The Best RPGs Ever Made for PC. How Many Of These RPGs Have You Played?
RPGs are the crème on top of the video game cake, the peak atop the mountain of interactive entertainment. Amongst them, there are 39 games that have made a significant influence in the medium as a whole. When it comes to gamers, there is a special sort of relationship that an RPG gamer has with his or her games thanks to the very nature of RPGs.
People can play Shooters for a quick and violent adrenaline rush, or Puzzle games for some mental stimulation, but Role-Playing Games are unique. They allow us to create our very own particular characters and delve into a world of deep, enriched stories of our own making. They give us a level of immersion that no other genre gives us, and we throw ourselves into them expecting to be taken on a journey that we can empathize with.
When an RPG gives us this feeling, it’ll always hold a special place in our hearts. This is a list of RPGs that have given us this feeling, and we hold today as the top 39 greatest RPGs of all time.
51. Fallout 4
Developer: Bethesda Game Developers
Genre: Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Survival in a Post Apocalyptic Earth
To survive a nuclear attack, you, your spouse, and son rush to a fallout shelter, only to be tricked into entering cryo-tubes. You and your family awakened by strangers, who proceed to kill your spouse and kidnap your son.
After this tragedy, you become determined to take your revenge for your spouse's death, and find your son. However, 210 years have gone by, and the world is very different.
After 210 years of sleep in a cryotube, you must seek revenge and find your son
Good thing you still know how to shoot!
50. Bard's Tale 2004
Developer: InXile Entertainment
Genre: Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Comedy Fantasy RPG
On a quest to rescue a princess named Caleigh, the Bard must face many dangers. He is chosen by a cult to find her, and on the way he fights goblins, fire-breathing rats, and ginormous guardians. But the quest is not all it seems.
As he journeys, he finds the dead bodies of many others who were chosen. When he finally finds Caleigh, he realizes she is actually a demon. The Bard must choose between having all his wishes granted if he frees her (she would destroy the world), destroy her, or refuse to fight her (and thus let the undead rule the world).
This club-wielding troll is no friend
Travel through dark forests and encounter all sorts of hellish creatures
49. Torment: Tides of Numenera
Developer: InXile Entertainment
Genre: Role Playing Game
Theme: Mystery, Fantasy
This soon to be released game features the story of the last body to be used as a vessel for a man’s consciousness. The consciousness belonged to a man who discovered a way to become reborn by entering empty bodies. However, every times he leaves a vessel, the consciousness also known as the Changing God causes the host bodies to awake with a new consciousness and no memory of what happened.
The Sorrow hates this, and thus wants to destroy the Changing God and the new beings. Therefore, the last vessel, now the Last Castoff, must find who is the leader of the Sorrow.
Question if the Changing God is doing a good thing as you travel through a dark realm
Track down who is behind the Sorrow
48. Dark Souls 3
Developer: FromSoftware
Genre: Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Dark. Kill Monsters and Demons To Save the World
To delay the Age of Dark, a hero must sacrifice his soul to keep the First Flame going. Prince Lothric, who is supposed to be the sacrifice, abandons his responsibility and allows the First Flame to go out.
You must find a way to survive in a world headed swiftly towards apocalypse. This game forces players to persevere through incredible difficulty and brutal gameplay.
You are a soulbearer, and derive strength from aimless souls
All hope seems lost now that the First Flame barely flickers
47. Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord
Developer: TaleWorlds Entertainment
Genre: Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Medieval War Adventure
This new RPG is actually a prequel to Mount & Blade: Warband, since it is set two hundred years before. The nations featured in that game are just forming in Bannerlord, rising from the broken pieces of the Calradian Empire.
Combat is intense, bloody, and close-up. There are several different playable factions, including the Vladians, Swadians, Aserei, Khuzaits, Battanians, and Sturgians. In this game you can choose to join one of these factions and help it rise, or with the declining Calradian Empire, and try to bring it to its former glory.
Experience the tumultuous time of new nations forming
Go through in depth medieval combat as you help the heir take the throne
46. The Technomancer
Genre: Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Technomancy, man vs. monsters
Another game that will soon hit the market, The Technomancer features a sci-fi world on Mars. Humans have lived on the red planet for 200 years. In this game, you will travel across a planet with deadly alien creatures and a human civilization torn apart by war.
As a technomancer, you are a person with the magical ability to affect technology. However, in this plot-line, you are on the run from the secret police, and therefore must stealthily move around. The Technomancer shares the same universe as Mars: War Logs, but the world is now bigger.
You must not only deal with the police, but dangerous alien species
Use your technomancer skills to control technology
45. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Developer: Eidos Montreal
Genre: Action Role Playing Game, first person shooter, stealth
Theme: Cyberpunk
Imagine being the only person who can determine humanity’s future. That is exactly how it is for Adam Jensen, who is chosen to defend an experimental biotechnology firm.
Sarif Industries knows how to turn people into enhanced beings using biomechanical augmentations. As you are on the job, the firm is attacked and the scientists are killed. You must now find out who is behind this.
While attempting to do so, you encounter political cover ups, kidnappers, and a hacker. This game takes look at whether such experiments would be ethical, and what could happen when humanity manipulates things it should not.
This game forces you to contemplate the question, “What makes a human a human?”
