Best First-Person RPGs, Ranked

RPGs have frequently proven to be among the most personal gaming experiences out there. Fully inserting the player into the gaming world on offer, they make far more room than more conventional games for character customization and multi-branch storytelling.

Unsurprisingly, the first-person format can add a thrilling, sensory level of immersion for RPGs, further connecting gamers to their player characters. Such games further expand the joys of stepping into the shoes of an RPG player character, exploring vast worlds, entering into thrilling battle, and making plot-impactful decisions. Through an impressive blend of intricate skill systems, captivating storytelling, and a neat blend of role-playing elements and action, first-person RPGs can offer a thrillingly unique gaming experience that can keep players fully invested in their character’s epic journey.

6 Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Kingdom Come quickly impressed with how it took players into the heart of a meticulously recreated medieval Bohemia. Emphasizing historical accuracy and realism above all else, the game delivers a remarkably authentic, immersive experience.

From engaging in suitably dangerous, technically astute sword combat, archery, crafting, and horseback riding to engaging in complex social interactions and managing the player character’s overall reputation, Deliverance remains richly detailed in all areas of its world. The game’s thoughtful, branching narrative and dynamic array of quests help foster a sense of player agency, allowing them to largely shape their own destiny. Boasting impressive visuals, challenging gameplay, and remarkable attention to detail, Kingdom Come is further enhanced by its first person gameplay, putting the player right in the head of the protagonist for a more personal experience.

5 Far Cry 3

Seamlessly blending visceral action with a survival-focused, immersive narrative, Far Cry 3 is a captivating example of the thrilling potential of first-person RPG action mixed with an FPS. Plunged into a hazardous tropical island, players must navigate immersive, dangerous terrain throughout.

The exploration of Far Cry 3’s treacherous open world provides space for a litany of player choices, both in the narrative and in the gameplay, where different tactics can be employed to handle the dangerous enemy AI. Sporting a robust skill system, extensive weapon customization, and an impressively detailed crafting system, the game successfully engrosses players in its gripping, gritty adventure. Its neat combination of immersive world-building, thrilling action, and emphasis on player agency make it a standout RPG from the seventh generation of console gaming.

4 BioShock

This imaginative 2007 release wowed players with its dark, immersive setting and narrative. Gamers take control of Jack, a plane crash survivor who finds his way to the secret, underwater city of Rapture.

Delivering a thought-provoking narrative, BioShock sports a unique blend of immersive storytelling and spooky, atmospheric gameplay. Exploring a variety of heady themes, including choice, morality, and the grim consequences of unchecked power, the game’s entertainment value is further bolstered by its colorful characters and distinctive art deco visuals. The first-person gameplay is enhanced by the freedom players can enjoy in regard to different weapons and power-enhancing plasmids, making room for different play styles and strategic applications.

3 Deus Ex

This groundbreaking RPG astonished players and critics alike upon its initial release all the way back in 2000. Players are dropped into a sinister, futuristic world where a number of well-known conspiracy theories, are real and very dangerous.

Along with its intricate cyberpunk world, Deus Ex also provides deep storytelling and player decision-driven gameplay, helping to set the stage for the shape of RPG playing in the years that followed. The neat blend of RPG and first-person shooter styles keeps the suspense levels high, as players blast through dangerous shootouts whilst uncovering more and more of the setting’s disturbing lore and mysteries. Better still, the game makes room for a variety of playing styles, rewarding gamers for both stealthy approaches and more all-out combat. With its imaginative storylines, first-person thrills, and memorable characters, Deus Ex has firmly established itself as a seminal RPG over the years.

2 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

Bethesda’s beloved 2011 entry in the long-running series saw players take a trip up north for a dragons-focused epic. Taking control of the Dragonborn, players must both go to war with the returning dragon menace and select a side in the ongoing civil war waging throughout Skyrim.

While the main storyline is a suitably thrilling piece of epic fantasy, it’s arguably in the side quests and DLCs that this game shines the most. Boasting rich lore, a variety of intriguing orders and groups to rise through the ranks of, and a world brimming with curious locations and characters, Skyrim continues to stand out as one of the most immersive RPGs ever released. The first-person gameplay option often ups the intensity of melee and magic-based battles, as players get up close and personal with everything from undead Draugr to bloodthirsty dragons in combat.

1 Fallout: New Vegas

Following the success of Fallout 3, a separate entity that would pick up some of the world-building and lore of the first two games was almost immediately put into the works. The result was one of the most nuanced, well-written RPGs of its generation in 2010’s Fallout: New Vegas.

Taking control of the Courier, players make their way to New Vegas with vengeance on their mind. However, even just making it to Vegas is merely the tip of the iceberg here, as players encounter a variety of factions and tough moral choices in a large portion of the game’s main and side quests alike. With a variety of intriguing endings and several very different sides to particularly take in the war for the Mojave Wasteland. The first-person option can quickly turn the action in this game into a shoot ’em up, as players take on raiders, super mutants, and more in dangerous gun fights. Firmly establishing itself as a cult classic, New Vegas’ sometimes glitchy gameplay is redeemed by its incendiary narrative, character arcs, and player freedom.