Roleplaying games are a staple of PC gaming. Be they tradition turn-based games or modern action/shooter hybrids, this genre offers something for everyone. With thousands available on Steam, it’s best to cut through the junk and get right to the good stuff. Below are some of the best RPGs on Steam today.
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Fallout: New Vegas
Fallout: New Vegas is, in many ways, the pinnacle of the new-era Fallout series. Much more of an RPG than the FPS-focused other entries in the series, it incorporates a gerat deal of lore and flavor from the original games. With a fantastic suite of DLC and some truly memorable companions, it’s definitely a game you’ll want to play again and again. Patches in recent years have ironed out most of the bugs, leaving behind a game that’s nearly perfect. As with many of Bethesda’s games, it’s also worth a play if you’d like to see exactly how bizarre mods can make this kind of game.
Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Skyrim is available on Steam, along with virtually every other platform that’s currently available. The first-person RPG from Bethesda set the tone in terms of both open worlds and the level of customization that players have come to expect from these games. While the story might not quite stand up as well as you have remembered, the side-quests and sheer scope of Skyrim are still very impressive. If you’ve got the time, this game is more than worth a purchase just for the modding community. From full-immersion modifications to some truly silly add-ons, the game can become almost anything you can imagine.
The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3 is one of the best-reviewed RPGs to come out in years. With a great combat system and an engaging story, it’s well worth playing for fans of RPGs. It’s a bit more adult than some of the games on the platform, with some heavy story elements and a few scenes that aren’t family-friendly. Still, it’s a fantastic fantasy world to get lost in, especially if you pick up the edition that includes all the DLC. If you’re a fan of modern action-RPGs, this is a game that you certainly cannot afford to miss.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Knights of the Old Republic is perhaps the best-received Star Wars game to date. Taking place thousands of years before the movies, it puts players in control of one of the most captivating Star Wars journeys ever put on screen. With a cast of great characters and a truly entertaining set of RPG systems underlying the action, it’s the game you’ve always wanted to play. The sequel’s also available on Steam, those its largely unfinished state means that it doesn’t quite live up to the original’s reputation.
Planescape: Torment Enhanced Edition
Planescape: Torment was one of the classic Dungeons and Dragons PC RPGs, one that showed that the system could be about much more the combat. The Enhanced Edition has brought the game to modern PCs with a few new flourishes, but it’s very much the same game that enchanted players years ago. If you haven’t played the adventure before, you owe it to yourself to do so. The Enhanced Edition smooths out the rough edges that tend to turn off gamers who are used to a bit more visual polish, making this a great choice for a first look.
South Park: The Stick of Truth
Yes, a South Park game is one of the best RPGs on Steam. The Stick of Truth looks like a recent-season episode of South Park but very much plays like a classic RPG. If you are a fan of turn-based battles and clever systems, it’s a fun game. If you actually enjoy the show, though, it’s a revelation. Made in concert by the creative minds behind the show, it’s as close to taking control of a real episode of the show as most will ever get. No matter what brings you to the table, though, the game is worth a play.
Dragon Age Origins
Perhaps BioWare’s best pure RPG in the modern era, Dragon Age Origins provides players with a huge original world, a stellar story, and a unique origin mechanic that makes it possible to play a very different game each time one starts a new save file. Dragon Age Origins is not without its flaws, of course, but it represents the kind of creative originality that is all too rare in the current age of RPGs.