Top 10 RPGs of the last decade

We have a very often visited thread on this forum called your top rpgs of all time, and since many of us here are older, that thread is filled with rpgs from the 90s, or shortly after. I'm as guilty as anyone, as I think if I made a list today probably 6-7 of my top ten would come from this period. I think a lot of this has to do with looking back, I'm now 44, and 15-25 years ago was the period where I was fairly new to rpgs and gaming in general and where I was more likely to get really excited about new games. I notice for younger players, games that I no longer felt were so very impressive (like Dragon Age: Origins or Gothic 2) awake the same kind of nostalgic feeling. For that reason I'd like to make a list of your favorite "newer" rpgs. I'd say including something like Baldur's Gate 2 EE would be cheating, as 99% of the content of that game comes from before 2007. Whether console ports like "Legends of Heroes" from before 2007 qualify I'll leave up to you. Personally I have no console, so they were new to me when I played them. I'll still avoid them on my list, even though Legends of Heroes would certainly be on it if I wasn't so strict with myself.

1. Pillars of Eternity
2. Wasteland 2
3. Stranger of Sword City
4. Might and Magic X
5. Skyrim
6. Underrail
7. Battle Brothers
8. Dragon Age: Origins
9. Lords of Xulima
10. Deus Ex: Human Revolution

I haven't played D:OS2, Torment, Trails of Cold Steel, The Witcher 3, or Deus Ex: Mankind Divided yet, so that's at least one reason they aren't on my list.

There are lots of other good rpgs from this period. So for the lazy, here are links to the rpgwatch GOTY 2008-2016

https://www.rpgwatch.com/show/article?articleid=105
https://www.rpgwatch.com/show/article?articleid=146
https://www.rpgwatch.com/show/article?articleid=168
https://www.rpgwatch.com/show/article?articleid=185
https://www.rpgwatch.com/show/article?articleid=202
https://www.rpgwatch.com/show/article?articleid=232
https://www.rpgwatch.com/show/article?articleid=278
https://www.rpgwatch.com/show/article?articleid=365
https://www.rpgwatch.com/show/article?articleid=401

Top 10 (2007-2017):

1. Divinity: Original Sin 2
2. ELEX
3. Divinity: Original Sin 1
4. Battle Brothers
5. Skyrim
6. Fallout: New Vegas
7. Dragon Age: Origins
8. Lords of Xulima
9. Valkyria Chronicles
10. Might and Magic X

Honorable Mentions:
Witcher 2
Witcher 3
Ara Fell
Underrail
Wasteland 2
Avernum Series
The Quest
Risen 1
Expedition Conquistador
KotC

Nice idea. Let's see:
1. PoE
2. WL2
3. DOS2
4. Underrail
5. FO:NV
6. TToN
7. SR: Dragonfall
8. MMX
9. DOS
10. AoD

The order could probably change if I took longer to think about it, and there's probably a few games I forgot to include, so I'm guessing I'll revise the list when more people have answered.

EDIT: 6 of those are Kickstarters. So much for Kickstarters never delivering...

Good to see Might and Magic X, Battle Brothers, Lords of Xulima, Underrail, and Wastleland 2 make your lists. These would make my top 10 also.

Will have to think about rest of list. Witcher 3 would be #1 if the category was watching a video game

Just so there is a little disagreement, I could not stand Pillars of Eternity. But most of you know I like open world games with as little story as possible.

Good question. I'm never consistent with these things, but the games that spring to mind are:
1 Divinity Original Sin 1
2 Dark Souls
3 The Avernum games
4 Legend of Grimrock
5 Dragon Age origins
6 Skyrim
7 Wasteland 2
8 Tyranny
9 Pillars of Eternity
10 Might and Magic X. Just finished another replay of this one before Christmas, great game.

The list will probably shift around when I think about it though

1. Age of Decadence
2. Shadowrun: Dragonfall
3. Expeditions: Viking
4. Dead State: Reanimated
5. Celestian Tales: Old North
6. Legends of Eisenwald
7. NWN2: Mask of the Betrayer (released end of '07 so just makes the cutoff)
8. The Witcher 2
9. The Witcher 3
10. Dragon Age: Origins

I find it very difficult to rank my favorite games, but rarely finish games so I figure the ones I have actually completed (in some cases multiple times) definitely deserve a place in my top ten. Lots I haven't played although a few recent releases that I think I might enjoy. Main complaint I have with recent RPGs in general is that with few exceptions they're a bit too easy. Prefer combat be rare yet challenging, rather than frequent yet rarely challenging.

Honorable mentions: Expedition Conquistador, Dex, Hard West, SR: HK

Interesting list daveyd. I still need to play Dead State and Legends of Eisenwald. Backed both on KS. Which would you recommend first.

