Here are my top 10 best single-player RPGs as a life-long fan whose spent thousands of hours with the genre

This list is here to bring you the best single-player RPGs available to play right now in 2026.

So many of the best RPGs are tailor-made for single players, often putting you directly into the story and allowing you to shape its outcome through the lens of your own customizable character, or a set lead. While a few included in this selection also support optional co-op, all of the adventures you can discover below truly shine for single-players, and each one will include the kind of vibe you can expect (you find out more about that in our FAQ section). As a longtime RPG fan who also much prefers getting swept up in memorable journeys solo, there's so much out there if you share my love of single-player RPGs.

Of course, I'd also suggest heading on over to our best single-player games roundup for even more offerings. From fantastic worldbuilding, to memorable questlines, and satisfying progression systems, the RPG genre is so rich and rewarding, and there's no shortage of fantastic games I'd recommend. But, as hard as it is to take it down to just 10, I've put together a top selection of options that all offer something different across all platforms so you can find something to suit you.

Best single-player RPGs, starting with...

10. Avowed

If you're looking for a single-player RPG that you can comfortably dive into and get your fill of laid-back exploration, Avowed is your answer. Set in the colorful world of Eora in the Pillars of Eternity universe, Obsidian makes its setting so approachable thanks to a dialogue system with a glossary of terms baked into it, meaning you can easily read up on the meaning of certain phrases, or learn more about an event a person references.

With no stamina bar limiting your movement, or the annoyance of overencumbrance, you can just lose yourself in the world and follow the fantastical plot as an Envoy of Aedyr who has a mysterious deity talking to you in your head. And as our Avowed review explains, its flexible combat system and cast of companions make this a welcoming single-player RPG with its own charms.

9. Dragon Quest 11 S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition

If you're new to Dragon Quest, don't let the 11 in the title put you off – this is a delightful single-player RPG to jump into regardless of your experience with the long-running series. Originally beginning life as a 3DS adventure, Dragon Quest 11 S: Echoes of an Elusive Age Definitive Edition brought the fantasy RPG to updated platforms.

Packed with extras, including the charming option to play the entire game in 2D for that retro feel, and some additional story expansions that bring added depth to the cast of characters, it really is the best way to experience this gem of an RPG. Taking on the role of the Luminary, who's the reincarnation of a legendary hero, you set out on an unforgettable journey across the lands of Erdrea and team up with a ragtag team as you try to save the day and fulfill your own destiny.

8. Clair Obscur Expedition 33

Clair Obsur Expedition 33 draws you into an unforgettable single-player RPG experience that will play with your emotions in all kinds of unexpected ways. With an intriguing plot full of twists and turns propelling you forward, you'll venture out to try and put a stop to the Paintress, who paints a number that determines at what age those who live in this world will die. With 33 set to come next, a group band together on a dangerous expedition to change the fated future.

It's all too easy to get swept up in the unique, atmospheric setting that takes aesthetic inspiration from Belle Epoque France, and the storyline, which is steeped in mystery, will push you to get through every fight as you seek out answers and try to accomplish your ultimate goal. As highlighted in our Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 review, this RPG is well worth your time, with brilliant performances that breathe life into believable characters you can't help but root for.

7. Yakuza 0

The entire Yakuza series is jam-packed with excellent single-player RPG offerings, but there's no better place to start than Yakuza 0. Exploring Kiryu and Majima's origin story in '80s Japan, 0 is an action-filled prequel that sets up the rest of the series. But thanks to its memorable, well-paced storyline, varied combat styles, and two protagonists leading the show, it more than earns its place as the best Yakuza game.

And as a single-player experience, I can't recommend it enough. As well as making your way through a gripping story, there's so much to do on the streets of the city – be it playing classic Sega games at the arcade, chowing down on tasty meals, and even running a cabaret side business – Rya Gu Gotoku Studio succeeds at making the neon-tinted districts feel so alive. Emotional, surprising, and downright fun, Yakuza 0 is well worth your time.

6. Kingdom Come Deliverance 2

For those seeking a more involved, absorbing single-player RPG that's got a tremendous amount of depth, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is here for you. Set in a richly detailed open-world, developer War Horse brings to life a medieval setting that's as brutal as it is intriguing, there's so much to discover as intrepid adventurer, Henry.

