Role-playing gamesmake up one of the most timeless genres in video gaming. Whether it’s anaction-packed JRPGor a conventional western CRPG, fans are usually happy to return to the game decades later. This is because of the most compelling aspects of an RPG is the ability to develop the character and follow them on their journey through an epic adventure.
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This is why fans are happy to return to classics likeFinal Fantasy VIIandBaldur’s Gateover twenty years later and still have as much fun now as they did back then. There are lots of great RPGs to choose from that have been released in the last decade. Here are ten of the best that earned their spot on Metacritic.
10Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition (Metascore 90)
Diablo IIIwas originally released in 2012 on the PC and suffered a difficult launch due to the always-on DRM feature requiring gamers to be online to play. However, it was theUltimate Evil Editionwhich was released on consoles with several new features that received the most critical acclaim.
Diablo IIIhas since received another expanded collection withDiablo III: Eternal Collectionwhich was released in 2017 on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and the Nintendo Switch in 2018. The Eternal Collectionis a better deal for fans because it includes all of the latest content including theRise of the Necromancerand theReaper of Souls.
9Dragon Age: Origins (Metascore 91)
Dragon Age: Originsreleased in 2009 on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC. It was developed by BioWare, who had already established themselves as one of the best developers of RPGs in the world. With games like theBaldur’s Gateseries,Knights of the Old Republic,andMass Effectexpectations were very high forDragon Age.
The game more than lived up to expectations and they created a game with a ton of lore and depth for players to get to grips with.Dragon Agereceived two sequels, a comic book series, a board game, and several novels.
8The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Metascore 92)
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrimwas originally released in 2011 on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and the PC. It would later get remastered for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2016 with enhanced visuals, features and additional DLC.
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Skyrimis considered to be one of the most influential RPGs ever developed with games likeKingdom Come Deliveranceand even theFar Cryseries taking inspiration from the game. It’s a true high fantasy epic that all fans of the genre should experience.
7Undertale (Metascore 93)
Undertalewas released in 2015 on the PC, PlayStation 4, the Vita, and the Nintendo Switch. It was created by indie developer Toby Fox and was developed using the GameMaker Studio program. The game was heavily influenced by Japanese RPGs and included a lot of the same mechanics found in theShin Megami Tenseiseries.
Undertalealso uses a bullet-hell combat system inspired by theTouhou Projectseries. Despite its humble beginnings,Undertalewon Game of the Year awards and was praised for its great writing and sits among the big-budget AAA RPGs as one of the best on Metacritic.
6Mass Effect 3 (Metascore 93)
Released in 2012Mass Effect 3is the concluding chapter to BioWare’s videogame space opera trilogy. It was released on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC and the Wii U and received huge praise from critics.
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However, the ending didn’t sit well with most fans as they felt that the choices they made throughout the trilogy had no real impact. BioWare tried to rectify this with additional story content and a free DLC expansion called theExtended Cut.Criticisms aside,Mass Effect 3is still a thrilling ride from start to finish and feels like one is taking part in a sci-fi blockbuster.
5The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (Metascore 93)
The Witcher 3: Wild Huntwas released in 2015 on the PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox One. It was later ported to the Nintendo Switch in 2019. The game is a direct follow up toThe Witcher 2: Assassins of Kingsand is based onThe Witchernovels by Andrzej Sapkowski.
The Witcher 3is considered one of the greatest western RPGs ever made and its influence can be seen in games likeAssassin’s Creed: Origins, Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey,andHorizon Zero Dawn.TheWitcheris getting aTV serieson the 20thof December 2019 on Netflix starring Henry Cavill so there’s never been a better time try the game.
4Divinity: Original Sin II (Metascore 93)
Divinity: Original Sin IIwas developed by Larian Studios and released on the PlayStation, Xbox One, PC, and the Nintendo Switch. Like its predecessor,Original Sin IIwas funded by the Kickstarter project.
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Yet, despite its humble beginnings the game is considered to be one of the best RPGs of all time and the best in its generation.Original Sin IIoffers its players so much choice and it seems that every single action in the game will have a reaction. It’s one of the purest RPGs ever made and it’s a game where the player is free to be exactly as they want to be in a surprisingly realistic way.
3The Legend Of Grimrock iOS (Metascore 94)
The Legend of Grimrockwas originally released on the PC in 2012. It is a dungeon crawler based on the 1987 Amiga classicDungeon Master. It was ported three years later in 2015 for iOS systems and was a near-perfect port where the touch screen provided a more user-friendly experience.
The original release on PC received a Metascore of 82 but the iOS release was received more favorably. This may have been because there aren’t as many quality RPGs on the system as the PC but it’s a great game that got more exposure and the love that it deserved the first time.
2Bastion iOS (Metascore 94)
Bastionwas released in 2011 for Xbox 360 and was later ported to iOS in 2012. It’s an action RPG that lends itself perfectly to the handheld and touchscreen platform and performed better than its PlayStation Vita counterpart.
It’s a Game of The Year winner for several websites like RPGamer, Game Informer, and IGN many of which complemented its story and voice narration for its innovation. Bastion’s music which was composed by Darren Korb won the best music award from theSpike Video Game Awardsshow.
1Mass Effect 2 (Metascore 96)
Mass Effect 2was released on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC in 2011. It was the second entry in theMass Effecttrilogy and for many fans it is theEmpire Strikes Backof the series meaning it’s considered the best in the saga.
Players could import their save from its predecessor and the choices they made in that game will affect the story ofMass Effect 2.The game is considerably darker in tone than the first game, has great character development, music, story, and introduces a more action-based combat system. With a Metascore of 96, it’s the highest-scoring RPG of the decade.
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