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Playing computer RPGs is a life-long hobby of mine that I consider a guilty pleasure. Considering that even the smallest ones take about 30 hours (and some well over 100) to complete, I've probably wasted more than a few 40-hour work weeks on this geeky hobby. Here are some of my personal favorites through the years. To narrow down the list, all of them are single-player games and only for the PC (MS-DOS/Windows) platform. These great games are hard to rank internally, so I've sorted them by year. Pool of Radiance was the first PC RPG to use real Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules.
It also introduced computer gamers to the Forgotten Realms setting - the fantasy world created by Ed Greenwood in the 60s that has been polished to perfection ever since in fantasy novels by R.A Salvatore and several other great writers. The game was obviously a rather archaic experience by today's standards, but compared to what was available at the time it took PC gaming to a new level. Pool of Radiance was followed by the equally great Curse of the Azure Bonds and others.
Making games is hard. The more you know about the process, the more miraculous it seems that games get made at all. As former PC Gamer writer Tom Francis described. The best free to play 2D MMORPG games and 2D MMO Games. Download all the 2D MMORPGs, 2D MMOs and 2D multiplayer online games for free!
There's also a rather uninspiring sequel from this decade (2001) - Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor. A Beholder is a classic D&D monster composed of a disgusting heap of flesh and floating eyes, and it's also the antagonist in Eye of the Beholder-a classic that made its debut on the PC, which was still a low-profile gaming platform in 1990. It's a classic dungeon crawl based on 2nd Edition D&D rules. The lords of Waterdeep (a city in the Forgotten Realms) hire you to investigate some strange ongoings beneath the city. Once you enter the sewers to take a look, the walls collapse behind you and the only way forward is down through a vast series of caves.
Trivia: Westwood, the developer of Eye of the Beholder I & II, later left SSI, D&D and the Forgotten Realms to create the miserable Lands of Lore series. Fallout isn't just one of the best RPGs, it's one of the best games ever made in any category. Sure, the graphics in the original are a far cry from Bethesda's multimillion dollar third installment, but the heaps of gore and melting bodies are easy enough to distinguish, and as any true masterpiece it stands the test of time. The game is presented in an isometric perspective, and the combat is fully turn-based (those were the days).
Just like the latest version, the first Fallout also centers around a Vault Dweller who has to leave the safety of the Vault (aka fallout shelter) and go into the untamed post-nuclear wasteland of the early 22nd century. The Might & Magic series has been around for a long time-the first game appeared in the late 80s for 8-bit platforms (including the NES). Except for some of the later outcroppings, such as Dark Messiah and Crusaders of Might & Magic (what a piece of trash!) all of the games have been turn based and all of them presented in lush 3D.
Might and Magic 6: The Mandate of Heaven breaks away from the grid-based confinement of the previous games to offer a completely free-roaming world. It doesn't have much of a plot, but it is also (perhaps for the same reason) about as non-linear as a game gets-you can take your four characters and wander off to the last dungeon right away. Obviously you'll be killed before you get there, but still. Baldur's Gate is a benchmark for story-driven role-playing games. In my opinion, BG 1 & 2 really only compete with the Fallout games for the top spot of the best RPG series ever made. Baldur's Gate has living, breathing characters with a history and personality of their own, and It draws on the intricate lore of the Forgotten Realms setting to give it even more depth.
You get to keep the same characters throughout the whole series, via the Tales of the Sword Coast expansion to Baldur's Gate II and the concluding Throne of Bhaal. It's even possible to export your BG character to Neverwinter Nights and continue on from there. Trivia: Don't confuse the original Baldur's Gate 1 & 2 with the console Dark Alliance spinoffs, which are just unoriginal hack-n-slash action RPGs.
For Planescape: Torment, Black Isle tweaked the from Baldur's gate and adapted it to the popular Planescape D&D setting. The game tells a story about the Nameless One-an immortal who wakes up in a morgue somewhere in the Planescape city of Sigil.
The protagonist is immortal and can't be killed permanently, but whenever he is brought back from the dead he remembers nothing of his former lives, and this is what the story revolves around. Just like Baldur's Gate, it's a highly story-driven RPG, but there's still a liberal amount of fighting using AD&D 2nd edition rules. Lots of games try desperately to be original, but System Shock 2 is undeniably unique.
