Role-playing games have been important to the very fabric of video games over the last two decades. The emergence of Western role-playing games in terms of mass appeal has led to the development of some of the industry’s best games.
With the recent release of the Xbox Series X and PS5, fans are anticipating the latest releases in the genre. Over the years, though, what stands out as the best of the bunch when you look back in time? Let’s take a look at the 10 best Western role-playing games of all-time, according to Metacritic.
10 Fallout 3 (93)
Hindsight is an interesting thing when it comes to the Fallout franchise. Fallout 3 launched in 2008 and laid a new foundation for what Western open-world role-playing games could be. Despite it having a Metacritic score of 93, some fans would argue that Fallout: New Vegas is the best in the series. The excellence of Fallout 3 hurt Bethesda Game Studios considering the release of Fallout 4 was met with the sentiment of it being more of what Fallout 3 was, but failing to innovate or deliver something that felt fresh and new.
9 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (93)
Though The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has a higher Metacritic score than The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s of 93, it has its place in video game history. Many critics believe CD Projekt Red’s third entry in their beloved franchise modernized the Western RPG formula Bethesda had popularized. Reviews will show that the game launched with some bugs and combat issues, but ended up having some of the best post-launch content expansions the industry had ever seen, as well as its commitment to meaningful side quests.
8 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (94)
Over the last 10-15 years, the state of Star Wars video games had been in a rough place until recently. It’s hard to imagine that’s the case when fans received two amazing Western RPG titles from Bioware and Obsidian Entertainment titled Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 1 & 2.
Fans have been yearning for either a third entry in the franchise or a ground-up remake of the original. The original stands with a Metacritic score of 94, a score most fans would argue is a little low.
7 Divinity: Original Sin (94)
The original Divinity: Origin Sin’s excellence has been masked in recent years due to the success of its sequel, but it was no slouch when it was released in 2014. The enhanced version of the game improved the initial release in a lot of ways and released a year later in 2015. That version of the game was received quite well and stands at a score of 94 on Metacritic. With both entries in the series being genre-defining, fans can’t wait to see what Larian Studios has in store for the third entry in the series.
6 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Blood & Wine (94)
Some may consider the addition of an expansion to be a little odd, but the Blood & Wine DLC for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was so expansive and content-heavy that it felt like a game all on its own. It managed to review on an average higher than the main game and landed with a Metacritic score of 94. Those who loved the base game consider the Blood & Wine DLC to be essential to the experience and with a score that high it’s hard to argue with their sentiment in the matter.
5 The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (94)
The Xbox 360 feels like a lifetime ago at this point, but at the time the record-breaking Microsoft console saw hit after hit land on the machine. Most gamers remember seeing The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion debut on the cover of GameInformer as it was being marketed as the must-own next-gen title at the time. Bethesda Game Studios didn’t disappoint and Obsidian managed to build on the legacy of the series and ended up securing a Metacritic score of 94, which helped sell Xbox 360 consoles.
4 Divinity: Original Sin II (95)
Not often do the first two entries in a franchise review exceptionally well, but Divinity: Original Sin happens to be the exception. Not only did Divinity Original Sin II review very well, its Metacritic average of 95 surpassed the original entry in the series which is no easy feat.
The sequel was released in 2017 and was developed by the same studio who made the first entry, Larian Studios. It allowed players to truly role-play and experiment, leading to experiences that felt custom and unique, adding to the overall adventure.
3 Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn (95)
Baldur’s Gate 3 is set to release in 2021, but the second installment in the franchise is the reason the newest entry is so hotly anticipated. Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn released in 2000 on PC and established the franchise as the premier Western RPG series at the time. The game’s biggest strengths were its writing and the vastness of activities players had at their fingertips. The graphics and sound design for the time were also stellar, leading to a Metacritic score from reviewers of 95.
2 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (96)
1 Mass Effect 2 (96)
Mass Effect 2 is an action RPG developed by Bioware and released in 2010. Many critics consider it to be one of the best video games of all-time and according to Metacritic it is the highest reviewed Western RPG ever to grace the site. The sequel took many of the hardcore RPG elements and melded them with strong third-person action gameplay. It was praised for its story-telling and characters, with its major criticism pointing at a lackluster final boss players must overcome in order to come out victorious.
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