Image Courtesy of Larian Studios
As cloud gaming continues to grow up, more people are able to slip away to distant worlds or eras from anywhere they can get solid internet speeds. And with cloud gaming services giving us more worlds to slip off to, we’re faced with one simple question: where to? We’ve got a lot of ideas, so we narrowed them down to role-playing games for this list – a list of the ten best RPGs in cloud gaming you can play now on Stadia and GeForce Now.
maybe the reviews could have been kinder to this one. Maybe it took a hit because how much it resembles Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Some might argue that that’s a good thing. Fire up this stylized open-world RPG on your phone and drop your phone into a Razer Kishi, and this game might make you forget about BotW instead of reminding you it’ll probably never come to Stadia or GeForce Now.
Review scores: Metacritic 79%; OpenCritic 79%
Grab your thinking cap and your reading glasses too, if you wear any. This role-playing adventure game puts you into the gumshoes of a detective overcoming memory loss to solve mysteries. Its story, meaningful choices let you become as good or as bad of a detective as you want. Fair warning: It’s a bit heavy on the text.
Review scores: Metacritic 91%; OpenCritic 92%
There’s a ton of rich, mature stories to explore in this isometric RPG. The action pours out from its tactical combat system, and the game’s dynamic party system acts as a force multiplier to it all.
Review scores: Metacritic 93%; OpenCritic 93%
The latest installment of the Assassin’s Creed franchise offers fresh takes on the game’s stealth, combat and exploration systems. If you’ve been away for a while, Valhalla is a great entry point – but so are the previous two entries, Origins and Odyssey.
Review scores: Metacritic 83%; OpenCritic 84%
Many say this is free-to-play done right. All of this action RPG’s best content isn’t locked behind any wall you can’t hack or slash your way through. Path of Exile also offer some of the deepest skill trees around. Oh, and don’t forget to bring a keyboard and mouse to this one.
Review scores: Metacritic 83%; OpenCritic 84%
The way of the outlaw wanes, there are still plenty of trains to ride and stagecoaches to hijack before the cowboy heyday bids bye-bye. With a Stadia Pro account and a 4k display, you’ll quickly see what this is one of the games that show off the power of Stadia and what’s already possible with the cloud.
Review scores: Metacritic 97%; OpenCritic 96%
Disappointed by the quality of the console version? The cloud version delivers. Cyberpunk 2077 is far from perfect, even in its best form, but it offers one of the most alive and lived-in open worlds ever. If you love near-future Sci-Fi, don’t miss this lore- and feature-rich RPG.
Review scores: Metacritic 83%; OpenCritic 84%
Skyrim may be on just about every platform, except the cloud, but the Elder Scrolls Online is arguably the next best thing. This western RPG is part MMO, but much of the core gameplay remains. Plus, the game still relieves lots of love in the form of patches and DLC – and it’s DLC ratings are better than those of the core game.
Review scores: Metacritic 71%; OpenCritic 70%
If you have a soft spot in your heart for Japanese-style RPGs, make plenty of room in it for this one. Octopath Travel is a turn-based, tactical RPG that draws inspiration from the golden age of JRPGs. Its systems and character all intertwine for a grand adventure that’s complex and captivating.
Review scores: Metacritic 80%; OpenCritic 84%
It might be just the can of escapism needed during a pandemic. From wide open spaces to lonely diner places, it’s a virtual road trip chock full of all the XP you can earn. It uses a real-time combat system, with tactile elements that give you a brief pause in gameplay to set up your next attack.
Review scores: Metacritic 81%; OpenCritic 81%
Mildly enjoyed our list of the top RPG games in cloud gaming? Don’t miss our roundup of the 8 Best Sports Games in Cloud Gaming (Stadia, Geforce Now).
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