When the Xbox 360 launched Microsoft’s consoles were not well known for their RPGs. Western style role playing games were pretty big on the platform, but there was little in the way of Japanese ones. That changed with the 360. Microsoft made some key investments early on, and developers could no longer afford for most of their games to be exclusive. This is why the Xbox 360 was able to amass a respectable library of role playing games. Unfortunately a lot of these are duds. That’s no good. We’re here today to tell you about the ones that are still worth playing. This is our list of the Top 20 Best Xbox 360 RPGs. Let’s ‘jump in’ as they say.
#20. – The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
I’m going to kick this list off with a confession. I’m not the biggest fan of Western style RPGs. With that out of the way Oblivion is the first game in the Elder Scrolls series that I mildly enjoyed. This was one of the first Xbox 360 games that really wowed me in terms of graphics. You play as a character that you yourself create, and are dropped into the fantasy realm of Cyrodiil. From here you can pretty much choose how you play. There’s a main overarching quest but the world is open and ripe for exploration. Combat is fully real-time, and you can choose between either a third or first person point of view. There’s an open-endedness here that was unprecedented at the time. It’s still impressive even today. This was one of the first big Xbox 360 RPGs, and it’s still worth playing.
#19. – Costume Quest
Halloween is my favorite holiday. It always has been. That’s why Costume Quest really speaks to me. As a long-time fan of role playing games an RPG based on Halloween, going trick or treating, and dressing up in costumes is a genuinely fun idea. Let’s start off with the graphics. They’re perfect. They evoke feelings of Halloween and the child-like wonder of the holiday in an amazing way. The battle system is turn based, but uses timing based mechanics for the attacks. This is where changing costumes primarily comes in to play. Think of this like a light version of a job system from classic Final Fantasy. Each costume causes you to transform into whatever you’re dressed up as in these encounters. Each of these has their own set of attacks, and different strengths/weaknesses as well. Despite following genre conventions closely Costume Quest is unique.
#18. – Fable III
The final mainline Fable title made some significant changes to the formula. It’s still a 3D action RPG, but this one has you playing as a royal. You are the brother (or sister) of the new king of Albion. Unfortunately face exile in the beginning of the story. At this point the plot focuses on making alliances, raising an army, and eventually overtaking Albion to become its new ruler. At this point you must prepare the kingdom for an invasion of otherworldly monsters, and have several tough decisions to make. While the game is good it’s short even by Fable standards. Furthermore the last part of the story is focused more around making decisions in text boxes than actually fighting enemies or exploring. The changes here are interesting, but like most Western style RPGs, they aren’t as significant as the game tries to make you believe.
#17. – The Last Remnant
During this generation Square-Enix decided to try and make a few RPGs with Western audiences in mind. The Last Remnant was one of these such titles. I had high hopes for it initially but was disappointed. Despite this it’s still a fun game. The Last Remnant is a turn based RPG where you don’t actually input any commands. Instead you issue general strategies to your squad of characters, and are left praying that they make the right choices. It’s unique, but definitely has its fair share of problems. For one thing the AI controlled characters don’t always make the best choices. This is true even when you’ve chosen the best possible strategy in any given situation. There’s also a lot of technical issues here. If you can look past this you’re in for one of the best Xbox 360 RPGs.
#16. – Fable: Anniversary
The original Fable had tremendous hype before it released and it failed to live up to it. I liked the game plenty, but this was not what Peter Molyneux promised. Not by a long shot. Regardless it was a fun action RPG with some neat character building conventions, and a lot of decisions to make. On the Xbox 360 a remaster subtitled ‘Anniversary’ was released. This contained all of the content from the Lost Chapters, and updated the graphics a fair bit. That’s the release we’re talking about now. Fable Anniversary pits you in the role of a youth who, through tragic circumstances, grows up in the hero guild fully trained in combat. This one is a tale of revenge set in a humorous fantasy world. Gameplay is really interesting with a focus on action. Fable is a fun game but really short unfortunately.
#15. – MagnaCarta 2
Magna what? This one is a sequel to a PS2 RPG that almost no one played. The South Korean developers decided to give the Xbox 360 a try, and the results were pretty good. This is a real-time action RPG wherein you command a group of up to three different characters. The story isn’t anything special, and the graphics are kind of underwhelming. What does hold up is the combat system. You have the typical basic combo attacks, but spells round things out in some interesting ways. I really like the way that you can seamlessly switch between characters in your party. They all feel different from one another with different rankings for speed and attack. Additionally you can chain together attacks with party members. This is masterfully handled and I loved setting this up in battle. Magnacarta 2 is seriously underrated and a real hidden gem.
