RPGs and complex storytelling are two things that go like rice with saffron. When a game has a level of narrative depth that makes players all around the world gather to discuss a meta-narrative, then readers are in the presence of a perfect game that has transcended the status of a simple RPG to become something more: A Legend.
This list has 10 Perfect RPGs with complex storytelling to enjoy if you are a fan of convoluted plot twists, surprise villains, timeline shifts, and other shocking reveals that will turn a simple story into a race against time to stop a catastrophe of epic proportions.
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10 Final Fantasy IX
The Best Of The Series, By Far
Final Fantasy 9
- Released
- July 7, 2000
WHERE TO PLAY
Final Fantasy IX is a great and complex RPG, with memorable characters, an intricate tale about friendship, family, revenge, and finding a place of solace in a terribly broken world. It makes players question their choices, what they fight for, and especially, who they are.
Its plot might start like a simple heist to kidnap a princess from a warring kingdom, but it ends up becoming a search for identity and a journey through existentialism, where characters redefine what it means to be alive and struggling. The scores that accompany this thrilling tale (composed by the legend Nobuo Uematsu) will live rent-free in your head forever.
9 Cyberpunk 2077
Few Stories Are As Complex As This One
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
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
Cyberpunk 2077 is not just an RPG, it's a cautionary tale about the route modern society is taking and how mega-corporations might try to take over the world using technology and progress as an excuse to corrupt the bones of freedom up to the marrow.
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Underneath the neon, the luxury cars, and the story of the underdogs becoming top-dogs (which led to chaos, mayhem, and murder), lies a finely crafted worldbuilding that speaks loudly about how human society interacts with technology, and how that is going to cost us more than just an arm or a leg. Night City is a complex place to live in a more-than-already complex world.
8 Dragon Age: Origins
Not Just Your Average Dark Fantasy RPG
Dragon Age: Origins
- Released
- November 3, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
Dragon Age: Origins might have one of the darkest and most complex storytelling that has been poured inside a fantasy setting, and the worldbuilding is the cherry on top of an already loaded dessert. The lore of the world, the Veil, and how the folly of men ended up corrupting an entire plane and unleashing a monstrous plague upon the world, is both mystifying and breathtaking.
For those unfamiliar with the world of Thedas, and how the Blight came to be, there's an epic conclusion in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, However, that's an entirely different tale. The origins of this series are undoubtedly crafted to be a constant reminder that even the most noble of actions might lead to a horrifying outcome (and there's nothing more BioWare than that).
7 Divinity: Original Sin 2
The Path To Godhood Is Paved With Blood
Divinity: Original Sin 2
- Released
- September 14, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
Larian Studios has always toyed with the idea of mortals becoming something more: transcending into deities, becoming dragons, and so much more. From its humble origins with Divine Divinity, the world of Rivellon is a place of mystery, misery, and tons of interesting characters walking the path to Godhood.
The narrative in these games, especially Original Sin 2, is of a complexity that players don't often see in a Fantasy RPG. Elves are not as cute and innocent as in other similar settings, Lizardfolk are proud and warlike, Dwarves are the closest to the classic folks from Tolkien's lore, and other races follow suit. Every God has its followers, and Larian made sure that all its Deities are not as benevolent as the lore implies, giving it a twist when players figure out what's really going on underneath all the myths and legends.
6 Chrono Cross
A Story That Is As Complex As It Is Surprising
Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition
- Released
- April 7, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Back in the day, nothing was more exciting than coming home tired from school and turning the PS1 to play Chrono Cross, one of the most intriguing and mind-breaking games ever made in the Land of the Rising Sun. The penmanship of Masato Kano, the designs of Nobuteru Yūki, and the memorable scores composed by Yasunori Mitsuda gave life to a masterpiece.
In Chrono Cross, time itself is in constant flux, and the enemy is something larger than life, and at the same time, closer than what players initially thought. First place to unexpected villains in the history of gaming, this game left many players befuddled and bamboozled. Now, looking back at its storytelling, veteran players can see that all the signs were there, but sometimes, we are just blind to the truth.
