Best RPGs That You Need to Play This Winter

When the late months of winter hit and that biting cold strikes just a little bit harder, the drive to go out gets a little bit more reserved. As such, it's the perfect time to get invested in a big warm batch of RPG greatness.

Certain games can drudge up feelings of a place or time in your life, or a particular season. For me, the winter always feels like Final Fantasy to me, and for others, there are a ton of games that make them feel a certain way too.

To help keep you warm for the rest of the season, we're going to check out some RPGs that feel perfect to play when the temperature drops.

10 Elden Ring

The Cold Dead World

Elden Ring is a game that feels cold and dead from the start. Life is fleeting, and The Lands Between have clearly seen better days. There are also some fantastic snow-covered areas in Elden Ring, such as the Consecrated Snow Fields, which houses one of the best areas in the game for my money.

But it doesn't have to be a winter area to give that great feeling of playing something in the coldest season. It's the feel of a game. Elden Ring has that cold sort of feel to it, so it's no wonder it released in February. FromSoftware knew the vibe of this game, and it kept everyone inside for hours on end fighting to become the new Elden Lord.

9 Dragon Age: Inquisition

Snowbound Before the End of the World

Dragon Age: Inquisition is still one of the most beautiful games out there, and from the jump, the game is caked in some of the best looking snow in any title available. Your initial march through the snowy mountains eventually gives way to multiple locales like the infamous Hinterlands location, but even that area has patches of winter to check out. Then, your home area Haven is covered in snow. Your eventual fortress, the legendary Skyhold, is also an incredible castle hidden in the snow-covered mountain tops.

If you thought that was all you'd get for winter vibes here, nope, there's more. Emprise Du Leon is an incredible looking area covered in snow, with some awesome sights to see and some terrifying fights to take part in, including a highlight against some gargantuan giant enemies and, of course, Red Lyrium-infested soldiers as well.

There's also the Frostback Mountains area, which has you traveling through snow-covered cliffs throughout and exploring icy caves. It's arguably the most winter-themed RPG ever made, so it's a perfect choice for this cold season.

8 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Scaling the Mountain Tops

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was a landmark moment in gaming. The exploration was unmatched, and the feeling of wonder was present again in a series that hadn't felt it since the Ocarina of Time. As far as a great winter feel, Breath of the Wild has some of the best wintry vibes around. Entire areas covered in snow. That is not only for show, but affects your character in realistic ways, requiring you to stay warm with different clothes, eat certain foods, or even just warm yourself by a fire.

You don't get to just walk around in the snow either, but you can actually scale these snowy mountaintops, giving an immersion to the snow area that other games simply don't have the mechanics to support. The snow here is among some of the most beautiful there is in gaming and there's a healthy amount of depth to the area, so if you want to feel just as cold inside as it is out, explore BotW to your heart's content and watch as Link literally freezes his butt off in the process.

7 Disco Elysium

Piecing it All Together

Disco Elysium is a game about putting together a detective's life after the worst hangover he's ever had. Though it's unclear what the season is or anything beyond your enclosed area of the world you will be exploring, there is a unique feeling to this game that feels so mysterious and cold, and the sci-fi here is its own little niche that more than deserves your time.

The world of Disco Elysium is a fascinating one, but it's one that unravels as you go. In the beginning, you feel cold and alone, much like the main character who doesn't start off wearing much and has no clue where he is. You go on this journey together, uncovering the state of the world and the truth of just what happened the night before. It's a heck of a sci-fi mystery that just feels perfect to play through in the winter months.

6 Mass Effect

The Coldness of Space

Mass Effect is one of the best sci-fi franchises of all time, and when it comes to nailing that cold, mysterious feeling, no game trilogy has managed to do it better. Arguably the best game at nailing that aspect is the first one. In particular, it's because of the unknown, but also due to one of the best snow areas in the genre, Noveria.

This terrifying mission has you investigating the alien presence of the Rachni in a lab entrenched in the tundra, and the horrors you discover here are up there with anything literal horror games have on offer. You feel the chill that Shepard and crew get as they find a warm spot of refuge, only to see it quickly overrun with a creepy alien race that are far more intelligent than they seem.

