There are many developers that have made a name for themselves by developing amazing RPG games that are a blast to play through. One such company is Obsidian Entertainment, a company that is currently on a roll after slowly developing a reputation for creating some truly unique and entertaining RPGs that have stood the test of time to become some of the greatest video games ever made.
While the studio is notorious for releasing games in a buggy and unfinished state, most players give them a pass since the quality of the writing in these titles is truly incredible. The standards this developer has set when it comes to integrating a good story in their games are truly unmatched and show just how lofty their reputation in the industry really is, releasing many lengthy and engaging titles that players can get lost in for many hours!
6 Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic 2 – The Sith Lords (40.5 Hours)
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is one of the greatest video games ever made, and many people still consider it to be the best video game that uses this IP’s strengths to great effect. So, the fact that people consider its sequel to be vastly superior from a narrative standpoint is not something to scoff at.
Unfortunately, the game was so unacceptably broken and glitchy upon launch that many players dropped it without even discovering what made this title so amazing in the first place. It’s a shame, since the game could’ve carved an immense legacy for itself if the launch was successful… especially since the game has the best-written Sith antagonist in the entirety of the franchise!
5 Tyranny – Gold Edition (40.5 Hours)
After the massive success of the Pillars of Eternity series, Obsidian Entertainment decided to go down a different route with their CRPG. This resulted in the development and release of Tyranny, a unique RPG where players actually take on the role of a villain!
After the evil leader Kyros takes over the world, the Fatebinder (a high-ranking member of his army and the player-character) must travel across many regions and establish this overlord’s order over the populace… by force, if necessary. It’s a unique story, with its premise allowing for a ton of replayability!
4 Neverwinter Nights 2 (65.5 Hours)
BioWare and Obsidian Entertainment’s partnership resulted in another sequel that was arguably better than the predecessor, with Neverwinter Nights 2 serving as a great chapter in this series. The storytelling, character writing, and dialogue have all improved quite a bit from the first game.
Some people feel like the game’s graphics look a bit too cheery for the tone this game is going for, but that’s a small complaint in the grand scheme of things. Players who love detailed CRPGs with amazing storylines will love what this title has to offer. It’s a shame that HowLongToBeat doesn’t have any official metrics for the Enhanced Edition, since it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that this playtime would double with the expansion packs!
3 Pillars Of Eternity: Complete Edition (81 Hours)
There was a time when Obsidian Entertainment faced major financial difficulties, with many people feeling that the developer would shut its doors down if it didn’t manage to release a financially successful title in time. Thankfully, around this time, crowdfunding had become all the rage, and the company managed to use its name to attract a ton of funds from passionate gamers who wanted the CRPG genre to be revived.
This led to the creation of Pillars of Eternity, a CRPG with real-time action combat that is a ton of fun to play through in every way. The game’s story may disappoint in the latter half, but the solid gameplay and engaging writing of Pillars of Eternity more than make up for its minor faults.
2 Fallout: New Vegas – Ultimate Edition (85 Hours)
Fallout: New Vegas is a game that comes to the minds of many people when players talk about the greatest video games ever made. This RPG was released in a broken state — a common issue with most Obsidian Entertainment games — which led to many people not really experiencing its brilliance the first time around.
However, over time, both official and fan bug fixes helped the game reach a playable state… and that’s when people got to experience this masterfully crafted RPG. Obsidian clearly understood the DNA of the original Fallout series, and the sheer amount of work they put into making the RPG elements of New Vegas feel as fleshed-out as possible makes it clear to see why this game is still talked about to this day as the best title in the series and the poster child of what a good RPG should accomplish.
1 Pillars Of Eternity 2: Deadfire – Ultimate Edition (101 Hours)
After the immense success of Pillars of Eternity, Obsidian Entertainment had to release a sequel to the game that saved them from the jaws of bankruptcy. The end result is Pillars Of Eternity 2: Deadfire, a game that built upon the systems of the first title while adding some swashbuckling goodness to the mix.
With many unique gameplay systems coupled with some really strong writing, Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire ended up being a worthy sequel to its predecessor. The world felt more fleshed-out and lived-in, with the change of setting working really well for the game.
