The best PS5 games are dominated by RPGs. Whether they’re JRPGs, action RPGs, tactical RPGs, or any other variation, there’s never been a shortage of games that allow you to live out a new experience in nearly any type of setting you could imagine. Sony is also great about securing every major franchise to appear on its platform, or even be a PS5 exclusive. These titles range from massive-budget games with hundreds of hours of content to indie projects that give you a quick but satisfying experience. Some of the best free PS5 games are RPGs, too. That’s a lot of options, so we’ve narrowed down the roster of RPGs to only the best you can get on PS5.
If you’re looking for a multiplayer game, though, you’re better off checking out our list of the best co-op games for PS5 instead.
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Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
92%
4.5/5
Platforms
PlayStation 5
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Square Enix Creative Business Unit I
Publisher
Square Enix
Release
February 29, 2024
As much as we were blown away with how well Final Fantasy VII Remake turned out, somehow Rebirth found a way to raise the bar even higher. Now free from Midgar, Cloud and the gang explore massive open-world regions across the world in stunning beauty. Filled with side quests, monsters, secrets, and collectibles, you could spend well over 100 hours doing everything this game has to offer. The story once again is the main draw and continues to expand, and deepen, but also cleverly subvert, the original. Combat is smoother, and each party member feels fully fleshed out and viable in every combination. If this is the level of quality and content we can expect from whatever the final game delivers, this remake trilogy could end up surpassing the original.
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Square Enix
Publisher
Square Enix
Release
December 07, 2021
If Final Fantasy 7 was the most important JRPG for the genre, Final Fantasy 14 is no doubt the most important MMORPG. The story of this game’s rise from broken mess to critical acclaim and top of the MMO genre as a whole is not one we need to repeat here, but well worth at least acknowledging. Not only was it a massive risk to make a mainline numbered Final Fantasy game an MMO, even after Final Fantasy 11 did decently, but not particularly well, but to make it work on consoles as well as PC was another thing entirely. Somehow, the team was able to translate one of the most complex genres there is onto a controller in such a way that it is not only viable but even preferable for a good portion of the player base. Just because Final Fantasy 14 is an MMO doesn’t mean it isn’t just as much a Final Fantasy game. Sure, there are your mindless grind quests here and there, but the main story content, of which there is now dozens upon dozens of hours worth, is considered to be among the best the series has ever told. Unlike other MMOs, Final Fantasy 14 put just as much time and care into crafting the game’s story over essentially a decade without sacrificing quality at any step. You will really feel involved in the events unfolding in ways other MMORPGs just don’t allow for. This is all not even mentioning all the races, classes, and jobs you can take on. Final Fantasy 14 is stellar in so many ways we simply don’t have time to go through it all.
Horizon Forbidden West
4/5
Platforms
PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Guerrilla Games
Publisher
Sony Interactive Entertainment
Release
February 18, 2022
The original Horizon was a big leap for what developer Guerilla Games had previously done. Prior to their experiment in open-world, third-person RPGs, they had almost exclusively worked on FPS games in the Killzone franchise. This break, however, ended up being a massive success on the PS4, and it was inevitable that they would want to follow up on their ambitions, using all the lessons they learned with a sequel. Horizon Forbidden West takes all those concepts they introduced in the first game and ramped them up to the maximum. There are more robot dinos to hunt, a more elaborate skill tree, a beautiful and vast open world, and even more side activities and quests to go on. Somehow, the game feels even better to play than the first, making it a joy to sink dozens and dozens of hours into this fully realized world that combines ancient customs and aesthetics with futuristic foes.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
82%
4/5
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Adventure
Developer
Ryu ga Gotoku Studios
Publisher
Sega
Release
January 26, 2024
Somehow, Like a Dragon made a graceful leap from an action brawler to a turn-based RPG with the first Like a Dragon. The sequel, Infinite Wealth, masters it. The storytelling remains at the level the series has held since the beginning, including the always entertaining substories, but feels right at home in the new combat engine. There are plenty of enhancements to battles, but the biggest changes are in the setting and protagonist. Yes, Ichiban is still the lead, but now Kiryu makes a return to share the spotlight with his own motivations and reasons for reappearing. The shift from Japan to Hawaii isn’t just refreshing from a visual perspective but plays into everything from the plot, characters, abilities, and more.
