Top 10 RPG Franchises

Marketed as “Shin Megami Tensei” in North America, this series thrives on a mix of elements – modern settings, student characters, blended horror, fantasy and science-fiction iconography, and ideas about morality. To that end, “Megami Tensei” games deliver stories often seeking to toy with player expectations, yet also offering freedom of alignment paying off in multiple endings. Few series toy with as many taboo themes or challenge the player on as many levels. Though its spinoff “Persona” series is much-loved, the original franchise still has plenty to offer.

While “Dragon Age” has its merits, BioWare's foray into science-fiction action has drawn our eyes more. The original “Mass Effect” drew players into a universe inspired by the finest of space opera, ranging from diverse alien worlds to intriguing moral dilemmas. Future instalments streamlined its role-playing elements to fit with the action-leaning style – in particular improving the gunplay – while keeping the larger-than-life feel of its characters and locales intact. And with the core games being centred on the efforts of Commander Shepard to defeat the ancient race known as Reapers, there's no need to worry about a lack of focus.

Explaining this one is tricky but no less rewarding for it. Beginning with 1998's “Xenogears”, developer Monolith Soft set about constructing a role-playing franchise in which each game is loosely linked to the next. The “Xeno” franchise embraces symbolism in full, merging science-fiction staples such as mecha and space exploration with nods to literature and religion. For instance, each episode of the “Xenosaga” sub-series is named after a book by philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. This sort of touch is complemented by the games' varied approaches to classic RPG combat, ranging from turn-based battles to real-time action-heavy encounters.

Dark fantasy rarely is as refined as this. Right from the start, the “Diablo” games set out to differentiate from what was expected of computer role-playing games, from its grim setting of Sanctuary to the reliance on loot-based hack and slash gameplay. Yet this approach worked thanks to the nuances of levelling and improving upon existing loot, to say nothing of the charm – among other unexpected qualities – of Sanctuary's denizens. To top it off, the “Diablo” franchise features a rich backstory behind its central conflict between angels and demons, presented in increasingly impressive fashion.

War might never change... and that's the point being driven home. Though the games have transitioned from isometric perspective to first-person role-playing, the core of “Fallout” has always been exploration of an open-world and making difficult choices. Beyond that strong main design philosophy, though, the franchise has thrived by embracing 1950s-era Americana and fleshing out complex characters with which to fill each game. The former ends up serving a greater purpose: to reinforce the danger not only of unchecked nostalgia, but of not learning from the past at all.

Ahh the franchise that ate Japan. Developed by Capcom, “Monster Hunter” embodied a conceptually simpler yet equally challenging approach to role-playing than its peers. The games remain attached to the idea of players hunting down a menagerie of unusual beasts, with factors like gear creation and weapon management to take into account. Perhaps most significant of all, the “Monster Hunter” franchise opts for a restrained take on fantasy – opting to keep the focus on its impressively-designed beasts and creatures, with the lightly medieval nature of the world being 2nd nature.

“Ultima” drew greatly from tabletop games, most notably in its point-based approach to character creation. These games helped introduce standard elements of the role-playing genre, such as full written narratives, morality systems, and party-centric combat. On their own terms, meanwhile, the “Ultima” games found an audience through each game building on the consequences of the last and shifting in tone accordingly. Factor in a enjoyably varied cast of recurring companions, and there's good times to be had. Without this franchise, Western role-playing would look a lot different – especially when you consider that Ultima Online paved the way for what we consider to be MMORPGs today.

As the good word says, gotta catch 'em all. From its origins on the Nintendo Game Boy, “Pokemon” has remained firmly in the sweet spot between complexity and ease of play. The games' consistent reliance on a combat system akin to rock-paper-scissors ensures players new and old can jump in without trouble, and the growing number of monsters to be collected provides further incentive. Each instalment never strays far from the franchise's patented idealism or sprite-based art design, instead augmenting those qualities with deeper narratives and interesting gameplay quirks. In short, there's a little something for everyone.

Nothing like the thrill of adventure to motivate a person. “The Elder Scrolls”, more so than other series, clings to open-world settings as a means of letting players truly roleplay to their heart's content. In service to that ideal, this action-RPG franchise places you in grand and expansive locales, packed with side-quests, collectable items and fascinating conflicts aplenty. The games are also keen on keeping play immersive, hence the use and improvement of a first-person combat system. Mix in healthy doses of high fantasy and increasing freedom of character creation, and what we have is a franchise of admirable intent.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

“Star Ocean” series (1996-)
“Kingdom Hearts” series (2002-)
“Dragon Quest” series (1986-)
“Tales” series (1995-)
“Paper Mario” series (2001-)

Epic isn't enough to describe this franchise's sheer power. “Final Fantasy” began in humble fashion with its first game, a traditionally-inclined RPG that creator Hironobu Sakaguchi assumed would be his last project. Instead, by way of many thematically-linked sequels and spin-offs, it became an enduring brand that pushed forward grand storylines about science and magic, personal conflict and other thought-provoking subject matter. Its colourful characters, vibrant worlds, clever usage of spiritual and literary references, and the tendency to change up gameplay with each instalment has allowed it to thrive.

Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite RPG franchise? For more role-playing Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.