Sometimes reality can get rather bland to constantly endure. Some people read books whilst others get lost in other hobbies that keep their minds preoccupied. Similarly, video games are an excellent way to unwind and lose yourself in a world where you have more control over your environment and the role you play within it.
RPGs have been a staple of the video game industry ever since its inception. They are an excellent escape from the blandness of the real world and the genre features games of all kinds with their own unique in-game universes and combat mechanics. Luckily, the Xbox One catalog features a wide variety of RPGs you can enjoy playing on your home consoles.
9 Sable
Sable is a game that lets you lie back and breathe in everything you see. It’s artistically distinct, with a premise that’s unique enough to keep you invested in taking your time exploring a stunning landscape without engaging in any sort of combat.
The story’s engaging and will keep you hooked as you traverse through all kinds of areas, most of which evoke a sense of dread since everything’s been swept away by desertification. The platforming and puzzle-solving segments are fun too, and the characters are easy to get attached to as well.
8 Nier: Automata
Play as an android discovering their true selves over the course of a story that revolves around a post-apocalyptic futuristic version of Earth under siege. Nier: Automata will challenge your conventions and offers you an experience that requires you to play through the story multiple times to get the right ending.
It has hours of content that will make you invest your time into the characters on display. Each of the NPCs and side quests further adds depth to the world and the musical scores, along with the voice acting, are nothing less than superb.
7 Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts
The spiritual sequel to arguably one of the most iconic games RARE ever developed is chock-full of its own unique gameplay mechanics yet still retains the fun and exploration that came with the original. It’s a whimsical, whacky world with distinct characters who communicate in funny grunts.
It’s an interesting story about the dangers of urban development, and it’s surprisingly nuanced given the tone of the game. The controls are as tight as ever; plus, creating your own constructs to solve puzzles is a rather unique way of playing through the game.
6 Mass Effect: Legendary Edition
Mass Effect is a complicated series with a narrative that requires a fair bit of emotional investment from you to convey the nuances and moral implications of each action chosen. The games span all sorts of genres in a beautifully connected way and convey the stories through meaningful characters that evoke longing once they’re gone.
If you’re a big fan of sci-fi space adventures, then the trilogy is a fun way to explore the cosmos at your disposal. Take out hordes of enemies, solve puzzles, and eventually find the love of your life as you traverse the unknown.
5 Yakuza: Like A Dragon
Travel through the streets of Japan and bear witness to one of the best crime stories unfold right in front of your eyes while you’re in the shoes of Ichiban Kasuga. The game’s got it all: a convincingly real setting, some stellar voice acting, spectacular music, and very captivating graphics.
Beyond playing through the main story, you also get to enjoy an assortment of fun quirky minigames that span different genres. The combat system is reminiscent of other RPG games of the past, and everything else about this game feels unique.
4 Death Stranding
Who said being a delivery guy is easy? Death Stranding is a gorgeous game, with an immersive open world that stretches on for seemingly forever. It’s a cinematic masterpiece when it comes to the quirky story transitions and music. It’s a unique game with some innovative mechanics to work with.
The game does a great job at making you feel like an individual who’s part of the world you’re presented with, especially since it throws hurdles and challenges at you that test your retention skills and ability to plan in advance.
3 Red Dead Redemption 2
Becoming a cowboy in today’s modern world is a task easier said than done and barely offers the same kind of thrills the real deal had to offer back in the old days. For people looking to relive those simpler times of outlaws and sheriffs Rockstar Games’s Red Dead Redemption 2 is the perfect way to experience those times.
It’s a story-driven RPG that features all kinds of twists and turns, along with realistic characters that are easy to empathize with. It’s immersive, polished, and detailed in regard to the content-rich world you’re presented with.
2 Elden Ring
Keeping up with the tradition of unforgivably brutal fantasy gameplay, Elden Ring challenges you in a way you can’t forget. It’s a rich world with barely any way to recognize where you are unless you invest some time into remembering landmarks.
Nothing’s more immersive as an experience than having you navigate through every crevice or nook and cranny just to find the next big baddie hiding behind a rock or a sacred weapon in the hands of a slain forgotten corpse. The graphics are stunning, and the gameplay is ultimately fun regardless of the difficulty.
1 Persona 5: Royal
A beautiful successor to the Persona games of the past, Persona 5: Royal is by all means deserving of being called a masterpiece since it expands on an already top-tier game by adding elements that genuinely breathe some fresh air into the IP. The new characters and the addition to the main story of Persona 5 blend in well with the original and arguably make it better.
All the new content along with an immersive setting based on real-life locations make it a game worthy of any JRPG lover’s time. It’s a game that will take more than its fair share of hours to complete, but you’ll spend every minute of it having fun.