The RPG genre is home to some of the best games of the industry. It is one of the oldest, debuting with classics like Dragons and Dungeons, way before First-Person Shooters like CoD or Battlefield came into existence. Like the games, the fans too are special. For instance check out the Nexus Forums, with hundreds of thousands of mods they’re nothing short of being a testament to the creativity and imagination of the RPG community.
Here are some of the best Role Playing Games you can get your hands on. We have listed these, sequentially as per the timeline, focusing on the best title of a particular franchise, with recommended one(s) mentioned.
Baldur’s Gate 2 (& 1)
Baldur’s Gate… I would love to say that this is one of the first RPGs I ever played, but sadly I wasn’t around when these two gems came out. Baldur’s Gate 2 along with its prequel, are Dragon and Dungeons at their absolute finest. It has amazingly well-written characters, a magical world, in-game romances – a new concept at the time, a captivating story and challenging combat mechanics make these games a must play for any RPG lover. As the game starts, the you are being tortured and experimented on by a mad mage. You manage to escape but the mage gets away. Gather your old allies, as you hunt down the lunatic who wronged you and bring him to justice. Very few cRPGs can keep up with Baldur’s Gate 2. This was BioWare’s very first game as an indie studio (before EA swallowed it). It just shows that studios make much better games when they can work freely and independently, without any interference from publishers.
Planescape: Torment
A cRPG by Black Isle studios, Torment got multiple GOTY awards, something isometric games rarely get these days. It was praised for its rich lore and art-style. This game possibly offers more in the way of player choice than most games on this list. You can be a pious do-gooder like most RPG protagonists or a deranged brute with no mercy. The soundtrack is also quite powerful. The game world’s setting feels utterly demented. Add a complex story and mysterious characters to the mix and you’ve got yourself a first-class RPG. You are the Nameless One, a hulking figure covered in scars and tattoos collected over the course of countless lives—none of which you can remember, but are now coming back to haunt you. Embark on an adventure taking The Nameless One from the dirty streets of Sigil into the mysterious Outer Planes and even into the depths of Hell itself to find out your true identity and what happened to you. Beamdog recently released an enhanced version of this cult classic on Steam and GOG, which is worth checking out.
NeverWinter Nights
The very first MMO (also by BioWare), NWN gained universal acclaim upon release. This game was hailed as flawless by many critics. The ambient effects, visuals, multi-player and all other aspects of this game were well praised and ahead of its time. It is also recommended for people who are new to the genre, and want to know what makes it so special. Set in the forgotten realms, this game puts you at the center of an epic tale of faith, war and betrayal. The city of Neverwinter is suffering from a magical plague called the Wailing Death, which is killing its citizens. You must find a cure, and discover the source of the disease. The Aurora engine used in this game also became exceeding popular, powering its sequel, Witcher 1, KotoR 1 & 2, and was even used in the development of Dragon Age Origins.
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic I
(+Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords)
These are the games that started the Old Republic saga- Revan, the HK Droid, The Sith’s Rule of Two, a look at the workings of the Republic before the establishment of the Empire and much more. The first game was developed by BioWare and the second by Obsidian. It cemented BioWare’s status as a prime RPG developer, served as a model for the much loved Mass Effect trilogy and possibly lead to the acquisition by EA. While the first got the Game Of The Year award for its masterful writing and because of the cult status of Star Wars, the second one was an utter mess at the time of release, riddled with bugs, cut content and other technical issues. However, thanks to modders’ and fans’ dedication and hard work, all the bugs have been fixed and the cut content was restored as well via an official update. The first game has one of the best in-game romances along with all the other signature BioWare features, but the second game by Obsidian takes it to another level by building on the already rich lore. It has a much darker tone and ultimately makes for a better story than its predecessor.
Jade Empire
Another BioWare game that got a near perfect score. Due to it’s Eastern setting, it didn’t become as popular as the other games by the developer, but make no mistake – it is one of the best games BioWare has ever made. A mythical Chinese tale where your choices and actions will determine the fate of the entire Jade Empire, intriguing characters, multiple endings and a tactical combat system with some swanky, martial arts moves, it’s just what the doctor ordered. Unfortunately, despite its massive potential, it never quite got a sequel and the chances of it getting one are very very slim. Still, give it a try, the special edition is available on both steam and GOG, for a pretty good price.
Deus Ex
(+Deus Ex: Human Revolution & Mankind Divided)
One of my personal favorites, the Deus Ex universe has all sorts of futuristic-cyber-punk elements, ranging from human enhancement, the Illumunati, chemical warfare, super-mutant-like humans, mechanical apartheid and more. The first game in this franchise came out in 2000, and instantly became a hit. The stealth, augmentations and the player choices offered in the story by these titles make this franchise pretty unique. These games mostly revolve around themes like mechanized enhancement of humans, its consequences and powerful capitalists and organizations that control the world from the shadows. While the original Deus Ex hasn’t exactly aged well, there is a fan made mod (DX:Revision) that pretty much overhauls everything, right from the textures, API, meshes and models. Unfortunately, due to the bizarre marketing strategy by Square Enix (essentially cutting the SP campaign in half), Mankind Divided sold less than satisfactory units, despite being a solid entry with addictive gameplay mechanics and stellar reviews. Mankind Divided is a sequel to 2011’s Human Revolution, that got an overwhelming response from critics and won multiple awards.
