Join us as we look at the top 30 best action RPGs as of 2023 and what makes them worth playing.

30. Fallout 3

Much like Skyrim, Fallout 3’s combat hasn’t exactly aged well. However, at the time, it was pretty revolutionary, representing the formerly overhead 2D RPG in a fully 3D world with third and first-person perspectives.

The shooting felt more immersive, and V.A.T.S. was more of a slow-mo targeting system for damaging specific limbs (or exploding heads in over-the-top fashion). Aside from that, the world is well-developed, channeling the isolation of a post-nuclear fallout, while your choices had a notable impact on quests to create memorable moments.

29. Dying Light 2 Stay Human

When going from Dying Light 1 to 2, several things were lost. Fortunately, Techland has been doing a good job restoring some of these, while adding some new features to expand on and improve the combat. Legendary weapons, new enemy types, more dangerous Infected, Legend Levels, dismemberment and much more have been added in post-launch updates, resulting in a more visceral and engaging experience.

28. Bastion

Supergiant Games’ first title, Bastion, mixed isometric combat with some light building mechanics to create a compelling adventure. The world is a mess, and it’s the player’s job to put things back together, with the different structures conferring unique upgrades and facilities. Combat is fairly solid and responsive throughout, with melee and ranged options available, but it’s the story and its mysteries that immerse you, thanks, especially to the Narrator who follows your journey.

27. X-Men Legends 2: Rise of Apocalypse

It’s a shame there haven’t been many action RPG titles in the vein of X-Men Legends, especially with how good Rise of Apocalypse turned out. The story was simple enough as Magneto’s Brotherhood of Mutants teamed with Xavier’s X-Men to defeat Apocalypse, which allowed for squads from an extensive roster.

Each character gained XP to upgrade their abilities and could even execute combos and Super Combos. With a central hub for viewing comic book covers and biographies, a Danger Room for additional missions and updated visuals over the original, X-Men Legends 2 was an upgrade in almost every way (except maybe the voice acting).

26. Weird West

An immersive sim from WolfEye Studios, Weird West is still an action RPG with open-ended objectives and fairly responsive combat. The various playable characters and unique abilities add some flavor to the supernatural adventure, and you can either go in guns-blazing or utilize stealth to take down foes. While some choices may not be that impactful, the combat is on point, the art style sharp, and the world brimming with things to do.

25. Transistor

Weird as it sounds, Supergiant Games’ Transistor qualifies as an action RPG, though it also has a sort of real-time with pause system. Protagonist Red wields the Transistor, a powerful sword, as the Cloudbank faces an attack at the hands of the Process.

During combat, players can go around whacking enemies or pause and plan actions as long as the Action Bar remains. After unpausing, those actions are immediately executed. With a surprising amount of depth to its encounters and Functions, Transistor is a different take on the genre, but one that presents an incredible art style and music to go with its emotional story.

24. Diablo 4

Despite a problematic launch for its first season, Diablo 4 has improved by leaps and bounds since then. Classes have received more items and Uniques to enable distinct builds and many more viable play styles.

The world has received several changes that make leveling up smoother and the end game more enjoyable (teleporting directly to a Nightmare Dungeon from its Sigil being one such change). Even the horse feels much better to control. Though things could always change, Diablo 4 is in a pretty good spot right now and worth checking out for fans of action RPG looters.

23. Ys 9: Monstrum Nox

Ys 8: Lacrimosa of Dana starts slow and often repels those who aren’t into its “stranded on a deserted island” plot or the basic survival tasks. Granted, it opens up and offers an incredible journey, but it takes some time. Ys 9: Monstrum Nox, on the other hand, is full throttle from the get-go.

The city of Balduq is seamless to explore and brimming with things to collect as players use Adol’s new traversal abilities in exciting ways. Each Monstrum’s story is interesting; the combat is as fluid as ever and the bosses fun to fight; and the new activities integrate seamlessly into the game. The Ys series may not be for everyone, but Ys 9 is simply phenomenal.

