So you want to start playing RPG video games? There are hundreds of brilliant games to play! But that is super overwhelming, you might have jumped into something where you just don’t know where to start… It happens. So here are some RPGs to help you on your role playing game journey.
What is an RPG Video Game?
Role Playing Games prioritize three things, character, narrative and combat style. They’re to take you on great adventures, explore worlds and meet characters. You play as a character going on an adventure, leveling up skills and adventuring through a new world. RPGs come in many forms, there are JRPGs, turn-based, rogue-likes, soulslikes… There’s a lot of sub-genres. It can be super overwhelming. The main difference is how the combat works
Video games have logic
But why can’t you just dive into Baldur’s Gate 3 or Cyberpunk 2077? You can. But there are actually certain skills involved with video games. If you’re playing a 3D game, you’re usually controlling the camera, character and need an awareness of what’s around you. It’s a lot for beginners. Increasingly games don’t explain basics of controls to you and RPGs fall into this. Regular players don’t want these tutorials but for new players, the learning curve can be very steep. There is also a logic to video games that developers and designers rely on, but it isn’t explicit. A common example of this is repeated markings on cliff edges to show the player that they can be climbed. Musical motifs to indicate an attack or visual flares to alert you to an enemy. You also get indications through musical motifs and other visuals to help you get good at the game. You learn these the first time you play a game, but you need to know to look for them.
This list of RPGs is starting with very beginner games to more challenging games. Difficulty options and accessibility have factored into this list too.
Best RPGs for Beginners
Pokémon – Your First RPG
Pokémon has been a world-class RPG since it began in the ’90s with Pokémon Red and Green. This was many people’s first ever game never mind role-playing game. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are remakes of the 2006 DS games Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl. It’s a much loved generation and a great introduction to the Pokemon world. Also, Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green have just been brought to the Nintendo Switch, so if you want the truly original experience they are now more accessible on Nintendo’s consoles. Pokémon introduces a range of mechanics found throughout RPGs, levelling up systems, exploration, turn-based battle systems and a narrative driven adventure. Pokémon is the classic starting place for a reason, but can be seen a bit basic for more hardcore players.
Check out the official website here
Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door / Origami King
This is a different from your usual Mario experience. Paper Mario has more narrative, adventure through a world and fun characters with their own little lives. Origami King, the newest entry in the series, is a great place to start. The combat for veteran fans has been criticised as simple compared to others in the series. The other option on Switch systems is Thousand Year Door, which is a remake from the Nintendo GameCube. Thousand Year Door is a favorite that is often considered the gold star Paper Mario game. It’s known for fun, silly dialogue and in contexts you never see Mario characters in. The remake is gorgeous and full of life, a favorite in the genre as well as highly regarded Mario adventure. Check it out on Nintendo’s website here
The Legend of Zelda
One of Nintendo’s biggest franchises is The Legend of Zelda, and it is an RPG. They’re great games. If you want to get into RPGs try a Zelda game. If you’re a beginner to RPGs I wouldn’t start with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. While it has been a great beginner point for many, there can be too much freedom and the feeling of ‘what do I do?’, learning what to do comes with developing the video game logic you get with more experience. Starting out with RPGs I would recommend The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, Skyward Sword or Link’s Awakening. They’re more guided, fun adventures with plenty of exploration and puzzles and kooky characters that the series is known for. Nintendo does well to make their games accessible to new players so if you fancy it DIVE IN to the world of Breath of the Wild or THE Zelda game, Ocarina of Time.
Take a look at available Legend of Zelda games on Nintendo Switch and other consoles here
Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley is considered an RPG life simulation game. There isn’t a strict narrative in this game other than you have left corporate life to take over your Grandfather’s farm. In doing so you move to a small town and help to rebuild the community, establishing relationships, getting married and exploring caves. Stardew Valley has become a beloved game by many, it’s casual and isn’t going to take all of your brain power, but will give you a taste of skill trees systems. With exploration elements, collectables and small town mysteries to solve, Stardew has everything a new gamer could want from an RPG life sim. You can take the whole game at your own pace and it’s available on every console and the most cost effect game on this list.
