Greatest CRPG Masterpieces Of All Time, Ranked

When it comes to RPGs in the 90s and beyond, some believe the golden era was not on consoles but on computers. For Western-made games, that fact was undeniably true. As the decades have gone on, the age of the CRPG has slowly died as the bigger RPGs have become more console-focused.

Even though accessibility is important, there’s no denying the thrill of a good immersive CRPG with solid point and click controls and in-depth systems from dialogue choices to stat progression. There have been some good CRPGs since the 90s, and all of these games will be ranked based on cultural impact, lasting appeal, and the various systems found within, from The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall to Disco Elysium.

Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.

Easy (5)
Medium (7)
Hard (10)

Start

Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.

Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)Start

10

Jagged Alliance 2

Mercenary Kings

Most RPGs are fantasy-based, but Jagged Alliance 2 bucks the trend by being a mercenary-based tactical game. Players can create their mercenary army, go on missions, get cash, and expand their forces to take on more difficult assignments.

Fans of the Just Cause or Mercenaries franchises may appreciate this more strategic takedown of similar gameplay styles. While not as flashy as those games, the customization options and the thrill of a plan coming together still make Jagged Alliance 2 fun decades later.

Ahead Of Its Time

For some fans of The Elder Scrolls, The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall is when the series peaked, and for a 1996 MS-DOS game, it was way ahead of its time. The game was absolutely massive, and players could create their character, choose their homeland, class, and then basically go wherever they wanted.

Combat was, and still is, basic, but the leveling system was deep, as everything players did mattered. Best of all, players could treat it as a life-sim by buying boats, property, and the whole nine yards, making it more than just a run-of-the-mill RPG.

8

Fallout 2

Before It Became A First-Person Franchise

Fallout 2 was a greatly expanded game over the original, which took place decades after it, but still featured Vault 13 prominently, along with a remixed world and some returning characters. The RPG elements, inventory, and companions were better implemented, giving players more to rely on as they explored the deserts of this post-apocalyptic RPG.

Unlike the newer Fallout games, combat was slowed down in Fallout 2 with a tactical edge, and it was also much more difficult than the previous entry. With patience and spamming save states, 1998 players got through one of the more memorable stories in the franchise, even if the final showdown was not as majestic.

7

Disco Elysium

Words Have Meaning

Disco Elysium is the thinking man’s RPG for those who wish to solve conflicts with words rather than swords. As a detective, players have to solve a murder mystery, but like any good narrative, it goes way beyond a simple culprit.

Every important dialogue decision will have a success rating, and getting higher dice roles and better skills can make NPCs answer more favorably in the player’s favor. If things go poorly, it’s important to roll with the punches and lean into the story that plays out.

6

Dragon Age: Origins

BioWare’s Fantasy Epic

Dragon Age: Origins was in a bit of a pickle for a while as it took some time to come out, but when it did, it had the BioWare stamp of success written all over it. Players could choose their race, class, and starting origin, with every one of them culminating in a quest involving being recruited by a group called the Grey Wardens.

As a new member, players were tasked with mounting an army to stop a chaotic dragon force from killing everyone, and like all good BioWare games, players got to decide the story for themselves with dialogue options. Character customization was deep, the story choices mattered, and the tactical MMO-style of combat worked much better in the PC version compared to consoles, thanks to the zoomed-out camera option.

5

Pillars Of Eternity

Pillars of Eternity is an homage to the past, which Obsidian Entertainment lovingly developed. While console versions eventually appeared, they all pale in comparison to the PC version, which gives players greater control over the top-down view of their characters. This sprawling RPG has a lot of text that must be read, meaning it is a much better experience using a monitor up close.

Also, players can grab their characters and pause the menu quicker between the MMO-style auto-combat, which is a must because things are pretty challenging even in large parties. It’s a big world with a lot of choices and gear, and thankfully, Obsidian Entertainment nailed the narrative and gave players a brand new fantasy world to fall in love with in a modern CRPG.

4

Planescape: Torment

The Nameless One

Planescape: Torment is another RPG where words matter, but there is combat if players choose to. Players awaken as an immortal being with amnesia and have to find their answers through a labyrinth of areas that look like they were designed by H.R. Giger.

With high charisma, players can get out of the most dire circumstances, and getting that perfect roll is what players in 1999 loved about the game the most. While the visual style is older and the interface is not as clean as modern games, there aren’t many classics that have a dialogue system like Planescape: Torment or a story as engrossing once things start cooking.

3

Deus Ex

A Cyberpunk Deep Dive

Deus Ex redefined what an RPG could be in 2000, featuring a cyberpunk world where players fought in real time, shooting terrorists for the safety of the future. Players assumed the role of a cyborg, JC Denton, and they could build his character in several ways with cybernetics, making him strong in various stats, including lockpicking, electronics, swimming, and so on.

This lets players approach missions in open-ended ways, so that even though the game was shorter, there was a lot of replay value. While the sequels and other cyberpunk games have expanded on what this immersive RPG started, there’s still nothing quite like this first Deus Ex experience.

2

Diablo 2

The Ultimate Co-Op RPG

Diablo 2 was a big improvement over the original game in almost every way, and it was a classic on PC between updates and expansions for over a decade. There were more classes to choose from at the start, the skill trees were expanded, the loot system mattered more, and there were more areas to explore beyond just Tristram and the one dungeon.

The story got an upgrade as well, with Blizzard adding more context between the powers of Heaven and Hell and how humans are constantly getting caught in the crossfire. Even when Diablo 3 launched, some players preferred this game over the sequel, and that goes true for the remake and even Diablo 4, as the gameplay loop was just that good in Diablo 2.

1

Baldur’s Gate 3

A Modern Classic

Baldur’s Gate 3 is a modern marvel that takes everything from the past and modernizes it for a new generation. There’s character customization, including gender, race, and classes, all of which can affect dialogue choices, which can branch out the story.

The tactical gameplay is not flashy, but it is satisfying to pull off the perfect strategy using the party’s abilities of stealth, weapon prowess, and magic, and with a PC interface, it is easier to control. The amount of hours it takes is astounding, but even better, it never gets old. For a Dungeons & Dragons game to be as compelling in hour one as it is in hour eighty takes some talent, and the pace of Baldur’s Gate 3 is unmatched.