22. Borderlands 2

The pinnacle of the franchise, Borderlands 2 featured an unforgettable villain, some crazy loot and class synergies, and a decent story. Sure, the end-game devolved into utter chaos, especially in Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode, but with heaps of content and significant improvements over the original, it remains the definitive looter shooter. Yes, even over Borderlands 3.

21. System Shock 2

After the first game’s success, System Shock 2 leaned more into the action aspect while still emphasizing strategy over twitch aiming. Though there were different services of UNN to choose from, each specializing in different branches like weapons, hacking and psionics, the gameplay was still open-ended, encouraging experimentation. Of course, between all the different enemy types and weapons, it’s easy to forget that System Shock 2 is a horror game, with the insanity of SHODAN and the sound design still unmatched.

20. The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

It may not have aged all that well, but one can’t discount the impact of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim’s combat on the genre. Being able to dual-wield and use different kinds of magic while having more agency on the development of your character was incredible, not to mention all of the different Dragon Shouts. The threats it offered, from dragons and giants, also felt fresh and challenging. Melee combat can be hit or miss, but Skyrim made up for it with the quality of its world and exploration.

19. Starfield

You could levy many criticisms against Starfield, but the combat has marked a step up from anything Bethesda has released thus far. The overall feel of shooting is crisp, and seeing the effects of certain weapons, like ballistic weapons pushing you around in Zero-G settings, is pretty cool. Throw in everything else, from compelling ship design and space combat to fun side missions, and Starfield does offer enough reason to lock and load.

18. Dead Island 2

No one expected anything from Dead Island 2 after it spent nearly a decade in limbo. So when it launched as a straightforward, zombie-killing hack-and-slash title with surprisingly deep combat, it was surprising.

Using the environment to damage zombies, unique weapons that all affected the undead in different ways, the Skill Deck for leaning into certain play styles, and the FLESH system, which took gore and dismemberment to a new level, all added to the experience. Even if the missions and story weren’t anything exceptional (the latter did have some fun revelations, though), Dead Island 2 gave you plenty of reason to run around and slay zombies in creative ways. And really, what more could you ask?

17. Remnant 2

The first Remnant is the very definition of a dark horse. With little hype, it cemented itself as a compelling, challenging game that blended third-person shooting with Souls-like mechanics. So to have Remnant 2, a bigger, bolder version with overhauled mechanics, more loot and customization is a dream come true.

From the bleak landscape of N’erud to the crazed streets of Losomn, the sequel offers a strong variety of enemies, fun boss fights and more complex procedural generation for entirely different questlines and challenges in each run. Even the build variety is significantly crazier since you can effectively mix skills from two classes together.

16. Pokémon Legends: Arceus

As perhaps the biggest shift to the Pokemon formula in a long time, Pokemon Legends: Arceus allowed the player to run around and capture Pokemon in real time. You can be attacked and knocked out during battles, which means deploying Pokemon to fight back. It was a big twist utilized in several unique ways throughout the story. Of course, on top of this, Arceus also featured a massive world to explore, tons of Pokemon to collect and an enthralling story that encouraged catching them all.

15. Lords of the Fallen

Like Dead Island 2, Lords of the Fallen is a long time coming, and it delivers on almost every single front. The dark fantasy setting, with the dual world motif playing a major role in the gameplay and story; the three magic schools, each with unique play styles; and the combat, which mimics Dark Souls in the best way possible – Hexworks delivered all this and more, along with some genuinely stunning visuals.

14. Tom Clancy’s The Division 2

Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 has seen so many changes since its launch that it’s hard to keep track. Nevertheless, it’s still one of the best looter shooters available, with new Exotics and Gear Sets leading to a diverse range of playstyles. Combat itself feels very good, with new Signature Weapons adding some exceptional wrinkles without feeling like bog-standard “Ultimates.” With how much The Division 2 has expanded in content, from The Summit to Countdown, it’s easy to get lost in the gear grind.

13. Monster Hunter World: Iceborne

Many appreciate Monster Hunter Rise and its mechanics and the new monsters it delivers, but there’s just something else to Monster Hunter World. Its combat is an altogether different kind of polish, and you’re not bound to Wirebugs to unleash some of the strongest attacks.

