The RPG genre is one of the most sought-after in gaming for its rich storytelling and immersion, with games like Baldur's Gate 3, The Witcher 3, Metaphor: ReFantazio, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 proving just that. However, not all RPGs can rise to the same masterpiece status as those examples, but that also doesn't mean they're any less impactful.
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PostsSome of the RPGs you'll see below have some startlingly low scores and received poor critical reception, but, in the end, playing them will still result in an enjoyable experience. Whether it may be an underrated entry from a notable series or perhaps a game you've never heard of until now, these RPGs are worth considering.
10 Game Of Thrones (2012)
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RPG Systems Released May 15, 2012 ESRB m Developer(s) Cyanide Studio Publisher(s) Atlus, Focus Home Interactive Engine Unreal Engine 3 Franchise Game of Thrones Platform(s) PC, PS3, Xbox 360 Powered by Expand CollapseDespite being such a popular and massive franchise, Game of Thrones never saw much success in the realm of video games. The 2014 episodic Telltale game would prove to be the best the series has to offer, but the 2012 RPG is a more hidden gem that shoulstatic.aayyy.com/topic/dn/'t be ignored either. It's also notable for having Varys' actor, Conleth Hill, and Jeor Mormont's actor, James Cosmo, reprising their roles, as well as a cameo from George R.R. Martin himself.
This game gives you an RPG narrative set in the world of Westeros and follows two main protagonists – a man of the Night's Watch, Mors Westford, and a knight named Alester Sarwyck. Is the execution to the quality of acclaimed fantasy RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 or Dragon Age? No, but that doesn't mean the combat is any less playable.
9 Alpha Protocol
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Action RPG Systems Released June 1, 2010 ESRB m Developer(s) Obsidian Entertainment Publisher(s) Sega Engine Unreal Engine 3WHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALBefore Outer Worlds, Pentiment, Avowed, Fallout: New Vegas, and the South Park RPGs, Obisidian developed Alpha Protocol. This is the developer's lowest-reviewed RPG, and it's truly something different from the usual fantasy or sci-fi games Obsidian is known for.
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PostsAlpha Protocol is a stealth action RPG that feels like it belongs to Ubisoft's Tom Clancy series, although clunkier. You play a special agent named Michael Thorton, who's affiliated with the titular US organization and was inspired by characters like James Bond and Jason Bourne. If you want to take a break from your spellcasting in Avowed and take on terrorists to save the world, Alpha Protocol has your next mission, should you choose to accept it.
8 Flintlock: The Siege Of Dawn
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Action RPG Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 69/100 Critics Rec: 34% Released July 18, 2024 ESRB Mature 17+ // Blood, Violence Developer(s) A44 Games Publisher(s) Kepler Interactive Engine Unreal Engine 4WHERE TO PLAY
SUBSCRIPTIONFlintlock: The Siege of Dawn was one of the most original RPG concepts in a while, but what more can you expect from the studio behind the Soulslike sleeper hit, Ashen? The game is set in the fictional fantasy land of Kian, where a rift has been opened by the Gods laying siege to the city of Dawn. You play a uniformed character named Nor Vanek, affiliated with the Coalition army to stop them.
TheGamer's staff writer Matt Arnold chose Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn as one of his Game of the Year 2024 picks.
This action RPG is a bit like God of War, The Order: 1886, and Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden all rolled into one. Though nowhere near as impressive as Kratos' Leviathan Axe, the main protagonist carries an axe here as well, and is joined by an adorable magic-wielding fox companion named Enki who will assist in battle. The animations can seem pretty rough, but the boss designs are well-executed and the graphics and visuals are stunning.
7 Godfall
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Action RPG Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 60/100 Critics Rec: 10% Released November 12, 2020 ESRB T for Teen: Animated Blood, Violence Developer(s) Counterplay Games Publisher(s) Gearbox SoftwareWHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALGodfall sees you become one of the Valorian Knights, wielding god-like abilities and roaming the world of Aperion. Its gameplay uses a third-person over-the-shoulder camera and has the core mechanics of looting and hack-and-slash combat with the feel of 2018's God of War. There's also an option for multiplayer co-op, so you can play with your friends.
The game was one of the earliest new games developed for the PS5. PlayStation exclusives normally woulstatic.aayyy.com/topic/dn/'t be found on a list like this one, as they're rated well over 80 (and oftentimes 90) on Metacritic, but Godfall remains an anomaly. The environments are gorgeous and the combat and traversal are very well-designed, so it makes you question what on Earth went wrong at all.
6 Mass Effect: Andromeda
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Action RPG Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 72/100 Critics Rec: 40% Released March 1, 2017 ESRB M for Mature: Blood, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Violence Developer(s) BioWare Publisher(s) Electronic ArtsWHERE TO PLAY
SUBSCRIPTIONBioWare returned with Mass Effect: Andromeda in 2017, and it wasn't met with the same glowing reviews as the original trilogy of games. The launch had a lot of bugs and the overall tone wasn't as mature, but the reception has warmed and smoothed out in the years since and the studio hopefully won't be making those same mistakes again with the next one, given DA: The Veilguard's exceptional launch state.
