2013 was an exciting time for video games, as the arrival of the PS4 and Xbox One carried the huge potential for new gaming experiences. Initially, their launch lineups left a lot to be desired for fans of huge RPGs, as some games struggled to bridge the gap between the previous and newer generations. This left a lot of room for more unique games to get the attention they deserved.

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Perhaps more than any other genre, RPGs tend to stay with you long after the credits roll. There are so many unique RPGs of 2013, but here is a collection of those that are more than worth your time if you can get your hands on them today.

10 Dragon’s Crown

Combat in Dragon's Crown

Before the Nintendo Switch and the Steam Deck, there weren’t many places to experience story-driven console-like games on the go. Though short-lived, Sony’s PlayStation Vita was a real attempt at giving players powerful hardware to emulate a console-like experience on the go. One of the best RPGs on the Vita was Dragon’s Crown.

The game was a beautiful homage to action side-scrolling beat 'em-ups of old, and incorporated RPG mechanics set within a gorgeously colorful 2D world. There are six different classes to play and experiment with, with each having its own upgrade paths that make each playthrough of the engaging story and side content feel unique.

9 Path Of Exile

Fighting enemies in Path of Exile

Path of Exile is a loot-based action RPG that had the very lofty goal of building upon its inspiration and going beyond the Diablo series in terms of role-playing flexibility. It did more than achieve this by introducing deep lore, competitive PvP, and a unique passive skill tree system that allowed for diverse build variety and a huge amount of replayability.

Since its release, it has had a whole host of new story content, skills, gear, and expansions added to keep you busy for years to come. As a free-to-play experience, the game is still enjoyed daily by players around the world, often outnumbering the likes of the Diablo series with its concurrent players.

8 Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen

Player character and three pawns fighting together against a giant cyclops monster in Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen

As an expansion and re-release of the original game that came out the year before, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen built upon and added to one of the RPG cult hits of the 2010s. It was a unique action RPG from Capcom that brought interesting ideas to the table. The combat is more in line with something you’d find in a Monster Hunter game, allowing you to fight and climb terrifyingly huge beasts as you cut them down.

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It has all the typically deep customization and questing you’d expect from a Japanese RPG, but also introduced Pawns - helpful NPCs that will aid you in combat and do your bidding. Dark Arisen is a much more complete package that has all the content and DLC of the original release in addition to new skills, gear, monsters, and an entirely new questline and region.

7 Fire Emblem: Awakening

Combat in Fire Emblem Awakening

Released in 2012 in Japan and in early 2013 to the rest of the world, Fire Emblem: Awakening on the Nintendo 3DS finally brought the superb tactical RPG series to the mainstream. The game kept its highly in-depth tactical strategy, while also making it more widely accessible.

Awakening introduced some new systems that are still being used in the series today, including the ability to pair together teammates to improve how they perform in battle. It was met with rave reviews and was a huge success, has spawning a variety of sequels and spin-offs, and, as a restult, Fire Emblem has deservedly become one of Nintendo’s flagship series.

6 Tales Of Xillia

Running through the city in Tales of Xillia

Originally released as a Japan-only PlayStation 3 exclusive in 2011, Tales of Xillia is a fantastic JRPG that was later released in 2013 internationally. It was the first game in the long-running Tales series to feature a third-person viewpoint and introduced a male and female protagonist. It also included a new combat system that allowed players to ‘link’ to an AI companion, which would often lead to some devastating and powerful offensive moves.

Though not considered the best in the series, Tales of Xillia brought in a multitude of new ideas and systems that later went on to influence later games, and it’s regarded as one of the most important titles in the Tales series to date.

5 Shin Megami Tensei 4

Animated cutscene in Shin Megami Tensei IV

Nintendo was most definitely on a roll in 2013. Another 3DS hit, Shin Megami Tensei 4 is a classic that is regarded as one of the best handheld RPGs out there. It features a compelling narrative that touches upon dark and gritty themes.

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The story can branch out into multiple paths, with each of the characters being fully voice-acted for the first time in the series. It all provides a fantastic backdrop for all the dungeon crawling, exploration, and demon hunting you’ll be getting up to as you engage with its turn-based combat and a huge variety of optional quests.

4 Shadowrun Returns

Cyberpunk city in Shadowrun Returns

The aptly named Shadowrun Returns was a reboot of sorts for Shadowrun, which was originally a series of console games in the early '90s that were based on a popular set of Cyberpunk-themed tabletop RPGs.

It has a very intriguing narrative, where typical fantasy tropes are thrown into an exploitative and corporation-filled hyper-capitalist, cyberpunk society that is not too dissimilar from our own. It’s a noir tale filled with mystery and conspiracy, giveing players plenty of options for character builds, and includes an engaging XCOM-style tactical turn-based combat. It was adored by fans and went on to produce two sequels to make a fantastic trilogy.

3 Pokemon X & Y

Main character exploring town in Pokemon X and Y

Pokemon X & Y were a monumental shake-up for the series in many significant ways. For the first time, Pokemon was playable in a semi-3D isometric perspective, with fully 3D models instead of the 2D sprites of old. The battle system was also more visually interesting and included more animations, which made things feel a lot less static.

The game utilized a variety of clever social and online features that made battling and trading with other trainers a lot easier, allowing you to feel more connected. Its increased focus on the story and more meaningful characters pushed the series in a positive direction that influenced some of the best features in Pokemon’s later iterations.

2 Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch

Oliver riding on the back of a dragon creature in Ni No Kuni Wrath of the White Witch

Originally released for the PS3 in Japan in 2011, Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch was officially released in the west in 2013. The jaw-droppingly gorgeous visuals and iconic Studio Ghibli animation and music are the most immediately striking aspects of this JRPG masterpiece.

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Underneath the game’s undeniable charm is a wonderful story of a boy attempting to reconnect with his mother. Combat is somewhat reminiscent of what you’d find in a Pokemon game, as you battle with very cute familiars you have captured, all in a combined real-time and tactical turn-based style. This is a great introduction to JRPGs, especially for those who are fans of Studio Ghibli’s stellar brand of storytelling.

1 Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn

Black Mage standing in front of rock formation in Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

After the huge and continued success of Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn, it can be difficult to remember that it was the result of a desperate pivot from Square Enix to fix the failure of its second major MMORPG attempt with Final Fantasy. After nearly ten years of constant praise and an active fanbase, it is now easily considered one of the best Final Fantasy entries of all time. Never give up, kids.

A Realm Reborn’s world-building is brilliant as everything is linked to the narrative in some way, which made it a lot more engaging for solo players than the typical MMO. The developers have consistently listened to players and implemented changes based on their feedback, which went a long way for the Final Fantasy community. After several huge expansions and consistent updates, the game could easily enjoy another ten years at the top.

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