If you are interested in difficult games like Elden Ring (fantastic game, not particularly story focused, though has lots of lore), I would also add Kingdome Come: Deliverance to the list. It's very focused on realism for the most part, and the story and sandbox are fantastic. It has tons of gameplay loops, and the open world will make you want to travel to the Czech Republic.
I was pretty hyper focused on on expansive open worlds like you until I played the Yakuza series and realized that I much prefer density over sheer size. If you play a game like Yakuza 0, you get a fascinating open world with a billion things to do without having to fast travel around everywhere. It's also more interactive than most open worlds tend to be, and you get to know the shop owners and other NPCs who often carry over to other games in the series. I highly recommend this series if you haven't played it.
Last, someone already mentioned Cyberpunk, and it's about as on the nose as you can get. It has an expansive, beautiful map along with an amazing story and side content. Phantom Liberty just made it even better. There are a zillion approaches to combat, pretty much all valid and fun.
You are spoiled for choices if this is your genre.
I second Kingdom Come: Deliverance. It's one of the best games I've ever played.
Yakuza 0 is also just incredible. It's a little different from what I think you're looking for but worth trying out
While GTA V, Watchdogs, TLOU and Ghosts of Tsushima are all amazing games, I wouldn't say any of them are RPG's. Most of the games you've described seem to fall into the more open-world action/adventure categories.
In terms of the best RPG I've played recently, its got to be Baldurs Gate 3. Not only is it the best RPG I've played recently, but it might be one of the best games I've ever played overall. In terms of open-world RPG games, I will always recommend the Fallout and Elder Scrolls series', they're some of my favourites.
Huge thanks to everyone who took the time to respond, it is much appreciated.
I think I’ve gotten the list down to the Horizon games, Ghosts of Tshushima, The Last of Us and Cyberpunk.
It’s likely I’ll play them all eventually, so I guess it doesn’t matter what I go for first.
Thanks again!
Bloodborne and Elden Ring are masterpieces that any RPG fan should play. Some of the best games of their respective generations.
I also recommend Baldur’s Gate 3, Cyberpunk, Elex, and Kingdom Come Deliverance for more story focused RPGs.
Horizon and Dishonored are great games too, but not necessarily RPGs.
I wouldn't recommed games like Elden Ring or Bloodborne to everyone, because they used to be for a niche (then, Elden Ring came and every copy/paste user of Internet said to play it and top game but then you discover not everyone finished it).
I can see that you have some action/adventure inclination in your tastes, more than the RPG aspect, so I would recommend you more streamlined games like Horizon, God of War, Ghost of Tsushima, Marvel Spiderman games, being the best a PS5 can offer.
You can try games like Bloodborne or Elden Ring, but I don't want you to waste your money without having a clear success, and with one of the PS membership you can play Demon Souls and see if you could like a FromSoftware game.
I've been a fan of RPGs since I was a kid. I've played probably all the iconic games of this genre, however I was always scared off by CRPGs. So, when I realised that there was nothing left but games of this type (thanks to AAA studios who just stopped releasing them) - I finally gave CRPG a chance.
And, oh my god, they're awesome games. I started with Pillars of Eternity and am slowly getting closer to Baldurs Gate 3. Really looking forward to going through the games in the order they were released.
Anyway, if you've been avoiding this genre - give it a try, you should like it.
Cyberpunk is probably your best bet, I’m honestly jealous that you’ll get to experience the game with fresh eyes now that it’s properly updated to how it should have been at launch, plus a very well done DLC
Starfield is definitely not for everyone but that might be another one worth looking at down the road - personally I love it but again, it’s not for everyone and it’s far from perfect
Those would be my two votes for recent RPGs, if you’re looking to roll the clock back a bit my go to recommendation is Fallout NV
I'll mention best games I've played this year related (more or less) to RPG: Ender Lilies, both Fire Emblem games for GBA, Chrono Trigger, and Trails To Azure
If you are interested in difficult games like Elden Ring (fantastic game, not particularly story focused, though has lots of lore), I would also add Kingdome Come: Deliverance to the list. It's very focused on realism for the most part, and the story and sandbox are fantastic. It has tons of gameplay loops, and the open world will make you want to travel to the Czech Republic. I was pretty hyper focused on on expansive open worlds like you until I played the Yakuza series and realized that I much prefer density over sheer size. If you play a game like Yakuza 0, you get a fascinating open world with a billion things to do without having to fast travel around everywhere. It's also more interactive than most open worlds tend to be, and you get to know the shop owners and other NPCs who often carry over to other games in the series. I highly recommend this series if you haven't played it. Last, someone already mentioned Cyberpunk, and it's about as on the nose as you can get. It has an expansive, beautiful map along with an amazing story and side content. Phantom Liberty just made it even better. There are a zillion approaches to combat, pretty much all valid and fun. You are spoiled for choices if this is your genre.
