Perhaps more than any other genre, role-playing games offer players a chance to fully immerse themselves in both a world and a story. By taking control of both a character and the quest they must embark on, fans of RPGs can experience the rewarding upward climb of progression.

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Best Games On Xbox Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass is unquestionably worth the subscription fee, but which of the available games are the best use of your hard drive space?

Most RPGs tend to be hefty time sinks, but that only goes to show how immersive these titles can be. Luckily for those who own Xbox Game Pass, phenomenal RPG games are available at a moment’s notice. Whether someone prefers JRPGs, Western epics, or indie darlings; Microsoft's subscription service has them covered. What are the best RPGs on Game Pass?

Updated June 22, 2024 by Mark Sammut: In the last few weeks, no new RPGs were really added to Game Pass. My Time at Sandrock might qualify if the genre's definition was broadened, but it is a farming sim through and through. Consequently, another recommendation was added to the article. Scroll to the end to read about two of the best children's RPGs on Game Pass.

1 Octopath Traveler 2

Metascore: 86 (PS5)

Both Octopath Traveler entries are available on Xbox Game Pass, and together they can easily keep someone engaged for more than 100 hours. While the first game is well worth a playthrough, the sequel offers more of the same, just slightly improved in a couple of areas. Their stories, characters, and worlds are not related either, so newcomers can jump into the second game if they would rather skip its predecessor (although, again, Octopath Traveler is very good).

So, what is Octopath Traveler? Well, these projects are essentially throwbacks to classic JRPGs from the 1990s, sort of similar to the Bravely Default games. However, they take a page from Live a Live's playbook by focusing on character-specific storylines that are fairly standalone. That said, the playable characters are united through a central quest, and they do come across more like a genuine party than their counterparts in the first Octopath Traveler. The turn-based combat is traditional but well-executed.

2 Lords Of The Fallen

Metascore: 77

Nowadays, Soulslike games are a dime-a-dozen, and that mostly is true for Microsoft's subscription service as well. As such, Lords of the Fallen might struggle to stand out alongside some of the theme's other offerings, especially due to garnering a rather mixed reception when it debuted in 2023. While perhaps not the most highly rated option on Xbox Game Pass, Hexworks' project is arguably the exact type of project that benefits from being on the service.

Lords of the Fallen can be polarizing, particularly during its opening few hours; however, the RPG has more than a few positives in its favor. Thanks to Unreal Engine 5, it is one of the best-looking Soulslikes on the market. While a bit janky at times, the combat can be fun, and the dual-realm mechanic presents an interesting twist on the death/revival formula. The boss fights can be epic too, at least in terms of scale. Lords of the Fallen is not a must-play Soulslike in isolation, but it is a pretty easy recommendation as a Game Pass RPG.

3 Mass Effect Legendary Edition

Metascore: 90

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate owners have access to the full Mass Effect franchise. If they prefer, they can jump into the original Xbox 360 versions. These hold up reasonably well, particularly the sequels; however, Mass Effect Legendary Edition is the best way to experience Commander Shepard's story in this day and age. The package contains remastered versions of BioWare's classic trilogy, and the compilation also includes most of the DLC.

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Beyond a facelift, the Legendary Edition revamps the original Mass Effect game quite extensively, bringing it more in line with the content and gameplay of its sequels. These changes make the trilogy a more consistent overall experience. Each entry is fantastic in its own right, and when combined, Mass Effect makes one of the best video game trilogies of all time.

4 Persona 3 Reload

Metascore: 86

Persona 5's shadow looms large over Atlus' entire franchise, and its fingerprints can be seen in Persona 3 Reload, Atlus' 2024 remake of 2006's PS2 JRPG. However, this iteration is still 100% Persona 3, retaining the original's dark atmosphere, fantastic storytelling, and Tartarus. In a series that has produced almost nothing but stellar games, P3 stands as a genuine contender for its crowning achievement, and Reload shows the classic JRPG all the respect it deserves.

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Blending dungeon-crawling with social sim aspects, P3R strikes an outstanding balance that satisfies both genres' needs in a way that ensures they complement each other. During the day, players get to live the life of a Japanese high school student, which involves attending class and hanging out with friends. These sections are the campaign's beating heart, granting depth to the characters while also weaving a powerful tale that tackles mostly mature themes.

