The PC has been the home of the role-playing game since the genre began, from isometric party-based classics to sprawling open worlds and a steady stream of mods that keep old games alive. Keyboard, mouse and a flexible hardware range suit the dense menus, tactics and dialogue trees that RPGs depend on. The games below cover the full spread, from turn-based tactics to action-heavy adventures.
1. Baldur's Gate III#
Larian Studios released Baldur's Gate III on PC in August 2023 after a long early access period. Built on Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition rules, it is a turn-based RPG where almost every problem has several solutions, from persuasion to brute force to clever use of the environment. Its companions are written with real personality, and up to four players can play together online. It stands out for how thoroughly the game reacts to your choices. The third act is weaker and less polished than the first two, and the sheer length can overwhelm newcomers.
2. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt#
CD Projekt Red released The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt in May 2015, sending monster hunter Geralt across a huge open world while he searches for his adopted daughter. Its side quests are the real draw, because even small contract jobs have moral choices and consequences. The Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine expansions are so large they feel like separate games. The sword combat and inventory handling can feel stiff compared with newer action RPGs, but the writing, atmosphere and world remain among the best the genre has produced.
3. Elden Ring#
FromSoftware released Elden Ring in February 2022, bringing its demanding combat to an open world for the first time, with world-building contributed by author George R. R. Martin. The Lands Between are built around discovery, with hidden dungeons, optional bosses and a great deal of freedom in the order you explore. Build variety is huge, and summoning spirit allies can ease the toughest fights. The difficulty spikes will push some players away, the story is delivered in fragments, and the PC version had performance issues at launch.
4. Disco Elysium – The Final Cut#
ZA/UM released Disco Elysium in October 2019, and The Final Cut added full voice acting in 2021. You play an amnesiac detective investigating a murder in the run-down district of Martinaise. There is no combat in the traditional sense: your skills argue with you in your head, and every conversation is a test of them. It stands out for its writing and its willingness to let you fail and keep going. It is extremely text-heavy and slow by design, so anyone wanting action should look elsewhere.
5. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33#
Sandfall Interactive released Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 in April 2025, a turn-based RPG inspired by Belle Époque France in which an expedition tries to stop a painted monster from erasing people each year. Combat mixes classic turn-based choices with real-time dodging, parrying and aiming, which keeps every fight active. The art direction, music and emotional story made it a standout debut. The world map is more guided than a true open world, and players who want deep tactical grids may find the combat too reflex-driven.
6. Divinity: Original Sin 2 – Definitive Edition#
Larian Studios released Divinity: Original Sin 2 in 2017, and the Definitive Edition followed in 2018 with reworked story and new content. Its turn-based combat is built around elemental surfaces, where oil burns, water conducts electricity and clever positioning beats raw stats. Up to four players can play through the campaign together, and each origin character has a personal story. It is wonderfully systemic, although the middle chapters drag and the learning curve of the magic system is steep for newcomers.
7. Persona 5 Royal#
Atlus released Persona 5 Royal in Japan in 2019, and it reached PC in October 2022. You live a school year as a student in Tokyo by day and, as a member of the Phantom Thieves, enter the twisted Palaces of corrupt adults by night. The turn-based combat is stylish and quick, and the calendar system of balancing friendships and dungeons keeps the pace compelling. It is a long game, often over a hundred hours, and its slow opening and heavy dialogue will test impatient players.
8. Fallout: New Vegas#
Obsidian Entertainment released Fallout: New Vegas in October 2010, set in the Mojave Desert, where factions fight over a dam and a city. Your reputation with each faction shapes what is possible, and quests can often be solved through speech, stealth or violence. It stands out for its writing, freedom and role-playing depth, and PC modders have kept it going for years. It launched with many bugs, the combat is dated, and the graphics show their age.
9. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn#
BioWare released Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn in September 2000 using the Infinity Engine, with an isometric view and real-time combat that can be paused. It follows the child of Bhaal through the city of Athkatla and beyond, with memorable companions and villains, most famously Jon Irenicus. Its writing and party interaction are still admired. The interface and Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules feel dated, so new players should expect a steep learning curve and a lot of reading.
10. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim#
Bethesda Game Studios released Skyrim in November 2011, placing you in a snowy northern province as the Dragonborn, able to absorb the power of dragons. You are free to join guilds, explore ruins or simply wander, and the world constantly gives you something to stumble upon. On PC, the modding scene has extended its life almost indefinitely. Combat is shallow, dialogue is thin and the game has its share of bugs, but for pure exploration it is hard to beat.
11. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II#
Warhorse Studios released Kingdom Come: Deliverance II in February 2025, continuing the story of Henry in medieval Bohemia. It aims for historical realism, with no magic, a detailed sword combat system and quests that can be solved through skill, speech or stealth. The world feels lived in and the characters are believable. It asks for patience: the combat has a steep learning curve, survival mechanics take time to understand and some bugs remain. Those looking for fantasy will not find it here.
12. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic#
BioWare released Knights of the Old Republic in July 2003 on Xbox and in November 2003 on PC, set thousands of years before the films. You choose light or dark side paths while building a party, and the big reveal in the middle of the story is one of the genre's most famous twists. Its companions, such as HK-47 and Bastila, stand out. The combat is based on dice rolls with pausing, which suits fans of tabletop RPGs, but the graphics and animation look very old today.
13. Mass Effect#
BioWare released Mass Effect on Xbox 360 in November 2007 and on PC in May 2008, following Commander Shepard as a soldier in a galaxy full of aliens. Its strengths are the conversation wheel, the squad of companions and a setting that feels like classic science fiction. Choices made here carry over into later games. The PC version has a more tactical interface. The inventory is clumsy and exploring planets in the Mako vehicle is repetitive, but the main story remains excellent.
14. Dragon Age: Origins#
BioWare released Dragon Age: Origins in November 2009 as a spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate, set in the dark fantasy land of Ferelden. You begin with one of six origin stories, then recruit companions to stop the Blight. The PC version offers a zoomed-out tactical camera, letting you pause and give orders to your party in real time. Its writing and party dynamics hold up well. Combat can be repetitive on easier settings, and the visuals are clearly dated.
15. Undertale#
Toby Fox released Undertale in September 2015, a small pixel-art RPG in which a child falls into an underground world of monsters. Combat is where it shines: you can fight, but you can also talk, spare and show mercy, and the game remembers what you do. The music is memorable and the humor sharp. It is short and visually simple, and the bullet-dodging battle system may frustrate players looking for a traditional, stat-driven RPG.
16. Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines#
Troika Games released Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines in November 2004, a first-person RPG set in modern Los Angeles, where you play a newly made vampire. You choose a clan, each with unique abilities and ways of playing, and quests are heavy on dialogue and atmosphere. It stands out for its writing and sense of place. It shipped in a buggy state, and the combat and late game are weaker than the start, so players usually install the unofficial fan patch.