Depending on the fan, what makes a great role-playing game varies wildly. Some people think it requires a compelling story, others think one needs top-notch combat, while others believe one has to have outstanding worldbuilding. And yet, nearly every fan can agree that no RPG can be truly great without a lovable cast of characters.
This doesn't have to refer to a party of characters, as some RPGs are played with just a single lead. However, it does mean that the game's supporting cast has little to no weak links. Over the years, there have been a number of RPGs that have been able to easily surpass that hurdle.
1 Octopath Traveler II Introduces Characters From All Walks Of Life
The original Octopath Traveler was a great game, but never quite amazing. Fortunately, Square-Enix was able to improve on every aspect of the game with its sequel. Octopath Traveler II is a masterpiece that feels like a throwback to the amazing RPGs of the SNES era, only on much more powerful consoles.
Just like the original, Octopath Traveler II introduces players to a cast of eight characters, only this time all of them are much stronger representatives. From the idealistic Partitio to the suspicious Temenos, they're all great representatives of their individual classes. Meanwhile, the villains they face are perfect foils to the heroes, requiring them to grow in order to beat them.
2 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's Incredible Writing Brings Out The Best In All Its Characters
The Witcher 3 is one of a handful of truly timeless RPGs, with a popularity that's only grown over time. While technically this is the end of Geralt's epic journey to find Ciri, Wild Hunt does an amazing job of making it easy for even new players to jump in and understand what's going on. Wild Hunt has a smart, complete story that's beautifully done from start to finish.
While Wild Hunt is Geralt's story, players will naturally meet tons of characters in his life along the way. From fellow Witchers to former lovers, CDProjekt makes sure they're all well-rounded, interesting characters in the time they get.
3 Baldur's Gate 3 Features One Of The Best Adventurer Parties Of All Time
The main thing that makes Baldur's Gate 3 such an amazing game is its incredible cast of characters. From its harrowing opening, the game begins setting up the huge party the player will be traveling with for the rest of the game. Whether it's the swashbuckling Wyll or the tortured rogue Astarion, they're all fascinating characters to dig into.
Best of all, the game gives players plenty of time to interact with them, whether it's at camp or doing their specific missions. Outside of that, each character has wildly different reactions to the story beats in the game. This provides players with plenty of reasons to replay the game a few times, just to see how everyone reacts to different moments.
4 Trails in the Sky First Chapter Develops More Than Just Its Main Cast
If there's one thing Trails in the Sky does better than perhaps any game, it's character writing. Though it comes off tropey at first, as players get deeper into the story, they'll experience the subtle quirks and character traits that help everyone stand out. Gamers will quickly fall in love with First Chapter's lead, Estelle, an energetic young woman that's slowly learning more about the world, and herself.
At the same time, First Chapter does an excellent job of presenting a story that's seemingly low-stakes at first, only to ramp up over time. Thanks to Falcom's incredible worldbuilding, each new area players encounter feels properly lived-in, with its own key political figures that come into play later. Plus, the game offers some of the best turn-based combat in RPGs.
5 Mass Effect 2 Brought Together A Great Cast For An Impossible Mission
There's a reason people still talk about Mass Effect as a franchise, even though there hasn't been a legitimately good entry in over a decade. BioWare crafted an incredible space opera RPG with the Mass Effect universe, something that felt like Star Trek if it were designed as a video game first. In a series of already beloved games, Mass Effect 2 shines the most, bringing the best out of the crew of the Normandy.
Much of Mass Effect 2 is about building up a group that's talented enough to pull off a nearly impossible mission. Whether or not the player's party survives is all about how well they've outfitted their spaceship, and whether they did all the different characters' loyalty missions. Knowing this can only work if players are attached to the characters, BioWare created one of their best casts yet. Years later, people are still obsessed with characters like Garrus and Jack.
6 Star Wars: Zero Company Introduces A Cast Players Will Do Anything To Save
For a game modeled after a franchise where characters are expendable, Zero Company sure does a great job with its cast. This amazing tactical RPG puts players in the role of Hawks, a former Republic Captain turned mercenary who runs the group Zero Company. Despite their past, Hawks works with the Republic again out of a need for cash when the Republic recruits Zero Company's help against a group known only as the Infinite Coil.
In theory, anyone in Zero Company could die if players aren't careful in battle. However, the time in between missions allows players to get to know Zero Company's misfits, leading players to do everything they can to keep them safe. The game isn't afraid to pull from all areas of Star Wars lore to make sure there's a wide variety of characters aboard Hawks' ship, yet none of them ever feel like filler.
7 Yakuza: Like A Dragon Introduces An Entirely New Cast Of Incredible Characters
A long-running series like Yakuza could've just stuck to its usual cast and been fine. However, they chose to try something new and, in the process, created one of the best turn-based games of the last decade. A large part of that comes from having a protagonist that's just as awesome as Kazuma Kiryu himself.
Like A Dragon sells players pretty much immediately on its new cast thanks to the themes it's working with. Ichiban Kasuga and his new friends, Adachi and Nanba, are all forced to start from zero as middle-aged men, a scary prospect that they're only capable of overcoming together. Through this shared struggle, they become extra endearing, as players get to see them climb from rock bottom to stable positions.
8 Dragon Age: Inquisition Is BioWare's Last True Masterpiece
To many people, Dragon Age: Inquisition is BioWare's last masterpiece of a game. In the role of the Inquisitor, players are not only the only ones capable of sealing off magic rifts in reality, but they're forced to assemble an army capable of fighting the monsters that emerge from each rift. For that purpose, the player gradually builds up the Inquisition from across multiple countries.
Dragon Age: Inquisition features an all-time great roster of characters, and anyone who plays it is bound to have multiple favorites. The main cast is outstanding, and BioWare offers plenty of chances to get to know every member, as players can even listen to them bicker while they're just out in the open world. Because the player runs the Inquisition, they'll also get the chance to get to know an entire castle full of people.
9 Legend of Heroes: Trails From Zero Has A Small, Yet Amazing Cast
Falcom's been working on the Trails franchise for twenty years now, but Trails from Zero might still be the best game in the franchise. A game that takes players from the countryside of Liberl into the metropolitan Crossbell city, Trails from Zero does literally everything right.
It's got the typical amazing story of a Trails game, with a plot that hooks players from the very beginning, and that's thanks largely to its cast. While many Trails games have massive casts that don't always get the best development, Trails from Zero doesn't have that issue.
10 Final Fantasy VII Remake's Extra Story Material Helps Improve Some Lesser-Known Characters
Square's decision to remake Final Fantasy VII might have been controversial, but that didn't stop them from making a superb game. Final Fantasy VII Remake focuses entirely on the Midgar portion of the original RPG. While this is the shortest part of the original FF7, Square stretched it out with tons of side quests and additional story content to create a unique experience.
While in theory this shouldn't have worked, it absolutely does, precisely because Square created such an incredible cast. They significantly upgraded Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie, making them more likable than ever. Of course, that only makes the full game an even more unforgettable, yet heartbreaking experience.
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