10 Truly Perfect 10/10 RPGs From The 2020s

Many of the greatest RPGs of all time have been around for decades, but the 2020s still haven't been slacking. Since the decade kicked off, we've seen plenty of great new entries in the genre, some of which deserve to enter the ranks of the best RPGs ever made.

It's also been a fantastically varied scene, with big standouts delivering everything from focused narrative adventures to rich open-world exploration. No RPG is going to be a 10/10 for everyone, but with so many different ways to scratch the genre itch, at least one game on this list will likely be perfect for you.

Metaphor: ReFantazio isn't necessarily a 10/10 in the sense of being flawless, and plenty of players will have certain gripes with various elements of the story and structure. When the heights are this high, though, it can still define itself as an RPG experience that stands among the most memorable of the decade.

Created by some of the developers behind the Persona games, Metaphor: ReFantazio takes Persona's trademark sense of style to the next level. Gorgeous art and UI are paired with enemy designs that take inspiration from Hieronymus Bosch and music that mixes traces of Esperanto into its lyrics, making for an aesthetic experience that's hard not to admire.

9 Octopath Traveler 2

The first Octopath Traveler was a gorgeous game with great ideas, but it didn't fulfill the full scope of its potential, with plenty of its interesting ideas getting partially stifled by underwhelming writing or bland dungeon design. Octopath Traveler 2, thankfully, ups the ante to deliver a game that could rightfully be considered a 10/10 for its target audience.

This time, Octopath Traveler's trademark character stories converge into a more meaningful narrative experience, and a more dynamic structure keeps up the pace and variety. If you're looking for a game that invokes the perfect mix of beauty and simplicity found in classic Square Enix RPGs, Octopath Traveler 2 keeps the flame lit.

8 Cyberpunk 2077

Is Cyberpunk 2077 a 10/10 RPG? Not exactly. Is it a 10/10 game that also happens to be an RPG? Possibly, depending on what you're looking to get out of it. While a troubled launch and some underwhelming design choices initially mired the game in controversy, it's become a common favorite among games released in recent years.

In classic cyberpunk fashion, Cyberpunk 2077's story touches on plenty of interesting points, and fascinating combat possibilities make the art of crafting a good build uniquely worthwhile. If nothing else, it's a 10/10 photography sim, with Night City offering an endlessly interesting sandbox for crafting perfect screenshots.

7 Xenoblade Chronicles 3

The Xenoblade Chronicles series has received rave reviews since its inception, with the original game blowing audiences away by delivering a massive, immersive open world on the limited hardware provided by the Wii. Xenoblade Chronicles X and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 were both interesting follow-ups, but Xenoblade Chronicles 3 might be the first to rival the original as a true 10/10 game.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 moves past all of 2's obvious weak points, minimizing the second game's penchant for banal frivolity in favor of a stronger pacing and tone throughout. The gameplay also delivers a culmination of lessons learned in the previous games, making for a fantastic experience across the board.

6 Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

Grand fantasy adventures and sci-fi romps are all well and good, but sometimes, an RPG needs to step in and cover some more grounded territory. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a shining example of the possibilities in the mundane, delivering a medieval story that sets aside dragons and gods in favor of smaller things.

Aside from this unique flavor, the Kingdom Come games are also some of the best successors to classic Bethesda titles, embracing the rich RPG focus that more recent Bethesda games have started to lose. The first entry is also great, but Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 refines so many elements that it's far easier to call it a 10/10.

5 Yakuza: Like A Dragon

The Yakuza series has no shortage of exemplary entries, but it wasn't until Yakuza: Like a Dragon that the franchise went all-in on an RPG formula. On top of the complex stories, interesting character upgrades, and wide array of side quests that has always defined the games, Like a Dragon embraces turn-based combat inspired by the protagonist's love for Dragon Quest.

Most games will make you choose between quantity and quality on some level, but Yakuza: Like a Dragon delivers thoroughly in both regards. Whether you're laughing at its silliest moments or sobering up for the emotional swings, it's incredibly easy to become invested in the experience, and all the additional activities at hand make it hard to ever get bored.

4 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 always looked cool, but before release, its potential to attract players seemed unclear. Luckily, this breakout hit didn't need an IP or major studio name to gain an audience, largely thanks to the excellence of its story and gameplay.

Embracing a unique Belle Époque setting and a painterly concept, Expedition 33 feels like an immediate classic. Its ability to sit alongside the greats of yesteryear is bolstered by a classic sense of design, with turn-based combat and an old-school overworld satisfying fans of retro JRPGs who were hungering for a new blockbuster game in the same vein.

3 Elden Ring

Open-world games can be fascinating and rich, but their grand scale usually comes with some flaws. In exchange for the giant areas to explore, the average open-world game tends to cut corners on some repetitive content or mediocre gameplay systems, although a few titles, like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, have shown how special the format can be.

In the 2020s, the best standard-bearer has probably been Elden Ring, which brought the gorgeous design, rich atmosphere, and bespoke challenges of FromSoft games to a larger scale than ever before. This adventure might take you 100 hours to complete, but somehow, it never loses its standard of excellence across the journey (the fire giant is on thin ice, though).

2 Pentiment

Pentiment isn't your typical RPG, existing in a vaguely genre-less zone that also shares plenty of DNA with classic adventure games. As one of the best games from Fallout: New Vegas developer Obsidian Entertainment, however, Pentiment features all the rich decision-making and narrative excellence that the studio is known for.

Tasked with solving an obtuse mystery in a medieval monastery, Pentiment protagonist Andreas Maler slowly unravels a thoughtful tale of human foibles and divine aspirations. Video game storytelling is often content to ride the coattails of the approaches taken in films or books, but Pentiment is a rare example of a game that's truly mastered the narrative potential of its medium.

1 Baldur's Gate 3

If any RPG has managed to define the 2020s, it's Baldur's Gate 3, which took the world by storm when it released in 2023. Like previous Baldur's Gate games, the third entry delivers a complex world full of meaningful choices, letting players shape the course of their own adventure through a Dungeons & Dragons setting.

It's far from the only RPG with these strengths — an emphasis on choice has always defined the PC-focused CRPG subgenre — but Baldur's Gate 3 added a new level of cinematic quality to a great narrative with its fantastic voice acting and motion capture cutscenes. Throw in versatile turn-based combat with a fascinating level of environmental interaction, and it's no surprise that Baldur's Gate 3 has captured people in a way that few other RPGs can claim.