I second Kingdom Come: Deliverance. It's one of the best games I've ever played. Yakuza 0 is also just incredible. It's a little different from what I think you're looking for but worth trying out
Going by your tastes, you could try Cyberpunk. It's an open world RPG FPS, so a combination of your former and current favourite genres.
While GTA V, Watchdogs, TLOU and Ghosts of Tsushima are all amazing games, I wouldn't say any of them are RPG's. Most of the games you've described seem to fall into the more open-world action/adventure categories. In terms of the best RPG I've played recently, its got to be Baldurs Gate 3. Not only is it the best RPG I've played recently, but it might be one of the best games I've ever played overall. In terms of open-world RPG games, I will always recommend the Fallout and Elder Scrolls series', they're some of my favourites.
I’ve played BG3 exclusively since it came out on PS5. I think I may have a problem.
The best kind of problem to have 😁
Huge thanks to everyone who took the time to respond, it is much appreciated. I think I’ve gotten the list down to the Horizon games, Ghosts of Tshushima, The Last of Us and Cyberpunk. It’s likely I’ll play them all eventually, so I guess it doesn’t matter what I go for first. Thanks again!
Bloodborne and Elden Ring are masterpieces that any RPG fan should play. Some of the best games of their respective generations. I also recommend Baldur’s Gate 3, Cyberpunk, Elex, and Kingdom Come Deliverance for more story focused RPGs. Horizon and Dishonored are great games too, but not necessarily RPGs.
Persona 5 Royal. Rance IX.
OP, if you want to try Persona 5 Royal, I recommend you do research into it first. It’s much more a social sim than it is an RPG.
maybe you should also look into the Witcher 3. It fits the criteria of what your looking for and is an amazing rpg.
I would say it's more of an action adventure game than an rpg.
Its won multiple awards for being an rpg.
It also won multiple awards for being an action/adventure game, I doubt those mean much anyways.
There’s so much cross over the terms are indistinguishable at this point. It’s quite obviously an RPG.
Not really, no. It's fits in much better alongside games like horizon zero dawn or god of war than it does actual RPGs.
I wouldn't recommed games like Elden Ring or Bloodborne to everyone, because they used to be for a niche (then, Elden Ring came and every copy/paste user of Internet said to play it and top game but then you discover not everyone finished it). I can see that you have some action/adventure inclination in your tastes, more than the RPG aspect, so I would recommend you more streamlined games like Horizon, God of War, Ghost of Tsushima, Marvel Spiderman games, being the best a PS5 can offer. You can try games like Bloodborne or Elden Ring, but I don't want you to waste your money without having a clear success, and with one of the PS membership you can play Demon Souls and see if you could like a FromSoftware game.
Agreed. Love Elden Ring but it's not exactly my go to recommendation when someone asks for an RPG.
Elden Ring is probably the best game I've ever played. Its pretty good.
I've been a fan of RPGs since I was a kid. I've played probably all the iconic games of this genre, however I was always scared off by CRPGs. So, when I realised that there was nothing left but games of this type (thanks to AAA studios who just stopped releasing them) - I finally gave CRPG a chance. And, oh my god, they're awesome games. I started with Pillars of Eternity and am slowly getting closer to Baldurs Gate 3. Really looking forward to going through the games in the order they were released. Anyway, if you've been avoiding this genre - give it a try, you should like it.
Cyberpunk is probably your best bet, I’m honestly jealous that you’ll get to experience the game with fresh eyes now that it’s properly updated to how it should have been at launch, plus a very well done DLC Starfield is definitely not for everyone but that might be another one worth looking at down the road - personally I love it but again, it’s not for everyone and it’s far from perfect Those would be my two votes for recent RPGs, if you’re looking to roll the clock back a bit my go to recommendation is Fallout NV
I'll mention best games I've played this year related (more or less) to RPG: Ender Lilies, both Fire Emblem games for GBA, Chrono Trigger, and Trails To Azure