At night, players lead a party into an intense dungeon crawling with Persona, creatures that can be added to the protagonist's arsenal. As a monster-collecting game, P3R offers a wide and impressive roster of candidates, and the game expects players to be constantly cycling through new party members by either catching Persona or using the fusion system. While the JRPG's turn-based combat is fairly traditional for the genre, P3R elevates the action through a fantastic presentation and supporting mechanics that inject an element of strategy into battles.

5 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Special Edition

Metascore: 82

Skyrim has essentially ruled the open-world RPG roost since its unsubtle and highly-anticipated release in 2011 — that alone should be enough to showcase its necessity for any RPG enthusiast's repertoire. While it can be safely accused of shedding the deeper mechanical complexities of its predecessors, the cold fact of the matter is that Bethesda did more than a few things right.

Skyrim preserves the franchise's legacy of beautifully designed open worlds filled with enough content to keep even the most dedicated gamers busy for years while expanding the scope of its audience exponentially. It's practically gaming's equivalent to required reading at this point, and it's not hard to see why.

6 Dragon Age: Origins

Metascore: 86

The addition of EA Play to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate brought with it plenty of great RPGs, including some of the best trilogies in gaming. Dragon Age: Origins is the definition of an epic; a grandiose adventure filled with political intrigue, narrative depth, complex combat, and unforgettable characters.

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The game is at its best on PC, but the Xbox 360 version is perfectly playable. While somewhat dated by today's standards, Origins has aged beautifully in the areas that matter the most: world-building, storytelling, and character-build variety. The sequels are also worth checking out, but Dragon Age arguably peaked with its first entry, setting a standard that few fantasy RPGs have come close to replicating.

7 Palworld (Game Preview)

Blends Multiple Genres To Create Something New & Exciting

2024 has produced a couple of major AAA games, but arguably none of them attracted as much attention as Palworld. While still in early access (or Game Preview on Xbox), Pocket Pair's project is already in fine shape, offering a fairly robust and complete experience that still has plenty of room for expansion. As Baldur's Gate 3 proved in 2023, a lengthy spell in early access could be the difference between a good and fantastic game, and the latter could easily be used to describe Palworld in its current form.

Before its release, the project was labeled as Pokemon with guns, a descriptor that, while accurate, sells the project's scope short. Palworld is a survival open-world game with monster-collecting, base building, third-person shooting, RPG mechanics, and co-op. On the surface, it might seem like Pocket Pair is trying to reach too many audiences, but the pieces come together to create a surprisingly cohesive whole. Palworld is addictive, and while there is not much of a story, the basic gameplay loop is more than fun enough to keep players engaged for dozens upon dozens of hours.

8 Crusader Kings 3

Metascore: 83

If strategy games can seem inapproachable to newcomers, then grand strategy titles must seem absolutely foreign. Crusader Kings 3 represents the subgenre at its best, and it is arguably Paradox's crowning achievement, a statement that is not made lightly. While needing no introduction to players fond of these sorts of games, CK3 might seem too dense for people who have yet to dip their toes in the universe of grand strategies; however, although not easy to master, the game is among the most accessible options on the market.

More importantly, CK3 is a proper RPG that follows a family tree as the members' decisions shape their kingdoms and the rest of the world. Along with fairly standard grand strategy mechanics, Paradox emphasizes each character's personality, encouraging players to properly role-play as their rulers. Unlike most other entries in this subgenre, CK3 is primarily about the individuals that mold history through their relationships, biases, flaws, and strengths.

9 Tales Of Arise

Metascore: 87

Even if it is not as synonymous with JRPGs as Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest, Bandai Namco's Tales is one of the genre's most beloved franchises, and an argument could be made that it is the definitive action property. While fairly consistent in terms of quality, a few entries stand out from the crowd, and Tales of Arise is one of the best games in the series. The 2021 release also serves as a great introduction to the IP, and since the story is not connected to any previous releases, newcomers can jump into this project without hesitation.

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Telling a fairly major story that tackles themes of discrimination and oppression, Arise blends strong storytelling with addictive combat, likable characters, and a fair amount of secondary content. While the campaign is quite long, new settings and mechanics are introduced frequently enough to ensure things remain interesting throughout, and all the playable characters are unique and come with learning curves.