The sheer range of monsters, old and new, is fun to fight, while Iceborne ups the difficulty significantly while layering on new Skills, mechanics and match-ups. If the Siege activities aren’t your thing, then maybe you’d like to take on the vast range of optional quests, including collaboration with Resident Evil and The Witcher 3. While it could be frustrating in its own right, Monster Hunter World: Iceborne is a stunning achievement for the franchise.

12. Hogwarts Legacy

Between capturing the essence of the Wizarding World’s locations and atmosphere and creating a fun open world, Hogwarts Legacy had its work cut out for it. Thankfully, even with average loot, it has stellar combat. There’s nothing quite like unleashing a bevy of spells against opponents while dashing around and using Avada Kedavra to wipe them out.

11. Lies of P

If there’s any title that could come close to feeling Bloodborne-like, it’s Lies of P. The Belle Epoque era epic also tosses in aspects of Dark Souls and Sekiro as you look to break an opponent’s stance and follow up with devastating blows.

Along with extensive weapon customization and Puppet Arms for different abilities, there are also unique weapons with powerful skills, adding even more nuance to the combat. Its pacing and boss design may not be on par with FromSoftware’s best, but the fact that it invites such comparisons while delivering stunning environments and ample enemy variety is already an achievement in itself.

10. Demon’s Souls

The original Demon’s Souls is something special. It kick-started the Souls-like genre as we know it, with FromSoftware going on to create the Dark Souls series, Bloodborne and Elden Ring. While it’s impressive, Bluepoint Games took the essence of the action RPG and polished it to a stunning degree on PS5.

You could argue that the graphical upgrade alone shouldn’t make it worth considering, but so much work has gone into enhancing the atmosphere and revamping locations to create a new feeling without taking away from the difficulty.

9. Nioh 2

Team Ninja had a lot to live up to after Nioh. With Nioh 2, it delved even more into what made the series so great – unrelenting but fair difficulty, combined with new aggressive Burst mechanics to overcome enemies.

That’s on top of all the new skills, weapon types, and Yokai Skills, further deepening the combat, while new bosses and mission parameters – including the dreaded Dark Realm. With even more potential for broken builds and extensive end-game activities to test them, Nioh 2 is a meaty experience, even if its difficulty isn’t for everyone.

8. Mass Effect 2

Mass Effect 2 is when the series fully embraced the action RPG genre, becoming a third-person shooter where Shepard could issue commands to his teammates and combo effects together. It was seamless for such a massive leap in gameplay, delivering stellar gunplay while expanding on classes and weapons to offer more options. It’s backed by an amazing story, incredible companions, memorable side quests and one of the best final missions of any game, resulting in an unforgettable experience.

7. Cyberpunk 2077

When Cyberpunk 2077 first launched, its combat was good. Not spectacular, but good. Following numerous updates, it’s evolved into something truly spectacular. Between the bloody finishers, improved melee combat and solid gunplay is a toolset for more different builds.

Become a powerful hacker, spreading viruses and destroying opponents by driving cars into them. Leap around with Mantis Blades or toss bodies around. There are so many possibilities now, and it all feels good to control. Of course, the rest of the game being far better than before doesn’t hurt either.

6. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Widely considered one of the greatest games ever made, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has it all: A compelling story, excellent side quests, a vast world brimming with activities and secrets, and, of course, some strong combat. Refined over the years, especially with the Complete Edition adding quick casting for Signs, the combat has the right amount of feedback as you dance around and demolish enemies.

5. Dark Souls 3

Some may love the first game, while others choose the second game to be different, but Dark Souls 3 is arguably the series’ peak. It strikes a balance with Bloodborne’s fast pace and the classic dodge-rolling gameplay, offers some incredible levels with striking details and delivers an incredible range of boss fights. Combine this with a healthy selection of spells and weapons for replay value, and you have one of the best action RPGs. Even after all these years, few games can match the brilliance of Dark Souls 3.

4. Final Fantasy 16

Yes, the role-playing game mechanics – specifically the loot – are fairly light. Yes, the dungeons weren’t packed with crazy mechanics. However, when it comes to embodying everything that makes the series so worthwhile, Final Fantasy 16 is superb. The combat offers a different take on Break mechanics and constantly adds new abilities and combos to try out as you progress.

