Big-budget developers and publishers long considered the CRPG a dead genre. They phased out CRPGs in favor of third-person and first-person RPGs likeMass EffectandFallout 3. While those are fantastic titles in their own right, fans still miss the flexibility and freedom of the classics. Games likeBaldur’s GateandPlanescape: Tormentstill offered their players far more choices, and the consequences of their actions felt more dynamic. Even BioWare’s excellentDragon Ageseries felt linear by comparison.
However, from 2013 onward, the genre saw something of a renaissance for the classically styled CRPG with the help of Kickstarter crowdfunding methods. As a result, fans got some of the best CRPGs of all time, with many being as good as the games that inspired them.
Updated August 02, 2025, by Michael Llewellyn:CRPGs offer players some of the most versatile gaming and narrative situations. They usually feature branching storylines and unique character builds to suit all players and brilliant worlds with tons of lore and detail to get lost in. This list is updated to include another modern CRPG that fans of the genre will love (Shadowrun: Dragonfall). Additionally, each entry has updated tag information with cover art.
Shadowrun: Dragonfall - Director’s Cutis the sequel to the rebootedShadowrun.It puts players in the shoes of a Shadowrunner whose first mission with a new team goes wrong because they were set up. However, they also unearth a conspiracy that the fallen dragon that devastated Germany may still be alive and set to return.
The player and their team will deal with an evil dragon, a rogue AI, orcs, elves, and more.Shadowrun: Dragonfallis a stunning mix of fantasy and cyberpunk, with tons of lore, interesting characters, and a branching storyline that fans of CRPGs will love.
28Disciples: Liberation
Tactical Turn-Based Combat With Consequences In A Dark Fantasy
Disciples: Liberationis a dark fantasy that combines real-time exploration and strategic turn-based combat. Players take on the role of a mercenary called Avyanna who develops as a character based on the player’s decisions. Like any good CRPG,Disciples: Liberationgives players several options to create their own adventure in a story that can last up to 80-plus hours.
Avyanna faces numerous dialogue choices that lead to challenging decisions as she forges relationships and strengthens bonds with her companions. The decisions won’t always be easy, and picking sides can be a dilemma for even the most hardened role player. Conversely, the combat is less challenging than the dialogue options, making it an ideal RPG for players looking to enjoy the journey or those who are newcomers to the genre.
The Thaumaturgeis a dark fantasy RPG set in early 1900s Warsaw, Poland. The titular Thaumaturge and protagonist is Wictor, who has the power to form bonds with demons. The unique setting, atmosphere, and excellent writing share similarities withDisco Elysiumas Wictor sets out to free the city from demons.
The game offers impactful dialogue choices that alter the narrative, yet maintain the player’s interest from beginning to end as all elements interconnect and respond to Wictor’s decisions. There’s aPersona-like combat system as Wictor bonds with demons and utilizes their unique abilities and skills against his enemies. The biggest downside toThe Thaumatageis it can take some time for the game’s many systems to click and there’s a lack of tutorials, but once they do, players will be in for one of the best modern CRPGs available.
26Sovereign: Syndicate
A Victorian Era Steampunk RPG
Moving away from Tolkienesque fantasy and science fiction isSovereign: Syndicate,a Victorian-era CRPG with a Steampunk setting. It focuses more on character interaction and role-playing than combat and shares similarities with the critically acclaimedDisco Elysium.
Despite its setting,Sovereign: Syndicatefeatures elements of fantasy and Greek mythology with creatures like Centaurs, Werewolves, and Minotaurs woven into its intriguing world alongside well-written characters. The world is a stunning recreation of the gritty streets of Victorian London. It’s made more gritty by some dark themes, like depression, substance abuse, and prostitution.Sovereign: Syndicateis one of the most unique CRPGs in the genre.
Expeditions: Romeis a follow-up to the historically setExpeditions: ConquistadorandExpeditions: Viking.Like its predecessors,Romefeatures turn-based combat and grand tactics elements like gathering resources and conquering regions to develop the protagonist’s standing in Rome.
The game follows the story of a Legatus investigating his father’s politically motivated murder by unknown assailants. Fans will encounter historical figures like Julius Caesar, Marcus Cicero, and Marcus Cato The Younger.
Solasta: Crown of the Magisteris a tactical RPG that uses the 5th Edition of theDungeons & Dragonsruleset. It is one of the more linear titles on this list, but it is a solid introduction to classically styled RPGs with excellent lore and character-building.
LikeBaldur’s Gate 3andDivinity: Original Sin 2, players cancreate a party of four charactersbased onD&Drules or use premade characters to embark on the story. The turn-based combat is a particular highlight with its faithful adaptation of theD&Druleset, creating spectacular set pieces and moments of tension.
Gamedecis a point-and-click and RPG hybrid, similar to recent hits likeDisco Elysiumand even theSherlock Holmesgames. The isometric cyberpunk neo-noir adventure puts players in the shoes of a private detective - the Game Detective - hired to solve mysteries in realistic virtual reality settings similar to that seen inStar Trek’s Holodeck virtual reality chamber.
Gamedecis based on the short stories written by Marcin Przybyłek. The different worlds function likeLive A Live’stime-traveling storyline, where each chapter can be set in various timelines, like a medieval setting or the Wild West. However, as the detective ventures into more of the story, the plot gets darker with its BDSM-like world while searching for a missing girl. As the investigator, players will use a deduction mechanic similar to themind palace sequences inSherlock Holmes.Instead of combat, the main character’s stats develop through choices and interactions.
Spellforce 3is a CRPG and real-time strategy game narratively set as a prequel before the events of the first game in the series,Spellforce: The Order of the Dawn.It features a deep story, tons of lore, and a good cast of characters with solid motivations to keep players gripped.
The RTS mechanics are well implemented on consoles, making them accessible and fun to most players. The hero combat is similar to what is seen in regular CRPGs likeBaldur’s Gate.There is a lot of dialogue to read and listen to, but the story is always interesting, and fans of RTS and RPGs get a perfect merging of genres.
Shadowrun Returnsis an RPG based on theShadowruntabletop board game. It’s a classically styled CRPG that merges cyberpunk and Tolkienieque fantasy with a focused murder mystery story that’s compelling from start to finish. The combat is turn-based and tactical without bogging players down in confusing and overly complicated systems.Shadowrun Returnsis a solid introduction to the excellentShadowrun Trilogyand the CRPG genre for fans ofBlade Runner-style games with a hint of fantasy and detective noir.
Launched in 2003,Knights of the Old Republicmarked a stylistic change for BioWare, acting as a precursor for theirMass Effectseries. Instead of the isometric views of its predecessors in theBaldur’s Gateseries, it created a fully 3D universe to explore.
Yet despite this, the game still felt and played like a CRPG in terms of its dialogue options and the combat system. It uses a modified version of the 3rd editionDungeons & Dragonsruleset. It has a deep fighting system more akin to a turn-based combat system that seems to fall somewhere betweenFinal Fantasy 12andBaldur’s Gate. More importantly,Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republichas a gripping storywith an excellent supporting cast, a great twist, and a memorable villain.