I don't like lists but I'm not sure POE or D:OS-1 would be on my list. I really liked D:OS-1 but it had a lot of issues. I played POE twice but never really liked it much. I would consider replacing them Witcher 3 and perhaps Dragon Age origins but I would have to think of it. I really liked valkyria chronicle but not sure you would consider it an rpg.

Hastar said:

Just so there is a little disagreement, I could not stand Pillars of Eternity. But most of you know I like open world games with as little story as possible.

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I didn't like Pillars the first time I tried playing it, and gave up about half way through. When I came back to it about eighteen months later I enjoyed it a lot more. I'm hoping to have the same experience with Divinity Original Sin II, which I didn't really enjoy despite loving part I…

1. Skyrim
2. Fallout 3
3. Fallout 4
4. FNV
5. 7 Days to Die
6. DE:HR
7. UnderRail
8. The Quest
9. Grim Dawn
10. Ego Draconis/DKS/Divinity 2

Two Worlds Two? Can't remember when it released. It would be number 4 for me.
Hunie Pop would win most unexpected guilty pleasure. I was addicted to tetris and bejewled and that game is those with naked girls. Win/Win.

1. Dragon Age Origins
2. Dark Souls
3. Witcher 3

And after these, big gap haha, in no particular order
Mass Effect
Deus Ex Human Revolution
Wasteland 2
Dragon Age: Inquisition
Lords of Xulima
Legend of Grimrock 2
Underrail

Ooh, that's a tough one. Let's see, off the top of my head:
1. The Witcher 3
2. Mass Effect
3. Skyrim
4. Dragon Age: Origins
5. ELEX
6. Divinity: Original Sin 2
7. Fallout: New Vegas
8. Pillars of Eternity
9. Risen
10. Mass Effect: Andromeda

Something along those lines..

1. Legends of Eisenwald

2. Dragon Age Origins

3. Fallout three

4. Valkyria Chronicles

5. Stranger of Sword City

6. Shadowrun

7. Tales of Symphonia

8. Disgaea two

9. Original Sin the First

10. Battle Brothers


And maybe twenty or so worthy of honourable mentions.

1. Sperpents in the Staglands (2015)
2. Drakensang: The River of Time (2010)
3. King's Bounty: The Legend (2008)
4. Knights of the Chalice (2009)
5. Dragon Age: Origins: Awakening (2010)
6. Avadon: The Black Fortress (2011)
7. Avadon 2: The Corruption (2013)
8. King's Bounty: Armored Princess (2009)
9. Dragon Age: Origins (2009)
10. Paper Sorcerer (2013)

NB: I haven't played practically anything since 2014 as that's when the new RAM requirements kicked in. Funny to think something like Dragon Age: origins only has a 2gb requirement, but something like Lords of Xulima or even Legends of Eisenwald has a 4gb requirement/recommendation. Even those that still only require 2gb are sketchy now as my rig is so old most of the RAM is consumed by crap I have no idea how to properly clear and even if I did I'd then get graphics cards issues. Still, I've enjoyed the opportunity to spend a few years clearing a backlog. So my list is just 2008-2013 really.

Technically, Serpents isn't my no.1 game, but atmospherically it's my no.1, as I would say its the closest any game has come to recreating the magic of the Infinity Engine games, though, as above, I haven't tried Pillars of Eternity yet, and might have actually benefited by waiting so long, as apparently it's a massive Xmultiplier better after all the expansions.

I forgot Elex on the list of my not yet played. I suppose that could be a top ten for me if its as good as everyone says it is.

Hastar said:

Interesting list daveyd. I still need to play Dead State and Legends of Eisenwald. Backed both on KS. Which would you recommend first.

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I liked both of those games. I really liked Dead State, but a lot of people really disliked it. Of the two games Dead State is more the Sandbox game. You travel around a huge world map like fallout and discover locations. There is some base management and some story (mostly in the first half of the game). Dead state is a long game, and at the end there isn't much to do other than gather resources, since one has discovered most of the locations and the story is mostly done, but that's probably at 50+ hours, so I couldn't complain. I enjoyed it for 60 hours or so.
LOE's first two chapters and prologue (the first 6-8 hours) are fairly linear and are the weakest part of the game, but it really opens up into a great strategy rpg near the end. Its 35+ hours and in my opinion a great game, and the better of the two (in my book).

lackblogger said:

1. Sperpents in the Staglands (2015)
2. Drakensang: The River of Time (2010)
3. King's Bounty: The Legend (2008)
4. Knights of the Chalice (2009)
5. Dragon Age: Origins: Awakening (2010)
6. Avadon: The Black Fortress (2011)
7. Avadon 2: The Corruption (2013)
8. King's Bounty: Armored Princess (2009)
9. Dragon Age: Origins (2009)
10. Paper Sorcerer (2013)

NB: I haven't played practically anything since 2014 as that's when the new RAM requirements kicked in. Funny to think something like Dragon Age: origins only has a 2gb requirement, but something like Lords of Xulima or even Legends of Eisenwald has a 4gb requirement/recommendation. Even those that still only require 2gb are sketchy now as my rig is so old most of the RAM is consumed by crap I have no idea how to properly clear and even if I did I'd then get graphics cards issues. Still, I've enjoyed the opportunity to spend a few years clearing a backlog. So my list is just 2008-2013 really.