Tales of Arise
86%
5/5
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Bandai Namco Entertainment
Publisher
Bandai Namco Entertainment
Release
September 10, 2021
The Tales of series has been living in the shadow of bigger franchises, such as Final Fantasy, basically forever. That may not change overnight, but the newest entry in the series, Tales of Arise, certainly will push it closer to mainstream success than any prior game. With a brand new art style and performance afforded by modern consoles, Tales of Arise looks and plays far better than any previous entry in the series. Every special skill and spell has amazing effects tied to them, and all your party members are stunningly detailed and expressive without going for a purely realistic look. Art is just one half of the experience, though. The story Tales of Arise tells is perhaps more deep and metaphorical than you might expect. We’re far beyond the days of JRPGs being simple stories of collecting elemental crystals, sure, but too few tackle real issues like race, slavery, and discrimination. While not everyone will see it as a perfect representation of those difficult themes, Tales of Arise does an admirable job of portraying them in a grounded way despite taking place in a fantastic setting. The party this time around is one of the best, with evolving and fun characters you’ll come to love on a personal level, and all serve unique roles in the fast-paced combat. This isn’t a turn-based affair, but tactics and planning are still key to victory.
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut
100%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Google Stadia
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure, Indie
Developer
ZA/UM
Publisher
ZA/UM
Release
March 30, 2021
Initially, Disco Elysium was a PC exclusive title back in early 2019. It was kind of a cult hit, earning incredibly praise from everyone who played it, but didn’t quite reach the wider audience. Fast forward to the release of Disco Elysium: The Final Cut for PlayStation 5, and this already immaculate game became even better. The base game’s main strength was its writing, and that remains true in the PS5 version. There are lines written for everything. Not only does every character have something to say — and of course, they’re all deep and well written — and your character has multiple options for what they will say or do, but every skill you have also talks to your character. Depending on what you invest in, you will only see a fraction of all the writing in this game in a single playthrough. If that sounds like a ton of reading, well, it is. But, the final cut pulled off what might as well have been a miracle in voicing every single line of dialogue in the game. Considering how wide open this game is in terms of how you build your character, skill-wise and personality-wise, and how adaptive the game is to all of those choices, you could play this game at least two or three times and get essentially unique experiences every time. There is a mystery at the center to solve, but the way you go about it is totally up to you. There’s nothing else quite like Disco Elysium: The Final Cut, and odds are there won’t be anything like it ever again.
Final Fantasy XVI
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5
Genre
Role-playing (RPG)
Developer
Square Enix
Publisher
Square Enix
Release
June 22, 2023
We took a little break from Final Fantasy, but we had to come back to highlight the first entry built from the ground up for the PS5. It is also different enough from the other two entries we’ve listed to speak to a different audience. Aside from a great, dark story you would expect from this series, Final Fantasy XVI is the most action-heavy of any entry yet. The combat is completely in real time, and made for flashy, long, and intricate combos. The actual RPG elements are comparatively light as well, so this entry will speak to those who prefer a more tactile and active combat system that rewards skillful play.
