10 Best RPGs To Play While Waiting For Elder Scrolls 6

Bethesda has been hard at work on The Elder Scrolls 6 since it was announced all the way back in 2018. Naturally, players have been somewhat patiently waiting for any form of news, or, ideally, a new trailer showcasing some actual gameplay. Of course, none has arrived, leaving fans with little to do other than twiddle their thumbs and hope that whatever Bethesda is cooking will live up to their increasingly high expectations.

However, while TES 6's release date is far away, there are still plenty of RPGs players can get stuck into, many of which fall under the increasingly popular Scrolls-like genre. From indies made by former Bethesda developers to AA and even AAA fantasy first-person RPGs, there are so many incredible games that will satisfy even the most dedicated Elder Scrolls fan as they wait for TES 6 to finally launch.

10 The Axis Unseen (Just Purkey Games)

An Open-World Game From One Of The Developers Of Skyrim

The Axis Unseen is an open-world action-stealth-hybrid horror game in which players take on the role of a hunter who must track down and kill surreal and oftentimes terrifying creatures. Of course, it's not an easy job, as these creatures are as deadly as they look, but, fortunately, players can unlock new arrows for their bow, various abilities, and more by exploring the hauntingly beautiful open world.

What makes The Axis Unseen one of the best horror games of 2024 is both its intense heavy metal soundtrack that makes every action and breathtaking vista all the more impactful and its ability to completely immerse the player in its jaw-droppingly stunning world. Every UI element is attached to the player and their bow, whether it's the amount of health left tattooed on their arm or the amount of noise they're making displayed on their bow. This culminates in an extremely unique game that, most importantly, comes from a former Skyrim and Fallout developer.

9 Gothic (Piranha Bytes)

An Old-School Immersive RPG

Gothic is a truly iconic RPG that comes from the beloved studio Piranha Bytes, best known for its incredibly ambitious Euro-jank RPGs like Elex and Risen. What makes Gothic so incredible is just how immersive its world can feel. The player is very much a minor part of Gothic's world initially, weak and likely to die if they venture off the beaten path. Gothic requires a lot of patience from the player as well as to pay attention to its world and NPCs, but it is absolutely worth it.

Gothic was way ahead of its time, its non-linear structure and immersive elements, including NPCs that truly feel alive with schedules, going on to inspire a future generation of RPGs, including many of Bethesda's. Of course, it is a little rough around the edges by today's standards, although that shouldn't dissuade people from giving it a go. Alternatively, there is an upcoming Gothic remake that proves to update this unbelievably good experience to make it a little more tolerable for those who can't stand older games.

8 Kingdom Come Deliverance (Warhorse Studios)

It Feels Like Historical Skryim

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is frequently compared to Oblivion thanks to its similar UI and first-person open-world RPG gameplay. It's an incredibly realistic RPG, one that features a well-written and often excellent narrative but puts a significant focus on allowing the player to truly roleplay in its dynamic, living world. Warhorse Studios thoroughly researched the time period, culture, and traditions, and fully implemented everything it learned into the game.

Players have to bathe before they can talk to nobles, must eat, sleep, and take care of themselves to survive, practice sword fighting to get better, and even carry a torch around in cities at night in order to avoid getting arrested for suspicious behavior. There are also NPC schedules, a gorgeously detailed open world, and so many more immersive and realistic elements that helps make Kingdom Come: Deliverance one of the most immersive RPGs of all time.

7 The Bloodline (Shieldbearer Studios)

Skyrim Meets Mount & Blade

The Bloodline is a truly enormous open-world sandbox RPG that's being crafted by a small indie team. It sees players venture across a vast open-world map, visit towns, complete quests at their own pace, encounter emergent gameplay moments, and level up an abundance of skills from combat to fishing and cooking. There's so much to see and do in The Bloodline, and the game is only growing bigger.

The Bloodline is in Early Access, with updates releasing steadily that add new regions, skills, and enemy types. However, with over 500 skills to unlock and a sizable world to explore, The Bloodline is already one of the best indie RPGs available. Of course, for those who don't want to buy something on the promise of what it could be, The Bloodline will absolutely come out of Early Access long before The Elder Scrolls 6 launches.

6 Nehrim: At Fate's Edge (SureAI)

A Conversion Mod For Oblivion

SureAI was a dedicated modding team that created two enormous conversion mods, one for Oblivion and the other for Skryim. The former is Nehrim: At Fate's Edge, an unbelievably ambitious mod that is ostensibly its own game, just made within Oblivion's engine. It adds all new assets, a new world, story, and gameplay mechanics that greatly enhance the experience and make it significantly harder overall.

