One of the most innovate game presentations are Role Playing Games, or as they are known all over the world: RPGs. The granddaddy of all of them was Dungeons & Dragons for the kids of the ’70s. The 80’s allowed us to see their next evolution when they leaped over the table to our screen in the form of video games. The epic adventures had arrived in the form of media that could fully represent the epicness of each adventure properly. Now in 2018 is fair to say that the tie that binds both will never be broken.

Tabletop options remain grand and large out there; Video games have taken RPGs to a whole new level. Every console has what is considered by gamers, the ultimate RPG in its lineup. The NES had the first two entries of The Adventures of Zelda and the first three entries of Final Fantasy. Each new generation has brought sequels to those stories as well as brand new IPs that have challenged the top spot held by these two well-known properties. In 2018 most RPGs have found their way to your smartphone or tablet.

While the mechanics of each game are unique, the purpose of each RPG is to let players live out a fantasy epic that takes them into the future, or to other universes. The story has become one of the main selling points for many of these adventures, with many games telling intimate stories, full of character-driven narratives. The iOS store is loaded with unending options of RPGs that can be found for mobile gaming. Many players still love the old-school dungeon strategic slashes of the past, but many more embrace modern action RPGs developed by indies studies that offer a lot of bang for your money.

RPGs – Past and Present

Some purists are quick to say that most of the games found for mobile devices are not true RPGs at all. Most of them are variations of the theme working on hybrid mechanics that combine basic features of RPG with the action of a hack-n-slash game. We believe that this is merely nitpicking on the evolution of the genre that keeps adapting the way is approached for starved audiences who need some action to go along their character development. The basics behind RPG are still present on the most popular games found in the iOS store: the chance to play a defined role in an epic adventure by yourself, or with a party.

Stirring the pot on such a subjective topic is not our intention. There are real professionals out there that can lay out with more detail the actual traits of an RPG game. For us, the ideal RPG is the one that features stat-driven battles, a lot of interaction between characters that are necessary for the plot to move forward, dealing, trading, and shopping for potions, weapons, and upgrades, as well as elaborated fantasy lore that manages to keep us hooked for hours. Currently, there are more than enough RPGs available on the iOS store to play on your iPhone or iPad. We present you our preferred top 15 to spend some free time on it:

1. Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth

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Our first entry in the list is a blast from the past. This old-school title comes riding the nostalgia wave that is bringing classics back from the dead and even has major companies cashing in by re-releasing upgraded versions of their games as well as “mini” versions of their past consoles. From the golden era of the classic PlayStation, Valkyrie Profile arrives in the mobile age with a brand new entry called Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth. You get to play as a Valkyrie of Odin, and your mission is very simple: you must wander an open world as you search the souls of mighty warriors, fallen heroes, broken souls and lost causes, so you can pass judgment on each one of them to deem them worthy of joining The Einherjar.

This team of warriors will serve Odin and fight alongside him in the War of the Gods. The game looks and feels like a 16-bit treasure that has been unearthed for your yearnings of simpler times. The game uses a combo-based combat system, it allows hours of exploration, and it has mild platform gameplay that allows you to increase the levels of your character faster. The story itself is intricate enough to keep you hooked for days. As the top representative on the list Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth is a good representation of what mobile RPGs games should be, it’s reasonably priced, but you get the full experience without the need of further spending to enjoy the game.

2. Darkest Dungeon

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Red Hook Studio develops Darkest Dungeons. This is one of those games where you can test your mettle as a leader, as well as your managing abilities. First, you will have to rise to the challenge and be able to survive in body and soul to the challenge posed by the Darkest Dungeon in a brutal yet, very compelling atmosphere where you begin the game as a dungeon crawler. As you make progress in the game, you get to inherit a cursed estate, and it’s up to you to gather the necessary warriors raid its depths of the dungeon to rid the ruins of the terrors unleashed by your ancestor.

As you can expect, the dungeons itself, as well as every enemy you find on it, are pretty brutal and ruthless. As a leader, you have to manage the endurance and stamina of your warriors as well as their mental stability. Many players hold this game on high esteem for the realistic approach that this type of situation could have even in the sterner warriors. As expected there are customizing option for the hero of the story and each one of its partners. The dungeon crawl can be incredibly difficult, but the general atmosphere of the game rivals Dead Space by replicating the claustrophobic feel of horror.

3. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery

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The world of Hogwarts is an unending source of mysticism for many fans of the Harry Potter saga. The books by J.K Rowling have spanned one of the most extended sources of fan-written stories across the internet. This game gives fans the chance to live their own stories in Hogwarts as they deem fit. For starters, the main character of the saga is nowhere to be found in this mobile RPG. You will be the one taking the lead instead. You will need to create an avatar to explore the halls of the most beloved magic school of our generation and solve the many mysteries you will find on it.