Find out who is behind the killings and the coverup
44. Grim Dawn
Developer: Crate Entertainment
Genre: Action Role Playing Game, hack and slash
Theme: Post-apocalyptic world, survival of humanity
Humans are caught between two powerful enemies. One desires to use humans as resources, and the other seeks to decimate the human population before that can take place. As a result of this war, the human race has diminished, and new horrors are being unleashed.
Now, Mankind huddles together in small groups, finding ways to evade both enemies. Some of those who have been exposed to possession or the warp find themselves with unnatural abilities. As one of those, you must use your powers to do your best to protect humanity.
Humans must stay together in small groups to survive
After your exposure to the warp, you display magical abilities. Use these to defend Mankind.
43. Rebel Galaxy
Developer: Double Damage Games
Genre: Space flight simulator game
Theme: Space adventure
In this RPG, gamers play as a spaceship commander. You start off with a Hammerhead ship, which is a fast Corvette. Through butterfly effect decisions, you chose what sort of personality and morals you possess. Earn credits to upgrade to a bigger, more powerful ship.
Explore the galaxy, experiencing a beautiful sci-fi world filled with strange and wonderful things. Defend yourself against pirates or other enemies in high tension combat. Trade and negotiate with friendly parties.
Control a star destroyer and decide whether to use it for evil or good
Should have bought a defense upgrade!
42. The Banner Saga 2
Developer: Stoic Studio
Genre: Tactical Role Playing Game
Theme: Approaching darkness, lead your tribe to survival
Picking up from the aftermath of the violent battle, the story is one of hardship. The struggle is not over, though. An apocalypse is just around the corner.
Now you must fight your enemies while on the run from the coming darkness. Keep your moral up as you travel through your destroyed homeland. Stop a Dredge Sundr, a powerful demi-god, from using necromancy to bring back corpses from the dead.
With its strong Norse flavor and darkly beautiful scenery, Banner Saga 2 is sure to please fantasy lovers.
41. Darkest Dungeon
Developer: Red Hook Studios
Genre: Role Playing Game, Roguelike, Turn-based strategy, Dungeon crawl
Theme: Human endurance, humans vs. monsters
During your ancestor’s life, he created terrible evils in and around the family estate with dark magic and necromancy, and it is your duty to destroy them. Bring an end to the wicked creatures your relative created, ridding your property of their darkness.
This is no fun, lighthearted journey, however. Your mission takes heavy tolls upon the mind and body.
Many imagine how they would enjoy going on their favorite fictional adventures, but this cautionary tale warns of what could really happen. This is no happy ending story, but a deeper look at what darkness could take place on a quest.
Send the horrors your relative created back to the grave
Keep your fighters from dispair, lest they go mad
40. Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Developer: Warhorse Studios
Genre: Role Playing Game
Theme: Medieval Adventure
Gamers play as a man on a quest to help the rightful heir to the throne take his proper pace.
He was a peaceful, normal citizen, but then his family was killed when the dead king’s brother’s army swept through. This blacksmith lives in the Holy Roman Empire, specifically the Kingdom of Bohemia.
On his way to payback, he decides that he will help the rightful heir to seize what is his.
This game is deeply rooted in realism and historical accuracy, which helps players to experience Medieval times for themselves.
As a humble blacksmith turned vengeful soldier, you must fight for the king’s son
Experience Medieval times in a more personal way with giant battles and hand to hand combat
39. Neverwinter Nights (2002)
Put an end to the Wailing Death plague
38. Gothic (2001)
In the Kingdom of Myrtana, the humans fight a losing war against the brutal orcs. King Rhobar II has given orders for every convict in his Kingdom to be sent to the Khorinis mines. In the mines, the convicts work all day to dig up ore that can be used to forge magical weapons to fight the orcs. As the playable character, you are a convict working in the mines, about to be sentenced to death.A classic Zero to Hero story done right, this German game translated into English is the first of a trilogy. One of the first of its kind to include a truly open world as well as a plot where the player could actively make choices in, Gothic was a trailblazer in not just the world of RPGs but video games as a whole.
Right before your sentencing, you are given a chance to live by one of the king's messenger if you agree to deliver a letter to a dangerous magician named Xardas. Little do you know that this quest will be the start in turning the tides of war and transforming you into a hero who will be remembered through the ages.
A classic Zero to Hero story done right, this German game translated into English is the first of a trilogy. One of the first of its kind to include a truly open world as well as a plot where the player could actively make choices in, Gothic was a trailblazer in not just the world of RPGs but video games as a whole.
Agree to deliver a message to Xardas, a notoriously dangerous magician, so that you can escape your death sentence
The path to pardon is not an easy one. Confront monsters and beasts on your quest.
37. Torchlight 2 (2012)
Developer: Runic Games
Genre: Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Humans vs. Monsters
A few years have passed since the defeat of Ordrak, an evil ancient dragon that corrupted the ember beneath the town of Torchlight. Three heroes were responsible for saving the town of Torchlight, namely the Destroyer, the Vanquisher, and the Alchemist.
Although the town has been saved, the Alchemist was affected by the ember blight which slowly poisoned his mind, driving him mad with obsession for the powers of the ember. Consumed by his obsession, the Alchemist steals Ordrak's heart and destroys the town of Torchlight. Now, a new group of heroes must track the Alchemist's path of destruction and put an end to the chaos once and for all.
With a heavy emphasis on co-op multiplayer, the player must choose between four heroes: the Engineer, the Embermage, the Outlander, and the Berserker, providing a more unique take on the typical Fighter-Mage-Thief trinity of fantasy classes.