The story is an enthralling odyssey with betrayal, revelations and its fair share of grimness. The characters are all portrayed excellently, even if some could have used more time to shine. Above all, the presentation with its visuals and music, especially the Eikon fights, has to be seen first-hand. It may not be everyone’s favorite Final Fantasy, but Final Fantasy 16 is still an accomplished action RPG.

3. Horizon Forbidden West

Video game sequels are meant to improve on their predecessors, and Guerrilla Games took this to heart with Horizon Forbidden West. Every aspect, from the Skill Trees and upgrade system to Armor Skills and open-world activities, is better than the first game. With so many unique movement options like the Shieldwing and Pullcaster, Aloy would have even tougher Machines to deal with, including the Tremortusk, Slaughterspine and Tideripper. It made for an enthralling adventure, as the secrets of the Forbidden West were laid bare.

2. Elden Ring

FromSoftware’s magnum opus, its take on the open-world genre, is nothing short of masterful. The Lands Between is brimming with secrets and challenges, and even with some repeated content and cheap bosses, it’s an epic journey.

If seeing what’s around the next corner is a big motivator, then combat is perhaps the second biggest, mixing the best of Dark Souls with the most customization in a Souls-like title yet. Whether you’re a samurai specializing in Bleed builds, a Warrior jump-attacking everything with dual greatswords or slinging spells, there are so many ways to play, to say nothing of the wide variety of Spirit Ashes that serve as companions.

1. Bloodborne

It’s only fitting that one of the few games that can match FromSoftware’s best works is what many consider its best work to date. Bloodborne isn’t the most technically accomplished action RPG on this list due to being stuck on the PS4 for all these years.

Nevertheless, it delivers a gothic Victorian setting and a sense of all-encompassing dread. The combat is still enthralling, engaging and involving, introducing weapon transformations and firearms for new ways to topple enemies. Throw in some excellent bosses and engrossing lore, and Bloodborne still towers over its competitors.

Red Dead Redemption 2

Rockstar Games’ Red Dead Redemption 2, much like any other open-world from the developer’s portfolio, is chock full of content to engage with, secrets to find, treasures to hunt, and so much more. Red Dead Redemption 2 does a wonderful job of stitching swaths of content seamlessly into its vivid and varied open world. The tale of Van Der Linde’s gang on the run is in perfect harmony with the game’s focus on exploration. It’s not uncommon to see players spending hundreds of hours hunting down each nook and cranny in search of many of its secrets to achieve the coveted 100% completion rate.

When a smaller indie company has a hit, there’s generally two paths they can go: building on what made their game successful or try and go in a different direction all together and create a brand consisting of various titles. Bastion developer Supergiant Games took the latter path after their game was successful, and a new documentary from the fantastic folks at NoClip document the struggles of their second game, Transistor.

The video, titled ‘The Untold Story Behind the Design of Transistor‘ details how the team went about making their sophomore title. They decided to use what they had learned with Bastion, but also went in a radically different direction overall, changing both the game’s style, gameplay and storytelling. They also had new members who had joined during the development of Bastion, meaning they were starting a game with new faces that wasn’t there at the start of their first game. The video is highly worth a watch.

Transistor is available on PlayStation 4, Switch, PC and iOS.

Knights of Pen and Paper 2 (iOS, Android)

Role-playing as a group of D&D players and their dungeon master as they role-play their own adventure? That’s Knights of Pen and Paper for you. The sequel, developed by a different studio, offers less grinding and an overall easier experience to battle through. With features like a Mega-Dungeon, an all-new campaign and new character classes, Knights of Pen and Paper 2 is worth checking out even with the in-app purchases.

The swirling firestorm of controversy surrounding the Epic Games Store is one that never seems to end, and we’ve covered it extensively- from Epic Games’ CEO Tim Sweeny’s philosophy on the storefront and response to criticism, to players taking their frustration out by review bombing certain games. Regardless of that, the store has been giving out free games every two weeks- and now it’s Transistor’s turn.

