The role-playing game genre has consistently captivated players with its immersive worlds, intricate character development, and compelling narratives. The sheer variety within the genre, encompassing everything from sprawling open-world adventures to strategic turn-based experiences, ensures a broad appeal.
However, this abundance of choice can often make it challenging for players to identify the truly exceptional titles worthy of their time and investment. This report aims to alleviate that challenge by presenting a curated list of the top 5 RPGs that have recently been released and have garnered significant critical acclaim.
The selection process prioritizes games released primarily in 2024 and early 2025, with a strong emphasis on their reception from respected gaming publications and aggregators, including Metacritic, IGN, and GameSpot. While review scores serve as a crucial indicator of quality, the recommendations also consider factors such as innovative gameplay mechanics, the strength of their narratives, and their overall impact on the genre.
The Pinnacle of RPGs in 2024/ Early 2025
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
This substantial expansion to the critically lauded Elden Ring, available on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms, has redefined the standard for downloadable content. Developer FromSoftware has packed an entire game’s worth of content into this package, introducing a vast new area within the Lands Between to explore, alongside a wealth of new weapons, armor, and even combat styles like martial arts.
This addition not only expands upon the already massive world of Elden Ring but also enriches its established lore and deep narrative, offering new layers to the backstories of pivotal characters like Queen Marika and Miquella. True to FromSoftware’s reputation, Shadow of the Erdtree presents a challenging yet immensely rewarding gameplay experience, demanding patience and skill from players as they navigate its treacherous landscapes and confront formidable foes.
The expansion has been almost universally praised for its expansive scope and its successful enhancement of nearly every aspect that made the original Elden Ring such a phenomenon upon its release in 2022. IGN went so far as to award Shadow of the Erdtree a perfect 10 out of 10, specifically highlighting its exceptional world design and the profound sense of discovery it offers players as they uncover its many secrets.
This level of critical acclaim is further underscored by its impressive Metascore of 94, indicating widespread recognition as a must-play title, especially for enthusiasts of FromSoftware’s distinctive brand of action RPG.
The significant volume of content and the overwhelmingly positive critical response position Shadow of the Erdtree as more than just typical DLC; it stands as a standalone contender for the title of top RPG of the year, offering an experience comparable in depth and breadth to a full game release.
Its nomination for Game of the Year by IGN at the 2024 awards further solidifies its impact and quality.
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Metaphor: ReFantazio, available on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, represents a captivating foray into high fantasy from the acclaimed developer Atlus. While drawing some familiar elements from Atlus’s renowned Persona series, such as a daily calendar system and social simulation aspects, Metaphor distinguishes itself with a unique setting and a compelling narrative centered around a thrilling tale of succession.
The game masterfully blends time-management with refined turn-based combat, creating a gameplay loop that is both engaging and strategically deep. Beyond its mechanics, Metaphor delves into profound themes, including racism, inequality, religious extremism, and the abuse of power, presenting a powerful and surprisingly flexible fantasy world with a well-realized cast of comrades.
The narrative emphasizes the virtues of empathy, kindness, and strength in the face of overwhelming fear and hatred, resonating deeply with contemporary societal challenges. IGN recognized Metaphor: ReFantazio as their pick for the best game of 2024, lauding its philosophical musings and its exceptional execution across all its elements.
Similarly, GameSpot bestowed upon it their Game of the Year award for 2024, acknowledging its deep and thought-provoking story and its remarkable relevance to the political unrest, growing inequality, fear, and discord prevalent in the modern world.
This widespread critical adoration is reflected in its impressive Metascore of 94, signifying its status as an exceptionally high-quality title. Further testament to its excellence, Metaphor: ReFantazio won the Best RPG category at The Game Awards 2024 and received a nomination for Game of the Year from IGN.
The strong narrative focus and thematic depth, coupled with its polished gameplay and stylish presentation featuring beautiful character designs and a memorable musical score, have firmly established Metaphor: ReFantazio as a standout RPG of the year.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
As the highly anticipated middle chapter in the reimagined Final Fantasy VII saga, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth for the PlayStation 5 takes players on an expansive journey beyond the confines of Midgar. This beautiful and ambitious sequel offers players dozens upon dozens of hours of gameplay as they delve deeper into the stories of the iconic heroes and villains of the Final Fantasy VII universe.