The game borrows its 3D engine from the successful 'sneak 'em up' Thief, meaning that it has very effective and spooky light management considering its age. The game is a sci-fi RPG/FPS hybrid that takes place on the abandoned starship Von Braun, which has been struck by some alien infestation (sound familiar?). Recently System Shock 2 got a sequel - at least in spirit - in Bioshock. Both games have a lot in common, especially the atmosphere but also in certain power-ups that can be gained throughout the game, such as hacking and psionic abilities. Deus Ex has a lot in common with System Shock 2; it's a futuristic RPG/FPS hybrid that lets you take the game in different directions by augmenting your character's abilities. Although it can be played more or less like a regular first-person shooter, skills like hacking and stealth allows for completely different ways of approaching the game, like any good RPG should. In Deus Ex you play the more 'conventional' hero JC Denton who works for a UN anti-terrorist unit in a relatively near and dystopian future.
As the game progresses Denton gets mixed up in a more sinister conspiracy involving the Illuminati and some other shadowy organizations. The first Diablo became an instant trademark of addictive gameplay, and Diablo II merely improved on the winning concept. Although the game mechanics are extremely simple, you just can't put your mouse away until you've leveled up again or reached the next dungeon. There are too many shameless clones to list here, but let's just say that Diablo I and II has 'inspired' a great deal of other action RPGs. The single-player mode is highly addictive, but the most rewarding part of Diablo II is playing it online. I guess my weak spot for these old BioWare it's fairly obvious by now, but this was sadly the last BG Infinity Engine game edit: no it wasn't, Icewind Dale 2 was the last one/thanks commenter Relayer71. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn picks up after the Tales of the Sword Coast Expansion-your character is imprisoned by a mad (elf) scientist in Athkatla, south of Baldur's Gate, and coincidentally so are some of your old friends.
The plot continues to explore your character's divine heritage and takes you across a huge and beautifully hand-drawn world until it's time to face off with your nemesis. The Baldur's Gate saga eventually concludes in the mandatory Throne of Bhaal expansion, where you have to make the final decisions about what to do with your godly heritage.
Apparently I've come this far without mentioning the Wizardry series, and omitting it would be an embarrassment. The first Wizardry game - Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord - came out as early as 1981, and the early parts of the series has inspired many of the classic RPG series like Might & Magic and Eye of the Beholder. Wizardry 8 was the last part of a trilogy including 6 and 7, but it was released much later after a long and tumultuous development process. Combat in Wizardry 8 is turn-based and there are lots of stats and character classes to play around with-the game is a must if you enjoy classic RPGs.
Barring a small miracle, this will most likely be the last part of this long-running series. Arcanum is a wonderfully unique game set in a not-so traditional fantasy world that happens to be in the middle of the industrial revolution-it's frequently referred to as the 'Steampunk RPG'. In spite of being extraordinarily buggy at launch (I was unable to finish it on the first try,) the game was praised by nearly all critics for its immersive atmosphere and fallout-style turn-based gameplay. After a few hundred MBs of patches - some unofficial fan patches since the developer went bankrupt - the game is fully playable nowadays and should be tried by anyone who enjoys a great RPG. Arena, the first game in Bethesda's The Elder Scrolls series was innovative but not overly successful. Daggerfall offered a taste of what was to come with a huge game world and free-roaming gameplay, but it also had a fair share of game-breaking bugs.
With The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Bethesda all but perfected the concept. They also put the futuristic and powerful grapics cards of 2002 to a stress test with some amazing visuals, including pixel-shaded water. Basically, Morrowind realizes the grand ideas behind the previous games, but with less bugs. Including the expansion packs Tribunal and Bloodmoon, Morrowind is a massive game-only the in-game text is said to comprise six average novels. In my humble opinion, KotOR is still the best Star Wars game ever (not that the competition is that stiff, but still). On the other hand, one expects nothing less from a BioWare logo on the box.
The game's role-playing elements are similar to the 3rd edition D&D rules, meaning that the combat is divided into rounds and may be auto-paused at the end of each round (optional) to assign new actions. As the title implies, the game takes place before the Empire-some 4,000 years before to be precise. Depending on your choices in the game, you will gradually lean either toward the light or the dark side of the Force. The Vampire: The Masquerade PC games are often overlooked for some reason, but there's still no better way to role-play as a vampire on your computer than Bloodlines, which is set in the mature Vampire: The Masquerade world from the original pen and paper RPG. Bloodlines is a sequel to Vampire The Masquerade: Redemption from 2000, but uses the much more modern Source engine from Half Life 2.