Put an end to chaos, starting with destroying giant spiders and other monstrosities
Find the Alchemist and stop him
36. Gothic 2 (2001)
Developer: Piranha Bytes
Genre: Third Person Role Playing Game
Theme: Humans vs. Dragons
After the Nameless Hero defeated the Sleeper - a powerful demon the orcs were worshipping for victory against the humans - the magical barrier that surrounded the mines of Khorinis was lifted. The convicts who once worked in the mines are free and have turned into bandits, pillaging villages and fighting the local militia, causing a civil war in the land.
As the land is overrun by chaos, a new force of evil approaches, led by dragons who have been summoned by the Sleeper's final scream. Players must now continue the quest of saving the human kingdom from destruction once again in an epic journey that will require dragon slaying skills.
Defeat the dragons the Sleeper awakened with his final cry
Endeavour on an epic quest to stop the chaos
35. Neverwinter Nights 2 (2006)
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Genre: Third Person Role Playing Game
Theme: Fantasy Adventure
NWN2 takes players back to the lands of the Forgotten Realms, in the city of Neverwinter and around the Sword Coast. The story begins when the village of West Harbor is attacked by furious Githyanki warriors who are in search of a mysterious silver shard. A dark wizard named Garius is seeking the silver shard to resurrect an ancient evil known as the King of Shadows and wants to absorb its powers for himself.
The player's character is an orphan who was raised by the elven ranger Daeghun, and must journey through the Sword Coast to gather allies, improve their battle skills, and confront Garius before he revives the King of Shadows and let's loose a cataclysmic evil into the world. But what really brings this world to life are the companions you travel with, who bring an unique brand of deadpan humor that provides a welcome breath of fresh air that grounds the fantastical events around you.
Garius is attempting to find the silver shard so he can bring the King of Shadows back from the dead, stop him before he can!
Belial, Lord of Fire, seeks to destroy you
34. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (2003)
Developers: BioWare & Aspyr
Genre: Sci-Fi Role Playing Game
Themes: Star Wars
Four millennia before the events of the Star Wars movies, the galaxy is in turmoil. The Sith Empire falls under new control as Darth Malak betrays his master and builds an army to fight against the Republic. The story begins with the player as a Republic soldier who must escape a Republic ship as Sith soldiers attack.
The player jettisons towards the nearby planet of Taris in search of the Jedi that the ship was escorting. After uniting, they uncover Malak’s dark plot and delve into secrets of the past as they fight against Malak’s forces. The gameplay is based off of the Wizards of the Coast’s Star Wars Roleplaying Game and makes use of standard d20 role-playing mechanics.
This game is notable for a long list of reasons, one of the more notable being that it’s a licensed game that is actually of great quality instead of the typically bland shoe-in products meant to tie-in with licensed properties. The story, which has some similarities to Neverwinter Nights, is equal parts action-packed, heartwarming, tear-jerking, comedic, and tragic thanks to phenomenal writing. It also brings us the introduction of HK-47, the snarky murderbot that has become so popular that he's been featured in various other Star Wars products and frequently listed among the top 10 favorite Star Wars characters of all time.
Find the Jedi
Destroy Darth Malak’s soldiers
33. System Shock 2 (1999)
Developers: Irrational Games & Looking Glass Studios
Genre: First Person Sci-Fi/Horror Role Playing Game
Theme: Man vs. Machine
System Shock 2 takes players into the depths of deep space, where they must face a malevolent entity that threatens their very life. The year is 2114, and a soldier awakes in his cryo-tube on a spaceship known as the Von Braun. With the guidance of Dr.Janice Polito, he explores the ship only to discover that most of the crew have died. The ones who are still alive are infected by a virus that has turned them into hostile creatures. Now, he must find the cause of the viral outbreak and put an end to its source.
Winner of seven "Game of the Year" awards, System Shock 2 was considered a game that was well ahead of its time and was regarded by many as legendary in the FPS and horror genre.
Put an end to the outbreak with the help of Dr. Polito
Put an end to infected crewmembers before they attack you
32. Icewind Dale 2 (2002)
Developer: Black Isle Studios
Genre: Action RPG
Theme: Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Adventure
Taking place in the Forgotten Realms Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting, Icewind Dale 2 follows three decades after the events of the first game, with the player’s group of mercenaries arriving to defend a town from a group of goblins. After fending them off and discovering who sent the goblins, the group sets off to Neverwinter where their journey puts them down a path of war, as they face off against the Legion of the Chimera and its roots that it has set down throughout the land. Simultaneously balanced and interesting, the game was hailed as “one of the best RPG’s ever released for the PC.”
Defend a town from evil goblins
Get caught up in war as you try to discover who wanted to destroy the town
31. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006)
Developers: Bethesda Game Studios, Superscape, & 4J Studios
Genre: First Person RPG
Theme: The Elder Scrolls
The Elder Scrolls games had made a name for themselves long ago for their deep lore and their strong open-world gameplay, and this game followed its predecessors very well as the player is thrown into the central province of Cyrodiil during the greatest conflict yet. The player is a prisoner of the empire who gets caught up in an escape attempt to protect the emperor’s life.
