By definition, role-playing games are meant to be played repeatedly. Typically, RPGs offer plenty of freedom and choices to players, in many cases allowing them to shape the protagonist to their liking, determine the fates of companions, and alter the state of the entire world by the end of the journey. If staying true to these essentials, players will want to play the game again once they’re finished.
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Looking for RPGs with cinematic storytelling? These games deliver a movie-like experience, as interesting to watch as to play.
Each of the games below isn’t just good, but has enough unique hooks to motivate players to play them at least twice — be it an entangled story that’s interesting to observe once players are already aware of all the details, plenty of non-linearity to allow for making drastically different, impactful decisions, or memorable companions it’s so fun to spend time with.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Appreciate the Subtlety of the Linear Narrative
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Released
- April 24, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Turn-Based RPG, JRPG, Fantasy
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s central narrative is fairly linear, as the cinematic story takes the spotlight, with plenty of surprising twists, emotional events, and complex characters that feel alive and hide their trauma. There aren’t many additional choices to play with during the game, aside from one major decision players have to make before the end. Despite this, many players still decide to replay Expedition 33 shortly after finishing it. What’s the secret here?
Not only is Clair Obscur’s world, characters, environments, and combat fantastic, but the game’s cryptic story has enough breadcrumbs that are interesting to notice during the second playthrough. Once players know exactly what’s happening in this painted world, and who all the key characters really are, it’s arguably even more interesting to play through the first half of Expedition 33 to appreciate all the subtle hints woven into the narrative — and to spend some more time with beloved characters.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Almost Too Many Ways to Experience the Game
Baldur's Gate 3
- Released
- August 3, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a true king of modern CRPGs, praised for its freedom and astounding amount of decisions that matter. Fans play through Baldur’s Gate 3 not once or twice, but dozens of times, still finding new secrets, unexpected quest resolutions, and appreciating all the passion and attention that Larian has poured into one of the best games of the past few years.
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A large part of Baldur’s Gate 3’s charm lies in all the different ways to experience the game. Players can select any of the established companions as a protagonist to play through their story, create a custom character, play as the Dark Urge, or even play the game in co-op with their partner. With an abundance of ways to play, and very high quality across the board, Baldur’s Gate 3 is an instant RPG classic that’s here to stay.
Dragon Age: Origins
One of the Last Old-School RPGs Driven by Choices
Dragon Age: Origins
- Released
- November 3, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Dragon Age: Origins was a special game for BioWare, serving as the studio’s attempt to establish its own rich fantasy universe amid the well-trodden landscape of similar titles. Long years of development proved fruitful, as Origins emerged as a truly special RPG playing to the studio and the genre’s strengths without attempting to modernize it like Mass Effect did.
Dragon Age: Origins instantly pulls players into its dark world, with perfect gameplay flow, charismatic companions that always have something to say, memorable adventures, and, of course, tough moral decisions to live with through the entire game. The cherry on top: depending on the player’s choices when creating their character, Origins offers six unique origin stories for about two hours each, not to mention that the protagonist’s alignment also matters for certain quests and plot beats.
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
Essentially Two RPGs in One
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (Enhanced Edition)
- Released
- April 17, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs
- Genre(s)
- RPG
While The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt also deserves a spot here, serving as one of the most beloved and influential open-world RPGs ever, its predecessors are also brilliant games. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, while notably lesser in scope and length, offers comparable depth for main and side characters and a ton of non-linear quests to tackle, which makes it an easy choice for numerous runs.
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On top of that, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is well known for its crucial choice in the game’s first act, essentially splitting the core narrative in two. Depending on who players decide to side with — Scoia’tael’s commander Iorveth or the Blue Stripes leader Vernon Roche — the rest of the game plays drastically differently. Each choice unlocks new areas, quests, and even playable characters that aren’t available otherwise, motivating players to beat the game at least twice to appreciate its spectacular non-linearity that few other RPGs can match.
Fallout: New Vegas
We Hear “Become Anyone” Too Often, but It’s Truly Possible Here
Fallout: New Vegas
- Released
- October 19, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Genre(s)
- RPG
As Bethesda announced yet another updated edition of Fallout 4, many fans still wonder if older entries, like Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas, would ever receive the same treatment and re-release for modern platforms. While right now this seems unlikely, it doesn’t mean that the original New Vegas should be counted out just yet, as even after all these years, the game can outdo modern RPG releases by Obsidian such as Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2.
Fallout: New Vegas is a legendary game for role-play, supporting unmatched flexibility of character builds and choices that players can think of, essentially granting the oh-so-wanted ability to become anyone in the Mojave Desert. Every step of the journey, New Vegas almost overwhelms players with choices: from which faction to join (or neither at all) to who to take with you as a companion. Playing Fallout: New Vegas once is just a tiny taste of what this branching game has to offer.
Mass Effect 3
An Epic and Personal to Each Player Conclusion
Mass Effect 3
- Released
- March 6, 2012
WHERE TO PLAY
The Mass Effect trilogy is another example of BioWare at its best, representing potentially the greatest gaming trilogy ever. Taking on the colossal task of carrying all of the players’ choices throughout all three games, the studio pulled off this colossal feat with a bang, reaching an unmatched level of epic stakes and personalized consequences in Mass Effect 3.
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The following games stand out for forcing players to make tough decisions that can drastically change the story.
Each Mass Effect game is great in its own right, demanding to be played repeatedly to appreciate everything, with many praising Mass Effect 2 as the perfect sequel, but it’s undeniable that the trilogy finale is much more ambitious and emotional. Mass Effect 3 is built around high-stakes galaxy events involving the fates of entire species, at times delivering truly unforgettable moments unique to every player’s story. Not to mention the game’s combat really shines, with various combat classes that feel distinct, dozens of unique weapons to collect, and menacing foes to fight.
Cyberpunk 2077
Maybe It Wasn’t Always Good, but It Surely Is Now
Cyberpunk 2077
- Released
- December 10, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
Cyberpunk 2077 needs little introduction, well known for its unique strengths such as cinematic narrative, complex characters, and fresh, futuristic setting. As a pure-blood RPG, Cyberpunk 2077 may not fully deliver, with not as many truly branching quests like the one shown by the studio prior to the game’s release (The Pickup), but there’s still enough narrative depth and freedom of choice in Night City.
The best thing in Cyberpunk 2077 is probably how much more branching and intriguing the game becomes in its second half, when all the pieces are already on the board. Depending on the players’ relationships with Johnny Silverhand, as well as other major characters, players can get access to various endings and unlock entire questlines, including the ones where Johnny temporarily takes over V’s body. And not to forget the three unique life paths that Cyberpunk 2077 offers to experience a distinct introduction to this world and key characters.
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