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. (Also check out our new piece: The 39 best ever first-person shooter games.) See also: The 18 best role-playing games for iPhone and iPad
Must-have games for any roleplay fan
Now read our controversial: 18 Worst Video games ever
26: Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning has two primary playable factions with character customisation, quests full of Warhammer lore, characters of various races who are comprised of a number of archetypes, and career paths to specialise in a craft of some sort. See also Fifa 13 release date, features and screenshots
With an already established fan-base of the Games Workshop's tabletop game, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning provides its players with a dark and humorous experience that penalises unfair advantages between higher and lower level players in Realm vs Realm combat. Visit PS4 release date, specs and rumour round-up.
We especially enjoy capturing Victory Points in the Player vs Player gameplay which involves random PvP encounters, objective-based encounters, and other campaigns and scenarios. See also GTA 5 release date, features, maps and rumours.
25: Kingdom Hearts II
Square and Disney did more than merely prove that they could pump out a decent RPG. They gave life to a grand, genre-changing experience featuring classic tales, heroes and villains from our childhood.
Kingdom Hearts had a lot to live up to in its second act, and Kingdom Hearts II completely blew us away. Only a year had passed for Sora, Donald, and Goofy, but the worlds were bigger, the Keyblades were badder, and the entire scope of the battle between the Heartless, the Nobodys, and Organization XIII had grown to epic proportions.
All we can do now is wait for the magic to return in Kingdom Hearts III, but at the very least, we'll get to revisit the series in the PS2 remake of Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories this winter.
24: Grandia
The story of a young adventurer named Justin featured incredible music, an epic story, unique characters brought to life with superb voice acting, and a combat system unlike any other before it.
This game's name was Grandia.
The world of Grandia was unlike anything gamers had seen before on the PlayStation, with large and colourful 3D cities and dungeons, filled with treasure, people, and monsters alike. While some RPGs had combat systems that would let you lazily hammer on a single button, Grandia refreshed the entire concept of turn-based battles by having every character and enemy attack each other at the same time.
What really drove the game was how you timed your magic and melee moves - in the best cases, you could pre-empt your foes entirely with nary a scratch on your party. When you made your way to so-called 'End of the World', Grandia's story reached a new height, and more surprise still laid in wait for eager adventurers.
NEXT PAGE: Skies of Arcadia and Planetscape Torment
- 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
Joseph said: Ill say that I like your taste Glad you didnt forget Earthbound One of the most epic games ever But Id also add Final Fantasy VI and Lufia II to that list
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