After it fails and the Emperor is assassinated, the player is sent to find the sole surviving heir to the throne, Martin, but the journey takes an even darker turn as the Daedric Lord Mehrunes Dagon begins his invasion of the mortal land, opening portals to Oblivion that unleash thousands of his minions to throw the land into chaos. Together with Martin, the player must find a way to close the portals to Oblivion and bring order to the land.
However, the real meat of the game is the vast open world and the myriad paths you can take exploring it. The role playing potential is simply staggering; from joining a cult to becoming a gladiator, the possibilities awaiting within Cyrodiil would make any role-player's mouth water with anticipation.
Bring order to the land by infiltrating a cult, find the heir to the throne, and close the Oblivion gate
Looking at peaceful towns, one would never guess destruction is around the corner
30. Final Fantasy IV (1991)
Developer: Square
Genre: Turn-Based Role Playing Game
Theme: Redemption
Final Fantasy games had long been powerhouses in the RPG genre, and the first one to make a major worldwide impact was the fourth installment. The player takes control of Cecil, a dark knight who is leading his team of Red Wings in an attack against the city of Mysidia to take their Water Crystal on his King’s orders. After he voices his doubt of the king’s motives, he is stripped of his rank and leaves with his friend and ally Kain to regain his honor.
On his journey, he begins to uncover the true effects that the King’s actions have had on the land and its people. Cecil’s journey of self-discovery and redemption leads him to a battle against the very kingdom that he had used to serve.
Regain your honor after being stripped of your rank
Find out if the king’s actions have truly been for the people’s good
29. Shadowrun (1993)
Developer: Beam Software
Genre: Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Cyberpunk Fantasy
Loosely based on the first Shadowrun novel by Robert N. Charrette, Shadowrun adapts the tabletop game of the same name. The year is 2050, and Jake Armitage is shot on the streets of Seattle. Suddenly, a shapeshifter shows up and casts a spell on Jake before he is taken away to the morgue.
Once there, the previously dead Jake wakes up with no memories of his former life. After receiving a warning from a mysterious figure named “Dog”, Jake sets off to investigate the events leading up to his shooting, as well as to find the one’s who ordered his assassination.
Based off of both a tabletop game of the same name and a novel called Never Deal with a Dragon, this game quickly became a cult classic among SNES players for its raunchy atmosphere that was so uncharacteristic of games at the time.
Jake is killed and wakes up with no memories
Track down the person who had you murdered
28. Fallout 2 (1998)
Developer: Black Isle Studios
Genre: Sci-Fi Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Postapocalyptic Earth, Survival
Almost a century after the events of the Vault Dweller’s journey, the New California Republic has begun to unify the towns, but is met with opposition by a mysterious group known only as the Enclave. In the middle of this conflict, a village called Arroyo suffers the worst drought on record, and they send out the player-controlled “Chosen One” to find the GECK, that can supposedly be used to fix their problem.
Faced against the sprawling wasteland with nothing but a Pip-Boy handheld device, a water flask, a jumpsuit, and some cash, the player must find a way to survive and accomplish this noble goal.
Face not only the Enclave, but giant scorpions
Find the GECK to end the terrible drought
27. Mass Effect (2007)
Developers: BioWare, Edge of Reality, & Demiurge Studios
Genre: Sci-Fi Third Person Role Playing Game
Theme: Alien Invasion
In the year 2183, the human race is amongst the stars, working alongside fellow Milky Way inhabitants to protect the peace of the galaxy. The greatest of these protectors are known as the Spectres corps.
The player takes control of Commander Shepard, a veteran soldier who serves as a candidate to be the first human Spectre ever. However, during the evaluation, Shepard’s evaluator is murdered by a fellow Spectre and Shepard encounters an artifact that shows visions of destruction. After proving the guilt of the evaluator’s killer, Shepard sets off with the new title of Spectre to find and bring back the culprit and uncover the truth behind the visions.
The first of a trilogy, BioWare put in countless hours to make the world of Mass Effect feel real and lived-in, and it shows. Few universes put as much depth into their non-human races as Mass Effect, which takes the time to explore what makes the various aliens of the Milky Way tick as well as showcase how these vastly different people interact with one another. Stereotypes are represented and then mercilessly deconstructed, forcing the player to make no assumptions and have an analytical eye for every situation they encounter.
Face robots, humans, and aliens
Find out who is responsible for the destruction you witnessed in a vision
26. Might and Magic VI (1998)
Developer: New World Computing
Genre: First Person Party-Based Role Playing Game
Theme: Good vs. Evil
After the conclusion of the previous game, the long war between the Ancients and the Kreegans spreads to other planets. On one planet, Enroth, King Roland Ironfist is betrayed by an air mage named Sulman and is subsequently captured. With the King’s forces out of the way, the Kreegans begin to chip away at the King’s powers and attack the nearby towns.
One such town holds the four characters that make up the player’s party, who are teleported away and trained by Falagar, a warlock who prepares them to protect the Ironfist Dynasty, save the King, and stop the advances of the Kreegan armies.
Defend towns against the Kreegans
War is upon you!
25. Fallout: New Vegas (2010)
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Genre: Sci-Fi Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Postapocalyptic Earth, Survival
After the move to 3D open-world environments in Fallout 3, there was a whole new world opened up to Fallout players for new and epic adventures. New Vegas begins as the player, a courier for the Mojave Express, is captured by a mobster named Benny. Benny takes the courier’s package, the mysterious “Platinum Chip”, and shoots the courier in the head. The courier is left for dead, but is then found and nursed back to health by the local doctor, Mitchell.
