Role-playing games are story-driven games which give players a lot of power to do what they want within the game world. From the classic Dungeons and Dragons to recent titles like Diablo, they have won over generation after generation of gamer. And now, they are becoming as popular on cell phones as they are on consoles and PC.
Despite the small screens on mobile devices—barely 6 inches, if one is lucky—these games can easily suck the gamer in. They are a great way to spend time as one heads to school or work, or even during a lazy Sunday afternoon. And some RPGs might even take up 20 to 30 hours of someone’s time. Nowadays, they don’t even compromise on graphics quality too much. So, there’s really no reason to avoid playing these complex, demanding games on a cell phone.
To further show that these games are worthy of any RPG fan’s attention, here are the 10 best mobile RPGs which are out right now.
10 Final Fantasy
The Final Fantasy franchise is one of the most beloved gaming franchises of all time, with over a dozen games, anime tie-ins and more. And now, 12 games in the franchise have been ported to mobile. They include the main titles from 1 to 12, plus titles like Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition, Final Fantasy Dimensions, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Final Fantasy Brave Exvius. Some of the files can take up more than 2GB, but you’re getting the full game, so they are completely worth it.
You can pick up your favorite title and take a trip down memory lane, if you used to play these classics. And if you’re new to the franchise, this is a convenient and cost-effective way to get to know what the big deal is.
9 Monster Hunter Stories
Monster Hunter Stories is a mobile port of the original which came out for the Nintendo 3DS. The game switches things up by letting you play as a Rider instead of a Hunter; Riders are people who can bond with the gargantuan monsters of the game.
Your main mission is to find monster eggs in the world, then hatch them and befriend the babies. Meanwhile, you’ll be able to fight enemies using a turn-based combat system. During these fights, you can take advantage of your enemies’ weakness as well as use your monster’s strengths.
8 Stardew Valley
If there’s one game that does Harvest Moon even better than some Harvest Moon games, it’s this one. Stardew Valley involves a player who leaves the city to live in his inherited rundown farm. Activities involve clearing the farm, planting crops, fishing, exploring caves, and even pursuing romantic relationships with the villagers.
The game was an instant hit on PC, and it’s small with undemanding graphics, so porting it to mobile was a no-brainer. This is one of the most relaxing games you can play on your phone, which makes it perfect for the ride home after a long day.
7 Planescape: Torment
This is an RPG classic, with legions of diehard fans. It elevated Dungeons and Dragons from the high fantasy of Tolkienesque stories to something much different. You explore Sigil, the City of Doors, as you seek to find your character’s lost memories. On the way, you will find outlandish allies like a chaste succubus, a talking skull called Morte and more.
This mobile port leaves the dialogue and story intact while changing the controls to work conveniently on your cell phone. This is worth a look if you love old-school RPGs and don’t mind dated graphics.
6 Evoland 2
Evoland 2 is a video game about the love of video games. You start playing in monochrome with a 2D character, and as your character progresses, you will unlock new graphics until your character becomes fully 3D and the gaming world looks modern.
Evoland 2 is heavily inspired by the likes of Final Fantasy and Legend of Zelda, so its mechanics are nothing new. But it works as an homage to those games of yesteryear, showing how far video games have come in the decades since their inception. This is a game about video game history that should not be missed.
5 Crashlands
If you love humorous RPGs, Crashlands is one of the best, funniest and quirkiest games you can play on mobile. You play as a space trucker called Flux Dabes, who has to crash-land on an alien planet thanks to an alien called Hewgodooko.
If you’re to survive on this alien planet, you need to build bases, repair your ship, fight the locals, tame wild beasts so they can be your pets, and craft weapons and other items from the corpses of your enemies. The game sports lots of humor, an interesting story, great dialogue, and lots of crafting.
4 Pocket Mortys
This is one of the games most-like Pokémon that doesn’t come from Nintendo. And as a Rick and Morty game, it has all the surreal humor you can want. In Pocket Mortys, Rick is in his garage when Mysterious Rick pops in via portal and challenges him to do a Morty Battle. According to Android Central, Rick then goes to the Council of Ricks, but they confiscate his portal gun. To get the gun back, you have to battle the Council of Ricks as well as Ricks from other dimensions in Pokémon-style battles for their Mortys.
3 Baldur’s Gate I And II: Shadows Of Amn
Baldur’s Gate is one of the best RPGs ever made, period. The only modern game that has come close to recapturing its spirit is the Divinity: Original Sin series. So, for RPG purists who want something to play on the go, it doesn’t get much better than Baldur’s Gate.
The mobile version uses an updated version of the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 2nd Edition rules. And in the game, you are thrust deep into a war-torn world, where you have to clear dungeons and fight beasts both massive and small.
2 Banner Saga 2
The Banner Saga 2 is a Vikings-inspired epic RPG with beautiful graphics and an immersive turn-based gameplay. You control a giant called Iver along with a caravan of varl and human survivors who are escaping from an invading horde. As this happens, the game also introduces a parallel narrative that involves a berserker called Bolverk along with his mercenaries. Together, they destroy and butcher everything in their path as they fight for survival, which contrasts the hopeful tone of Iver’s campaign.
Everything in Banner Saga 2 is improved over its predecessor, from the variety of allies and enemies to the combat.
1 Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic
If you’re a hardcore Star Wars fan, this is the game to look out for. K.O.T.O.R. is one of the best Star Wars game ever made, and this mobile port contains the full game at a massive 2.4GB. You can use your phone’s controls, but you can also connect a controller, if you prefer.
You have a choice between nine different character types, you can travel to eight different planets, you can use the Force and discover up to 40 cool powers, and you can even build a lightsaber of your own.