WWLTP | We Would Like To PlayGaming News. Esports. Movies. Music. Culture.THE TOP 20 RPGs
OF ALL TIME
From the Lands Between to the streets of Night City, these are the adventures that redefined role-playing. Discover why each title earned its place on our list.
Explore the Rankings ↓Editorial ranking selected by WWLTP. Release dates reflect initial launches (often in Japan); platform lists include notable later editions and remasters. Cover artwork is loaded from Wikipedia where available. Game images belong to their respective rights holders.
Elden Ring
Why It Ranks This High
Its enormous, interconnected Lands Between rewards curiosity like few games ever have. FromSoftware makes discovery feel personal, while flexible builds, memorable bosses, and environmental storytelling turn every detour into an adventure. It claims #1 for combining open-world freedom with uncompromising action-RPG design.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Why It Ranks This High
Few RPGs respond to player decisions with this much imagination. Rich companions, branching quests, inventive turn-based combat, and tabletop-style problem-solving make each campaign feel authored by the player. Its remarkable reactivity earns it the runner-up spot.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Why It Ranks This High
Geralt’s journey balances morally complex writing with a world full of meaningful side stories. The Bloody Baron quest alone shows why its character work remains a benchmark. Expansive expansions and enduring atmosphere make this a defining narrative RPG.
Mass Effect 2
Why It Ranks This High
The suicide mission turns party loyalty, preparation, and player choices into real stakes. BioWare’s cinematic storytelling and unforgettable crew create an emotional payoff that still influences squad-based RPGs.
Bloodborne
Why It Ranks This High
Yharnam’s gothic nightmare rewards aggressive combat and careful exploration. Its trick weapons, terrifying enemy design, and cosmic-horror revelations create a distinct identity even within FromSoftware’s celebrated catalog.
Final Fantasy VII
Why It Ranks This High
Cloud, Sephiroth, and Midgar helped bring cinematic Japanese RPG storytelling to a worldwide audience. Its Materia system, bold narrative twists, music, and cultural impact secure its place among the greats.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Why It Ranks This High
Its open-ended world encourages players to become whoever they want: mage, thief, warrior, or wandering explorer. Modding, faction quests, and an extraordinary sense of freedom keep Skyrim alive across generations.
Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
Why It Ranks This High
These remakes preserve Johto’s charm while expanding it with following Pokémon, polished systems, and the enormous Kanto postgame. They rank so high because they feel like a celebration of everything classic Pokémon does well.
World of Warcraft
Why It Ranks This High
Few games have shaped online role-playing more profoundly. Azeroth became a social world of guilds, raids, exploration, and shared memories, with an influence that reaches far beyond the MMO genre.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Why It Ranks This High
An inventive turn-based system layered with real-time dodges gives battles a distinctive rhythm. Its painterly world, haunting music, and emotionally ambitious story make this a modern RPG standout.
Persona 5 Royal
Why It Ranks This High
Its stylish presentation is matched by thoughtful dungeon design, satisfying social bonds, and a battle system that rewards planning. Royal deepens the original with more character development and an especially strong final act.
Dark Souls
Why It Ranks This High
Its interconnected level design, cryptic storytelling, and demanding combat changed action RPGs. The satisfaction of mastering Lordran—and seeing its shortcuts click together—makes its influence impossible to ignore.
Final Fantasy VI
Why It Ranks This High
An ensemble cast, a bold midpoint upheaval, and one of gaming’s most memorable soundtracks elevate this 16-bit classic. It demonstrates how much emotional depth and ambition a pixel-art RPG can deliver.
Fallout: New Vegas
Why It Ranks This High
New Vegas makes faction politics, dialogue, and role-playing choices matter. Its Mojave setting is full of competing ideologies and quests with multiple solutions, rewarding players who want to define their own character.
Cyberpunk 2077
Why It Ranks This High
Night City is one of gaming’s most convincing futuristic settings. Strong character writing, expressive combat builds, and major post-launch improvements helped it fulfill its promise as a gripping cyberpunk RPG.
Final Fantasy X
Why It Ranks This High
Tidus and Yuna’s pilgrimage blends a moving love story with strategic turn-based combat. Its Sphere Grid progression, cinematic presentation, and emotional ending remain powerful decades later.
Pokémon Gold and Silver
Why It Ranks This High
Johto expanded Pokémon with breeding, a day-night cycle, held items, and a second region to explore. Gold and Silver earn their place for the sheer scale of their leap forward from the original games.
Suikoden II
Why It Ranks This High
Its 108 recruitable Stars of Destiny, political intrigue, and intimate friendships give the story rare scope and heart. Suikoden II remains a cult favorite because its war feels deeply human.
Diablo II: Lord of Destruction
Why It Ranks This High
This expansion transformed Diablo II with two additional classes, an extra act, runewords, and richer item hunting. Its endlessly replayable loot loop became a template for generations of action RPGs.
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
Why It Ranks This High
A traditional JRPG refined with extraordinary care: a warm ensemble, polished turn-based combat, and Akira Toriyama’s instantly recognizable designs. Its craftsmanship makes a strong case for the enduring power of classic Dragon Quest.