Role-playing games (RPGs) have captivated players for decades, offering immersive worlds, deep storytelling, and unforgettable characters. From fantasy epics to futuristic adventures, RPGs provide unparalleled freedom and strategic gameplay. This list ranks the Top 10 RPG Games of All Time, based on critical acclaim, fanbase, gameplay depth, and cultural impact.
1) The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015)
Developer: CD Projekt Red
Total Sales: Over 50 million copies
Metacritic Score: 93/100
Why It’s Ranked: A masterpiece of storytelling, open-world exploration, and choice-driven gameplay.
The Witcher 3 revolutionized RPGs with its rich world-building, morally complex decisions, and deep combat mechanics. Playing as Geralt of Rivia, you embark on a journey across vast landscapes, encountering intricate quests, dangerous monsters, and compelling characters. With multiple endings based on your choices, the game provides one of the most personalized RPG experiences ever created.
The game’s expansive world features multiple regions, each with its own unique culture, environment, and challenges. Side quests in The Witcher 3 are often just as deep and meaningful as the main storyline, ensuring that every playthrough feels fresh and engaging.
Did You Know? The game’s side quests are so detailed that some are better than the main storylines in other RPGs. The infamous “Bloody Baron” questline is often regarded as one of the best RPG narratives ever written.
2) The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011)
Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
Total Sales: Over 60 million copies
Metacritic Score: 94/100
Why It’s Ranked: One of the most replayable and moddable RPGs ever.
With its vast open world and nearly limitless possibilities, Skyrim remains a favorite among RPG fans. Whether you’re slaying dragons, becoming a stealthy assassin, or simply living life as a blacksmith, the game allows for complete freedom. The modding community has kept the game alive for over a decade, adding new quests, characters, and even entirely new worlds.
Bethesda’s Radiant AI system makes each NPC feel alive, reacting to the player’s actions dynamically. The game’s multiple guilds, factions, and questlines ensure that players can experience countless stories within a single playthrough.
Did You Know? Skyrim has been released on nearly every major console generation, including VR and Nintendo Switch. The phrase “You’re finally awake” from the game’s intro became a widely recognized meme.
3) Final Fantasy VII (1997)
Developer: Square Enix
Total Sales: Over 14 million copies
Metacritic Score: 92/100
Why It’s Ranked: A landmark RPG that set the standard for cinematic storytelling.
This legendary title introduced players to Cloud Strife, Sephiroth, and an unforgettable world. With its emotional story, groundbreaking cutscenes, and deep combat system, Final Fantasy VII remains one of the most beloved RPGs ever. The game’s Materia system allows for deep customization, letting players tailor their characters to fit various combat strategies.
The blend of steampunk and fantasy elements created one of the most visually distinctive worlds in RPG history. The game’s themes of environmentalism, corporate greed, and personal redemption remain relevant to this day.
Did You Know? The game was originally planned for the Nintendo 64, but due to hardware limitations, it was developed for PlayStation instead. The Remake project, started decades later, reimagines the story in an episodic format with enhanced visuals and gameplay.
4) Dark Souls (2011)
Developer: FromSoftware
Total Sales: Over 30 million copies (series total)
Metacritic Score: 89/100
Why It’s Ranked: The game that pioneered the Soulslike genre.
Dark Souls is known for its punishing difficulty, cryptic storytelling, and intricate level design. The game’s combat system requires patience and skill, making every victory feel like a true achievement. Its world, Lordran, is an interconnected masterpiece, allowing for seamless exploration filled with hidden secrets and powerful foes.
The game introduced mechanics like stamina-based combat, challenging boss fights, and environmental storytelling that have since become staples in the RPG genre. Players often debate the best build strategies, further enhancing its replayability.
Did You Know? The phrase “Git Gud” became a meme in gaming culture due to the difficulty of Dark Souls. The game’s “bonfire” checkpoint system was so influential that it has been replicated in countless other RPGs.
5) Mass Effect 2 (2010)
Developer: BioWare
Total Sales: Over 7 million copies
Metacritic Score: 96/100
Why It’s Ranked: A perfect blend of action, choice-driven storytelling, and deep character development.
Mass Effect 2 expanded upon the first game’s RPG mechanics, allowing players to build relationships, make tough decisions, and engage in thrilling sci-fi combat. The choices you make affect the entire trilogy, making it one of the most immersive RPGs ever. With its cinematic presentation and emotional depth, Mass Effect 2 is widely regarded as one of the best story-driven RPGs of all time.
The “Suicide Mission” remains one of the most intense and memorable final missions in gaming history, with character survival directly tied to the player’s decisions throughout the game. The loyalty missions ensure that each companion has depth, making their survival (or loss) feel personal.
