If you think about it, no other genre lets you experience every role-playing fantasy like RPG.
It’s the only one in which you can become whoever you desire – a fearless warrior, a trader, a thief, a chosen one, an explorer, a farmer. Also, many good RPG games combine with other genres, including sci-fi, MMOs, and jRPGs. Since all of this is enriched with unique progression mechanics, an immersive storyline, memorable characters, and engaging choice-making, each adventure feels one of a kind.
According to An Operational Study of Video Games’ Genres from 2020[1], RPG ranks as one of the six most attractive genres for gamers, along with adventure, shooter, platform, puzzle, and strategy. Furthermore, it’s the third most revenue-generating genre on PC and the first on mobile devices[2]. That can only mean one thing – RPGs are immensely profitable to develop and enjoy. Therefore, check out this list of the best RPGs if you’ve ever wondered why everyone should try them!
Criteria Of Selection
Since this article’s goal is to share the best RPG titles ever, we will not focus on the most popular ones at the moment. Instead, you can discover a list of video games that conquered the hearts of gamers across generations. These are the ones that never cease to captivate its fans. By collecting all the data from SteamDB, IMDb, and Metacritic, we’ve compiled a list of the fifteen top RPG titles that remain relevant regardless of their release date. Enjoy!
| Game | Release | Genre | Developer | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Baldur's Gate 3 | 2020-10-06 | RPG | Larian Studios | |
 | Mass Effect 2 | 2010-01-27 | RPG | BioWare | |
 | Dragon Age: Origins | 2009-11-06 | Action & Shooter | BioWare | |
 | Gothic 2: Gold Edition | 2010-01-13 | Adventure | Piranha – Bytes | |
 | Elden Ring | 2022-02-25 | Action RPG | FromSoftware | |
 | The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition | 2016-10-27 | Adventure | Bethesda Game Studios | |
 | Stardew Valley | 2016-02-26 | Adventure | ConcernedApe | |
 | STAR WARS: Knights of the Old Republic | 2003-11-19 | RPG | Aspyr (Mac) | |
 | Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edituib | 2018-03-27 | RPG | Beamdog | |
 | Divinity: Original Sin 2 | Definitive Edition | 2017-09-14 | Adventure | Larian Studios | |
 | Planescape: Torment: Enhanced | 2017-04-11 | Strategy | Beamdog | |
 | The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | Complete Edition | 2015-05-18 | RPG | CD PROJEKT RED | |
 | Fallout New Vegas | 2010-10-21 | Action & Shooter | Obsidian Entertainment | |
 | Cyberpunk 2077 | 2023-12-05 | RPG | CD PROJEKT RED | |
 | Dark Souls III | 2016-04-11 | Adventure | FromSoftware, Inc. |
Baldur’s Gate 3
| Steam Rating | 96.03% |
| Metacritic | 96 |
| IMDb | 9.7 |
Considered by many as the best RPG, Baldur’s Gate 3 is capable of revolutionizing the gamers’ approach to the genre.
So much so that even Michael Douse (Larian’s director of publishing) shared this little advice with fans on X: “If you’re coming into BG3 completely new, and you’re not used to this genre I can give you one tip: worry less about closing out quests and winning fights, and instead focus on exploring, toying with the tools & systems, remembering to take it slow and trust the dice.”[3]
BG3 lets you explore the vast world of Forgotten Realms as a customized hero in the company of unique characters. It’s a genuinely living reality where you can influence what happens next to reach multiple alternative endings. Its overall vibe resembles classic RPGs – but the unpredictable story, beautiful visuals, memorable encounters, and rich choice-making set it apart from other genre representatives.
Mass Effect 2
| Steam Rating | 70% |
| Metacritic | 94 |
| IMDb | 9.5 |
Even after fifteen years of its existence, Mass Effect 2 remains the best sci-fi RPG (something we sadly cannot say about modern titles like Starfield).
The game took the world by storm with its shooter-based combat, innovative morality system, lovable cast of characters, and challenging choices (like those regarding the suicide mission). It makes you invested in what’s happening on the screen, making you a vital part of this digital world. Isn’t that what all RPGs should be about?
Mass Effect 2 lets you become Commander Shepard, facing an unimaginable choice – how much will he surrender to save the galaxy? This mission will require some unforgiving sacrifices, and you will be the one to make them. At first glance, this game may look like some random shooter. Still, it excels at delivering the most emotional story!
