20. South Park: The Stick of Truth PS4

With all the humour of a typical South Park TV episode, this short but oh-so-sweet turn-based RPG is well worth playing. Explore South Park, completing quests and meeting characters from the show. With a sequel also available, this roughly 10-hour adventure is a fantastic palette cleanser.

19. Final Fantasy XVI PS5

The Final Fantasy series has never been one to sit still, and with Final Fantasy 16, it's moved away from its turn-based traditions entirely. The first true action RPG in the mainline games, it's quite the departure from the norm, but it's an excellent entry nonetheless. Featuring a gripping story delivered by brilliant performances, incredibly fun combat, and some of the most spectacular scenes imaginable, this is a fantastic game that pulls out all the stops.

18. Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana PS4

A real high point in what is a consistently solid action RPG series, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana is a certified Falcom classic. This time around, series protagonist Adol finds himself shipwrecked on a mysterious island — but it's not long before he's recruiting fellow survivors and exploring every inch of this forgotten kingdom. Fast, fluid, and addictive combat is the crux of the experience, but there's also some engaging two-pronged storytelling to keep you invested. Life on an abandoned island has never been so fun.

17. Wild Arms PS1

Whenever the topic of classic 90s JRPGs comes up, Wild Arms should always be mentioned. A quintessential PS1 title, it's a fairly straightforward adventure in terms of structure — traditional to a fault, at times — but overall, it's a timeless formula. Fusing fantastical story elements with Wild West aesthetics, Wild Arms is quite unique in its overall tone, and although its storytelling is direct, it's well paced and strings you along on a memorable adventure.

16. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth PS5

With the best turn-based gameplay, the biggest and best cast of characters, and the most gripping story in the series so far, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is comfortably the greatest Yakuza game to date. Ichican and Kiryu hit up the new destination of Hawaii in search of the former's long-lost mother, but their quest really is just the tip of the iceberg. Improved combat makes fights more engaging than ever, upgraded graphics bring new life to classic locations like Kamurocho, and deep and fascinating characters both new and old mean you won't want to stop playing until the credits roll. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth really is RGG Studio at its peak.

15. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II PS5

The first Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a demanding historical RPG that slowly became a cult classic over the course of years — and this sequel sticks rather rigidly to its predecessor's blueprint. Having said that, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 improves on just about everything; it's a bigger, much more dynamic open world adventure, stuffed with captivating side quests and fantastic characters. It's also a deeply immersive experience, forcing players to survive and eventually thrive within a punishing recreation of 15th century Europe. If you can gel with it, Deliverance 2 is easily one of the most engrossing role-playing experiences that you'll find on PS5.

14. Hogwarts Legacy PS5

Taking place hundreds of years before the events of Harry Potter, Hogwarts Legacy finally lets fans live out their dream of attending the eponymous school. While there's an intriguing story to follow that takes you far beyond the castle itself, this RPG's strengths are all in the smaller things. The school is a joy to explore, as are the surrounding grounds, because of an obsessive attention to detail that really does imbue the open world with magic. Layer on top solid spell-based combat, flying on your broom, and even rearing magical creatures, and the result is a real crowd-pleaser — and definitely the best game in the franchise.

13. Fallout 3 PS3

Fallout 3 is a buggy but often brilliantly entertaining, post-apocalyptic RPG. Bethesda's first crack at the series transformed the property into a juggernaut franchise, peppered with player choice and intriguing questlines. In Fallout 3, you play as a young man or woman fresh from Vault 101 — thrown out into the Capital Wasteland in search of your runaway father. The gunplay's beyond janky (thank god for V.A.T.S!) and the dialogue can feel a bit stunted, but Bethesda's engaging open world design and focus on character progression makes Fallout 3 an incredibly addictive adventure.

12. Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade PS5

There's no denying that Final Fantasy VII Remake is one of the best Final Fantasy games in years, and Intergrade is the icing on the cake. Yes, it's only one part of the story, and yes, a few of the, er, changes are going to annoy some fans forevermore, but there's a healthy helping of Final Fantasy VII magic at the heart of Remake. Whether it's in the way that the characters have been re-realised or the outstanding boss fights (and excellent combat system), charging through Remake is a rewarding experience — especially if you're big on nostalgia.

11. Fallout: New Vegas PS3

Bethesda handed RPG veterans Obsidian Entertainment the Fallout licence after Todd Howard and the gang were done with Fallout 3, and Fallout New Vegas is the result. It's somehow even more technically questionable than its predecessor, but New Vegas makes up for the bugs with a much heavier emphasis on role-playing. The open world title boasts loads of branching questlines, forcing you to bet on distinctly unique factions, all of whom are warring over the Mojave wasteland. At its best, New Vegas is a truly engrossing RPG.