Role-playing games have long been associated primarily with Japanese developers, and it’s not hard to see why. There are countless Japanese game creators whoabsolutely excel at making RPGs, many of whom have been at it for a very, very long time.
But over the years, developers outside of Japan have tried their hand at the genre, resulting in new and creative takes on the tried-and-true formula. But which among these western-developed RPGs are not only the best of the best in their field, but still manage to hold up to this day?
Game director Warren Spector and his team at Ion Storm captured something special when they made the cyberpunk spy masterpiece Deus Ex. Playing as futuristic special agent JC Denton, you get a remarkable amount of freedom to choose how you play this stealthy globetrotting story.
Not only did Deus Ex revolutionize aspects of gaming (and helped popularizethe immersive sim genre), but it was so ahead of its time that it still feels good to play today. The graphics may be dated, but the dynamic gameplay and intriguing conspiracy-filled story remain as engaging as ever.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is often brought up in discussions of thebest RPGs of all time, and for good reason. It’s a rich, deep narrative set in the Star Wars universe with tons of choices to make and fantastic characters. It also lets you recruit a sassy homicidal assassin droid. Top marks.
But there’s something even more special about its sequel, Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords. It introduces a much more nuanced story beyond simple good and evil, enhances combat with the enjoyable stance system, and manages to build on everything the original introduced. The fact that it’s still so beloved despite remaining technically unfinished is a true testament to its quality.
Sometimes, all it takes is a good hook to really grab your attention. Planescape: Torment has you playing as an immortal man who loses his memory every time he ‘dies’ and must go on a journey to discover everything he’s forgotten. How can you not be intrigued?
Beyond that premise, the game is also heavily dialog-focused, with combat present but not the main event.The writing would have to be top-notchfor such a game to succeed, and while Planescape: Torment was a bit of a flop upon launch, the quality of the story and character dialog has ensured that fans flock to it in the years since.
When it comes to the original Mass Effect trilogy, it seems like everyone has their own favorite. They’re all absolutely valid choices, but there’s something truly special about Mass Effect 3, effectively the culmination of everything the previous two games had been building up to, both story and gameplay-wise.
Playing as Commander Shepard once again, it’s your job to help unite the galaxy now that the existence-ending Reapers have finally arrived in force. There’s still romance and some good humor, and the combat is tighter than ever. But you can really feel that you’re in the middle of a war the whole time, and that intensity really enhances the whole experience.
In any given RPG, you’d probably expect theside quests to be little more than distractions and padding. If you’ve gathered one random resource for a local shop owner, you’ve gathered them all. Not so with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
Nearly every side quest in The Witcher 3 is its own immersive tale, with some arguably eclipsing the main story for many players. That’s no small feat considering how well-done and well-written the whole game is, slightly clunky combat aside. Traveling the land hunting monsters never felt so good.
Oh, who ordered the hot take? Yes, previous Elder Scrolls games have been deeper in many ways, with more engaging stories or mechanics (who doesn’t lament the loss of spell crafting?) But have you tried to play them recently? They’re the gameplay equivalent of uncooked pasta. There’s a reason The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim has seen so many re-releases since its 2011 debut, and it absolutely isn’t arrow-in-the-knee memes.
This game is far more polished and streamlined than its predecessors, from combat to world design, and it hasn’t stopped feeling amazing to play even a little. You’ll get a deeper experience from countless other RPGs, but Skyrim is the ultimate ‘turn off your brain and enjoy’ fantasy. Pick a direction and you’ll be happily engaged for hours. Literally, if you happen to have an Amulet of Mara.
Developer Obsidian wasn’t content creating just one legendary sequel to a beloved game with Knights of the Old Republic 2. It brought the energy again with Fallout: New Vegas, a game that arguably outdoes its immediate predecessor Fallout 3 as soundly as twice-baked potatoes.
The gameplay loop and vibe are what you remember from Fallout 3, with a vast open-world wasteland to explore and combat that all but requires use of the V.A.T.S. system. But as you delve deeper, meeting its fantastic characters and running from its fantastic monsters, you discover much more nuanced writing and quest design that make many games even today feel lacking in comparison.
The genuinely quite good Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a far more divisive game than it really should be. But there’s no denying that it, along with the other Dragon Age games, is still quite a bit removed from where the series began. At least aside fromtheir regular commitment to cheese jokes. That levity was a bit more necessary in Dragon Age: Origins, which went to some remarkably dark places in its story that subsequent games haven’t quite replicated.
Dragon Age: Origins is a straight-up CRPG, harkening back to classics like Baldur’s Gate and Neverwinter Nights, but in a much more user-friendly package. Not only does it still play extremely well, it also expertly establishes the super-rich fantasy world of Thedas that fans have fallen in love with for years now. It also has romance and a dog. There is little else you need.
Have you ever wanted to get into CRPGs but were always put off by the often intricate combat? Have you also always wished they had a talking necktie and helped you discover your true feelings about communism? Well, throw in the perfect video game partner by way of Kim Kitsuragi and it’s your lucky day.
Disco Elysium has no combat. All you do as you explore the crunchy city of Revochol is talk and interact using tabletop-style dice rolls, and you’re going to have a lot of fun doing both. The writing and performances in this game are sublime, and you’ll absolutely find yourself laughing out loud roughly as much as you find yourself contemplating your own mind.
The game’s creators have unfortunately since left developer ZA/UM, so make sure to follow them for true Disco Elysium successors.
While Dragon Age: Originssuccessfully streamlined CRPGsinto something even more casual players could enjoy, Baldur’s Gate 3 took that same idea and absolutely sprinted with it. This game is remarkably polished in every aspect from its animations to its writing and beyond. It’s deep, it’s well-written, it’s funny, it’s romantic, it lets you pet a dog, it’s got everything.
Summary
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a true melting pot of classic RPG quality and modern ideas. Combat is intricate and difficult, but never impossible. You’re given a surprising amount of player freedom to tackle every situation however you like, assuming the dice rolls in your favor. You can be as good or evil as you want, and no matter which way you go, you’ll always have someone who’s super cool with whatever weird crap you just did. Baldur’s Gate 3 lets your freak flag fly, and now you won’t be judged by everyone else at your Dungeons & Dragons table.
