Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an unbelievable game that deserves every award it gets. It may borrow from the past, but it also manages to make a name for itself through its story, world, and combat. Despite it being a good game, there are quite a few RPGs that are better reviewed.
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Whether these RPGs are in fact better than Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is debatable, as opinions are different, and these are just a couple of points of difference on OpenCritic. That said, this list will focus on pure RPG experiences, so RPG-like games, including Hades 2, God of War, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, will not be counted.
Baldur’s Gate 3
The Complete RPG Experience
Baldur’s Gate 3 is widely regarded as the best thing to happen to RPGs in the past decade, and it’s easy to see why. It has everything an RPG fan would want in a game. Players can create their own character with a lengthy supply of races, cosmetics, classes, and even known NPCs can be used as models.
The branching paths between the character relationships and storylines make it a great game to replay. Finally, Baldur’s Gate 3’s tactical combat, while simple, can give players a challenge if they run in without a plan.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
It’s A Sign
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s greatest contribution to RPGs is the quest system. So many games feature fetch quests like defeating rats or grabbing some herbs from a hill, and this game played on expectations. What starts out as seemingly simple fetch quests turns into giant ordeals, and oftentimes, the resolution is not a simple choice between the good and bad options.
Beyond engaging quests and an equally engaging story, the bloody sport of combat is exhilarating between Geralt’s twin swords and various magic spells. With a gorgeous open-world to explore, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will have players enthralled for hours.
Elden Ring
A Step Up For Soulslikes
Elden Ring was a big step up for FromSoftware, who started the Soulslike genre and coasted for years until they finally evolved the format by placing players in an open world. From the start, players can roam around anywhere they want, with a few areas halting progress because of boss encounters. Even though there are restrictions, there’s plenty to do in each biome to give players enough gear and leveling-up opportunities to get stronger before they can move on.
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The secret sauce to an open-world game is danger and secrecy, and Elden Ring has plenty of both. The way the world teases players with something slightly out of reach only for it to become a big boss battle or a larger quest never ceases to amaze. Its DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, also ranks higher than Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, but the core of Elden Ring is most important.
Undertale
Subverting The Genre
Undertale is an amazing achievement for indie RPGs everywhere because it proved that the biggest revelations can come in small packages. Players wake up as a small child in a world filled with monsters and are taught how to fight them. However, besides Fight, Talk is also presented as an option in battle.
Players can quickly deduce that they can talk their way out of battles, sparing monsters, and thus leading to a cleaner world without hate. Undertale’s combat isn’t boring, though, because players still have to dodge attacks while they talk things out in bullet hell-like segments. It’s an RPG that subverts the genre around every corner, from villains to mechanics to breaking the fourth wall.
Persona 5 Royal
Heists And History Papers
Persona 5 Royal and the base game both outrank Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and either game is a fine turn-based RPG. Persona 5 Royal just has a little extra to turn an eighty-hour RPG into a hundred-plus-hour RPG. For anyone who hasn’t played a Persona game, what makes them unique is the setting and pacing.
As a high school student, players will have to follow a strict schedule from day to day, gaining some freedom in the afternoon and at night to either study, hang out with friends, or dive into dungeons. In dungeons, characters take on alternate roles as they fight their way through the literal minds of corrupt adults. It’s one of those games that is easier to understand after playing.
The Thronebreaker
Metaphor: ReFantazio is a fantasy-based spiritual successor to the Persona series, as both were developed within Atlus. There are similar features, such as restricting players with daily actions, but it’s also a loser experience. Essentially, players are part of a democratic race for the throne.
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When players do dive into dungeons, they can fight lower-level monsters in real-time and higher-level monsters in turn-based combat. Characters can be assigned to classes, called Archetypes, which will dictate powers, including combo potentials with allies. Between the world-building, cosmic horror of enemies, character interactions, and the Archetype system, some Atlus fans may prefer Metaphor: ReFantazio over any Persona experience.
Final Fantasy 14: Endwalker
Fourth Time’s The Charm
Endwalker is the fourth major expansion to Final Fantasy 14, adding to an already stacked list of content for players to enjoy. Beyond a new story, a new map, and new quests, players could enjoy tweaked Jobs and two additional ones. The classic Sage returned from Final Fantasy, along with a bit of a newcomer for the franchise, a Reaper.
This expansion probably didn’t tip the scales for anyone ignoring Final Fantasy 14 this long into its life cycle, as it is a huge commitment. However, fans who stuck with the game since it was re-released love Endwalker as much as they do singular games in the series like Final Fantasy 7.
Divinity: Original Sin 2
Larian’s Other RPG
Before Baldur’s Gate 3, Larian Studios had another big RPG at their fingertips, Divinity: Original Sin 2. It featured tactical combat, multiple pathways, and a top-down perspective, but it somehow didn’t explode as much as Baldur’s Gate 3 did in terms of popularity.
The production value is a bit lower, but on the other hand, it could be argued that the RPG aspects and combat are better implemented in Divinity: Original Sin 2. However players feel, they can at least agree that the game is a meaty RPG with plenty to offer, given patience.
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