2019 was not necessarily the strongest year for RPGs. That said, the genre did produce more than a few worthwhile games, even if most of the highest-rated releases were ports of older titles like Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age and Tales of Vesperia.
Action-RPGs are starting to become the norm, as more and more developers seek to create an experience that has the depth of old-school role-playing games and the immediacy provided by high-octane combat. Which studios came the closest to delivering such an experience in 2019? According to Metacritic, these are the highest-rated Action RPGs of the previous year.
Disclaimer: While something like Indivisible has elements of action, any RPG with turn-based combat will not be considered. MMORPGs, rereleases, and ports will also be ignored.
10 Darksiders Genesis (78)
Airship Syndicate's surprising spin-off to the Darksiders franchise, Genesis is a competent top-down hack and slash RPG that allows players to step into the shoes of Strife and War. Along with being the first entry to make the former horseman playable, Darksiders Genesis does a brilliant job of transposing the core games' feel and combat into an entirely new perspective. Strife and War play entirely differently, with each having their own unique moves to unlock.
Darksiders has a track record of swapping genres, which helps Genesis come across as a legitimate addition to the license rather than merely a momentary distraction.
9 Greedfall (79)
Be it The Technomancer or Bound by Flame, Spiders is one of those few developers trying to keep AA games alive. While all of the studio's projects, which traditionally fall within the action-RPG genre, tend to be deeply flawed, they also bear a certain charm that makes them worth seeking out.
Greedfall is arguably Spiders' best title to date, a fantasy RPG based on 17th-century colonialism. Combat is held back by enemies that seldom seem capable of putting up a fight, but Greedfall shines in its worldbuilding and thematic storytelling.
8 Borderlands 3 (81)
For better or worse, Borderlands 3 is simply more Borderlands. How does it compare to 2012's entry? With regard to gameplay, Borderlands 3 presents a respectable account for itself. The gunplay is far more engaging and kinetic. Like in previous entries, each Vault Hunter has access to unique skill trees filled with explosive attacks or useful passive abilities.
Borderlands 3's story and humor are more of a mixed bag. The main villains are a parody of YouTubers that fail to offer much in the way of biting commentary on streaming culture or anything close to entertainment. Focusing solely on the combat and RPG mechanics, Borderlands 3 is a solid entry in the franchise.
7 Streets Of Rogue (82)
This entry is the most obscure title featured on this list, one that only has a small handful of reviews on Metacritic. Streets of Rogue is a roguelike that, rather than procedurally generated dungeons, creates a unique town with multiple levels waiting to be explored. There are NPCs to talk with, 26 character types to choose from, and nearly as many ways to approach situations.
With a robust customization system and tons of replayability through the different playstyles afforded by the unique classes, Streets of Rogue is a fantastic indie game that warrants more attention.
6 Dauntless (82)
Dauntless made waves for being a free-to-play alternative to Monster Hunter, which is not far from the truth. While not as complex or polished as Capcom's franchise, Dauntless serves as an accessible entry point into the "hunt big monsters endlessly" subgenre.
Focusing squarely on the thrill on the hunt, Dauntless cuts out any distractions and streamlines the process of matching players - slayers, in this universe - against towering Behemoths. Like Monster Hunter, hunts rewards items that can be used to craft armor pieces and weapons.
5 Kingdom Hearts III (83)
Square Enix's long-awaited sequel to Kingdom Hearts finally arrived in 2019, but was it worth the wait? While Kingdom Hearts III is not the best entry in the franchise, the action-RPG does deliver in terms of flashy combat, gorgeous Disney worlds to visit, and fun boss battles.
The story's pacing left a lot to be desired and the game would have been better served gradually expanding Sora's abilities rather than unlocking nearly everything right from the start, but Kingdom Hearts III is still a highly enjoyable action-RPG.
4 Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (84)
Metroidvania games are typically considered their own separate genre, but Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is classified as an action-RPG on Metacritic. A spiritual successor to Castlevania, Bloodstained provides the exact experience Konami has been refusing to deliver for years.
Set during the Industrial Revolution, Bloodstained follows a Shardbinder named Miriam who awakens to find that England has fallen to an army of hell's demons. Along with being an easy recommendation for Castlevania fans, Bloodstained should be given a try by anyone seeking a wonderful 2.5D action-RPG.
3 Dragon Quest Builders 2 (86)
Dragon Quest Builders takes Minecraft and adds a dash of JRPG goodness, a hint of Akira Toriyama, and a whole lot of charm. While the sequel takes a more structured approach to its campaign, tasking the protagonist with completing quests to help rebuild towns, Dragon Quest Builders 2 still mainly focuses on its construction and crafting mechanics, with the combat being overly simplistic and seldom challenging.
As an action-RPG, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is lacking in certain areas. That said, its characters and story maintain the franchise's usual high standard.
2 The Outer Worlds (86)
Obsidian Entertainment's The Outer Worlds launched to stellar reviews from critics and players seeking an alternative to Fallout. Focusing on space exploration and dialogue options, The Outer Worlds brings together elements from similar games to craft a complete, satisfying, and familiar experience.
The Outer Worlds is not without its issues, mainly its bland gunplay and uninvolving perk system, but the whole amounts to more than the sum of its parts.
1 Monster Hunter: World - Iceborne (90)
Although it may seem unfair to include an expansion, Iceborne offers enough content to rival most base games. Monster Hunter: World ranked among 2018's best action-RPGs, and its 2019 expansion introduced new quests, areas, and monsters to challenge its existing player base.
With unwelcoming weather playing a significant role in Iceborne, the expansion forces users to explore different means to combat the harsh environments and the approximately 30 new monsters that have been added to Monster Hunter: World.