Best Role-Playing Games on PC

Forget the real world, it's terrible. Play as a virtual character in these excellent RPGs.

Role-playing games allow gamers to escape into a virtual existence, exploring vast lands of beauty and engaging with mysterious species. On PC, there are many options out there so we've rounded up some of the best RPGs to get you started.

The Witcher 3

We've spoken about this behemoth of an RPG from CD Projekt RED for good reason: it's one of the best games out there period. Setting off as Geralt the Witcher, you're tasked with saving the world as well as your adopted daughter. Choices matter in quests, everyone has a personality and there's also the best mini-game in the form of GWENT (which is now its own dedicated title).

Prepare to lose countless hours in this incredibly detailed world. From wondering down country lanes or navigating the bustling streets of Novigrad, it's easy to appreciate just how much time was spent in crafting a living, breathing world that actually feels alive and responds to current events.

See at GOG

South Park: The Stick of Truth

Should you not be a fan of the South Park TV series and not find the humor amusing, you'll likely want to skip this game. Stick of Truth by Obsidian Entertainment captures the essences that make the series so good, working closely with the creators to get it perfect. In fact, plodding along as the new guy in the neighborhood it's easy to get lost amidst the humor and cartoon design and believe you're actually in an episode.

Since it's an RPG, the game makes full use of a class system, XP, abilities and a choice of companions. Do not expect serious gameplay here.

See at Steam

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Warhorse Studio's debut title, Kingdom Come: Deliverance is an excellent role-playing experience. Playing as the son of a blacksmith with no nobility, you're tasked with surviving in the wild, making some coin and progressing through the life of Henry. He's not special, nor does he have magical abilities. He's a simple citizen of Bohemia, 1403.

There are many things to do in KCD and the immersive story is exquisite. There are some bugs and while it's not a perfect experience, it is a top choice for anyone looking for an accurate representation of how life was like back in the day.

See at GOG

Divinity: Original Sin 2

Divinity: Original Sin 2 is a polished, well-designed RPG, and through its phenomenal mechanics, astounding art, sound design and fantastic writing, it revolutionizes the modern RPG genre by offering the player true choice. Want to do something terrible but highly satisfying with the NPCs? You probably can and that's what so great about Divinity, you can craft your own story.

The turn-based combat and up to 80 hours worth of story content alone makes it possible to take your time and really digest everyone occurring on-screen.

See at GOG

Undertale

Undertale is a strange little game that takes apart what makes an RPG ... well, and RPG. From the start, you're going to assume that this may be just another game with some ugly graphics, spots of humor and interesting mechanics, but wait until you complete the entire story. You'll begin to rethink your connection to RPGs and games in general.

It definitely sticks out for good reason and you should really have Undertale in your library of games. The mix of JRPG and bullet hell elements keep everything feeling fresh, as does the script and the fact you need to shift thoughts to the opposite of what you'd expect to happen.

See at GOG

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Skyrim is a game that refuses to die, simply because Bethesda won't stop re-releasing it and the community continues to pump out new mods and other content to keep it feeling a little fresh. If you've yet to play an Elder Scrolls game, I recommend you start with Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind — it provides you with an almost-blank slate of a character and an optional main storyline to follow.

In Skyrim alone, you can do pretty much anything you like. Join a mages guild, thieves guild or even a mysterious dark cult. You could even build your own house, get married, and run a bustling trade business. Then you have ruins that beg to be explored and mysteries to uncover. There's a lot to do in Skyrim, which is why you often see Steam accounts with play time in the thousands of hours.

Skyrim is also available in VR and even on the Nintendo Switch.

See at Steam