Best Western RPGs – Investment Policy

Making a great role-playing game (RPG) is incredibly difficult. It requires strong writing, a compelling story, detailed world-building, and the freedom for players to make their own choices. Many fantastic Japanese and Western RPGs have tried to achieve this, but in this discussion, we’re only going to look at RPGs created by developers in Western countries.

With so many RPGs available, each with unique rules, and lots of existing rankings online, it’s hard to say for sure which are the best Western RPGs. But we’re going to give it a shot! The games listed here excel in key areas: strong storytelling, immersive worlds, appealing graphics, character customization, and satisfying role-playing. We especially love games with great music or those that really changed the gaming landscape.

Honorable Mentions

Choosing only ten of the best Western RPGs is incredibly difficult, so let’s quickly acknowledge some great games that didn’t quite make the top list before we get to our favorites.

Planescape: Torment

Weak storylines can ruin a great role-playing game, and Planescape: Torment understands this perfectly. The game boasts a remarkably complex plot, inviting players to explore a rich and fascinating world with deep lore. It’s truly unique and packed with detail, and it brilliantly captures the feeling of choice-driven narratives that define the best RPGs.

Cyberpunk 2077

When CD Projekt Red first released its game based on Mike Pondsmith’s tabletop RPG in 2020, it was plagued with problems. However, it’s since become one of the most impressive turnarounds in gaming history, rivaled only by the comeback of No Man’s Sky. The game’s striking visuals, engaging story, and continuous updates, including a superb expansion, have all contributed to its success.

Path of Exile

We’ll discuss Diablo later, but Path of Exile is another great action-RPG, especially if you like games with lots of replay value. It has a huge amount of content, a satisfying endgame, and uses procedural generation to create unique maps every time you play. The game truly shines with its incredible build customization and the sheer variety of skills available – you have a level of freedom in character building that’s rare in larger, more popular games.

Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic

Knights of the Old Republic is celebrated for its shocking plot twist and for letting players truly shape their own story. Beyond that, the game boasts a huge amount of freedom, unforgettable characters, and a brilliant use of the Star Wars universe, all of which contributed to its lasting appeal.

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion

Many fans consider Oblivion to be the best game in The Elder Scrolls series, and it was a huge release when it first came out. It really raised the bar for Skyrim and is remembered for its great gameplay and immersive role-playing. It’s no surprise that so much from the game – from the music to how NPCs talk – has become famous and is still referenced as memes today.

10. Deus Ex

A Master Class In Player Freedom And Agency

As one of the earliest immersive sims, Deus Ex rightfully earns its place as a classic. Role-playing games are at their best when they let you forge your own path and truly live with the results of your decisions, and Deus Ex excels at providing that kind of freedom.

The game gives you true freedom in how you tackle challenges, letting you choose between stealth, direct combat, or any style in between. It recognizes and adapts to your unique solutions, never forcing you down a single path. Combined with a compelling story and strong gameplay, this makes it one of the best Western RPGs available.

9. Diablo 2

A Highly Customizable And Addictive ARPG

When it comes to action RPGs, Diablo 2 is widely considered Blizzard Entertainment’s masterpiece – and its updated version is also excellent. Playing it today, the game has a uniquely appealing retro style and a dark atmosphere that Diablo 4 has tried to recreate, moving away from the brighter look of Diablo 3.

This game offers a fantastic dungeon-crawling experience, known for its deep and rewarding character customization and incredibly satisfying loot system. You can create both fun, quirky builds and incredibly powerful ones that genuinely make a difference as you level up and develop your character.

8. Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn

Packed Full Of Delightful TTRPG-Like Content

Though released some time ago, Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn remains a cornerstone of Western role-playing games. Built on the rules of Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition, it offers a rich and immersive experience that truly captures the feeling of a classic tabletop RPG adventure.

Revisiting this game now will likely show players just how much depth some newer games are missing. It’s filled with incredibly well-written quests and a compelling main story, and the combat system, though a little challenging to learn, offers a unique and rewarding magic-based experience, especially for dedicated RPG fans.

7. The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

The Game That Changed Everything For The Franchise

Although many fans prefer Morrowind and Oblivion, Skyrim undeniably left a huge mark on open-world games and the gaming industry. For years, it’s been the go-to example of a fantasy open-world RPG, attracting a much larger audience than previous games in The Elder Scrolls series. Skyrim wasn’t just bigger than Oblivion; it also offered a more diverse and varied experience.