As you can expect, the customizing features are the strongest point of the game. You can choose every aspect of the look of your character as well as the house it belongs to. Since the central premise of Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery is to create your own adventure, you will be able to learn spells as you need them. You will also have the chance to take on rivals or form alliances to compete for a House Cup. There is also the main storyline where a player can try to solve the mystery of a missing relative from the Academy of witchcraft and wizardry. The game is free to play, but it has a few in-app purchases to refill your energy bar and buy some items to upgrade your skills or customize your character the way you want to.

4. Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition

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Final Fantasy XV proved to be quite a source of controversy for Square Enix given the change of pace of the classic franchise to a more action-oriented approach. The latest chapter makes a swift transition from the powerful console platforms to smart devices in Final Fantasy XV Pocket Edition. The popular RPG has been completely redesigned for a mobile format with an episodic approach that captures the core story while cutting down on the most common sources of aggrievance from classic fans in the console editions of the game.

Many fans believed that the simplified mechanics and the chibi design of the characters was aimed at picking up new audiences. The game so far has proven to be a crowd pleaser among classic fans who seem to love the improved story beats as well as the combat system in this retelling of Prince Noctis’s quest to bring peace and prosperity to the decimated lands of Lucis and Niflheim. The game is fully designed, and improvements can be achieved without the need to purchase in-app add-ons. You can get the first episode of the game for free, but the following chapters can only be unlocked after buying access to them.

5. Kingdom Hearts Union X [Cross]

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Kingdom Hearts is one of the most beloved franchises out there despise no one being able to explain the complexity of the plot that brings together Disney and Square Enix characters under a single roof. The formula, however, has proven to be successful enough to span three games telling the main story and nearly ten separate entries with side stories that complement the original tale. Fans of the saga are expecting Kingdom Hearts III to be released in 2019 finally, but in the meantime, you can play a brand new adventure in your Apple device.

Kingdom Hearts Union X [Cross] probably looks like a kid’s game at first sight, but the touch-friendly game offers a brand new story delightfully adorned with cartoon visuals and swipe-to-attack gameplay that is meant to absorb your attention for hours. As it happens with most Kingdom Heart games, we get to see a lot of guys we are familiar with such as Disney mainstays Mickey, Goofy, and Donald, to our original hero Sora. Other characters of the Square Enix lore make their appearances as well such as Cloud and Squall Lionheart. The game can be improvised with a ton of in-game add-ons that can help you customize your avatar with a lot of Disney/ Final Fantasy gear.

6. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

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Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic has already won the hearts of many Star Wars fans across the world for being one of the most compelling stories ever told in the lore outside of the original trilogy. The mobile port of the game has proved to be as popular as the original release, even with graphics that could be improved a bit given today’ standard developments. The story of Knights of the Old Republic is set 4,000 years in the past before the Skywalker saga, the main adversary to both sides is a mighty Sith Lord called Darth Malak. With the galaxy war-torn between the Sith and the Jedi, the players must choose a side to embark on an adventure that plays and feels, unlike anything you have ever experienced in any Star Wars game.

7. Pocket Mortys

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Rick and Morty had proven to be such a popular show that it was just a matter of time before we had a video game based on it. While big game consoles still are waiting for a game suited to their platforms, iPhone owners can enjoy Pocket Mortys as one of the first video game releases related to the IP. The game is a shameless mash-up of Pokemon with Rick and Morty aesthetics. This unhealthy RPG combines the gameplay used on character-collecting games as well as the turn-based combat system mixed with the raunchy humor found in Adult Swim cartoon staple. As the game implies, you are expected to collect and train a rather large number of Mortys that have been scattered across the multiverse that is always explored by the show’s protagonists. Funny variations of the time are distinct pieces of mockery such as Mustache Morty or Wizard Morty, while others are most complex and smart such as Cronenberg Morty.

8. Titan Quest

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DotEmu is the developer that brings this action-driven RPG classic to your Apple device. Their port of Titan Quest takes the mechanics as well as the gaming formula that was established by the Diablo saga to offer gamers an ancient world where you can fight your way through monsters out of many popular mythologies around the globe such as Greek, Asian, and Egyptian folk stories. The game is regarded as one of the best ports ever conceived to date because it just took the existing desktop game and added reworked controls for mobile devices. Titan Quest is also considered a fan favorite for being evenly priced and avoiding monetization strategies. Once the game is bought and paid for, you will have full access to the 60-plus hour campaign without the need of in-app add-ons power-ups.

9. 7 Mages

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7 Mages stands out for being a visually striking video game that combines RPGs mechanics with the best elements of the classic Akira Kurosawa story “The Seven Samurais” The games immerse you in action as one of the lead seven characters. You will have to defend the people living in the Island of Roven against a horde of invading enemies that are seeking to claim the land for their own dark purposes. While the premise makes it sound more action-oriented, this is a pure RPG where you need to build the strength of your character following the same principles of ancient classics such as Eye of the Beholder and Final Fantasy.