Find out where to play Stardew Valley here or take a look at the Steam page here
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Fire-Emblem is a long running series published by Nintendo, with a strategy based combat system and newer iterations having more and more complex social systems this game is a great step into more complex worlds. Don’t be frightened by the strategy elements. Fire Emblem works on a ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors’ based system: Swords beat axes, axes beat lances, and lances beat swords. Three Houses has lots of re-playability with three factions with different narratives and characters for you to meet and get to know. It’s the most popular in the franchise for a reason. If you enjoy character arcs and relationship development in your games then Three Houses is a great one to sink your teeth into. There’s plenty to explore outside of the main combat and narrative, so you absolutely can get your money’s worth.
Find a cutie and take them for tea before charging head-first into battle, check out Fire Emblem Three Houses here
Persona 5 Royale
If you want a game that feels like you’re in an anime, Persona is the one for you. Even for non-anime fans it’s a brilliant adventure. With character relationships to develop, you’re exploring areas of Japan, real-world-esque bad guys to defeat and narratives that will pull at your heart strings. The music is brilliant, the exploration is great, you can tailor your team’s abilities and skill sets. It’s a longer adventure and has more complex elements if you choose to interact with them. You also go to school and have a part-time job while dealing with corruption throughout Japan. The Persona series is considered a JRPG, this means that it takes on stylised traditionally Japanese anime style graphics, there are fixed narratives that you follow, some agency around character relationships.
To find out more about Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royale, check out the official site here
Trials of Mana
The Mana series is as old as video games themselves. The Trials of Mana is a 3D remake of the 1995 original (then titled) Seiken Densetsu 3, it didn’t release in Europe or North America so Trials of Mana was it’s first world wide release. In Trials of Mana you still follow the stories of 3 out of the 6 characters, you learn their stories and form a team on a quest to save the Mana tree. Trials of Mana is fully voice acted and does have some quick combat tricks which it gently introduces you too. With plenty of spells and skills, you can make the characters your own while going on a journey that follows a set path from different openings. It’s got fairy magical whimsy without as many adult topics as some of the others coming up on this list. It’s a great stepping stone into multi-quest RPGs with more complex combat systems.
Check out the official Square Enix website for Trials of Mana here
Final Fantasy VII Remake
The most loved in the Final Fantasy franchise. These characters originally were very angular in the original on the PS1, but in the Remake they have been given HD graphics and an expansive world compared to the original. This game’s combat might be more complex but the story and characters are worth it. If you’ve not played a 3D RPG before, the control system may take some getting used with new battle systems. FFVII Remake is a beloved classic with so much new life and drama thrown in. If this is your entrance into 3D RPGs, this might have a steep learning curve but will be worth it. Also this game is continually getting expanded as its no longer restricted by the technology of its original release so there’s a huge world and adventure for you to dive into if you love the base game.
Check out Final Fantasy VII, in all of its forms, here
Fallout: New Vegas
Have you watched the TV show and want to try out the games? New Vegas has been the entry point. Fallout New Vegas got accessible difficulty settings and has a linear story that you can do at your own pace. The world is big and you can wander off and do side quests if you want to. There’s no wrong way to play. It’s got a few different endings so you can start to make choices in your RPG’s narrative. The map was designed to be a beginner point, so it’s intended to not overwhelm players in the same way other open world games do. Guidance for players is there when you need it, but isn’t required. Fallout New Vegas may also have some locations you recognize from Season 2 of the Amazon Prime Fallout series, it’s perfect for fans of the show.
Find out where you can play Fallout New Vegas here
Skyrim
The all mighty RPG. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has been played and talked about since its original release on the Xbox 360. Skyrim is a medieval fantasy game that has captured hearts for generations. Everything is chasing after the white knuckle grip Skyrim had on an entire generation. There is a lot of player agency in Skyrim, you need to be comfortable finding the adventure and quests yourself in this game. Managing your quests and weapons is all up to you. It’s a brilliant adventure but definitely for people who have got to grips with RPG mechanics in general or are prepared for the steep learning curve. It’s like Game of Thrones if you’re all of the characters and constantly get distracted from the main quest.
Discover where you can play Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim here
Will you play your first RPG?
Role Playing Games are great games and there are so many types of RPGs there will be something for you. But they do come with a certain logic or stamina that can be difficult for casual players or people new to video games. Increasingly RPGs do have difficulty settings that can make them more player friendly, while others stay at one difficulty mode. More entry level RPGs still have brilliant adventures, world and fantastic characters so you’re not settling for less by any means. And reminder that you can do what you want, if you want to dive into CyberPunk 2077 – you can! You might struggle to start with as even for RPG fans and open world fans, some games are still overwhelming upfront.
Let us know what your recommendation is for people who want to get into RPG adventures.
