Best RPG of 2024 - Article
by Chinh Tran , posted on 10 January 2025 / 3,278 Views
No other type of game can immerse you into a new world quite as effectively as a good RPG. 2024 gave gamers many options if they wanted to escape their real world life in favour of different lands. Whether you wanted to explore ancient China through a game inspired by Journey to the West, break free from the confines of Midgar, engross yourself in a fantasy medieval world, or revisit a paper Mushroom Kingdom, the shortlisted candidates for Best RPG of 2024 had you covered.
Game Science showed off the talent of Chinese developers through Black Myth: Wukong. Square Enix allowed gamers to once again rejoin Cloud and company as they continued their epic struggle against Sephiroth in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Atlus introduced gamers to a whole new fantasy world through Metaphor: ReFantazio. And Nintendo remade Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, allowing a whole new generation of gamers to enjoy the classic.
The Shortlist:
Black Myth: Wukong
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
The Runner-Up:
Metaphor: ReFantazio
In 2024 Atlus showed that an RPG doesn't need to be part of a long-running franchise in order to be successful. In fact, Metaphor: ReFantazio became the fastest selling game developed by Atlus, topping one million units on the first day. Due to its mature and nuanced story that doesn't shy away from political issues, vibrant graphics, and refined RPG mechanics, Metaphor: ReFantazio is your runner-up for Best RPG of 2024.
The Winner:
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Square Enix certainly didn't shy away from changing elements of Final Fantasy VII back in 2020 with Remake. In 2025 with Rebirth, the developer boldly expanded on that direction. That proved to be the right call as Final Fantasy VII Rebirth took everything that made Remake strong and pushed the series even further. Terrific graphics, loads of minigames and side activities, enhanced roles for iconic characters, and an expanded story helped Final Fantasy VII Rebirth claim the title of Best RPG in 2024.
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Black Myth? You could have put Granblue Fantasy Relink. Persona 3 Reload. DQIII Remake. Eiyuden Hundred Heroes. Any one of those in that spot and be more deserving.
Black Myth is as much of an RPG as SpiderMan lol
Haha so true.
I love Rebirth. It's about a 9.3/10. But the fact that it's only the third-best RPG of 2024 I played is something. Persona 3 Reload and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door are better.
Rebirth was undisputed goty 2024
"That proved to be the right call as Final Fantasy VII Rebirth took everything that made Remake strong and pushed the series even further. " As a FF7 fan, this sounds terrible. :P Metaphor for me.
Does black myth count as a rpg? Anyways it was always between Metaphor or Rebirth :)
looking forward to playing rebirth on PC!
Can't wait to see the "enhancements" people come up with!
FF7 Rebirth is truly the best RPG I've played thus far. I've just started replaying on Hard Mode. Trophy hunting time baby!
Need to go back and do this myself. Especially now that I have the pro.
It's challenging, I got it last year and you'll have to put blood sweat and tears for that trophy haha
Yea even the director promised to chill out for the next game. I already thought Remake was to hard. Having to beat all the VR bosses in one go on hard mode, I don't know seems brutal.
Rebirth is worse,
Remake had a 5 boss gauntlet
Bloody rebirth is 10 hahaha
haha man that's insane. I don't get it. The same company releases ff16 which was an easy plat and easy game overall. Then they release FF7 games and they are borderline to hard.
Different square business division (devs) They hit different
I'd agree that Rebirth is probably the best but Wu Kong shouldn't be on this list. Even if it's under the guise as a souls like, cause it is not that either. Metaphor falls apart in too many sections and elongates what could have been a 10/10 game, if it was more streamlined and concise. Still a great game though despite everything that sucks about it.
Replace Wukong with LAD: IW and it’s a solid list of RPGs. Wukong isn’t an RPG.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth should be on the list 89 metacritic score.
Rebirth deserves it. 👏 although I don't see it as the masterpiece some do.
Great pick. Loved Rebirth. Haven't played Metaphor yet though.
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