The PlayStation platform has always been home to some of the best RPGs on the market. Whether they’re JRPGs, action RPGs, tactical RPGs, or any other variation, there’s never been a shortage of games that allow you to live out a new experience in nearly any type of setting you could imagine. RPGs were initially a more niche genre, catering to the old-school Dungeons and Dragons players, but have steadily grown in popularity as they have become more accessible and widespread. These games offer narratives and gameplay styles you can’t find anywhere else.
The PlayStation 5 came out of the gate strong with a number of high-quality RPGs. Since then, the library has only grown as newer titles find their home on this powerful console. No matter what type of RPG you prefer — turn-based or real-time combat; fantasy, sci-fi, or modern settings; linear stories or ones that incorporate your choices — the PS5 has an RPG that will fit your tastes. To help find your perfect fit, take a look at this roundup of the best RPGs for PS5.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
90%
3/5
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5
Genre
Role-playing (RPG)
Developer
Square Enix
Publisher
Square Enix
Release
June 10, 2021
Final Fantasy 7 was arguably the most important JRPG at the time of its release and was only possible thanks to the original PlayStation’s discs as opposed to Nintendo’s reluctance to move off of cartridges. The result was a game that many consider one of the greatest of all time, regardless of genre. Since then, fans have begged for a remake, despite Square-Enix’s insistence that it wasn’t possible. Eventually, they relented and gave us Final Fantasy 7 Remake on the PS4, with an upgraded version, packaged with extra DLC, called Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade. This version didn’t need to make any of the technical concessions the previous-gen version did, such as with resolution or frame rate, making this already award-winning JRPG even better. In a risky move, this remake ditched the ATB system of the original for a more action-focused gameplay style, while adapting all the major components to fit this new way of playing. You attack, dodge, and move in real time, but can slow time down to a crawl to select your magic, skills, items, and summons or limits. The result is something between the combat of an action RPG like Kingdom Hearts, with tactical elements from, well, a tactics game. The story does cater to those who’ve played the original, deliberately playing with expectations, but is still engrossing for new players. It seemed like an impossible task, but this first chapter in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake series somehow lived up to just about every expectation set for it.
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Square Enix
Publisher
Square Enix
Release
December 07, 2021
If Final Fantasy 7 was the most important JRPG for the genre, Final Fantasy 14 is no doubt the most important MMORPG. The story of this game’s rise from broken mess to critical acclaim and top of the MMO genre as a whole is not one we need to repeat here, but well worth at least acknowledging. Not only was it a massive risk to make a mainline numbered Final Fantasy game an MMO, even after Final Fantasy 11 did decently, but not particularly well, but to make it work on consoles as well as PC was another thing entirely. Somehow, the team was able to translate one of the most complex genres there is onto a controller in such a way that it is not only viable but even preferable for a good portion of the player base. Just because Final Fantasy 14 is an MMO doesn’t mean it isn’t just as much a Final Fantasy game. Sure, there are your mindless grind quests here and there, but the main story content, of which there is now dozens upon dozens of hours worth, is considered to be among the best the series has ever told. Unlike other MMOs, Final Fantasy 14 put just as much time and care into crafting the game’s story over essentially a decade without sacrificing quality at any step. You will really feel involved in the events unfolding in ways other MMORPGs just don’t allow for. This is all not even mentioning all the races, classes, and jobs you can take on. Final Fantasy 14 is stellar in so many ways we simply don’t have time to go through it all.
