There’s no doubt that Baldur’s Gate 3 will go down as one of the greatest RPGs ever made. From its stunning and expansive world to its deep characters, players have already spent millions of collective hours in Baldur’s Gate 3, and its legacy will only continue to grow from here.
However, a lot can change in the almost two years since its release, with many new RPGs coming out within that time that may give Baldur’s Gate 3 a run for its money. While they may not have as lasting a legacy as BG3, the RPGs below definitely stand toe-to-toe with Larian’s monolith.
Black Myth: Wukong
Black Myth: Wukong is an action RPG inspired by Chinese mythology that has you take the role of the famous hero, Sun Wukong, as he fights to defy heaven. It’s not quite a Soulslike, but also not quite a character action game; Black Myth: Wukong lies somewhere in between, and it’s all the better for it, taking the best aspects of both genres.
It’s flashy fun, but also requires a decent degree of skill. There are tons of different powers and abilities to keep things fresh, and the boss fights are simply on another level, both visually and mechanically. The hundreds of thousands of positive reviews aren’t lying; it’s really that good.
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is a sequel to 2020’s Yakuza: Like a Dragon, which began a new era for the Yakuza series, with a new protagonist and a new combat system. Following in its predecessor’s footsteps, Infinite Wealth follows Ichiban Kasuga as he explores Hawaii, engaging in turn-based battles against a variety of enemies.
The game also uses a Job system to give Kasuga and his allies different abilities, including non-traditional JRPG Jobs like Housekeeper, Chef, Idol, or Homeless Guy. The Yakuza franchise’s wacky fun is on full display here, right down to its range of mini-games and colorful side quests.
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is an open-world first-person RPG that once again follows the story of Henry. The game takes place in 15th-century Medieval Europe, and offers an incredibly authentic experience, especially in the role-playing and exploration departments.
Every action you take will shape Henry’s story and characteristics, leading to branching quests and dialogue options. If you loved Baldur’s Gate 3’s sense of role-playing elements, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 definitely delivers.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is the second part in the remake trilogy that seeks to not only remake the original game, but also put an entirely original spin on the story. Rebirth sees Cloud and his allies leaving Midgar, presenting a massive open world to explore that is filled with stuff to do.
Rebirth is firing on all cylinders, with its new but familiar story, great character dynamics, exceptional music, and unmatched combat system. There’s simply too much to love here, and you’ll be left thinking about the game even months after beating it.
Persona 3 Reload
Persona 3 Reload is a remake of Persona 3 with updated graphics, full voice acting, and a host of other quality-of-life changes that further improve the experience. The story follows a teenage boy as he joins SEES, a mysterious organization formed to fight Shadows and investigate a tower that only appears during a hidden hour of the night.
Persona 3 Reload is deep and reflective in a way that the other two mainstream Persona games aren’t. The game fully dives into themes of depression, death, and the point of existence, all in a way that will leave you in genuine contemplation by the end.
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is a traditional CRPG in a similar vein as Baldur’s Gate 3, and came out only a few months after BG3. Set in the extensive Warhammer universe, you play as the Rogue Trader, a chosen individual with the power to conduct operations within the Koronus Expanse, a largely uncharted and unregulated region of space.
Rogue Trader is incredibly deep, with dozens of character builds, branching dialogue options, and a semi-open narrative structure. If you like playing games where the tooltips have tooltips, Rogue Trader will provide hundreds of hours of content to sink your teeth into.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a turn-based RPG that is a breath of fresh air in the genre. Set in a post-apocalyptic world where a being known as the Paintress erases everyone of a certain age every year, you play as a group of explorers who set off to kill the Paintress and save what is left of humanity.
It’s impossible to do the game justice with words alone; you simply need to play this game for yourself to see just how great it is. Clair Obscur gets everything right: stunning art direction and world design, an emotional story, interesting characters, fun skill-based, turn-based combat; the list goes on. To say Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a modern masterpiece is a vast understatement.