With a sprawling story of vengeance, love, and friendship driving the RPG forward, there's a layer of challenge to the game that taps into the hardships of the time period, but there's also so much freedom to take different approaches and role-play as Henry in the style that suits you. As our Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 review puts it, the magic of the game really is in how believable its world and setting feel, with combat and choices that really immerse you in the medieval backdrop.

5. Dragon Age: Origins

As one of the best CRPGs, it might be a little dated by today's standards, but Dragon Age: Origins still holds up as one of the most memorable and beloved single-player RPGs out there. Choosing from one of three playable races and classes that each have their own distinct origin that determines how your journey begins, it's all too easy to get stuck into the role-play from the very beginning.

Then, for one reason or another, you find yourself recruited by the Grey Wardens and set out on a sprawling journey across Thedas to try and put a stop to a blight and the invading darkspawn horde. Of course, I'd heartily recommend any one of the Dragon Age games (particularly Inquisition as more a recent and approachable entry) if you've yet to dive into BioWare's fantasy series, but Origins sets it all up beautifully, with rich worldbuilding, loveable companions, and a story you won't soon forget.

4. Cyberpunk 2077

After first launching back in 2020, Cyberpunk 2077 is now the best it's ever been thanks to transformative updates and an utterly fantastic expansion in Phantom Liberty. So, if you've yet to hit the streets of Night City, or you're searching for a single–player RPG of the first-person variety, Cyberpunk 2077 is here to answer your call. Taking on the role of merc V, you're thrown into a dark city teeming with danger as you set out on a mission to save your own skin.

After a heist goes awry and you find yourself with a chip in your head that harbors infamous rocker boy Johnny Silverhand (played by Keanu Reeves), your very self is at risk of being overridden by the engram lodged in your brain. With so many characters to meet, romance to be found, and a high-stakes story, Phantom Liberty rounds out the experience (as our Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty review attests) with an espionage-laden expansion that will keep you guessing throughout.

3. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

The Witcher 3 continues to be one of the most compelling single-player RPGs around, and if you haven't experienced it yet, this is your sign. Playing as titular monster-hunting Witcher Geralt of Rivia, you have the freedom to role-play as you like and sink your teeth into some monster slaying action as you venture to find your ward, Ciri. While there's an engrossing main storyline propelling your forward, The Witcher 3 will constantly throw side questlines in your path that engross you just as much, if not more.

With difficult choices to make that deal in shades of grey rather than clear-cut black and white, there are so many moments in the RPG that will no doubt stay with you. And with a beautifully detailed setting to explore and excellent expansions, CD Projekt Red's fantasy RPG has so much to offer — as our The Witcher 3 review highlights.

2. Mass Effect 2

Mass Effect 2 is not only one of the best sci-fi RPGs around, it's also home to one of the best game stories. It's the kind of RPG I'd give anything to experience again for the very first time, so if you've yet to tuck into BioWare's space-faring adventure, you're in for something very special. I'd of course recommend playing the entire trilogy, which you can easily do these days thanks to the excellent Mass Effect Legendary Edition release, but Mass Effect 2 deserves getting a shoutout here.

Because as sequels go, it doesn't get better than this. And as far as single-player RPGs go? Well, this is one I'd recommend every day of the week. Following Shepard as they're resurrected from the dead by Cerberus, you set out on a suicide mission against the Collectors, an alien force that's harvesting colonies. With so many memorable story moments, an incredible finale, and some of the best companions at your side, Mass Effect 2 is, and always will be, one of the best single-player RPGs around.

1. Baldur's Gate 3

When it comes to single-player RPGs with a vast amount of player choice and role-play value, few can measure up to the D&D-infused Baldur's Gate 3. With the option of playing as a character of your own making, or as one of the unique origins, the story is yours to shape and mold to your liking as you step into the Sword Coast on a sprawling quest to save yourself from the worm stuck in your head.

With a cast of companions joining your quest who are trying to avoid the same fate as you, the rich storytelling is incredibly engaging, and the amount of room you have to experiment (both in combat and in questlines) makes for such a rewarding, unforgettable experience. There's a reason we gave the RPG such a glowing score in our Baldur's Gate 3 review.

Best single-player RPGs FAQs