VonVic Hood
posts out Andreas Williams,Malindy Hetfeld,Lloyd Coombes
Explore new worlds in the best RPGs

The best role-playing games take you on an adventure you'll never forget. Whether you're slaying dragons, exploring distant planets, or fighting a cult, a great RPG will immerse you in its world.
A truly great RPG offers a rich world full of unforgettable characters and gives you the tools to create your own experience, whether it's customizing your character's playstyle to suit your tastes, creating your own rat gang of companions, or letting them explore in your own pace. You know this adventure is yours.
Here at TRG, we've rounded up the very best the genre has to offer below. We've tried to include a number of different RPGs in our list. Whether you're looking for a crazy JRPG, an epic fantasy or a turn-based strategy CRPG, there's probably something for you here. Read on for the best RPGs you can play right now.
Best RPGs
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The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
An epic fantasy adventure
platforms available:PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC und Nintendo Switch
Skyrim may be over a decade old, but this open-world fantasy epic still remains one of the best RPGs out there and well worth playing beforehandThe Elder Scrolls 6releases.
Bethesda's action role-playing game sees you, the Dragonborn, on a quest to defeat a world-eating dragon before it destroys the world. But the main story of Skyrim is just one facet of this incredible adventure. You can spend hundreds of satisfying hours completing side quests and exploring every nook and cranny of this vast world. Few games create a world as rich as this one. In addition, if you get your hands on the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition, you'll be able to enjoy all of the game's DLCs and even enjoy the benefits of a graphical upgrade.
Disco-Elysium
A sordid adventure filled with stories where your choices matter
Available platforms:Nintendo Switch, PS5,Xbox-Serie X|S and PC
Disco Elysium is an RPG like no other. Set in a filthy, seedy town full of downtrodden characters, you play a hungover, amnesiac detective trying to solve a murder, only to find blessed relief.
The special thing about Disco Elysium ishis decisions, there is no clear right or wrong and you can have completely different playthroughs by leaning on different parts of your character. You can be a corrupt, lazy, argumentative, or determined detective. This is a must for RPG fans, especially now that it has been updated to The Final Cut, a version that offers even more content and full voice acting.
Yakuza: Like a dragon
A hilariously crazy JRPG
Available platforms:PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC undAmazon Luna
TheYakuza Gameshave always mixed mature themes with completely insane shenanigans, and Yakuza: Like a Dragon really lets loose in the latter regard. While you can still expect plenty of hard-hitting plot points throughout the game's long and turbulent story, the series' entire combat system has been reimagined as a turn-based JRPG - and it works surprisingly well.
Each character can take different classes, e.g. Become a singing musician or a cute J-pop idol, each with their own unique fighting skills. It's certainly a different approach, but since you're fighting nudists and cult members, it's only right that your magical incantation should be a giant lobster. This is one of the best RPGs for players who like a little (or a lot) of the ridiculous.
Persona 5 Royal
A super stylish JRPG
Available platforms:PS5, Xbox-Serie X|S,Nintendo Switch, and PC
Persona 5 might just be the most stylish JRPG you'll ever play. Everything from the animation, character design, acid jazz-inspired soundtrack, and even the menus screams cool.
This JRPG tells the story of a group of jaded teenagers who literally change the hearts of wrongdoers, uncover histories of abuse, break away from societal norms, groupthink and more. Persona 5's story has depth and its characters learn and grow throughout the game's 100+ hour storyline. This is a game that should be on any list of the best RPGs, both for how addictive it is and how well it introduces you to everything that makes JRPGs great.
The Witcher 3: Wilde Jagd
Detailed world building and unforgettable characters
Available platforms:PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5 und Xbox Series X|S
In The Witcher 3, step into the well-worn footsteps of Geralt, a gruff and gray-haired monster hunter who tries to hunt down his adopted daughter, Ciri, before the spooky Wild Hunt does. His quest takes him on a sprawling adventure through the continent's vast open world, where you'll encounter bizarre and terrifying creatures, strange NPCs, and even some romantic interests.
If you're looking for a medieval fantasy RPG with detailed world-building, quality storytelling, and enticing side quests, then you can't go wrong with The Witcher 3 - even if you haven't played the other games in the series. Also thanksThe Witcher 3 Next-Gen-UpgradeReleased in late 2022, this premium RPG looks and works better than ever. Definitely worth playing beforehandThe witcher 4's publication.
