Best RPGs for Beginners - October 2024

As someone who has spent countless hours immersed in the vast and fantastical worlds of video games, I find myself drawn to the three RPGs that cater exceptionally well to beginners. Each one offers a unique twist on the genre, making them accessible yet engaging for newcomers.

Role-playing games, or RPGs, stand out due to their unique blend of captivating narratives and numerous play styles. However, the vast array of in-game choices can sometimes overwhelm beginners to the genre.

If you’re keen on diving into an excellent Role-Playing Game (RPG) without feeling swamped by character choices or tough-as-nails bosses, take heart! I’ve compiled a list of ten fantastic RPGs that allow for exploration without overwhelming you.

10 Fable

Player Choices Front And Center

Best RPGs for Beginners

In “Fable,” you embark on a lifelong journey filled with action-RPG adventures, set within a vibrant and enchanting medieval fantasy landscape. This game delivers an authentic taste of what the genre is all about.

This game is particularly recognized for its unique system of ethical dilemmas, where the choices you make significantly influence your character’s characteristics and skills. Ever wanted to become an angel or a demon? Well, with this game called Fable, you have the power to do just that!

Instead, the timeless tale of Fable can be effortlessly enjoyed in the remastered version, Fable: Anniversary, available on both PC and Xbox platforms, including Game Pass.

9 Final Fantasy 7

Iconic Hero With Over-Sized Sword

The “Final Fantasy” series is almost inseparable from Japanese Role-Playing Games (JRPGs), and its top tier entry is often considered one of the best. Familiar faces such as Cloud, Tifa, and Sephiroth are frequently found in popular culture, from Disney to internet gaming memes, so you’ll probably recognize around half the characters immediately.

Choosing the ideal “Final Fantasy” game for beginners can be challenging due to most entries providing a suitable blend of choice and complexity. The seventh installment, however, is particularly noteworthy for its distinctive eco-terrorist storyline and straightforward yet captivating combat system. Notably, this game has been remade and stands as one of the PlayStation 5’s top RPGs.

8 Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

Give In To Your Anger

The Star Wars franchise is filled with excellent RPGs, such as the beloved Yet earns its place on its list because of the game’s sheer intensity while wielding the Force.

In this action role-playing game, you assume the role of Darth Vader’s covert apprentice, an experience that has plunged me more deeply than ever into a Jedi power fantasy. A concise tree for acquiring new skills is beneficial for novice players, and each skill is thrilling to employ during gameplay.

Plus, you get to pull a Star Destroyer crashing down into a planet.

7 Stardew Valley

A Charming Life On The Farm

Instead of many role-playing games primarily focusing on adventures and violence, the standout indie game offers a fresh, simulation RPG experience centered around moving to a peaceful rural lifestyle.

Although there isn’t a conventional “campaign” structure, Stardew Valley is skillfully crafted to enable you to shape your own narrative and objectives. The absence of “failure” scenarios, combined with its engaging and intuitive gameplay mechanics, makes it an ideal choice for beginners.

It won’t be long before you’re telling yourself “I’ll play just one more day!” on the farm.

6 Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Love, Betrayal, And Tactical Warfare

Unlike traditional real-time or turn-based battles where three individuals stand in a row, such as in many games, the Fire Emblem series focuses on strategic battles where you command a team of characters. Renowned for its tactical difficulties and permanent death scenarios, contemporary versions like Fire Emblem: Three Houses offer fresh features to attract newcomers.

This features an engaging tale that encompasses themes of love and family, loyalty and deceit, as Fódlan is ravaged by conflict. The game’s narrative branching ensures repeated playthroughs are enjoyable, while a magic option to rewind turns, or disabling permadeath altogether, empowers you to conquer the most challenging tactical predicaments.

5 Undertale

Heartwarming Story Shaped By Your Actions

Among the games listed here, one stands out as quite unusual yet exceptional for being an excellent starting point in the RPG genre. What sets it apart is that the decisions you make significantly shape the game’s final outcome. Most RPGs attempt this and often fall short, resulting in outcomes that feel more like exaggerated stereotypes.

As I journey through this captivating underground world, I find myself interacting with an array of characters – some I ally with, others I spar against, and a few I might even tease or ridicule. My decisions along the way significantly impact my adventure’s outcome, making each playthrough a fresh and unique experience. This engaging role-playing game offers a tantalizing glimpse into what makes RPGs stand out as exceptional gaming experiences.

4 Pokémon Brilliant Diamond / Shining Pearl

Modern Remake Of A Nostalgic Classic

It’s common knowledge that many folks are familiar with Pokémon, and a large portion of those individuals have engaged with at least one game from the series. The reason for this popularity is that the Pokémon games serve as excellent entry points into the role-playing game (RPG) genre, as they introduce several fundamental ideas characteristic of the RPG world.

The latest versions of Pokémon for the Nintendo Switch offer a harmonious blend of traditional and contemporary aspects from the Pokémon series, creating an immersive role-playing game experience. They achieve a satisfactory balance between ease and challenge, offering sufficient complexity to prevent monotony, making them definitely worth checking out!

3 Paper Mario

Platform-Jumping Powerhouse Levels Up

Every video game genre or sub-genre offers different spins, and Nintendo’s Mario series is one such example. It innovatively blends “action command” quick-time events and open-world platforming with the turn-based RPG format, a move that has inspired numerous other games to follow suit.

Among the games listed, Super Mario RPG stands out as the ideal role-playing game for beginners due to its clever fusion of familiar themes – such as Bowser kidnapping Princess Peach – with captivating environments to discover. It effectively combines puzzles and combat to offer a diverse range of challenges, yet it doesn’t require you to delve into every hidden corner exhaustively; instead, it rewards exploration according to your preference.

At present, the game “Paper Mario” can be found with greatest ease on the list of free Nintendo 64 games offered by Nintendo Online’s Expansion Pack. Not long ago, its well-regarded successor received a remake specifically for the Nintendo Switch platform.

This entry wasn’t successful because the game, “The Thousand-Year Door,” has slightly tougher puzzles and fights compared to others.

2 Hogwarts Legacy

You’re A Wizard, Player!

One of the strongest new-player experiences available comes from a very familiar franchise—Harry Potter. Hogwarts Legacy is great for RPG beginners because it’s accessible to non-gamer Harry Potter fans.

Experience the charm of Hogwarts, master spells, concoct potions, and more in this affectionate tribute to a cherished childhood series. The familiar environment simplifies navigation through the game’s expansive world, while offering a balanced selection of choices that keep gameplay engaging without becoming overly complex.

The main issue is that, in truth, Hogwarts Legacy expects you to already be familiar with the movies. If you haven’t encountered any Harry Potter content before, your adventure might not feel as enchanting.

1 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Wield The Might Of Dragons

This role-playing game is perfect for newcomers to the genre as it skillfully merges a thrilling narrative with intense gameplay. By taking a timeless tale from myths and legends – the slaying of a dragon – it constructs an entire immersive fantasy experience around it.

In essence, Skyrim embodies all the fundamental elements of any role-playing game subcategory. It offers decision-making scenarios in the storyline, character development through level-up bonuses, immersion in a world teeming with intriguing lore that goes deeper than expected, making it the definitive RPG adventure.

Even though all these features offer enough complexity for beginners, they manage to keep things clear and focused. It’s quite common to feel overwhelmed in vast open-world games, but “Skyrim” cleverly employs “radiant” quests so that you always have a nearby objective at hand – this way, you’re never left indecisive due to an overabundance of choices.

As an added bonus, you’ll better understand a load of memes, too.

2024-10-14 16:09