RPGs are some of the best video games to get lost in for months at a time. It's a genre of gaming known for titles with plenty of lore, characters with real depth, and some of the most entertaining gameplay mechanics around. Just because a game is made for role-playing, however, doesn't make it an automatic contender worth putting hundreds of hours into.
To be an RPG worth months of time investment, a game has to have a handful of undeniable qualities. It needs to have an expansive story with hooks, twists, and more than a few reasons to explore. It also needs to have a responsive world that adapts to players' decisions, changing as the player changes. Above all else, a great RPG needs to have an addictive quality that leaves gamers wanting more every time they put their controller down.
10. Assassin's Creed Odyssey Is Easily The Franchise's Best Game
Assassin's Creed Odyssey isn't perfect. Some of the quests feel annoying, the mechanics don't always work perfectly, but there's something about Odyssey that just works. It's the best Assassin's Creed title that dives into the world of RPGs, and frankly, it doesn't have much competition.
To call Assassin's Creed Odyssey gorgeous would be an understatement. Ubisoft knocked it out of the park with their depiction of the Peloponnesian War. The world of Odyssey is brutal, unforgiving, and unapologetically beautiful. If the next Assassin's Creed is anything like it, gamers won't be able to stop playing.
9. The Outer Worlds 2 Has An Entertaining Premise That Draws You In
Like Assassin's Creed Odyssey, The Outer Worlds 2 isn't perfect, but there's something about it that's very entertaining. The world of The Outer Worlds 2 is truly one-of-a-kind, as it mixes a corporation-fueled dystopia with a level of absurd humor only one other title has truly mastered.
The Outer Worlds 2 has a decent companion system, fun gunplay, and a bevy of exceptional quests. There's no one way to play this game, and it's that aspect that can leave gamers wanting several playthroughs before they put it down.
8. Dragon Age: Inquisition Took An Already Great Franchise To A Whole New Level
There's a decent argument to be made that Dragon Age: Origins is the single best entry in the franchise. It's dark, moody, and filled with some of the best side characters in gaming. Dragon Age: Inquisition, however, is BioWare's attempt at making the franchise more mainstream, and it worked.
Leading the Inquisition is awesome. Every quest feels important, and every decision comes with consequences. There are a few different ways to play this game and interact with the world, and every playthrough feels better because of it.
7. Fallout: New Vegas Is One Of The Greatest RPGs of All Time
Fallout: New Vegas might be the best Fallout title of them all (sorry, Fallout 76.) New Vegas is one of the best settings in RPGs, as it feels like what Vegas probably would be like in a post-apocalyptic setting. The Courier is a great main character, and each of the main villains brings something different to the table.
The Fallout: New Vegas remaster is set to be released in Summer 2027. It's going to give a new generation of gamers a chance to check out one of the greatest RPGs ever.
6. Elden Ring Will Draw Players Into Its Lore And Hold Them Enthralled
It's not an exaggeration to say that FromSoftware changed gaming. It created a new genre of games, titled Soulslike, and Elden Ring is the studio's first full venture into the RPG genre. It's a masterpiece and more than worthy of being called a title gamers can play for months.
Shadow of the Erdtree brought life back into the game when it didn't really need it. It's an amazing expansion on top of an already amazing game, and it's the perfect reason to hop into The Lands Between one more time.
5. Mass Effect Legendary Edition Combines All 3 of BioWare's Best Franchise Titles
Mass Effect Legendary Edition is a cheat code of a game because it's actually the first three Mass Effects in one. Players who haven't played Mass Effect are genuinely lucky, because they get to experience the story of Commander Shepard and the SSV Normandy for the first time.
Each Mass Effect title is massive in scope. The title is perfect, as it perfectly relays the size of Commander Shepard's mission. Each mission feels consequential, and players can get the most out of their playthroughs by playing as Shepard however they want.
4. Baldur's Gate 3's Rich Story And Characters Deserve Months of Attention
There's a reason why Baldur's Gate 3 is widely considered as one of the best games of all time. It's a triumph of gaming in every way, and it's a game that needs to be replayed multiple times to really get the best out of it.
Baldur's Gate 3 is a game meant to be played for months at a time, and the developers at Larian Studios knew that when they made the game. There are no two playthroughs that feel similar (unless players want them to be), and each new save brings a host of new weapons, companions, and challengers for players to conquer.
3. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Is Still Going Strong 15 Years Later
What can be said about Skyrim that hasn't been said already? The game is so popular that it's been released over a dozen times across ten different platforms, and there isn't an RPG fan that hasn't played this title at least twice.
It's been 15 years since Skyrim was first released, and somehow, it feels better than ever. It's been updated for current generation consoles, and it's so popular that it might be released on every console going forward.
2. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Took Geralt of Rivia's Adventure To A New Level
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt might have ruined gaming. It's so unbelievably good that no RPG can be released without it being compared to it. It's left its mark in gaming in a way only a handful of titles can compare to.
The Witcher 3's remastered edition is coming out soon, and it's going to reinvigorate the game in an unprecedented way. It's completely free for The Witcher 3 owners, and it feels like a huge portion of gamers are going to get lost in the game yet again.
1. Cyberpunk 2077 Has More Than Proven Itself A Solid RPG Worth The Time Investment
Cyberpunk 2077 has one of the craziest arcs in gaming. It started as an unplayable mess. It was so bug-filled on launch that PlayStation was literally giving gamers refunds for it, no questions asked. Nearly six years later, it's one of the best RPGs in the history of gaming.
Night City might be the single most addicting setting in RPGs. Players could explore Night City for weeks and still miss details. It's such a thoroughly constructed city that it feels like a character in and of itself, and there might never be another background like it.
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