It’s no secret that we here at Overclockers UK are big into our gaming. We live for new game hype and love to replay our old favourites. Over 2024, we’ll be sharing our own top fives across a spicy selection of genres. This month we’re looking at Simon’s Top 5 Role Playing Games.
I’ve been playing games for a long time now, dating back to the ZX Spectrum. In that time, I’ve played a lot of genres, action, puzzlers, beat ’em ups, even racing games, but there is one genre I’ll always be excited to play, and that is a role-playing game or RPG. These games transport you to another world, placing you in the shoes of an eclectic range of protagonists, from the emo-goth kids popular in 90s JRPGs, to the custom characters you make in modern titles, which are basically your self-insert. Let’s explore what I consider my top 5 favourite RPGs.
Knights of the Old Republic II
That’s right KoToR 2, not 1. Put your pitch forks down, I’ll explain why. First and foremost, I just find it more fun. The first can be a bit of a drag. I’ve been able to go back and play this game multiple times over, especially when modded to include the cut content. Yes, I’ve played the first game several times through, but it doesn’t grip me as the second does. Once I start a play through, I finish it. I can’t say that for KoToR.
Secondly, I prefer the story of the second game more. The threat feels more prescient, with Sith Lords looking to destroy everything they can. Look at what Darth Nihilus wants compared to Darth Malak. Malak wants to conquer the Republic so he can rule, Nihilus simply wants to consume all life and leave nothing in his wake. That’s terrifying and, as such, much more interesting than your basic Sith Lord looking to rule the Galaxy.
Then there is the cast. I simply prefer the companions you get in the second game over those in the first. The people Revan (oh, spoilers for a 20-year-old game, sorry) surrounds themself with in the first game come across so depressing, with only a couple of compelling characters. Now the people the Exile recruits I find more intriguing. Visas Marr is my standout, being a part of a new race (at the time) and sharing a tragic connection with Darth Nihilus.
Then we get to the gameplay. With a more refined engine, the game simply feels better to play. It’s a remarkable feat, considering the tight deadline Obsidian Entertainment was given to create the game. As I said before, you can add in the cut content they had to remove to get it ready for release, which brings so much more to the story. Including a full storyline for the snarky Assassin droid HK-47! What’s better than getting to hear more of him complaining about us Meatbags?
Final Fantasy 7 Original and Remake
I’m cheating on this one, as I’m talking about two games. But who can blame me? They’re both great and basically the same… right? When I first got my original PlayStation, I didn’t rate it or like the games, so I sold it not too long after. Then came along Final Fantasy VII, and I had to eat crow to get a new PlayStation. This is because I borrowed a copy from a friend and played it repeatedly on my brother’s PS1. However, this was the time of memory cards, which I did not own. I played the opening section of that game so many times and I still went back for more!
Final Fantasy VII was a true turning point for role playing games. It is probably one of the most influential games ever and got so many into the genre, through an epic story, unforgettable cast of characters, epic soundtrack, and visuals like nothing we’d ever seen before. Literally, Square Soft sold their next several games to me and my buddies on cutscenes alone.
Then years later, Square Enix does the unthinkable, announces a Remake for this pivotal game. Even more shocking, they didn’t drop the ball. This game delivers like the OG did back in 1997 – epic story with a few twists to keep it interesting, classic characters return only fully fleshed out, stunning visuals, and my god the soundtrack is so good. Playing this game took me back to when I was still in school, grabbing any moment I could on my brother’s PlayStation. Just like back then, this was a game I wanted – no needed – to play to its fullest.
Mass Effect 2
I am Commander Shepard, and this is my favourite game of the Trilogy. There is a reason everyone looks at this game and remembers it so fondly. BioWare just got everything right. They came up with an amazing universe to play in for the first game, filled with amazing characters. Then they went and rebuilt almost all of the gameplay mechanics to make this fantastic game.
What’s even better, is that BioWare reflected this in the opening of the game, making it part of the narrative. By destroying the original Normandy, they figuratively cut out the overbearing RPG mechanics and kept what worked, the cast and story.
What a stellar cast of characters, this game has! In Mass Effect 2, there are returning favourites, like Tali and Garrus, alongside brand-new ones that capture our hearts such as Legion and Mordin. Every member of Shepard’s crew has an amazing story, which gets wonderfully fleshed out by their loyalty missions. The voice cast gives them such depth, too – you can’t help but become attached to them! Which is exactly the point, as you don’t want to lose them on the final mission, you want to see them survive.
Alongside this, the game received a major overhaul in terms of gameplay. Gone are the clunkier RPG mechanics of the first game, such as the huge number of guns, each with different stats. These are replaced with limited choices per weapon type, which you can choose between depending on how fun you find them. Also, the way they waved away the heat mechanic from the first game was masterfully handled with an in-universe explanation. Co-opting Geth technology to absorb heat produced by a gun into an ejectable thermal clip, so good. Also, an excellent way of setting fires during cutscenes.
Fallout 2
This is another hill I’m willing to die on: I simply don’t rate the Fallout series too much since Bethesda bought the IP. I’m much more of a fan of the Black Isle days, and think they made the more compelling games. Also, did you know that the highest rated modern Fallout game, New Vegas, was created by former members of Black Isle Studios? Obsidian Entertainment contained a large chunk of the original developers, who understood the universe and thus made a true Fallout game.
Anyway, enough of me enraging the fans. Fallout 2 is the best game of the series in my opinion. This game refined so many aspects of the original game and introduced many more, for a true gaming masterpiece. Set on the west coast of America, you are placed into the tribal garb of The Chosen One, the grandchild of Fallout’s Vault Dweller. You must overcome a trial to be worthy of setting out on a quest to save the village.
