Highlights

• Baldur's Gate's immense and intricate nature set the gold standard for video game role-playing.
• Several modern games, including Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous and Diablo 4, have successfully replicated aspects of the Baldur's Gate formula.
• Despite initial challenges, Cyberpunk 2077 has resurged as a masterful RPG, and Elden Ring and Neverwinter Nights 2 offer similarly incredible gameplay experiences in their respective genres.

There was a time when Baldur's Gate was considered the gold standard of video game role-playing, and there are people who will stand by this statement even to this day. The deep and intricate nature of the various elements that have been integrated into this classic is truly immense, and anyone who decides to take an in-depth into the nature of the systems present in Baldur's Gate will be rewarded with utter confusion and a reeling head.

The popularity of Baldur's Gate gave rise to several CRPGs in its heyday, with a bunch of modern titles also — knowingly or otherwise — taking inspiration from this series to make their world feel more reactive and important for the player. So, any gamer who wishes to relive the golden age of role-playing would be interested in the following titles, all of which have replicated the formula of Baldur's Gate (or, at least, some aspects of it) to great success.

Updated on December 30, 2023, by Ritwik Mitra: Baldur's Gate 3 has blown everyone out of the water to become one of the greatest CRPGs ever made. The sheer amount of love and effort put into this title is nothing short of incredible, and it's easy to see why this game bagged so many awards. More games should aspire to be like Baldur's Gate 3, and there are many ways that fans can check out if Larian Entertainment's masterpiece has completely blown them away courtesy of the game's immense quality.

26 Pathfinder: Wrath Of The Righteous

An Ambitious CRPG That Is A Huge Improvement On Its Predecessor

Pathfinder: Kingmaker was a great CRPG released around the time when this genre was experiencing a resurgence. The game used the Pathfinder system to great effect, even if some people felt like there were a few flaws that prevented this title from reaching greater heights of popularity.

Wrath of the Righteous is precisely what fans were looking for, with the systems of this title being refined to the T. This, coupled with the game's great story and memorable characters, makes the game a worthy follow-up to Kingmaker in every way.

25 Diablo 4

Top-Down Hack-and-Slash Game With Tactical Elements

Diablo is another legendary top-down RPG that differs in most of its core mechanics and focus from Baldur's Gate but is still a blast to play through in its own right. Blizzard may not have the greatest reputation in the industry right now, but players still don't have any problems with checking out a series that has dished out hit after hit with each entry, despite the controversies that the third game was plagued by.

Diablo 4 is a natural evolution of the formula, making things bigger and grander than ever before. The game is truly engaging in every way and can entice players to sink hundreds of hours into this experience because of its masterful gameplay loop. Taking out waves of baddies to get rare and powerful loot is a great feeling that remains intact in both the Baldur's Gate and Diablo games, even with the latter taking things up a notch in this department.

24 Cyberpunk 2077

An Amazing Action RPG With An Emotional Storyline And Branching Narratives

CD Projekt Red suffered a rough time around the launch of Cyberpunk 2077, with the game rushed out in an unfinished state after developer challenges were ignored in favor of meeting marketing deadlines. The game drew the ire of many people who felt cheated out of their money, with the game being downright unplayable on last-gen consoles at launch and still struggling to this day.

Regardless, the resurgence of this game should also be celebrated, with CD Projekt Red working hard to iron out the game's issues and allowing players to experience the masterful story once again. The title is an absolute peach as of now, featuring a wealth of mature storylines and crazy combat scenarios that are quite enthralling and worth checking out for fans of RPG masterpieces like Baldur's Gate.

23 Elden Ring

An Open-World Soulslike Game Where A Proper Build Is Key To Attaining Victory

Elden Ring is a game that took the world by storm and showed players just how accessible FromSoftware's games are. Sure, the title can be pretty challenging in certain instances, but players who take their time to explore the game world and do everything in their power to get stronger will be more than elated at the prospect of besting a boss who was giving them a tough time early on.

Even now, many players still can't get enough of Elden Ring. The incoming DLC is bound to boost interest in the title's sales once again, and fans of games with combat where players have to think twice about their approach will love what Elden Ring brings to the table.