After recovering, the player must set off to find Benny and recover the Platinum Chip, while facing the hardships of the brutal Mojave Desert, and the inhabitants of New Vegas, a patch of land untouched by the nuclear fallout.
Fire away!
Humans are not the only ones you have to fight against
24. The Witcher (2007)
Developer: CD Projekt RED
Genre: Third Person Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Fantasy Adventure, Witcher
Based on a book series of the same name, The Witcher follows the story of Geralt of Rivia, a travelling monster hunter for hire who makes use of his alchemical prowess and his mysterious powers to fight against the supernatural creatures. The game follows a chain of moral choices that influence not only Geralt’s fate, but also the fate of the world around him.
Throughout the story, Geralt is placed in the paths of a group of freedom-fighting elves and an order of kingdom-protecting knights, and his choices ally himself with one side or the other, or the player can also choose to retain neutrality and have Geralt follow his own path.
Decide whether you will align with the elves or knights
Take a side or choose your own path
23. Deus Ex (2000)
Developer: Ion Storm
Genre: Sci-Fi Mystery Role Playing Game
Theme: Conspiracy and Technological Advancement
Following a dystopian future of 2052, Deus Ex follows JC Dalton, a rookie UN Anti-Terrorist Coalition agent as he fights to keep the peace in an ever more chaotic world. Altered by nanotechnology, Dalton takes missions to face against the National Secessionist Forces, and to recover their stolen vaccines for the “Gray Death” virus.
Throughout his story, he encounters many organizations such as the Hong Kong Triads, Majestic 12, and even the Illuminati, as he uncovers a conspiracy that delves deep into past and hold the power to change the future forever.
Be tactful in your encounters, or violence will occur
Face the Triads, Majestic 12, and Illuminati
22. Dragon Age 2 (2011)
Developer: BioWare
Genre: Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Fantasy Adventure
Dragon Age 2 follows the story of Hawke, who fled the land during the events of the first game. The game is framed through the flashbacks of Hawke’s former partner Varric Tethras. The story follows Hawke’s rise to power across the Waking Sea in the city of Kirkwall.
Through three acts separated by about three years apiece, the player experiences the events that lead up to Hawke becoming the “Champion of Kirkwall” and influencing a war between the Mages and the Templars. Hawke’s choices decide the fate of the land and the war that rages around it.
While not quite as "epic" as yet more action-focused than the first in the Dragon Age series, the sequel benefits from a tight focus that tells a different story in its own right. As what tends to be a common occurrence in BioWare titles, decisions matter in Dragon Age 2 and the you will become especially invested in making the right call when you watch the world develop around them and bond with the colorful characters that join you in your travels.
Fantasy creatures are not always docile
Your decisions affect the war between the Mages and the Templars
21. Dark Souls (2011)
Developer: From Software
Genre: Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Dark Fantasy Adventure
Waking up as an undead, the player is faced with a large non-linear world to trek through, and the player must fight their way through hordes of nightmarish creatures, and make a pilgrimage to discover the fate of the undead. With a subtle story and close to no pulls away from the action, the players will find it hard to pull themselves away from the game, save for a few rage quits.
Anyone who has taken a few circuits around the RPG world has probably heard of the Dark Souls games. Known for being excruciatingly hard, but just as rewarding, they have made a name for themselves as a gem of the industry and one of the best RPG games for those who like a challenge. Dark Souls is the spiritual successor to the original Demon’s Souls, and builds on the predecessor in stride.
Do not let anyone or anything stop you in your journey to find out what happens to the undead
Face the creatures of nightmares
20. Final Fantasy IX (2000)
Developer: Square
Genre: Action Turn-Based Role Playing Game
Theme: Final Fantasy Universe
Amongst the contested “greatest Final Fantasy games” has always been the ninth installment. After the darker run of games before it, Final Fantasy IX brings back a more light-hearted tone, without dumbing down the content.
The player controls Zidane, a member of a bandit group called Tantalus, who begins the game by kidnapping Princess Garnet of Alexandria on her sixteenth birthday celebration. After she divulges her concerns about her mother’s strange behavior and her desire to meet Regent Cid. After the airship crashes, Zidane smuggles Garnet out and, along with some of the other sympathizers, takes her to see Cid.
However, they soon discover that the political turmoil goes deeper than they thought, and must fight to protect Garnet and Alexandria itself from a force that threatens to upheave the very kingdom.
Magic can be used for good or for evil
Uncover political turmoil and protect Garnet and Alexandria
19. Shadowrun Returns (2013)
Developer: Harebrained Schemes
Genre: Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Cyberpunk Fantasy
Another game based on a tabletop RPG, Shadowrun Returns was a successful Kickstarter-funded project that brought the franchise to the new generation (barring the 2007 game of the same name which lies outside the continuity).
The game follows a player-controlled shadowrunner who receives a message from their late friend Sam Watts who states that he has put up a reward for anyone who could find and put his killer to justice. The player then sets off to Seattle to avenge their friend and earn their reward, but when they get there they are pulled into a conflict that delves into the supernatural and must work together with other shadowrunners to survive.
Join up with other shadowrunners
Track down your friend’s murderer and get revenge
18. Divinity: Original Sin (2014)
Developer: Larian Studio
Genre: Action Turn-Based Role Playing Game
Theme: Fantasy Adventure
The latest game in the Divinity series follows a duo of characters controlled by the player. The characters are “Source Hunters”, who work to destroy a type of magic called “Source” as well as the practitioners of this magic, “Sourcerers”.