Horizon Forbidden West
4/5
Platforms
PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Guerrilla Games
Publisher
Sony Interactive Entertainment
Release
February 18, 2022
The original Horizon was a big leap for what developer Guerilla Games had previously done. Prior to their experiment in open-world, third-person RPGs, they had almost exclusively worked on FPS games in the Killzone franchise. This break, however, ended up being a massive success on the PS4, and it was inevitable that they would want to follow up on their ambitions, using all the lessons they learned with a sequel. Horizon Forbidden West takes all those concepts they introduced in the first game and ramped them up to the maximum. There are more robot dinos to hunt, a more elaborate skill tree, a beautiful and vast open world, and even more side activities and quests to go on. Somehow, the game feels even better to play than the first, making it a joy to sink dozens and dozens of hours into this fully realized world that combines ancient customs and aesthetics with futuristic foes.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon
86%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Adventure
Developer
Ryū Ga Gotoku Studios
Publisher
Sega
Release
January 16, 2020
Technically the seventh mainline Yakuza game, Yakuza: Like a Dragon smartly rebranded itself to appeal to new fans because of the massive change in gameplay. While the Yakuza games have always been RPGs of sorts, with more action brawler combat, the latest game tossed all that out in favor of a turn-based combat system. Not only that, but the game introduced a brand new protagonist, leaving Kazuma Kiryu, the star of the previous six mainline games, to rest and acquainting us with Ichiban Kasuga. What remains is the combination of an incredibly serious, gripping, and often dark story set in the familiar Kamurocho, set side by side with some of the most wacky, off-the-wall, and hilarious characters, dialogue, and side quests ever depicted in games. Initially being shown as an April Fool’s joke, the turn-based combat of Yakuza: Like a Dragon ended up being an amazing fit for the series and incredibly satisfying to play. The new protagonist and story make it a perfect entry point for RPG fans looking for something wholly unique in the genre. What other RPG is set in the modern day, following middle-aged men using umbrellas and bats as weapons and throwing birdseed at enemies to summon pigeons as spells? Aside from the lengthy main story, the amount of content in this game easily matches any traditional JRPG. Plus, the developers have already confirmed that moving forward, the Yakuza series proper (which will now simply be called Like a Dragon) will stick to this turn-based style of combat, with improvements and changes, obviously — but it will be a safe investment for RPG fans looking for a new series to dig into.
Tales of Arise
86%
5/5
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Bandai Namco Entertainment
Publisher
Bandai Namco Entertainment
Release
September 10, 2021
The Tales of series has been living in the shadow of bigger franchises, such as Final Fantasy, basically forever. That may not change overnight, but the newest entry in the series, Tales of Arise, certainly will push it closer to mainstream success than any prior game. With a brand new art style and performance afforded by modern consoles, Tales of Arise looks and plays far better than any previous entry in the series. Every special skill and spell has amazing effects tied to them, and all your party members are stunningly detailed and expressive without going for a purely realistic look. Art is just one half of the experience, though. The story Tales of Arise tells is perhaps more deep and metaphorical than you might expect. We’re far beyond the days of JRPGs being simple stories of collecting elemental crystals, sure, but too few tackle real issues like race, slavery, and discrimination. While not everyone will see it as a perfect representation of those difficult themes, Tales of Arise does an admirable job of portraying them in a grounded way despite taking place in a fantastic setting. The party this time around is one of the best, with evolving and fun characters you’ll come to love on a personal level, and all serve unique roles in the fast-paced combat. This isn’t a turn-based affair, but tactics and planning are still key to victory.
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut
100%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Google Stadia
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure, Indie
Developer
ZA/UM
Publisher
ZA/UM
Release
March 30, 2021
Initially, Disco Elysium was a PC exclusive title back in early 2019. It was kind of a cult hit, earning incredibly praise from everyone who played it, but didn’t quite reach the wider audience. Fast forward to the release of Disco Elysium: The Final Cut for PlayStation 5, and this already immaculate game became even better. The base game’s main strength was its writing, and that remains true in the PS5 version. There are lines written for everything. Not only does every character have something to say — and of course, they’re all deep and well written — and your character has multiple options for what they will say or do, but every skill you have also talks to your character. Depending on what you invest in, you will only see a fraction of all the writing in this game in a single playthrough. If that sounds like a ton of reading, well, it is. But, the final cut pulled off what might as well have been a miracle in voicing every single line of dialogue in the game. Considering how wide open this game is in terms of how you build your character, skill-wise and personality-wise, and how adaptive the game is to all of those choices, you could play this game at least two or three times and get essentially unique experiences every time. There is a mystery at the center to solve, but the way you go about it is totally up to you. There’s nothing else quite like Disco Elysium: The Final Cut, and odds are there won’t be anything like it ever again.
