The 10 Best RPGs of 2025

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The biggest game releases usually happen between October and December, with November being a peak time to take advantage of holiday shopping. However, 2025 has been a bit unusual. While many top role-playing games traditionally come out towards the end of the year, several excellent ones were released in the first half of 2025, and even the first three months.

In April, a surprise release of Oblivion Remastered proved how eager fans are for The Elder Scrolls 6. Obsidian Entertainment had a strong year with three game releases, including two highly-rated RPGs. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 also quickly gained a dedicated following. Here are the best role-playing games of 2025, listed alphabetically.

Avowed

Read Game Rant’s Review of Avowed

In Avowed, your choices truly shape the story and feel natural within the game’s world, giving you real control over the fate of Eora and the direction of your character’s adventure. The gameplay is a classic RPG experience, combining both guns and magic with detailed character progression, but it also builds upon and improves the formulas established in Obsidian’s Pillars of Eternity games. Plus, it’s designed to be accessible for both RPG veterans and newcomers alike, making it a fantastic game to recommend or gift to anyone.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Read Game Rant’s Review of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Few games have generated as much buzz as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Since its release, it’s been a frequent topic of discussion regarding game quality and impressive development. Its success is clear – the game received numerous nominations and awards, including at The Game Awards 2025 and the Golden Joysticks. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 stands out with its emotional story, beautiful music, strong acting, innovative turn-based combat, and meaningful player choices, making it a must-play for anyone who enjoys the genre.

Digimon Story: Time Stranger

Read Game Rant’s Review of Digimon Story: Time Stranger

Similar to Pokemon, Digimon is a classic franchise from the 90s that many people grew up with. The new game, Digimon Story: Time Stranger, aims to please longtime fans while also attracting new players. A key part of the game is collecting all the Digimon, and it plays like a traditional Japanese RPG, similar to games like Persona 3 and Shin Megami Tensei 5. It’s really enjoyable to collect and evolve these creatures, discover how they perform in battle, and build a strong team. The game offers a lot of replay value. Digimon Story: Time Stranger successfully blends familiar Digimon elements with fresh ideas, a compelling story, plenty of dungeons, and lots of interesting features.

Dragon Quest 1-2 HD-2D Remake

Read Game Rant’s Review of Dragon Quest 1-2 HD-2D Remake

After the success of Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, it’s exciting to see Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake deliver just as much quality. This remake breathes new life into the classic games, enhancing their stories with the beautiful HD-2D style that Square Enix is known for. It stays true to the original’s turn-based combat, but adds options to customize the experience and speed up both text and battles. With an improved story, a more vibrant world, and a polished presentation, Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake is a must-play for existing fans and a perfect entry point for anyone new to the series.

Elden Ring Nightreign

Read Game Rant’s Review of Elden Ring Nightreign

While Elden Ring Nightreign differs significantly from the original Elden Ring, it still offers a fantastic RPG experience with solid gameplay mechanics. The game re-imagines the well-known setting with challenging, rogue-like PvE combat. It keeps the elements that Soulslike fans love, but adds a fresh and unique spin to a genre that’s becoming crowded. Players can choose from a variety of Nightfarers, character builds, and weapons, playing solo or with friends, and truly test the limits of these options. The boss fights against the Nightlords are inventive and engaging for players of all skill levels, making Elden Ring Nightreign a truly impressive game that you can easily lose yourself in for hours.

The First Berserker: Khazan

Read Game Rant’s Review of The First Berserker: Khazan

If you’re looking for a challenging action RPG, The First Berserker: Khazan delivers. It blends fast-paced combat with the difficult, but rewarding, gameplay found in Soulslike games. Success requires skillful play and mastering the game’s mechanics, as the world is unforgiving. With robust skill trees and equipment options, it’s a fantastic entry point to the Dungeon & Fighter universe. The game’s enemies and bosses are carefully designed to be challenging, making each attempt feel worthwhile even after repeated defeats.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

Read Game Rant’s Review of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

Since its release in February, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has been hailed as one of the year’s best RPGs, and it truly lives up to the hype. Unlike many other role-playing games with fantastical elements, KCD2 offers a remarkably realistic and immersive portrayal of medieval life. The game stands out because every quest and character – both in the main story and side missions – feels meaningful, engaging, and memorable. The detailed game systems are also a highlight, making even simple actions feel important, and players will likely become invested in the story of Henry and the game’s characters. The downloadable content further enriches the experience, adding even more depth to the medieval city of Kuttenberg and its surrounding areas.

The Outer Worlds 2

Read Game Rant’s Review of Outer Worlds 2

Okay, so I’m super hyped for The Outer Worlds 2 because it sounds like I can really make my character my own. We’re talking full customization, even down to giving them flaws like bad knees! But it’s not just looks – I can approach quests however I want, kill off important characters if I feel like it, talk my way out of fights, or even just… wreck entire zones. It’s a proper RPG, and your choices actually matter. Sometimes those choices will lead to some seriously frustrating or funny situations, which is awesome. Even the weapons sound fun and unique, and the devs aren’t afraid to lean into stereotypes with some characters. Basically, it feels like I can tailor the whole experience to exactly what I want, and if I can imagine it, I can probably do it. That’s what I’m most excited about – truly shaping my own adventure.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A

Read Game Rant’s Review of Pokemon Legends: Z-A

Even if you only plan to finish the main story, Pokemon Legends: Z-A is a satisfying game thanks to its compelling story, interesting characters, and the addition of new Mega Evolutions for Pokemon from across all generations. But there’s much more to discover beyond that! The game shines with its heartfelt side quests, innovative ways to find shiny Pokemon, and a battle system that’s a huge departure from anything the series has done in its nearly 30-year history. The post-game content, especially the ranked battles and rewards, is exceptionally well done. Breaking away from traditional turn-based battles makes the game exciting for both longtime fans and new players, and it allows a wider range of Pokemon to be truly effective – even those that weren’t very good in previous games.

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is a highly-rated role-playing game (JRPG) following the story of siblings Estelle and Joshua. They’re dealing with their father’s disappearance while also trying to become members of the Bracer Guild, and a larger mystery unfolds as you play. This remake of the classic game isn’t just a simple update – it offers its own improvements and unique elements. Gameplay features a blend of turn-based and real-time combat, with plenty of character customization options. You’ll experience a mix of epic battles against powerful enemies and more mundane tasks like running errands. The game is known for its compelling story and memorable characters, shifting seamlessly between lighthearted humor and intense drama. A new feature for this version is fully voiced English cutscenes, while still staying true to the original game’s quests, side missions, enemies, and characters.

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2025-11-24 17:35