The game features a vast open world to explore, filled with numerous side quests and activities that enrich the player’s experience and provide a deeper connection to the world. While some critics noted occasional pacing issues due to filler content, the overall experience is lauded for its impressive recreation of the original world, evoking a strong sense of nostalgia for long-time fans while also introducing new elements and narrative twists.
The musical motifs from the original game are masterfully interwoven, enhancing the emotional impact of key moments and creating a sense of wistfulness. IGN recognized Final Fantasy VII Rebirth as a runner-up for their best RPG of 2024 award, praising its significant expansion of the original game’s world and its compelling development of beloved characters.
The game’s critical success is further validated by its high Metascore of 92. User reviews also highlight the engaging story, the depth of the characters and their interactions, the emotional resonance of the cutscenes, and the overall fun and strategic nature of the battle system.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth received nominations for Game of the Year and won the award for Best Narrative at The Game Awards 2024, underscoring its significant contribution to the RPG landscape. The game successfully strikes a balance between honoring the legacy of the original while boldly reimagining its story and gameplay for a new generation.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
The latest installment in the Yakuza series, now known as Like a Dragon, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, available on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, continues the franchise’s evolution into a full-fledged JRPG with turn-based combat. Building upon the foundation laid by its predecessor, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Infinite Wealth further strengthens its JRPG design while wholeheartedly embracing the series’ characteristic absurdity and offering an extensive array of extra modes and activities for players to enjoy.
The game features another engrossing story centered around the charismatic protagonist Ichiban Kasuga, who finds himself stranded on the beaches of Hawaii, leading to a unique blend of familiar Yakuza elements in an exotic new setting. Despite the sunny locale, IGN noted that the game delves into surprisingly weighty themes of family, legacy, and the passage of time.
A significant draw for long-time fans is the teaming up of Ichiban with the series’ original protagonist, Kazuma Kiryu, creating a compelling dynamic and a sense of legacy. The game’s detailed recreation of Waikiki serves as a vibrant backdrop for its many unpredictable substories and activities. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth garnered a strong critical reception, evidenced by its Metascore of 89.
IGN recognized it as a runner-up for their best RPG of 2024 award, praising its engrossing narrative and the effective pairing of its two main characters. The game received a nomination for Best Narrative at The Game Awards 2024, further highlighting its storytelling prowess.
Infinite Wealth continues to successfully blend the series’ signature blend of engaging narrative, quirky humor, and now refined JRPG mechanics, appealing to both established fans and newcomers to the franchise.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Bringing a beloved classic to a new generation, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is a high-definition remake of the original GameCube title, exclusively available on the Nintendo Switch. The original game was renowned for its delightful papercraft visuals, which have been lovingly preserved and enhanced in this remake, ensuring they feel just as charming and unique today as they did twenty years ago.
This remake offers a stunning return to Mario’s turn-based RPG roots, with only minor tweaks made to the original formula, allowing players to experience the game as it was intended but with a fresh coat of visual polish. The gameplay retains the original’s engaging blend of turn-based combat, platforming elements, and a whimsical story filled with memorable characters. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door received positive critical reception, earning a Metascore of 88. Reviews praised the remake for successfully retaining the charm and engaging gameplay of the original while significantly enhancing its visual presentation.
User reviews on platforms like GameFAQs further attest to the game’s enduring popularity and its continued ability to provide a highly enjoyable RPG experience. While not a contender for major awards in 2024 due to its status as a remake, its enduring appeal and the positive reception of this updated version underscore the timeless quality of classic RPGs and the value of well-executed remasters.
Other Notable RPGs of 2024
Beyond the top 5, 2024 saw the release of several other noteworthy RPGs that deserve recognition. Persona 3 Reload (Metascore 87) offered a comprehensive remake of a beloved Persona title, modernizing its presentation and gameplay for a new audience while preserving the core experience.
Similarly, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance (Metascore 87) presented an enhanced version of the original Shin Megami Tensei V, featuring new content and various quality-of-life improvements. Unicorn Overlord, available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox, impressed with its distinct fantasy aesthetic and its unique fusion of real-time strategy and tactical gameplay, earning an honorable mention from IGN.
