So, you’re looking for some awesome RPGs to play on Steam, huh? Well, you’ve come to the right place. There are a ton of role-playing games out there, but figuring out which ones are really worth your time can be a bit of a puzzle. We’ve put together a list of some of the best steam best rpg games that have really stood the test of time, offering deep stories, cool characters, and gameplay that keeps you hooked for hours. Get ready to find your next big adventure!
Key Takeaways
- Classic RPGs like Fallout and Gothic II still hold up, showing how good writing and player choice can make a game last.
- Games like Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines prove that a strong atmosphere and story can make up for some rough edges.
- Newer titles, such as Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, are pushing the boundaries of realism and player freedom.
- Indie games, like Caves of Qud and Underrail, offer unique experiences and show that big budgets aren’t always needed for great RPGs.
- The list has a mix of fantasy, sci-fi, and post-apocalyptic settings, so there’s something for just about everyone who likes RPGs.
1. Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game
Fallout, released in 1997, throws you into a post-apocalyptic world as a Vault dweller tasked with finding a water chip to save your underground home. What makes Fallout stand out is how your choices truly matter, shaping your character and the world around you. It’s not just about picking a class; it’s about how you interact with the world and the consequences of those actions.
The game’s setting is a blend of retro-futurism and grim reality, with 1950s aesthetics clashing against the backdrop of nuclear devastation. You’ll encounter everything from mutated creatures to desperate survivors, all while exploring a world filled with dark humor and moral dilemmas. The combat might feel a bit simple, but the over-the-top death animations and the sheer variety of ways to approach quests keep things interesting.
Fallout isn’t just about individual details; it’s about the entire experience. It gives you multiple ways to solve quests, based on your skills and decisions. The world feels both familiar and alien, inviting you to explore as you see fit. Plus, exploring is actually fun. From the run-down shacks to giant scorpions, everything looks and sounds great. All the pieces fit together, creating a consistent theme that later games struggled to match.
Fallout’s strength lies in its ability to create a cohesive and engaging world where your actions have real weight. It’s a game that invites you to explore, make tough choices, and live with the consequences, making it a truly unforgettable RPG experience.
2. Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines
Bloodlines is a game that, despite its flaws, has earned a dedicated following. It’s a title that understands the source material and translates it into a compelling interactive experience. The game’s atmosphere is a standout feature, immersing players in a world of gothic horror and political intrigue.
The game’s strength lies in its ability to create a believable and engaging world, even with its technical limitations. It’s a testament to the power of good writing, voice acting, and art direction.
While the combat might feel a bit clunky at times, and the ending somewhat rushed, the overall experience is elevated by the memorable characters and the sense of being a creature of the night. The game’s writing is sharp, often cynical, and perfectly captures the tone of the World of Darkness. The way different vampire clans impact gameplay adds another layer of depth and replayability. It’s not just about the mechanics; it’s about the feeling of inhabiting a different world with its own rules and consequences.
Here’s a quick look at some of the game’s strengths:
- Atmospheric world design
- Memorable characters and writing
- Meaningful clan differences
3. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
Kingdom Come: Deliverance was a surprise hit, wasn’t it? A non-fantasy RPG set in medieval Bohemia, focused on realism and historical accuracy. It was janky, sure, but also pretty unique. So, naturally, the sequel is highly anticipated. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II promises to expand on the original’s strengths while hopefully smoothing out some of its rough edges.
It’s set to release in February 2025, and fans are eager to see if it can live up to the hype. The first game had a really interesting combat system, a focus on mundane, everyday life, and a world that felt genuinely lived-in. The story, while maybe not the most exciting, was grounded and relatable. It will be interesting to see how the developers build upon that foundation.
The charm of Kingdom Come: Deliverance lies in its commitment to portraying medieval life authentically. It wasn’t about saving the world from dragons; it was about surviving in a harsh, unforgiving environment. This focus on realism, combined with a challenging combat system, created a unique and memorable experience.
Here’s a quick look at what made the first game stand out:
- Realistic combat: Directional attacks, stamina management, and the need to train made combat feel weighty and dangerous.
- Historical setting: Bohemia in the 15th century was brought to life with attention to detail.
- Focus on mundane tasks: Learning to read, crafting, and managing your character’s needs were all important aspects of the game.
4. Neverwinter Nights – Doom of Icewind Dale
Neverwinter Nights offered a different experience compared to Baldur’s Gate. Instead of controlling a whole party, you managed just one character, with companions offering support. This approach was divisive, but it paved the way for unique expansions like "Doom of Icewind Dale."
"Doom of Icewind Dale" isn’t just another module; it’s a return to the frozen north, expanding upon the lore and challenges found in the original Icewind Dale games. Players can expect a focus on exploration, combat, and character development within a harsh, unforgiving environment.
