The previous few years have felt like a humiliation of riches in the case of RPGs, and so expectations have been excessive going into 2025. Fortunately, the final 12 months actually lived as much as such a bar. Whereas that is good for players, it made issues greater than a little bit powerful when whittling down our record of the perfect role-playing video games of the 12 months, particularly as a result of we had all kinds of RPG kinds that glad totally different tastes.
Avowed gave us some of that Obsidian magic in a fantasy world that was tighter and extra targeted than many of its contemporaries, leading to a sport that didn’t really feel as overwhelming as typical open-world RPGs. Deltarune’s new chapters elevated the continued Undertale-adjacent saga to new heights with more and more intelligent gameplay twists and sharper narrative chops. And in case you had 100-plus hours to spare, Octopath Traveler 0 supplied a shocking conclusion for an unforgettable journey to cap off the 12 months.
The definition of RPG is pretty free-flowing today, so that you’ll see video games with components of the style in our different award classes. However we made cautious issues for video games with RPG mechanics on the forefront of their gameplay, together with deep tales, for this explicit record. Nevertheless, there can solely be 5 video games and one winner, so the IGN crew voted and deliberated on which video games would make up this 12 months’s record. We imagine the style is in good arms with the video games we picked, and the sport we have chosen because the Best RPGs of 2025 is one thing very particular.
Runner-Up – Trails within the Sky: 1st Chapter
The Trails collection, half of the bigger Legend of Heroes franchise, has been gaining increasingly more traction over latest years. Nevertheless it’s difficult to suggest because it now numbers 13 entries, all of that are half of a steady timeline. Remake Trails within the Sky: 1st Chapter helps rememdy that drawback, because it went proper again to the start to create one of strongest and sharpest video games within the collection – and now, it’s the best one to suggest.
Trails revolves round a deeply developed world with charming geopolitical drama at its coronary heart. 1st Chapter does such a great job of portray that broad image, which is seen intimately by way of the eyes of its two leads, Estelle and Joshua. As budding Bracers (a peacekeeping guild) whose father is a legend within the guild, they’re excellent conduits to supply a fairly intimate understanding of the world’s varied areas and the way they feed into the bigger story. The turn-based battles function a improbable mix of motion fight and the collection’ distinctive positioning system, which creates a gameplay stream that ushers you thru this expanded model of this basic RPG. The true magic of Trails lies within the multifaceted tales from a number of views, nevertheless it all begins right here in Trails within the Sky, and this remake is a terrific illustration of that.
Runner-Up – Dragon Quest 1&2 HD-2D Remake
Sq. Enix has achieved glorious work in revitalizing the Dragon Quest video games of yore, and Dragon Quest 1&2 HD-2D Remake is the perfect instance but. The high-definition pixel artwork makeover is greater than only a smart technique to pretty-up these classics, it additionally lets them keep true to the spirit of their authentic look with out the bizarre pixel smoothing impact of previous remasters. These Remakes additionally retain the turn-based fight system and characters with out sacrificing the distinct spirit of the unique video games from all these years in the past (irritating problem spikes and all), however even then, high quality of life enhancements ensure that they’re nonetheless pleasant in a contemporary sense. Mixed with the DQ3 HD-2D remake, these video games full the “Erdrick trilogy” of Dragon Quest video games, and you’ll see how the collection pioneered the style, particularly with the second entry’s emphasis on characters and storytelling. This package deal is one of the perfect examples of modernized nostalgia – devoted to the originals and approachable in as we speak’s gaming panorama. And it’s some of the perfect role-playing we skilled this 12 months.
Runner-Up – The Outer Worlds 2
In relation to RPGs and letting gamers dictate how they work together with the world, Obsidian is one of the perfect studios to do it. The Outer Worlds 2 improves on the primary sport in virtually each approach, from punchier gunplay to a lot deeper role-playing methods. The choices it’s important to construct your character and make pivotal selections have a bigger influence on what you are able to do in fight, but in addition create particular avenues for a way quests play out. We preserve pointing to the Flaws system, which was current within the authentic, however has been expanded in unpredictable, artistic methods by providing you with some severe execs/cons to think about primarily based in your taking part in habits. Nevertheless, the far more expansive areas, smarter degree design, and dynamic fight encounters ensure that the precise gameplay expertise is a major leap over the primary sport. And you may’t have an RPG of this type with out selection and consequence on the coronary heart of the story, and Obsidian reminds us with The Outer Worlds 2 that it nonetheless has the chops, even in a post-Fallout: New Vegas period.
Runner-Up – Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is an funding that pays again a number of instances over in its 120-hour runtime. It’s a dedication – a slow-burn sport it’s important to wish to dwell in. Nevertheless it’s additionally an action-packed cinematic journey that proves to have an emotional vary that the unique didn’t. You is likely to be simply “some man” as Henry, but that function usually helps you to see the world for what it’s, whether or not you’re doing seemingly mundane actions or the pivotal story quests the place your selections matter. What this sport does higher than most, although, is first-person melee fight, a troublesome factor that even the mighty Elder Scrolls franchise has struggled with for therefore lengthy. It’s intricate, skill-based, and stays participating at the same time as you get deeper into the furthest corners the marketing campaign. Though developer Warhorse Studios arguably tries to chew off greater than it might probably chew at instances, you’ll discover the standard writing and nice fight leads you to a satisfying conclusion. This sequel would possibly choose off the place the primary ended, however leaping into Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 regardless of your expertise will open you as much as a uncommon RPG that deserves its flowers, 2025 or in any other case.
Winner – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Suprise, shock – the Best RPG of 2025 is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and for good motive. The of us at growth crew Sandfall Interactive drew direct inspiration from Japanese RPGs like Ultimate Fantasy 10 and Persona 5 (their phrases, not ours), and made the sort of sport they needed to play. We all know there’s nonetheless an enormous urge for food for good turn-based RPGs, and Clair Obscur is additional proof of that, nevertheless it’s the mechanics constructed into the fight system that makes it stand out. The energetic timing inputs preserve you engaged in every struggle, and recognizing assault patterns so that you could be parry and inflict harm on an enemy flip is a few of probably the most satisfying stuff we’ve skilled in a turn-based system. Every get together member performs uniquely and has their very own distinctive gameplay gimmick, as to characterize a Job or Class, however there’s then the Picto/Lumina system that permits you to stack on perks and wild buffs – in some unspecified time in the future it feels such as you’re breaking the sport. Nevertheless, the hardest challenges guarantee the sport pushes again on you to essentially take a look at your mastery and understanding of its extra intricate mechanics. It’s one of the perfect fight methods we’ve seen in a great lengthy whereas, and it retains that momentum all through its story and non-compulsory content material.
However Expedition 33 wouldn’t be a real homage to JRPGs with no melodramatic and heartwrenching story. Whereas it instantly hits you with the theme of time wiping away swathes of individuals – mates and family members disintegrating earlier than your eyes – it grows right into a meditation on grief and the way it modifications individuals, seen by way of the eyes of absolutely fashioned characters who change alongside one another. Whether or not or not you need intricate methods, enjoyable fight, or deep tales out of your RPGs, Clair Obscur delivered all of that in a approach that received the hearts of us right here at IGN.
For extra of our end-of-the-year celebrations, be sure you take a look at our record of awards and nominees, which is being up to date day by day within the lead-up to our official Best Sport of 2025 announcement.
Michael is the tech critiques editor at IGN, however recurrently contributes to video games protection with critiques, options, and information.