Following a traditional RPG formula, the players can challenge this game single-player or co-op as they investigate the Sourcerer conspiracy and deal with irregularities of space-time. Bringing back the old fashioned style of gameplay and customizability, this game allows fans to fall in love with RPGs all over again.
As Source Hunters, it is your duty to find Sourcerers and destroy them
Investigate the Sourceror conspiracy and handle the space-time irregularities
17. Mass Effect 3 (2012)
Developers: BioWare & Straight Right
Genre: Third Person Sci-Fi Role Playing Game
Theme: Alien Invasion
Following directly after the events of Mass Effect: Arrival, Mass Effect 3 begins as the captured Commander Shepard is brought to Earth to answer for crimes against the galaxy and for working alongside the terrorist organization Cerberus. Despite Shepard’s warnings of the oncoming invasion of the Reapers, a race of sentient spaceships bent on the destruction of all organic life, the council ignores the pleas and is taken by surprise as Earth is suddenly assaulted by the Reapers.
Shepard escapes on the SSV Normandy and travels to different planets trying to find old and new allies alike to build an alliance strong enough to face against the Reapers and prevent the destruction of the entire galaxy.
The Grand Finale of the Mass Effect series, Mass Effect 3 is the culmination of the previous two games' accumulated world-building and decisions, forcing every conflict to come to a head. Old debts have to be settled and alliances need to be forged to unite a galaxy on the brink of extinction, and Shepard is the (wo)man at the heart of it all. While the ending has drawn some controversy, Mass Effect 3 is a titan of not just role playing games, but modern gaming in general.
Shephard must prevent the destruction of his entire society
The beautiful citadel was created to lure societies in… it is a trap!
16. Dark Souls II (2014)
Developer: From Software
Genre: Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Dark Fantasy Adventure
Dark Souls II was the first direct sequel of the Souls games, and followed in the same world as the first game. Much like the first game, the story was minimalistic, and most of the strength of the game was based around the gameplay and its intense difficulty.
However, this game also improved on much of the formula as well as providing a stronger graphics engine and better AI. Maintaining the bonfire system, the humanity system is removed in favor of single use “effigies” that give an even more challenging feel to the game. The players are given another chance to live, and die, in the land of Drangleic.
Battle the Stone Knights, men who stayed at their post so long they became rock
Many parts of the world are still beautiful, but darkness threatens to cover the land
15. Dragon Age: Inquisition (2014)
Developer: BioWare
Genre: Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Fantasy Adventure
Bigger in scale than its predecessors, Inquisition begins as the world is in turmoil. A civil war rages in Orlais between the loyalists and the followers of the Grand Duke who seeks to take over the throne. Meanwhile, the events of the second game have led to the Mages going rogue and the Templars seceding in order to wage war against them.
After a peace conference between the Mages and Templars is breached by demons from the Fade, the sole survivor escapes after being marked on the hand with a strange symbol. The player takes control of this survivor as they discover that this mark allows them to close the rifts. Taking on the name of the “Herald of Andaste”, the player sets out on a journey to close the rifts that have opened throughout the land, and encounters the other conflicts of the land as they travel.
Combining the stream-lined combat of Dragon Age 2 with the open world and similar narrative of cataclysmic threats of Origins, Inquisition continues the proud BioWare tradition of important decision-making and connecting with the world around you.
War is around the corner, and violence is at every turn
The dragons are no peaceful beings
14. The Witcher 2 (2011)
Developer: CD Projekt RED
Genre: Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Fantasy Adventure, Witcher
The game follows the events of the first game as Geralt is left as one of the few remaining witchers. At the beginning of the story, Geralt is accused of assassinating the king of Temeria. His interrogator soon believes that he is innocent, and together with Geralt’s ally, Triss Merigold, sets off with Geralt to find the true kingslayer.
Much like the first game, most of the story and the world is affected by the choices that Geralt makes, and much of it is even influenced by the choices made in the previous game. With a much improved gameplay style to it’s predecessor, and greatly improved graphics, The Witcher 2 went on to win over 50 awards, spanning from graphics, to story, to Game of the Year, clarifying it as one of the best RPG games of all time.
Witchers are monster hunters, seeking to destroy evil
Clear Geralt’s name and find out who really murdered the king
13. Diablo III: Reaper of Souls (2014)
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Genre: Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Dark Fantasy Adventure, Slay Demons
Diablo 3 was another game in the long line of Blizzard successes that helped to define its genre. Following the success of its predecessors, Diablo continued the eternal struggle between Heaven and Hell, with the humans known as the Nephalem intervening in the war and fighting to bring an end to Diablo once and for all.
The base game ends with the imprisonment of the forces of Diablo under the watchful eye of Tyrael. Reaper of Souls begins with Malthael, the former Archangel of Wisdom, killing Tyrael’s allies and stealing the Black Soulstone that holds Diablo. Tyrael brings in the Nephalem to recover the stone and stop Malthael.
The true strength of the expansion pack is the new features that it brings to Diablo III’s formula. With the new class and the new Adventure mode, players are given tons more hours of new content that will breathe new life into the game.