When starting the game you pick your Vampire clan, and this is only the first of many choices. The game's storyline is highly dynamic, and there are several different endings depending on the paths you choose. Gothic 3 was loaded with bugs upon release, but was still relatively well received-maybe because of its high ambitions and good intentions.
Now that it's been patched up a number of times it is a much better game. It's a few years old now, but it still looks great.
Or rather, now it looks great that there's hardware capable of playing it. The third part of Gothic takes up where Gothic II left off, but now our Nameless Hero has arrived on a new continent only to be greeted by a bunch of ugly orcs closing in for the kill. The rest of the story is open ended-you can side with different factions or none at all, instead roaming the countryside killing and looting whatever comes your way until you get bored. In terms of free exploration, Gothic 3 is similar to Oblivion, albeit on a smaller scale. Neverwinter Nights 2 is a great RPG all by itself, but a huge bonus is the included toolset that provide the building blocks to create your own adventures. There are lots of excellent community modules that can potentially add hundreds of hours to the game.
The Neverwinter Nights games are spiritual successors to the Baldur's Gate series, but take place on the northern end of the Sword Coast. Like its predecessors, it has a major focus on the story, which is very well written and divided into separate acts. NWN 2 uses D&D 3.5 Edition rules, and all the classes, spells and abilities that comes with it. Oblivion is an amazing game in many ways, but the most impressive parts is its sheer size (16 square miles) and the fact that you can just ignore the main quest and go out and explore a seemingly infinite number of dungeons. Similar to Morrowind, you don't level up in the conventional way by gaining experience points through completed quests or kills, but by using the skills that you want to improve. To say that Oblivion is a game with depth and a complex game world would be an understatement.
If you - for some reason - haven't played the game already now is the time, but make sure you play it on a PC and not the choppy, sub-par 360 version. Yet another BioWare game that will go to the books as a classic; Mass Effect takes place in a future where humanity has finally - through the discovery of technology left by an extinct alien race - been able to move out into the galaxy, make contact with alien races, and establish space colonies. You take on the role of Commander Shepherd-an either male or female character that you can customize to your heart's content. The game is somewhat similar to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, but is built around a proprietary combat system, and of course, takes place in an entirely different setting. The Mass Effect universe has no problem standing on its own legs though-the game world is appealingly complex and the storyline would do well in any comparison with Star Wars. With Dragon Age: Origins, the Awakening expansion and lots of considerably-better-than-average downloadable content, Bioware has yet again created a world class PC role-playing experience.
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While it's a bit sad that they have moved away from the Forgotten Realms setting, Dragon Age offers an immersive atmosphere and rich mythology that can easily stand on its own two feet. The game takes you through a complex world where not everything is black or white; as in any true RPG there are many choices to make, paths to choose, and there are different outcomes to all of them. The Witcher is based on a series of fantasy novels by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski about the genetically enhanced monster slayer Geralt of Rivia. It's an action RPG that uses a heavily modified version of BioWare's Aurora engine from Neverwinter Nights 2, although this is hardly noticeable (The Witcher looks a lot better).
What separates this game from the rest of the genre is that it doesn't shy away from excessively rude language and gratuitous nudity. This aspect alone makes it worth checking out. There's also an 'Enhanced Edition' available with improved textures and some new adventures. Sequels sometimes fail to live up to expectations (Dragon Age 2 comes to mind), so it's refreshing to see that some developers continue to raise the bar instead of the other way around. At this writing, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is just about the best-looking game ever made.
Other than the visual bliss, it manages to balance an engrossing storyline with free-roaming, traditional western RPG gameplay, which is where loads of games fail. Except for an unnecessarily steep learning curve, this game is great on all counts and one that all RPG fans should play. It's worth mentioning that the story picks up right after the first game, so it helps to have played the original. I like rpgs and have huge collection in many different platform like snes, gba, sega, playstation, ps2, wii, and most of all PC (i cant justify myself to invest in new consoles such as ps3 or ps4 or xbox 360 or one, i would rather upgrade my pc ^^) anyway, as much as i like to love the elder scroll oblivion, i found the game very boring.
I tried very hard to like it, i installed and reinstalled it so many times, but i always stop playing it after 3-5 hours. If you have any tips on how to enjoy this game, please let me know. Otherwise, you have a very nice list of games here.
