Summary
RPGs as an exploration of the video game medium began with quite a difficult challenge - transferring the imagination and wonder of tabletop games into something with comparable quality on the PC. Thebest RPGs of todaycarry on this legacy still, with worlds of imagination to explore in a multitude of ways, but a video game can never truly offer the same breadth of options as a Dungeon Master improvising consequences to the individual actions of their players.
The best RPGs thus take some smaller elements of what makes TTRPGs so compelling, and expand upon them, making them a foundational part of the gameplay overall. Some games reflect the variety of options a game of imagination can hostwith evil routesand alternate storylines, while some give players a place to call their own, and plenty of ways to build upon that place. These isometric RPGs, whether classics of the genre or new smash hits, all have base-building elements that feel in-depth and immersive.
An excellent title for fans oftheFalloutseries,Wasteland 3is a worthy successor to two incredible post-apocalyptic RPGs that continue the legacy of classic roleplaying games and their dedication to player choice. One of the first things subject to the player’s decisions and playstyle in this game is Ranger HQ.
It’s here that the player must rebuild their faction, the Rangers, from the ground up, recruiting fighters to join their tight-knit squadron and making key choices about the role the headquarters serves. Beyond simply refurbishing and expanding the base with features like med bays and mess halls, players will have to decide if their base is a walled-off fortress or a beacon for the many displaced wanderers in the area.
Some of theDragon Ageseries’most iconic charactersarose from this game-length DLC, fit with an entirely new section of Ferelden to explore. This DLC unfortunately has some issues with save imports, as technological restrictions at the time meant players couldn’t import their world state if their warden made the Ultimate Sacrifice in the base game.
Expanding the Arling of Amaranthine and Vigil’s Keep is not as open-ended as other entries on this list - with players needing to manage their limited resources across a handful of linear upgrade choices, but BioWare did a fantastic job making each upgrade to the new Warden base feel like it had a tangible, meaningful impact on the settlement overall.
This game features Obsidian’s character writing and world-building at its peak, providing an exploration of the Forgotten Realms and Sword Coast with enough vitality to rival gameslikeBaldur’s Gate 3, albeit with some outdated design features.
One feature that, in contrast, was quite ahead of its time, was the implementation of a base-building mechanic tied to the story. Players are able to build up their keep over the course of the story and make changes to it based on their alignment.
Players looking for animmersive zombie survival titlewould be hard-pressed to find something more in-depth or well-realized thanProject Zomboid. This game has some incredibly in-depth base-building mechanics.
Just about any location can be fortified and used as a potential outpost, though players making their base somewhere secluded will have a much easier time than those trying to make a base in the middle of a dense urban center filled with undead.
CRPGs have always been about taking that incredible tabletop roleplaying experience and transferring it into the digital space, and thePathfindergames do an excellent job taking the TTRPG system of the same name and building an incredible video game around it.
Players can lay out a city to their own tastes and design inKingmaker, and it makes for a great experience that helps the player feel like they’re having a tangible impact on the world and the narrative.
TheupcomingAvowedtitlehas players more excited than ever for Obsidian’s hit CRPGs set in the same universe,Pillars of Eternity. These games do exceptional things for the fantasy scene, providing a level of worldbuilding that few other titles can match.
Early in the story, players will happen upon Caed Nua, serving a twofold purpose of being a pretty hefty DPS check for new characters, while also, after clearing it as a dungeon, appearing as a fort for players to manage and build to their liking throughout the game.
Utilizing Extractiums and claiming colonies for your dynasty,Rogue Tradertakes an incredibly interesting page out of the 4X handbook and lets players settle resource refineries and expansive colonies across a myriad of worlds in the Koronus Expanse.
This is a great micro look at the 40k Universe, which is often only seen on the macro level, and is an excellent way for players to immerse themselves not only in the grim darkness of the future but in the excellent story thatRogue Traderoffers both 40k fans and the blessedly uninitiated.
When it comes to synthesizing isometric RPG gameplay with base-building elements,Kenshitakes the cake as the most expansive and engaging title of them all. This surreal, brutal game is tough on beginners, but that challenge is a vital part of the appeal.
Managing anything from a small brewery in the swamps toa sprawling fortressout in the desert is a possibility in this game - or even keeping to yourself in a house within one of the towns that dot the landscape of this ruined world.