With 35 main missions and a lot of side quests, Nehrim is a far bigger experience than Oblivion, with a more detailed and varied world to explore that's roughly the same size. For Oblivion fans and RPG lovers in general, Nehrim is an absolute must. It is also completely free and even has its own Steam store page. The only requirement to run it is to own - but not necessarily install - Oblivion.

5 Enderal: Forgotten Stories (SureAI)

It's Better Than Skyrim

Enderal: Forgotten Stories is SureAI's second conversion mod, this time for Skyrim. Once again, like Nehrim: At Fate's Edge, Enderal is a brand-new game, and not just a new questline within Skyrim itself. It has its own world, storyline, side quests, characters, armor sets, spells, and so much more for players to get stuck into, with it offering around 100 hours of content for those who want to see absolutely everything.

It's also a substantially more narrative-driven and mature game than Skyrim, featuring a far darker and blood-soaked storyline that's sure to please fans who weren't satisfied with Skyrim's chosen one plot. Enderal fixes a lot of Skyrim's combat as well, and makes magic a more powerful yet costly mechanic thanks to its Arcane Fever mechanic. Simply put, Enderal: Forgotten Stories is the perfect RPG for those who wish they could experience Skyrim again for the first time.

4 Avowed (Obsidian Entertainment)

The Next Best Fantasy First-Person RPG

Obsidian Entertainment made what is ostensibly the best alternative to Fallout in the form of The Outer Worlds. Now, it has set its sights on replicating the AAA immersive fantasy RPG experience that so far only the Elder Scrolls series has truly perfected with Avowed. Set in the same universe as its CRPG series, Pillars of Eternity - although people don't have to play those games to understand Avowed - it is an open-area RPG so densely packed with details and activities that just one region can take several hours to complete.

Featuring first-person and third-person combat, Avowed is as close to a AAA fantasy RPG as fans can hope for. Obsidian Entertainment has previously worked on Bethesda-owned properties, so it has a lot of experience when it comes to crafting the immersive RPG elements that people expect out of an Elder Scrolls title. However, it's also significantly innovating on the RPG formula, adding its own flair to the experience that should help it stand out. With fascinating stories to uncover, companions to meet, and creatures to fight, Avowed is arguably the best alternative to Skyrim.

3 Tainted Grail: The Fall Of Avalon (Questline)

It's Being Called Indie Skyrim

Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is another Early Access sandbox fantasy RPG that many are calling indie Skyrim. Set in the Tainted Grail universe - which reimagines the iconic tales of King Arthur as dark and mature fantasy stories - The Fall of Avalon is a non-linear open-world experience that allows players to craft their own story through fascinating quests and a plethora of combat builds.

From deadly melee weapons and bows to powerful spells, there are plenty of options when it comes to defeating the foes of Avalon. However, for those who want a more laidback experience, Fall of Avalon also features fishing, crafting, potion making, and even cooking. It's an incredibly immersive experience that's getting bigger and bigger across its Early Access period, and likely one that will stack up against the likes of Skyrim and Avowed.

2 Dread Delusion (Lovely Hellplace)

A Surreal Indie Morrowind

For those who are sick of people calling Skyrim the best Elder Scrolls game and much prefer the arguably superior Morrowind, then Dread Delusion is the perfect indie open world RPG sandbox. With a stunning retro aesthetic that's reminiscent of Morrowind, and a vast open-world to explore, there's so much to get stuck into in Dread Delusion.

Players can side with various factions, choose how best to deal with each scenario, whether it's with a blade or a silver tongue, and pick up a plethora of engaging quests in the many towns. Dread Delusion is a loving homage to some of the best RPGs available, including Morrowind. It is a surreal, consistently brilliant, and always unique game that simultaneously evokes the Elder Scrolls experience while offering something completely new.

1 Ardenfall (Spellcast Studios)

Perhaps The Best Scrolls-Like

Ardenfall is a game very clearly inspired by the Elder Scrolls series, with its name even likely being a direct reference to Vvardenfell from Morrowind. Much like Dread Delusion, it absolutely understands what makes the Elder Scrolls series so iconic, featuring well-written dialogue, meaningful choices, interesting encounters, fun combat with a lot of build potential, a unique aesthetic and world design, and starting off in a dark environment before bursting out into the open-world.

It has that chaotic energy that makes the Elder Scrolls games so much fun, with every encounter and quest giving the player complete agency over how they'd like to complete it. Ardenfall has a very generous demo that allows players to experience a huge chunk of the game, including its sprawling world and a plethora of skills. It is one of the best Scrolls-likes and is sure to entertain anyone who is desperately awaiting the release of The Elder Scrolls 6.

Source: 505 Pulse/YouTube, PlayStation/YouTube