Please keep on updating it with recent games that you have played. Really enjoy reading this page and everyones comments:). Great list (but what do I know, I've even enjoyed Faery Tale 2:) My personal favorite is Might and magic 6, glad it made it into your list. But can't help to notice in every review or mention I've read, there are modified screenshots. At gamespot (they have the same as yours) not a single screenshot is from the original game. To Jeff's 2 year old comment (I can't help it:) You remember wrongly.
You can always rank up in skill (even if you're already master), therefore spells can get more powerful at any level. I was hoping you had included Lands of Lore: Throne of Chaos. I searched the document for it, hoping to find a reference.
Only to find out that you think it's a miserable series.:P Well, as a series. Lands of Lore is indeed miserable. But Throne of Chaos, the first one, just totally rocked in my opinion.
I have a special place in my heart for that game. It was one of the first games I played on a PC ever. The graphics, the music, the atmosphere. They all got me hooked in no time. Now I understand that LoL had a very simplistic statistics mechanism. Some people don't even count it as an RPG. But at the time I was playing it, it was the first 'RPG' I had ever played.
I never noticed that the stat system was too simple. I only learned that later, when playing Diablo, Fallout and others. LoL's pixelated cutscene graphics are of outstanding quality for its time.
The graphics designer behind it, Rick Parks, was famous for his pixel magic. Rick Parks has been dead for a long time already. This is a small tragedy to me, because I really enjoyed his work. LoL1 was great! LoL2 was playable, but couldn't hold a candle to Lol1 because of its outdated 3D engine and its crummy real actor cutscenes. Hi again, Gazook. Since you've asked for input regarding incoming update, I would recommend you: - Fallout: New Vegas (Obsidian made a good work of it and IMO it's a great game, with tons of fleshed-out, living and breathing characters and mature humour - something Bethesda obviously cannot do well.
And, as always, mods make an already great game Epic.) - possibly Star Wolves series (it's not in the league of BG/Torment, etc., but it still did captivate me for some reason - perhaps it would do the same to you. And yes, it is in my personal top 30 cRPGs) - possibly Mount and Blade: Warband (it's a rare bird at the genre's crossroad. But still, it has most of cRPG attibutes, except there is no main plot. I've played the Prophesy of Pendor mod and had greatly enjoyed it.) - definitely Albion and Ultima Underworld II (yes, I haven't given up hope yet!:-) ).
Every one that I've played I agree with. I have to admit I haven't played most of these as I didn't really start PC gaming until about 10 years ago. You mentioned Deus Ex HR. It was the last game I played. I was and am happy to see that type of game produced. Some of my all time favorite games (the KOTOR's and Mass Effect 1) are sci-fi RPG's and the genre is severely underserved.
I enjoyed it, but sadly don't think it deserves to be here. Great acting. Pretty cool mechanics.
You just don't feel as capable by endgame as I like to feel. The levels were a bit repetitive too and got boring by endgame. For me Amalur deserves a spot. I know some people hated it.
I just can't understand why. It was beautiful, free roaming, had a great story, superb leveling choices. I easily spent more time on that game than any other EVER. I can't remember better combat and it is absolutely a hardcore RPG. It was outstanding.
Easily in my top 10 (or higher) and I've been gaming for 2.5 decades. The only down side is that the difficulty is too low by endgame, especially on the pure classes. But if you didn't have a problem force storming twice to kill everything in the room in KOTOR you won't have a problem here. Also check out the Geneforge series, especially 3 or 4.
Sucky graphics. Fantastic and original story and gameplay. Definitely deserves to be here if you can get past the look. In fact, I recommend Diablo 2 over it´s younger brother. Diablo 3 relies too much on equipment to make DPS. It´s not really bad, but it´s not comparable.
The skill tree on D2 was excelent, as you could focus on habilities and sets, with a little calculation and planning of the leveling process. Really, a vicious game. D3, can be fun for hours, but it´s more washed. I must say I grew with the Baldur Saga, playing in multiplayer with friends of yester years. A real nice experience. Darn good game.
Great mix of party management, mastering progression, dungeon exploration, and also fantastic music to boot. The world of the game is HUGE, be aware of it. I introduced Kotor 1 & 2 to a younger friend, who never touched RPGs.
He´s hooked like hell to the story. So yah, kudos for mentioning these games. Very good, and accesible.
