Best RPGs That Redefined Gaming

Role-playing games have been a blast to play ever since this genre came into being. The best RPGs do a great job of implementing several revolutionary practices that have now become common in the industry.

Some RPGs are very historically important and do a great job of establishing their legacy by helping their genre evolve by leaps and bounds. It’s a special moment when a role-playing game is so incredible that it redefines gaming itself, which is no mean feat.

Dragon Quest

Helped Establish The JRPG Genre

Before JRPGs became one of the most captivating genres in the gaming industry, Dragon Quest introduced players to a Japanese take on gaming inspired by Dungeons & Dragons, one that whisked them away on a grand adventure.

While it may be a bit dated, players still love the idea of controlling a hero and helping him beat down the game’s toughest enemies, before eventually beating down giant bosses and saving the world from a nefarious threat. It may seem pretty by-the-numbers now, but the original Dragon Quest played a huge role in helping the JRPG genre establish itself in the gaming industry.

Diablo

Popularized The ARPG Genre And Made Looting An Addictive Gameplay Loop

Diablo is an iconic video game, renowned for its profound impact on the gaming industry. Blizzard introduced players to the near limitless fun they can have as they explore dungeons, find loot, and take on challenging bosses.

It’s a gameplay loop so captivating that it spawned the rise of the isometric ARPG genre. Many modern games still take a page out of the original Diablo‘s playbook, letting players enjoy the act of building out various classes and looting equipment to become stronger, only to come up against the next tough boss.

Set The Foundation That Future Bethesda Games Were Built Upon

The Elder Scrolls series took a while to get going. Arena was a decent first entry to the series, but lacked something special, while Daggerfall‘s procedurally generated open world is a bit too hard to get into and a bit too big to feel truly immersive.

In comparison, Morrowind marked a major shift for The Elder Scrolls, allowing many fans to experience Bethesda’s incredible world design. It set the foundation for future Bethesda games to implement, with everything from Fallout 3 to The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim owing a significant portion of their success to Morrowind‘s groundbreaking open world.

Final Fantasy 7

The First AAA Game To Push JRPGs Into The Mainstream

AAA games may be commonplace now, but the gaming industry wasn’t as advanced in the 90s. As such, the idea of investing a ton of money into both marketing and development was unheard of, but Final Fantasy 7 broke the mold by single-handedly showing how a great marketing campaign can help a game achieve legendary status.

It helps that Final Fantasy 7‘s beautiful graphics (at the time, that is) and unique setting made it stand out from the crowd. It blew up on the PS1 and ushered in the golden era of JRPGs, establishing itself as one of the greatest video games ever made. The success of Final Fantasy 7 allowed fans to enjoy some of the greatest role-playing games ever made by Eastern developers.

Dark Souls

One Of The Most Important Modern Action RPGs

The massive impact that Dark Souls has had on the gaming industry can’t be overstated. This action RPG wowed players with its interconnected world, grueling boss battles, and a combat system so legendary that it spawned the Soulslike genre.

This is why many people call Dark Souls the greatest FromSoftware game of all time, even with the runaway success of Elden Ring. The impact it had on the industry was unparalleled and helped usher in a new age of hardcore gaming, which was lacking at a time when major AAA games would spoon-feed players every piece of information.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Demonstrated How Impacful Well-Written And Meaningful Side Quests Can Be

When The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt released, fans knew they were in for a great time. The combat was fun, the graphics were otherworldly, and the writing was in a class of its own.

However, a significant reason why Geralt’s adventures were so revolutionary was the importance CD Projekt Red gave to both the main story and the side quests. Instead of following a by-the-numbers formula present in most other games with a quest-based structure, The Witcher 3 showed that side quests could be just as riveting as the main path. It was so effective that it convinced a franchise as massive as Assassin’s Creed to emulate the brilliance of this game.

Chrono Trigger

A Revolutionary JRPG That Needs No Introduction

The number of ways Chrono Trigger influenced the gaming industry can’t be accurately tallied. Despite being the greatest JRPG of all time, the game’s length is reasonable, and events are so tightly paced that players will never feel like they’re dealing with filler or grinding their way to success.

Along with this, the game features a final boss that can be fought at any time after getting the Epoch, and the addition of New Game+ mode to let players experience Chrono Trigger’s multiple endings. This was the first time a game included a New Game+ mode, a feature that has become commonplace in the industry today.

Deus Ex

The Immersive Sim Design Was Groundbreaking At The Time And Is Still Fun Today

Deus Ex is arguably the most popular immersive sim that players can enjoy. The game stands is in a class of its own and remains enjoyable to play despite being 25 years old, boasting one of the best opening levels in gaming history that effectively teaches players how to play the game.

The uncanny number of options players have to make progress in this game is mind-blowing, and the imaginative level design and story laden with conspiracy theories are both still hard to match in modern RPGs. The immersive sim design of Deus Ex was revolutionary and has inspired many other titles in the genre ever since.