Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson designed the original Dungeons & Dragons. D&D can be recognized as the first role-playing game of the modern age. It would go on to become a massive hit, providing people with countless hours of varied Role Playing opportunities. It inspired creators of the modern era to develop video games with a Roleplaying aspect. Adventure is often considered the first RPG video game of all time. While it was not a real RPG, it appeared on the original Atari console and would inspire numerous RPGs. The next breakthrough in RPGs would come in the form of genre-defining games such as Legend of Zelda and Diablo.
RPGs have evolved in the past 40 years and has seen many, many changes. Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG) like World Of Warcraft and RuneScape dominated the early 2000s while more different RPGs like Elder Scrolls, Deus Ex and Mass Effect would pave the way for newer RPGs in the past decade.
Today we’ve compiled a list of our favorite RPGs of 2018. This list is in no specific order.
Kingdom Come Deliverance
An action RPG, Deliverance is an ambitious product from Warhorse Studios. The game takes place in the 15th century Bohemia and players control a young peasant named Henry who is seeking revenge for the murder of his family. The game combines an excellent story and choice based plot and the most accurate sword fighting mechanics in a video game till date. The game was released in Microsoft Windows, Xbox and PlayStation. It received positive reviews despite the many bugs that were present during the launch.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Ubisoft’s most bankable franchise has come a long way from it’s earlier days. In 2017, they released Assassin’s Creed Origins, rebooting action-adventure franchise into an action RPG. The success inspired the developers to release Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, a sequel to Origins. Odyssey is an even more fully fledged RPG with the option to play as a male or female character. It was released for Xbox, PlayStation and Windows. It received critical praise from critics and players alike.
Monster Hunter World
This action RPG was released for consoles first and a PC version came months later. Capcom published the latest iteration of the Monster Hunter series and combines the best features of all past games. You take the role of a monster hunter with a wide variety of weapons and gear and track down deadly monsters to kill. The game comes with singleplayer and multiplayer modes. Critics praised the game’s accessibility for newcomers and became the fastest selling game in Capcom’s history.
Dark Souls Remastered
In 2011, Dark Souls changed the face of modern gaming. Its impact was so immense that it spawned off a new genre of games called ‘Soulslike’. Dark Souls Remastered was released on Windows, Playstation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch. Dark Souls is a Japanese Action RPG with a complex, varied and methodical combat system. Players control a customizable character known as the Chosen Undead and set out on a pilgrimage. Full of exciting boss fights, massive array of weapons, gear and strategies, Dark Souls Remastered received favorable reviews for fixing the many issues that plagued the original 2011 release, especially on the PC.
Vampyr
Dontnod Entertainment took this Vampire story to the late 1910s and based it on the deadly Spanish flu pandemic. Players control doctor Jonathan Reid who has been turned into a vampire. The doctor struggles with his new bloodthirsty nature to feed on humans and his duty as a doctor. The game allows players to avoid almost all violence except a few mandatory boss fights. Players can choose to not kill any innocent citizens and can unlock any one of four endings based on their choices. Vampyr received some criticism for its combat but was praised for its setting, voice acting and primary game mechanics.
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire
This crowdfunded game hits all the right notes. The RPG isometric is a sequel which brings multiple improvements to the original formula. The game’s greatest strength comes in its strong and rich dialogue options. The game focuses on sea and island exploration and combat is heavily class based. Each class has three additional subclasses. The game was released for MacOS and Windows and is set to release for PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch in 2019.
Ashen
Ashen is a ‘soulslike’ game released initially on consoles. The game heavily borrows gameplay mechanics from Dark Souls games including the weapon variety, stamina management and boss fights. The game was later released on Windows as well. The game blends a unique, minimalist design and soft ambiance to make impactful visuals. Characters in Ashen don't have a face of their own and the game features some 3D platforming. It has roleplay elements that combine together to make Ashen a fantastic RPG.
Valkyria Chronicles 4
Sega’s latest game Valkyria Chronicles 4 is a tactical role-playing game. It was released for the PlayStation initially but saw release on Xbox and Windows later on as well. It is a strategic RPG where players control combatants on a battlefield. Players have a wide variety of weapons and units to choose from. Players can travel around in small map areas utilizing covers and various tactics. The game has received almost unanimous praise.
Final Fantasy XV
The Final Fantasy franchise has been around for 30 years and in that time it has seen releases across multiple platforms and the mainstream franchise welcomed its latest entry Final Fantasy XV on 2016. The game was then brought to Windows in 2018 with next-gen features and better visuals. It is a fantasy RPG with options to play it multiplayer as well. It involves magic, melee combat, and camping and driving. The game was praised for its gameplay, visuals and storytelling.
Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom
This action RPG was released by Bandai Namco Entertainment. The game was released on Windows and PlayStation and allows players to explore a large world. You follow King Evan Tildrum who is usurped and forced to build a new kingdom. Players can use magical elements and control elemental creatures. When enemies are encountered players go into a battlefield wherein three selectable characters can be controlled for battle. With town building and combat, the game received favorable reviews on both its release platforms.
Which one of these above is your favorite? Let us know in the comments.