One of the reasons why NES, SNES, and other older games of this generation are so popular is because of their simplicity. Players back then could simply turn on their console and start getting into the game without getting bogged down with lengthy cutscenes. There are examples of games with intricate stories back then such as Final Fantasy 6, but overall it was easier to sit down and just play a game.

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It can be freeing to know that nothing stands before the player and a new world. With RPGs, it can be even better knowing that there isn’t a linear progression to the story. This goes beyond side quests too. Some of these game examples may skirt the line on non-linearity but they are great experiences all the same.

8 Diablo 4

Out of the entire Diablo series, it is Diablo 4 that is the most open. This applies to the literal world that players can explore but it also applies to the story. There are side quests in the game that players can get tangled up in, but at any given time there can also be two, to three, to more main quests to tackle.

All of the main quests must be completed for the game to move on to the next Act. This non-linear structure to the story allows players to join their favorite characters first such as Lorath, which is a neat idea.

7 Elden Ring

The overall Soulslike series of games that FromSoftware has developed offer non-linearity. Dark Souls can be considered to be adjacent to a Metroidvania game because it all takes place in mostly one interconnected area. The biggest difference is the lack of exploratory abilities gained on the journey.

Elden Ring, above all other Soulslikes, enhanced the choices for players exponentially since it is an open-world game. Not every boss has to be defeated and the main ones can often be tackled out of order although there are certain level gates that players will want to reach.

6 Fallout 3

All of Bethesda’s games could be featured here because they like to develop open-world RPGs. For many fans, Fallout 3 was one of their crowning achievements even though it was littered with glitches and game-breaking bugs.

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Unlike other games from Bethesda, Fallout 3 allowed players to explore a somewhat familiar environment in the ruins of the United States. That small sense of familiarity can be thrilling for a lot of players. Also, the sheer number of options on how to solve problems in the main story was quite numerous.

5 Kingdom Hearts

Kingdom Hearts falls somewhere in between linear and non-linear. Most entries in the Kingdom Hearts series are about Sora traveling to Disney worlds and sealing their Keyholes. Players were often greeted with a choice of where to go next via their Gummi Ships.

Most of the time they got two options like choosing a world based on The Little Mermaid or The Nightmare Before Christmas in the first game. This small amount of choice in the series allowed players to prioritize their favorite Disney content.

4 Live A Live

Live A Live was a surprise when it was released in 2022, twenty-eight years after its initial launch in Japan on the SNES. This oddball Square Enix RPG gave players the choice of seven different campaigns. Players could complete them in any order, they were not directly tied together, but they did lead to a final chapter in the end.

One example includes following the exploits of an Android named Cube aboard a spaceship wherein a monster got loose. Another followed a ninja, Oboromaru, on a mission in feudal Japan. It was like a short-story collection but in video game form.

3 Octopath Traveler 2

Octopath Traveler 2 is exactly like its predecessor and a lot like Live A Live too. Players are given eight characters to choose from at the beginning of Octopath Traveler 2. They all come from different areas of the map and have specialty Jobs.

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Throné, for example, was a thief who could steal from opponents in battle and NPCs in towns. Hikari is another example who was a samurai with a strong sense of justice. Once a main hero was chosen, the other seven could be recruited along the adventure but all eight character’s stories were separate from one another.

2 Pokemon Scarlet/Violet

The early Pokemon games were very linear though as players had to progress from town to town to get Gym Badges. As time went on, this ordered structure was diminished and in some cases, the idea of Gym Badges was obliterated.

Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet are the two latest entries and they went back to Gym Badges but they added more main quests. Whether one wanted to go after Gyms or defeat Team Rocket equivalent goons first, players had plenty to think about. Also, collecting every Pokemon is a quest itself which is very non-linear although not every player wants to accomplish that lofty goal.

1 The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and the entire Zelda series overall may not exactly be RPGs in the traditional sense. However, it would be hard not to talk about this game in terms of non-linearity because it broke so many rules within the series.

Players woke up as Link, half naked, are were given a vague direction of goals. They could head immediately to Hyrule Castle to rescue Princess Zelda and defeat Calamity Ganon. Doing so would be a momentous feat though, so it was wiser to awaken four great Divine Beasts to help instead. These Divine Beasts were like this game’s version of dungeons and they could be completed in any order.

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