22 Neverwinter Nights 2

A Classic CRPG Made By BioWare

Neverwinter Nights 2 is a great title that builds upon the rich lore of the Forgotten Realms and offers a compelling story with deep character development. Just like Baldur's Gate, players can create their protagonist and assemble a party of companions, engage in strategic combat, and explore a detailed world filled with numerous quests.

What makes this game endlessly replayable is its robust modding community, allowing players to create and share their adventures. It may be slightly dated, but Neverwinter Nights 2 is still a great game that fans of CRPGs should check out.

21 Dark Souls

A Legendary Action RPG That Placed Importance On Exploration And Creating An Appropriate Build

While Dark Souls differs in its gameplay mechanics from Baldur's Gate in many ways, the great world-building, rich lore, and immersive atmosphere touch upon the same points as this classic CRPG. Dark Souls' intricate level design is easily one of its most impressive aspects that still wows many players to this day, and proves why so many people hail this title to be one of the greatest video games ever made.

The punishing combat and a wondrous sense of exploration and discovery make FromSoftware's masterpiece a blast to play through in every way. The deep and complex story of this game is gradually unveiled through item descriptions, NPC interactions, and environmental cues, producing a unique experience where the story isn't forced down a player's throat.

20 Dragon Age: Inquisition

A Deep, Intricate RPG With A Great Story And Fun Characters

Dragon Age: Inquisition was developed by BioWare, the same company behind Baldur's Gate. This story-heavy RPG somehow managed to be a ton of fun to play through despite facing a troubled development cycle, fighting against all odds to become a riveting experience that many fans adore to this day. That said, if someone wants to experience the full narrative, they will need to pick up the DLC.

Players take on the role of a custom-made Inquisitor, gathering a party of diverse companions as they embark on a journey to save the world from the looming threat of Corypheus. Dragon Age: Inquisition features an engaging dialogue system, allowing players to make critical choices that impact the story and world around them in meaningful ways.

19 UnderRail

A CRPG With Shades Of Old Fallout

UnderRail is easily one of the most unique and overlooked CRPGs around. The game is set in a post-apocalyptic world where civilization is forced to live underground in the UnderRail metro network.

The game echoes the original Fallout games in many ways, with the charm of its world and the sheer depth of its systems being its biggest selling points. Fans of great CRPGs with hard-as-nails combat will have a great time with UnderRail.

18 Lionheart: Legacy Of The Crusader

An Underrated CRPG With One Of The Strongest Introductions In The Genre

Speaking of overlooked CRPGs, it's hard to not talk about Lionheart: Legacy of the Crusader. The game's first half is easily one of the most enjoyable times anyone can spend with a video game before the latter half crumbles before screeching to a forgettable halt.

Regardless, roaming around the city of Barcelona is incredibly memorable and makes for a great time in its own right. Interacting with historical figures and uncovering the mysteries of this area is easily the best part of the experience.

17 Pathfinder: Kingmaker

A Fun CRPG That Uses The Pathfinder System To Great Effect

Another CRPG that is definitely in the same vein as Baldur's Gate is Pathfinder: Kingmaker. The classic nature of this game's setup coupled with many modern mechanics makes this game an absolute gem that more people need to check out.

Pathfinder: Kingmaker might not be the most accessible game around, but players who put in the time and effort to learn everything about this game will have a great time.

16 Fable

A Fun Action RPG With A Great Story And Fun Exploration

There was a time when Peter Molyneux had a ton of credibility in the game industry before his lies eventually caught up to him. This was around the same time when the groundbreaking Fable was released to rave critical and commercial reception.

The action RPG was an absolute joy to play through and featured several gameplay innovations that are still mind-blowing to this day. It might not have all the features as advertised by its infamous direction, but Fable is a brilliant game that deserves all its plaudits for being a refreshing and engaging fantasy title.

15 Tyranny

An Intriguing CRPG That Takes A More Nuanced Look At How Evil Is Portrayed In A Video Game

The rise of crowdsourcing and indie gaming has allowed the CRPG genre to make an impressive comeback. Fans are now spoiled for choice when it comes to playing these narratively rich games, with Tyranny being one of the many modern games in the genre that players can check out.

