Summary
- Immersive first-person RPGs place players directly in characters' shoes, enhancing exploration.
- Games like Avowed and Atomfall offer rich worlds with rewarding exploration.
- Titles like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 provide visually captivating environments.
The perspective of a first-person RPG is an aspect of those games that is sometimes underappreciated in the gaming world. With a first-person point of view, players are truly placed in the shoes of the characters they're playing - seeing the world through their eyes.
Best First-Person RPGs, Ranked
First-Person RPGs are among some of the most immersive games out there, and these are stellar examples that will keep players engaged for hours.
It's a component of RPGs that pairs well with their characteristically vast environments. From this point of view, players can become easily immersed in the surrounding sights, convincing them that they're actually the ones taking the steps through these locations. The games below are RPGs that take full advantage of this marriage of gameplay elements, letting players run wild to experience their rich worlds from a first-person perspective.
Updated on April 14, 2025, by Dylan Whitehall: With first-person RPGs being such a popular and diverse genre, there are many worlds out there for players to lose themselves in. From grand expansive vistas to oppressive gothic constructions, players are spoiled for choice when it comes to deciding where to explore next. When this article was originally published, some of the heavy hitters and smaller projects quietly innovating from the sidelines were left unmentioned. This article has been updated to include such titles and will likely be changed again in the future, thanks to the constant output of games from talented developers in the industry.
15 Avowed
High Fantasy Exploration
Avowed
- Released
- February 18, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Obsidian Entertainment
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- Platform(s)
- Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
Although Obsidian's Avowed was met with a mixed reception because of its writing, one area that critics seem to agree unanimously on is its world design and sense of exploration. The game is filled with so many moments where players will ask themselves, "What's behind that waterfall?" Or "What's at the top of that tower?"
And Avowed remembers to do what some games unfortunately don't, which is to reward players for seeking these places out. Each cave, monster nest, or obscured path will end in something worth the player's time - whether it be loot or little nuggets of lore. Avowed has plenty of the latter, with the game being based on another of Obsidian's RPG series, Pillars of Eternity.
14 Atomfall
Investigate The Quarantine
Atomfall
- Released
- March 27, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Teen // Blood, Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Rebellion Developments
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC
Upon the announcement of Atomfall, many gamers were quick to call it a 'British Fallout,' drawing parallels between it and Bethesda's nuclear inspirations. Now that the game is in players' hands, it's safe to say that Atomfall is so much more than a different flavor of Fallout.
The game handles exploration differently from other games by doing away with traditional objective markers and quests. Instead, players will collect Leads - tidbits of information and clues they can collect through various means - that will guide them through the story and to new locations. It's a system that makes Atomfall's exploration feel more organic and rewarding when compared to other mainstay titles in the genre.
13 Dying Light 2: Stay Human
Parkour Through The Apocalypse
Dying Light 2 Stay Human
- Released
- February 4, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Techland
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5
Set 20 years after the first game, Dying Light 2: Stay Human places players in a world where the Harran virus has spread globally. The resulting zombie apocalypse has made society regress into a medieval state, something that is made evident by the many wooden structures that adorn the city of Villedor - the game's main setting.
10 Best Zombie Horror Games
These terrifying horror games deliver the best zombie experiences out there, showcasing the true horrors of a zombie apocalypse.
Exploring the city is not only intriguing from a world-building perspective, but it's also fascinating from a gameplay one, too, thanks to Dying Light 2's signature parkour mechanics. With intuitive controls, scaling a building feels just as simple and easy as walking down the street, and the first-person perspective makes the experience feel ridiculously immersive.
12 S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Explore The Zone, An Incredibly Beautiful Yet Destitute Location
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
- Released
- November 20, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco
- Developer(s)
- GSC Game World
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter, Open-World, Post-Apocalyptic, Survival
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
The core of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is the environmental design of the Zone, a quarantined area bordering Chornobyl that is filled with all sorts of nuclear abominations. The Zone is eerily beautiful despite its destitute state, with its swathes of wilderness harmoniously contrasting its urban patches and supernatural anomalies. It's a visual aesthetic that best encapsulates Eastern Europe's post-Soviet take on the apocalyptic genre.
