Must-have games for any roleplay fan
There's no doubt that role-playing games (RPGs) are some of the best video games around, but with so much choice, which ones should you be playing? We’ve rounded up the 26 best RPG games.
23: Skies of Arcadia
Although the ill-fated and underappreciated Dreamcast met an early end, its gaming library still shone with plenty of solid hits. Skies of Arcadia was one of those hits, putting you in shoes of Vyse, a cutlass wielding pirate who sailed the open skies with his massive airship and sassy female sidekicks.
Not only did you contend with rival pirates and imperial soldiers in (several) impressively animated hand-to-hand turn-based combat, but you also had the chance to sink entire enemy ships in aerial battle. Back in the day, Skies of Arcadia was known as one of the most graphically polished RPGs you could find anywhere, and it's still a treasure classic.
Play the original Dreamcast version over the GameCube port any day, and you'll be treated to a fun, exciting story with plenty of slick special effects and memorable music.
22: Planescape Torment
Developed by Black Isle, the same company responsible for the first two Fallout titles as well as the Baldur's Gate series, Planescape: Torment offered up one of the more complex and memorable story-lines ever seen in a video game.
Cast in the role of The Nameless One, an immortal god who suffers from amnesia, gamers had to travel far and wide in order to solve the ageless question: who am I? The terrific writing and storytelling is what elevates Planescape: Torment above its peers but it wasn't just a one trick pony: with compelling quests and plenty of action, it did just about everything right and rightfully claims a place on our list.
21: Persona 3
Released seven painstaking years after Persona 2, the third installment in the franchise set new standards as to what to expect from a JRPG - from its incredibly in-depth story to its unique combat system, Persona 3 was a masterpiece.
In a sleepy bay-side town in rural Japan, you take on the role of a mysterious new transfer student at Gekkoukan High. Living in a dorm with a colourful cast of high school students, you're tasked with having to juggle your academic and social life during the day... that is, until the clock strikes 12.
Once midnight hits, the world of Persona 3 is embraced by the Dark Hour - a hidden time where demons known as Shadows run free, unaware to the unsuspecting townsfolk. Using a special power known simply as 'Persona', you must take to the mysterious tower of Tartarus with your party by your side in hopes of defeating the Shadows once and for all.
20: Deus Ex
Featuring a cyberpunk conspiracy-addled storyline worthy of a Philip K Dick novel and an astonishing first-person narrative, Deus Ex was more of a revolution than it was a game.
Deus Ex took the gaming world by storm with its FPS approach to classic role playing storytelling, immersing you into a world that had real consequences to your actions. With a wide array of weapons, abilities and plot-paths, it was almost guaranteed there was no way you could play Deus Ex the same way twice.
NEXT PAGE: Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness and Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn
- The must-have games for any role play fan
- Skies of Arcadia and Planetscape Torment
- Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness and Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn
- Pokemon Diamond and Pearl
- Final Fantasy XII and Earthbound
- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Xenogears
- Diablo II: Lord of Destruction and Fallout 3
- Our top three role playing games
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Comments
Josh said: Grandia AND Xenogears You sir are my hero
sadnack said: lol Zelda is not a rpg its a platform game OMG you dont call games rpg just because they have a good story
jo said: The Legend Of Zelda ISNT a Role playing game
Jack said: You are an idiot
Fallen_Pariah said: I love RPGs but IMO Id rather play through every new CoD game than play any Zelda game The game to me just seems like a snoozefestAnd honestly Oblivion deserved to be way higher up considering it rates more than the top ten in majority of gaming magsYes this article was made in 2008 but that still does not excuse the fact that Oblivion is not within the top 5 which is where it should be
Mike Chambers said: Where the fuck is Ultima 6
Absolute Hero said: Are you mentally retarded How can a game be overrated A game is as good as the amount of people that rate it so no it isnt overrated its brilliant hence the millions of fans There is a difference between favourite and best
Zbecrocs said: You are joking right This list makes me sick Japanese author by any chance
Pro said: your RPG choice sucks pretty bad dude u cant call this ever cos most of these stuff are crap
Snathaid said: Im gonna say that Ni No Kuni PS3 is up there with any of the games on this list
Cumface said: shame this review is almost 5yrs old when you do a new one ni no kuni comes top easy
C4138u said: You just googled for RPGs and randomized them and put them down didnt you
Claus said: This article is pointless Absurd Stupid The list was nice until The Legend of Zelda I mean IT is a RPG FUCK Please People in these websites dont even know anything about videogames And Final Fantasy VII on top I mean really VII is not even the best in the FF series You journalist should read a little more about RPG well in fact you should PLAY THEM
Matt Egan said: Came out in 2011 The author would have done well to anticipate it when we published this piece in 2008
dEll said: SKYRIM WHERE IS IT
Phil Scott said: Err FFVI not here you know little about this subjectPlease resign
Arslan Waheed said: I am going to try Warhammer game online httpagamesarenablogspotco
ROJAK said: why no legend of dragoon
Str8blazn said: I think a few thousand of my brain cells just died from reading your pointless comment
Str8blazn said: I dont even know what you just said Learn how to type before trying to post a comment maybe