After donning the Vault Suit of the sacred 13, you must set out to find a mythical G.E.C.K. to bring life back to the land, otherwise everyone will die. This has you exploring the wastelands discovering a variety of settlements, with hundreds of NPCs to interact with. Some of which can even accompany you, including the bestest bois Dogmeat and K-9.
Of course, in a Fallout game your initial quest ballons to a wider adventure. This time against the remnants of the US government, the Enclave, who are looking to return to power by placing everyone they meet under their Mark 2 Power Armoured heel. Of course, it’s up to you to stop them.
But it’s not all seriousness, there are plenty of light-hearted antics to get up to as well. Take New Reno, for example. There’s so much to do here, become the next Heavyweight Boxing Champion, take part in a brutal gang war, become an adult movie star… Ok, let’s move on from that den of villainy and look at some of the random encounters you can have. How about meeting King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table as they clop along with their coconuts? Or discovering the TARDIS in the middle of the wasteland? What about finding the remains of a whale splattered across the ground, with a bowl of daisies next to it?
Honourable Mentions
Before I get to my favourite RPG of all time, here are a few honourable mentions of the genre I think you should play. The Phantasy Star series was one of my first interactions with a proper RPG, watching my brother play Phantasy Star 2 on the Mega Drive. They don’t go easy on you, but they have compelling stories that take a hold of you and don’t let go. You can find these games all under the Sega Mega Drive and Genesis Classics on Steam.
For a more modern release, I’ve got to give props to Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes. This is a spiritual successor to my favourite RPG that I’ll cover in a second. When I first booted this game, I got the tingles, it was just what I had been wanting for so long. Gorgeous pixel art, challenging yet fun gameplay, a great story, and the music is sublime.
Last pick for my honourable mentions is Front Mission 3. Can you tell I really enjoyed the PlayStation era of RPGs? It also inspired my gaming handle. This game puts you in the hot seat of a Wanzer pilot, as you attempt to prevent a geopolitical disaster that has drawn many of the most powerful nations in an alternative reality Earth. With two different storylines you can follow, multiple characters to recruit, and hundreds of mechs you can build, there is so much to do keep you coming back. I certainly did, when I first got this game, I completed it three times, in back-to-back playthroughs!
Suikoden II
Suikoden II has it all. An epic story, memorable characters, beautiful soundtrack, and a unforgettable antagonist. It is my all-time favourite RPG, from either Western or Japanese studios. You are placed into the red tunic of Riou, a young man recently inducted into the Unicorn Brigade of the Highland Army alongside your childhood best friend Jowy. You and Jowy survive the Unicorn Youth Brigade being wiped out, which is the igniting spark of a war between Highland and the City State of Jowston. Riou and Jowy, become lynchpins for this war, determining the futures of both countries.
The game plays out as most RPGs do, exploring locations, collecting treasures, and defeating enemies. But there is more to find in this game than the standard random battles in a dungeon culminating in a fight with a boss. There are two other ways combat can occur, Duels and Army Battles. A Duel occurs when someone challenges Riou to one-on-one combat, where you have to correctly choose the correct counter to your opponent’s next attack based on what they say. An Army Battle is turn-based strategy combat, where your party members and troops duke it out with opposing armies in large scale battle.
Along the way, Riou will recruit a massive number of companions, and when I say massive, I mean massive. There are 108 characters to recruit in total, called the Stars of Destiny. All kept in your own castle, of course. I love this part of the game. As you recruit more people and pass certain milestones, your headquarters evolves and becomes much livelier. You can add all sorts of locations to your home, including a library, inn, shops, restaurants, farms, and more. Even better, many of these add a range of mini games, such as competing against an evil group of chefs in a round of cooking battles.
Best Gaming PCs for Role Playing Games
It’s time to head off on an adventure, and you’re going to need the right equipment to get you through. Luckily for you, Overclockers UK has an amazing selection of gaming PCs, capable of playing all your favourite RPGs.
Refract Gaming Crimson
Several of the games I consider to be at the pinnacle of the RPG genre are, well, kind of old, meaning they have minimal requirements. With the Refract Gaming Crimson, you’ll have a gaming PC that delivers way more gaming power than these games demand. This pre-built computer boasts an AMD Ryzen 7 8700G APU, which features RX Vega Graphics. Furthermore, the Crimson is equipped with 32GB of super-fast DDR5 memory. This combination delivers excellent performance in many modern titles, such as APEX Legends, Fortnite, Counter Strike 2 and League of Legends. So, you can expect mind blowing results when playing these ancient RPGs.
Refract Gaming Azure
If, on the other hand, you want to play the more modern RPG titles I’ve listed, then the Refract Gaming Azure is sure to please. With its combination of an AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D CPU and NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti GPU, you can expect spectacular graphics with silky smooth frame rates in many AAA titles. What’s more, you can install your gaming library, including your favourite RPGs, thanks to a spectacular 1TB M.2 SSD Perfect for minimising those loading times between locations in these complex games. Furthermore, this gaming PC will look amazing at the heart of your gaming set-up, thanks to a stylish Kolink Observatory case and vibrant RGB lighting.
Light the Pyre, I’m Ready for My Sentence
I’m sure I’ve managed to annoy a fair number of you with my personal favourite RPGs. So, let us know how wrong I am, and what you’d put in your top five RPGs in the comments below.
PC specs are subject to change.
- 13 min read
Simon Procter
Author
Having been a gaming nut for longer than he cares to think, Simon landed his dream job over a year ago at Overclockers UK. Since then, he has written many product pages and category texts. He even gets released from the basement to write the odd cheeky blog post. When not working, you can often find him entrenched in World of Warcraft, visiting friends to have his butt whooped in a board game, or with his nose buried in a book.
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