Wccftech’s Best Role-Playing Games of 2025 – Another Incredible Year

Roleplaying games have been on an incredible winning streak lately. 2024 was a monumental year thanks to the release of some very high-quality games, but 2025 has managed to keep that momentum going, proving that we are living in a golden age for RPGs. From long-awaited sequels that finally delivered on a decade of hype to new IPs that left their mark on the genre with involving narratives and engaging gameplay, this year was another filled with quality releases.

Because of this rich release line-up, narrowing this list down to just five games was more difficult than ever. Whether it was the revival of a cult classic, the perfection of a tactical formula, or a sprawling open world that actually felt lived-in, the RPGs of 2025 will be remembered for years to come.

Other Best Games of 2025 per Category:Action, Fighting Games, Sports & Racing

In our Best Games of 2025 and Most Anticipated of 2026 Awards story, you can learn which games our staff and the community won in the polls!

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (9.5)

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 came out of nowhere. Developed by Sandfall Interactive, an unproven game development studio based in France, the game blew RPG enjoyers all over the world out of the water with its modernization of the classic turn-based JRPG formula.

Featuring one of the best stories and characters in years, a challenging combat system incorporating action game elements for enhanced interactivity, and a soundtrack that makes every sequence memorable, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 quickly became a smashing success, its high quality recognized by the entire industry with the Game of the Year award at this year's The Game Awards.

All the praise the game received is absolutely deserved, as I noted in my review: Before launch, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 looked like a solid yet safe role-playing game, but Sandfall Interactive’s debut shattered expectations in the best possible way. With a gripping story, a beautifully written cast of characters, and engaging gameplay that breathes new life into familiar mechanics, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a journey that leaves a lasting mark on both the mind and the heart.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (10)

Despite being a little rough around the edges, the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance quickly became the open-world RPG to play for those looking to live a medieval life in a living, breathing digital world. Topping this was a difficult task, but Warhorse Studios not only met expectations but also exceeded them with Kingdom Come: Deliverance II.

The continuation of Henry of Skalitz's story not only impresses with the refinement of many of the mechanics seen in the original, or with the sheer size of the new 15th-century Bohemia map (almost double that of the first game), but with its density. The game is chock-full of little events, NPCs' reactions, discoveries, and easter eggs, making it easy to lose oneself in what, to date, is the most lively open-world seen in role-playing games.

In his review of the game, Chris Wray could only praises such an excellent RPG: "Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is a resounding success, delivering one of the most believable game worlds ever, layered with compelling quests, small and large alike, and enhancing the already interesting systems introduced in the original. With multiple systems layered to immerse you in the game, as well as an intriguing story and excellent polish, it makes for one of the more captivating open world RPGs."

Elden Ring Nightreign (9)

Following the immense success of Elden Ring, there was little doubt that the open-world game would become the first entry in a series, much like the original Dark Souls. While a sequel has yet to be announced, the franchise was expanded in a rather unexpected way with Elden Ring Nightreign.

On paper, FromSoftware's new foray into a multiplayer-focused experience does not sound particularly compelling, as a shrinking playable zone and resetting character progression seem to be completely antithetical to the Souls series formula. However, this combination of high-speed gameplay, co-op, and roguelite mechanics comes together extremely well, making the game a showcase of how to leverage an established experience to offer something different.

I wasn't really convinced about the game before release, but after playing, I was hopelessly hooked, as I wrote in my review: Elden Ring: Nightreign is one of the most unique titles ever developed by FromSoftware, and arguably one of their best to date. Adapting the traditionally slow-paced Souls formula into a fast-paced, co-op-focused experience with roguelike elements was no easy feat, but the Japanese studio has fully delivered, once again proving why they remain masters of their craft.

Avowed (8.8)

Following the release of the Pillars of Eternity series, its world of Eora was expanded with Avowed, a first-person role-playing game developed by Obsidian Entertainment to a high standard.

Set in a remote corner of the world to make the experience welcoming for newcomers, Avowed's strength lies in its narrative elements, rooted in the great writing the studio is known for. Gameplay still delivers with solid combat and progression system, but lacks the same vibrancy of other open-world RPGs like The Elder Scrolls series, whose fifth entry Skyrim served as originally inspiration for the game, before its scope was toned down.

All of these elements come together well, making for a marked step forward from The Outer Worlds, as Alessio Palumbo noted in his review: Avowed marks a significant step up for Obsidian compared to The Outer Worlds. The game retains the studio's signature excellent writing and narrative while improving the combat (especially the challenge level) and providing a lot of great content to go through. The visuals and performance are also praiseworthy. There are a few shortcomings, but if you're a fan of Western RPGs, you don't want to miss Avowed. It may have started as a spin-off, but it could go on to be the main series in Eora.

Monster Hunter Wilds (9.5)

Following the success of Monster Hunter World, expectations were high for Monster Hunter Wilds, especially for those who preferred World's approach to the series' gameplay over the much more action-oriented approach of Monster Hunter Rise.

Although the community feels that these expectations were not met at launch, it's undeniable that Monster Hunter Wilds does most of what it sets out to do well. The open-world setting streamlines some of the series staples without dumbing them down, while the addition of Focus Mode helps hunters target certain monster body parts with every weapon type and makes hunts against some of the best-designed monsters in the series more spectacular than ever with the addition of a Wounds system.

With most of the launch complaints addressed in post-launch updates, Monster Hunter Wilds is now in a better state than at launch, and is now even more worthy of experiencing, as I highlighted in my review: Monster Hunter Wilds is the natural evolution of the formula introduced in Monster Hunter World, and one of the best entries in the series. While veterans may find the lower challenge level noticeable, and performance could definitely be better on PC, the improved onboarding and accessibility, a surprisingly engaging main campaign, excellent map and monster design, and refined combat make this entry a must-play for both newcomers and seasoned Hunters alike.

Honorable Mentions

As mentioned above, picking only five among the many excellent RPGs released in 2025 was a challenging task. The games below may not have made it in the main ranking, but they all deserve to be mentioned among the best RPGs released in the past 12 months for how they innovated the formulas of their predecessors or for how they restored and modernized some of the best classic games ever released.

• Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles
• Octopath Traveler 0
• SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered
• Pokemon Legends: Z-A
• Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter
• Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune And Dunan Unification Wars
• Dragon Quest I&II HD-2D Remake
• Digimon Story: Time Stranger
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
• The Outer Worlds 2
• Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition
• Tales of Graces f Remastered

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