Defeat Diablo once and for all
Become a participant in the struggle between light and dark, between Heaven and Hell
12. Planescape: Torment (1999)
Developer: Black Isle Studios
Genre: Role Playing Game
Theme: Fantasy Adventure
Another D&D based game, this game is set in the Planescape multiverse, taking place in Sigil, a city at the center of the multiverse, when the player takes control of the “Nameless One”, an immortal who, if killed, with wake up with amnesia.
The story begins during one of these “resurrections” as the Nameless One wakes up and sets off to investigate his past and the nature of his immortality. Meanwhile, he must face against the “ghosts” of those who have died to fuel his resurrection. Throughout his journey, he must deal with his past incarnations and face his own immortality as he travels throughout the multiverse.
Planescape: Torment is well-known for taking common pillars of Role Playing Games and spinning them on their head. The Nameless One doesn't set out to save the world, only caring about finding out his past. There are no weapons to equip, only tattoos and your own body can be used to survive. It is also famous for asking a particular question that should get any role player's mind ticking: "What can change the nature of a man?"
Try to understand your immortality
Come face to face with your own past incarnations
11. Final Fantasy VI (1994)
Developer: Square
Genre: Turn-Based Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Final Fantasy Universe
In the fanbase of Final Fantasy, there is a group of people who as diehard in their belief that Final Fantasy VI is the greatest in the franchise, if not one of the best RPG games ever. Taking a different path from the medieval settings of the prior games, the sixth installment takes the player through a steampunk setting as they follow the story of Terra Branford, who is under the control of the Imperial forces as they raid Narshe to find a recently-unearthed frozen esper.
During the raid, Terra breaks their control on her and kills them, losing her memories in the process. She encounters a treasure hunter named Locke Cole, who promised to protect her until she gains her memories back. As they journey to recover her memories, Terra must face against her previous captors and come to terms with her mysterious powers.
Face former captors
Use your newfound powers against enemies
10. Diablo (1996)
Developer: Blizzard North
Genre: Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Dark Fantasy Adventure, Slay Demons
Following the simple journey of a lone hero through the multi-leveled dungeons under the town of Tristram, eventually entering the bowels of hell to defeat Diablo in order to release a curse put on the reanimated corpse of King Leoric. The gameplay was revolutionary for its time as a role-playing hack-and-slash. The game went on to inspire two sequels as well as defining the genre for many, many games in the future to imitate and give homage to.
Encounter wicked, monstrous creatures and demons in Hell
In the end you must destroy Diablo himself
9. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (2002)
Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
Genre: Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Fantasy Adventure, The Elder Scrolls
The Elder Scrolls games were solid RPGs, but didn’t break any ground as major games of the genre until the release of Morrowind. With its vast open world and deeply immersive RPG mechanics that fit with the 3D exploration gameplay, Morrowind created a standard for not only the series, but for nonlinear games as a whole.
Following a prisoner set free and inducted into the Empire’s protectors, the Blades, the player is given free-from control over the path of the story as they are sent to investigate disappearances and oddities revolving around the land of Morrowind. Morrowind built the series into some of the best RPG games that we have today.
Why are such bizarre things happening around Morrowind?
Go from prisoner to Empire protector
8. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011)
Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
Genre: Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Fantasy Adventure, The Elder Scrolls
Another entry from the Elder Scrolls series, the latest main (single-player) game in the series takes the formula that worked so well for its predecessors and did hard work to simultaneously add new features and simplify the existing features. Between the immense graphical improvements and the streamlined combat system, the gameplay has never been smoother.
Following a prisoner “rescued” from his execution by a dragon attack, the player escapes to discover that they are actually a special being known as “Dragonborn” who uses special powers called “Shouts” to use magic usually wielded by the dragons themselves to do battle with them. Targeted by Alduin, the Dragon leader, the Dragonborn must train in the art of “Shouting” to face against him, and meanwhile deal with a growing civil war between the supporters of the Empire’s expansion into Skyrim, and those who believe that Skyrim should stay independent.
The Dragon god, Alduin, is the darkest foe alive
Fulfill your destiny as a dragonslayer
7. Mass Effect 2 (2010)
Developer: BioWare
Genre: Third Person Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Alien Invasion
Mass Effect 2 is generally considered the strongest in the series. Following the events of the first game, Shepard and the crew of the SSV Normundy are searching the galaxy geth resistance, when their ship is attacked, and Shepard provides a self-sacrifice to guarantee that the crew makes it out alive. Dying of asphyxiation in space, Shepard’s body is recovered by Cerberus, a mysterious pro-human organization, who uses the Lazarus Project to bring Shepard back to life.
Afterwards, the leader of Cerberus tells Shepard that colonies of humans are disappearing all over the galaxy, and sends Shepard out to investigate. Building on the gameplay and visuals of its predecessor, Mass Effect 2 creates a perfectly balanced game that retains its fun no matter how many times it’s played.
Investigate the disappearance of human colonies in space
Shephard lived a normal life… until he died and was brought back to life
6. Baldur’s Gate (1998)
Developer: BioWare
Genre: Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Fantasy Adventure, Baldur's Gate
Keeping up with the D&D games, Baldur’s Gate takes place in the Forgotten Realms setting. The first game to make use of the Infinity engine for graphics, Baldur’s Gate made huge bounds for its time in character development through dialogue, exploration, and combat.
The game begins with the mage Gorion leaving Candlekeep after he senses trouble. The player character leaves with Gorion as his ward. Encountering a bunch of men out for his life, Gorion’s ward is protected by Gorion, who refuses to hand him over. Gorion fights off the men, but is killed in the process, leaving his ward to continue on by himself to discover why the men were after him and what the danger that Gorion was sensing meant for his ward and the world itself.