10 Lies Of P

Metascore: 84

Soulslike games belong to their own genre, but they still fall under the action RPG umbrella. Lies of P is an inspired take on the Soulsborne formula, even if its core mechanics do not stray too far from the beaten path. Cast as Pinocchio, players will find themselves exploring Krat, a Gothic fallen utopia that has become overrun by deadly puppets who come in a wide range of shapes and sizes.

Unlike some other entries in the genre, Lies of P has a fixed protagonist and does not offer too many customization options, at least not in the opening few hours. Players can select from three combat styles, and they unlock new weapons at a steady but not overwhelming pace. Importantly, Lies of P nails its combat and enemy design, offering fast-paced and aggressive action that demands players master all the game's mechanics, particularly parrying.

11 Diablo 4

Metascore: 91

Blizzard's Diablo 4 is a weird beast. The hack and slash RPG attracted near-universal praise at launch and was regarded as a solid evolution for the franchise. However, the game's reputation declined quite quickly after that point, with a few subsequent updates being viewed as a step back rather than a leap forward. Nowadays, the RPG exists in a strange space where it feels somewhat like old news, although Diablo 4's Loot Reborn patch was a huge move in the right direction.

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Polarizing as it might be, Diablo 4 is nevertheless massive. Except for a more expansive open-world and a couple of touches, Blizzard's action RPG does not reinvent the wheel, instead opting to offer a straightforward combat-loot-combat loop. The story is fine but nothing special, and it largely exists to keep people busy until they reach the endgame. The combat is simplistic as well, but it is satisfying in a shut-off-your-brain type of way. Unsurprisingly, the game floods players with loot, which provides a small dopamine hit every time. For all its divisive elements, at its core, Diablo 4 is a pretty good action RPG that has the potential to be better. If someone is on the fence about trying this sequel, they can now jump on board thanks to Xbox Game Pass.

12 Cassette Beasts

Metascore: 84 (PC)

Xbox Game Pass has a couple of monster-collecting games. Those titles can keep someone busy for months on end, but Atlus' series has some competition. Initially launching on PC before making its way to consoles, Cassette Beasts is a fantastic indie project that takes inspiration from the likes of Pokemon, particularly the older isometric entries, while also crafting a unique voice that sets it apart from its peers. Arriving at a peculiar island called New Wirral, players are quickly greeted by a ranger who tells them about their ability to transform into beasts, which they will need to do to survive the habitat's wildlife.

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Cassette Beasts' title gives its monster-taming mechanic away: players "catch" creatures by recording them on a cassette tape. If successful, the protagonist and their human partners will be able to transform into them during battles. Set in a vibrant and diverse open-world, the game offers a creative modernization of this RPG subgenre's typical formula, and it even manages to incorporate a pretty interesting story. Along with the main campaign, players have quite a few side activities to keep them busy.

13 Darkest Dungeon

Metascore: 83 (PS4)

Darkest Dungeon is a cutthroat game that takes no prisoners. Players inherit a mansion sitting on top of a strange dungeon, so they hire heroes to explore the creepy labyrinth within. Like most RPGs, these characters come in a variety of classes and can be leveled up; unlike most RPGs, death is permanent in Darkest Dungeon. There is nothing quite as infuriating as watching a powerful hero meet their maker, never to be seen again.

Red Hook's game uses a turn-based combat system that centers around parties of four characters. While exploring the dungeon, players have to monitor the heroes' stress levels along with a myriad of other mechanics. It is quite a challenge.

14 Sea Of Stars

Metascore: 89

August and September 2023 produced two of 2023's biggest RPGs: Baldur's Gate 3 and Starfield. Most indie projects released around the same time as these games were destined to be overshadowed, and that's without even mentioning Armored Core 6 and Lies of P. Therefore, the fact that Sea of Stars still managed to make a splash speaks to its quality. Inspired by '90s JRPGs, Sabotage crafted a gem that pays tribute to its influential ancestors without fully anchoring itself to them.

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Set on an island, Sea of Stars follows two heroes tasked with defeating a spreading corruption. On the surface, this premise might sound generic, but it is all about the execution. Not only does the lengthy storyline take a few genuine risks as it progresses, but it is also packed with endearing characters and fun optional content. The turn-based combat system is pretty great too.

