The early 2000s were a period of greatness for gaming. Innovations were being dished out by fresh and budding development studios and there was always new and exciting hardware to toy with. This brings us to 2002, which is 20 years ago. Those were dark times when everyone's cavemen ancestors were forced to deal with 100kbps internet and actual, physical game disks.
Jokes aside, there was no shortage of trendsetter video games in 2002. Each genre, most notably RTS, FPS, and RPG, had its crowning over-achievers which would, later on, propel gigantic franchises later down the years. Among these awesome RPGs are these iconic and groundbreaking titles that would set the foundation for future games.
8 Divine Divinity
- Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Classic Mac OS
- Other Genres: Action, Fantasy
Divine Divinity is one of Larian Studios' earliest projects. These developers are famous for one of the best RPGs ever, Divinity: Original Sin 2 which was released back in 2017. Right now, they are also working on Baldur's Gate 3. Back then, the main trend for RPGs was isometric and 2.5D views.
But despite that, Larian Studios managed to make this game an action-packed RPG similar to games like Diablo 2. The story is rather simple; it's about the never-ending war between heroes and the minions of Chaos. Players assume the role of the Chosen One as they ascend into godhood to oppose Chaos.
7 Suikoden 3
- Platforms: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2
- Other Genres: JRPG, Strategy, Fantasy
It's the third entry in the long-running JRPG series, but Suikoden 3 still managed to pack in some astonishing new surprises and gameplay changes. The game overhauled its predecessors' gameplay mechanics, adding several modes of battle and an ambitious combat system.
Players were also given three characters to control, and there's no shortage of innovations here, most of which are well-received. This new system of letting players handle the heroes also gave birth to a new storytelling style that involved the characters' different points of view.
6 Freedom Force
- Platforms: Microsoft Windows, macOS, Classic Mac OS
- Other Genres: Sci-Fi, Strategy, Action, Multiplayer
This one's a relic that surprisingly still has an active player base today, which is significant for new players wanting a blast from the past with a complete multiplayer experience. Freedom Force is the template that most superhero MOBAs and action games would later follow.
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Players control a team of superheroes against an evil alien race that plans to enslave Earth. It was certainly ahead of its time back then. It allowed players to live out their comic book superhero dream team and even show off their creations online.
5 Dungeon Siege
- Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X
- ​​​​​​​Other Genres: Fantasy, Action
While other RPGs in 2002 were still struggling with the 2.5D visuals, Dungeon Siege took the leap and rendered its game in a fully-3D environment, putting it ahead of its contemporaries. At its core, Dungeon Siege is an action roleplaying game where players control a party of adventurers.
It was the classic Dungeons and Dragons setup but with a better emphasis on combat. Players start off as lowly peasants until they get strung along in an adventure to save the world. But they don't have to do it alone as the game allows players to form an eight-man party, which back then, was practically an in-game army.
4 Kingdom Hearts
- Platforms: PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, Mobile phone, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, Web browser, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows
- ​​​​​​​Other Genres: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Action
The most ambitious and perhaps the most convoluted crossover event in gaming and media had its not-so-humble beginnings back in 2002— the first Kingdom Hearts. It was mostly a good excuse to bring the characters from Square Enix to the House of Mouse, the Disney mainstays.
Back in 2002, this was the childhood dream. Seeing Mickey and Goofy fight alongside Final Fantasy characters regardless of the plot and the reasons was something to behold. Even now, this kind of crossover video game still holds up well.
3 The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past & Four Swords
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy Advance, Wii, New Nintendo 3DS, Wii U
- ​​​​​​​Other Genres: Fantasy, Action
It's the third-ever Legend of Zelda video game but it's actually a prequel to the first two games. For many fans, this was one of the most important cultural cornerstones of the Zelda universe. Because it introduced series staples like the Master Sword and other iconic Legend of Zelda trademarks. Meanwhile, the Four Swords twin pack gives players multiplayer modes.
In this game, as always, Link is out on a journey to save Hyrule by defeating the demon king, Ganon. More importantly, the game introduces tons of new mechanics. This double-pack re-release was made for the Game Boy Advance and became a vast improvement over its original 1991 version.
2 The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind
- Platforms: Xbox, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Cloud Gaming
- ​​​​​​​Other Genres: Fantasy, First-Person
Speaking of innovation, The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind is right up there in the annals of RPG history. It was, and always will be, the most alien environment in an RPG thus far. The island nation of Morrowind was one of the most peculiar and novel kingdoms with an equally unique set of inhabitants.
In this iteration of The Elder Scrolls, players are dumped into a prophecy once again that they must fulfill in order to exact vengeance on the gods that betrayed them back in their previous life. The gameplay is one of the most raw and hardcore experiences in an Elder Scrolls title and players can kill anyone, including the main NPCs. Arguably, this presumed oversight gave the game a certain level of freedom that most RPGs are afraid to grant these days.
1 Neverwinter Nights
- Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- ​​​​​​​Other Genres: Fantasy, CRPG, Story-Driven
After their success in Baldur's Gate, BioWare just had to up their RPG development portfolio, and the city of Neverwinter in the Dungeons and Dragons mythos provided the perfect playground. It involves a story so well-written and planned, that it became part of the official Dungeons and Dragons lore concerning the city of Neverwinter.
Moreover, it was also one of the first few RPGs in the early 2000s that adopted the fully 3D graphics. This would later give BioWare the credentials and renown to develop their own sure hits such as Mass Effect and Dragon Age Origins.