Welcome to the Forgotten Realms
Can you survive now that Gorion is dead?
5. Dragon Age: Origins (2009)
Developers: BiowWare & Edge of Reality
Genre: Third Person Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Fantasy Adventure
Dragon Age: Origins is the first game in the series, and the strongest one to date. The land of Ferelden is swarming with creatures known as the Darkspawn. During events known as “Blights”, the Darkspawn spread across the land, destroying everything in their path. The strongest of those who fought against them joined together to form the “Grey Wardens”.
As the story begins, the player starts at a different point depending on what race they choose, whether they be a human noble, an elven servant, or something else in between. Regardless of choice, a representative of the Grey Wardens, Duncan, comes to invite the player to become a candidate for initiation.
Following each individual origin story, the player takes part in the “Joining”, and discovers that the Wardens are on the verge of another Blight. After taking part in attempting to fight off the blight, the King is killed and the Warden sets off to try and find a way to end the Blight as Ferelden is thrown into political turmoil.
A classic fantasy tale presented through a darker lens than most, Origins is a BioWare game through and through, which means both clever dialogue and difficult decisions galore.
End the Blight
Beware evil creatures!
4. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015)
Developer: CD Projekt RED
Genre: Third Person Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Fantasy Adventure, The Witcher
The third game of The Witcher trilogy, the player once again takes control of Geralt on his ongoing journey of monster-slaying. Soon after the game starts, however, he is summoned by the Emperor of Nilfgaard and given a quest: find Ciri, a child of destiny and Geralt's former apprentice, before the Wild Hunt does. What ensues is one of the most complete role playing experiences imaginable as Geralt travels the world and fights monsters wherever they may be, human or otherwise.
Already being hailed as the greatest RPG of 2015 and a top contender for Game of the Year, Wild Hunt has all the hallmarks of a top-notch RPG: interesting characters, a world worth exploring, a riveting story, and more customization options than one can handle on just one playthrough. It also sports a combat system that, on the higher difficulties, is said to be on par with the Dark Souls series in terms of complexity and reward. Wild Hunt has become the standard from which modern RPGs have to measure themselves from now on, and those are some very big shoes to fill.
Being a Witcher is no easy job
Run into all sorts of danger as you try to find Ciri
3. Diablo II (2000)
Developer: Blizzard North
Genre: Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Dark Fantasy Adventure, Demon Slaying
Building on the success of the first game, Diablo II takes place shortly after Diablo’s defeat at the hands of the lone hero, his essence being absorbed into the hero in order to contain him. However, the essence began to corrupt the hero, and demons begin to appear around him, wreaking havoc.
A group of wandering adventurers hear about this destruction, set off to find its cause, and deal with the corrupted hero. As they chase after the “Dark Wanderer” and deal with the aftermath of his presence, they begin to discover the end goal of his journey: to reunite with the other Prime Evils. Together, the adventurers must find the Wanderer before he reaches his goal and defeat Diablo and the other Prime Evils.
The Wanderer wants to join the Prime Evils… stop him!
Travel through Hell and face darkness
2. Pillars of Eternity (2015)
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Genre: Action Role Playing Game
Theme: Fantasy Adventure
Taking place in the land of Eora, the player takes control of a traveller who is the sole survivor as a mysterious storm appears and kills everyone else in the caravan. Witnessing a strange ritual in a cave, the player is exposed to a special energy and is granted the ability to read souls and access the memories of past lives. When it's discovered that this power serves as a curse that will eventually bring insanity, the player sets out to find the priest who performed the ritual so that the curse can be reversed.
Appealing to the nostalgic RPG fans in us, the game brings old-fashioned mechanics to the modern age of gaming in such a refreshing manner that it appeals to both old-fashioned gamers and new gamers alike. Inspired by classic games, Pillars of Eternity can serve as an inspiration itself on how to properly create homage to old games.
You have been cursed with the ability to see past lives... find a way to reverse it before you go mad
Children are being born without a soul. It is your duty to stop this from happening.
1. Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn (2000)
Developer: BioWare
Genre: Fantasy Adventure
Theme: Choice, Friendship, Morality
It’s not that often that a game shows up that handles everything that it does so perfectly. Baldur’s Gate was a triumph in the realm of Role-Playing Games, and its sequel takes all of its virtues and amplifies them.
Taking place shortly after the first game, the hero and companions are captured and experimented on by a mage named Jon Irenicus. After a distraction, the hero escapes with a few companions. After this, the story is dictated by choices that the character makes in the journey to stop Irenicus and his dark actions.
Putting everything together, the game holds up to 300 hours of gameplay, which was enormous for its time. The level of character customization, from classes to kits to strongholds to equipment and alignment, allows the player to create a truly unique character and go on a unique adventure every time that they play. On top of that, the fun can be shared with up to 6 players adventuring together at the same time. With such a strong balance and perfect game feel, it didn’t take much for this game to make our pick as the best RPG game ever made.
Irenicus has escaped from his prison
Help the elves find their hidden city
So what do you think of our list? Are there any games that you feel we should have added, or any games that didn’t belong?
Leave us a comment, letting us know what you consider to be the greatest RPGs of all time. Also, where you think the future of RPGs is headed?
