Us. One of Us: If you haven’t played the games before, now you can for a great bargain!
So Many Guns: So, so many guns……
#9. Divinity: Original Sin 2Like it’s predecessor, this fantasy RPG is a free- roaming exploration game with turn based combat, over 200 elemental magic skills to learn, and a ruthless AI that had a massive overhaul since the last game. Good luck.
Top 3 Things That Make This Game Great
- Choose between 6 unique pre-set characters or create an original to play as.
- Play with up to 4 friends online or in local split-screen with full controller support.
- Go anywhere, talk to anyone, and interact with everything without consequences to your gaming progress.
Dammit: "Who's got the map? I think we made a wrong turn."
How’s the Weather Up There?: Use height as an advantage when fighting enemies.
#8. Fallout 4
What would happen if the Cold War actually became the…… Hot War? Lukewarm War? Either way, you get nuclear fallout and a giant vault of humans who are waiting it out. From the studio that created The Elder Scrolls V, Fallout 4 is a game of exploration, fill-in-the-blanks storytelling, and surviving with only scrap metal, salvaged weapons, and a very friendly german shepherd.
Top 3 Things That Make This Game Great
- Complete gameplay freedom and map exploration.
- Build and run entire settlements of survivors.
- Hundreds of Perks for developing your own playstyle.
There’s More?!: Dozens of DLC’s and hundreds of community made mods.
Here Boy!: Did I mention the free dog?
#7. Stardew ValleyWhen a relative dies, people usually expect money, or at least a stereo. In this game, you get a farm. Stardew Valley is a casual RPG where the gamer has to turn an old piece of inherited land into a thriving farm with only a few simple tools, and a lot of time on their hands.
Top 3 Things That Make This Game Great
- Simple gameplay and cute 8-bit looking graphics make for a calm gaming experience.
- Play one of 30 unique characters with their own personalities, and even birthdays!
- Play with up to 3 friends to expand a farm together.
Anyone else getting Pokemon vibes from the aerial view?
Anyone else getting Pokemon vibes from the aerial view?
#6. DARK SOULS™ IIIJust when you thought Dark Souls couldn’t get any more difficult, this happens. Once again, play as the chosen undead with the quest to link the first fire in the final installment of the Dark Souls trilogy.
Top 3 Things That Make This Game Great
- Faster gameplay with more intense combat.
- New epic game lore and NPC backstory.
- Bigger and badder enemies to destroy.
AND HERE COMES THE GIANT FIST!
The bonfire is lit fam.
#5. Kingdom Come: DeliveranceBasically Skyrim during the middle ages, Kingdom Come: Deliverance is an open world RPG that puts the player into the times of the old Holy Roman Empire. Like any Mary-Sue, avenge the deaths of your parents as you play as a brave warrior in a quest for justice and revenge.
Top 3 Things That Make This Game Great
- Massive and realistic open world exploration.
- Fight enemies with advanced stealth, range, and melee attacks.
- Non-linear storyline gameplay.
I’m assuming you want to teach me about your Lord and Savior?
Make bloody history fun for kids!
#4. Fallout: New VegasIn this followup to Fallout 3, shoot and beat you way through different factions all killing maiming each other for control of the wasteland that was once the Mojave Desert, Hoover Dam, and Las Vegas. Enjoy your stay!
Top 3 Things That Make This Game Great
- Good continuation of the Fallout universe canon.
- A Reputation System that tracks the consequences of your actions in the game.
- A hell of a lot of shiny new weapons.
What happens in Vegas…
…… should absolutely stay in Vegas. Or die.
#3. Assassin's Creed® OdysseyGreek mythology and ancient history meet bloody fighting and anxiety inducing assasination missions in the latest installment of the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Players can choose between one of two boy-girl twins, both of whom are the descendants of the great Spartan general Lyonitus, and uncover the secrets of ancient Greece, and their own past.
Top 3 Things That Make This Game Great
- Epic continuation of the immersive Assassin’s Creed story.
- New naval battle options that allow the player to upgrade their ship.
- New extended eye tracking feature that gives the player a wider view of the environment.
Are you not entertained?!
……. Because I totally am.
#2. Assassin's Creed® OriginsIn the beginning, a vengeful father out for revenge created the Order of Assassins. Play as a former military leader in an epic quest to murder the people that killed your son, while uncovering secrets about the Old Kingdom of Eygypt, as well as the Ones Who Came Before.
Top 3 Things That Make This Game Great
- Non-violent history mode where players can take a guided tour of ancient Egypt.
- Skill tree leveling system with a new focus on archery and mounted fighting.
- Single or online multiplayer chariot racing feature.
Walk like an Egyptian……
…….. Or ride. That’s cool too.
And finally *epic drumroll*...
#1. Witcher 3This game, known as a gruesome gory gore-fest, play as professional monster hunter Geralt of Rivia tasked with finding a child of prophecy in a vast open world rich with merchant cities, pirate islands, dangerous mountain passes, and forgotten caverns to explore.
Top 3 Things That Make This Game Great
- Hunt down a wide range of exotic monsters and shadowy creatures.
- Includes a wide range of upgradeable weapons, mutating potions and combat magic.
- Spend rewards on horse races, card games, fist fighting, and other types of gamebling when the sun goes down.
“I thought you guys said you were going to serve me.”
To be, or not to be……
But wait! There’s more! Let’s take a look at the best upcoming RPGs for this year, including their new game trailers, hot off the presses from E3:
*[Official Descriptions used for this section]*
#5. Cyberpunk 2077“Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world, action-adventure story set in Night City, a megalopolis obsessed with power, glamour and body modification. You play as V, a mercenary outlaw going after a one-of-a-kind implant that is the key to immortality.”
“More than a century after the bombs, Arizona is dying. The Patriarch of Colorado has promised to save it if the Desert Rangers can rescue his land from his three bloodthirsty children. In this tactical RPG the Rangers must travel North to build a new base, equip a vehicle, train recruits, explore Colorado's hostile frozen wastes, meet the locals—and decide which ones to help.”
“The horns sound, the ravens gather. An empire is torn by civil war. Beyond its borders, new kingdoms rise. Gird on your sword, don your armour, summon your followers and ride forth to win glory on the battlefields of Calradia. Establish your hegemony and create a new world out of the ashes of the old.”
“Engage in a core roleplaying experience, and forge the destiny of a new world seeping with magic, and filled with riches, lost secrets, and fantastic creatures. With diplomacy, deception and force, become part of a living, evolving world - influence its course and shape your story.”
“Shenmue III sees the eagerly anticipated continuation of the epic story-driven saga. Take control of Ryo Hazuki, a teenage martial artist, determined to unravel the mystery behind his father's murder and to exact revenge on the killer.”
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