20 Classic RPGs That Are Still Great Today

One of the most highly regarded RPGs of all time, Chrono Trigger was created by Square Enix's "dream team": the creator of the Final Fantasy series, the creator of the Dragon Quest series, and a manga artist known for his work on Dragon Quest and Dragon Ball. Chrono Trigger pioneers elements that are widespread in so many games today — multiple endings and character-focused side quests. The game's legacy is undeniable, as it has continued to influence games that are being released more than 25 years later.

There are tons of classic Final Fantasy games, but while VI, VII, and IX are arguably the most popular, Tactics is the quiet knockout that boldly took the series where it's never gone before. Sort of the black sheep in the Final Fantasy family, Tactics utilizes a unique battle system that takes place on a rotatable 3D field. Combat and strategy take precedence over the main story, as players are able to recruit soldiers, upgrade their classes, and basically control the battlefield much in the way a medieval general would. Most gamers tend to either love it or hate it, but regardless of how much of a departure it was at the time, the gameplay, style, and even tiny pixilated battlefields still look great today.

As mecha animes like Neon Genesis Evangelion dominated the late 90s, it was only a matter of time before the trend trickled into video games as well. In Xenogears, the gameplay revolves around exploration and combat, both on foot and using mechas known as Gears. The game was originally pitched as an idea for Final Fantasy VII, and its story incorporates themes of Jungian and Freudian psychology and religious symbolism. You can really see the inspiration from the anime, considering the latter was prominently featured in Evangelion.

Super Mario RPG is not the most remembered adventure of the overall-clad plumber, but it surely was an exciting experiment for the franchise. A departure from the platformers that Mario has come to be so well-known for, Super Mario RPG focuses on the characters of the Mushroom Kingdom, and their quest to defeat the evil Smithy, who stole the seven pieces that make up Star Road. he game was universally praised for its humor and graphics, and it went on to inspire more RPG-esque entries to the Mario franchise, like Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi.

After releasing to critical and commercial reception that was lukewarm to say the least, it took Suikoden II some time to gain and audience that appreciated it fully. However, after a few years, the game gained traction and is now regarded as one of the best RPGs of the 32-bit era. While many of its peers were sporting flashy 3D graphics, Suikoden II had a stylized, pixel-art style. To top it all, the gameplay focused on strategic encounters between two large armies, taking the player on an epic adventure that challenged their wits and resolve.

Earthbound (called Mother 2 in Japan) had a rough start when it was initially released in America in 1995, as it sold only half of the copies that it did in Japan. However, over the years it's grown a cult following, and the main playable character in Earthbound, Ness, was added to the roster of Super Smash Bros. in 1999, which helped the game gain further recognition. One of the characteristics that made the game so memorable was that it was subversive within the RPG genre, poking fun at many of the classic mechanics that were trendy at the time.

Capcom may be known for a lot of things, but back in the '90s, making great RPGs wasn't one of them. The Breath of Fire series is one of the most beloved role-playing franchises of all time, and people often forget that it got its unlikely start on the SNES. That said, Breath of Fire III is arguably one of the most polished and nuanced of the bunch, giving gamers a classic RGP in the early PS1 days. Breath of Fire III was the first BoF game to live voice acting and again let players take control of Ryu, a refreshingly powerful protagonist who has the power to transform into various dragons. Subsequent releases have become more JRPG and less traditional, but they each hold their own pros and cons. The original, however, is still a classic and definitely one of the most unique RPGs — especially for the time.

While most RPGs at the time were using the controversial system of turn-based combat, Secret of Mana stood out from the crowd by incorporating real-time battles instead. Players did, however, have the option to freeze time in the middle of an encounter and make decisions if they so choose, allowing a greater sense on control in the heat of battle. If the combat wasn't engaging enough for gamers in 1993, the colorful art and expansive plot drew them in even more.

It's hard to talk about classic RPGs without mentioning Baldur's Gate. The original game was created by essentially building off the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rulebook, which gave it sort of familiar fantasy feel that gamers were immediately drawn to. The original game is also noteworthy as being one of the biggest and most massive for the time. In fact, it's still considered fairly large even by today's standards. Developed by BioWare, Baldur's Gate was the first (but obviously not the last) game to take advantage of the Infinity Engine for added graphics. And throughout subsequent sequels and ports, the original still remains one of the most shinning moments in RPG history.

Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together is the second second game in the Tactics Ogre series, and like many sequels that were coming out at the time, it wanted improve upon its predecessor by giving the player more freedom. The first Tactics Ogre game has quasi-real time strategy where the player controls large groups of fighters, while Let Us Cling Together features turn-based battles. Perhaps it was a move to fit in with many of the other RPGs coming out at the time, but most players agree it was a move in the right direction.

Released toward the tail-end of the PlayStation 1's prime, The Legend of Dragoon is one of the more visually stunning vintage RPGs (or at least it was at the time). While Square was the undisputed RPG king in the '90s, Dragoon was actually developed by SCE Japan Studio, which gave it a different feel than its contemporaries. With a total development cost rounding $16 million, this was definitely a beast of a game to pull off. Fortunately, the engaging storyline and fluid (for the most part) gameplay mechanics still hold up.

Originally released on the Sega Saturn, Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete is an epic JRPG that was way ahead of its time. For starters, the game featured stunning FMV (complete with live voice actors, which was definitely revolutionary given the era), and utilizes a bright and vibrant color scheme that still holds up. While the game itself was actually a remake of the 1992 game Lunar: The Silver Star, subsequent ports have been released on PC, the PS1, and, most recently, on iOS. The sequel, Eternal Blue Complete, is equally as memorable, but there’s just something about this version that still continues to capture so many gamers’ hearts.

With Square Enix (then just Square) releasing hit after hit on the PS1 back in the late '90s, it's no surprise RPG classics from other developers were often overlooked. Valkyrie Profile is in the same vein as many PlayStation 1-era RPGs in that it takes advantage of the classic turn-based system and features a diverse mix of both main characters and NPCs. Instead of the traditional steampunk style that evoked most '90s-era RPGs, Valkyrie Profile is based heavily on Norse mythology. In fact, the game includes many of the same characters and themes. With four games in the series, the original is still one of the best.

Many RPGs have combat at the center of their game, but Skies of Arcadia breaks away from the norm by focusing largely on exploration. You play as a group of young pirates, flying around in their airship and trying to stop the evil forces of Valuan Empire, who are conspiring to destroy the world. The combat that is incorporated can be likened to the turn-based systems of Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest. While the game didn't perform well commercially, it got glowing reviews and was well-liked by fans.

The Dungeons & Dragons role-playing system was hugely influential to early RPGs, and this was especially true of Neverwinter Nights. The game's main mechanics were heavily based on D&D's third edition mechanics, including character creation and customization, combat using die rolls, and spell usage. Considering Bioware's original intention in making the game was to create as close to a digital emulation of a pen-and-paper tabletop game as they could, they did a pretty good job.

Falling into the category of classic RPGs, Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium featured all of the makings of traditional role-playing games: exploration, NPC interaction, turn-based combat, and experience points. While some didn't love game's graphics and interface, others find the look of it charming after all these years. Regardless, the gameplay was almost universally lauded as being engaging and strategically satisfying, and isn't that truly what a gameplay experience is about?

Shadowrun was originally a tabletop role-playing game, so this 1994 release for the Sega Genesis was an adaptation of the pre-existing system. An earlier version of the game came out in 1993, but the 1994 version is better known for its more open-world-style gameplay. In this cyberpunk-style adventure, players progress through various missions and improve their character using a point-based system called "Karma." Similar to experience points, players earn Karma by completing various objectives in the game, and can then use those points to improve their character's skills.

Solving the mystery of a strange outbreak on a spooky cyberpunk spaceship? Sign us up. System Shock 2 became an instant classic when it was released in 1999, and launched Ken Levine's career as a famous developer (he would later go on to make the even more famous series, Bioshock). The gameplay consists of exploration, RPG elements where players master various skills, and of course first person shooting. System Shock 2's FPS mechanics were so good, in fact, it revolutionized the industry and in many ways influenced how shooting is incorporated even today in games.

Ultima VII: The Black Gate is yet another title that stands tall as one of the best RPGs ever made, due to its sense of realism and engrossing story. This seventh installment was also a major departure from the entries that came before it in the series, as it did away with a grid-based movement system and introduced a mouse and keyboard interface. The Black Gate was so well-loved by fans and critics alike, it has been released and re-released in twelve different versions over the years.

In a massively multiplayer online role-playing gaming landscape that is so strongly dominated by World of Warcraft, it's hard to imagine any other titles were ever as popular in the genre. However, WoW likely wouldn't exist if it weren't for Everquest, the original 3D fantasy MMORPG. In the game, players explore the world, fighting monsters, delving into dungeons, and claiming loot. Everquest has been so successful, many gamers still play its sequel, which came out in 2004.