RPGs are the very definition of freedom, or at least, they should be in the strict sense of the genre. With so many different types of RPGs (some offering more options to roleplay than others) players might get the wrong idea of what it means to really get immersed in their worlds.
However, there are some titles that will drag players into their worlds and never let go. For those ready to get into some hardcore time-wasters, here are five perfect RPGs to lose days playing without even noticing.
10 Best RPGs You Can Sink Hundreds of Hours Into, Ranked
Lose yourself in epic journeys with these RPGs that pack hundreds of hours of immersive gameplay and rich narrative.
5 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
And Of Course, All It's Expansions
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Released
- May 19, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
The Northern Realms are a vast stretch of land that spans from the Amell Mountain range in the south to the dangerous Dragon Mountains in the North. This is where the story of The Witcher 3 unfolds (mostly) a tale of adventure, love lost (and found), and the desperate search of a father for his missing daughter. Now, in between Geralt's landing on White Orchard and his tearful meeting with Cirilla, her ward and child of surprise, there's a huge deal of things to do, starting with hunting Monsters, because logically, that's what a Witcher does.
But there's so much more than just simply going around cemeteries banishing wraiths, or hunting crones that are trying to eat the local children: Uncovering ancient secrets, discovering the real story behind some of its secondary characters, and trying to find the right path back to his fated love, the sorcerer Yennefer of Vengerberg. Geralt's journey is a dangerous one, sure, but it is also filled with so many things to do that players will absolutely lose track of time. How about some Gwent, then? The card mini-game is also a fine example of how ridiculously vast this game becomes when you dodge the main quest and go around asking for trouble. Players might lose more than just a few rounds, and their waged Orens in the process.
4 The Outer Worlds 2
A Wild-Wide Space To Explore
The Outer Worlds 2
- Released
- October 29, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Obsidian Entertainment
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
The Outer Worlds 2 is the second game of a franchise born from a studio (Obsidian) founded by Veterans of the industry, and most of them, coming from Black Isle Studios. So, it is reasonable to think players know what they're getting into when they dive into an RPG like this, filled to the brim with quirky characters, dozens of Secondary Quests, and tons of replay value. It's a game that is even more enthralling and harder to let go of than the first entry (The Outer Worlds 1), and size-wise, it's even bigger and has lots of Open-world sandboxes to explore across four main planets and smaller locations scattered across the solar system.
Offering deeper combat mechanics and character customization than its predecessor, The Outer Worlds 2 is definitely the ideal choice for those who wish to get lost in a game and never let go. The worlds change according to the decisions players take, while they try to stop an impending Colony War that threatens to destroy everything humanity has built in the Arcadia System. So, there's no guarantee players won't be losing themselves in the gameplay loop. Thread carefully.
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3 Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Medieval Mayhem And A Huge World To Explore
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
- Released
- February 4, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Action-Adventure, Open-World
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
KCD2 is a masterpiece, no doubt about it. From its incredible worldbuilding to its notoriously charming characters, and with two enormous open-world maps to explore, this game has everything it needs to become one of the best RPGs in the history of gaming. Players roaming the lands of Old Bohemia, fighting Cumans, bandits, boars, wolves, and other undesirable individuals who might want to kill Henry on sight, will soon notice the sheer size of this game.
Not even by fast-travelling players are safe from random encounters that can be as fortuitous as a travelling peddler, to an obnoxious vagrant knight that always wishes to have a bout with Henry of Skalitz. Players might also want to develop the two professions Henry inherited from his parents: Blacksmithing and Herbalism/Alchemy. Both of these crafting mini-games are absolutely time-consuming, and their mechanics are designed to be incredibly immersive. So, losing themselves while brewing potions in a shed, or hammering steel, is also a possibility in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. But that's also one of this game's charms, and another reason why players must try it at least once.
2 Baldur's Gate 3
The Finest D&D Game Ever Made
Baldur's Gate 3
- Released
- August 3, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, macOS
Baldur's Gate 3 is an incredible feat of game and narrative design, a work of art perfected through the effort of countless hands who love TTRPGs, and know that Dungeons & Dragons is the game that defined the genre and charmed generations with its intricate, yet incredibly fun mechanics. However, the game's combat system is loosely based on D&D 5.0, so those players looking to have an extremely accurate TTRPG experience with this game might be a bit disappointed. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that BG3 set the bar extremely high for all other RPGs that came after it.
With hundreds of choices to take, and its consequent outcomes, players will never get bored with replaying it over and over. What's it going to be this time? A Drow Death Domain Cleric? A Tiefling Bard? Or an Arcane Archer Warrior Dwarf? It's up to players to decide on a custom character or pick any of the Origin Characters in the story (including the infamous Dark Urge). It's a game that has many ups and downs and offers thousands of hours of fun. However, it is also possible to miss the passing of time in the real world while immersed in the action of its Main Campaign, not to mention the hundreds of mods available thanks to its eager modder community.
1 Octopath Traveler 2
All Paths Lead To Adventure
Octopath Traveler 2
- Released
- February 24, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
Octopath Traveler 2 is another example of a perfect RPG, and a greatly underestimated one at that. From its colorful characters (that are way more charismatic than the ones in OT1) to its thrilling plot, this game ranks among the best games to play if you want to live a true adventure. Its divergent, yet confluent paths are what make this game such an attractive way to engage in the RPG genre, and if players play their cards right, they will have thousands of hours of fun ahead, exploring its enormous world while trying different routes on each playthrough.
This RPG sits comfortably between Final Fantasy and Bravely Default, combining the best of those two series, but with a different level of engagement in terms of exploration, where the use of the Path Actions outside of combat is a way for players to gather clues, items, and even complete hidden objectives. It will take a long time before players say 'enough of this game'.