10 Best RPGs of the 2020s (So Far)

The current decade already feels like a golden age for RPGs when you look at how many incredible games have been released in the past six years. Then, you look at the RPGs that have been announced and are likely to release before 2030, and the trend of great games shows no signs of slowing down this decade.

With the number of amazing RPGs that have been released in recent years, it's difficult to narrow down which among them is the best. However, there are quite a few that hit the perfect balance between the style of classic RPGs and modern RPGs, appealing to players looking for nostalgia and those looking for a great story.

10 Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous

An Immediate Improvement Over Kingmaker

If you like tabletop games and video games, then you'll likely enjoy Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous. It follows the Pathfinder tabletop game rather than Dungeons and Dragons, but there are enough similarities between the two that you shouldn't have an issue getting started. Plus, the game is going to get you up-to-speed with everything you need to know.

Pathfinder: WotR starts off by throwing you right into the main events, which would be demons invading your realm. From here, you get to decide how to interact with the surrounding characters, recruit companions, and even find romance. The style feels like a tabletop game brought to life in a virtual world.

9 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Hyrule Needs Us. Again

There's a lot of debate over Zelda games and if they can be considered RPGs or are just adventure games. However, I believe that the franchise falls into the adventure-RPG category, especially once you reach the 3D games, which start to put more into Link and Zelda's story than earlier games did at times.

Much like the best entry in the series, TOTK also involves time travel, but in this instance, Zelda is the one who ends up in a different time period, and it's thousands of years in the past. Link has to figure out how to handle unusual events in Hyrule, what happened to Zelda, and how to defeat Ganondorf. It's exactly the kind of story and adventure that you expect and love from the franchise.

8 Esoteric Ebb

An Unexpected Indie Gem

Esoteric Ebb is an unexpected indie hit that dropped without warning and quickly won over players with how accurately it managed to capture the feeling of a small-scale DnD campaign. It's the perfect length for players who aren't looking for hundreds of hours of content for one playthrough, but want the option to replay a game and make different choices.

I love that you can completely botch the situation or become a hero. It's like having a laid-back dungeon master who's willing to let you make the worst decisions and rolls with it. Overall, it's an RPG that highlights the joy of choices and a game that shows how indie devs can face large studios in terms of quality.

7 Final Fantasy 14: Endwalker

The End of an Era

Endwalker is the Final Fantasy 14 expansion that the game had been building toward since A Realm Reborn. This expansion ended the first narrative arc for FF14, finally giving us a conclusion to the story of Hydaelyn and Zodiark. FF14 earned its story-first MMORPG reputation before this expansion, but Endwalker solidified it.

The biggest downside to FF14 is that if you're starting the game now, you're already hundreds of hours behind. It's a significant time commitment if you want to participate in endgame content, such as Savage instances. However, if you just want to enjoy the game and don't care about the endgame as much, then it's an incredible journey.

6 Oblivion Remaster

An Unexpected Game Drop

If you asked me a few years ago to list what I thought might be the best games of the decade, Oblivion would not have been a consideration because nobody expected a remaster of this Elder Scrolls game to be released without warning. Somehow, it feels just as janky as I remember.

With Skyrim being re-released multiple times, other games in the same series end up overlooked. However, if you like Skyrim, then you need to try Oblivion and experience the game that would lay the foundation for it. You start with a mission from the emperor, and from there you can get lost in a world that has a classic medieval fantasy theme.

5 Cyberpunk 2077

A Legendary Comeback

Cyberpunk 2077 might’ve pulled off the greatest comeback story in gaming. The initial release of Cyberpunk 2077 was rough. In most cases, the game barely ran, leaving it unplayable for a lot of players. However, the developers didn't give up on the game, and they released a series of patches that would bring the game from unplayable to must play.

V's story, the NPCs you meet, and the world of Night City left such an impression that the demand for more Cyberpunk 2077 content has yet to decline. It's the kind of futuristic sci-fi dystopia that's tough to come by in a well-done manner, and the dedication of the developers has turned it into a memorable RPG that stands among the best of the genre this decade.

4 Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

A Historical Journey in Bohemia

I've never been shy about my love for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, but it's such a fun experience that it's a must-play game if you like RPGs. The historical setting gives it a sense of realism, and you'll even find characters based on people who were important figures during this time period despite the fictional plotline.

KC:D2 has a massive open world, and it rewards you for taking the time to level up your skills and learn from instructors. The voice actors did a great job bringing the characters to life, especially when you can fumble dialogue choices as Henry and his voice reflects that social stat’s level.

3 Elden Ring

Another Masterpiece from FromSoftware

When FromSoftware makes a game, the developers lock in on creating a world that’s filled with complex lore, gorgeous zones, and brutal battles. The attention to detail is actually unbelievable, and using the smallest details to piece together the history of in-game events gives Elden Ring an air of mystery that you unravel one thread at a time.

Elden Ring puts you in The Lands Between, which has long since left its golden age as Queen Marika shattered the Elden Ring and is now imprisoned in the Erdtree. Now that the demigod children are fighting to become the next ruler, they aren't going to be easy opponents for you to face as you join the battle, true to FromSoftware style. The ability to customize your fighting style feels more fleshed out than previous games, which makes it fun to try different builds and see what happens.

2 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

A Surprise Hit RPG

This decade has no shortage of unexpected masterpiece games, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 might be the best example of that. Clair Obscur blends the classic RPG system of turn-based combat with a fantastical world that faces extinction as younger groups of inhabitants die every year without an end to this event in sight.

If you've played the game, then you're not surprised by the number of awards and recognitions it received, even claiming the Game of the Year award for 2025. Clair Obscur is emotional, the music is beautiful, and the entire experience of the game is something that sticks with you long after the credits roll.

1 Baldur's Gate 3

The Closest Game to a True DnD Experience

Baldur's Gate 3, like Clair Obcur, showed that there's still a strong demand for story-heavy games that use turn-based combat. Made in partnership with Hasbro, Larian Studios created a game that can be played without playing the previous Baldur's Gate games, but also feels like you're sitting at a table with Dungeons and Dragons set up in front of you, dungeon master and all.

Perhaps the most impressive part of BG3 is how much freedom you have when it comes to the choices you can make and the way you play the game. You can spend hundreds of hours in-game and still find content or details that you've missed before. BG3 is definitely going to be considered one of the best games of the century in the future.

RPGs are rewarding in a unique way for video games. It's not about getting a high score or being competitive, but about the role you play in telling the characters' stories. It's also one of the most versatile genres, as it can be paired with basically any other genre to change the flavor, such as Elden Ring being an action-RPG with tons of combat. If you enjoy storytelling, then this is the genre for you.