RPGs have become all the rage, and most modern western games try their hardest to add some RPG mechanics in their titles to add a tangible sense of progression that many modern players have become familiar with.Western RPGs that do justice to this genreend up being incredible experiences that fans will remember long after they’re finished going through an epic adventure that never lets up at any step of the way.
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That being said, most western RPGs don’t reach the heights of excellence they should. The ones that do end up spawning franchises of their own, and even these don’t remain consistent for so long. As a result, the following video game series should be commended for maintaining a constant level of success throughout its lengthy time in the industry.
10The Witcher
The Witcheris one of the best video game trilogies of all time. The prospect of playing more games in the series is positively salivating and exactly what CD Projekt Red is providing with a string of announcements regarding new games in the series.
The Witcher 3: Wild Huntis the game that brought a ton of attention to the series, but past games shouldn’t be discounted either. Each game in the series is fun in its own right, featuring highly engaging narratives that are a blast to play through.
9The Elder Scrolls
The Elder Scrollsis an incredible western RPG franchise that needs no introduction. The success of this series propelled Bethesda into the limelight of video game design and established them as one of the best video game companies around for the longest time.
Ratings aren’t available for games beforeMorrowind, but most people won’t mind since the series has constantly been excellent ever since. EvenThe Elder Scrolls Onlinemanaged to turn things around after a relatively poor launch and is considered to be one of the best MMOs around right now.
8Baldur’s Gate
Baldur’s Gateis easily one of the most popular CRPG franchises of all time. Each game in the series is filled to the brim with long and engaging adventures that players can spend with a group of memorable party members.
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The release ofBaldur’s Gate 3might take a while, but the game has already wowed most players in Early Access. It’s only a matter of time before Larian releases the third game and establishes this series as one of the best CRPGs around once again.
7Mass Effect
Mass Effectis another great RPG series that most people are already pretty aware of. The adventures of Commander Shepard as he strives to save the galaxy from extinction is a riveting tale all the way to its contentious ending.
Mass Effect: Andromedamight’ve been a dud for the series in many ways, but even this title managed to snap a 76 for the Xbox One version on Metacritic. It’s a testament to how high the standards of the series are that even its weakest and most reviled entry still has such a decent rating.
6Fable
Fableis Microsoft’s most popular RPG series, and fans are glad to see that another game is in the making for this series after the longest time. Peter Molyneux might not be associated with the franchise any longer, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Each game in theFableseries delivers an epic journeydespite the narratives being somewhat cliched. Regardless, all three games have highly memorable moments of their own that make them such a joy to play through.
5Deus Ex
Many people might debate the inclusion of this series here, but there’s no denying thatthe first game did a great job of making its role-playing systems as important as ever. The presence of these mechanics might’ve been muted in later games but their shadows still play a major role in the proceedings.
Deus Ex’s riveting sci-fi world coupled with the emphasis on augmentations made it a unique game world to explore in each entry. Players could use a bunch of cybernetics in the game to tackle various combat situations and go through them as they saw fit.
4Dragon Age
Dragon Ageis another great fantasy series on this list made by BioWare. Each game in the series is quite incredible and worth playing through, even if some people might consider the second game to be weaker than the sum of its parts.
However, this misstep was a small one that was corrected withDragon Age: Inquisition. The news of a newDragon Ageis bound to excite players, especially with this franchise being fairly consistent and releasing quality titles across the board.
3Diablo
Diablois one of the most popular hack-and-slash games ever made. Going through numerous dungeons and cutting down enemies with impunity makes for a pretty engaging experience that fans will have a great time with.
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The third game in the series was released to a ton of criticism but post-launch updates have stabilized and improved the experience considerably.It’s great thatDiablois a hit series, and fans can only hope that Blizzard doesn’t mess it up with the fourth entry.
2Assassin’s Creed (Soft Reboot)
After disappointing sales figures,Assassin’s Creedtook a hiatus of a year to reinvigorate the franchise. The games accomplished this by integrating a bunch of RPG elements and making the open world more interesting than ever before.
Fromexploring the birth of theAssassin’s Creedseriesto adding a ton of supernatural elements — the franchise has seen a pretty substantial and successful shift in tone. The games might’ve settled into a rhythm of their own, but most players would love going through the newAssassin’s Creedgames.
1The Banner Saga
The Banner Sagais one of the most beautiful tactical RPGs that players can check out. It also incorporates certain critical choices that shape the story in their own way too, making for a one-of-a-kind experience that more people need to check out.
The Banner Sagamight bea harder game to get into than most other titles on this list, but players interested in the art style and story of this title should definitely try and step out of their comfort zone. The experience is a magical one that fans of western role-playing games shouldn’t miss out on.
