Few modern RPGs have ignited the genre’s imagination like Baldur’s Gate 3. Its epic narrative, intricate choice systems, and cinematic presentation have rightfully cemented it as a landmark in video game storytelling, yet, despite how high the game soars, there are still a few games out there that manage to peak higher. Where BG3 has romantic depth and moral dilemmas, other games go above and beyond, delivering deeper experiences that transcend the medium in more emotional and impactful ways.
The best stories in the genre do more than just react to the player's decisions by challenging those choices with twists and other reveals that make every step feel like a critical moment of consequence. Some games achieve this through their characters and how they interact with the rest of the cast, while others place a bigger focus on the wider context of the world and how every minute detail fits into the narrative. Whatever the case, Baldur's Gate 3 may be video game story royalty, but no one ever said there couldn't be more than one throne.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Captivating From Start To Finish
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Released
- April 24, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Sandfall Interactive
- Genre(s)
- Turn-Based RPG, JRPG, Fantasy
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one of the most impressive RPGs of all time, coming from an indie developer that showed the world that with enough ambition and talent, anything is possible. The game centers around the city of Lumière, and the yearly event called the Gommage that erases anyone from the world whose age matches the number on the Paintress' giant monolith in the distance. This number ticks down each year, so brave expeditioners set out to put a stop to the culling, but no team has made it back alive yet.
Where the game steps things up from Baldur's Gate 3 is how unique the world is and how well it presents such a complex story. Where BG3 sends players down a range of narrative branches, Clair Obscur keeps them on one specific path, while still opening the door for some side content along the way. Despite not being as expansive, it still manages to grip players right from the start with a far more compelling narrative hook that is shrouded in mystery and as unknown to the players as it is to the characters who have been living in the world for their whole lives.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Fighting For The Throne
Metaphor: ReFantazio
- Released
- October 11, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
Metaphor: ReFantzaio sets a new standard for the turn-based RPG space, blending a classic fantasy world with a gripping story that will easily keep players invested for well over 50 hours. Euchronia is a fractured kingdom in search of its next monarch, and players explore the region, uniting peoples of all kinds and uncovering the hidden truth behind the royal lineage. What starts as an exploration of the political world quickly turns into a tale of internal reflection that explores personal identity on a deeply personal level within each character.
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Baldur's Gate 3 may thrive on the near-endless possibilities presented to the player, but Metaphor excels through individual stories of transformation. The narrative is more focused on the overarching philosophies that players carry between regions, with the story evolving based on their conviction rather than choice. This makes the game feel far more psychologically driven, grounding the fantasy world with a realistic narrative that uncovers the fears and truths that govern both the game world and the reality that the players live in.
Disco Elysium
Solving Crimes Across A Broken City
Disco Elysium
- Released
- October 15, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs, Violence
- Developer(s)
- ZA/UM
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Disco Elysium stands as one of the most distinctive narrative RPGs ever created, following a grimly poetic descent into memory, ideology, and moral collapse. Set in the crumbling city of Revachol, the story follows a washed-up detective who awakens from a bout of self-destruction with a potentially related bout of amnesia, and his journey to solve crimes within a decaying environment. The game’s world is written with literary precision. Each street and conversation is soaked in history and coated with the constant feeling of regret. The game really shines with its dialogue system, where the protagonist’s inner turmoil becomes a central narrative device that can never really be avoided.
In a lot of ways, the game runs parallel to Baldur’s Gate 3, but it goes further with how introspective its narrative becomes. Its story rejects heroism, favoring vulnerability and self-reckoning over destiny, subverting a lot of the genre norms to create a deeply real story that very few games can match. Every choice feels painfully human, as the decisions are less about branching outcomes and more about the background consequences of belief and guilt, layering each option with a web of progressively more damaging outcomes. By abandoning traditional combat and grounding its mechanics solely in dialogue, Disco Elysium manages to return the genre to its early days, where words mattered far more than might.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Fulfilling The Prophecy
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
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt remains one of the most emotionally mature stories ever told in an RPG. The game takes players on a sweeping yet deeply personal journey through a world shaped by war, where Geralt searches for his adopted daughter, Ciri. The narrative effortlessly blends a complex political climate with intimate character drama, using dialogue as the main driving force and letting the world-building speak for itself. Even the smallest of side quests come with huge revelations, and players are more often than not rewarded for going the extra mile and seeing things through to the very end.
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The reason The Witcher 3 is revered so highly and still remains at the top of the genre despite games like Baldur's Gate 3 making waves is that the narrative is so cohesive from start to finish. Choices feel tangible, and even when there are questions regarding the impact certain quests have on the main story, they are quickly answered with a satisfying conclusion. It also manages to make its wide cast of characters incredibly likable right from the start, whilst still leaving them plenty of room to grow into whatever clear path the player decides to lead them on.
Divinity: Original Sin 2
Deciding The Fate Of The World
Divinity: Original Sin 2
- Released
- September 14, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Divinity: Original Sin 2 is a masterclass in player-driven storytelling, delivering an intricately designed RPG where every action, conversation, and consequence feels hand-tailored to the player's individual journey. Set in the troubled world of Rivellon, the story begins with the player as a Sourcerer, a wielder of forbidden magic who is hunted by the divine order. What follows is a journey of rebellion and constant revelation. The game pushes into new ground with how it handles companions, as each grapples with conflicting ideas about mortality and the nature of the world itself, forcing the player to decide how to progress through the narrative with the weight of those around them on their shoulders.
Both Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity 2 come from the great minds at Larian Studios, but in a lot of ways, the latter remains the purer, more cohesive expression of the studio's storytelling philosophy. Its writing carries a sharper moral contrast, its world feels more responsive, and its party dynamics are driven by ideologies rather than romance or spectacle. The depth comes from how the storytelling feels like a living ecosystem that evolves with the player on a grander scale, making decisions carry a significant amount of weight as opposed to being minor character developments that often don't lead to any significant change in the actual story.
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