Top 10 Best Role-Playing Games for Mobile

Not all games will merely focus on action. Although it is true that the intensity of engaging in combat sequences will give you the most challenge, some gamers love to dig deep into the story. This is where role-playing games come into play. This particular genre of gaming has been around since the late 1960s. Dungeons & Dragons which was first published in 1974 was considered the first ever modern RPG, a dark fantasy game that inspired most games today.

As years passed by, Role-playing games have evolved, and many subgenres have emerged showcasing different varieties of mechanics and gameplay. There are MMORPGs that allow multiple players to explore and battle in one immersive world, JRPGs that highlight anime-inspired characters, ARPG that combines core elements of action and RPG, and many others. Some mobile games today are even incorporating two or more genres in one.

Today, we’re listing down ten of the best RPGs that are wonderfully optimized for mobile devices. Take note that we are excluding titles that were initially released for consoles and were eventually ported into mobile.

Genshin Impact

Developed by miHoYo, Genshin Impact is what catapulted the company into a major commercial and critical success. Genshin Impact is an ARPG that takes players into an anime-style open world. The game takes you to the fantasy world of Teyvat, a mystical place divided into seven major nations, including Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, Sumeru, Fontaine, Natlan, and Snezhnaya. It follows the story of a “star traveler” twins who arrived in the world of Tevyat only to witness the fall of one of its nations. Unfortunately, while attempting to escape the catastrophe, the two got separated by an Unknown God.

One was captured and the other one lost its power. They were both sealed by God and one woke up 500 years later. Your goal is to play the role of one of the twins and explore the world of Tevyat to search for your missing sibling. Aside from its compelling story, Genshin Impact is also highly praised for its gameplay, particularly its unique combat system. The game allows you to control one of the four interchangeable characters in a party. You can easily switch from one character to another while utilizing their unique skills and abilities. The game also took advantage of the gacha system that allows players to unlock a great number of skins and weapons. Not to mention the beautiful anime-style characters that players can unlock and explore throughout the game.

Download Genshin Impact: Android/ iOS

Tower of Fantasy

Launched in 2022, Tower of Fantasy is Hotta Studio’s take to compete with the ever-growing Genshin Impact game by miHoYo. From the same creative team behind the classic Perfect World MMORPG and Forsaken World, Hotto Studio is not really new in the world of RPGs. Tower of Fantasy takes you to a futuristic open world, a planet named Aida. Apparently, Aida was contaminated with a mysterious but potent radioactive energy called Omnium that almost wiped out human civilization.

The catalytic event mutated the ecology of Aida resulting in dangerous forces that could ruin the world once more. In this game, you play the role of a wanderer with a wiped-out memory. You will embark on an epic and action-packed adventure with a mission not just to restore your lost memory but also to unleash the mystery that has been hidden in this fantasy world. Here, you will be asked to select your preferred main character before prompting you to the actual storyline. Apparently, your memory has been wiped out and you were rescued by Shirli and Zeke and brought to the so-called Astra Shelter. This is where your journey begins! Similar to Genshin, Tower of Fantasy also features anime-style characters and an impressive 3D world to explore.

Download Tower of Fantasy: Android/ iOS

Diablo Immortal

From the popular video game in the late 90’s Diablo made an epic comeback. Unlike its predecessors though, Diablo Immortal offered an entirely new gameplay. Diablo Immortal is a free-to-play mobile game developed in collaboration with Blizzard Entertainment and NetEase. The game takes place between the events of Diablo II and III and it managed to capture notable elements from the aforementioned sequels. For instance, it embraces the destructible environments of Diablo III while capturing the dark tone of Diablo II.

Here, the players begin their adventure in the town of Wortham which is being threatened by cultists and the undead. Like the classic Diablo fashion, the game will introduce us back to Deckard Cain who will guide your character about your important mission. You will be asked to locate and destroy shards of the Worldstone across the world of Sanctuary to prevent a major catastrophe. The game takes you to some familiar places from the franchise. You will revisit some of the old stomping grounds and kingdoms including Westmarch during their golden age as well as new zones and dungeons to explore. Whether you are a big fan of the Diablo series or you are simply looking for a dark fantasy RPG, Diablo Immortal is definitely worth playing.

Download Diablo Immortal: Android/ iOS

Octopath Traveler: Champions Of The Continent

Octopath Traveler is a retro-inspired role-playing video game developed by Square Enix. A well-known RPG franchise that started in 2018. In collaboration with Acquire, the same team behind Way of the Samurai, Square Enix managed to bring their epic title to the small screen. The Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent is a prequel to a successful video game and is exclusively optimized for the mobile platform.

The story of the game will take you back to the magical continent of Osterra, years before the original Octopath Traveler took place. It will introduce a new set of characters, a new story, and new quests to explore. It is also interesting to note that some of the characters from the original game will also make appearances as the story progresses. In this game, you play the role of the “Chosen One” who is destined to save the world from a major catastrophe. Interestingly, you will be accompanied by seven more random travelers (hence the title). There are three paths to choose from: Wealth, Power, and Fame. Each path features a unique story that will take place in an entirely different region.

Download Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent – Android/ iOS

Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds

From the same team behind the well-acclaimed Lineage II: Revolution, Netmarble globally launched Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds in 2022. It is the third game from the Ni no Kuni series which follows the story of a beta tester for a fictional virtual reality game called Soul Driver. This game transported the gamer to the world of Ni no Kuni. Unfortunately, something happened, and it crashed the entire game which brings your character to an all-new adventure. Generally, Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds is like a game within a game which makes it more distinctive among other RPGs.

