The 25 best RPGs you can (and should) play right now

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The best RPGs take you on some of the most memorable adventures through tons of different mind-bending environments. From sci-fi worlds to fantasy lands, you can role-play a myriad of characters, be it an individual of your own making or an established hero whose fate rests in your controller. But what makes the best RPGs truly so enjoyable is their casts of memorable characters who join your party, their strong storytelling, choices with consequences, and engrossing combat systems.

In fact, you can find some of the best game stories of all time among our picks of the best RPGs. What often makes these adventures so engaging is how we can help shape those stories with entertaining side quests, choices that lead to different routes or paths, and potentially even different endings depending on what we do.  Many of the fantastic games included on this list also have ties to the best MMORPGs, the best JRPGs, and the best single-player games, so be sure to check out those selections if you're looking for more great recommendations.

So, while we wait for some of the most exciting upcoming RPGs coming our way in the future - with the likes of Mass Effect 5, Fallout 5, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard - read on below to find the 25 best RPGs you can play right now.

The 25 best RPGs you can play right now

25. In Stars and Time

Developer: insertdisc5
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Switch

In Stars and Time is one of the best indie RPGs we saw in 2023, and it's well worth checking out if you're looking for something with a unique twist. Following the adventure of Siffrin and their friends, you set out to try and end an evil king's schemes. But just as you try to do the final showdown, you find yourself trapped in a time loop.

With every death and mistake you make, you learn more - growing stronger, wiser, and more capable of taking on the king with each attempt. Complete with an engaging turn-based combat system that follows the rules of rock paper scissors and a satisfying sense of progression, the party you journey with feels like a real found family, and the design and feel of In Stars and Time leave a lasting impression.

24. Horizon Forbidden West

Developer: Guerrilla Games
Platform(s): PS4, PS5

Horizon Forbidden West is the sequel to the beloved Horizon Zero Dawn, and it does exactly what a good sequel should: it iterates on what made the game great and pushes itself beyond that. The open world of the Forbidden West beckons you with enticing quests in every corner and robot dinosaurs around every bend, with enough variety to feel excitingly fresh while also feeling familiar, like a warm blanket wrapped around your shoulders on a cold night.

Simple fetch quests expand into beautiful stories, and Aloy remains the center of this world as a character you are immediately drawn to and root for. There are few sequels that so elegantly expand upon the original like this game. In fact, we called it "phenomenal" during our Horizon Forbidden West review, and it's an RPG you can't miss.

23. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Developer: Square Enix
Platform(s): PS5

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth takes us beyond the city of Midgar in Final Fantasy 7 Remake to bring us a grand, sprawling adventure in the wider world. Following Cloud and the gang as they set off in pursuit of Sephiroth, Rebirth builds on what came before, with new synergy abilities and skills in combat, more opportunities to bond with your party, and impressive modern recreations of locales plucked from the original 1997 release.

As we said in our Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth review, the follow-up adds meaningful improvements to side content, and the overall experience is elevated by just how much the party is able to shine as a group throughout. While it's still worth diving into Remake first, Rebirth is undoubtedly a fitting continuation.

22. Divinity: Original Sin 2

Developers: Larian Studios
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch

There's a ton of flexibility in Divinity: Original Sin 2, as well as rewarding combat and beautiful visuals that really make this one of the best RPGs around. Take your time when choosing your Divinity 2 class, as the depth and flexibility of your build mean your first decision is an important one.

Then, dive into the world of Rivellon, where dark beings from beyond the veil are invading after the one person meant to hold them back died before the start of this game's events. At times, this game will feel a helluva lot like you're enjoying a tabletop RPG, thanks to Larian Studios embracing choice and creativity. Once you pick up Divinity: Original Sin 2, you'll find it hard to put down.

21. Cyberpunk 2077

Developer: CD Projekt Red
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Cyberpunk 2077 has come a long way since it first launched in 2020, with a myriad of improvements, updates that add more to the experience, and the recent launch of the Phantom Liberty DLC featuring an espionage-shaped adventure starring Idris Elba.

