There's an abundance of RPGs available to be played on PC, but separating the average ones from the good, and the good ones from the greatest is easier said than done. Properly executing the "role-playing" aspects of a video game means being able to successfully transport the player to a whole other world and placing them in someone else's shoes.
The RPG landscape has changed drastically over the years, but what old and new games alike have in common is that they're plenty of fun (despite whatever their age might be). However, if this is an area that some players are relatively new to then maybe they should check out Metacritic. They'll certainly be able to see which RPG games are great starting points based on their ratings.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (2003) - 93
Although they aren't as popular as the movies, the Star Wars games have been around for quite some time, and Knights of the Old Republic represents the best of them.
KOTOR's turn-based combat may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it also has a unique gameplay feature that, based on the player's actions, determines whether they belong to the light side of the Force or the dark side. The opportunity to play as the legendary figure Darth Revan is not one any Star Wars fan should miss out on as he will certainly cause chaos for the enemy.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015) - 93
Thanks to the numerous mods, updates, and expansions, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt can be deservingly said to have aged like fine wine. Developer CDPR absolutely poured their heart out on this masterpiece, fleshing out the story of monster hunter Geralt and crafting a world that's not just massive in scale but rich in content.
Every small detail tells a story and every nook and cranny is worth exploring, with players finding themselves lost for hours just completing the beautifully written side-quests. Even after that, there are many things left to do in The Witcher, which often go undiscovered unless players really take the time to look.
Diablo (1996) - 94
Modern RPGs are built on the foundation made by classics like Diablo - a classic dungeon crawler like no other. The player is set loose inside the various procedurally generated levels to fight demons and fiends, with the ultimate battle being against the titular villain, Diablo, himself.
Similar to many other games of the era, most of the gameplay occurs through simple point and click actions. Although the series is past its heyday, it still has a relatively strong fanbase and a fourth game is in development.
Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition (2015) - 94
The Divinity series continues to be solid proof of the fact that classic-style RPGs still have a big audience and great potential. At the heart of Divinity: Original Sin is the two-player dynamic between the two protagonists, who are magic hunters on a quest.
Through split-screen or online co-op, the entire game can be played with a friend, and the turn-based combat gives players the chance to strategize. The game was a critical hit on the first release, but the Enhanced Edition enhanced some features, making the game even better and allowing console players to in on the fun.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006) - 94
No discussion about role-playing games can ever take place without the mention of The Elder Scrolls series. Although the sequel, Skyrim, is superior in many ways, Oblivion still manages to appeal to a big part of the franchise more than 15 years later due to the large map size.
Oblivion, like all TES games, takes place on the continent of Tamriel, but its story is not connected in any important way to the other games, meaning it can be enjoyed without any previous knowledge of the other products.
Mass Effect 2 (2010) - 94
Sci-fi settings are uncommon when it comes to RPGs (at least when compared to the much more prevalent fantasy setting), and BioWare's Mass Effect series capitalized on that to weave an epic narrative, set in the distant future. Humanity is at war with an alien species called the Collectors, and it is the player's job as Commander Shepard to lead the fight against them.
The original trilogy was recently remastered in the form of the Legendary Edition. This is one of the best games to start with if players are looking to get introduced to the Legendary Edition.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011) - 94
Skyrim continued the long-lasting tradition of the Elder Scrolls series to prioritize player freedom and exploration above all else, ed by the fact that it allowed people to fast travel from anywhere (which is a rarely seen feature in games).
The main story focuses on a Dragonborn's, a fully customizable entity, quest to defeat the dragon Alduin. However, if players need a break from the main quest, then they will be delighted to know that there is also enough additional content in the game to keep players distracted for potentially hundreds of hours.
Divinity: Original Sin II - Definitive Edition (2018) - 95
Unlike the previous game which was limited to two players in the campaign, Original Sin II s up to four players, allowing for even more awesome role-playing action with others people online.
As every sequel should, Original Sin II improved upon everything that made Original Sin great, from the character customization to the combat and the sheer amount of content to enjoy in the game. Similar to its predecessor, Kickstarter played a big part in the development of the game.
Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (2000) - 95
Baldur's Gate II was a landmark title not just for RPG gamers, but for fans of the immensely popular table-top game Dungeons and Dragons as well. Like its predecessor, the is set in the Forgotten Realms, a popular D&D campaign setting. Like many others of its time, Baldur's Gate II puts emphasis on team-oriented gameplay.
On their epic journey, the player is given the option to recruit in-game NPCs of various classes and powers with whom many interactions are possible. The entirety of the Baldur’s Gate series remains one of the best fantasy RPGs around.
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut (2021) - 96
The indie developers of the absolute best PC game of all time. A throwback to old-school RPG games, it is played from a top-down isometric perspective.
The game was re-released in 2021 as The Final Cut in which voicework had been done on nearly 300 characters, something missing from the original version, which was important for a game that thrives on dialogue-driven interactions.