Like most RPGs, however, the player will start the game by selecting his preferred class. These include Swordman, Witch, Rogue, Engineer, and Destroyer. The game embraces some elements from its predecessors. For instance, the combat system in this game is merely adopted from Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the Witch. It also features the so-called “familiars” which are creatures you can deploy on the battlefield to fight with you. Best of all, the game is also known for its anime-style graphics that is merely inspired by Studio Ghibli’s animation.

Download Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds: Android/ iOS

Black Desert Mobile

Being dubbed as one of the Big Fives of modern MMORPG, Black Desert Online surely has a huge reputation. The original game was first published for Microsoft Windows in 2014 and eventually ported to other consoles. Interestingly, in 2019, a mobile version of the critically acclaimed MMORPG was released. It managed to capture all the impressive elements of the PC version except for the fact that it is now optimized for mobile devices.

Black Desert Mobile takes you to a high fantasy world that follows the story of two rival nations, the Republic of Calpheon and the Kingdom of Valencia. Interestingly, the game offers 6 gender-locked characters including warrior, ranger, witch, giant, Valkyrie, and Sorcerers. This also follows a detailed character customization which serves as one of the best features of the game. Combat System is also notably different from its predecessor. Aside from its story mode campaign, the game also highlights different PvP modes, including the Arena (1v1 battle) and Ramoness (3v3 campaign). There is even a massive PvP campaign that involves 30 players per team.

Download Black Desert Mobile: Android/ iOS

Blade of God

If you love Norse Mythology, this game is definitely a perfect fit for you. Created and published by PG Soul Games, Blade of God takes you on an epic adventure where you have to fight against powerful Gods. The game takes place many centuries ago after the so-called War of Oracles. After his defeat, Loki the God of mischief led the four fallen gods; Fear, Pestilence, Corruption, and Pain in another attempt to invade Midgard.

Here, you play the role of Chaos, a young man with a mysterious bloodline. Your goal is not just to save your family but also to stop Loki and the fallen Gods from their treacherous plans and bring Midgard back to its former glory. To do so, you have to make tough choices between sin and redemption, between survival and destruction. Gameplay-wise, Blade of God is more like a combination of God of War, Devil May Cry, and Dark Souls video game series. It features amazing 3D graphics and well-polished action sequences. It takes you to an eerie atmosphere that sets you in an enigmatic mood. If you are looking for a console-grade RPG for mobile, Blade of God will surely not disappoint.

Download Blade of God: Android / iOS

Metria

Asobimo is not really new in developing high-quality role-playing games for mobile. They are the same team behind the popular Avabel Online, RPG Toram, RPG Iruna, and Stellacept. METRIA is the newest addition to their library. It is a 3D-action RPG that takes you to a beautiful fantasy adventure. The game is packed with an original story unfolding in a classic fantasy world. The game allows you to explore 9 different countries.

You will be controlling unique characters, including Rio Calquinos, Aru, Lucas Nizam, Lunaria, Begius, and Dino. Each comes with its own compelling plot. They are also armed with unique skills and abilities. You will have to defeat formidable enemies that get in your way and aim to discover the truth about the world. Gameplay-wise, METRIA works very similar to RPG Toram. Here, you take control of an entire team of three characters. You can switch from one character to another during the combat and exploration. The game is also utilizing the gacha system just like most RPGs today. The goal is to build the most efficient and most effective squad that will maximize your winnings.

Download METRIA: Android/ iOS

One Punch Man World

One Punch Man World is developed by Perfect World Games which is obviously based on the anime of the same name. The game was fully released last February. If you are a big fan of One Punch Man anime, this game definitely deserves a space on your mobile. One Punch Man World follows the story of Saitama who became a hero with an insane ability to knock down his enemies in one punch. The game takes you to a very familiar world of One Punch Man anime but is presented in a beautiful semi-3D environment.

Interestingly, aside from Saitama, the game also features some of the beloved characters from the series. These include Genos ( a man with a cyborg arm), Atomic Samurai, Speed-o-sonic, Smile Man, and Lightning Max. While the game highlights Saitama’s journey which is also presented through epic cutscenes, One Punch Man World will also focus on action. It comes with unique combat systems where players can come up with different skill combinations that can unleash the hero’s full potential. It comes with epic boss battles and many other equally challenging campaigns to explore.

Download One Punch Man World: Android/ iOS

Reverse: 1999

Developed and published by Bluepoch, Reverse: 1999 is yet another fascinating RPG. It is a tactical RPG that takes place in a universe where magic exists, and humans live side by side with Arcanists, a race of magic users able to use the powers of Arcane. As the title suggests, something mysterious happened on the last day of the year 1999. A phenomenon known as the storm caused anything it touched to disappear. As a result, time does not progress beyond 1999 and different eras throughout history are disappearing.

In this game, you play the role of Vertin the Timekeeper. He is an Arcanist who turns out to be immune to the Storm. She can travel throughout time and protect those under her care from the Storm. As she travels through different eras, she will recruit different arcanists who will help her stop the phenomenon. Reverse: 1999 is a turn-based RPG that incorporates a card and gacha system. It is a unique RPG with beautiful character designs and a very compelling plot to explore.