Technically, Serpents isn't my no.1 game, but atmospherically it's my no.1, as I would say its the closest any game has come to recreating the magic of the Infinity Engine games, though, as above, I haven't tried Pillars of Eternity yet, and might have actually benefited by waiting so long, as apparently it's a massive Xmultiplier better after all the expansions.

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I've had that problem to a lesser degree the last two years. Torment, Expedition:Vikings, Lichedom, Age of Decadence, Hard West, Starcrawlers and Dragon Age:Inquisition I all had to give up at some point because of repeated crashes, and I somehow made it through Risen 3 and Divinity Original Sin despite a few technical difficulties. At some point soon a new computer is coming, mine is getting close to the 5 year mark.

Fallout 4 Survival
Skyrim modded
Deus Ex Human Revolution
Divinity Original Sin 2
The Division
Diablo 3
Witcher 2
Mass Effect
Dragon Age: Origins
Risen


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Risen 2, Risen 3, Andromeda, Mankind Divided and Original Sin also have a place there, probably - but these lists quickly become redundant if we include all sequels. I could have included Risen 3 - because I think it's a more even experience than Risen - but the first half of Risen is true PB, and so I had to pick that one.

The Division was marketed as an RPG - but is not a traditional choice, nor is Diablo 3 - but I've had more hours of fun with those games than most, and I wanted to recognise that. Aside from that, I consider both masterpieces of what they're trying to do and the leaders of their respective subgenres. Diablo 3 being the…. well, best Diablo clone - and Divison being, by far, the best looter shooter.

I considered adding Prey, which would rank high - but I don't think of it as an RPG.

I don't really think of Deus Ex games as RPGs either - but I have to concede they include the vast majority of required features to fit the genre, so I included it as well. HR is superior to Mankind Divided because the story is told better and has a much more satisfying ending. Also, I think Mankind Divided smacked of being rushed and needed at least a couple more story missions to feel right.

Original Sin 2 is the clear winner when it comes to mechanics - and I could have placed it above all others because of its wonderful cooperative mode. But, as a solo game - it's not really my preferred style of CRPG.

I considered adding Witcher 3 - but I honestly can't say I had much fun playing it. If we were rating stories or writing, it would have been number one, though.

Witcher 2 did all the good things Witcher 3 did and it didn't confuse me by pretending to be a quality open world freeform RPG. It was much more to the point, so I had an easy time enjoying what was great about it - which was the story, characters, presentation and the visual spectacle.

Mass Effect and DA:O were both fantastic games - even if they both had severe flaws. Mostly, I'd say they win because of story and presentation. I had fun with both - but their mechanics and progression were a bit lacking for my tastes.

For a guy with a strong love of immersion and exploration above all, Fallout 4 and Skyrim are the clear winners here. They do so much right that I can easily live with the mediocre to crappy writing. I can mod away the gameplay annoyances for the most part, which is a big help of course. No other games have offered me so much in the most important ways these past 10 years or so.

Let's see...

1. Stardew Valley
2. Mass Effect 2
3. Expeditions: Viking
4. Dragon Age: Origins
5. Skyrim - modded

Surprised not many Watchers have The Witcher 3 in the top 10. I really enjoyed watching it but not really playing it. Have to give it another go. I'd say, The Witcher 3, Mount&Blade, Mass Effect1, Divinity: Original Sin and Diablo 3 for the rest of my top 10.

purpleblob said:

Let's see…

1. Stardew Valley
2. Mass Effect 2
3. Expeditions: Viking
4. Dragon Age: Origins
5. Skyrim - modded

Surprised not many Watchers have The Witcher 3 in the top 10. I really enjoyed watching it but not really playing it. Have to give it another go. I'd say, The Witcher 3, Mount&Blade, Mass Effect1, Divinity: Original Sin and Diablo 3 for the rest of my top 10.

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I know we have a few W3 die-hard fans around here, so I bet it's coming

That said, it seems we have an abundance of old-schoolers here, which is nicely reflected in the choices so far.