Remarkable 2000s RPGs That Pioneered the Future of Gaming

RPG

Have been common in gaming right from the beginning. These elements keep evolving over time, frequently integrating into various other game genres.

The
thrust from the genre’s boom
In the 1990s, the momentum didn’t diminish once the new millennium began, as numerous iconic role-playing games were released around the year 2000. The list below continues this trend:

RPGs from the 2000s

aren’t merely remarkable; they shattered boundaries and achieved feats that would only set benchmarks decades later. To some, contemporary titles still haven’t surpassed these timeless classics.

Last updated on August 13, 2024, by Mark Sammut

The

best 2000s RPGs

Those pioneering titles remain largely enjoyable even now, though some parts may appear somewhat unpolished. The piece has been enriched with additional background information about the projects as well as incorporating image galleries.

The Witcher

Complex Prose and Emphasis on Ethical Complexity

Throughout its history as a game developer, CD Projekt Red has experienced remarkable highs and lows. Following the huge success of
The Witcher 3
,
They faced a significant setback with the release of
Cyberpunk 2077
.
If gamers are still upset with them, they might want to consider looking into the company’s history and trying out their initial offerings.
Witcher
game.

Getting into this nowadays can feel challenging after experiencing the third installment of the series, yet it highlights an ambition that promises greater realization in future works. Launched in 2007,
The Witcher
introduced moral ambiguity into
Action RPGs back when the main decision was largely about choosing to be either wicked or virtuous. While the game mechanics may feel outdated now, the narrative remains exceptional. Thankfully, CD Projekt Red has recently revealed plans for a remastered version of the game.

Valkyria Chronicles

Merges Third-Person Shooter, Visual Novel, and Strategy Elements

Valkyria Chronicles
offered an distinctive perspective on the
turn-based strategy genre
Before it gained wider popularity, instead of shifting characters across a grid with unlimited time to decide actions, players moved freely within the playing field over a specific distance.

If players moved within the range of enemy fire, the opponents would automatically direct bullets at their character. Similarly, when enemies entered the area where the player’s team was located, they faced the same consequence. This mechanic applies to games such as
Mario + Rabbids
presenting their take on the category, it prompts curiosity about how
Valkyria Chronicles
Would attract even wider attention if released a decade from now. Currently, the series appeals primarily to devoted enthusiasts of the specific genre.

Final Fantasy 10

A Progression System Offering Greater Flexibility

In an era when gamers still demanded very particular traits from a JRPG,
Final Fantasy 10
altered the equation significantly. The title has no world map and is
unexpectedly straightforward up till the final stages
where players can move about more freely.

Moreover, the conventional leveling system has been substituted with the Sphere Grid, offering players greater flexibility in character development. Those who initially doubted this change quickly found their concerns alleviated upon beginning gameplay.

Mass Effect

A Series Featuring Decisions That Carry Over from One Title to the Next

Released in 2007,
Mass Effect
It stood out as one of the most daring initiatives any production house had taken on. At that time, the concept of a trilogy of games wherein player choices would have repercussions across subsequent titles was quite novel.
BioWare managed to do it, nonetheless.
.

The
Mass Effect
The series had been going through a difficult time for a while following the release.
Andromeda
However, the re-release of the trilogy and the impending sequel have restored it to favor with fans once again. Upon revisiting the initial installment, one can identify certain shortcomings that could be improved upon; nonetheless, it remains impressively well-crafted for an older RPG.

Vagrant Story

In-Depth Crafting System

Square has consistently produced visually striking titles, and
Vagrant Story
embodies the highest level of technology the company could achieve at that time
original PlayStation
.

This game is centered around dungeon crawling, emphasizing only battles and dungeons instead of features like stores and towns. Due to its focused approach, it managed to incorporate elements that set it apart from typical action games, notably an intricate system for crafting weapons and armors.

Deus Ex

Immersive Sim

The level of immersion in this cyberpunk masterpiece was unparalleled back in 2000.
Each stage was like a meticulously crafted playground where gamers could tackle challenges using numerous methods based on their creativity and their character’s skills.