Following the journey of V, who sets out to save their own life after a gig takes a very bad turn, you get swept up in the goings-on of Night City with an engram of an infamous rockerboy by the name of Johnny Silverhand, aka Keanu Reeves. With a host of characters to meet along the way - and some you can develop a relationship with if you so choose - the neon-tinted RPG takes you on quite a ride. For more details, check out our five-star Cyberpunk 2077 review.

20. The Outer Worlds

Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch

The Outer Worlds is a game that lets Obsidian show off its best talent: Making RPGs with great dialogue, engaging characters, and a world that drags you in and never lets you go. The Outer Worlds feels like Firefly and Mass Effect had a neon space baby, and you are the caretaker of its future – no pressure. Sure, this game asks you to do a lot of talking in order to get to the best bits it has to offer, but almost every conversation you have with the denizens of Halcyon will delight you in some way.

As we mention in our The Outer Worlds review, brilliant voice acting coupled with cracking writing, and surprisingly deft facial animations, means you will be picking favorites and picking them fast. This makes every decision more difficult, which is the mark of a great RPG: the ability to make you sweat with anxiety over a superficially innocuous dialogue option. The Outer Worlds 2 is also currently being worked on, so be sure to play this game before the sequel comes out!

19. Pillars of Eternity

Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch

If you find yourself reminiscing about Baldur's Gate's, Pillars of Eternity is the game for you. It's also a game for you to get into if you're looking forward to Obsidian's upcoming game, Avowed, which is set in Eora – the same world as PoE. The world of Eora is a captivating world full of different races like elves, dwarves, humans, orlans, aumaua, and more – there's a clear Dungeon and Dragons influence here.

You might spend hours on the character creation screen before you even dive into the compelling story, which offers eleven playable classes and the option to choose a pet (yes, you read that right). Talking to characters includes descriptions of their body language to help you better decide how to react to them, which is just one of many amazing details that prove Obsidian really put everything into Pillars of Eternity.

18. Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Developer: Intelligent Systems
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch

Fire Emblem: Three Houses brings the turn-based strategy series to Nintendo Switch, which means you can spend hundreds of hours delving into its epic story no matter where you are. Not long after you boot up Three Houses, you'll find yourself wanting to build your team while commuting to work and learn more about every last character while waiting in the doctor's office.

With a great story propelling the action forward into tight and difficult turn-based combat, Three Houses greatly improves upon the original formula. There's even a Persona-like relationship simulator that will have you arguing over your favorite characters with friends and getting emotionally invested in every last one of them. This is one you won't wanna miss. Read our Fire Emblem: Three Houses review for more info!

17. Pokemon Legends: Arceus

Developer: Game Freak
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch

Game Freak wanted to create a new way to enjoy all the best Pokemon games, and Pokemon Legends Arceus does all that and more. Not only does the story pull you in immediately, but the shift to open-world exploration delivers the kind of Pokemon experience we all dreamed of when we were young.

The series, which has doggedly stuck to its formula for 25 years, needed a game like Arceus, which injects it with new life, focusing more on the Pokemon and less on the gym leaders. This is delightful for fans of the 'mons as the "gotta catch 'em all" phrase truly takes center stage. As we pointed out in our Pokemon Legends Arceus review, there's so much fun to be had while playing this title that you won't mind the occasional performance issue, we promise.

16. Persona 5 Royal

Developer: Atlus
Platform(s): PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch

School is hard. It’s even harder when you have a super-powered alter ego who spends their nights roaming through a supernatural realm fighting the bloodthirsty, personified desires of the people around them. Persona 5 Royal is an expanded version of Persona 5, one of the best RPG games of 2017.

The expansion gives quality of life and gameplay adjustments, plus two new characters, adding even more value to the 100-hour game. Persona 5 wants you to understand each character, and Royal gives you the chance to learn about mysterious student Kasumi Yoshizawa and school counselor Takuto Maruki - you'll be entrenched in the world of Shujin Academy before you know it. Read our Persona 5 review if you want more details on why this is one of the best RPGs of all time.