Buy MD from CDKeys for a cheap price.
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
(+The Elder Scrolls V:Skyrim)
Any such list would be incomplete without Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls franchise. Everyone has heard of Skyrim, and more than 30 million people played it. Thanks to its extensive mod support, it still looks as good as any other recent game. While these games may not appear that impressive at first, they are most certainly one of the most addictive. Right from the crafting system, to the enchanting, magic, exploration and something I call cult conquering (a series of missions which culminate into the crowning of the PC as the leader of a particular cult or tribe), you get a fulfilling sense of satisfaction after playing Bethesda’s flagship game. Skyrim may be the more popular one of the two, but it sure as hell ain’t the better one. Morrowind is older than TESV, but the setting, environments and the level of immersion it offers eclipses Skyrim’s. Everything is so mystical and it seems right out of a fairy tale. Despite that Skyrim is still an excellent game, but just not as good as Morrowind.
Buy Skyrim from CDKeys for a cheap price.
Trails in the Sky Trilogy (Sora no Kiseki)
Trails in the Sky is one of the best JRPGs (if not the best) ever made, period. The plot, characters, combat system, soundtrack, literally everything about the Kiseki games is just perfect. Hell, I abandoned everything else in my life when I first played it. It just shows why JRPGs and Japanese anime in general have such an appeal in the West. The games revolve around an independent kingdom’s efforts to thwart the activities of a powerful, shady organization aiming to destabilize it, along with a strong focus on family, love and friends. The lovable cast, hearty humor and complicated story, along with a sophisticated combat system really make this saga special. It has a tactical turn based combat, with truly wonderful battle music.
Tales of Symphonia
(+Tales of Berseria)
Liked them, then check out Zesteria.
Final Fantasy VII, VIII, IX, X/X-2
Fallout New Vegas
(+Fallout 4)
Bethesda’s Fallout is another IP that almost always shows up on these kinds of lists. The surprising thing about this franchise is that the best game, New Vegas was supposed to be a spin-off, and unlike the Todd Howard-led Beth studio, it was developed by an indie team (but an incredibly talented one- Obsidian, known for KoToR 2), plus it utilized the same engine and resources as Fallout 3. But, thanks to an amazing quest-design and a decent story with numerous endings where player choice had a major impact, and lastly again because of talented modders, New Vegas once again showed that an indie studio if given the chance can outdo any influential (publisher owned) studio. Another thing worth mentioning about New Vegas is the wit and humor present in the game. You have got skills like “Lord Death” and “Nerd-rage” while the “S.P.E.C.I.A.L” ranks too are all sorts of funny, with names like “Wet Noodle”, “Basically Dead”, “Do not Bend”, “Creepy Undertaker”, “Walking Disaster” and much more. Now coming to Fallout 4, it’s not a bad game by any means. Comparison of Fallout 4 and New Vegas is analogous to the Morrowind-Skyrim comparison. It just ain’t as good. Exploration is this game’s strong suit and it has a larger map, but then again it is a lot more expensive than New Vegas, not to mention the DLCs and the Season Pass. Overall though, I’d say the base game is at least worth it. Fallout 4 isn’t infamous for chewing up several days worth of time for no reason; it’s decent quest design and gigantic map should keep you busy for at least 200 sweet hours.
Buy Fallout 4 for a cheap price from CDKeys.
Divinity Original Sin
Mass Effect Trilogy
Dragon Age Origins
(+Inquisition)
Dark Souls III (& I)
Pillars of Eternity
The Witcher 3
(+Witcher 2)
The final game(s) on this list is the much celebrated saga of Geralt of Rivia, the White Wolf. While the Witcher 3 was the game of the year of 2015 and came ahead of every other title that year, its predecessor didn’t quite do that well. That however doesn’t mean that it’s not a good game. It has an okay-ish combat, and a decent story, with a good deal of emphasis on player-choice. Plus, it does help if you know the backstory of the characters and the lore. Now, coming to the masterpiece, Witcher 3 did everything right, from the narrative, to the combat and the visuals. Thanks to some intelligent writing, the game culminates into one of the thirty two different endings, depending upon the player choices, if you take into account all the variables. The level of difficulty at normal is just right, being enjoyable while at the same time posing a fair amount of challenge. The Yennefer romance is superb, with some really touching scenes, and a fair bit of playful banter. The father-daughter relationship between Ciri and Geralt is also well portrayed, where seemingly minor actions having significant consequences. The crafting and alchemy system too, are pretty well devised. The thing that is really impressive about the game is the attention to detail, and how dynamic the world is and changes according to the player’s decisions. Even the side-quests and minor tasks are enjoyable, which is a rare thing in today’s era of Open World games. Last, but not the least the developer support by CD Projeckt Red was also top notch. All the collectibles, DLCs and sountracks are free. The paid expansion packs offer as much content as a whole game. Now, if only we had more developers like them, life would become a bit easier (looking at you again, EA).