Action RPGs have a special place in the hearts of many players, offering a perfect mix of tactical combat and deep storytelling. We’ve put together a ranking of the 10 best isometric RPGs that you simply need to experience, whether you’re into old-school legends or newer gems.
| Game | Release | Genre | Developer | Video | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Baldurs Gate II Enhanced Edition | 2013-11-15 | Adventure & Strategy | Beamdog | |
 | Neverwinter Nights 2 Complete | 2006-10-31 | Adventure & Role-playing (RPG) | Obsidian Entertainment | |
 | Fallout 2 | 1998-12-01 | Turn-based strategy (TBS) & Role-playing (RPG) | Black Isle Studios | |
 | Pathfinder: Kingmaker | 2018-09-25 | Adventure & Role-playing (RPG) | Owlcat Games | |
 | Baldurs Gate 3 | 2020-10-06 | Turn-based strategy (TBS) & Adventure | Larian Studios | |
 | Planescape Torment | 2017-11-04 | Role-playing (RPG) & Strategy | Beamdog | |
 | Divinity Original Sin 2 | 2017-09-14 | Turn-based strategy (TBS) & Strategy | Larian Studios | |
 | Pillars Of Eternity | 2015-03-26 | Indie & Adventure | Obsidian Entertainment | |
 | Torment Tides Of Numenera | 2016-01-26 | Adventure & Role-playing (RPG) | inXile Entertainment | |
 | Icewind Dale 2 Complete | 2002-08-27 | Role-playing (RPG) & Strategy | Black Isle Studios | |
 | Arcanum Of Steamworks And Magick Obscura | 2001-08-22 | Role-playing (RPG) & Turn-based strategy (TBS) | Troika Games |
Baldurs Gate II: Shadows of Amn
| Release date: | 2013-11-15 |
| Genre: | Role-playing (RPG) & Strategy |
| Developer: | Beamdog |
Somewhere behind the curtain, the idea of a sequel to Baldur’s Gate has been born. After twenty years, BioWare finished working on the continuation of the Gorion’s Ward journey.
This sequel won’t give you any tips on navigating through the intricate alleys of the maze. The lore starts right after the victory over Sarevok that took place at the end of the first instalment. Shortly after, you become a prisoner of a mage, Jon Irenicus, keen to perform gruesome experiments.
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Neverwinter Nights
| Release date: | 2006-10-31 |
| Genre: | Role-playing (RPG) & Adventure |
| Developer: | Obsidian Entertainment |
The gates of Neverwinter have been sealed due to the spreading plague. To prevent further sorrow, you need to recover Waterdhavian creatures that are the guarantee for a cure.
Similarly to the Dungeons & Dragons rules, you are to create the main character at the beginning of the gameplay. During the mission, the protagonist is tasked to explore Neverwinter and areas beyond the town.
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Fallout 2
| Release date: | 1998-12-01 |
| Genre: | Puzzle & Role-playing (RPG) & Turn-based strategy (TBS) |
| Developer: | Black Isle Studios |
Fallout, with its retro-styled take on a futuristic world, breathed new life into the RPG genre and was met with widespread acclaim. The sequel follows its path and throws you into the post-nuclear journey.
Fall into the decaying world full of unnatural mutants, destructive radiation and heavy ambience. In contrast to the first part, the main missions in Fallout 2 aren’t time-limited and the new mechanic called reputations will push you forward.
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Pathfinder: Kingmaker
| Release date: | 2018-09-25 |
| Genre: | Role-playing (RPG) & Tactical & Adventure |
| Developer: | Owlcat Games |
The Stolen Lands isn’t a friendly place for its newcomers. Being the new Baron, you must face the dark sides of the land, develop your own kingdom and spread it across the unconquered wilderness.
The developers were heavily inspired by the Pathfinder Tabletop RPG and used it as the foundation for their project. It isn’t the easiest isometric game to dive into because of the complex mechanics and demanding gameplay, but that’s what makes the game even more compelling.
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Planescape: Torment
| Release date: | 2017-11-04 |
| Genre: | Puzzle & Role-playing (RPG) & Strategy |
| Developer: | Beamdog |
Planescape: Torment, a classic isometric RPG, places full emphasis on the storyline, with combat serving as an enjoyable addition. The main character’s immortality only applies to his lifespan, but with his memory, each death can mess things up.
The Nameless One traverses the universe in search of his lost memory and an explanation as to why he is immortal. His actions will be observed from a bird’s-eye view, new companions or familiar faces will join you, and most quests will be resolved through dialogue and conversational choices.
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Divinity: Original Sin 2
| Release date: | 2017-09-14 |
| Genre: | Role-playing (RPG) & Strategy & Turn-based strategy (TBS) & Adventure |
| Developer: | Larian Studios |
The sequel follows in the footsteps of the well-received first part and matches its predecessor in terms of atmosphere. The developers have set the game in medieval-like times, given you a handful of pre-made characters and the option to create your own.
The game offers a unique combat system in which environmental elements are important, and action points determine how many attacks you perform. Your main adversary is the fearsome creatures called Voidwoken, and in this world, even NPCs are vulnerable.
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Pillars of Eternity
| Release date: | 2015-03-26 |
| Genre: | Role-playing (RPG) & Strategy & Adventure & Indie |
| Developer: | Obsidian Entertainment |
Pillars of Eternity is a perfect example of how a good developer can fit the atmosphere of classic RPGs into any timeline. The Watcher, with the supernatural ability to see the lives of the dead and interact with souls, seeks the source of his affliction.
In Pillars of Eternity, a character’s background influences gameplay or dialogue options, and the whole thing is rounded off with up-to-date advancements that allow you to tailor the combat system to your personal preferences.
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Torment: Tides of Numenera
| Release date: | 2016-01-26 |
| Genre: | Role-playing (RPG) & Strategy & Turn-based strategy (TBS) & Adventure & Indie |
| Developer: | inXile Entertainment |
Torment: Tides of Numenera is an unusual journey in which you explore the vast world. Your body has been abandoned by the Changing God, escaping from the clutches of death, and you have now gained consciousness in a world where safety comes last.
This isometric game allows you to marvel at a unique universe – Numenera – where magic and technology coexist. Your decisions and words will dictate the fate of your character, and the Sorrow will invade your sense of security.
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Icewind Dale
| Release date: | 2014-10-30 |
| Genre: | Role-playing (RPG) & Strategy |
| Developer: | Beamdog |
Icewind Dale is another isometric cRPG drawing on the rules of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition. The strange evil force is stirring in the northern part of the Forgotten Realms, causing weather anomalies and unexplained disappearances, and your party is tasked to find the source of the cause.
The story is broken into chapters, and a journal will help you keep track of quests performed and provide you with key information you gather from characters. The game also received a remake featuring an enhanced multiplayer mode and numerous new gameplay elements.
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Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
| Release date: | 2001-08-22 |
| Genre: | Role-playing (RPG) & Strategy & Turn-based strategy (TBS) |
| Developer: | Troika Games |
Magick intertwine the world of technology balancing on the edge of stability. The land of Arcanum is formed by cities of science and fantastic creatures, with whom you will interact and accept tasks from them in exchange for special items.
Here, you can take the path of magick, science by creating weapons or machines, or find the middle ground between. You play as a survivor of a mysterious airship crash and get caught up in a deeper story involving ancient prophecies and lost civilisations.
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From epic journeys across hand-crafted worlds to battles full of tough choices, isometric RPGs with best stories continue to deliver something special.