Divinity: original sin 2
An isometric role-playing game for tabletop fans
Available platforms:PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5 und Xbox Series X|S
Larian Studios isometric RPG is set in the fantasy world of Rivellon and stars as "Godwoken", a champion of the Seven Gods who seeks to become a powerful Divine in order to hold back the invading Void.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 is an isometric RPG with incredible storyline and world-building, fully committed to the idea of player choice. From character classes with unique playstyles to the ability to interact with NPCs in any way you choose, you can play through much of the game without getting your hands dirty in combat. If you decide to swing your sword, combat is turn-based fun that requires a great deal of strategic thinking. If you like RPGs that use tabletop roleplaying systems, Divinity: Original Sin 2 is one of the best in this category.
Final Fantasy 7-Remake
A JRPG classic made even better
Available platforms:PS5 and PC
A remake of the 1997 classic, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, mercenary Cloud Strike teams up with the eco-terrorist group AVALANCHE to take down the megacorporation Shinra. However, while the core of the story remains the same as the original, Final Fantasy 7 Remake fills in gaps in the story that we didn't know needed filling in 1997 by adding new plot points and further expanding existing characters.
Additionally, by adopting elements from Final Fantasy titles released since the original, such as the B. Real-time action, developed what is probably the best combat system the series has ever seen. By fusing the old with the new, Square has created a modern JRPG that draws on the rich storytelling of what made the original a pinnacle of the genre while offering new elements that keep it fresh. But the story doesn't end there, eitherFinal Fantasy 7 rebirthshould appear at the end of 2023.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Exploration without overcrowding
Available platforms:Nintendo Switch
breath of the wildis not only one of the best RPGs you can play, it remains one of theThe best switch gamesany times. Taking place at the end of the Zelda timeline, Breath of the Wild sees Link awaken from a 100 year slumber only to find that he has lost his memory and needs to regain it in order to stop the evil Calamity Ganon from taking the Destroy the Kingdom of Hyrule.
When it released in 2017, Breath of the Wild had many grabbing the Nintendo Switch, and for good reason - it's an open-world RPG that doesn't feel overcrowded with side quests and unlockable icons. But thanks to Hyrule's massive open world, you'll never get bored. From dozens of puzzle-oriented shrines, opportunities to experiment with a robust physics system, and tough but rewarding combat, few games reward exploration quite like Breath of the Wild. Years after its release, players will find new ways to play in this version of Hyrule. Definitely worth playing before the sequel releases,The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, released later that year.
Pokemon Sword and Shield
Close to being the best
Available platforms:Nintendo Switch
Pokemon Sword and Shieldare essentially RPG comfort food. You can spend hours catching monsters like it's the mid-nineties, grinding levels and aiming to breed competitive Pokemon - or just enjoying its campaign. The new Galar region is packed with detail not found in the handheld-only versions. Pokémon roam the world freely, grass sways in the wind, and the new free-camera Wild Area allows for raids to be enjoyed with friends.
We think Pokémon Sword and Shield are the onesThe best Pokemon gamesgetting old, even if they are not the newest – read oursReview of Pokemon Scarlet and Violetto find out why it didn't make the cut.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition
An immersive sci-fi trilogy
Available platforms:PS5, Xbox Series X|S und PC
This remastered sci-fi trilogy follows the adventures of Commander Shephard as she and her ragtag crew traverse the cosmos to stop a race of machines known as the Reapers from taking over the galaxy.
Released during the Xbox 360 era, the Mass Effect trilogy is loved by gamers around the world thanks to its immersive role-playing game and deep sci-fi story. And the romantic aliens. let's be real Mass Effect Legendary Edition makes these games even better, significantly cleaning up all three with a range of visual, audio, and gameplay enhancements, bringing the series into the modern age while keeping our pink memories of it fully intact.
Beste RPGs: FAQs
What RPGs are coming out soon?
Just some of our most anticipated RPGs to be released in 2023 includeSternenfeld, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom,Final Fantasy 16, Octopath Traveler 2,The prophesied,Hogwarts Erbe,Diablo 4, Baldur's Gate 3 anddead island 2.
What game is similar to Skyrim?
The RPG that most closely resembles Skyrim on our list is The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Much like Skyrim, The Witcher 3 is an epic fantasy RPG with a sprawling world, plenty of side quests, and more bizarre creatures than you can imagine.
- Next, check out our picks for the best MMOs
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Vic Hood
Associate Editor, TechRadar Gaming
Vic is Associate Editor of TechRadar Gaming. As an award-winning games journalist, Vic brings experience from IGN, Eurogamer and more to the TechRadar table. You may even have heard them on the radio or spoken at a panel discussion. As well as being passionate about gaming, Vic is an avid mental health advocate, having appeared on both panels and podcasts to discuss mental health awareness. Follow her on Twitter for more.
With contributions from
- Andreas Williams
- Malindy Hetfeld
- Lloyd CoombesFreelancer & Podcaster