Dragon Age: Origins
| Steam Rating | 89.16% |
| Metacritic | 91 |
| IMDb | 9.1 |
Unlike many MMOs and RPGs, Origins doesn’t force you to complete typical fetch quests lacking story value. Another great advantage of this game is the absence of an open world, which often feels lacking in other alternatives.
Dragon Age Origins is a classic cRPG in which the fate of the entire land depends on your choices. It stands out with more content-packed locations and meaningful tasks – no action feels pointless. Considering the title equals up to 100 hours of engaging adventure, you can already recognize this recommendation is something else.
Gothic 2
| Steam Rating | 91,18% |
| Metacritic | 79 |
| IMDb | 9.1 |
The release of Gothic Remake is just around the corner, so it might be a good idea to try out previous installments before diving into the new game. While its visuals may not appeal, it makes up for that flaw with its immersive, gritty world and believable characters.
Gothic 2 follows a nameless hero as he does his best to stop a dragon army planning to occupy the island of Khornis. It’s not an easy task since the game loves reminding you you’re just a player. Without a sensible approach to character development and dialogue choices, the chances of succeeding can be extremely low.
Elden Ring
| Steam Rating | 92.18% |
| Metacritic | 94 |
| IMDb | 9.4 |
Elden Ring conquered the hearts of gamers worldwide by being much less punishing than previous FromSoftware games.
Sure, it features an unimaginably high difficulty level. Still, you can use alternative methods of leveling up than just confronting one boss repetitively.
Every, even minor, achievement in this game feels rewarding. Elden Ring encourages you to explore its hostile world, discover its secrets, and create a progression path that suits you best. That feature makes it particularly accessible. While you can follow the main questline, nothing stops you from becoming stronger by engaging in side activities.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
| Steam Rating | 93.87% |
| Metacritic | 94 |
| IMDb | 9.3 |
Skyrim and its predecessors do a great job of delivering the freedom we all dream of. While there’s a plot – you’re the Dragonborn tasked with saving a familiar world – you don’t have to do that.
In Skyrim, everyone can become who they want and go wherever they want. You can get involved in a relationship, explore a wintry land, discover forgotten ruins, or collect all the gear you can get your hands on. Feel free to do whatever you desire when you don’t follow main story quests. Or do that, complete the game, and start over as an entirely new character!
Stardew Valley
| Steam Rating | 97.64% |
| Metacritic | 89 |
| IMDb | 8.5 |
Can a farming sim also be an RPG? It certainly can! Stardew Valley lets you renovate an inherited farm and build a thriving place to live. But that’s not all, as its further stages offer much more.
Once you figure out what you want to do on your farm, you can embark on adventures, explore mysterious dungeons, fight, fish, make friends, or even fall in love. Only you decide what to do in this beautiful world of changing seasons!
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
| Steam Rating | 89.30% |
| Metacritic | 8.9 |
| IMDb | 9.5 |
Many fans claim no game brings the Star Wars universe to life like this one.
Unlike many popular RPGs, KotOR gives you a choice of dialogue options that fit the character you want to become. You can use the conversations to be friendly or abuse your power as much as you want.
And if that’s not enough, the game successfully makes NPCs interesting. They aren’t just an excuse for gradual plot unraveling – each NPC has its personality, backstory, and motivations. To such an extent, you might find yourself more invested in the chat than the main story.
Neverwinter Nights
| Steam Rating | 87.40% |
| Metacritic | 3.5 |
| IMDb | 7.8 |
Neverwinter Nights is considered the best video game adaptation of the classic tabletop D&D experience.
No game offers the tools to create your adventures like this one, merging that opportunity with an exploration of a beautifully designed fantasy world.
That may surprise you, but in addition to the existing storyline for solo fun, Neverwinter Nights allows you to create custom scenarios. You can invite your friends (or randoms) into this digital world to become a living part of the iconic tabletop RPG!
Divinity: Original Sin 2
| Steam Rating | 94.65% |
| Metacritic | 93 |
| IMDb | 8.7 |
When it comes to the combination of skills, playable character customization, and evolving as a protagonist.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 is second to none. In this game, even your enemies have memorable personalities, and it’s your job to tailor your combat strategy to their habits.