The sci-fi RPG released originally in 2014 to massive critical acclaim for its cyberpunk-inspired aesthetic and unique blending of real-time and turn based combat. It’s developed by Supergiant Games- the developer’s latest title, Hades(currently in early access), was one of the first titles to be announced as an exclusive to the Epic Games Store, being on the front lines of the ongoing debate about the launcher and its impact on the PC gaming market.

You can grab Transistor for free up until May 2^nd, when it’ll be replaced by World of Goo. The game is also available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and mobile. You can read our review for it here.

Supergiant Games have made a string of excellent action RPGs since they became a factor in the industry, with the likes of Bastion and the more recent Pyre. Lying in between those two was Transistor, a similarly excellent title with a unique aesthetic, fantastic writing and storytelling, and imaginative and engaging combat mechanics.

If you’ve never tried the game out before, now’s your chance to do so- it will be offered for free on the Epic Games Store from April 18th to May 2nd, as part of the digital storefront’s initiative to offer two free games to customers every month. The game currently on offer for free on the store is The Witness, so it’s a great month of two excellent offerings for the low price of nada.

Transistor is definitely worth checking out, with lots more going for it than what’s already been mentioned above. Give our review a read to find out more and judge whether anything piques your interest. Meanwhile, it and Bastion are also available on the Switch, and the system’s portable nature makes it a great fit for both of them, so maybe give that a look as well.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Yes, we had Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain but those were prequels. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance was a spin-off that focused on Raiden (and was somewhat confirmed as non-canon by creator Hideo Kojima). As it stands, Metal Gear Solid 4 offered the most complete ending for Solid Snake possible as he embraced the desire to live for himself despite all the trauma faced. There’s also all that jazz about the Patriots being defeated, Meryl getting married and everyone generally living happily ever after as well.

In case you need more awesome indie games on the Switch after Into the Breach, you’ll be happy to know that Supergiant Games have announced that two of their three games – Bastion and Transistor – will both be coming to the hybrid platform. Bastion launches first, in October, with Transistor following just a few weeks later.

Whether or not the Switch ports of the two acclaimed and fan-favorite action RPGs will have any special Switch exclusive content like many games often do on Nintendo’s platform is currently unknown. However, you can at least try these games hands-on for yourself soon, because both Bastion ad Transistor will be playable at PAX West this weekend, should you happen to be attending that. They’ll be at the Supergiant Games booth.

You can check out the announcement trailers for both games for yourself below. I’m sure many will be thrilled at having these games available to them on the go. Bastion launches on Switch on October 13, with Transistor following on November 1.

Supergiant Games’ Transistor may not be out on Xbox One just yet but it’s still a great success for the developer. It revealed in a new blog post that the futuristic action RPG has managed to sell more than one million copies in its lifetime.

“We feel incredibly fortunate to be able to stick together as a team and with any luck keep making the kinds of games that resonate with you for a long time to come.”

Creative director Greg Kasavin further added that, “Word-of-mouth is what kept Bastion going for way, way longer than we could have imagined, and it’s what’s kept Transistor going strong, too.”

It should be noted that Bastion, Supergiant’s first game, sold +3 million copies but it was available on wider variety of platforms (Transistor had separate releases on PS4 & PC, Mac OS X & Linux and iOS in its lifetime). What are your thoughts on Transistor’s success though? Let us know below.

Supergiant Games’ creative director Greg Kasavin has revealed sales figures for the studio’s biggest games. Bastion, released in 2011, managed to sell 3 million units across multiple platforms since its release. Transistor released early last year and sold 600,000 units since then.

“Bastion’s success exceeded our wildest fantasies by quite a bit.”

Transistor has actually been doing better though, “Word-of-mouth is what kept Bastion going for way, way longer than we could have imagined, and it’s what’s kept Transistor going strong, too.” Kasavin also remarked that Transistor is selling faster than Bastion even though it’s available for PS Vita, PS4 and PC only.

Both games have been critically acclaimed for their gameplay, stories, music and voice acting. Will the success of Transistor help its arrival to Xbox platforms or will it stay on PlayStation? Kasavin didn’t offer any information on the same but we can always hope. Stay tuned for updates on the same.