Role-playing games represent some of the best and best-selling games in the industry. Offering immersive worlds fans can lose themselves in, it's easy to see how they have such a passionate fanbase. Moreover, most of them can last for countless hours, offering incredible value for the amount of money spent on them.
The PC platform Steam offers access to one of the widest gaming libraries in existence. Fans can reach back to older eras for their RPGs or play things from the modern era with no problem. When players have access to nearly unlimited games, the question really becomes which one to play first.
Updated by Sage Ashford on September 22, 2023: Steam is constantly adding classic and new games for gamers to enjoy. This list has been updated to include a few more key titles for RPG fans to try.
15 WarTales
The recently released strategy RPG WarTales places players in control of a traveling band of mercenaries. Asked to survive not just other mercenaries and animals but the environment itself, WarTales challenges players to explore a world that they won't just be able to easily fight their way through.
Fans took to this title immediately, thanks to the challenging combat that makes every decision matter, from the equipment used to the types of characters working together. With the ability to play the game alone or with up to four players, planning out strategies and fighting back against a world that's as dangerous as the players are has never been more fun.
14 Legend of Heroes: Trails From Zero
The Legend of Heroes story continues with Trails from Zero, the fourth entry in the long-running franchise. Set in the independent city-state of Crossbell and following new lead character Lloyd Bannings, Trails from Zero is welcoming to experienced and newcomer players alike. As Lloyd, players will join the police's new Special Support Section department, a group basically meant to garner good PR for the police. However, the SSS' actions uncover a plot that could cause great problems for Crossbell, if someone doesn't step up to stop them.
Easily one of the strongest entries in the Legend of Heroes franchise, Trails from Zero is exactly the kind of game retro RPG fans should be looking for. It's got a small yet well-written cast, and develops a new area in Trails' already intricately built world.
13 Final Fantasy VII Intergrade
When it comes to big-budget JRPGs, it doesn't get much better than Final Fantasy VII: Remake Intergrade. While PC players had to wait a while to get this game, it was still worth it as it's jaw-dropping on the right hardware. Of course, by now everyone's aware of the main game, where Cloud and the rest of AVALANCHE battle against Shinra for the soul of Midgar.
Remake Intergrade though also includes Episode Intermission, where Wutai ninja Yuffie Kisaragi goes to Midgar to aid in the fight against Shinra. The PC version is arguably the definitive way to play this classic JRPG, preferably before the sequel Final Fantasy VII Rebirth launches in 2024.
12 Weird West
Like most settings, the Wild West has become well-tread ground. Weird West though offers something different, giving players an isometric RPG set in a supernatural version of the Old West. Players take on six characters, each with their own histories and quests that come together over the course of a lengthy story.
Weird West isn't just a great take on classic Westerns though, but an amazing immersive sim. People can spend hours testing the world's interactivity, as it shifts in response to everything the player does. Or they can focus on the main quest and get one of the strangest dark fantasy stories in gaming. Their choice.
11 Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
Being an assassin never looked so good. Ubisoft took a major risk with Assassin's Creed by turning it into an RPG, but not only did it work, but it was even better with the sequel. Sending players back to before the Brotherhood existed, players take on the role of the Misthios, a powerful mercenary who takes a simple mission that leads to them uncovering a grand conspiracy affecting all of Greece.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey is a superb action RPG, with multiple viable builds that can suit any player's individual playstyle. The massive world and hundreds of bespoke quests offer enough content for weeks of playtime, and that's without even looking at the DLC. With plenty of memorable characters and gorgeous locales on top of its satisfying combat, Odyssey stands as the best Assassin's Creed game ever.
10 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was the definitive RPG of the last generation. The developers at CDProjekt created a masterpiece of a game, where players could immerse themselves in a massive world as the coolest monster slayer around.
While most RPGs endeavor to feel like the player's story, The Witcher 3's story is very much Geralt's journey, and the player is just along for the ride. However, that just means the writers are free to tell an amazing personal story that sticks with players long after they put the controller down. Considering the game can take dozens of hours to complete though, putting the controller down might take a while.
9 Elden Ring
FromSoftware proved the Game of the Year discussion could be over almost before it began when they released Elden Ring in February, 2022. With a world designed by A Song of Fire and Ice writer George R.R. Martin combined with Hidetaka Miyazaki's direction, it's not a surprise this game was an instant classic.
Elden Ring takes everything that worked about previous FromSoft games and improves on it. Players are set loose in a massive, strange open world and asked to conquer it one punishing boss fight at a time. The game's difficulty is balanced though by the scores of abilities and weapons available to create the perfect character, encouraging players to keep trying no matter how many times they get crushed.