Besides the visual delights of exploring the Zone from a first-person perspective, players can also expect to come across the challenges of its hostile environment. Whether that be other humans or the Zone's many mutants, besting these threats is difficult but fun nonetheless.
11 Cyberpunk 2077
Getting Lost In Night City
Cyberpunk 2077
- Released
- December 10, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
Throughout Cyberpunk 2077's tumultuous history, one thing has remained certain to fans and critics alike: that its main setting, Night City, is one of gaming's most detailed and fun-to-explore urban environments ever. Drenched in neon lights and depravity, Night City is as beautiful to look at as it is dangerous to explore.
Waiting around every corner is another cyberpsycho for the player to shoot it out with or a reminder that beneath its glamour, Night City is a truly dystopian rendition of a potential future. Experiencing the setting in first-person makes it all the more immersive as players really feel that they're wandering the streets of the city themselves.
10 Arx-Fatalis
Subterranean Exploration
Arx Fatalis
- Released
- December 23, 2003
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Arkane Studios
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox (Original)
In Arkane's Arx Fatalis, the sun has disappeared, forcing the races of this fantasy world to seek shelter beneath the earth. Exploring a setting without natural light is oppressive enough, but Arx stretches its dark fantasy muscles by sowing conflict between the various races now forced to rub shoulders.
Arx doesn't hold players' hands either, leaving them to navigate this lightless world of war, famine, and monsters on their own. But it's this lack of direction that makes Arx such a treat to play even today. Mastering the game's detailed systems and navigating these underground communities in first-person is an immersive journey all the way through.
9 Prey
Exploring One's Options
Prey
- Released
- May 5, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Arkane Studios
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Set on the alien-infested space station of Talos 1, Arkane Studios' Prey sees players assume control of Morgan Yu as they work to uncover the secrets of both the station and their past. Exploring the eerie ship from a first-person perspective is a delight in itself, with its environments dripping in atmosphere and providing bits of lore for players to absorb while they fend off aliens.
Where Prey truly shines, however, is in Arkane's signature sense of player agency that their games come packed with. Objectives can be approached from multiple angles, letting players lean into different tactics and follow different avenues to achieve their goals. Exploring these other paths becomes even more of a treat on multiple playthroughs, helping it remain fresh even for veteran fans.
8 Dread Delusion
Carve Your Own Path
Dread Delusion
- Released
- June 15, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- Platform(s)
- PC
Similar to games like Arx Fatalis, Dread Delusion does not hold players' hands. Dropped into its vibrant polygon world, players will have to figure out its systems and mechanics all on their own. This may sound daunting, or even annoying, to some players, but discovering a new location or figuring out something as simple as where to find a certain merchant can feel extremely rewarding.
Leveling up a character in Dread Delusion is also achieved via the collection of Delusions, floating skulls that are scattered across the game's world. Developer Lovely Hellplace's decision to lock leveling behind these skulls actively encourages exploration, as players will need to search every nook and cranny to find them.
7 FlyKnight
First-Person RuneScape
FlyKnight
- Released
- January 31, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Wabbaboy
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Platform(s)
- PC
Wabbaboy's FlyKnight is much smaller than some of the other games mentioned on this list, with speedy players being able to complete it in just a couple of hours, but that doesn't mean its first-person exploration is without merit.
As a squire of a cursed order of Flyknights, players will descend into caves and dungeons to find the witch, Lunamoth, and vanquish her. Blending RuneScape visuals with King's Field gameplay, FlyKnight is a charming love letter to blocky RPGs, both in terms of visuals and mechanics.
6 Luncacid
King's field Exploration
Lunacid
- Released
- March 15, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- nr
- Developer(s)
- Kira Llc
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Lunacid is an indie gem from developer KIRA that throws players into a subterranean world of fantasy and horror. Citing King's Field as a direct influence on its Steam page, Lunacid hearkens back to classic ARPGs with its first-person dungeon-crawling gameplay.
Its environments are possessed by a sense of mysticism and horror, with players jumping from areas like serene underground forests to crypts filled with all sorts of ghouls. The magic of Lunacid is in its exploration and the many secrets laid throughout the world for players to find. To say much more about it would spoil the experience.