Perhaps more than any other genre, role-playing games offer players a chance to fully immerse themselves in both a world and a story. By taking control of both a character and the quest they must embark on, fans of RPGs can experience the rewarding upward climb of progression.
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Most RPGs tend to be hefty time sinks, but that only goes to show how immersive these titles can be. Luckily for those who own Xbox Game Pass, phenomenal RPG games are available at a moment’s notice.
9 Nier Automata
- Approximate Game Length: 37 Hours
- Genre: Action RPG
- Developer: PlatinumGames
- X|S Enhanced: No
- File Size: 44 GB
Player choice is one of the areas of gaming where RPGs shine brightest. Nier: Automata highlights this aspect with its multitude of endings, all of which a player can attempt to reach during a playthrough. Each of these endings feel meaningful, whether for soul-wrenching narrative reasons or for humorous outcomes. Nier: Automata is the kind of RPG that knows how to connect with its player base, leaving a lasting impression long after the credits have rolled.
8 Mass Effect 2
- Approximate Game Length: 25 Hours
- Genre: Third-Person Action RPG
- Developer: BioWare
- X|S Enhanced: No
- File Size: 13 GB
Though most RPGs are rooted in fantasy, sci-fi narratives have blossomed within the immersive genre. The Mass Effect franchise is a prime example of this. Mass Effect 2 builds upon the solid foundation of the first game in the series and actually improves upon it. The excitement and challenges of facing a galactic threat are matched only by the meaningful choices and relationships that players can form with the character of Commander Shepard.
7 Final Fantasy 7
- Approximate Game Length: 40 Hours
- Genre: JRPG
- Developer: Square
- X|S Enhanced: No
- File Size: 3 GB
When looking at the best RPGs in general, even outside of the offerings of Xbox Game Pass, it would be remiss to not at least mention Final Fantasy 7. It is the definitive JRPG when one considers the genre as a whole. Cloud’s journey to try and save the planet is an iconic story in the gaming landscape, and his progression throughout the narrative is as entertaining as it is satisfying. Through the joys and sorrows of Final Fantasy 7, players will be taken on an adventure that is unforgettable for both its landmark RPG mechanics and story twists.
6 GreedFall
- Approximate Game Length: 38 Hours
- Genre: Action RPG
- Developer: Spiders
- X|S Enhanced: No
- File Size: 11 GB
Part of the charm of any RPG is the care taken by developers when it comes to crafting an entirely new universe, lore, and environment. Developer Spiders succeeds in masterful world-building when it comes to their intriguing title, GreedFall. Players must deal with the trials of settling into a new land while also contending with a virulent disease known as the Malichor plague. The game treads a middle road, taking a few risks that heartily pay off when it comes to engaging side quests.
5 Fallout 4
- Approximate Game Length: 70 Hours
- Genre: Action RPG
- Developer: Bethesda
- X|S Enhanced: No
- File Size: 34 GB
Fallout 4's place among the most polarizing games in the franchise isn't without merit. But taken in a vacuum, it's hard to argue with the fact that it's a fantastic open-world action RPG. Love's certainly lost in the skimpy dialogue choices and narrative role-playing elements, but character progression is incredibly intuitive and the combat mechanics are a steady improvement over Fallout 3's slipshod systems. Of course, this all skirts the fact that the post-nuclear sandbox of the Boston Commonwealth is chock full of content. Ruthless raiders, intriguing locales, and mutated horrors galore wait around every sunbleached corner, all delightfully tinged with Fallout's patently wild and thoughtful wasteland humor.
4 Minecraft Dungeons
- Approximate Game Length: 30 Hours
- Genre: Dungeon Crawler
- Developer: Mojang Studios, Double Eleven
- X|S Enhanced: Yes
- File Size: 3 GB
Minecraft Dungeons is certainly a departure from its parent property (outside the fact that both feature procedurally generated content, anyway) — what's on the table here is an isometric hack-and-slash action RPG in the stylings of Diablo that's charmingly rendered in Minecraft's signature style.
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While it's not exactly a mind-blowing mechanical masterpiece, it is an incredibly fun and loot-filled romp that's best enjoyed alongside a few friends.
3 Undertale
- Approximate Game Length: 8 Hours
- Genre: RPG Adventure
- Developer: Toby Fox
- X|S Enhanced: No
- File Size: 275 MB
If a small RPG outing is preferred to a typical massive endeavor, then Undertale is the perfect fit. This delightful indie title contains a heartfelt story with the minimalist trappings of early RPG games. Humor wraps itself around players, and it also covers a story that revolves around empathy and kindness. Undertale is a short adventure through an underground world of friendly monsters that will stick with you long after you’ve determinedly completed your adventure.
2 The Outer Worlds
- Approximate Game Length: 20 Hours
- Genre: Sci-Fi RPG
- Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
- X|S Enhanced: No
- File Size: 33 GB
The balancing act that is The Outer Worlds carries all the calling cards that developer Obsidian is known for, walking the tightrope between meaty mechanical depth and expert storytelling in fine fashion. After being plucked from an ill-fated colony ship by liberty-loving fugitive Phineas Welles, players have an impressive amount of agency in deciding their narrative impact on the colonies and how they make it — whether by big guns, big words, or big brains. The atmosphere of Halcyon is beautifully sardonic and darkly humorous, making even the heavy-handed social commentary of Fallout: New Vegas blush when compared to its hilarious corporate caricatures. Try the Saltuna while you're passing through.
1 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Approximate Game Length: 34-100 Hours
- Genre: Open-World RPG
- Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
- X|S Enhanced: No
- File Size: 20 GB
Skyrim has essentially ruled the open-world RPG roost since its unsubtle and highly-anticipated release in 2011 — that alone should be enough to showcase its necessity for any RPG enthusiast's repertoire. While it can be safely accused of shedding the deeper mechanical complexities of its predecessors, the cold fact of the matter is that Bethesda did more than a few things right. Skyrim preserves the franchise's legacy of beautifully designed open worlds filled with enough content to keep even the most dedicated gamers busy for years while expanding the scope of its audience exponentially. It's practically gaming's equivalent to required reading at this point, and it's not hard to see why.