8 Fallout: New Vegas
In Fallout: New Vegas, players return to the Atomic Age nuclear wasteland of Fallout's America, this time on a mission that will lead them to the city of New Vegas. Known simply as the Courier, it's the player's job to deliver a package to New Vegas. But nothing can ever be easy in Fallout, and the player's quest to finish the job leads them all over both New Vegas itself and the surrounding Mojave Wasteland.
Despite its bugs, Fallout: New Vegas is beloved thanks to Obsidian Entertainment's sharp writing. The game improves on many of the elements of Fallout 3, adding a number of roleplay systems to make the world more immersive than ever before. It''s easier than ever to get into the game these days, with the Ultimate Edition granting a more polished experience and access to the game's DLC chapters.
7 Divinity: Original Sin II
Divinity: Original Sin II firmly established Larian Studios as one of the best RPG developers out there. Original Sin II welcomes players to the world of Rivellon, where they become someone known as the Godwoken. As the Godwoken, they're challenged to traverse the lands and absorb more power in the hopes of becoming a being known as the Divine to save the world.
Divinity: Original Sin II represents another evolution in RPGs thanks to its superb character development and writing. Its highly interactable world allows players to solve problems both in and out of combat with whatever creative solutions they can invent. Even better, players can play the game co-op, going through and completing quests and story elements together or separately while operating in the same universe. This means Original Sin II's excellent story can be experienced either alone or with friends.
6 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Despite being over a decade old, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a groundbreaking open-world game that turned The Elder Scrolls franchise into one of the most popular in gaming. The main story is simple enough--slay a dragon and save the world. However, what people loved about Skyrim wasn't the base storyline, but that they could play for dozens or even hundreds of hours and never touch the main story.
Bethesda stuffed hundreds of side quests into Skyrim, allowing the player to forget all about the main quest. They're free to become a master thief or mags, or battle an island of vampires. They can create an immersive fantasy life for themselves, and with the ability to mod the game that comes with PC, any major issues in the game can be easily improved.
5 South Park: Stick of Truth
South Park: The Stick of Truth joins the small cadre of properties with great video game adaptations. Players create their own protagonist who teams up with the rest of the gang to recover the mythical Stick of Truth. Moreover, thanks to the creators of South Park handling the writing, the series feels even more like the show than it looks.
Stick of Truth is more than just fanservice, though. Underneath all the easter eggs is a proper role-playing game with engaging role-playing systems that keep people playing long after the novelty has worn off.
4 Monster Hunter World
It took years for Capcom to finally bring Monster Hunter to HD consoles and PC with Monster Hunter World, but it was well worth the wait. Once again, Capcom invited players to become Hunters, this time in a larger world than ever before. Despite designing a game that would be welcoming for new players though, veteran players found the same gameplay they'd always loved, just on the big screen.
The Iceborne expansion adds a new area, more monsters, and more awesome loot, but ultimately it's just building on an already great base. The core combat feels smooth and unlike any other Monster Hunter game out. It all makes repeating monster hunts to find that last piece of loot feel amazing.
3 Disco Elysium
Disco Elysium is for RPG fans who value story over everything. Unlike most RPGs, Disco Elysium keeps combat to a bare minimum. The story progresses primarily through dialogue, as the player takes on the role of a detective who lost his memory trying to resolve a murder case.
Disco Elysium's focus on narrative is well-warranted, with fans and critics alike claiming it's story is incredible. Meanwhile, leveling and other RPG mechanics remain intact, and skills make other parts of the game easier depending on which ones have been properly leveled. Disco Elysium also values brevity over length, with the main story running just over 20 hours long.
2 Persona 5 Royal
It took years, but finally Atlus' incredible Persona series has made it to PC, including their incredible Persona 5 Royal. In this latest entry in the Persona franchise, players take on the role of Joker, a high schooler that's the leader of the Phantom Thieves. The Thieves use their unique powers to break into the hearts of adults, taking away their twisted emotions and keeping them from harming society any further.
The original Persona 5 was already a beloved game thanks to its stylish world and captivating story. However, Persona 5 Royal improves on what's already there by adding a new Phantom Thief, a new semester, and a new Palace. It all adds to an already incredible game to create one of the best RPG experiences of the last generation.
1 Yakuza: Like A Dragon
With Yakuza: Like A Dragon, RGG Studio proved they could retain the feel of Yakuza no matter what changes they made. With the seventh installment in the Yakuza franchise, the series gives former protagonist Kazuma Kiryu a break and introduces a new lead in Ichiban Kasuga. That's not the only change the franchise makes though, as the series also moves to a completely different city and turns into a classic turn-based RPG.
Though most franchises couldn't survive even one of these changes, Like A Dragon is one of the best Yakuza titles yet. It's welcoming to new players, yet feels familiar to longtime fans. Lastly, thanks to its older cast, it provides a story that resonates with older audiences.