Demon's Souls
87%
Platforms
PlayStation 5
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Hack and slash/Beat 'em up
Developer
Bluepoint Games
Publisher
Sony Interactive Entertainment
Release
November 12, 2020
Not only were we blessed with a fantastic, yet brutal, RPG right at the PS5’s launch, but it also just happened to be a remake of the cult hit that essentially birthed the souls-borne genre. Demon’s Souls Remake is both the most accessible, and inaccessible souls game for different reasons, but stands as a must-play for just about everyone. Yes, if you know what type of game a Souls game is and aren’t into it, this game probably won’t change your mind. If you love the difficult, slower, and more methodical style of RPG then this is the perfect one to start with, or experience for the first time if you missed it on PS3. Obviously, this game is a remake of the old 2009 game, but BluePoint didn’t just give it an almost unbelievably good-looking new coat of paint but also sanded down some of the original’s sharper edges. Gameplay-wise, Demon’s Souls Remake is nearly identical to the original, save for multi-directional rolling and a few other minor tweaks. As an RPG, this one fits the genre more for how it allows you to build your character. Sure, you can influence the story in numerous ways, in fact, more ways than you would think or even know without a guide, but the gameplay is the main draw here. You can build yourself to be a quick spear user, smash enemies with a giant two-handed sword, or cast spells or miracles from a distance. The world is such a beautifully bleak place, and designed so specifically, that you’ll want to give a new build a try just to go through it all again.
Ghost of Tsushima
89%
4.5/5
Platforms
PlayStation 4
Genre
Adventure
Developer
Sucker Punch Productions
Publisher
Sony Interactive Entertainment
Release
July 17, 2020
The original version of Ghost of Tsushima came out just months before the PS5 would launch. Despite the older hardware, it was still one of the most graphically impressive games we’d ever seen. The entire island of Tsushima was massive, detailed, and absolutely dripping with color and atmosphere unlike almost any open-world game before it. Many hoped we would see an enhanced version for the PS5, and Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut gave us everything we could’ve wanted. The game now hits an astounding 60 FPS, supports 4K resolution, and the already quick loading times are essentially eliminated. Technical upgrades aside, Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut is a tale worth going on. Based loosely on actual historical events, you play as Jin, a samurai during a Mongol invasion of his home. As he attempts to fight back the invading forces and rescue his uncle, his last surviving family, he must slowly resort to tactics viewed as dishonorable among the samurai. The story here is almost totally crafted here, with no real way to impact the events until the very end, but considering how much more personality we get from Jin as a result, it is a much tighter narrative. Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut also includes an entire expansion to further detail Jin’s story and past, plus give you more open-world activities to take on.
Baldur's Gate 3
96%
5/5
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Google Stadia
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Strategy, Turn-based strategy (TBS), Tactical, Adventure
Developer
Larian Studios
Publisher
Larian Studios
Release
August 03, 2023
Dozens of games have attempted to replicate the improv nature of playing Dungeons & Dragons with a real DM able to adapt and respond to any wacky idea you had to solve a situation, but none of have come close. None, that is, until Baldur’s Gate 3. The amount of care, attention, and love poured into this game just might ruin all other RPGs for you. Everything and everyone in the game will react to your character’s actions exactly how they should, and you have hundreds of ways to mess with the systems beyond dialog options and skill checks. Even playing the game more traditionally, there’s a ton of depth in the combat and party progression to explore over dozens of hours. This isn’t an easy game, but because you can “break” it by being creative, you should never feel stuck if you’re willing to experiment. If you somehow missed this game, now is the time to fix that mistake.
Dragon's Dogma II
80%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre
Role-playing (RPG)
Developer
Capcom
Publisher
Capcom
Release
March 22, 2024
There’s no other game you could really compare Dragon’s Dogma II with besides the original. It is an action RPG with some light Soulslike elements, but also plenty of immersive sim mechanics and Monster Hunter-style combat. In many ways, it feels quite old-school in its design, but somehow that only adds to its excitement and charm. The Pawn system helps keep the world feeling fun to explore and natural as your party members will shout out advice on where to go or warn you about a dangerous monster nearby. The combat can be a little clunky at first, but as you build up your skills and start swapping classes, you will find one that feels right. If you are looking for a game that encourages self-directed adventures, this game is brimming with possibilities.