5 Two Worlds 2
An Evil Emperor, A Hero, A Classic Tale With A Complex Plot
Two Worlds II
- Released
- February 4, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M // Blood, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Platform(s)
- PC, macOS, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
When this tale begins to spin, players are caught between opposing forces, desperately trying to save the sister of the main character who is bound to become the host for the god of fire and destruction. So far, the classic tale of adventure and dark fantasy.
Then, players are rescued by the most unlikely band of adventurers: A group of elite Orc Warriors, set on a warpath to avenge their brethren who have fallen to the evil ruler. From that point on, Two Worlds II never ceases to surprise players. From the unique setting, environments, and familiar yet vicious creatures that populate Antaloor.
4 Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous
All Paths Lead To An Epic Tale
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous
- Released
- September 2, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Owlcat Games
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Pathfinder: Wrath of The Righteous is a complex adventure where players are touched (cursed, some might say) with the susceptibility of being receptacles of something greater. Thus, they slowly but steadily cease to be human, and become demi-gods, golden dragons, fay-touched, perhaps even demons, or a walking disaster made of nothing but ravenous bugs.
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It's a game with a complex story to tell, with tons of intriguing (and some even murderous) characters to meet, study, and betray in most cases. The path to power is a treacherous one, and players should choose their allies carefully.
3 Planescape: Torment
A Forgotten Jewel Set In The D&D Universe
Planescape: Torment
- Released
- December 12, 1999
WHERE TO PLAY
Planescape: Torment is a product of the pen of the legendary Chris Avellone, and that is enough to describe how complex and vast the worldbuilding of this narrative CRPG is. The game itself is a vast collection of everything that makes D&D great: Intriguing characters, less-than-human but at the same time, desperately trying to grasp at the ashes of their own identities, and extremely complex both psychologically and philosophically.
That is what defines an excellent RPG: Great characters, a complex yet not heavy plot, and lots of twists in the storytelling. Diving into Planescape: Torment at least once is a must for every fan of the RPG genre.
2 Kingdom Hearts (Series)
When You Realize Donald Has The Power To End Worlds, You've Dived Deep Enough
Kingdom Hearts
- Released
- September 17, 2002
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E for Everyone: Violence
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
- Platform(s)
- PS2
Kingdom Hearts has fascinated a wide audience from all across the world ever since its first game was released back in 2002. A crossover nobody asked for, but that everyone has learned to love (sometimes even hate) due to its complex yet goofy characters (pun absolutely intended), its convoluted plot, and messed-up timelines that can confuse even a conspiracy theory expert.
Yes, it is a lovely game, and yes, most people love the mixture of Final Fantasy and the Disneyverse, but everyone, and mark my words: Everyone, has at least one time wished that Sora was a little less plain and obnoxiously oblivious. That doesn't take away the fact that this series is one of the most absurdly complex IPS Square Enix has ever produced.
1 Star Wars: Knights of The Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
No Other Star Wars Game Has Revealed The Mysteries Of The Force As This Title
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords
- Released
- December 6, 2004
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Mild Blood, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Obsidian Entertainment, Aspyr
- Publisher(s)
- LucasArts
- Engine
- Odyssey Engine
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- RPG
What makes a Jedi a Jedi, and what makes a Sith a Sith? And what about those left in between? The Force is such a mystery, and despite the many series, games, comics, and, of course, the movies, fans of Star Wars will never feel at ease knowing there are so many things to know about the universe created by George Lucas.
But, for those who have played Knights of the Old Republic I & II, some of the recent developments in the franchise might start to make more sense. Especially KOTOR 2: The Sith Lords, a game with complex storytelling, characters that are as obscure as the human heart can be, and that explains a lot of the things most fans were always scared to ask about The Force and how it works. A game where every action has a reaction, and as Kreia says: The Force binds all things. The slightest push, the smallest touch, sends echoes throughout life. Even an act of kindness may have more severe repercussions than you know or can see. Peak narrative here.
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