Summary

• 2023 was an excellent year for RPGs, with standout titles like Baldur's Gate 3 receiving high praise from critics and players.
• Honkai: Star Rail, The Legend of Heroes: Trails To Azure, and Super Mario RPG were also recognized as some of the best RPGs of the year, with strong critic reviews and positive player reception.
• The selection process for this list considered criteria such as critic scores, awards, our own reviews, and the writer's expertise, ensuring that the chosen games truly represent the best of the genre.

2023 was an excellent year for gaming, particuarly for RPGs. Fans of roleplaying games had plenty to choose from this year, and there was a little something for everyone. Open-world titles like Starfield were highly anticipated, and the CRPG Baldur's Gate 3 became the best-reviewed game of the year. Sea of Stars, an indie game, was a standout in a year full of AAA releases in the genre.

The RPG field was crowded in 2023, but ten games managed to stand out from the rest, receiving praise from critics and players alike. For Screen Rant's best RPGs of the year, DLC was not included, no matter its size (so no Phantom Liberty for Cyberpunk 2077). Additionally, games that reviewed well with critics but did not review favorably with players - like Diablo 4, which currently has a rating of 2.2/10 on Metacritic - were also excluded here.

How we choose entries for our Best-Of Lists.

For this List, Screen Rant has considered the critic scores of gaming aggregator Metacritic, our own reviews, and the awards each game has won. Writer and editor Austin King has also applied his years of experience as an RPG fan to critically evaluate these picks. Audience expectation and what really makes a “Best of the genre” have also been a critical factor in the creation of this article.

Honkai: Star Rail (HoYoverse)

Platforms: PS5, iOS, Android, & PC

Honkai: Star Rail is the latest live service game from HoYoverse, but its turn-based combat and sci-fi setting help it stand apart from the studio's mega-successful Genshin Impact. Like other HoYoverse games, Honkai: Star Rail revolves around gatcha mechanics and pulling for new characters through regular updates. It may not be for everyone, but its combat, storyline, and quality help it shine as one of the best RPGs of the year. The game has a high score on 4.5/5 review from Screen Rant.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails To Azure (NIS America)

Platforms: PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, PC

The Legend of Heroes: Trails To Azure came to English officially for the first time earlier this year. Its characters, turn-based combat, and narrative all help propel it to critical acclaim. The games in the Crossbell duology are arguably the best this long-running series has to offer, and this second entry focused on Lloyd Bannings and co. didn't disappoint. It ended the Crossbell arc in a satisfying way that also helped set up the Trails games that followed it. It currently has an 81 critical score and a 8.5 score on Metacritic.

Super Mario RPG (Nintendo)

Platforms: Nintendo Switch

Super Mario RPG is a remake of the SNES classic, and it didn't disappoint. It may seem odd to find a Mario game on this list, but anyone who's played it or the original will understand why: Super Mario RPG has excellent combat, a fun story, and (among other things) a delightful cast. With updated features and visuals, the remake sits on Screen Rant gave Super Mario RPG a 4.5/5 and called it "a delightful rendition of an historic treasure."

Starfield (Bethesda)

Platforms: Xbox, PC

Starfield was one of the most anticipated games of the year, but the open-world sci-fi RPG from Bethesda had a bit of a mixed reception. On our reviewer gave Starfield a 4.5/5, stating it "has plenty of captivating tales and dynamic mechanics that make it an epic science fiction adventure - and an instant classic."

Hogwarts Legacy (Warner Bros. Games)

Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, & PC

Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world RPG that was understandably overshadowed by the anti-trans sentiments of Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling. It's certainly a controversial choice for this list, but in of critical and player reception, it scored very high (which is why it's included here). Looking at its reception on Screen Rant gave Hogwarts Legacy a 4.5/5 in its review, praising it for its "living, breathing world."

Octopath Traveler 2 (Square Enix)

Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PC

With its turn-based combat and pixelated look, Octopath Traveler 2 looked and felt like a classic RPG from a bygone era. Its characters and combat sytem were standouts, and while it certainly built upon its predecessor, the game was sadly overlooked at The Game Awards this year and didn't make as big of a splash as the first game did. Screen Rant gave Octopath Traveler 2 a 4/5, but its Metacritic scores are a bit higher: 84/100 from critics and 8.7/10 from s.

Star Ocean: The Second Story R (Square Enix)

Platforms: PlayStation, Nintendo Switch

Star Ocean: The Second Story R is a remake of the classic PS1 RPG, which is also arguably the best game in this long-running sci-fi series. The characters, story, and systems present in the second Star Ocean entry get some updates and changes, but stay true to what made the original so memorable. On Screen Rant gave Second Story R a 4/5, calling it a "charming remake."

Sea of Stars (Sabotage)

Platforms: PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, & PC

Sea of Stars was one of the most anticipated games of the year, and its release lived up to the hype. Like Octopath Traveler 2, Sea of Stars harkened back to a golden age of RPGs with its turn-based combat and pixelated graphics. However, its animations and storytelling (as well as its systems) felt decidedly modern. It sits on won Best Indie Game at The Game Awards.

Final Fantasy 16 (Square Enix)

Platforms: PlayStation 5

As the latest entry in the popular RPG series, Final Fantasy 16 proved to be a divisive entry that pushed the limits of just what exactly an RPG was. The characters were well-written and Ben Starr's portrayal of Clive Rosfield was one of the year's best. The world of Valisthea was also well-developed, and while the game's action combat was great, it was also its main criticism. The editors at Screen Rant enjoyed it overall and counted FF16 among our favorite games of the year. Like Sea of Stars, FF16 currently sits on Screen Rant gave FF16 a perfect score of 5/5, calling it a "modern masterpiece."

Baldur's Gate 3 (Larian Studios)

Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, PC, Mac

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Baldur's Gate 3 may be the best RPG of 2023. It's been a huge part of pop culture since it was released in August, and its approach to player agency and narrative choice is astounding. Its well-voiced and well-written characters, engaging combat, and impressive world-building are all top-notch. This is the rare game that managed to break out of its genre appeal and target audience to become a phenomenon - it's a game that's not just fun to play but also seems to have everyone talking this year.

Baldur's Gate 3 Screen Rant gave it a 4.5/5, it is ittedly one of the few outlets to not give the game a perfect score. Still, our reviewer called it "an iconic, engaging mess of brilliant ideas." It's impossible to deny the impact Baldur's Gate 3 has had on gaming and RPGs this year.