By the way, recently my brother has lend me Fallout 3 for PS3. I´m going to give it a try. So i noticed daggerfall wasn't on here.loved it.actually still playing it endless fun.@all the graphic sluts out there to be honest i would sacrifice graphics any day for quality game play now adays games focus entirely too much on graphics and miss what games are all about.story and gameplay. Perfect example compare FFVII to any of its sequals still untouched in my opinion 8 9 & 10 were all right but i noticed the better the graphics got the narrower the games got i love endless worlds of constant adventure and blah blah Gazook well played sir there is a few on here i haven't got around to and it seems i have some gaming to do.
Agree with the list (have the same probs many others do with picking Gothic 3 but not 1 or 2 - as I recall when Gothic came out, it had to compete with the much more visible Morrowind - comparisons were pretty harsh, but what the series invented was a new way of looking at RPGing, particularly with the emphasis on relationship-building and territory.) Anyway, I don't personally see Diablo/Torchlight/Borderlands as classic RPGs, they are action-RPGs, which is a great genre, just not really the one this list really accentuates. You also don't find MMORPGs on here, that's another category of game and has it's own very distinct flavor. For classic RPGs, I am delighted to see the old Advanced Dungeons & Dragons games on here, Bard's Tale (of course), the Bioware chest, etc. A few sleepers I'd like to mention (a few others may have mentioned as well, I couldn't possibly read all the comments) - the Drakensang series is good and flew way under the radar.
Also, the Divine Divinity series is good, and I think will make a big resurgence (or maybe just be noticed for the first time ever) since Steam is featuring Divinity II: The Dragon Knight Saga at a really low price. This latter series was an exceptional experience, and still holds up mighty well even against the powerhouse releases (Skyrim, Witcher 2) of the day. There was a lot going on, particularly in Divinity II - the ability to build up a small army of followers who collected resources for you, the ability to mindread almost any NPC in the game and gain valuable information or even skills, the ability to transform into a dragon for a unique experience - all this plus great looking visuals, a hilarious sense of humor, some pretty decent puzzling - this is a game that will one day be respected for what it did, without anyone noticing. I hope you keep updating it.
Awesome List!! As others have said the fact that it is still up and running/getting veiwed after so long is crazy cool. One game i think you should add is Divine Divinity. It was released in 2002 and is similar to the BG and NWN in that it is turn based and can be paused. It is FAR more expansive in plot and overall size of world than the BG and NVN games though. With truly impressive depth to the story as well as genuinly hilarious and well done voice acting it was originally released only in europe so it took a while for people in the US to catch on to it.
Thankfully it recently became availiable for purchase and download on steam for only 6 bucks! I would have to say this is a decent list. I still play all these games to this day. Also, I like to add that if you can get a PS emulator to work, like I did, FF8 graphics looks superb. Alot better than PS1.
Icewind dale, heart of winter, and Icewind dale 2 I'm playing now, still. Reading all of R.A.
Salvatores books helps with that. Baldurs gate is still fun to play, but it makes you made that you can talk to Drzzt only. They have Magic:The Gathering also on PC. I still got my cards.
All 10000 of them. Haha yeah I know.
Honestly in my opinion, these 3d games now-a-days can't hold out to the stories of the classics or gameplay. Yeah ooooo 3d cool. Um who remembers playing zelda link to the past? Awesome story. Didn't even need 3d.
If it had 3d it would've taken away room for gameplay just for looks?? I do like the 3d however on some games, but not all. It takes up too much memory. World of Warcraft wasn't mentioned I see. That's a prime example. Neverends basically, always something new, play with friends world-wide, similar to Diablo2 and Icewind dale or a cross of both. Holidays I mean come on the list goes on.
A lot of those games are good, but BG1+2 and planescape:torment are classiscs. The Dragon Age Origins was made, the only good game since those imo. Modern 3d gfx with wonderful combat mechanics (pressing space planning the combat like BG series and MM6). They've tried to make RPG games into arcade games like DA2 with machine gun hitting mages and teleporting scouts to backstab.
RPGs is about depth, not hack and slash arcade action. Stop making shallow, 3D games that bore you after 100-200 hours of gameplay. Having played all through BG2 with all character classes and and various grp setups, DAO + awakenings 15-20 times and never being bored shows what games should be about. 1: Gameplay and in-depth story and well-mde characters works 2: Neglecting everything apart from gfx makes for a game without longevity. If you're bored with a game after 50-100 hours, the game sucks. quote'Long overdue update: People are still reading and commenting on this page, which is awesome, it's just that it was published more than a year ago, and these things get dated fast.
