2015 was a few years into the PS4, Xbox One and Wii U console generation. Some of these consoles were more successful than others, but it was a good year overall. It seems like yesterday, but a decade has passed and a whole new generation of consoles has been launched.
Among these consoles are a plethora of RPGs that helped shape the last decade with its innovative mechanics and storytelling. They may even be some of the best RPGs of the last twenty years and will probably remain timeless for years to come. They each have deep stories, amazing battles, and intricate missions, aka, the whole package. Across a plethora of consoles, these are the RPGs from the past decade that fans can't miss.
Baldur's Gate 3
Third times the charm
Baldur's Gate fans would probably have been happy with a game similar to the spiritual successors that Pillar of Eternity. It's a good game, but the budget and design stay very close to where PC RPGs like Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn stood in 2000.
However, the fans were treated to something completely beyond expectations Baldur's Gate 3. The story is moving and offers dozens of branching paths, the characters are easy to relate to, the gameplay is challenging and filled with options to manipulate characters and the environment both in and out of combat, and so on. The overall gameplay was worth the wait, and it's easily one of the most comprehensive DnD simulators ever made.
Undertale
Celebrating exactly ten years of subversion
Undertale turned ten in 2025 and is still talked about with a kind of quiet reverence. This RPG subverted the genre by encouraging players to talk to monsters instead of fighting them, and doing so would completely reshape the story.
With a suite of catchy music, wild characters and an innovative game system, Undertale easily stands out from the rest of the RPG crowd. What's most amazing is that it was developed in the first place by one person, Toby Fox, who has become an indie icon.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Already ten years?
It's hard to believe that The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is already ten years old, as it still feels incredibly relevant thanks to its dedicated community and continued reference by players as one of the most expansive open world games on the market.
It's one of the most well-rounded RPGs of all time, with engaging quests that actually lead to interesting outcomes, dynamic combat with visceral swordplay and magic, and the overall story is nothing to scoff at either. The world is huge, easily taking players a hundred or more hours to thoroughly explore, and none of it ever feels frivolous.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
The first FRPG
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one of the indie darlings of 2025 despite looking and playing like a AAA game. This French developer, Sandfall Interactive, gave it their all in creating an homage to classic RPGs of the past while creating something all their own.
It's a deeply affecting story full of loss and corruption, but it never hesitates to say something funny at times either. The turn-based combat is engaging due to the unique active counter system, and it finally brought the world maps back to prominence without relying on an open world design. It also has one of the best final levels in any video game, one that will stick with players for a long, long time.
Diablo 4
Get the party started
A good multiplayer RPG needs to be celebrated, and Diablo 4 is just the game to earn that recognition. It launched in 2023, and Blizzard is still updating it with seasonal content to keep players coming back for more.
Alone or with friends, this top-down action RPG has one of the deepest skill trees of any Diablo game, giving players plenty of reasons to try the classes again and start new playthroughs. The new open world design is also innovative for the series, and the story is the best in years, with a truly diabolical antagonist, Lilith.
Persona 5
Live your best high school life
It's been a long time since a new one Persona the game launched, which Persona 5 premiered in 2017 in North America and has kept the franchise in the gaming conversation ever since. Atlus has helped with various spin-offs – some canon, some not – along with other games not directly connected to Persona 5.
Suffice it to say, Persona 5 sent the series to new heights thanks to many factors, including a cool story that highlights Palace-based conquests, great stylized menus, interesting characters, a great jazz fusion soundtrack, and an overall style that no turn-based RPG has matched since.
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
The Hawaiian Adventure
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the first full game in the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series to feature a campaign entirely in the United States, specifically Hawaii. While fans of the series will get the most out of the story, it's an easy game to digest thanks to all the lore dumps that will help newbies along the way.
All new fans really needed to know is that ex-gangsters have banded together to take down the real thugs in Hawaii through turn-based gameplay, which is a very straightforward description. It's wildly over-the-top and hard to put down thanks to its amazing job system and a slew of wacky side quests.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
A return to form
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is the best game Final Fantasy franchise has been putting out since maybe the PS2 era. It brought back so much of what fans loved about the franchise, and as a remake it could have easily dialed it in and still been successful.
Instead, Square Enix doubled down on the action combat from Final Fantasy 7 Remakeloaded the open world with quirky side quests and mini-games that would make any fan sing their praises, and so much more. It will be interesting to see about the last part of this Final Fantasy the remake trilogy will end with a bang or about Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth will be the highlight, as a Final Fantasy 7 version of The Empire strikes back.
Dragon Quest 11: Echoes Of An Elusive Age
A blast from the past
Dragon Quest 11: Echoes of an Elusive Age is another amazing home run from Square Enix, this time from their other long-running JRPG franchise.
It felt like a comforting RPG when it was released in North America in 2018. It doesn't do much to innovate on the franchise, but it's a solid turn-based RPG that boasts a long campaign and unique visuals. For many fans, that's all they really need from one Dragon Quest game.
Sea Of Stars
Relive the golden age
Sea of stars is another indie tribute to the past. The developers, Sabotage Studio, took inspiration from the active turn-based system of games like Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars and the world map design of Chrono Trigger, and used it to great effect.
Also like Chrono Triggerall characters can perform combo moves to make the battles even more engaging. With pitch-perfect pixel art graphics, Sea of stars would have been a classic of the SNES era, and it still stands tall as an excellent RPG today.
