10 Best Free RPGs Worth Playing

The RPG genre is known for storytelling, deep lore, complex characters, intricate mechanics, and the ability to express yourself throughout the game. For the same reasons, it’s a genre that can weigh on development time and effort, as good RPGs require immense amounts of both to produce. Because of this, it is difficult to find RPG games that are free to play. Difficult but not impossible.

With the rise of online gameplay and games-as-service over the years, the MMO genre (for example) has shifted in some ways to offer the experience of RPG games without having to pay for them, rather than the to offer the opportunity to do so. Meanwhile, other genres have adopted RPG elements and blended playstyles in ways we’ve never seen before. All of this has resulted in some games that have heavy RPG elements while being free to play. On this list, we present 10 such games that you might want to try if you are looking for free RPG options to play.

Drakensang Online

Developer: Radon Laboratories
Platform: personal computer

After the 2008 standalone game, Drakensang Online has breathed new life into the pen and paper port version of its predecessor. It was revived as a browser game for a while before also getting a desktop client version. The game has been reworked over time and is a good mix of classic RPG style and a modernized MMO experience, both blending into a unique fusion. Drakensang Online is still going strong and has a dedicated fan base that motivates the small development team to keep improving the game. It’s a game worth trying if you’re looking for something different yet familiar.

Elder Scrolls Online

Developer: ZeniMax Online Studios
Platform: PC, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox

For fans of the RPG genre, the Elder Scrolls franchise would be a household name. After all, they are considered the heavyweights of the genre. But there is also an MMO version of Adventures in Tamriel in ESO by ZeniMax. What sets it apart from most other MMOs is that ESO can be played as a full single-player experience, fully immersive with detailed spoken dialogue and an extensive quest system. It’s worth checking out and just treating it as a weird free single player Elder Scrolls game.

EVE Online

Developer: CCP games
Platform: PC, Mac, Linux

EVE Online is also an oddity among other MMO games. It’s equal parts sci-fi space sim and an RPG in which you can carve out pretty much any kind of career for yourself in the far reaches of space. Despite being free to play, EVE is known for being a place where humans have lost hundreds of dollars worth of pixels during major galactic conflicts and stock market crashes. For many players, the universe of EVE is a true home away from home. The RPG elements stem from the complete choice of what kind of life you want to take part in, letting you mine, trade, explore, pillage, and more.

Genshin Impact

Developer: miHoYo
Platform: Android, iOS, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch

Started as a highly anticipated mobile game, Genshin Impact took that and then the gaming world by storm. It’s a mix of gacha and action RPG games set in a massive open world that’s regularly updated to keep the ravenous fanbase busy. The game features unique character designs that you can further customize, bringing a variety of RPG elements to the way you interact with them and the game’s world. Another popular hallmark of the game is the addictive combat system that guarantees hours of fun for its players.

Lost Ark

Developer: SmileGate, tripod studio
Platform: personal computer

Lost Ark started out as a very Eastern-style MMO action RPG that has managed its adaptation to the Western market in a more unique way than many that have tried before. Rather than follow the simple “harbor” route, Lost Ark took its best “eastern” elements and adapted them to what western audiences have come to expect in its games, creating a deep and unique blend. The game itself is an action role-playing game with strong MMO elements and many systems that are both deep and varied. There really is something for everyone in this game given the sheer number of features it offers.

way of exile

Developer: grinder games
Platform: PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox

What began in 2013 as an alternate version of Diablo 2 has grown into what is perhaps the deepest and most complex action RPG of all time. Some games offer customization, while PoE is customization that a game offers. If you’re a fan of gearing up your character to do exactly what you want no matter how they start, then Path of Exile might be the game for you. It takes the customization aspect of RPGs and cranks it up to 11. Also, it offers an interesting and dark story and an endgame that is many times as wide as the campaign it takes to get there. There are multiple seasons of new features every year, and with PoE 2 on the horizon, this free game only grows in strength.

Runescape

Developer: jagex
Platform: personal computer

Runescape, the primordial MMORPG of yesteryear, has been remastered and modernized for the modern online gamer. Along with the modernized version, Jagex has also released support for Old School Runescape, so you can try whatever flavor you like. If you want to try the game that greatly inspired a juggernaut like World of Warcraft and do it for free, then Runescape is the way to go. It features many of the mechanics it inherited from older RPG games from the ’90s, but unlike some of the MMO titles from this list, Runescape is one of those games that practically requires group play to do what it’s supposed to has to offer to fully experience.

Star Wars The Old Republic

Developer: BioWare
Platform: personal computer

Just like its parent franchise, SW:TOR is a game that has waxed and waned in popularity over the years. It’s often described as a “single player game with an unnecessary MMO component,” and that’s a pretty accurate assessment. The game features a very compelling single player story and systems perfect for RPG players looking for a bit of sci-fi adventure in a galaxy far, far away. Play as a smuggler, bounty hunter, or even a Jedi, and you too can feel what it’s like to be a character in a Star Wars universe. What’s more, it’s completely free to try and play through large parts of the game.

The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall

Developer: Bethesda Softworks
Platform: personal computer

Taking a step back from the ubiquitous MMOs, we take a look at the re-release of a classic game that helped spawn one of the most celebrated RPG franchises of all time. If you’ve ever wondered where games like Skyrim, Morrowind, or even ESO came from, Daggerfall is here to give you the answer. This game was first released in 1996 and plays like a true old school RPG. That means there’s very little hand-holding, and the RPG systems are robust and unforgiving. The game was recently revived on Steam and is available completely free, meaning a new generation of RPG enthusiasts can play it and see what came before the games they know and love.

treasure trove

Developer: Trion Worlds, Gamingo USA
Platform: PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox, Nintendo Switch

A slight outlier on our list, Trove is a nice concept that combines elements of open-world games, MMOs, classic RPGs, and Minecraft (of all things). Its voxel-based graphics might not be for everyone, but the game is a mishmash that adds up to more than the sum of its parts. RPG enthusiasts can choose from a variety of classes and go on different adventures to collect loot and materials, then bring them back to your base and build the home of your dreams for you and your friends. It’s a fun experience and perhaps the most family-friendly entry on our list. This is further proven by the game’s high acceptance and ever-growing player base since its release in 2015. So if you have younger siblings or cousins ​​that you want to slowly introduce to RPG games then Trove is a great and free way to do it.