While the original Neverwinter Nights campaign had its detractors, the expansions often shone brighter, offering more focused stories and refined gameplay. "Doom of Icewind Dale" aimed to capture the spirit of classic dungeon crawls, emphasizing tactical combat and rewarding exploration. Think of it as a bridge between the narrative depth of Neverwinter Nights and the dungeon-delving focus of Icewind Dale.
The expansion provides a wealth of new content, including new monsters, items, and locations to discover. It’s a solid addition for players who enjoyed the core Neverwinter Nights experience and are looking for a challenging and engaging adventure in the Forgotten Realms.
Here’s a quick look at what you might expect:
- Challenging combat encounters that test your tactical skills.
- A focus on exploration and discovery in the frozen north.
- New monsters and items to enhance your character’s abilities.
- A compelling story that expands upon the lore of Icewind Dale.
5. Caves of Qud
Caves of Qud is a science fantasy RPG with roguelike elements. It’s known for its immense depth, bizarre world, and the sheer freedom it gives players. You can explore a vast, procedurally generated world filled with strange creatures, ancient ruins, and powerful artifacts.
The game’s complexity can be intimidating at first, but it’s also what makes it so rewarding. There’s always something new to discover, whether it’s a hidden quest, a unique mutation, or a powerful piece of equipment.
Here’s what makes Caves of Qud stand out:
- Deep character customization: Choose from a variety of mutations and cybernetics to create a truly unique character.
- Procedural generation: Every playthrough is different, with a new world to explore each time.
- Complex world: The game world is filled with lore, factions, and secrets to uncover.
Caves of Qud is not for the faint of heart. It’s a challenging game that requires patience and a willingness to experiment. But for those who are willing to put in the time, it’s an incredibly rewarding experience.
6. Svarog’s Dream
Svarog’s Dream is a title that might not be immediately familiar, but it’s one that RPG enthusiasts should definitely keep an eye on. This game distinguishes itself with a unique blend of tactical combat and deep character customization. It’s a title that rewards strategic thinking and careful planning.
It features multiple campaigns, an arena mode, and an infinite dungeon mode, providing a wealth of content for players to explore. The developers are also working on new campaigns with new playable characters, including Nagas and Trolls, promising even more content in the future.
The world is expansive, filled with secrets and unlockables, such as skill trees and new playable races and classes. Character creation is in-depth, and the combat system is turn-based, similar to many roguelikes. However, it introduces an interesting twist: depending on the chosen difficulty, players start with a number of lives that they can use or not. You can also earn more lives as your character grows, or you can play in iron man mode for an extra challenge.
Warriors, archers, rogues, and mages each have their own unique skills, complete with a cooldown system. Exploration is encouraged, but be cautious, as there are dead ends and high-level dungeons that can quickly become death traps. It’s a challenging game, but one that offers a rewarding experience for those who enjoy tactical RPGs.
Svarog’s Dream offers a refreshing take on the tactical RPG genre. The depth of character customization and the strategic combat system provide a compelling gameplay experience. The constant addition of new content ensures that players will have plenty to explore for years to come.
7. Troubleshooter: Abandoned Children
Troubleshooter: Abandoned Children is a tactical RPG developed by Dandylion. At first glance, its anime-inspired visuals might lead you to underestimate it, but beneath the surface lies a surprisingly deep and engaging experience. It’s a game that respects your intelligence, offering a satisfying level of difficulty that encourages strategic thinking and build experimentation.
The game’s story can be a bit cryptic, and the translation isn’t always perfect. However, the core gameplay loop of building your team, tackling diverse missions, and overcoming challenging encounters is incredibly rewarding. It’s a game that demands your attention and rewards your investment.
Here’s what makes Troubleshooter: Abandoned Children stand out:
- Deep Character Customization: The game features a robust system for developing your characters, with a wide array of skills and abilities to unlock.
- Challenging Tactical Combat: Battles require careful planning and execution, as enemies will exploit any weaknesses in your strategy.
- Handcrafted Missions: Unlike some tactical RPGs with procedurally generated content, Troubleshooter offers a series of unique and well-designed missions.
8. Gothic II
Gothic II is often hailed as a pinnacle of open-world RPG design. I remember playing Morrowind and feeling like something was missing; then I picked up Gothic II, and it just clicked. The game’s world feels incredibly alive, with every corner holding something interesting to discover. It’s tough, no doubt about it, especially early on when you’re basically monster food. But that difficulty makes every bit of progress feel earned.
Unlike many RPGs where the world feels like a collection of generic quests, Gothic II packs its world with meaningful content. It’s a larger game than the first Gothic, but it maintains a density of detail that’s rare. There’s no handholding here, and the game doesn’t scale to your level. Everything is carefully placed. Sneaking past a shadowbeast early in the game, hearing it snore without seeing it, is a genuinely tense experience.