#14. – Mass Effect
Bioware is no stranger to the sci-fi space opera. With Mass Effect they went all out. The game has more in common with squad based third person shooters than role playing games, but at heart it’s still an RPG. Here you play as commander Shepard and your goal is to save the galaxy. This all takes place in the future with highly advanced weapons, and stasis powers with various effects. The science fiction world the developers have created is super impressive. With the gameplay being firmly focused on the third person shooter elements this one doesn’t really scratch the role playing itch. The text trees are generally uninteresting and don’t have as much of an effect on the scenario as they should. If you’re looking for a shooter with RPG mechanics and a good story then Mass Effect is a fantastic choice.
#13. – Phantasy Star Universe
Phantasy Star Online was easily one of the best Dreamcast RPGs. Sega released expanded versions for both the Gamecube and original Xbox, but it was clear they couldn’t keep banking on that game. Where do you go from there though? Sega decided to expand the series by releasing Phantasy Star Universe. While it debuted on the PS2 they also brought the game to the more online centric Xbox 360. This is the superior version. While the servers have long been shut down they had the foresight to make this one playable in single mode. There’s a story, and the production values are surprisingly high. Phantasy Star Universe is an action RPG that uses the Dreamcast game as a base. The only thing holding it back is that it clearly has it’s foundation firmly rooted in online play. Combat is fun, but a bit shallow. The same goes for level designs.
#12. – Fable II
When Fable II was announced we all fell for the hype all over again. Unfortunately this too was just a shadow of what was promised. Fortunately even that was good enough to make this one of the best Xbox 360 RPGs of all time. This is pretty similar to the original Fable, all things considered. This is an action RPG with combat focused around combination attacks as well as spells set to hot keys. I loved that this was a continuation of the Fable series. The change from bows and arrows to firearms is inspired. Additionally all of the changes to Albion are really interesting. Combat is fun and fluid. It’s just the illusion of choice that doesn’t quite measure up. This game is Fable, but more of it. What’s to hate?
#11. – Child of Light
Anyone who has ever said video games can’t be art clearly hasn’t played Child of Light. Not only is this game clearly gorgeous, but it’s also masterfully designed. In this game you play as a young girl named Aurora who, after dying, wakes up in the fantastical world of Lemuria. Exploration is handled like a side scrolling platformer. Combat however is strictly turn based. I absolutely love how the battle system harkens to classics like Grandia by actually showing you turn order. With a little planning you can even cancel enemy attacks. It is a bit simple by modern standards because you only get two party members to use at a time. Despite this limitation the battle system is highly strategic and has a fantastic flow to it. Child of Light deserves all of the attention it has received throughout the years.
#10. – The Witcher II: Assassin of Kings
Although Western style RPGs aren’t typically my thing, but the quality of this one is undeniable. The Witcher II marks the first time the series was released on console, and the only one it released for was the Xbox 360. Combat is surprisingly fluid here. Geralt has a lot of different options at his disposal for fighting enemies. While typical monster encounters involve hacking away at them with melee weapons there are also some really neat secondary tools that can be used as well. If you prefer indirect combat he can fire projectiles as well as use magic and even set traps. This all works surprisingly well even in the absence of mouse and keyboard controls. Even the story is really good. I had some problems with the clunky interface, but that’s kind of par for the course when it comes to Western style RPGs.
#9. – Fallout 3
This is another Western style RPG, but it is more rooted as a first person shooter than an actual role playing game. Fallout 3 was a big release because not only had the series been absent for about a decade, but it was also the first fully 3D installment. What I loved most about Fallout 3 is the post apocalyptic world in it. This is a real joy to explore, and the semi-open world nature of progression is really special. What’s cool too is that everything is kind of trapped in time. This means there’s some very obvious references to 1960s Americana and it fits the atmosphere extremely well. Combat itself is mostly real-time and as I already mentioned plays like a first person shooter. Gunplay is fun, and you can grow your character how you see fit. Fallout 3 is fantastic.
#8. – The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
There’s a good reason Skyrim has been re-released so many times on a number of different consoles. It is still one of the most ambitious Western style RPGs to this day. It has the classic Elder Scrolls gameplay which can be played from either first or third person. Combat is once again in real-time and blocking attacks and striking back feels really good and smooth here. What makes this one even better than Oblivion is the world in which you can explore. It’s absolutely gigantic here, and there is a ton of variety in the environments. Plus, dragon battles. Fighting against these mythical creatures and finally felling one is one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had in a role playing game. Skyrim is absolutely amazing, and should be played by everyone. I just wish the interface was more user friendly.