Featuring several gameplay subsystems and a refreshing take on what it means to be evil, Tyranny is an incredible game that any fan of unique narratives should check out. It's just a shame that the game ends before it starts to get interesting.

14 Kingdoms Of Amalur: Re-reckoning

An Overlooked RPG With Intriguing Action Combat And Versatile Classes

Considered by many to be one of the greatest games nobody played, Kingdoms of Amalur offers just about everything an RPG fan could want. Although it lacks the isometric viewpoint, it has more than enough quests, creatures, weapons, and lore to satisfy even the hungriest RPG fans.

This third-person action RPG is probably one of the most versatile on the list, giving the player the ability to swap classes and weapons on the fly certainly makes for a fluid experience. It's a game that deserves more recognition.

13 Diablo 3

A Deep, Rewarding Hack-and-Slash Game That Redeemed Itself After A Poor Launch

For a more traditional RPG experience, the Diablo series is always a great go-to. With the fourth entry in the dark fantasy saga well on the horizon, it might be time to revisit number three.

Diablo 3 and its expansions offer some grade-A hack-and-slash action. With all the trimmings and trappings of the traditional isometric RPG, one simply can't go wrong in their quest to save Sanctuary from the clutches of the Prime Evil.

12 A Bard’s Tale

A Traditional Top-Down RPG With Hack-and-Slash Combat

And now for something completely out there with A Bard's Tale. This game is a top-down traditional RPG but with some serious self-aware satire in its tone and delivery.

Instead of a noble quest for honor and glory, the Bard (voiced by Cary Elwes) is simply in it for the girls and the gold. It's a tongue-in-cheek take on traditional fantasy games and a breath of fresh air for those weary travelers.

11 Path Of Exile

A Popular Hack-and-Slash Game With A Ridiculous Skill Tree

Taking more than a few cues from the Diablo series, Path of Exile offers a similar approach but with a far more traditional fantasy flair, but with a twist. It blends the MMORPG mold with isometric combat and action.

Don't let the free-to-play nature of the title mislead, Path of Exile is currently one of the most played online dungeon-crawlers out there, and there's plenty to uncover and discover if one doesn't mind a bit of grinding.

10 Neverwinter Nights

BioWare's CRPG With A Flexible Engine Perfect For Custom Content And Mods

If players are sick to death of Baldur's Gate, a trip to Neverwinter should satisfy their thirst for more D&D-inspired gaming. Developed by Bioware and remarkably similar to the aforementioned title, Neverwinter Nights is like a weekly tabletop campaign brought to the console.

It's as traditional as a top-down fantasy game can get but with far heavier inspiration from the famous tabletop franchise. An acquired taste for some, but a perfect follow-up to Baldur's Gate if there ever was one.

9 Planescape: Torment

A Story-Driven CRPG With Amazing Dialogue

One simply can't talk about legendary CRPGs in the gaming community without mentioning the absolute masterpiece that is Planescape: Torment.

Any player who fell head over heels in love with the Baldur's Gate series will find themselves right at home in the shoes of The Nameless One as they try and figure out the mystery of his identity, and the world itself.

8 Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic

An Excellent Star Wars RPG With A Lot Of Branching Decisions

BioWare was the studio at the helm of Baldur's Gate, so their later offerings would also carry forward the ethos of this series — well, aside from their latest ventures, that is.

Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic is one such title that deserves all the praise it gets. One of the best games in the Star Wars series, KOTOR featured a brilliant storyline and some truly engaging set-pieces for its time. It also has one of the best plot twists in video game history, which is quite some hefty praise indeed.

7 Pillars Of Eternity

Obsidian Entertainment's Return To Success With A Brilliant D&D CRPG

The CRPG genre was considered to be fairly obsolete as gaming became more modern and nuanced. Thankfully, that didn't stop some notable creators from continuing to develop games for this genre, with all the modern conveniences that one might expect.

Pillars Of Eternity is one such title that any CRPG fan should give a whirl. It's got everything that a classic CRPG consists of a beautiful world, brilliant tactical combat, and a story that will keep players engaged for quite a while.