15. Diablo 3

Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Platform(s): Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, PC

Diablo 3 made its debut a decade ago and in that time it has steadily risen to become one of the best cooperative RPGs out there. Once Blizzard cleared out the controversial auction house, refined the loot system, and expanded the endgame, Diablo 3 was given the space it needed to surpass its original limitations – the game that exists today is truly phenomenal.

Whether you're exploring the depths of Sanctuary alone or partying up with three other friends to take on the most challenging encounters, Diablo 3 is still one hell of a good experience. And if this gives you a taste for more, you can also dive right into Diablo 4.

14. Stardew Valley

Developer: ConcernedApe
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch

In Stardew Valley, Pelican Town welcomes everyone. After inheriting your grandfather’s farm, you might want to cultivate the land into a lush paradise with fruits and vegetables springing from the ground, or perhaps you’d rather focus on the social side of the game and romance a villager of your choosing.

As more of the game unfolds, the further you’ll get - aside from selling your produce and/or levelling up friendships, you can also tackle the dungeon-crawling mines. Or spend your days fishing. Or just buy hats to reward yourself for reaching milestones. Seasons dictate what you can and can’t do, so you’ll soon fall into a pleasantly repetitive routine. And that's a very good thing. If you have the farming bug, you can also check out our list of the best games like Stardew Valley to play now.

13. Dragon's Dogma 2

Developer: Capcom
Platform(s): PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS5

If you're looking for an RPG with an open world that's ripe for discovery and exploration, Dragon's Dogma 2 more than fits the bill. With the freedom to create and customize your Arise however you wish, you can also decide who on the companion Pawns will join you along the way.

As we explained in our Dragon's Dogma 2 review, the RPG delivers a "grand sense of adventure" in which you can choose how you approach each scenario the fantasy setting - with its myriad of dangers - throws your way.

12. Dragon Age: Inquisition

Developer: BioWare
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X

Sorry to drop some major life lessons on you, but the people you surround yourself with say a hell of a lot about you as a person. The same principle applies to Dragon Age: Inquisition. Adventuring around its massive, dangerous areas alone would lead to you becoming a bloody red smudge pretty quickly, so tailoring your group of followers will depend entirely on how you prefer to play.

Bloodthirsty melee players will benefit from keeping those mages at a distance to buff you in combat, or if you prefer to stay safely away from the action, you’ll need to befriend The Iron Bull, who’s buff in a very different way. Getting swept up in the story and to acquainted with each of the characters is enough motivation to return to Inquisition’s world time and time again. Read our Dragon Age: Inquisition review to learn more about this classic.

11. Bloodborne

Developer: FromSoftware
Platform(s): PS4

Welcome to Yarnum, a gloomy, somber city straight out of a gothic novel whose inhabitants are suffering through a plague – not just of the illness type, but also the dangerous beasts type. Yarnum, despite being the last place you'd want to visit IRL, will entice you, begging you to return back to it long after you've bested its worst.

You'll want to knock on more doors and hear the bizarre cackles of villagers, or walk along another rooftop in an attempt to find a hidden mystery. Our Bloodborne review points out how this is a near-perfect game, and for good reason. Bloodborne's streamlined RPG elements have you working with six stats, and the character creator lets you design some of the coolest Victorian Gothic heroes ever. The hats, man, the hats are so cool.

10. Assassin's Creed Odyssey

Developer: Ubisoft
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X

If you couldn't tell already from our five-star Assassin’s Creed Odyssey review, this is a leap forward for Ubisoft’s stabby series. For the first time, you have NPCs to romance (whether you want to be a Casanova or as chaste as a saint), and dialogue options. Then combine those brand-new features with the return of naval combat and enough side-quests, locations, and hidden secrets to keep you busy for days, and you've got Odyssey.

