Role playing games have hooked us gamers with fantastical worlds and a jaw-dropping sense of scale for decades now, and the genre has considerably evolved within that time period. What was once a market solely dominated by specific game developers has morphed into a global business, and this has led to new types of experiences. And as time has passed, we find ourselves returning to certain RPGs that just stand out from the pack for some reason or another – and to that end, here are 10 of the best RPGs you need to play.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
CD Projekt RED made a big leap with The Witcher 3, and it was a leap well worth the risks. The open-world of The Continent is filled to the brim with interesting content ranging from monster hunts to intricate questlines to high-stakes Gwent battles among many other things. But what makes that content so special is how it remains consistently quality stuff regardless of it being part of the main quest or side activities. Furthermore, the choices are actually meaningful and each of them feeds into one of the many endings that you may unlock. It’s a game that can take hundreds of hours to complete, and even if you take on that massive endeavor – there’s still a possibility that you may find something new around the next corner.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is a worthy sequel to the games that came before, and that statement alone says a lot about the quality of the experience. Your journey through the province of Skyrim takes you through snowcapped peaks, dark caves, murky forests – and regardless of where you go, you will always find something worthwhile to do that will consistently make you stronger and stronger. Add to that Bethesda’s excellent writing chops, a thunderous soundtrack, and top-notch world building – and it isn’t hard to understand why Skyrim continues to sell even after a decade.
Horizon Forbidden West
Guerilla Games created an excellent foundation in the form of Horizon Zero Dawn, but in reality – it was just a taste of what’s to come in Horizon Forbidden West. The sequel corrects almost every criticism with the original, and what we have is a gameplay loop that’s constantly fun and engaging – thanks to the many new tools and abilities under Aloy’s belt. Apart from a meaty campaign, there are plenty of side activities that players can check out – and it’s all quality stuff. The visuals are also jaw-dropping, both on a macro and a micro level which makes for a gorgeous world that’s so enticing to explore.
Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 2 is a massive space opera that takes you through a thrill ride as Shepard and gang embark on a quest to fight the Collectors. This massive journey is punctuated by meaningful character interactions that lead to choices which dictate the ending, and the action packed combat manages to remain interesting throughout the experience. Add to that personalities like The Illusive Man and Mordin Solus among others, and Mass Effect 2 becomes an experience that shouldn’t be missed out on.
Elden Ring
FromSoftware is one of the most influential developers of recent memory, and when we say that Elden Ring is the culmination of everything that it has been working towards for the last decade – that statement really means a lot. Set against the backdrop of The Lands Between, Elden Ring is a massive experience that plays on your desire for exploring uncharted vistas with new and worthwhile surprises around every corner. The combat is vicious and flexible, and the wealth of tools at your disposal allows you to come up with all kinds of whacky strategies to best some of the toughest bosses of the series. It’s a one-of-a-kind game, and it will surely have a lot of impact on games and RPGs going forward.
Fallout 4
Set against the backdrop of the Commonwealth, Fallout 4 is at its heart – a story about finding your lost son in a post-apocalyptic environment. But what surrounds that main story is a buffet of interesting quests and secrets throughout the gargantuan open world that will keep you hooked for hours on end. Hop on a power armor to wreak havoc upon mutants, or help out a faction of your choice, or continue your search for the Institute – Fallout 4 remains a quality time either way.
Undertale
Undertale describes itself as an RPG where you don’t have to kill anyone, and while that gimmick could have easily ended up biting itself on one’s own foot – Undertale ends up being a game unlike any other. The turn-based combat features plenty of variety with different kinds of bullet hell minigames, and your actions drastically impact the story’s conclusion depending on who you spare and who you don’t. Undertale is a game that only lasts for 6 hours, but it manages to say so much more than some games that last 60.
Fable II
The original Fable was a great concept that suffered a bit when it came to execution, but Fable 2 made some substantial changes to the experience to great effect. Story decisions carry more weight, side quests are more interesting than before, and plenty of customization options are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the many improvements that it brings over the original. And of course, all that adds up to make Fable 2 arguably the best in the series.
Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver feels like a celebration of this evergreen series, since it manages to bring one of the best games in the franchise to a modern audience. HeartGold and SoulSilver retains the core feel of the originals, while adding some modern blemishes to the experience which makes it one of the best Pokemon games of all time.
Demon’s Souls Remake
Demon’s Souls is generally considered to be the game that started it all when it comes to FromSoftware’s signature RPGs, and even after all these years – it holds up extremely well. Bluepoint Games released a full-fledged remake of this classic recently, and while some aspects like visuals have changed – many of its core elements like the combat and the boss fights have stood the test of time and have remained mostly unchanged for the remake. It’s a pretty unique experience, and one worth experiencing for fans of Soulslikes.
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