Some RPGs can ruin others simply because of how good they are. A prime example is Chrono Trigger, which was ahead of its time on the SNES. There were no random battles on the world map, characters could initiate combos with others, and the time travel system was a unique storytelling and gameplay device.
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Then there are games that are too good, because of the freedom they offer or the wealth of activities they provide. This doesn’t just include open-world RPGs, either, although those have freedom with unbounded areas to explore. These RPG examples are a bit different from the past and present, but they’re all masterpieces in their own way.
Baldur's Gate 3
A D&D Game Like No Other
Baldur's Gate 3
- Released
- August 3, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, macOS
Baldur's Gate 3 does things no other RPG does, and a big reason why everyone fell in love with it was the act of choice. Everything mattered when it came to creating a character, even race, as that could play into NPC reactions like treating Drow characters as evil.
Nothing would matter if the writing wasn’t good, but it is, from the individual character interactions to how each act plays out and changes depending on dialogue options. It’s hard to see how a Baldur's Gate sequel could improve anything, or to see a game of this caliber again.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Packed With Nostalgia
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
- Released
- February 29, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PC
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has a lot of great things going for it as the second part in a remake trilogy series. Players don’t have access to a completely open-world design, as each biome is self-contained and unlocked through the story.
That said, what each chapter contains is mesmerizing, from quests to mini-games to how the story evolves from wacky to dramatic sequences to the Chocobo-based exploration. Best of all, the freedom of the combat system is superb, including the Materia-based magic system, the character combos, and weapon evolutions to let players engage in battles how and when they want.
Persona 5
Linear But Free
Persona 5
- Released
- September 15, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
Persona 5 is technically a linear game and one that takes about two hours to finally have most of the tutorials sink in. Once that happens, the game opens up to let players role-play as a Japanese teen student who can do everything in normal Japanese society, like attend movies, visit arcades, eat out, date, and even work jobs at places like convenience stores.
The dating aspect in particular is great from a choice perspective, giving players plenty of options. Players can also explore dungeons with their party members to solve a political plot unwinding around them, and again, even though things play out daily, the expansiveness of the plot helps draw players in.
Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels Of The Starry Sky
Build Yourself And Your Party
Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies
- Released
- July 15, 2009
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- Level 5, Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo DS
Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels of the Starry Sky gives players a lot of freedom upfront, even more so than most RPGs. Players can customize their character, and then, after a tutorial section, they can visit pubs to hire and customize new party members.
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Not many RPGs let players customize an entire party, including a class system unlocked later on. If players want to go through the game in co-op, that’s an option too. Those are all great features, but some are lost thanks to the closing of the online gameplay, which included a shop and a map sharing ability, but Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels of the Starry still slaps even without those things on the DS.
Diablo 4
Multiplayer Goes A Long Way
Diablo 4
- Released
- June 5, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Blizzard
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Hack and Slash
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC
Diablo 4 does what most Diablo games do: give players character class options. This is the first game to feature customization options beyond a class, making it so that one Rogue doesn’t look like another, which is important for the multiplayer aspect.
The open-world structure is also new, giving players a horse to explore with, quests to tackle, random mobs of monsters to fight, and world events to engage with or without strangers. There aren’t many RPGs that consistently get the top-down action formula right, and Diablo 4 is just more of the same, but better, and that is perfectly okay.
Dark Cloud 2
Rebuilding The World
Dark Cloud 2
- Released
- February 17, 2003
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
For a PS2 game, Dark Cloud 2 was ahead of its time in terms of what it offered players. As a time-traveling RPG, Max and Monica, the dual protagonists, were tasked with going into dungeons, rescuing NPCs and materials, and then using those things to build towns to their liking.
The action combat was satisfying thanks to the heroes’ individual and varied powers and weapons that leveled up and evolved with use. In old dungeons, players could return to fish or golf, and these features went beyond simple mini-game distractions.
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
A Blue Paradise
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
- Released
- January 26, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Simulated Gambling, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is a dense game set in Hawaii starring a former Yakuza member, Ichiban, who gets tangled up with local gang members and other organizations claiming to run the island. The combat allows for some customization, since players can choose what classes to combo in the turn-based combat.
Around town, they can romance a majority of NPCs to become friends, play mini-games like taking pictures of weird butterfly men, and explore on a scooter. Outside of the city, there is a tiny island players can use to cultivate their own village and defend it from raiders. What really sets this RPG apart are the quests, which feature bizarre and memorable NPCs with scenarios that have to be seen to be believed.
Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time
RPG Dream Builder
Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time
- Released
- May 21, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is a quaint little action game about playing an RPG how players want. After creating a character, players can choose a class, called a Life, and level up based on that Life’s operations. Players can level up by fishing, cooking, chopping down trees, attacking enemies with magic, and so on.
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Beyond the wide range of Lives, players can also explore dungeons with friends online and decorate their home. It’s an ever-evolving RPG that can be played casually whenever players have a second, and that type of adaptability is rare to find with this level of quality.
Disgaea 1 Complete
Cheat Your Way To Victory
Disgaea 1 Complete
- ESRB
- t
WHERE TO PLAY
Disgaea 1 Complete is a remaster of the first game, a niche tactical RPG marvel that is still leagues ahead of others. Players will get powerful named characters, but they can also create an infinite number of monsters and humanoid characters with classes.
Players can level up items and gear by going into pocket dimensions, and they go before a council to unlock various features, from reincarnation to cheats. That’s right, players can even go into the game’s inner workings to mess with gameplay, and the game can easily amuse players for hundreds of hours if they really get into it.
Valkyria Chronicles 4
A Tactics Game Like No Other
Valkyria Chronicles 4
- Released
- September 25, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- Strategy, RPG
Valkyria Chronicles 4 is the latest entry in the series and another example of a unique tactical RPG. Most tactical RPGs have characters move on a grid-based map and take places within turns. In Valkyria Chronicles, a selected party member can run around anywhere on the battlefield within their meter’s limit.
Enemies can fire in real-time, and traps can even be triggered. Stopping movement will activate combat mode, pausing all enemy fire so that players can attack back. This active element gives players a more harrowing experience that makes the Valkyria Chronicles series overall unlike anything else out there and makes even the best grid-based games feel archaic.
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