Best RPG Games

Here is a list of the 10 best RPG games for gaming consoles and PCs.

10 – Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic – This RPG was developed by BioWare and published by LucasArts. The gameplay is based off of the d20 System from the Dungeons & Dragons ruleset. It won numerous awards when it was released. An MMORPG based on this game series, called Star Wars: The Old Republic, is currently in development.

9 – The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past – This game was first released in Japan in 1991. The plot focused on Link as he travels on a journey to save Hyrule, defeat Ganon and rescue the seven descendants of the Sages. The game itself has sold more than four million copies and spawned one of the best RPG series of all time.

8 – Xenogears – Xenogears follows Fei Fong Wong and several other characters as they struggle to survive in a world torn apart by war between the nations of Aveh and Kislev. It was released in 1998 and has sold over a million copies worldwide. The game has never officially had a sequel or prequel, but some claim that Xenosaga is related to the game as it had many of the same designers.

7 – The Ultima Series – This series contained a total of ten games. Ultima 1-3 introduced the tenants of heroic Virtue. It also established the enchanted world of Britannia. Ultima 4-6 has the humans from Earth become the embodiment of the eight Virtues. The role these people play is that of the Avatar. Ultima 7-9 tell of the fall of the Avatar. The Guardian is a mysterious entity that comes to defame everything the Avatar stands for. The final game in the series, Ultima X, was canceled partway into development.

6 – Diablo II: Lord of Destruction – Although not considered a completely full RPG, Diablo II’s hack-and-slash adventure style captured players once again. It is possibly the most action-oriented RPG on the list. It was described at Metacritic as an expansion that “should reinforce the staying power of an already legendary RPG.” And it has, as Diablo III is due out in 2009.

5 – Fallout 3 – Voted the best RPG of 2008 by many game reviewers, this game was a smashing follow-up in what is turning out to be one of the most successful series of all time. This series has followed the post-apocalyptic genre in a world that has been ravaged by nuclear destruction. Fallout 3 takes place in a future Washington D.C. devastated by the destruction. It gives players both a first person shooter feel and a great RPG. Both Fallout 4 and a Fallout MMORPG are currently in development.

4 – Chrono Trigger – Developed by three of the most famous game designers ever (Hironobu Sakaguchi, Yuuji Horii, and Akira Toriyama), Chrono Trigger follows a group of adventurers who travel through time to prevent a global catastrophe. Originally released in 1995, it sold millions of copies and was the third best-selling game the year it came out. Its multiple endings, plot-related sidequests which focused on character development, unique battle system, and detailed graphics were considered revolutionary for the time.

3 – The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – Ocarina of Time is the fifth game in The Legend of Zelda series in terms of release, but is set before the first four games. The game placed second in Official Nintendo Magazine’s “100 greatest Nintendo games of all time”, in addition to winning many other awards. It sold millions of copies and helped entrench and continue the legendary series of Zelda and Link.

2 – World of Warcraft – This game redefined what was possible with MMORPGs. The game has recently been hovering around the 12 million subscriber mark and shows no signs of ever letting up. The game is a cultural phenomenon. Almost everyone knows someone that plays it. With the primary game and two very successful expansions, World of Warcraft continues to redefine what is possible with an RPG.

1 – Final Fantasy VII – The ultimate console RPG of all time. This RPG was the best of the Final Fantasy series. And, the Final Fantasy series is the best of all RPGs. Final Fantasy VII brought a more mature theme to RPGs and proved that they didn’t have to be like a childish game. The game brought a complex story that had depth. This is the game that redefined RPGs and brought the genre to more gamers around the world than any other.