Dragon’s Dogma 2, while not making the top 5 in this report, was recognized by IGN as a runner-up for best RPG of 2024, lauded for its emergent gameplay and deep mechanics, and received a nomination for Best RPG at The Game Awards 2024. Finally, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the latest entry in the beloved Dragon Age series, was also an IGN runner-up for best RPG of 2024 and was nominated for Innovation in Accessibility at The Game Awards 2024.
The sheer diversity of these highly-rated RPGs released in 2024 highlights a strong year for the genre, offering compelling experiences across various subgenres and catering to a wide range of player preferences.
Looking Ahead: Promising RPGs of 2025
The RPG landscape continues to look vibrant with several promising titles already released or anticipated in 2025. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, has garnered significant attention with its unique blend of turn-based combat and real-time mechanics, earning very high initial review scores and user ratings.
GameSpot has even identified it as a strong contender for the best game of 2025. IGN awarded it a score of 9 (“Amazing”), praising its creative integration of classic and contemporary RPG elements. Blue Prince, a genre-defying strategy puzzle adventure with roguelike elements available on PC, has also received a high Metascore and was included in IGN’s list of best-reviewed games of 2025 so far.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, the sequel to the critically acclaimed historical RPG, is highly anticipated for its improved graphics, enhanced gameplay, and immersive open world. IGN gave it a score of 9 (“Amazing”) and considers it one of the best open-world RPGs since The Witcher 3. While Metaphor: ReFantazio was highlighted as a top RPG of 2024, its release in late 2024 means it will continue to be a relevant and highly recommended title well into early 2025.
Other noteworthy RPGs slated for release in 2025 that have generated considerable excitement include Avowed, Monster Hunter Wilds, and The Outer Worlds 2. This strong lineup of both established franchises and innovative new IPs suggests that 2025 will also be a year filled with high-quality RPG experiences for players to enjoy.
Conclusion
The current landscape of role-playing games offers a wealth of exceptional titles, ensuring that players with diverse tastes and preferences can find compelling and rewarding adventures. The top 5 RPGs highlighted in this report – Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, Metaphor: ReFantazio, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door – represent the pinnacle of the genre based on their critical reception in 2024.
Each of these games offers a unique and memorable experience, whether it’s the challenging exploration of a vast and mysterious world, a thought-provoking narrative with deep thematic resonance, a nostalgic journey through a beloved story reimagined, a humorous and engaging crime saga with turn-based combat, or a charming and visually delightful remake of a classic.
Players are encouraged to consider their personal preferences regarding gameplay style, setting, and narrative focus when making their choice. Beyond these top recommendations, the numerous other notable RPGs released in 2024 and the promising titles on the horizon for 2025 further underscore the strength and vitality of the RPG genre.
The combination of critically acclaimed recent releases and highly anticipated upcoming games ensures that RPG enthusiasts will have a wealth of high-quality experiences to look forward to for the foreseeable future.
Table 1: Top 5 RPGs of 2024 – Comparison Table
| Game Title | Platform(s) | Metacritic Score | Key Strengths | Notable Awards/Recognition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree | PC, PlayStation, Xbox | 94 | Expansive content, challenging gameplay, rich lore, exceptional world design, sense of discovery. | IGN 10/10, IGN Game of the Year Nominee |
| Metaphor: ReFantazio | PC, PlayStation, Xbox | 94 | Compelling narrative, refined turn-based combat, stylish presentation, thematic depth, well-realized characters. | IGN Best Game of 2024, GameSpot Game of the Year 2024, The Game Awards 2024 Best RPG |
| Final Fantasy VII Rebirth | PlayStation 5 | 92 | Engaging story, deep characters, emotional cutscenes, fun battles, extensive content, beautiful world. | The Game Awards 2024 Best Narrative, Game of the Year Nominee (TGA & IGN) |
| Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth | PC, PlayStation, Xbox | 89 | Engrossing story, absurd humor, abundance of extra modes, strong character interactions. | IGN Best RPG Runner-Up, The Game Awards 2024 Best Narrative Nominee |
| Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door | Nintendo Switch | 88 | Delightful papercraft visuals, charming story, engaging turn-based combat, faithful to the original. | Enduring popularity as a classic RPG. |