Most of the fights in the game are handled using the classic turn-based combat, as well as a magic system to increase the damage of your physical attacks. The game is beautifully detailed, and it weighs heavily on your smart device, so make sure to have extra room for it. While the game itself does not require any in-game purchases, you can only access the next chapter of the game if you pay for it.

10. Wayward Souls

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Wayward Souls is probably the more action-driven option of RPG games offered in the list. The game takes away any chance of analysis and has you relying on instincts for most of the time. You still need a strategy to win though. The hack-and-slash 2D adventure is packed with enough challenges to have you thinking about the best way to approach each room you enter. The enemies are relentless, and they seem to be unending, but if you manage to stomp every single one of them, you will have access to the next room.

The basic premise requires that players pick a character stomp through every room filled with monsters. After you are done, you will need to handle a micro-task to pass the next level that will require some analysis on your behalf. The game itself does an excellent job of immersing the players on the game without too much complication. The hordes of enemies make Wayward Souls feel like a button masher at times. You will die in this game, a LOT. But after you manage to analyze each room, you will be able to overcome the challenge each one represents on your quest.

11. Darkness Rises

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Darkness Rises is a unique RPG game that doesn’t tell the most original story found in the lore of video games, but it has one of the most action-driven fighting schemes in any game designed in 2018. You could even say that most of the features found in the game are solely aimed at customizing the fighting experience of your character. The game itself looks pretty great, with up to date graphics, multiple options to approach the game on your own or with a team.

The customizing features are rather large. The combat systems are based on the type of character you wish to develop, very much like D&D. The cinematic of the game sometimes resemble Mortal Kombat, especially when it’s time to deliver a finishing blow to an enemy. As you can tell by now, the most enticing traits of this game are visual, but it has enough qualities to be considered a good game, even if the storyline is a tad weak.

12. Crashlands

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Crashlands is a curious mix between an RPG and a crafting game (a la Minecraft). You play as a character tasked with being a space courier who loses his ship to an alien who is looking for a certain part of it in your possession. You manage to escape on a pod and land on an alien planet where you need to get all the help you can get to get out there. Crafting comes into the equation when you are stranded. Your character can build anything he needs to survive. The game takes away all the annoyances that make Minecraft a straining experience: you won’t lose your constructs, and you don’t lose your items unless you get rid of them.

The main plot of Crashlands is driven by the fact that the main character needs to gather as many resources as he needs to get out of the planet, killing enemies is almost secondary. The environment surrounding you can be made into something that favors you. Since you are in an alien world, you will have to deal with creatures that will see you as food. You can choose to kill them or tame them. This is an overall solid game that can go any way you want it to go as long as you make the best choices to achieve your goal.

13. Jade Empire: Special Edition

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The port developed by Aspyr brings the classic RPG classic to smart devices. Jade Empire: Special Edition is an action RPG created by the same people who designed the Dragon Age and Mass Effect. The players fill the roles of the students of Master Li, as they fight The Emperor of the mainland and the Lotus Assassins Society. Even with the RPG setting Jade Empire remains loyal to true Wuxia influences, with players engaging on continuous battles against many enemies such as men and monsters using many combined martial arts that deliver striking blows to their enemies. In this game, players can use the classic tap and swipe controls of conventional iPhone devices, but the app supports MFi controllers if you feel like using them.

14. Planescape: Torment

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Planescape: Torment is a modern take on classic RPG strategies. The central premise pursued by the programmers is to take classic Dungeons & Dragons mechanics and apply them to a brand new extra-dimensional, planetary space opera. Players are invited to explore a critical point of the game known as Sigil, the City of Doors. Most of their quests are centered in finding and unlocking the memories of the main character that remain nameless for most of the game without you actually noticing.

The game continually makes the player ponder about the nature of a man and what sort of experiences can shape it to build something good, or destroy everything in his path. As it happens with most RPGs, as you advance you get to gather a crew of companions that can help you out on your quest and complement your skills by enhancing them or helping you overcome specific challenges. This game is also a successful port of a desktop game that has changed very little in the transition.

15. Rogue Wizards

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Don’t let the cartoony look of this game distract you. Rogue Wizards is one of the toughest RPGs out there with loads of maps that are intricate and difficult enough to keep you hooked for hours every day, the basic mechanics of the game feel like a mix of the better elements of Legend of Zelda and Final Fantasy III. You can build a merry band of adventurers to help you in the addictive loop of dungeon dwelling where you can contribute by improving your base position as well as your hometown. Rogue Wizards is offered as a free game in the iOS, and it doesn’t require any additional add-ons to enjoy the experience, but you will have to spend money to get the gems used in the game if you don’t have the patience to earn them by playing the game over and over.