Every year features a wealth of new video games to check out, and among those, there are typically a ton of good RPGs. Role-playing games are sometimes hard to determine and boil down, as the genre continues to expand and include a number of new elements. Everything from games with light RPG elements to a classic turn-based approach are always welcome though.
2020 is no different in this regard, with plenty of RPGs taking the fore. Ultimately, though, a few have to come out on top, so here are the best RPGs of 2020. PLEASE NOTE: rather than attempt to put any specific order here, these RPGs are simply listed in alphabetical order.
10 Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla continues the RPG trend of Origins and Odyssey but with a slight twist. Whereas Assassin’s Creed Odyssey went super heavy on RPG elements, AC Valhalla takes an “RPG-lite” approach where these systems are not overwhelming to the gameplay. Everything from dialogue options and skill trees to weapon and gear stats to super intricate questlines are there, but it does in a way that makes the game play and feel more like the original Assassin’s Creed games than the two prior. Indeed, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla oftentimes seems like the perfect marriage of the former action-adventure games and the newer RPG adventures.
9 Demon’s Souls
Launched alongside the PS5 is a Bluepoint Games’ Remake of Demon’s Souls, the classic Souls title that came before Dark Souls. The original was no doubt a great RPG, but with Bluepoint’s touch, the capabilities of the PS5, and the newfound popularity of these super difficult games, Demon’s Souls takes everything that it was and dials it to 11.
8 Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot
It’s not exactly like Dragon Ball Z games are new, as many have come and gone over the years. Alongside DBZ: Kakarot even, Dragon Ball FighterZ and Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 are still receiving support. However, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is one of the truest-to-form RPGs in the franchise in many years, and while its DLC run has left some things to be desired, the base game truly felt as if it told the age-old story with renewed vigor. Stepping into Goku and friend’s shoes, playing through each story arc, and powering up throughout the games with added touches and side quests really bring the world to life.
7 Final Fantasy 7 Remake
Of course, one of the biggest video games of 2020 was the remake of Final Fantasy 7. Part 2 is currently in development, but this first entry tells the Midgar section of the original with new plot elements that leave the future of this continuation tantalizing. Final Fantasy 7 is a classic for a reason, and all of the RPG elements in the game go a long way in bringing every detail to life, including everything from Cloud’s PTSD to the game’s combat system.
6 Genshin Impact
Perhaps one of the biggest surprise hits of 2020 was Genshin Impact, a game formerly criticized for being too much like Breath of the Wild, yet being more than able to establish itself as its own game. Players have to unlock characters, proceed through the story, enjoy an expanding endgame, and more to really beat the game, but that’s really just the tip of the iceberg. Combined with the well-received gacha system (as it is a free-to-play RPG), and Genshin Impact landed in 2020 determined to make a name for itself.
5 Ikenfell
Big RPGs are always nice, but the indie scene delivers more often than not as well. While roguelikes like Hades have been the talk of the indie scene, Ikenfell really comes into its own as an turn-based RPG. As we wrote in our review of Ikenfell, it is a “masterclass in game design, boasting a unique synthesis of turn-based tactical RPG elements alongside its heartfelt narrative.”
4 Immortals Fenyx Rising
In Immortals Fenyx Rising, players step into the shoes of Fenyx as they traverse a Ubisoft open-world of Greek gods and monsters. It’s a surprising style of RPG, as the game manages to never take itself too seriously. While there are the typical skill upgrades and common mechanics of RPGs, players are likely to spend more of their time laughing as they progress through the story. It’s a game where a mythological figures like Zeus can make dad jokes and grow as a father, as much as it is a game where a chosen one must defeat the big bad.
3 Persona 5 Royal
Thanks to Persona 5, Atlus’ JRPG franchise is now more popular than ever, and it returned to the west in 2020 with Persona 5 Royal. Although the content is largely the same, there are several character additions, activities, areas, new mechanics, expanded battles and dungeons, and so much more. It took everything that made the base version great and dialed it up to 11, continuing Joker’s streak in the RPG world. Indeed, fans of JRPGS who haven’t played Persona before shouldn’t skimp on the latest entry, as it is everything one could want and then some.
2 Wasteland 3
Tactical, top-down RPGs aren’t for everyone, but that statement can’t really be applied to Wasteland 3. It is a bawdy RPG, one with true OG Fallout vibes, and manages to tell an interesting story with interesting companions. Alongside characters like Ironclad Cordite, players get to decide the fate of post-apocalyptic Colorado while being caught between the Patriarch (and his family) and another ranger, Angela Dreth. It’s one of few RPGs that manage to make decisions feel like they have weight, and the character customization is top-notch.
1 Yakuza: Like a Dragon
The Yakuza franchise isn’t new, but the latest entry, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, brings a lot of new with it. The fact that Ichiban Kasuga manages to follow up well to former protagonist Kiryu is a feat unto itself, but the game’s new RPG combat system and character jobs come off really well done. Ultimately, Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a surprising RPG, one that checks all the right boxes.
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