Did You Know? The game’s “Suicide Mission” ending changes drastically based on the loyalty of your crew and previous choices. Some players lost their entire team due to poor decision-making.
6) Persona 5 Royal (2019)
Developer: Atlus
Total Sales: Over 9 million copies (series total)
Metacritic Score: 95/100
Why It’s Ranked: A unique blend of turn-based combat, social simulation, and anime-style storytelling.
Persona 5 Royal refines everything that made the original game great, adding new content, improved mechanics, and an expanded storyline. The game follows a group of high school students who moonlight as Phantom Thieves, entering alternate dimensions to change the hearts of corrupt individuals. Its distinctive visual style, jazz-inspired soundtrack, and compelling character interactions make it one of the most stylish RPGs ever.
Beyond its gripping narrative, Persona 5 Royal allows players to manage daily life, form relationships, and make meaningful choices that affect the story. The turn-based combat system is fast-paced and engaging, introducing mechanics like Baton Pass and elemental weaknesses to keep battles strategic.
Did You Know? The game’s development took over six years, with every element meticulously crafted to create an immersive experience.
7) Chrono Trigger (1995)
Developer: Square Enix
Total Sales: Over 3.5 million copies
Metacritic Score: 92/100
Why It’s Ranked: One of the greatest JRPGs of all time, with an innovative time-traveling story.
Chrono Trigger was a groundbreaking RPG, featuring a unique combat system, multiple endings, and one of the best soundtracks in gaming. The story follows a group of adventurers traveling across different time periods to prevent a global catastrophe. Its seamless transitions between battles and exploration set a new standard for RPGs.
The game’s Active Time Battle system made combat feel dynamic, while the ability to make choices that impacted the ending added replayability. Its influence on later RPGs, including the Final Fantasy and Persona series, is undeniable.
Did You Know? The game was developed by a “Dream Team” of legendary creators, including Final Fantasy’s Hironobu Sakaguchi, Dragon Quest’s Yuji Horii, and Dragon Ball artist Akira Toriyama.
8) Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn (2000)
Developer: BioWare
Total Sales: Over 2 million copies
Metacritic Score: 95/100
Why It’s Ranked: One of the deepest and most complex RPGs based on Dungeons & Dragons mechanics.
Baldur’s Gate II is widely regarded as one of the best classic RPGs ever created. It offers a deep story, engaging characters, and a tactical combat system based on Dungeons & Dragons’ 2nd Edition rules. Players take on the role of a Bhaalspawn, a being with divine blood, navigating political intrigue, epic battles, and personal struggles.
The game features an incredible amount of player choice, from party composition to moral decisions that shape the world. The companions are some of the best-written in RPG history, with their own personal quests and unique personalities.
Did You Know? Many modern RPGs, including Dragon Age and Pillars of Eternity, were directly inspired by Baldur’s Gate II’s storytelling and gameplay mechanics.
9) Fallout: New Vegas (2010)
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Total Sales: Over 12 million copies
Metacritic Score: 84/100
Why It’s Ranked: A masterclass in RPG choice and freedom set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
Unlike many RPGs that focus on a linear story, Fallout: New Vegas allows players to shape their own destiny. Set in a post-apocalyptic version of Las Vegas, the game lets players side with different factions, make impactful choices, and explore a vast open world filled with humor, danger, and deep lore.
The game is praised for its branching narratives, with different endings based on the player’s allegiances and actions. Its hardcore mode, which requires players to manage thirst, hunger, and sleep, adds a level of realism rarely seen in RPGs.
Did You Know? Fallout: New Vegas was developed in just 18 months, yet remains one of the most beloved RPGs of all time.
10) Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age (2017)
Developer: Square Enix
Total Sales: Over 6.5 million copies
Metacritic Score: 91/100
Why It’s Ranked: A beautifully crafted, modern take on the classic turn-based RPG formula.
Dragon Quest XI combines nostalgic turn-based combat with modern visuals and an emotionally gripping story. As the Luminary, players embark on a heroic journey to uncover their destiny, accompanied by a lovable cast of characters. The game’s world is vast, vibrant, and filled with secrets to uncover.
With its charming art style (designed by Akira Toriyama), massive open world, and engaging side quests, Dragon Quest XI stands as a shining example of how traditional RPG mechanics can still feel fresh and exciting.
Did You Know? The game was originally designed for 3DS, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch, with unique graphical styles for each version.
Final Thoughts
These Top 10 RPG Games of All Time have shaped the gaming industry, offering players unforgettable adventures, emotional storytelling, and deep mechanics. Whether you’re exploring Skyrim’s vast world, making tough choices in Mass Effect 2, or strategizing in Baldur’s Gate II, these RPGs offer something truly special for every type of gamer.
Which RPG is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!