Summary
- The journey in Western RPGs features engaging moments and challenges to keep players entertained.
- Pillars of Eternity offers chaotic combat and a fun narrative structure for CRPG enthusiasts.
- Disco Elysium's writing elevates the fun factor to new heights, making it one of the best video games ever made.
Western RPGs continue to be some of the most talked-about and in-demand games for fans. Players love the idea of embarking on grand adventures with massive stakes that prompt them to take on tough foes and survive by the skin of their teeth.
10 Best Western RPGS For JRPG Fans
For long-time JRPG fans who are looking to take their first steps into the world of Western RPGs, these games offer an excellent genre introduction.
This setup alone makes for some of the most fun and engaging video games that fans can get their hands on. Players who check out these Western RPGs will find themselves struggling to remember moments when they were bored.
8 Pillars Of Eternity
A Modern CRPG With A Fun Narrative Structure And Chaotic Combat
Pillars of Eternity
- Released
- March 26, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Obsidian Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Paradox Interactive, Versus Evil
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
While the sequel may be better from a gameplay standpoint, players who want to enjoy a polished and engaging CRPG with amazing writing will love what Pillars of Eternity brings to the table. It's one of the most important video games that helped usher in the CRPG genre's revival, along with various other titles that were released around the same time.
Controlling the Watcher, amassing a group of heroes, exploring the bowels of Caed Nua, and enjoying a grand adventure where players go against the very gods of the world is a blast. The real-time combat is accommodating while also letting veterans enjoy a challenge at higher difficulties, and The White March gives players another reason to spend time in this unique world.
7 Disco Elysium
The Writing Elevates This Game's Fun Factor To New Heights
Disco Elysium
- Released
- October 15, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- ZA/UM
- Publisher(s)
- ZA/UM
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Stadia
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Disco Elysium is one of the greatest video games ever made, with players loving the adventures of Raphael Ambrosius Costeau (not his real name, by the way), who teams up with one of the best companions in RPG history, Detective Kim Kitsuragi.
The humor of the game's writing, coupled with its many imaginative scenarios, ensures that players will have a great time powering through Disco Elysium. The game pulls no punches when it comes to its high points, letting players have some great fun with a narrative that is both zany and deeply thoughtful.
6 Dragon Age: Origins
A Generational RPG With Immense Role-Playing Options
Dragon Age: Origins
- Released
- November 3, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
Dragon Age: Origins is one of the greatest Western RPGs of all time — there's no denying that. The game's six unique origins, along with some strong worldbuilding in a dark fantasy world, ensure that players will remember the grand setting of Dragon Age, which manages to avoid quite a few generic tropes in its bid to create a living, breathing world built upon many classic elements of the fantasy genre.
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The unique origin system itself ensures that players can enjoy multiple replays of this title, and it helps that the extensive role-playing options guarantee unique dialogue and moments throughout this epic journey. Seeing an unlikely protagonist become the Hero of Ferelden makes for a grand tale that fans can't get enough of.
5 Baldur's Gate 3
One Of The Greatest Modern RPGs Of All Time
Baldur's Gate 3
- Released
- August 3, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Larian Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Larian Studios
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, macOS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Baldur's Gate 3 is perhaps the greatest modern RPG of all time. The slow pace of the turn-based combat can take a while to get used to, but players who move past this issue will find themselves enjoying a generational Western RPG that puts the works of most profit-focused AAA companies to shame.
The sheer amount of unique content in this game is mind-boggling and shows just how much work Larian put into making a player's role-playing choices matter. Every playthrough in this game feels different, and players can clock in almost a thousand hours if they want to try every build, story path, and mod in existence for this title.
4 Mass Effect 2
The Peak Of The Mass Effect Series And Commander Shepard's Adventures
Mass Effect 2
- Released
- January 26, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
Mass Effect 2 is the peak of this franchise, upping the stakes as Shepard reluctantly works for the Illusive Man and his black-ops terrorist organization, Cerberus, in a bid to stop the collectors and the impending threat of the reapers. This journey also comes with some of the most compelling side character storylines in the genre, with each companion fleshing out the world alongside the main story's development.
The improved gameplay and high-stakes missions ensure that fans will be thoroughly entertained throughout this experience. The writing is another highlight in this title, as players get invested in the act of being a Paragon or Renegade as they strive to secure the future of life in the Milky Way Galaxy.
3 Fallout: New Vegas
Every Corner Of This World Is Brimming With Memorable Encounters
Fallout: New Vegas
- Released
- October 19, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
There's something about Fallout: New Vegas that keeps fans coming back for more. Being shot in the head makes for a tantalizing intro, as the Courier is brought back to life, prompting an adventure for the ages where players head to New Vegas and get embroiled in a grand plan to gain control of the city.
The amazing world design, extensive role-playing options, amazing writing, and a bevy of iconic characters ensure that players can invest hours upon hours in New Vegas without getting bored. Every corner of the world hides a tantalizing secret, and the game's DLCs are some of the best pieces of additional content released for a video game.
2 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Geralt's Adventures End On A Very High Note
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
- Released
- May 19, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Publisher(s)
- CD Projekt Red
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Geralt is one of the greatest protagonists of all time, and fans can't help but sympathize with this character's hunt to find Ciri. However, that won't stop them from being distracted by the game's massive world as they find an endless stream of meaningful content to sink their teeth into.
Almost every side quest in the game boasts incredible writing that either rivals or exceeds the quality of the main story. The combat seems deceptively simple but opens up at higher difficulties, keeping players invested in its layered systems. This ensures that Geralt's adventures will never cease to be entertaining as players explore a massive world in The Witcher 3.
1 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
The Greatest And Most Engaging Elder Scrolls Game Ever Made
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Released
- November 11, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda Game Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda Softworks
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
There's something about Skyrim's wonderful freedom and immersion that keeps fans coming back for more. Bethesda's magnum opus was such a massive success for the company that it allowed it to reach greater heights and become a major player in the industry.
Even after the many years that have passed, all players need to do is download a few mods, and they'll be set for yet another hundred-hour adventure in the Nordic lands of Skyrim. The sheer amount of content in this game is mind-boggling and will keep players busy and entertained for a very long time.
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