If you’re looking for a game to really whittle away the hours, role-playing games are the perfect games for you. With stories spanning huge worlds, multiple characters, quests, and interesting locations, it’s easy to see why this is the favorite genre for many.
Best RPG Games
While there are different types of RPG games, this will serve as a general list to highlight some of the key titles we’ve seen in the past. Don’t be surprised if this list looks a little familiar to you, many of these games are fan-favorites and world-renowned.
The Best Games Of 2020: 10 Games We’re Looking Forward To The Most
Take a look at our top picks for the best games of 2020 across PC, Playstation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. Did your favorites make the list? Click below to find out!
Read More1. Monster Hunter: World
Release Date: January 26, 2018
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
This is the newest title we have on our list today, Monster Hunter: World is a massive game about, well, taking down monsters! While this might seem like it would become stale after a while, the amount of customization and experimentation on offer here will keep you coming back for hours to come.
You take on the role of a hunter, tackling quests to hunt monsters in a variety of habitats. Once these monsters have been taken down, you can then use the materials you receive to create stronger weapons to tackle stronger monsters.
2. The Witcher 3
Release Date: 19 May 2015
Developer: CD Projekt Red
Publisher: CD Projekt
The Witcher 3 has seen a huge spike in popularity recently due to the release of the recent Netflix TV series. Many players are returning to the world, tying up any loose ends they might have missed or even experiencing the story all over again.
You’ll take control of the famed Geralt of Rivia in a huge fantasy world filled with magical creatures, monsters, and morally ambiguous humans. If you are a fan of world-building then this is a great title to get stuck into. The Witcher 3 is based on the novels by author Andrzej Sapkowski, this means there’s plenty of lore and backstory to delve into on your adventures in this war-torn landscape.
3. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Release Date: July 15, 2003
Developer: BioWare
Publisher: LucasArts
Don’t be put off by the outdated graphics on this one, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is the title that many Star Wars fans believe to be the greatest. Set over 4,000 years before the events of the current movies, this game brings a deep and complex story that brings to light interesting characters, impressive locations and an exciting period of Star Wars history.
Developed by BioWare, this is the title where they really started to flex their gaming muscles. Each line of dialogue is interesting and every conversation manages to feel important, each of the characters has a deep backstory to delve into if you want to take a break from the main quest that is.
4. Fallout: New Vegas
Release Date: October 21, 2010
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Following on from the success that Fallout 3 found after rebooting this popular series, Fallout: New Vegas takes place in a post-apocalyptic world after a nuclear holocaust. In a land infested with mutants and bandits, survival isn’t as easy as it first appears.
You take control of The Courier after surviving a bullet to the head in the intro. While you can explore New Vegas’s vast landscape, your main objective is to find the people responsible for your attempted murder.
You’ll encounter communities, fierce factions, and companions on your quest for revenge – as well as taking in the Vegas strip while you’re at it.
5. Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
Release Date: 11 November 2011
Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
The latest installment in the Elder Scrolls franchise really does its best to allow you to create your character and live exactly how you want. You can devote yourself to magic, go completely unarmed, become a tanky battlemage or even run around collecting flowers and butterflies.
You can choose to run your character however you wish in this rich styling of the RPG genre. From the weapons you use to the eighteen different skill trees, players can tweak every aspect of their character to become whatever their imagination holds.
While we await the next Elder Scrolls release, there’s more than enough to do in Skyrim to pass the time. You can even decide to skip the lengthy main quest and leave it until the end. With countless side-quests, factions and even expansions to play through, no two playthroughs will feel the same.
Final Word
We hope this list helped open your eyes up to the sheer possibilities in the RPG genre. While this isn’t a definitive list of the best RPG games, it definitely covers some of the most popular.
We also didn’t cover some of the sub-genres found in the RPG category. If you want to really explore the genre, take a look at some popular JRPGs such as Final Fantasy, Lost Odyssey, or Fire Emblem. If you are more action-oriented, the ARPG genre has gems such as Diablo 3 and Path of Exile to take up your time.
We love making these type of lists for you, if there are any games we might have missed off that you love, or if you have any ideas on lists we could create in the future, let us know in the comments section below. We love hearing your thoughts.