At the very least, a couple more game should be added to the 'Best Ever' list'/quote Then Update your danged web page seriously. I'm not saying 'do it every day.' But honestly once a month at least. People read these top of lists to get an idea of what games they may have missed or recommendations in genre's that appeal to them more. If you cant keep it updated then remove the page altogether. There's no purpose in it, If its just old and worthless. I believe I can honestly say, That newer games vastly improve on the older games.
No, not just with graphics also with game-play and interactivity. A great Story is a great story and i value that. I also highly value being able to control a character well and being able to tell the difference in a characters gender and the clothes/weapons a character can change, the amount one can wear and or use.
The fallout Series, The mass effect series, The baldurs gate series. Vampire the masquerade is a great game but its not a great game on its own the only reason its even a great game now a days and so widely known now is that Fans patched the hell out of it and fixed what the developers could not or would not do. Considering Also, That you have Action Rpg's on here why not put Kotor 1,2??
There others even that are just plain not listed that should be or possibly removed i guess if it was not your intention to add action rpg's like V.T.M. Something to think about when making a list like this. (is it a Solid RPG or is it more? If so should i make it a broader list?) Just saying. I see to many of these Hodge podged lists. It gets annoying when your just trying to look for game suggestions.
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These are things to take into account when making a top of list however. Not just remember games fondly from your youth back when you were wearing those rose colored glass's and had an extremely jaded view of the world. I fail to see how Bards tale or D&D held up to the test of time they may have been great games back in the late 70's - mid 80's but were in 2012 now.
You could do a top list of the 1980's to put them in but theres lots to take into account when doing a top list of anything and while i agree with some of what's on here I believe that if your going to do something do it right or plain and simple don't do it. I'm sorry if you fill my post is offensive. I believe I am right and possibly ranting a bit.
You can put The Fallout series for example instead of just Fallout. Considering that theres 1, 2, 3, Fallout tactics. And most recently new Vegas.
Luckily, there are so many amazing games for various and, and if you prefer PC gaming, you’ll find more than enough. One of the most popular PC gaming genres is the good old RPG (Role Playing Games). Big titles in this genre are released every year, and they often overshadow smaller indie efforts. That’s why we’ve decided to compile this list of best RPG games released (and to-be-released) in 2015, and present all kinds of RPG titles instead of just focusing on the most popular ones. Here you’ll find and old-school RPGs alongside fresh Windows-only projects. The games are sorted by release date, with unreleased ones at the end of the list. We’ve also provided links to online stores where you can purchase the games.
(January) What is it? Tactical turn-based RPG. Why you should try it: It’s another solid year for tactical RPG fans.
In addition to the two titles on this list, a number of less-known indie titles have been published to solid reviews, including Legends of Eisenwald, Telepath: Tactics, Chroma Squad (which only narrowly missed a slot on this list) and the yet unreleased Fallen: A2P Protocol. But back to the title at hand. Blackguards 2 is a sequel to The Dark Eye: Blackguards from 2014, and it brings more interaction with the environment, detailed character customization, and improved battle mechanics. You’ll fight all kinds of enemies as you solve quests with the help of your companions and make decisions that can turn you into a hero just as likely as into a villain. Where to buy:, Works on: Windows, OS X 2. (March) What is it? An isometric cRPG in the vein of the Infinity Engine games.
Why you should try it: Obsidian finally got to make a RPG the way they’ve wanted to for a long time. It’s not particularly surprising that they wanted to make a game reminiscent of Planescape: Torment, Icewind Dale and Baldur’s Gate 2 – games that made their reputation as Interplay’s Black Isle and forever earned them a place in the hearts of all cRPG aficionados. If these names mean anything to you, you probably don’t need any further convincing. Playing Pillars of Eternity means learning what a modern, beautiful and quite accessible cRPG feels and looks like. As the game begins, your character gains a special ability to see others’ souls and memories from past lives, and your main task is to defeat the soul-stealing cultists. If 70 hours of gameplay isn’t enough for you, there’s an expansion pack available, called White March – Part One. Where to buy:, Works on: Windows, Linux, OS X 3.
(May) What is it? Side-scrolling cyberpunk action RPG. Why you should try it: It’s like a 2D Deus Ex. For all three of you who inexplicably haven’t reached for their wallets yet, allow me to expound on that a little bit.