Final Fantasy XVI
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5
Genre
Role-playing (RPG)
Developer
Square Enix
Publisher
Square Enix
Release
June 22, 2023
We took a little break from Final Fantasy, but we had to come back to highlight the first entry built from the ground up for the PS5. It is also different enough from the other two entries we’ve listed to speak to a different audience. Aside from a great, dark story you would expect from this series, Final Fantasy 16 is the most action-heavy of any entry yet. The combat is completely in real time, and made for flashy, long, and intricate combos. The actual RPG elements are comparatively light as well, so this entry will speak to those who prefer a more tactile and active combat system that rewards skillful play.
Demon's Souls
87%
Platforms
PlayStation 5
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Hack and slash/Beat 'em up
Developer
Bluepoint Games
Publisher
Sony Interactive Entertainment
Release
November 12, 2020
Not only were we blessed with a fantastic, yet brutal, RPG right at the PS5’s launch, but it also just happened to be a remake of the cult hit that essentially birthed the souls-borne genre. Demon’s Souls Remake is both the most accessible, and inaccessible souls game for different reasons, but stands as a must-play for just about everyone. Yes, if you know what type of game a Souls game is and aren’t into it, this game probably won’t change your mind. If you love the difficult, slower, and more methodical style of RPG then this is the perfect one to start with, or experience for the first time if you missed it on PS3. Obviously, this game is a remake of the old 2009 game, but BluePoint didn’t just give it an almost unbelievably good-looking new coat of paint but also sanded down some of the original’s sharper edges. Gameplay-wise, Demon’s Souls Remake is nearly identical to the original, save for multi-directional rolling and a few other minor tweaks. As an RPG, this one fits the genre more for how it allows you to build your character. Sure, you can influence the story in numerous ways, in fact, more ways than you would think or even know without a guide, but the gameplay is the main draw here. You can build yourself to be a quick spear user, smash enemies with a giant two-handed sword, or cast spells or miracles from a distance. The world is such a beautifully bleak place, and designed so specifically, that you’ll want to give a new build a try just to go through it all again.
Ghost of Tsushima
89%
4.5/5
Platforms
PlayStation 4
Genre
Adventure
Developer
Sucker Punch Productions
Publisher
Sony Interactive Entertainment
Release
July 17, 2020
The original version of Ghost of Tsushima came out just months before the PS5 would launch. Despite the older hardware, it was still one of the most graphically impressive games we’d ever seen. The entire island of Tsushima was massive, detailed, and absolutely dripping with color and atmosphere unlike almost any open-world game before it. Many hoped we would see an enhanced version for the PS5, and Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut gave us everything we could’ve wanted. The game now hits an astounding 60 FPS, supports 4K resolution, and the already quick loading times are essentially eliminated. Technical upgrades aside, Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut is a tale worth going on. Based loosely on actual historical events, you play as Jin, a samurai during a Mongol invasion of his home. As he attempts to fight back the invading forces and rescue his uncle, his last surviving family, he must slowly resort to tactics viewed as dishonorable among the samurai. The story here is almost totally crafted here, with no real way to impact the events until the very end, but considering how much more personality we get from Jin as a result, it is a much tighter narrative. Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut also includes an entire expansion to further detail Jin’s story and past, plus give you more open-world activities to take on.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
76%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Google Stadia
Genre
Adventure
Developer
Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher
Ubisoft Entertainment
Release
November 10, 2020
Ubisoft took the Assassin’s Creed series in a new direction starting with Assassin’s Creed: Origins. Rather than sticking to the same combat formula the series had been iterating on since the beginning, they revamped it by injecting many more RPG systems, such as leveling, gear, and skill trees. Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla is the third game to follow that new design philosophy and is the best one you can pick up on your PS5. The combat is slick, brutal, and satisfying, the world is vast and beautiful, and new management systems help make your character feel like a true Viking leader. The main story itself is on the weaker side, unfortunately, but you can still get dozens, if not hundreds, of hours of enjoyment.