15 Stardew Valley

Metascore: 89

Launching in 2016, Stardew Valley has blossomed into one of gaming's most enduring farming sims. The indie game comes packed with so much content and freedom that two people could wind up having completely different experiences. Whether planning out a year's worth of farming or sparking a romance with one of the NPCs, Stardew Valley is incredibly immersive.

Offering endearing visuals, expansive customization options, and a lot to discover, this game will keep somebody playing for months on end. For those looking for a title that doesn't prioritize combat but is still quite challenging in places, Stardew Valley is a stellar pick.

16 Remnant 2

Metascore: 85

Remnant: From the Ashes and its 2023 sequel were added to Xbox Game Pass at the same time, allowing players to experience all the currently available content at the click of a button. Gunfire's IP is known as the third-person shooter Soulslike, a well-earned reputation since it is undoubtedly the best series that combines the two genres without limiting gunplay to a secondary mechanic. Similar to Lies of P, Remnant takes many ideas from RPGs; in fact, these two games are arguably more conventional entries into that genre. Remnant: From the Ashes is very good and a fine entry point into this universe, but its sequel is slightly better.

Featuring a lengthy campaign that is designed to be replayed, Remnant 2 sends players to multiple words that are overrun with the Rot. Once at one of these locations, players need to explore the overworld while searching for dungeons that conclude with boss fights. The latter are procedurally generated, so they should be different from playthrough to playthrough. At the start of a run, players pick from a few available archetypes that act as classes, and these are quite different from each other. Players are also granted a fair range of customization options that revolve around both stats and equipment, allowing them to tweak their character to suit their preferences.

17 Dead Island 2

Metascore: 76

Dead Island 2 is primarily an action game with RPG elements, so it might not be exactly what every fan of the genre is craving; however, as the project is generally described as an action-RPG, a recommendation is warranted. More importantly, the 2023 game is just fun, and sometimes that is the only thing that matters. Featuring an awesome and gory combat system, Dead Island 2 lets players rampage through a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles, arming them with a colorful assortment of weapons to ensure they can gleefully tear zombies to shreds. The minute-to-minute gameplay is a blast, and the campaign does not overstay its welcome either.

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In terms of RPG mechanics, Dead Island 2 utilizes cards for unlocking and improving skills. While serviceable, this process is not extremely exciting nor does it provide too much wiggle room for experimentation. Still, players can customize their characters to an extent, and the game includes a traditional level-up system.

18 Wasteland 3

Metascore: 84

All three Wasteland games are available on Xbox Game Pass, and each one improves on the last. Wasteland 3 is a challenging strategy turn-based RPG reminiscent of classic Fallout titles, and it comes with a dark sense of humor and a desire to constantly challenge players with difficult decisions.

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A deep and flexible combat system should keep the game feeling fresh throughout its considerable length, while Wasteland 3's story and world-building are second to none. Co-op is also possible for those who want to travel through Colorado with a friend.

19 Fable 2

Metascore: 89

Released in 2008, Fable 2 returns players to the wonderful world of Albion. All three games in the series have their positives and negatives, but Fable 2 is the most complete and satisfying experience in the trilogy. Players roam an enchanting realm as they set out to carve their own paths and highlight their unique quirks. Albion reacts to the player's actions, developing to match the choices made throughout the adventure.

Fable 2 takes place in a living, breathing world that empowers users but also doesn't forget the deeds (or misdeeds) they perform. Although not amazing, the real-time combat system is serviceable and offers enough variety to remain engaging throughout the campaign.

20 Pillars Of Eternity 2: Deadfire - Ultimate Edition

Metascore: 76 (PS4)

Obsidian Entertainment is firmly established as a leading developer in the RPG sphere, and Pillars of Eternity might be the company's crowning achievement. Both entries in the series rank among the best role-playing games on Xbox Game Pass, but Deadfire gets the nod since it saw the franchise grow out of its Baldur's Gate roots into something more singular.

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A pirate-themed adventure, this isometric RPG gives players a ship and a crew to sail the ocean, allowing them to visit a multitude of islands and take part in naval battles throughout their journey. The story is solid, but Deadfire shines the brightest in its combat, customization, and sense of discovery.