Sword Art Online is an anime about a group of players being trapped inside an MMO. The only hope players have of escaping is through an arduous climb through floors of monsters. Some decide to train in the hopes of breaking free while others treat this as an opportunity.
They want to stay and make a life in a virtual world. Sword Art Online is a great example of a world brimming with life, offering players many ways to live even with the dark subject hanging above heads. This is true for many video game RPGs too. What worlds would players wish to get trapped in forever? Are there any that seem safe?
8 Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey
Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey was not the first game in the series to add an exploration mode, however, it offers one of the more interesting and bigger worlds to inhabit. After the title debuted, Ubisoft released free DLC that allowed players to explore the many areas of Greece through an educational lens.
This may not be the same idea as setting up a town and settling down with a nice set of crops. However, as an action RPG, Odyssey did allow players to stop the madness all in the name of education.
7 Dark Cloud 2
Dark Cloud 2's story can’t be completely ignored before players can settle down through one of the game's more unique aspects, its town building mechanic. There was time travel involved wherein an evil ruler was destroying civilizations. It was up to the protagonists to dive into dungeons to find pieces of the area’s memory needed to restore the land to its once great beauty.
Players could technically rebuild civilizations any way they pleased, but townsfolk would give them bonuses for placement value. After the war was over, players could go back and tweak these areas to their peaceful heart’s desires.
6 Dragon Quest Builders 2
Dragon Quest Builders 2 has a similar idea to Dark Cloud. The building mechanics in this 2018 release are looser than the PS2 JRPGs, but they are also more robust. Builders 2 can be described as Minecraft meets Dragon Quest. There is a story wherein players have to help rebuild areas for certain groups.
There is also a multiplayer mode that allows four people to build their own little paradise forts wherever they want. Both the campaign and multiplayer areas allow for a lot of relaxed gameplay outside of hacking and slashing away at classic monsters from the series.
5 Final Fantasy 14
Final Fantasy 14 is just one example of an MMO that allows players to create their own fun. Leveling up the combat-heavy jobs by fighting monsters has its own set of rewards, however, it can be just as engrossing to focus on a gathering class or a healer.
There’s a lot to do and see in Final Fantasy 14 and every expansion seems to make the game stronger. Players could honestly pick this game up now, play it straight for a year, and still not be done with it. The more friends a player has, the greater the fun will be.
4 Persona 5
Persona 5, and most of the series, is split into two distinct sections. There is the dungeon crawling side complete with turn-based RPG gameplay. When not battling Persona, players spend their time in the real world, going to school and socializing. The latter is partly why Atlus' series has become so big ever since Persona 3 implemented the Social Links.
Talk to NPCs, make friends, go on dates, and live a charmed school life above a coffee shop. It’s a dream come true. Plus these teens get cool powers. That said, there are deadlines to meet to progress the story, so Persona 5 can’t be completely played as a relaxing RPG. Still, a good chunk of it can be.
3 Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley is the ultimate life-sim. It is a spiritual successor to Harvest Moon. The main game is a relaxing sim, so it seems like an obvious choice to add it in. However, there are some dungeon crawling aspects players can get hardcore into.
These RPG battles are not as robust as most other entries in this article. Still, it is satisfying to grind through dungeon-like mines to get better materials to then use towards the farmland. There are dating mechanics like in Persona 5 too.
2 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim was one of the biggest open-world RPGs of its time. The scale is still large despite other RPGs surpassing its scope. There were ways to originally settle down in some regard in Skyrim; for example, players could buy houses and decorate them to a small extent.
However, the Hearthfire DLC took this idea to a new level, allowing players to own homesteads. The RPG's landscape is a bit bleak, so exploring the land in Skyrim can be more fun than living in it. However, the option is there for those that want it.
1 The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is Nintendo's take on the Skyrim experience. It’s safe to assume that this game learned a lot from the 2011 game and other open-world RPGs. While there is some urgency to Link’s quest as Zelda is trapped in Ganon’s lair and wishes to be freed, players can take their time getting there.
They can fight monsters or simply take Link on an epic adventure of exploration and gathering. There are homes to buy as well. Visually, from an aesthetic angle, Breath of the Wild is one of the most beautiful worlds that most players would probably want to inhabit despite the destroyed aspects of some regions.