Since the title was developed by Larian Studios (creators of Baldur’s Gate 3), you can expect a similarly complex progression revolving around an equally stunning world. This game encourages you to create new characters to enjoy how diverse they all become during their journey.
Planescape: Torment
| Steam Rating | 91.23% |
| Metacritic | 85 |
| IMDb | 9.3 |
If you’re looking for a sci-fi or fantasy RPG, Planescape: Torment is neither, and both simultaneously. As strange as it may sound, the game feels like the developers took every possible aesthetic and narrative inspiration to create a deep, engaging, and immersive experience like no other.
The game lets you have fun as a character with no memory, waking up after each death in a mortuary. The only hints about who he is or was are the clues tattooed on his back by his previous incarnations. That motivates him to travel to discover his destiny and place in this disturbing reality.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
| Steam Rating | 95.35% |
| Metacritic | 93 |
| IMDb | 9.6 |
Engaging in The Witcher 3, you will quickly notice it was developed with genuine passion and respect for the source material (Andrzej Sapkowski’s books).
The game follows the actions of Geralt of Rivia, the Witcher, as he traverses the world of Slavic legends in search of his missing adoptive daughter and the origins of intrigues threatening this reality.
The Witcher 3 does a great job of allowing you to act on your personal beliefs and adequately influence the story outcome. There is always plenty to do, whether it’s mini-games, free exploration, an exciting main plot, or side quests. All this develops within breathtaking visuals and an atmospheric soundtrack – a tasty treat for any RPG fan!
Fallout New Vegas
| Steam Rating | 94.97% |
| Metacritic | 84 |
| IMDb | 8.9 |
Become the Courier to embark on a journey across a post-nuclear world where every choice matters.
The bizarre creatures and personalities encountered along the way are just the tip of the iceberg of this rich experience!
New Vegas stands out from other RPGs with perhaps the most fun and engaging storyline, driven by your choices. You can evolve your character to become whoever you want and side with whoever you want (and let us tell you, there are plenty of factions to choose from). While other games give you the illusion of choice, this one proves every action has consequences.
Cyberpunk 2077
| Steam Rating | 83.45% |
| Metacritic | 86 |
| IMDb | 8.5 |
While Cyberpunk 2077 didn’t have the best start, numerous updates and further improvements helped it earn a place on this list.
The game puts you in the shoes of V, a futuristic mercenary dealing with the presence of a rock star sharing his consciousness and the intrigues of the megacorporations ruling the neon-lit Night City.
Cyberpunk 2077 may not excel at delivering the best RPG mechanics. Nevertheless, it balances this feature with an unforgettable vision of a dystopian future where choices matter. It’s beginner-friendly and extremely fun, which makes it more accessible and enjoyable than other RPG recommendations.
Dark Souls III
| Steam Rating | 93.41% |
| Metacritic | 89 |
| IMDb | 9.1 |
Known for its incredible difficulty level, Dark Souls 3 gives you a gritty, gloomy world where danger lurks at every turn.
Worse still, you must learn how to deal with it by constantly practicing your skills and discovering enemy habits. It’s a must-have if you’re seeking a challenge!
Fans of the series often point out that after discovering Dark Souls, other games seem slow or childishly simple, and that’s true. The game rewards and punishes every success or mistake, teaching you to appreciate every achievement. Also, there’s an intriguing storyline brimming with secrets you must unravel on your own. Forget hand-holding! You’re alone in this perilous place, and it’s your job to reveal its sinister mysteries.
Conclusion
While our list includes only a tiny share of the best RPGs, you might consider giving other classics like Divinity: Original Sin, Disco Elysium, Fallout 4, Diablo IV, and Bloodborne a shot.
We also highly encourage you to explore gaming hits of recent years, including Horizon Forbidden West, Black Myth: Wukong, Avowed, and Monster Hunter Wilds. There’s something for everyone, whether you prefer retro complexity or the most advanced visuals.
Sources:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/344834063_An_Operational_Study_of_Video_Games’_Genres
https://rocketbrush.com/blog/most-popular-video-game-genres-in-2024-revenue-statistics-genres-overview
https://x.com/Cromwelp/status/1688288248680923136
https://www.metacritic.com/browse/game/all/rpg/
reddit.com/r/videogames/comments/190hy7a/mass_effect_2_is_quite_simply_the_finest_rpg_ever/