Your misthios (mercenary) Alexios or Kassandra is truly yours to shape however you wish. With nine endings to unlock, the way you end specific quests will end up impacting the world around you, whether that’s for the better or worse. You know what that means? Multiple playthroughs. If you dare, of course, as you will be kept busy for over 100 hours if you choose to explore everywhere and do everything (and everyone). This RPG put the Assassin's Creed series on a new path - one that both Assassin's Creed Origins and Assassin's Creed Valhalla would go on to follow.

9. Disco Elysium

Developer: ZA/UM
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch

In Disco Elysium, you're a detective who has a drinking problem, drug-induced amnesia, and you can die in the opening minutes while trying to get your tie from the ceiling fan. There's no traditional combat, but there are dialogue trees and skill checks, and you'll need to upgrade skills to pass skill checks - however, it's a slippery slope.

Upgrade your Drama too high, and you might be partial to the occasional fit of hysterics. All of Disco Elysium is based on dice rolls, which are added to your skill value and stat value - the resulting roll and addition of all the stats will tell you if you've succeeded in completing a task, which can be as asinine as getting your tie from a ceiling fan.

8. Elden Ring

Developer: FromSoftware
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X

Elden Ring introduces you to a breathtakingly beautiful world filled with bizarre, twisted lore that's the result of a collab between George R. R. Martin and Hidetaka Miyazaki - and you'll never want to leave it. From poison swamps to cursed kings, The Lands Between is fascinating and fearsome. Elden Ring is an absolute beast, taking the best parts of the FromSoftware formula and injecting them with refreshing new elements that attract veteran and beginner players alike.

If you want to avoid that big, bad boss early on in the game, hop on your horse Torrent and level up a bit, or find a better weapon tucked away in a castle full of mean magicians. There are tons of options for players that mean countless permutations of weapon, armor, and stat builds; giving you so many ways to play this game you can easily justify a playthrough or two (or three). Read our Elden Ring review for more details!

7. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Developer: BioWare
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch

Sometimes, RPGs can feel a bit unapproachable. If you're not a lover of the game type, you might feel daunted by a title that requires an endless supply of patience or a seemingly endless supply of choice. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is a game that appeals to hardcore RPG players and those who may have been hesitant to join the ranks. Set 4,000 years before the movies' events, you are tasked with training in the ways of the Force under the tutelage of the Jedi.

The game lets you pick from three character classes at the start of the game and choose if your character will align with the dark side or the light side of the Force. This is easily one of the best Star Wars games around, and fans Eden as it captures the magical, space-fantastical essence of the films while imbuing the entire experience with choice. There's incredible voice-acting, accessible gameplay, and sparkling supporting characters. Plus, you get to swing a karking lightsaber.

6. Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

Developer: Bethesda
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch

Be anyone you want. Do anything you want. Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is rammed full of delirious licenses to properly live in its world. You can devote yourself to Alchemy and go hunting for a Daedra heart, adventure to the top of the Companions, or just wander around Skyrim making a living harvesting wheat and potatoes as a farmhand.

Sure, the threat of a dragon razing a nearby village is almost ever-present. But despite the incoming apocalypse, your goals in Skyrim are just that - your own. Nothing forces you to accept quests. While we wait for Elder Scrolls 6 to be released, rest assured that Skyrim boots you out into the open with some looted gear and a whole world at your feet, and then it’s up to you to find out what kind of Dragonborn you want to be.

5. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Developer: Nintendo
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch

Link is a blank canvas. A wonderful, quiet, blank canvas that you can turn into a stealthy Sheikah, a fully-armored knight, or someone who runs around in their underwear throwing chickens at Moblins. Link’s personality is so malleable that you can do whatever you want in Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and it just feels right. Despite the apocalypse that’s on the way, people have their own business to be getting on with and let you do exactly the same.

