From the time Dungeons & Dragons entered the world in 1971, the love of RPGs has blossomed around the globe. The love for role-playing as custom characters in fantasy worlds quickly spread from the tabletop to desktops and consoles. But what are the best RPG video games? The archives of ratings by Metacritic may have the answer. Keep in mind that this list is not strictly based on the site’s RPG category. For some reason, these three beloved RPGs weren’t even included but are staples of the genre.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Metascore: 96
First up on the list is the famed and notorious award-winning Baldur’s Gate 3. The full version of the game was released on August 3, 2023. The early access version of the first act of the game was first available in 2020. The game by Larian Studios takes the players on a long journey to remove an Illithid tadpole from their head. If it’s not removed, the painful and terrifying process of ceremorphosis will take over, turning players into a monstrous mind flayer. Of course, the journey isn’t so simple with an abundance of twists and turns along the way. Luckily, the player isn’t alone since they have the option to travel with a colorful band of characters.
The game, now one year old, has been deemed a masterpiece among RPGs. It has won 20 awards across multiple events. At The Game Awards alone, the talented people behind the game took home an impressive six awards. Among those awards are the ones for Best RPG and Game of the Year. It is unclear why Baldur’s Gate 3 was left out of Metacritic’s RPG category, but it is getting some due respect on this list.
Mass Effect 2
Metascore: 96
Up next is Mass Effect 2, an action role-playing (ARPG) game by BioWare. Although ARPGs fall under their own sub-genre, they are still under the entire RPG umbrella. The game was released on January 26, 2010. It is considered to be the best of the Mass Effect games by many. In the game, players once again take the role of a customizable Commander Shepard. After being raised from the dead, players must work to gather a team to save the Milky Way galaxy from complete destruction. In Mass Effect 2, choices players make can truly have dire consequences for their companions and the rest of the galaxy.
Mass Effect 2 ended up winning a total of 16 awards. The list includes the award for Best Game during the BAFTA Game Awards in 2011. To date, it is the best-rated game in the entire series on Metacritic. It is followed by Mass Effect 3 with its Metascore of 93. Of all the current games, Mass Effect Andromeda has the lowest score at 71. That speaks to the overall quality of this franchise, of which the sequel is the best.
Elden Ring
Metascore: 96
Arise now, ye Tarnished. The legendary Elden Ring takes the third and final spot on this list. The ARPG by FromSoftware was released on February 25, 2022. It was then followed by the infamously hard but incredible Shadow the Erdtree DLC on June 21 of this year. The goal of the player character is to explore the Lands Between and defeat a long list of difficult bosses, both required an optional. The player character, a Tarnished, aims to brandish the Elden Ring to finally become the Elden Lord. Such a title gives great power and the ability to be the right hand of Queen Marika the Eternal.
Elden Ring has a total of 20 awards to its name. This includes Best RPG and Game of the Year from The Game Awards in 2022. Shadow of the Erdtree will likely earn it even more when the next award season rolls around. The game reins supreme in the Action RPG category on Metacritic. However, like the other two on this list, it isn’t in the base RPG category. That is a curious oversight, but this list can help remedy that.
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