Dex is an open-world, non-linear cyberpunk action RPG. If you love System Shock, Deus Ex or the Shadowrun games, if you believe there aren’t enough sci-fi (let alone cyberpunk) games around, and if you don’t absolutely hate the idea of playing a 2D game, you should take a look at Dex. The game features a female protagonist who uses her computer hacking skills to solve various quests and survive in a dystopian, futuristic world. Where to buy:, Works on: Linux, Windows, OS X 4.
(May) What is it? Isometric, real-time with pause cRPG. Why you should try it: If the words “real-time with pause” immediately make you think of Infinity Engine games, you are not wrong.
However, the game Serpent took the bulk of its inspiration from – and the game which more or less originated this style of combat – is Darklands. Much like that game was set in a meticulously researched medieval Germany, Serpent in the Staglands takes place in a Late Bronze Age Transylvania-inspired landscape, mixing up historical accuracy and fantasy to a delightful result. It also inherited a certain stance towards hand-holding the player too much – there are no auto map markers or magically produced, neat journal entries.
You’re on your own for this particular adventure. Have fun deciphering messages and writing your own notes about quests in this decidedly retro RPG. Where to buy:, Works on: Windows, Linux, OS X 5.
(July) What is it? Hack’n’slash action RPG.
Why you should try it: Fans of games such as Diablo and Torchlight didn’t have many games to look forward to this year. The third entry in the Van Helsing series was somewhat underwhelming, and the big publishers didn’t have much to contribute either. Enter Victor Vran. With its named protagonist (unusual for the genre), novel jumping mechanic used both for combat and puzzle-solving, and an interesting setting in which magic and science co-exist, this Bulgarian indie is a welcome addition to the genre. Instead of playing with a predetermined set of traits, you can tweak your character as you progress through the game.
The game also features a narrator, plenty of humorous elements, and a co-op multiplayer mode. Where to buy:, Works on: Windows, Linux, OS X 6. (May) What is it?
The final entry in the Witcher saga. Why you should try it: CD Projekt RED have great timing – at the time, Witcher 3 was practically the only AAA RPG on the PC. In fact, if it weren’t for Fallout 4 coming out later this year, it would have remained the only such game. Both Eidos Montreal’s Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Bioware’s Mass Effect: Andromeda are scheduled for 2016.
Bioware’s other big franchise, Dragon Age, produced the third game in the series last year, while Bethesda was probably too busy with Fallout 4 to pump out another Elder Scrolls. If you consider that only three of those are fantasy RPGs, then you could say Witcher 3 has the market cornered. And deservedly so. Despite some controversy about graphical fidelity being toned down to console ports, Wild Hunt has garnered nearly universal praise, and many proclaim it the best game in the series.
It continues the story of Geralt the Witcher and lets you control him as he travels and explores the immense in-game world. Where to buy:, Works on: Windows 7. (August) What is it? An enhanced re-release of a 2002 PC port of a 2000 Dreamcast jRPG.
Why you should try it: While the Dreamcast version was almost universally praised, the subsequent PC and PS2 ports didn’t fare so well, mostly due to graphical issues. In addition, the PC version wasn’t being sold anywhere prior to this release, and no one really expected to see it again. It’s good to be wrong sometimes. Grandia and its sequel feature one of the most interesting combat systems seen in jRPGs, which lets you move characters around during battle, and even prevent your enemies’ moves. It was adapted by Ubisoft’s Child of Light (2014), but there’s no substitution for the original. In Grandia II, you control several playable characters who form a magic- and weapon-wielding party on a mission to defeat the God of Darkness. Where to buy:, Works on: Windows 8.
Shadowrun: Hong Kong (August) What is it? Third entry in the new Shadowrun series.
Why you should try it: You love isometric cRPGs. You love the grime, dirt and darkness of cyberpunk. You think combining traditional fantasy creatures and magic with high-tech and low-life characters is a great idea. Your character was once an orphan who now has to investigate some of the weirdest and darkest events in and around the not-so-distant-future version of Hong Kong. You just need that one last run before retiring. The neon calls to you.