From spotting the tip of a new tower in the distance to navigating one of the mysterious mazes on the edge of the map, your surroundings are so intriguing that the world practically begs you to get distracted, fitting perfectly into the idea that Link has woken up after decades in slumber and just can’t stay still. Read our Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild review for more details. It's also worth checking out the follow-up Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom.

4. Fallout: New Vegas

Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One

You can't blame The Courier for going on their rampage. Someone just shot them in the head; they survived, and now they want answers. But with all of Fallout: New Vegas’ land available to explore right from the beginning, that can wait. Not really a surprise, considering it’s also one of the best open world games around. You might even decide that finding the person who shot you in the head is the last thing you want, your survival instinct telling you that you had probably best stay away.

Join one of the many fierce factions, try to become the Savior of the Damned by boosting your good karma, or simply create your own goals. Collect all the teddy bears in the land. Clear Quarry Junction from its, er… pest problem. It's up to you. Seriously, New Vegas isn't just one of the best RPGs of all time; it's also one of the best Fallout games ever made. It's a must-play.

3. Mass Effect 2

Developer: BioWare
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X

In this sequel (which you can enjoy with the entire trilogy thanks to the Mass Effect Legendary Edition), BioWare takes the foundation laid in Mass Effect (Commander Shepherd must navigate space racism and the potential destruction of the universe) and builds a beautiful shiny space house on top of it. Oh, and it chucks out the goddamn Mako maneuvering. There's a completely redesigned combat system that evokes the duck and cover style of the Gears games - with Shepherd's special skills and your squad's unique abilities; you get dynamic gameplay that feels personalized.

The game's comfortable place as the space meat in the middle of the "introducing you to this world" and "destroying this world" sandwich gives the plot some breathing room. Into that breathing room steps the most incredible cast of characters potentially ever. The romance options actually hurt your feelings, the background stories tug at your heartstrings, and the ideological arguments between your friends paralyze you. Sure, RPGs are good at evoking emotion and forcing you to make game-time decisions, but the sheer magnitude of how much Mass Effect 2 makes you care is a rare achievement. Find out more about this masterpiece in our Mass Effect 2 review.

2. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Developer: CD Projekt Red
Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch

There's nothing quite like The Witcher 3. One moment, you can help put the soul of a Noonwraith to rest, and the next, you can head to the Passiflora and engage in some heavy petting (that you paid for). With a fantastic mix of tough (but fun) combat, brilliant writing, and truly difficult decisions, The Witcher 3 will sink its hooks into you faster than you can say, "Wind's howling." Geralt of Rivia is both reviled and required by the people of this mythical world, and the tension of being an outsider in an environment growing more prejudiced by the minute is palpable.

But, as we mentioned in our Witcher 3 review, keeping busy is easy. Spend your time slaying monsters or seeking out rare armor tucked away in hard-to-reach areas - the choice is yours. And once you're done with the weighty and intense main storyline, you can simply download The Blood and Wine and Hearts of Stone DLC for a few dozen more hours of hanging out with Geralt and Roach. Simply put, this is the second best damn RPG you can play right now, so toss a coin to your Witcher; you've got the time – we're in for a wait for The Witcher 4, after all.

1. Baldur's Gate 3

Developer: Larian Studios
Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S

Baldur's Gate 3 is not only the best RPG around, but it also topped our pick of the best games of 2023. And it's no wonder when you consider the depth and breadth of Larian's adventure. In fact, we are still playing this game today and it's raised the bar high for every new RPG that comes our way.

With so much freedom to shape your journey, the Sword Coast is a veritable playground for you to experiment - whether that be with the abilities of your chosen class, what decisions you make during major story beats, or who - if anyone - you decide to romance as you try to deal with the tadpole lodged in your brain. With a memorable cast of characters, fantastic storytelling, and choices with impactful consequences, Baldur's Gate 3 is a massively engrossing experience that is leading the charge when it comes to the modern RPG landscape.

If you want to know more about our top pick for the best RPG of all time, read our Baldur's Gate 3 review.

For more titles, check out our list of all the new games heading our way this year and next.