Through the years, so much has changed with the RPG genre. The RPG has its roots in the tabletop games, and since then it’s been a driving force that continues to make video games enjoyable. RPGs have made dragons and sorcerers a staple in popular culture with iconic titles such the Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and the Witcher. Unfortunately, because of their popularity, some franchises haven’t gotten the chance they deserve.
If you’re looking for something different, here are six underrated RPGs that you need to try on the best gaming laptops from Sager Notebook.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines
Today, the vampire genre seems a bit stretched. With movies like Twilight, nobody thinks vampires are cool anymore. But in years past, one of the greatest Vampire games was released, and it didn’t get the attention it deserved. Vampire: the Masquerade – Bloodlines is that game. Bloodlines was made with Valve’s Source Engine. You play as a vampire of your own creation. You can choose to distribute points to Attributes, Abilities, and/or Disciplines. In this game, you are keeping your identity a secret through stealth.
A lot of the quests in the game have non-violent resolutions like persuasion and threats, computer hacking, and lockpicking. Although the 11-year old graphics are a bit outdated, there are a lot of mods out there that will update the look.
Mount & Blade: Warband
At one point in your life, you must have imagined yourself a king or lord of your own feudal holding, right? Mount & Blade: Warband is the game that lets you be just that. In this game, you have to claw your way to the top. You have to fight and manipulate your way to becoming the lord of your own piece of land. You must improve your character’s skills in battle as you maintain your army (or warband, if you will), manage the economy of your domain, and construct buildings. As you get more powerful, you get to choose whether you’re going to be a fearsome raider or a benevolent lord of your realm.
Pillars of Eternity
If you’ve never had the chance to experience the RPGs of the 90s like Baldur’s Gate and Planescape Torment, you can try that gameplay today with Pillars of Eternity. With the creative and engaging storytelling and the open world of adventure, Pillars of Eternity provides a style that beckons to the old school. The game has a well-written plot and world filled with lore and maps to explore. The combat is not for the faint of heart, but when you get through the overall experience that PoE provides, you’ll be in for quite the ride.
Gothic 2
Back in the 2000s, the Elder Scrolls series had a challenger for open world RPG supremacy, and that was Gothic 2. On the medieval setting of the island of Khorinis, you can do whatever you please. Want to steal? Sure. Want to be a spell-wielding murderer? By all means. But expect that each action will have their own consequences. The intriguing story along with the scenarios make it a worthy rival to the early Elder Scrolls games.
Jade Empire
Before there was Dragon Age or Mass Effect, BioWare had Jade Empire. It wasn’t based on sci-fi or high fantasy, but it was set in Ancient China. Jade Empire contained prototypes of features that defined the RPGs of Bioware. There was the romance option, there were character relationships, and there were dialogue choices that made impacts on how a character perceived you. It features a combat system akin to Dragon Age. Jade Empire marked the beginning of what would be years more of success.
Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition
A cooperative, meaningful, and challenging RPG experience is what you can expect from Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition. In this setting, you and your partner are Source-Hunters that explore a beautifully designed world that is being threatened by mages that make use of the fearsome powers of “the Source” (consequently those mages are referred to as “Sourcerors”). The combat system encourages experimentation with different combos. The battles are in no way easy, and if you’re playing with a friend, the fist-bumps will feel more satisfying with each win.