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PostsAs the name suggests, Mass Effect: Andromeda takes you to the Andromeda Galaxy and thus follows a new customizable protagonist, straying away from Shepard's story in the original trilogy. While it might not be the direction you were hoping for as a fan, it shoulstatic.aayyy.com/topic/dn/'t diminish the overall quality of the game, which does have some amazing graphics and classic BioWare RPG storytelling and worldbuilding.
5 GreedFall
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RPG Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 75/100 Critics Rec: 55% Released September 10, 2019 ESRB M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Language, Partial Nudity, Suggestive Themes, Violence Developer(s) Spiders Publisher(s) Focus Home InteractiveWHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALOne of the most severely underrated Double-A RPGs that exist is GreedFall from Focus Home Entertainment and Spiders. While its Early Access sequel is in a rougher state, the original title is a decent experience, allowing you to create your own character of De Sardet and take on the mythical creatures and enemies of the plague-ridden lands of Teer Fradee.
GreedFall plays out like your usual action-adventure RPG, with great character development and choice-based dialogue. The combat is where things get a little more interesting. The game adopts a tactical pause system, where you can freeze combat mid-battle to carefully plan your next move. The overall experience is a more political Witcher. Your character is imbued with magic but must also practice diplomacy with various groups.
4 Dead Island 2
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Action RPG Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 75/100 Critics Rec: 57% Released April 21, 2023 ESRB M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs Developer(s) Dambuster Studios Publisher(s) Deep SilverWHERE TO PLAY
SUBSCRIPTIONDead Island 2 had a tumultuous and long development period, experiencing several delays and the game being handed to three different development studios upon its completion. Luckily, Dambuster and Deep Silver finally got it launched, and it was certainly an upgrade from the original Dead Island, but nothing as impressive as what Techland achieved with Dying Light 2.
Nonetheless, there were some very nice new changes, particularly the impressive gore system, which is incredibly detailed and made to be more realistic of the damage you inflict on enemies. The setting is now also the sunny zombie-infested open-world Los Angeles, and you get to choose from six characters of varying abilities and have new weapons and skill cards.
3 The Thaumaturge
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Adventure RPG Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 76/100 Critics Rec: 71% Released March 4, 2024 ESRB Mature 17+ // Blood, Drug Reference, Language, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence Developer(s) Fool's Theory Publisher(s) 11 Bit StudiosWHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALThe Thaumaturge is a turn-based RPG that slipped under the radar for many, and one created by Fool's Theory, the support studio behind Larian's Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin 2. This is an RPG that's set in Poland before the October Revolution and combines magic and mysticism with an investigative story. The environments are extraordinarily detailed and the graphics are made in Unreal Engine 5.
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PostsThe main character is a thaumaturge named Wiktor Szulski, who collects creatures from Slavic mythology referred to as Salutors and can use their attacks to defeat enemies through turn-based battles. Szulski will tackle different investigations around Warsaw and continue to gain new powers. Grigori Rasputin plays a role in the story as well, and the game is like Disco Elysium minus the tabletop mechanics.
2 Vampyr
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Action RPG Systems 2.5/5 8.0/10 Released June 5, 2018 ESRB M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs Developer(s) Dontnod Entertainment Publisher(s) Focus Home InteractiveWHERE TO PLAY
SUBSCRIPTIONVampyr is a game made by Don't Nod, a studio typically known for launching its linear interactive choice-based games like Life is Strange, Lost Records, and Tell Me Why, so the first go at an RPG, unsurprisingly, distatic.aayyy.com/topic/dn/'t measure up to the same standards as Life is Strange for branching narrative games. However, it's still an RPG you can come to enjoy for its atmosphere and voice-acting alone.
Vampyr takes on a historical horror narrative, set in 1918 London where Influenza is spreading in the streets and the hospitals overcrowding with patients. It's dark and Gothic and has some excellent environment design and combat mechanics, such as eating rats to regain blood, a lot of cool abilities, and a satisfying way of dodging. The story is very compelling and brilliantly incorporates moral choices for a vampire protagonist.
1 Kingdom Come: Deliverance
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RPG Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 72/100 Critics Rec: 48% Released February 13, 2018 ESRB M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Alcohol Developer(s) Warhorse Studios Publisher(s) Deep SilverWHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALWhile the long-awaited sequel to Kingdom Come: Deliverance far outshines the original (even earning a five-star review at TheGamer), the first game still deserves an equal amount of attention. You have to really appreciate it as the foundation for what the sequel could achieve. The game's combat is quite challenging because it utilizes real swordplay maneuvers and inverse kinematics, but becomes very rewarding and fun when you get the hang of it.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance immerses you in a Medieval tale set in 15th-century Bohemia, making the gameplay feel like a cross between first-person Assassin's Creed and Red Dead Redemption 2 with an emphasis on combat. The RPG elements are meant to feel realistic, as there are tons of detailed systems, and these are all interwoven with some fantastic writing and dialogue interactions.
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