Although Skyrim’s dungeons sometimes use similar elements, they’re much more varied than those in older games. The voice acting cast was also significantly larger. While the main storyline wasn’t initially very popular, the game has become incredibly successful over time, thanks to fan-made modifications and downloadable content. Despite numerous re-releases that haven’t always been worthwhile, and with a dedicated community constantly improving it, Skyrim remains the most enduring game in the Elder Scrolls series.

6. Dragon Age: Origins

Unforgettable Writing, Combat, And Companions

It’s disappointing that Veilguard didn’t relaunch the Dragon Age series with a huge impact, but it’s really hard to follow up a masterpiece like Dragon Age: Origins. This game just excels in every area, and it’s tough to find anything to criticize.

One of the best parts of the game is definitely the companions – they’re well-developed and memorable, showing the same storytelling strength BioWare demonstrated in the Mass Effect series. The dialogue is also excellent, and you have meaningful choices throughout the story and side quests that let you define your character and influence the main plot, in a way that feels similar to Mass Effect. Plus, the combat, party system, and character customization are all really well done.

5. Mass Effect 2

BioWare’s Strongest Offering In The Trilogy

The Mass Effect trilogy is a standout in the sci-fi RPG genre, and Mass Effect 2 is arguably the most memorable game of the three. It built upon the foundation of the first game with meaningful improvements and offered an incredible amount of content – a huge cast of characters, tons of side quests, and choices that genuinely impacted the story, especially during the intense final mission.

The story in Mass Effect 2 features some of the most impressive and cinematic moments ever seen in role-playing games, and its quest design is considered legendary. The exciting battles, combined with meaningful relationships with your crew, romance options, and the classic Paragon/Renegade choices, make it a standout title in the genre.

4. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

A Masterpiece With Unique Turn-Based Combat

The critically acclaimed Western RPG, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, won Game of the Year in 2025 across several categories, and it’s easy to see why. The game is incredibly rich with content, making it well worth the purchase price. Everything, from the stunning visuals and compelling story to the beautiful soundtrack, demonstrates a remarkable level of care and attention to detail.

The game really stands out with its classic Japanese RPG feel, featuring turn-based battles that are surprisingly engaging even for players who prefer action-based combat. It cleverly mixes in real-time elements to keep things fresh. The story is truly memorable and needs to be played to fully appreciate its innovative nature. While it’s a newcomer alongside established Western RPGs, it confidently holds its own and makes a strong impression.

3. Fallout: New Vegas

The Ultimate Fallout Game, Perfected

The Fallout series was already well-regarded, but Obsidian Entertainment really raised the bar with New Vegas. They crafted a world that felt incredibly real and alive, and the role-playing options were amazing for the time. Your choices, skills, and how you interacted with others truly mattered, making character development feel meaningful and impactful in the wasteland.

The writing in this game is among the best in the Fallout series. Characters like Boone have incredibly tragic pasts, making you question how they survived. Some of the quests and groups you encounter deal with really difficult themes, like slavery. What makes New Vegas special is that it doesn’t avoid tough subjects, but also embraces quirky and lighthearted moments. It blends everything together to create a truly classic Fallout experience.

2. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

A Peak-Quality RPG That Popularized The Franchise

In 2015, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt really stood out, even though it was released alongside some huge games like GTA 5, Metal Gear Solid 5: Phantom Pain, Fallout 4, and Bloodborne. It was a very competitive year for gaming, but The Witcher 3 rose above the rest and rightfully won Game of the Year.

Everything in The Witcher 3 feels carefully crafted, from the major storylines to the smallest side quests – they’re all exceptionally well-written. The game’s world is stunning and truly draws you in, and the music is fantastic. While the combat system wasn’t universally loved, it offered a good amount of customization in how you developed Geralt as a character. The game is packed with diverse content, which is something you don’t often find in video games these days.

1. Baldur’s Gate 3

The Finest Larian Studios Has Offered (So Far)

So here we are, with Baldur’s Gate 3 leading the way. This game made CRPGs popular with a much wider audience, got many people interested in Dungeons & Dragons, and showed that smaller, independent studios can really drive innovation in gaming. It wasn’t an easy journey for Larian Studios, though. After a long period of early access, it wasn’t certain if the game would appeal to players beyond its core fans. Any concerns quickly disappeared, even though some people feel the game throws a lot at you right at the beginning.

Despite any flaws, Baldur’s Gate 3 set a new standard for role-playing games with its stunning graphics, numerous quests and choices, and complex combat system based on Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition. It truly earns its place as one of the best, especially considering its affordable price, and it will likely be a long time before we see another game that offers so much. We’re all hoping Larian Studios’ next game, Divinity, will be just as amazing.

2026-01-24 11:37