Top 25 Best RPGs on PS4

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Top 25 Best RPGs on PS4

Lauded by many as one of the RPGs of the generation, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a masterclass of open-world RPG design. Its enormous volume of quests each tells genuinely interesting stories, which flesh out a gorgeously detailed world that feels totally organic and teeming with life. Fantasy RPGs simply don’t get any better; a must-play title on your PS4.

Dragon Age Inquisition

Top 25 Best RPGs on PS4

After the second game’s poor reception, Dragon Age Inquisition catapulted the series right back to the very top of the genre. Few action RPGs have combat this good, and even fewer are able to match it with a compelling story and impressive visuals. Deep but accessible role-playing systems, pulsating real-time combat that can be tactically paused, and a memorable cast of characters (many of which you can romance, yay!) make this an unmissable one hundred our epic.

Fallout 4

Top 25 Best RPGs on PS4

Fallout 4 is the sequel to one of the previous generation’s most beloved classics. The latest entry doubles down on everything that made Fallout 3 such a big success while also adding a surprisingly detailed Minecraft-like building mechanic. This is an RPG in which every piece of scrap, gear, or weaponry can be broken down and used for something constructive. It might not quite push the series as far forward as we’d hoped, but it’s still a standout title that you should absolutely play.

Skyrim Special Edition

Top 25 Best RPGs on PS4

It might be more than five years old, but Skyrim refuses to die. It still feels every bit the seminal RPG experience that has made it an iconic video game. The PS4 Special Edition boasts a more stable framerate, sharper textures, and comes with all the DLC, a combination that makes it one a definitive RPGs on the console. If you’ve already visited Skyrim before, there’s not a great deal to see here, but for anyone else who hasn’t played Skyrim owes it to themselves to experience what all the fuss is about.

Horizon Zero Dawn

Top 25 Best RPGs on PS4

Horizon Zero Dawn was one 2016’s most critically acclaimed and universally appreciated PS4 exclusive titles. Developer Guerrilla Games has managed to deftly balance role-playing and action gameplay, and the uniqueness of the game’s narrative setting is as brilliant as it is bold. There’s little doubt Horizon Zero Dawn is likely to become one of Sony’s most important franchises moving forward. This is one exclusive that should sit on every PS4 owner’s shelf.

Assassin’s Creed Origins

Top 25 Best RPGs on PS4

Ubisoft’s decision to take a year off the annual release schedule of its marquee franchise, Assassin’s Creed, has been a boon. A total overhaul of its combat and progression systems, married to one of the most wonderfully detailed open-worlds we’ve ever played made Origins one of 2017’s best games. Role-playing mechanics may not always have been in Assassin’s Creed’s DNA, but trust us when we say that this is one RPG you don’t want to skip.

Bloodborne

Top 25 Best RPGs on PS4

Bloodborne is nearly three years old, but we’re still talking about what a superb RPG it is. Having arrived somewhat out of the blue, FromSoftware’s PS4 exclusive is a Souls-like that is arguably better than any Dark Souls game ever made. The game’s terrifying gothic setting drips with ambiance, but its fast-paced combat is the star of the show. Souls fans simply must try it, and newcomers to the pseudo-genre would do well to jump in with Bloodborne.

Nioh

Top 25 Best RPGs on PS4

If the gothic settings of Dark Souls and Bloodborne don’t float your boat, Nioh’s feudal Japan one might. Just as in those other two iconic titles, Nioh injects its own supernatural elements with Yokai-inspired monsters as well as human enemies. And as you would expect, there are all the hard-as-nails, RPG-heavy gameplay you’d expect from a Souls-like title.

Dark Souls 3

Top 25 Best RPGs on PS4

FromSoftware’s third entry in what is by now surely considered a seminal series, Dark Souls 3 is one of the most terrifying and hair-tearingly difficult RPGs on PS4. Its combat system puts a little more emphasis on defense than Nioh and Bloodborne, and its learning curve is also much sharper. Yet the very DNA of the genre that it has inspired makes it well worth playing even for those looking to dip their toe into what is admittedly a dauntingly tough gaming experience.

Persona 5

Top 25 Best RPGs on PS4

In a genre dominated by high fantasy and medieval-inspired adventures, Persona 5 stands apart as a unique and totally refreshing experience. If you’ve never played a Persona game before, you’re in for a real treat. There’s simply no other game out there that offers a similar experience. A part visual novel, part dungeon crawler, Persona 5 manages to balance the everyday drama of high school life with slaying demons in a dream world. It sounds crazy, and it is, but it’s completely and utterly brilliant.

Diablo 3

Top 25 Best RPGs on PS4

Diablo III’s painfully long development cycle left an enormous following of PC gamers chomping at the bit to get their hands on Blizzard’s isometric loot-hunting epic for years. When it finally released, it went on to become the fastest selling PC game of all time! But now this PC-centric loot-hunting experience has been revamped for consoles, and surprisingly, it’s every bit as brilliant.

