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Murillo Zerbinatto is a contributor from Brazil. He's an RPG enthusiast (with a focus on JRPGs) who has been around the world of games and content creation for more than five years now. He has a particular love for Final Fantasy and has absorbed all the content this long-running series offers, including its obscure spinoffs such as Dimension I & II, Explorers, and My Life as a King. While playing RPGs is already a time-sinking endeavor, Murillo doubles down by being a platinum hunter as well.
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Gamers are eating well. Over the past few years, we have received banger after banger, with games that not only shook the industry but also made the biggest game companies reconsider their entire development pipelines. Luckily for us, 2025 was no different, especially if you are an RPG fan.
Since the start of the year, the genre has been present, whether with original titles, remasters, or ports. In February, we had Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, then in April, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 arrived and astounded even those who are not fans of turn-based RPGs, even hogging the spotlight a bit from the shadow drop of a colossus like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered.
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The genre has made an epic resurgence thanks to mainstream booms like Baldur's Gate 3 and Pillars of Eternity 2.
JRPGs also had a strong presence, with titles such as Digimon Story: Time Stranger, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, and Octopath Traveler 0, among many others. If you are an RPG fan, you surely had one or more titles that pleased you this year.
To celebrate the genre, DualShockers gathered to choose the 10 best RPGs of 2025. It was a tough ranking, and this does not mean those left out do not deserve as much love as these. However, if you are looking for a new RPG world to dive into, these ten are a safe bet.
Note that while each Game of the Year list is written personally by one writer, the games in the lists and their ranking were chosen via a vote among all DualShockers writers. As such, the below list reflects DualShockers as a whole and not necessarily the views of the writer.
10 Look Outside
Rather, Don't Look Outside
Gone are the days when a game would be criticized or prejudiced just for being made in RPG Maker. Look Outside being made in RPG Maker is not a limitation, but its biggest strength. Using that engine allowed solo developer Francis Coulombe to tap into his creative juices to build one of the most anguishing and bizarre horror JRPGs.
From the get-go, the protagonist Sam can interact with various elements, whether a plant in his apartment, video games, or the lovely Sybil that doubles as a save point. Then you leave your apartment corridors and the madness begins. Blood trails, weird neighbors, frightening but gorgeous body horror pixel art, it is insane how much scare factor sprites and atmosphere can hold.
While the battle and equipment system in Look Outside does not stray much from RPG Maker norms, the fact that you can talk to numerous enemies and even make them your allies is one of the game's biggest highlights. There are so many variables that you will replay Look Outside many times to see different outcomes from your actions. Most importantly, no matter what you choose to do or where you go, you should never, ever, Look Outside.
9 Where Winds Meet
Where A Hundred Gameplay Modes Meet
If you have ever wanted to hurl a bear, join debates, compete in drinking games, build a castle, play mahjong, perform a rhythm duet, all while still learning martial arts in a wuxia world, would you believe me if I said you could do that and way more in a single game? Enter Where Winds Meet, an insanely ambitious offline, also online, also MMORPG.
It is so hard to describe everything Where Winds Meet offers in a few paragraphs that the sheer scope should stand as testament. You create a character, learn a bit about the world and how to handle a weapon, and some of the game's systems. The main quest is quite on-rails and focused on teaching you how to fight and survive.
However, as you explore Where Winds Meet world on your own, participating in side activities, collecting the countless collectibles, helping traveling NPCs (or why not killing them), you begin to grasp the magnitude of the game. When you think you have seen it all, there is still much more to uncover and enjoy.
Granted, the game may feel a bit rough around the edges sometimes, but you cannot fault it just for that, considering the amount of activities it provides players. Where Winds Meet feels like a carnival built atop an amusement park and a circus. It is bonkers. And best of all? It is a free game, believe it or not.
8 Demonschool
Getting Your Demon-slaying Diploma
One of the best things about the games industry is seeing how past IPs serve as references and influences for current productions. This is the case with Demonschool, which loudly proclaims its inspiration from Persona and Shin Megami Tensei. In this Italian cinema horror-inspired game, we play as Faye as she arrives on Hesmk Island and aims to wipe out demons.
The whole doomsday-is-coming plot is somewhat set aside by the script's outlandish, off-the-wall humor. Each party member is authentically odd and brings an engaging and diverse dynamic to the story. That does not mean there is no urgency to save the world. It just means it is not as critical when we are more concerned with seducing our party members during a karaoke night.