When you're not being swarmed by aliens in the snow, you're investigating strange planets, some of which are covered in snow, while also exploring the cold depths of space. If you somehow haven't played this one, what are you waiting for? It's one of the best sci-fi experiences ever created, and perfect for passing the time as you wait for the world to thaw.

5 Horizon Zero Dawn

The Cold Future

Horizon Zero Dawn is a game full of wonder and discovery, and it gives a distinctive cold and desolate feeling. Not only that, but the icy caves where you find the secrets of humanity's past add a distinctive feel to the story that doesn't let up. You'll also find some snow-covered mountains throughout the game where some awesome set pieces take place, and with these graphics on display, it feels like you're literally there.

On top of that, the Frozen Wilds DLC is exclusively in the icy area of the world, with gorgeous winter-like vistas and some awesome new enemies to fight too. But it's really the feeling of the game that seems perfect for winter. Unearthing secrets, discovering the past, and of course, sci-fi in general always feels at home in the coldest months. There are few better video games in sci-fi space than Horizon Zero Dawn.

4 Wasteland 3

A Winter Wasteland

Wasteland 3 is a post-apocalyptic journey that has you meeting some amazing characters, encountering some terrifying creatures and enemies, and making life or death decisions at a constant clip. A lot of this journey takes place in the snow-covered wastes of a post-nuclear world, and it's got a distinctly cold feeling to everything because of it.

Hulking metal monstrosities, opportunistic bandits, and worse await you as you travel the snow-covered lands that you'll soon be soaking in blood. It's an awesome RPG that you can fully play through with a friend. If the winter months are keeping you inside, this 60+ hour RPG has all the winter vibes and more to keep you hooked.

3 Assassin's Creed Valhalla

Invading from the North

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is a divisive game in the franchise, but it has this very cold feeling to it that's just perfect for the winter months. The adventure starts in a snowy Viking village, and from there, you explore the beautiful landscapes of England with dashes of tundra-based gameplay. In particular, the quest to take on the Picts is incredible, as they were the inspiration for the Wildlings in Game of Thrones, so going to war against them through an ice wall is a fun little bit of "history" to play through.

It's not just the atmosphere, but the locations that all feel appropriately ancient and cozy to explore. You'll find all kinds of wintry gear too, from armor with fur to hoods and more. One of the most jaw-dropping moments of the story also happens deep within an icy cave too, bringing the narrative full circle while introducing groundbreaking plot developments in the process.

2 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Running From Winter

The Witcher 3 is the perfect winter game to play for so many reasons, but at its base, you're literally fighting to stop an eternal winter from swallowing and subsequently destroying the world. The White Frost looming in the background of the proceedings gives the game's story a distinct chill for sure, but there's plenty more that makes Geralt's journey one to play with the fire crackling in the background.

Skellige in particular is a distinctly Norwegian-inspired area with beautiful, snow-kissed mountains and an incredible wintry feel to it that makes it a fan favorite. For me, it's the highlight of the game. Also, the main villains only appear after a deathly, wintry chill comes over the area. It sends a literal chill down your spine when you see it, and you'll feel the winter burst through your screen at that moment. The Witcher 3 is also one of the best games ever made. Seriously, just go play it.

The Song of Winter

I play through Skyrim at least once a year and generally around winter time due to how immaculate the cold and wintry vibes are. When you're marching up to High Hrothgar and the snow is swirling in the distance and the calm chimes of the brilliant soundtrack start playing, you're just hypnotized in a way that's hard to explain.

There are plenty of snowy forests to explore, icy caves to dive into, and of course, massive snow-covered mountains to trek up. My favorite winter moment of the game though, is the College of Winterhold. With snowfall in the background, this magical college opens its doors to you, and the atmosphere is just unreal to see unfold. Everyone has their favorite moments of this game though, and the point is that you can play it any time of year. But at its heart, it's the best winter-themed RPG of all time.