Divinity Original Sin

Top 25 Best RPGs on PS4

Divinity Original Sin is essentially a video game Dungeons and Dragons. The game’s complex systems, beautiful world, exciting turn-based combat, and engrossing story make it one of the best classic RPG games ever made. Having been such a stonewall success on PC, Divinity Original Sin was rolled out for console and its transition to the platform was remarkably smooth. A sequel title has just launched on PC, but likely won’t be out on console for some time. Until then, the first game is absolutely still worth playing.

Pillars of Eternity

Top 25 Best RPGs on PS4

If you’re hankering for more classically-inspired RPGs, Pillars of Eternity is right up there with the very best of them. One of the very first huge Kickstarter success stories, Obsidian – the developers behind titles such as Neverwinter Nights, Fallout, and Dungeon Siege – know a thing or two about RPGs, and Pillars of Eternity is the culmination of that knowhow.

Deus Ex Mankind Divided

Deus Ex Mankind Divided is the sequel title to Human Revolution, one of the best RPGs of the past generation. Although Adam Jensen’s latest adventure doesn’t quite reach the same dizzying heights of that esteemed title, it’s still a brilliantly atmospheric cyberpunk RPG and a superb stealth title. Think first-person Metal Gear Solid mixed with BioShock and you’ve got Deus Ex Mankind Divided.

Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age

The video game market is full of so many remasters and collections that it’s become all too common for publishers to simply port games from one system to another with underwhelming levels of effort. Not so in the case of Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age. This is one remaster that feels lovingly crafted for the current generation, with updated visuals that look so good you’ll hardly believe you’re playing a ten-year-old game. There’s also the introduction of new features such as the highly regarded job system, which western players missed out on with the original release.

Final Fantasy X/X2 Remaster

Many consider Final Fantasy X to be the last of the great traditional Final Fantasy titles. It’s certainly the last of the series that makes use of a true turn-based battle system. Surprisingly, this iconic PS2 title actually looks pretty sharp in HD on PS4. And in combination with its iconic battle system, colorful characters, and one of the better Final Fantasy narratives, X is still a game worth playing fifteen years after its launch.

Darkest Dungeon

Darkest Dungeon might look simplistic by design, but there are huge depth and innovation to this stellar tactical RPG. Its permadeath systems and brutally difficult gameplay make each encounter tense and fraught with danger. The music, creepy narration and wonderful art-style culminate to produce a brooding and grim atmosphere to complement the exceptional role-playing gameplay.

Final Fantasy XV

Final Fantasy XV is a little rough around the edges in parts, but overall it’s an accomplished RPG. Its enormous open-world is packed full of plenty of content to explore, and the real-time combat is both challenging and entertaining.

South Park: The Fractured But Whole

The sequel to Stick of Truth, Fractured But Whole is another adventure with Stan, Cartman, Kyle, and Kenny that can’t be missed. The comedy is hilarious and feels like it could just as easily have been slotted into an episode of the show. Puzzle mechanics and navigation sometimes slow it down a little, but the combat is just as good as ever and there’s plenty of depth to its RPG mechanics.

Yakuza 0

Yakuza 0 is such a uniquely brilliant RPG. It’s a game in which drama and humor somehow come together in a flamboyant Tokyo setting filled with Mafioso violence. The narrative tells a lengthy, deep, and brutal story, with two charismatic characters and a whole load of enemies to brawl. Fans of Yakuza simply can’t ignore this one, but if you’re not up to speed with the franchise and curious, this is perhaps the best package in the series.

I Am Setsuna

The first title from Tokyo RPG factory, I Am Setsuna feels like a nostalgic love letter to JRPG fans of yesteryear. The game makes no effort to hide its Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy inspirations, and though it follows their lead a little too closely in some areas, it’s still a hugely entertaining experience. This is traditional JRPG storytelling, turn-based combat, and endearing characters with a beautiful modern sheen.

Undertale

It would be all too easy to overlook Undertale. At a passing glance, its rudimentary aesthetic and seemingly simplistic design don’t conjure the impression of an innovative, progressive, and possibly seminal RPG. But that is exactly what Undertale is. It’s a hard game to describe, but believe us when we say that is an instant classic that can’t be missed. The writing, gameplay, and music will surely produce some of your most cherished gaming memories ever.

Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn

Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn has to be one of the biggest comeback stories in gaming history. Having launched as a woefully inept and buggy MMO, completely panned by critics and users alike, Square Enix then completely overhauled the game and went on to produce one of the best games of its genre. It remains among the most popular MMOs by volume of players, constantly tweaked, updated, with regular new content constantly being added.

Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen

Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen is a remaster of one of the best action-RPGs of the previous generation. On PS4, gone are its wonky framerate issues, and that allows its glorious combat to really shine. There’s also decent albeit subtle narrative that brings the game’s dark fantasy setting to life. Skyrim and Dragon Age could learn a thing or two about how to tackle dragon fighting from Dragon’s Dogma!

Valykrie Chronicles Remastered

Another remastered classic, Valkyria Chronicles is one of our favorite strategy RPGs on the console. If you’re a fan of XCOM-like titles, the game’s turn-based battle system is an innovative blend of cover and shooting and tactical strategy. It’s unconventional, but it works superbly.