Octopath Traveler II
90%
4/5
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Turn-based strategy (TBS)
Developer
Square Enix, ACQUIRE Corp.
Publisher
Square Enix
Release
February 24, 2023
Read our full
Octopath Traveler II review
Elden Ring
97%
4/5
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre
Role-playing (RPG)
Developer
FromSoftware
Publisher
Bandai Namco Entertainment, FromSoftware
Release
February 25, 2022
We already mentioned one FromSoftware game, but Elden Ring is an entirely different beast. This game took the world by storm when it was released, captivating fans of the Souls genre and newcomers alike with its impeccable design. Yes, it is still based in the tough, methodical combat sensibilities of a Dark Souls game, but that’s paired with the freedom and open-ended nature of an open-world RPG. What this results in is a game that allows you to have much greater control over the difficulty than a normal Souls experience. If you’re finding a boss too hard, there are at least a dozen other places to go, bosses to fight, items to find, and secrets to uncover while you get stronger. The addition of Ashes to summon for help and the return of co-op further increase accessibility. This is also by far the largest, longest, and most content-rich experience the studio has ever created. With so many build possibilities, this is one game that absolutely lives up to the hype.
Cris Tales
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Google Stadia
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure, Indie
Developer
SYCK, Dreams Uncorporated
Publisher
Modus Games
Release
July 19, 2021
Time travel in games, for whatever reason, seems to be done more often, and better, by smaller, indie titles. Cris Tales decides to use the mechanic of time travel in a way we’ve never really seen done before, yet makes so much sense for a JRPG. The world it’s set in is your run-of-the-mill fantasy world, complete with talking frogs, but also with a twist such as robots and boats made of giant shoes. The art style really speaks for itself, and makes this game a treasure for the eyes from beginning to end. Every place, person, and environment looks lovingly crafted and like it really belongs in this world. The time mechanic, which is the primary draw, is used in very creative ways. You would probably expect it to be used for puzzle solving, and you’d be right, there are plenty of time-based puzzles requiring you to flip between past, present, and future, but it is also incorporated into combat. Just like in puzzles and exploration, you can shift time during combat between past, present, and future for various effects. Some enemies will be stronger or weaker depending on if you shift them forward or backward in time, for example, but you can also use it to poison an enemy and then shift them to the future for tons of damage. It all makes sense, has a lengthy story with extras, and is a great pick for a unique RPG for your PS5.
Diablo IV
88%
4/5
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Hack and slash/Beat 'em up
Developer
Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher
Blizzard Entertainment
Release
June 02, 2023
If you know RPGs, then you’ve at least heard of the Diablo series. Diablo 4 comes to PS5 at the same time as PC and feels right at home on a controller. The quality of life improvements for this ARPG is impressive, but that’s not what will keep you playing. This game is scientifically designed to hit those dopamine centers in your brain that fire when burning through a crowd of monsters or a high-tier piece of loot drops. The flow and loop is addicting, but also very satisfying. Whether you’re playing alone or with a group of friends in the story or end-ame dungeons, Diablo 4 is ready to steal away any free time you might have.
Genshin Impact
81%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Genre
Role-playing (RPG)
Developer
HoYoverse
Publisher
Cognosphere, HoYoverse
Release
September 28, 2020
If you want a free game that looks great and is, at this point in its life, already bursting with content, Genshin Impact should be on your radar. Whether the initial appearance as being somewhat of a Breath of the Wild knock-off appeals to you or not, this RPG is far more than that. The world is huge and only getting bigger, with dozens of quests, secrets, and tough challenges to pit your team of heroes against. The range of builds you can create, not only with individual characters but among your party as well, is incredibly addictive. Be aware that, being a free-to-play title, it will have some mechanics that push you to spend money, but if you’re not interested in maxing out your character and just want to experience the narrative, there’s really no need to spend any real money.
