The 10 Best RPGs for Beginners

The RPG genre is one of the most famous in video games for its mix of incredible stories, captivating characters and the possibility for players to interact with the world and even shape the plot in a participatory way, whether by following the events told by the game, or by directly affecting its narrative and outcome through their decisions.

But RPGs are also long games with their own mechanics which don't always mix from one franchise to another, in addition to the concepts of the genre permeating several other works today, with elements found in action, stealth and roguelike titles.

In this article, we have selected 10 RPG games where the mechanics aren't overly complex and whose stories, while very engaging, bring that feeling we expect from an epic adventure full of memorable moments!

Super Mario RPG

It's nearly impossible to start this list without mentioning one of the friendliest RPGs built around one of the most famous characters of all time, Mario.

Originally released for SNES in 1996 and with a “remake” for Nintendo Switch, Super Mario RPG brings another epic adventure for the plumber, who needs to gather the seven fragments of the Star Road after Smithy invades Mushroom Kingdom.

With the classic mix of exploration and turn-based combat, Super Mario RPG takes several elements from other titles to create its own charismatic combination of characters and enemies known from the franchise with an entirely new narrative for its time.

The Remake version also brings gameplay updates that make combat more dynamic than the classic version, such as the ability to transform individual attacks into area attacks by pressing buttons at the right time, thus helping to make it an engaging experience.

Chrono Trigger

To start your adventure in the universe of electronic RPGs, how about starting with what is still considered by many to be the best game of all time?

Chrono Trigger was originally released by Square (now Square Enix) in 1995 and is currently available on Steam, iOS and Android. It was developed by a “dream team” that included Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball), Hironobu Sakaguchi (Final Fantasy), Masato Kato (Chrono Cross), Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy), Takashi Tokita (Parasite Eve), Yasunori Mitsuda (Xenogears) and Yuji Horii (Dragon Quest).

Its story revolves around the adventures of Crono and his friends when they discover, by chance, a portal that takes them 400 years in the past and, subsequently, arrive at an apocalyptic future where the world has been consumed by a calamitous threat known as Lavos. The group then decides to travel through the ages searching for a way to eliminate Lavos and bring hope back to the future.

With a story about heroism and with several changes - including the endings - that depend exclusively on the player's decisions, Chrono Trigger was revolutionary for its time due to its mix of innovations and intelligent use of its mechanics, such as the dual techniques between characters, marking a milestone in the history of both RPGs and video games.

Breath of Fire III

It's very common for a game the size of Breath of Fire to be ignored by younger audiences, especially since we haven't had any updates on a main title in the franchise since 2016 and its last successful game was released in the Ps One era.

Still, Breath of Fire III was the series' great turning point, which catapulted the popularity of Capcom's RPG, placing it on the same level as other great titles of the time, such as Suikoden, Final Fantasy VII, Wild Arms and Grandia.

The games' story, while separate, always revolves around a boy named Ryu, who has the powers of a dragon or even the ability to transform into one. In BoF 3, we follow the boy's journey after being discovered as a dragon by a group of miners, who trap him as a rare monster to be sold on the illegal market.

Ryu manages to free himself and, as he falls, he loses his consciousness and turns into a man, being discovered by Rei, a hunter who takes care of him and accompanies him on his journey through the kingdoms searching for the mysteries of his origin, past and his relationship with the Dragons.

Breath of Fire III is your classic turn-based RPG, with spells, effects and skills, as well as the possibility of changing the team leader during exploration to perform certain actions on the map. Its vibrant colors, fun soundtrack and easy-to-learn combat make it an excellent choice for those looking for a more palatable RPG, but with good twists and characters.

Dragon Quest XI

The Dragon Quest series reformulated the way electronic RPGs were played, precisely by making its mechanics more beginner-friendly, paving the way that would lead to a dozen other successful franchises in the genre over many decades.

Among the most recent, Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age is a huge success for keeping its narrative roots while also presenting some more modern aspects, such as seeing enemies on the map instead of relying on random battles, which are, usually, too time-consuming for newcomers.

Its story revolves around the world of Erdrea, where the protagonist survives a monster attack in childhood, being adopted and, later, discovering his identity as the Luminary, the hero chosen to save Erdrea from a great evil.

Sea of Stars

Sea of Stars is an RPG released in September 2023 by Canadian studio Sabotage Studio, and operates as a love letter to 90s role-playing games in an experience composed of mysteries, charisma and friendship.

Set in a world where two warriors are trained to save the world from an imminent threat, Sea of Stars manages to deliver an experience full of magic, with an excellent soundtrack and interactive combat with strong inspirations from games like Final Fantasy X and Chrono Trigger, where sequencing our skills can guarantee another extra turn and/or a delay our opponents' actions.

It is one of the most modern takes on classic systems on the RPG market today, while bringing with it an original and innovative narrative coupled with an exploration and combat system that is intuitive, yet challenging enough for newcomers and veterans alike.