Led by director Warren Spector, this project represents precisely the kind of development one could anticipate from the creative force behind
Thief
and
System Shock
into the gaming sector. Despite a follow-up and a revamp,
Many people believe that the first installment is the finest in the series.
.

World Of Warcraft

Set Up MMOs as a Global Sensation

MMOs were quite specialized in the 1990s and difficult to get into.
As the internet became increasingly prevalent and accessible, it was just a matter of time before
World of Warcraft
appeared and scooped up a significant portion of gaming culture alongside it.

In those initial years after its launch, one couldn’t visit a gaming site or flip through a magazine without encountering fresh content about the game. Two decades on, things haven’t changed much.
WoW
still remains a giant in the now-crowded genre.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines

A Globe Shaped By The Player

Certain games bite off more than they can chew.
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines
is teeming with groundbreaking concepts, yet without community-created modifications, the game struggles to function properly. Nonetheless, the existing content is typically excellent, especially throughout the first part of the storyline.

This was the cost of attempting such an ambitious 3D RPG back in 2004. The protagonists crafted by players, alongside their decisions, influence various elements of the game universe. Ideally, the follow-up should deliver a similar experience but with reduced technical problems.

Final Fantasy 11

Cross-Platform Play

Two years before
World of Warcraft
,
Final Fantasy 11
set new standards by not just becoming the inaugural MMORPG in the series but also the initial one to do so.
include cross-platform play
PlayStation 2 gamers had the ability to play alongside PC players on the same server.

According to today’s criteria, it has become remarkably difficult to gain entry.
However, it became immensely popular during its time.
. While
FF11
still usable on PC; however, many have shifted their focus elsewhere.
Final Fantasy 14
, which could be considered a more well-rounded game in its present form. Nonetheless,
FF11
It was a significant launch during its time, but nowadays it often gets neglected.

Diablo 2

Comprehensive Innovation; The Class System Had a Significant Impact

The dungeon crawler franchise from Blizzard strips away much of the extraneous narrative, narrowing the focus to battles and gathering loot. It wasn’t just immensely engaging; the title received frequent updates over several years, which made the extended wait worthwhile.
Diablo 3
more tolerable.
Other dungeon crawlers like
Borderlands
Would adhere to a comparable framework
.

Diablo 2
Was simply an innovative game overall, introducing features that became standard in the isometric action RPG genre. It shifted towards an open-level structure, populating the overworld with activities ensuring players were constantly engaged.
Diablo 2
The classes offered are much more varied compared to those of its predecessor, enabling players to create distinct character setups customized for various gaming styles. This transformation significantly impacted the RPG genre.

Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind

Large-Scale Ambitious Sandbox Focused on Discovery Constructed

The Elder Scolls
always puts player freedom first up to a certain point, but
Morrowind
It takes that idea significantly further than what was seen before. Besides demonstrating that PC-style RPGs could be successful on console platforms, Bethesda’s title introduced an expansive open-world sandbox environment that felt enormous at the time and remains quite captivating even today when revisited.

In some ways,
Morrowind
serves as an antecedent to something similar
BOTW
Both titles motivate players to explore purely out of interest, instead of simply awarding points for checking locations off a list. In the RPG, errors are permitted and even encouraged, and the game isn’t hesitant about letting players go at things independently without constant guidance.

Demon’s Souls

The Origin of Soulslike Games

The title that propelled FromSoftware into prominence and turned Hidetaka Miyazaki into a well-known figure in gaming circles,
Demon’s Souls
brought many pioneering concepts to contemporary gaming.
The immense challenge and vagueness
arrived during a period when numerous high-cost games were getting simpler and more lenient. Its campaign design focused heavily on repetitive patterns and analyzing enemy behavior, compelling players to hone their abilities instead of simply progressing through levels via power-ups (though statistical growth remained important). Notably, the fighting mechanics were significantly deeper compared to those found in typical Western action role-playing titles from around the same timeframe and took precedence over narrative development, with the storyline being secondary to mastering battles.

Although it definitely had its peculiarities and subsequent titles from the studio enhanced the format, the groundwork established by this game was foundational.
Demon’s Souls
remains robust, demonstrated by the recent remake developed by Bluepoint Games for the PlayStation 5.