#7. – Eternal Sonata
Eternal Sonata is, in a word, weird. At first glance it looks like your typical anime inspired Japanese style role playing game. It is bright, colorful, and features a large cast of tropes. What’s strange about it is the fact that it stars the historical real-world composer Frederick Chopin. Some creative liberties were taken, as the entire game takes place in his dream world while on his death bed. The cel-shaded graphics are absolutely beautiful with great looking characters and whimsical worlds to explore. Combat is pretty unique here. It’s a mix between a regular turn based RPG and one based on action like the Tales of games. Basically you can move freely around the battlefield but only when it’s the selected character’s turn. From here you can perform numerous commands until an action bar is depleted. When it’s the enemies’ turn you are stuck in place. It’s definitely interesting.
#6. – Infinite Undiscovery
I’m sure to catch some hate for this one. Infinite Undiscovery was universally panned at release. This once hyped action RPG from renowned developer Tri-Ace made almost no one happy. I, on the other hand, loved it. Most of the common complaints were that it felt half baked, and this is true for the early moments in the adventure. The latter half is surprisingly well done with unique and interesting mechanics introduced on the regular. Combat is a little clunky using a loose combo system for your attacks. Once you master special moves it opens right up and chaining these is effortless and a lot of fun. Even the story is somewhat unique, and the large cast of characters is both likable and memorable. I have a sinking suspicion that most critics quit early on, because Infinite Undiscovery is actually a fantastic role playing game that deserved better.
#5. – Resonance of Fate
Tri-Ace was all in on creating original games this generation. After Infinite Undiscovery they gave us Resonance of Fate. This game uses a blend of steampunk and anime art styles and is set in a futuristic world where the planet is ruined by pollution. Civilization is based almost entirely around a purification machine that gives the people air to breathe. Battles play out with a mix of turn based combat and real-time movement. You command three characters across a battlefield that can move freely during their turn. To attack foes you have to charge a meter using action points, and can unleash some devastating blasts with careful planning. Resonance of Fate is pretty unique with both it’s art style and combat mechanics. This one was clearly made with the Western audience in mind with firearms being the main weapons used, and the grittier colors and art direction.
#4. – Star Ocean: The Last Hope
Ironically, I didn’t have much hope for this one. It’s the fourth installment in the Star Ocean series, and part 3 left a bad taste in my mouth. Unfortunately early reviews also claimed this one was just average. I was happy to discover that this wasn’t the truth. Star Ocean: The Last Hope is clearly one of the best RPGs released on the Xbox 360. The combat system is fully real-time. The action is fast, and frantic. There are a lot of different mechanics in place here which makes the gameplay really technical. You can try to cheese your way through with just standard attacks but this will only take you so far. Things like rush attacks and blindsides take practice to get down right, and they make a huge difference in combat. Tri-Ace also did away with MP deaths, and polished the combat system from the last iteration.
#3. – Lost Odyssey
At this point I had kind of lost hope for the Final Fantasy series. Square was experimenting with each new installment, and the results were generally pretty bad. Lost Odyssey, to me, is what modern Final Fantasy should be. Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of FF, was the mastermind behind this one. Lost Odyssey came out in a time when RPGs were veering away from traditions, and thankfully it stuck to the basics while introducing enough new mechanics to stay fresh. Combat is completely turn based but uses a timing system based on rings. Furthermore some characters that join are immortals. If they fall in combat they are revived after a few turns. They also can’t learn special skills on their own, and must be taught these from mortal party members. Besides that the story is really interesting by genre standards, and the dungeon designs are fantastic.
#2. – Blue Dragon
Here is the other title for the platform that Hironobu Sakaguchi helmed. Like Lost Odyssey this one is a traditional turn based RPG. Blue Dragon is even more entrenched in the classic standards of the genre. It uses a job system that works surprisingly well, and even features a full world map to explore. Blue Dragon even features character designs from Akira Toriyama. There are vibes of Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest from start to finish in this adventure. Combat is functional and easy to grasp, but on the higher difficulty level requires a lot of focus and planning. It also fantastic graphics and a great soundtrack from Final Fantasy mainstay Nobuo Uematsu. Whereas Lost Odyssey felt like where the modern FF series should be Blue Dragon was more a celebration of where it once was. It’s a fantastic role playing game that still hasn’t been remastered or re-released.
#1. – Tales of Vesperia
This was the first game in the Tales of series to be released on Xbox platforms. It’s also one of the best ones. With Vesperia the team didn’t experiment. They just stuck to what worked with Symphonia and Abyss, and refined everything. The graphics are completely cel shaded and make the game look like a cartoon come to life. Combat is fast and furious, and always flows well. It’s a bit simple by Tales standards but when it works, it works. I also really like the cast of characters and how they each have their defined role in battle. Dungeons are also improved from previous entries with thoughtful layouts and decent puzzles. Vesperia also has the best story in the series with its morally conflicted main character which leads to some really interesting developments. The HD generation may have failed RPG fans, but Vesperia made up for it.