Sea of Stars
83%
4/5
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Turn-based strategy (TBS), Adventure, Indie
Developer
Sabotage
Publisher
Sabotage
Release
August 28, 2023
For all the nostalgic RPG fans our there who loved Chrono Trigger and Super Mario RPG back in the day, Sea of Stars will feel like a lost game from that era. While the pixel graphics evoke the style of the time, it is punching far above anything the SNES could’ve delivered at the time. The premise of the story isn’t terribly gripping, but the execution and characters make it a breeze to see it though. That, and the combat will have you wishing you could grind battles more easily. It takes advantage of the timing-based combat of Mario RPG where pressing the attack button at the right time during an attack (or block button when being attacked) can make your attack more potent. Because of this, no battle can won by mindlessly using the attack prompt.
Octopath Traveler II
90%
4/5
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Turn-based strategy (TBS)
Developer
Square Enix, ACQUIRE Corp.
Publisher
Square Enix
Release
February 24, 2023
If you were feeling left out and jealous of the amazing sprite work of the original Octopath Traveler, then you owe it to yourself to pick up the seque, which is thankfully available on PS5. Despite it being titled Octopath Traveler II, there is no connection to the first one, so you’re free to begin your journey here. Focusing on eight protagonists with interweaving storylines, the main draw once again is the impressive 2D-HD art style. This game is the ultimate representation of what a classic JRPG from the SNES era would be if it were made today. The visuals are faithful but stunning, combat traditional yet innovative, and story anything but trite.
Elden Ring
97%
4/5
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre
Role-playing (RPG)
Developer
FromSoftware
Publisher
Bandai Namco Entertainment, FromSoftware
Release
February 25, 2022
We already mentioned one FromSoftware game, but Elden Ring is an entirely different beast. This game took the world by storm when it was released, captivating fans of the Souls genre and newcomers alike with its impeccable design. Yes, it is still based in the tough, methodical combat sensibilities of a Dark Souls game, but that’s paired with the freedom and open-ended nature of an open-world RPG. What this results in is a game that allows you to have much greater control over the difficulty than a normal Souls experience. If you’re finding a boss too hard, there are at least a dozen other places to go, bosses to fight, items to find, and secrets to uncover while you get stronger. The addition of Ashes to summon for help and the return of co-op further increase accessibility. This is also by far the largest, longest, and most content-rich experience the studio has ever created. With so many build possibilities, this is one game that absolutely lives up to the hype.
Diablo IV
88%
4/5
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Hack and slash/Beat 'em up
Developer
Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher
Blizzard Entertainment
Release
June 02, 2023
If you know RPGs, then you’ve at least heard of the Diablo series. Diablo 4 comes to PS5 at the same time as PC and feels right at home on a controller. The quality of life improvements for this ARPG is impressive, but that’s not what will keep you playing. This game is scientifically designed to hit those dopamine centers in your brain that fire when burning through a crowd of monsters or a high-tier piece of loot drops. The flow and loop is addicting, but also very satisfying. Whether you’re playing alone or with a group of friends in the story or end-ame dungeons, Diablo 4 is ready to steal away any free time you might have.
Genshin Impact
81%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Genre
Role-playing (RPG)
Developer
HoYoverse
Publisher
Cognosphere, HoYoverse
Release
September 28, 2020
If you want a free game that looks great and is, at this point in its life, already bursting with content, Genshin Impact should be on your radar. Whether the initial appearance as being somewhat of a Breath of the Wild knock-off appeals to you or not, this RPG is far more than that. The world is huge and only getting bigger, with dozens of quests, secrets, and tough challenges to pit your team of heroes against. The range of builds you can create, not only with individual characters but among your party as well, is incredibly addictive. Be aware that, being a free-to-play title, it will have some mechanics that push you to spend money, but if you’re not interested in maxing out your character and just want to experience the narrative, there’s really no need to spend any real money.