If you enjoyed the first Gothic, you’ll find Gothic II to be more of everything you liked. If you’re new to the series, starting with the first game can add to your appreciation of the world and how it’s changed by the time of Gothic II.
Here are a few things that make Gothic II stand out:
- A world that feels designed, not just thrown together.
- Challenging but fair combat.
- Meaningful exploration with rewards for curiosity.
9. Underrail
Underrail is a retro-revival indie game that sometimes gets a bad reputation for being a simple copy of older games. While it does draw inspiration from classics, it brings its own unique flavor to the table. The game masterfully blends elements from various iconic RPGs, creating a distinct and engaging experience.
It borrows the labyrinthine world design from System Shock 2, the XP system from Diablo, and various other mechanics from Fallout. However, Underrail achieves a great balance between combat and exploration, luck and tactics, gameplay and story, and levity and gravity. Many players consider its combat system to be among the best in single-hero RPGs, even comparing it to a full-on tactical RPG.
Underrail’s unique identity shines through in its quest design. You might find yourself on an island plagued by doppelgangers or escaping an enemy base as it floods with mutagen, risking mutation yourself. Even the more standard quests are cleverly written and filled with dark humor. If combat isn’t your preference, you can opt for the Oddity system, which rewards you with XP for finding collectibles.
Underrail isn’t just a successful retro-revival; it’s an ideal one. It possesses the soul and imagination that make it worth playing, even among the sea of classic RPGs that inspired it. It’s a must-play, especially if you appreciate deep gameplay and intricate world-building.
10. System Shock 2
System Shock 2, released in 1999, is often hailed as one of the best games ever made, and for good reason. It’s a spooky, scary spaceship exploration/survival game with zombies and a great sense of atmosphere, despite the blocky graphics. Set 72 years after the events of the first game, you play as an unnamed UNN soldier waking up on the deserted starship Von Braun.
Unlike the first game, System Shock 2 incorporates RPG elements, offering an astonishing number of possible character builds. At the beginning, you choose one of three classes, each with unique playstyles and perks. Specialization is key; randomly spending points can lead to a punishing experience. Instead of traditional experience points, you gain Cybernetic Modules to customize your character.
The game features a research system similar to XCOM’s, though simplified, and uses Looking Glass Studios’ Dark Engine, known for its fluid movement and immersive qualities. The atmosphere is dark, brooding, and scary, complemented by a techno and dark ambient soundtrack. While the game offers non-linear progression, it’s somewhat more restrictive than the first System Shock due to smaller levels. However, these levels are still large and full of things to discover. The plot is well-written, with a twist that, while widely known, remains brilliant.
One minor drawback is that the level design becomes less inspired and more linear as you progress, a common issue in many RPGs. Also, the cyberspace element was replaced with a somewhat boring hacking mini-game. But overall, System Shock 2 is an amazing game that you should definitely play if you haven’t already.
Wrapping Things Up: The Last Word on Steam RPGs
So, we’ve gone through a bunch of great RPGs on Steam. It’s pretty clear that what makes an RPG good can be different for everyone. Some people like a really deep story, while others are all about building their character just right. And then there are folks who just want to explore a huge world. The cool thing is, Steam has something for all of us. Whether you’re new to RPGs or you’ve been playing them for years, there’s always a new adventure waiting. Hopefully, this helped you find your next favorite game, or maybe even made you think about replaying an old one. Happy gaming!
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is an RPG game?
Role-playing games, or RPGs, are a type of video game where you take on the role of a character in a made-up world. You usually get to make choices that affect the story and how your character grows. Think of it like being the main character in an interactive book.
Why is Steam a good place to find RPGs?
Steam is a huge online store for PC games. Many of the best RPGs are available there, both old and new. It’s a great place to find a wide variety of games to play.
What makes an RPG game worth playing for a long time?
Some of the best RPGs let you spend hundreds of hours playing because they have huge worlds to explore, lots of quests, and different ways to play. Games like “Fallout” or “Underrail” are known for this.
Can I play these RPGs with friends, or are they just for one person?
Many top RPGs are single-player games, meaning you play by yourself. However, some, like “Neverwinter Nights,” offer options to play with other people online, which can be a lot of fun too.
How are these “best RPG” lists decided?
The RPG community, like on Steam forums or sites like RPG Codex, often shares lists of their favorite games. These lists are based on what real players enjoy, making them a good guide for finding new games.
Are older RPGs still good to play today?
Many older RPGs, even those from the 90s, are still very popular because they have amazing stories, deep characters, and gameplay that holds up well. They’re often called “classics” for a reason!