School life, a calendar system, social links, and demon hunting are where the hints of Persona and SMT lie. The battle, although highly strategic and entertaining, is more like a puzzle than a true tactical RPG. Characters move on grids, and it is more effective to line up and hit multiple enemies at once and optimize movement than to obsess over the perfect build. Still, at the end of the day, Demonschool is an incredible indie RPG that deserves more spotlight.
7 The Outer Worlds 2
Only Your Character Has Flaws
Obsidian Entertainment is well known for producing fantastic RPGs with impeccable writing. There is witty sarcasm, emotion-filled dialogue, and even scolding when a player neglects the text, like a Flaw in Outer Worlds 2 for those keen on skipping dialogues. And that is why we love Obsidian.
Outer Worlds 2 takes everything it learned from the first game and makes it bigger and better, especially in RPG elements. Right from the bat, you feel your created character is authentic and tailored to your desires. Then you meet a goofy cast of characters, tinker with dialogue options to taste how impactful choices are, and absorb as much world-building as you want, if you want it.
The biggest advantage of Outer Worlds 2 is that while it offers a plethora of content, it still pleases those who do not want to engage with everything. Even the most mundane sidequests are affected by your decisions, and those decisions trickle down to future ones. Pair this up with the Flaws system, and you get marvelous replay value that really feeds back into player agency.
The gameplay stays essentially the same as the first one, which can be seen as a downgrade by some. However, it is backed up by RPG nuances and how you decide to engage with them, whether through weapon choice, a full-on assault, or a stealthy approach. Outer Worlds 2 is not only one of the best RPGs of 2025, but also the most reactive among them all.
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6 Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
Medieval Simulation At Its Finest
In most fantasy RPGs, you pick up your sword, fight goblins, train your archery by hitting minotaurs from afar, and when you are overpowered enough, kill dragons with your bare hands. However, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is not like most RPGs. Here, you have to keep your hygiene in check, your belly full, your thirst sated, and your sleep to avoid sleep deprivation. And no, there are no dragons here.
That is why many consider Kingdom Come: Deliverance II the most immersive medieval sim yet. Even though you do not create a character from scratch, every other role-playing element here is elevated at all times, even in the most cumbersome mechanics that make you forget you are playing a video game. But it does not matter because taking the reins of Henry's life in Bohemia is an absurdly fun experience.
Between long horse rides unaccompanied by quest markers, manual laborious tasks in exchange for coins, and deep dive into dense historical info, you also have an absurd amount of open-ended quests with branching outcomes, dialogue that feels authentic to the period, and the occasional need to take up arms to face an enemy or two. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II may not be an RPG for everyone, but it is undoubtedly the best RPG for those who embrace everything its realistic design has to offer.
5 Octopath Traveler 0
The Travel Continues
One of Square Enix's best creations in recent years was the HD-2D graphic engine, which promotes pixel art to new heights while still allowing a more intimate delivery of the script through voice-over and a few discreet but animated sprites. It all started with the success of the first Octopath Traveler, and since then, Square has been tapping into HD-2D whenever possible.
Octopath Traveler also scratched that itch of fans who missed the games that made Square's name back in the 16-bit era, while bringing modern conveniences and new features. It is no surprise the company kept investing in the series, and this year blessed us with the third mainline, Octopath Traveler 0. While it was built upon the now-sunset mobile game Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent, this new installment still shines.
The core design of Octopath is here: Path Actions, the Boost-based battle system, and the crossing roads of eight travelers. Yet innovations make Octopath Traveler 0 one of the year's best JRPGs. Now, in addition to creating our character, we also have a town-building system that will tickle the nostalgia of hardened JRPG fans.
The turn-based combat with a focus on enemy weaknesses allows all eight party members to join, and you can swap their pair at any moment, adding a new strategic layer. However, the most surprising thing is that the main content alone in Octopath Traveler 0 offers more than 80 hours of playtime, and it never gets dull because the sense of progression always lingers. If you like Square, HD-2D, and turn-based combat, you cannot go wrong with Octopath Traveler 0.
4 Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake
Return of the King
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake
Square Enix has two of the world's biggest gaming IPs in its catalog, Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. To fans' luck, in recent years it has focused its efforts on these brands, releasing new titles and remakes of beloved games. The first games to receive the HD-2D remake treatment were the Erdrick trilogy, composed of the first three Dragon Quest games. While the third game was already excellent, the Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake delivered an even better experience.
The Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake duo continues, chronologically, the story of hero Erdrick introduced in the third game. Here we play as his descendants who must face an evil plaguing the world. We had doubts about whether the one-character-only format would work in the Dragon Quest I remake, but it did, mostly thanks to new mechanics such as the Scrolls that teach new abilities and spells to the hero, and Sigils, which drastically alter combat on the fly.
These new combat features carry over to Dragon Quest II HD-2D Remake, which now includes four party members, each with their own specialty and utility. Even better is how the script was enriched, adding new cutscenes, story beats, and voice acting, improving the delivery of the Erdrick trilogy as a whole. The post-credits scene of Dragon Quest II is enough to make even the toughest players shed a tear.
3 Digimon Story Time Stranger
The Spotlight the Franchise Deserves
Digimon Story: Time Stranger
For years, Digimon was somewhat unfairly compared to Pokémon just because it features creature collecting. Years of waiting, however, rewarded Digimon fans with Digimon Story: Time Stranger, the most ambitious, well-funded, and best RPG the franchise has ever seen. Also, this entry finally showed enthusiasts how Digimon differs from Pokémon, being closer to a Shin Megami Tensei than to a traditional creature-collection RPG.
Digimon Story: Time Stranger, as the title suggests, involves time travel in a plot that spans both the human and digital worlds. The best aspect of this theme is how Digimon's natural propensity for evolution is enhanced by the passage of time, strengthening the narrative and story beats.
For collectors, Time Stranger presents the most extensive roster of Digimon, with more than 450 digital monsters to scan and digivolve, each with unique skills and animations. This enormous cast helps improve turn-based combat, which is heavily based on targeting enemy weaknesses.
If you are into creature collecting but always wanted more mature storytelling, then Digimon Story Time Stranger is the RPG for you. Plus, you can ride alongside Beelzemon, and that's reason enough to just play it.
2 Final Fantasy Tactics - The Ivalice Chronicles
The War of the Lions Never Ends
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles
There are many debates about what the best spinoff in the gaming world is, and many of them end when Final Fantasy Tactics enters the conversation. War of the Lions is often considered one of the best, if not the best, stories in the entire Final Fantasy series, despite being a spinoff. To the happiness of gamers worldwide, Square Enix brought the JRPG to global audiences with the enhanced version Final Fantasy Tactics - The Ivalice Chronicles.
Ramza Beoulve returns better than ever, now backed by gorgeous voice acting, as well as the rest of the cast. New interfaces and modern quality-of-life improvements make the experience more palatable for all audiences. The State of the Realm feature helps readers understand the entire narrative, which features political intrigue, demons, and timeless reflections on classism and social inequity.
One of the biggest complaints about the original was how punishing the gameplay was and how few tutorials it had. Final Fantasy Tactics - The Ivalice Chronicles also tackles these issues, now offering a more accessible Squire difficulty mode and even a more streamlined grinding option for those who like to max out all Jobs from the start.
And if you prefer a more nostalgic presentation, you can play Final Fantasy Tactics in the old graphics and still enjoy modern quality-of-life features. All in all, Final Fantasy Tactics - The Ivalice Chronicles helped reinforce why the original is considered a masterpiece among JRPGs.
1 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
2025's Masterpiece
Giving a game a perfect score is not an easy task. A 10 doesn't mean the game is flawless, but it certainly must check all the boxes for what it sets out to do. In the lead-up to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's release, DualShockers had a whole team playing Sandfall Interactive's RPG, and when the selected reviewer said they wanted the highest score for Expedition 33, it was the easiest 10 we have ever given.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 wears its JRPG inspirations on its sleeve, as its creator, Guillaume Broche, has frequently shared, but also brings Western sensibilities to the work, as seen in its storytelling and cinematography. This mix of gameplay features won players worldwide, both those who already loved turn-based RPGs and new players enticed by timed inputs and the possibility of parrying or dodging during battle.
But an RPG is not just about gameplay, and Expedition 33 knows that. From start to finish, the game delivers an impeccable script and characters who are both captivating and humanly flawed, connecting with the player right from the early moments of the narrative. The delivery, motion capture, voice acting, soundtrack, and atmosphere all combine into a mesmerizing choreography that created not only DualShockers' best RPG of 2025 but also the best game overall.
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