The Best RPGs You Should Check Out

Here is our list of the Best RPGs available today. Are you looking for something new to play or trying to expand your horizons? We have some must-play titles right here.

The RPG is probably the biggest and most important genre in gaming. While action adventure games tend to take the crown only the RPG lets players express themselves to the fullest in digital worlds. And they come in many different flavors. You either have to fill the shoes of a larger-than-life character or make your own to interact with the world the developers have cooked up.

So to help you find whatever you want to play next, let us recommend some the best RPGs of the last 10-20 years. Maybe you'll find your next favorite or give something a try you've never heard about.

The Best RPGs

Baldur's Gate 3

Let's get the big one out of the way. Yes, Baldur's Gate 3 is as good maybe even better than you think it is. It is the gigantic effort put forward by Larian Studios and it won all the awards for a good reason. There are not many games that let the player truly inhabit the character they are playing, finding solutions to problems the game sometimes doesn't even account for.

Riding the wave of the recent popularity of Dungeons&Dragons they managed to put the experience into a video game, much like its predecessors. All of this is wrapped up by some fantastic writing, dotted with extremely well-realized characters who are voiced by some of the industry's greatest. A true standout title you shouldn't miss out on.

Cyberpunk 2077

Despite having a rather rough start in its life, Cyberpunk 2077 ended up being one of the most interesting, well-written, and stunning-looking titles of the last decade. Studio CD Project RED managed to bring the Pen&Paper RPG to life with some awe-inspiring detail while adapting its roleplay system into a sick, versatile shooter that lets players fight around Nightcity with style.

All of this is tied together by a harrowing story, featuring some instant classic characters such as Johnny Silverhand or Panem whose swagger is only matched by their larger-than-life personalities. This was then only stepped up by the Phantom Liberty expansion which offers a new, separate storyline that thematically rounds out the main game's narrative.

The Witcher 3

Another obvious pick is CD Project RED's other mega RPG, the Witcher which adopts the popular Polish fantasy novels into a palpable video game world. The player slips into the role of Witcher Geralt from the books who now aims to wrap up the story started in those books. You don't have to have read the books or played the previous games to get a feel of what the story is about but fans of the series will have their fill with countless references and callbacks.

Sometimes the game threatens to sink into the mire that was mid-2010's open-world game design but is saved by some out-of-this-world writing and quest designs that pulls you into this world. if you're looking for a role-playing game, this is the one. You become Geralt and have to navigate a tragically human fantasy world where the concept of good and evil doesn't exist.

Pillars Of Eternity

Not many titles can claim they got to the same luster as the legendary Baldur's Gate 1+2 but damn it, Obsidian did it with their original crowd-funded Pillars Of Eternity which was a modern take on the then-aging cRPG genre. Before Baldur's Gate 3, this was the game that tried to bring tabletop RPGs to the computer.

Its benefit is that it doesn't try to adapt a game into a game, its systems are specifically designed to be a video game. Written and produced by the masters at Obsidian who have worked on many of those Neverwinter, Fallouts and so on this might be one of the completest RPG experiences out there as long as you don't mind reading.

Final Fantasy 9

While I could've put any Final Fantasy game in here, trust me they are all absolutely stellar in their own right, I think FF9 is the one everyone should at least take a look at. At 25 years old, it is still a visual feast and offers one of the most robust combat systems in the entire series. Initially envisioned to be the swansong of the Final Fantasies of old, it took on a life on its own.

This is big talk, especially for a franchise that is dotted with some of the greatest gaming has to offer. But Zidanne's adventure and the way he and his friends overcome any trial thrown their way is awe-inspiring. It is the closest gaming has to a feel-good fantasy epic like Lord of the Rings that teaches some valuable lessons along the way.

Yakuza: Like A Dragon

Commonly known as Yakuza 7 is the 7th mainline entry in the Yakuza franchise. It's also a soft reboot of sorts that turns the series into an RPG fashioned after Dragon Quest while casting a brand-new main character. Like the other titles, this game is a fun riff on Japanese Gangsta movies with some fantastic elements and utter nonsense to keep things interesting.

But the star of the show is former gangsta turned part-time jobber/hero Ichiban. The way his story unfolds, the tragedies he endures, and the friends he makes along the way are something really special that you don't see in other RPGs. Brought to life in the Japanese voiceover by some of the best voice acting this medium has to offer, RGG Studios has made one of the most inspirational RPGs ever made.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines

If you have never heard of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, let me be the one to introduce you. Based on the World of Darkness Pen&Paper RPG, this game casts you as a newly risen vampire who has to navigate complex politics, character drama, and a very disturbing take on what vampires living in modern society would look like.

It is old, it runs on Source Engine, and might break from time to time but don't let the jank deter you. It's a feature. You get a one-of-a-kind RPG out of it that knows exactly what it's going for. Balancing humor, drama, and horror in an awe-inspiring way. And all of that is delivered by some outstanding voice acting that to this day seeks its equal.

And those are our picks for the best RPGs everyone should try at least once. Maybe you've found a new favorite here or maybe you've been encouraged to try out something new. It has been an honor and a privilege to hand out these recommendations and for more gaming news and the latest in esports make sure to visit us here on ESTNN