Pokémon

Pokémon is considered by many to be the definitive RPG experience for beginners. After all, the mix of monster capture, leveling, evolution and skills system and assembling teams to overcome challenges make this a game for all audiences and of any age.

Furthermore, there are thousands of different games throughout the franchise, each with its own range of innovations in gameplay, exploration or monsters to catch that, in themselves, already guarantee hours of fun and an extensive range of possibilities after finishing your first game in the series. .

Entering the world of Pokémon is like visiting a brand-new universe: once you're in it, it's difficult to leave without appreciating all the features in each region.

Stardew Valley

Having Stardew Valley on a list of the best RPGs may seem strange because it doesn't follow all the standards of a traditional, combat-oriented RPG, but it is certainly one of the most role-playing games in the recent industry.

In it, you play the role of an office worker who decides to abandon life in the big city and then pursue a peaceful country life in a remote town, taking care of the farm that belonged to your grandfather. From this point on, the player follows some instances of events until they are given the freedom to do whatever they prefer - be it taking care of the farm, buying animals to sell milk and eggs, adopting a pet, fishing, socializing with other citizens or even enter a dungeon and fight monsters while searching for rare minerals.

In the end, Stardew Valley is about the freedom to live your life, to be who you want to be outside the constraints pre-established by the traditional sense of gaming, and there is nothing more RPG than choosing your own path and deciding how you wish to walk it. Several titles like Skyrim are widely acclaimed for this detail, and no other can deliver it with such ease as an indie “farm” game.

Persona 5

The Persona series gained popularity after changing its formula in Persona 3 (which gained a remake with Persona 3: Reload), mixing RPG elements with a student's school life and a dating and relationship simulator, and it wouldn't be unusual to hear from a fan of the series that Persona 5, released for PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch and Steam, is the best among them.

Much of Persona 5's appeal comes from its presentation: from the jazz soundtrack to the stylized menus and character designs, everything in the game seems to fit perfectly into a story full of mysteries, where a group of young students discover the existence of a parallel reality created by the cognitive distortions of society, where their Shadows prey on the weakest - and in this reality, they can summon their Personas, manifestations of their resolution.

Like other games on this list so far, Persona 5 is a turn-based RPG, but where the opponents' weaknesses and resistances make a huge difference when planning combat, making it extremely dynamic, but without making it repetitive. The Social Links system, in addition to deepening the journey and stories around primary and secondary characters, helps to create stronger Personas, necessary to make your protagonist a versatile part of your team.

Final Fantasy XVI

If you want a game with more mature themes, being in the almost opposite direction of the turn-based RPG spectrum, Final Fantasy XVI was the most recent new numbered title from Square Enix, released for PlayStation 5 and with a PC release planned for a later date.

Unlike many games in the franchise, FFXVI relies on an entirely real-time battle system, designed by Ryota Suzuki, responsible for combat in the Devil May Cry series. Despite the criticism surrounding this more fast and combo-oriented combat, the game has its range of RPG elements that still genuinely identify it within the genre and as one of the main games in one of the most famous franchises in the world.

On the other hand, its systems of equipment, spells and other elements are much less complex than in other titles in the series as there are no elemental attributes and/or specific benefits for armor - these being left only for accessories - which make Final Fantasy XVI an excellent choice for anyone who wants to venture into Action RPGs but aren't used to the genre.

Its story revolves around Clive Rosfield, Rosaria's young shield who watches the brutal murder of his brother, Joshua, at the hands of a mysterious second Eikon of Fire, Ifrit, and vows to take revenge on the killer after 13 years living as a slave.

Dragon Age: Inquisition

As it is the third game in the main series, Dragon Age: Inquisition may scare some players due to the density of the lore surrounding the events of the previous games, but it is certainly one of the best Action RPGs for beginners today, with an excellent mix of team and strategic planning.

In it, you play the role of the Inquisitor and seek to form alliances with kingdoms and armies to save the world from imminent evil, gaining new allies on your journey and exploring new terrain with them in a team of four characters, where you only need to control one of them, while the others will do their jobs naturally.

In many ways, Dragon Age: Inquisition resembles an MMORPG, where characters have specific skills and functions, as well as rotations between skills to create the right combos and maximize their effects. Although any game in the series is a good gateway, Inquisition's improvements are notable and its narrative does not exclude the player from the previous events, in addition to the fact that their decisions matter for the fate of the world and the outcome of certain characters.

It all depends on what style of play you prefer.

The titles mentioned here seek to bring a certain diversity in terms of subgenres, narrative, gameplay, plot or generation to provide you with a complete experience where, among them, you will find a specific niche that best fits your preferences.

Don't be afraid to experiment, there are hundreds of RPGs available for PCs and consoles that deserve your attention and can captivate you with their unique elements, and boost your passion for this genre!

Thanks for reading!