The CRPG genre is one of the earliest evolutions of the tabletop RPG that was popularized decades ago. CRPGs translated that style seamlessly into the video game medium over the years, with several classics having now captured countless players' attention. It's an understandably more niche genre, as the meticulous attention to detail and queue-based combat is a lot to digest.
However, the rich, expansive stories, worlds, and in-depth character customization are how CRPGs have managed to see a resurgence since the 2000s. While there have been plenty of games since that have made a huge impact on the gaming community, Metacritic has found the best ones the genre has to offer in the modern age.
Shadowrun: Hong Kong (81/100)
Shadowrun is originally a tabletop RPG that spawned several games across different platforms (though Harebrained Schemes' Shadowrun: Hong Kong, specifically, is the third entry in the CRPG series). It takes place in a cyberpunk-themed setting where players take part in tactical, turn-based combat.
While the game received a strong critical reception, some knocks were given for not innovating enough over Shadowrun Returns. Despite this, the consensus was that Hong Kong still has a gripping story and engaging strategic gameplay. Later on, the developers released an expansion with extra story content and bug fixes.
Wasteland 3 (85/100)
The Wasteland series started back in 1988 for PC but, through crowdfunding, got two well-received sequels in 2014 and 2020, respectively. They're all set in a more modern, post-apocalyptic setting similar to the Fallout series -- one of the best action-RPG game franchises -- where the U.S. and Soviet Union fought in a nuclear war.
Wasteland 3 brings the story to Colorado, with players taking part in a campaign where they can shape its outcome through narrative choices. Among other things, the game was praised for its seamless use of both single and multiplayer co-op in the main story.
Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic II - The Sith Lords (86/100)
2004 is certainly early when thinking of the "modern age" of CRPG gaming, but Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords nonetheless earns its place. With a franchise as massive and beloved as this, it's a great achievement for this to be one of the best ranking Star Wars games on Metacritic.
BioWare handed off development to Obsidian Entertainment for this sequel, but the latter still proved up to the task. It also featured a compelling and sprawling story worthy of the franchise's reputation and equally deep role-playing mechanics in combat, narrative choice, and character builds.
Divinity: Original Sin (87/100)
Larian Studios is one of the smaller developers out there responsible for helping keep CRPGs alive today. Divinity: Original Sin was released in 2014 to resounding praise citing its story, profound gameplay features, and the way it rewards player choice as the game's biggest highlights.
The art style and graphics also made for a vibrant fantasy world filled with fascinating lore to uncover. RPGs have since become mainstream with many great franchises and subgenres, but Divinity's complexity, player freedom, and difficulty made for a refreshing revitalization of the classic RPG.
Pillars Of Eternity II: Deadfire (88/100)
Alongside Larian Studios is, once again, Obsidian Entertainment. The latter is responsible for the Knights of the Old Republic II and the fan-favorite Fallout: New Vegas, but they went on to start their own CRPG series as well. Their 2018 sequel, Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, succeeded in building off the rock-solid foundation of their original.
Deadfire tells a rich new story taking place shortly after the first and blends its high-fantasy world with the pirate-themed, seafaring part of their world of Eora. It added new classes/sub-classes to innovate upon the first's gameplay and incorporated ship combat to take advantage of its nautical setting.
Pillars Of Eternity (89/100)
Obsidian's first game in their CRPG series came in 2015 to great acclaim. It came at a great time with Divinity: Original Sin having been released shortly before, which helped signal the subgenre's comeback in today's gaming scene. CRPGs can be understandably difficult games for newcomers to get into, but modern-day streamlining features have made them more accessible for those interested.
Pillars of Eternity or its sequel would be welcome entry points, as this also implemented mechanics that rewarded players for mastering. Everything from combat, the story, to the artistic design added to the game's world showed an intricate level of care.
Disco Elysium (91/100)
In a medium that's filled with fantasy and sci-fi-themed RPGs, developer/publisher ZA/UM's Disco Elysium was an intriguing change of pace and a smash-hit that few saw coming. It could certainly still qualify as a fantasy game, however, it expertly blends it with an urban setting to tell a dense and engrossing tale of a police detective who has amnesia.
The story is fascinating to watch unfold and manages to keep players immersed despite having no combat system. Disco Elysium's main story is both substantive and concise -- especially when padded out with side quests -- but has incredible replay value thanks to how many builds the player can experiment with and drastically shape the story.
Dragon Age: Origins (91/100)
Like with the original Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age: Origins was another acclaimed RPG by BioWare during their glory years. It was even more of an incredible feat considering it was a triple-A console RPG as well as on PC. CRPGs were grown on the PC platform, so for Dragon Age: Origins to catch so much widespread acclaim in the mainstream in 2009 was a great statement.
The dark-fantasy world was praised as well as the lore it was built on. The game's characters also became quick favorites, with the narrative choices involving them and the wider story presenting emotional, genuine consequences.
Divinity: Original Sin II (93/100)
Making a sequel that tops its already-great predecessor is a difficult task, but Larian's Divinity: Original Sin II accomplished just that. After the Definitive Edition on PC and consoles, it's a more accessible entry point for prospective fans while not sacrificing its depth or quality.
The party characters are all charismatic and worth getting emotionally invested in, the story is engaging and well written, and the combat is both complex and satisfying. On top of all that content, the degree of character customization available invites multiple playthroughs. Even in the face of countless triple-A RPGs, like The Witcher 3 and Skyrim, Divinity: Original Sin II still stands as one of the greatest modern fantasy RPGs ever made.
Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic (94/100)
The premise of the Star Wars IP makes it ripe for an RPG. For many fans, BioWare crafted not only the best game in the franchise with Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic but also one of the best RPGs in general. The story put together is arguably one of the best the franchise has to offer in any medium, with the Darth Revan revelation being one of gaming's best narrative twists.
KotOR has a wealth of lore to discover, fascinating characters, and one of the most rewarding morality/dialogue choice systems in the genre. Now with the duology's re-release, it's one of the best RPGs to play on Nintendo Switch.