Start running. Where to buy:, Works on: Linux, Windows, OS X RPG Games Announced for 2015: 9. (October) What is it? Why you should try it: Released in Japan last January, the latest Tales game is the only AAA jRPG on this list, offering what one would expect from such a title: anime styling, seamless cutscenes and real-time combat. Your character has to battle enemies who appear when people experience negative emotions, and establish harmony between regular and supernatural humans. It’s possible to fuse your character with another for improved strength and abilities during battle, and if you like dragons, you’ll be happy to hear that they’re prominently featured in Tales of Zestiria.
It’s a good time to be PC-owning jRPG fan. Not only is there going to be a Tales game for the PC, but there are also the Hyperdimension Neptunia remakes (with the third one incoming this year as well), Final Fantasy Type-0 HD, and some more niche titles such as Fairy Fencer F, Akiba’s Trip and One Piece Pirate Warriors 3. Where to buy: Pre-order on Announced for: Windows 10. The Age of Decadence (October) What is it? Isometric, turn-based, post-apocalyptic cRPG. Why you should try it: Set in a low-magic, post-apocalyptic world inspired by the Roman Empire and citing the original Fallout games as the main inspiration, it focuses on allowing the player multiple ways to go about the challenges its story presents.
A game for the Machevellians in the audience, it features plenty of both kinds of backstabbing and political scheming, allowing you to experience the joy that was living in the Roman Empire. At least through the lens of a computer role-playing game. Where to buy: Directly from developers, (Early Access) Annouced for: Windows 11. (November) What is it? Post-apocalyptic, retro-futuristic action RPG. Why you should try it: The Fallout 4 announcement came as something of a surprise to many. For a while it seemed like the only big-budget RPG for the PC was going to be Witcher 3 as far as 2015 is concerned.
But not only was F4 announced this year, it’s also coming out. The new setting is Boston (and other parts of New England), and though the timeline begins with the bombs being dropped, most of the game is set in the same period as Fallout 3. One of the biggest changes, aside from the graphical and geographical ones, is the new approach to dialogue – the protagonist will be fully voiced.
Where to buy: Pre-order on Announced for: Windows 12. (TBA) What is it? Tactical RPG / choose-your-own-adventure (and watch it end horribly) Why you should try it: The first episode was a beautifully-drawn tactical RPG mixed with Oregon Trail-like elements, which gave its take on the Norse myth of the world ending (Ragnarok) an extra serving of depression. And what did the developers announce for the second episode?
A darker game. There will be new types of enemies, and you’ll have the ability to assign two classes to your characters. Last but not least: the decisions you made in the previous version will influence your new game right from the start. Where to buy: Not available yet.
Announced for: Windows, Mac OS X 13. (TBA) What is it? Side-scrolling roguelike RPG. Why you should try it: Descend into madness one turn at a time! Combining gothic-inspired visuals, turn-based tactical squad combat and a somewhat novel twist on leveling, Darkest Dungeon is something most of us can look forward to.
Your group of four heroes has to battle monsters and disease in the dark dungeons, but perhaps the worst – and most interesting – enemy of all are their inner demons. In short, the stress your characters experience during the game will affect their performance. Just like real life, eh? Where to buy: (Early Access) Announced for: Linux, Mac OS X, Windows 14. (TBA) What is it? A modern jRPG reminiscent of the classics of the genre.
Why you should try it: The first chapter is among the most popular jRPGs of its type in the West. This is understandable: it’s a modern take on the classic formula, sporting a contemporary anime look, and none of the 16-bit era inconveniences. The sequel(s) are long overdue because of difficulties with translation, but fans have been promised a release by the end of the year. They can expect a detailed story with interesting side quests and twelve playable characters. Playing as a girl in search of her lost love interest, they will encounter various enemies, face them in turn-based combat, and collect powerful items to increase their stats. Where to buy: Not available yet.
Announced for: Windows 15. (TBA) What is it?
Unofficial Fallout successor. Why you should try it: Although there have been many games that claimed to closely follow the formula of the original Fallout games, there hasn’t been one with a better claim to that fame than UnderRail in quite a while. Turn-based combat allows for different battle styles, and your character’s skills and abilities can be adjusted as you progress in the game.
Of course, UnderRail adds its own twists: the environment is a giant metro, there’s psionics, and crafting is an important element. But it feels similar to Fallout, and for some of us, that’s very exciting. Where to buy: (Early Access) Announced for: Windows Have you tried any of these games? Of course, they’re not the only RPGs from 2015, so if you know of other great titles, drop us a line in the comments. And while you’re there, you can also tell us about your favorite RPGs.