In the event you’ve been enjoying video games for the previous twenty years, there’s an excellent likelihood you’ve heard of the developer Obsidian. Based in 2003 by former builders at Black Isle Studios, Obsidian Leisure has created quite a lot of cult-classic hits and trendy gems, which we all know greatest for his or her incredible writing and worldbuilding.
Though an excellent portion of Obsidian’s catalog has been additions to beforehand established IPs, corresponding to Fallout and Star Wars sequels, many of those titles have nonetheless gone on to surpass the unique.
Lately, Obsidian has switched to primarily creating unique IPs, taking the talents they’re identified for and translating them into a few of the most unusual worlds we’ve seen in gaming, corresponding to The Outer Worlds and Pentiment.
Though the contents of the titles from Obsidian Leisure can differ vastly from each other, when you’re a fan, there’s an excellent likelihood you possibly can nonetheless acknowledge their video games from a mile away, as Obsidian’s masterwork in dialogue and morally participating storytelling make it onerous to check them to anybody else.
So, it is a large honor to evaluate the catalog of Obsidian Leisure, among the best builders and storytellers in all of gaming.
15
Skyforge
Skyforge is an nearly 10-year-old MMO RPG, which suggests, like many different longstanding MMOs, a lot of the enjoyable available right here is unfortunately misplaced to time. Though this was a singular collaboration between Obsidian and Allods Staff, the dwindling participant base and considerably dated mechanics give it nearly no trendy attraction.
That mentioned, not like many different large MMO tasks that launched and failed, Skyforge has all the time excelled in high quality, giving gamers a really detailed and impressive-looking world to beat.
A mix of bugs, dangerous voice appearing, and a mediocre story maintain this recreation again even in the very best moments, regardless of the fight being considerably larger high quality than what you’d anticipate out of your common free-to-play MMO.
14
Pathfinder Adventures
Pathfinder Adventures is an fascinating combine between Obsidian’s typical RPGs and the Pathfinder bodily card recreation. Initially made for cellular units however finally ported to PCs, Pathfinder Adventures finds its area of interest available in the market of digital translation of bodily video games.
Though development could also be gradual, usually feeling like your typical grindy cellular recreation, the primary loop of slowly constructing and bettering your deck and your participant stats might be satisfying and result in compelling gameplay moments.
Sadly, with an in-game money store and a few areas of bugs and jank, Pathfinder Adventures is among the most forgettable video games Obsidian has ever developed.
13
Dungeon Siege III
Though set in a world of excessive fantasy, Dungeon Siege 3 is an Obsidian title that cheekily explores the motion facet of motion RPGs, delivering a recreation with extra fight than most others on this record.
In comparison with the deep narratives of different Obsidian worlds, this one takes the again seat and permits gamers to dive headfirst into the participating fight and distinctive vary of characters and talents.
Sadly, for a recreation centered so profoundly on fight inside a fantasy world, much more may very well be desired from the RPG class-building facet, as on subsequent playthroughs of this dungeon crawler, you may discover it missing substantial construct selection.
Not like many Obsidian titles, there’s not a lot to maintain you returning. That mentioned, when you take pleasure in an fascinating motion RPG with some satisfying fight, this one is price trying out.
12
Armored Warfare
Armored Warfare is a tank battle simulator that instantly attracts comparisons to World of Tanks and even Battle Thunder. Whereas there could also be higher up to date and populated tank warfare video games, Armored Warfare continues to be among the best within the style.
With a mix of PvE and PvP gameplay, Armored Warfare breathes life into trendy tank fight. Its surprisingly strong graphics make it satisfying to play, and the regular development programs are good for veterans of on-line tank simulators.
Moreover, there are a great deal of several types of tanks to play as, starting from quick, attack-inclined machines to bigger, heavier beasts, permitting for a number of fight methods for each participant.
Whereas not probably the most groundbreaking recreation, it is nonetheless a surprisingly strong addition to a style Obsidian has no motive to be good at.
11
Alpha Protocol
Whereas sure, Alpha Protocol was fairly criticized for a lot of clear points, it has since earned underground vital approval for the precise causes you’d anticipate an Obsidian recreation to get credit score: good writing and complicated RPG storytelling.
As a third-person motion espionage recreation that bridges the hole between Name of Obligation and CRPGs, Alpha Protocol exists in a style now we have by no means seen earlier than and have but to see since.
To be truthful, whereas the sport excelled in storytelling, it nonetheless failed primarily resulting from lackluster gameplay and varied bugs.
Even probably the most destructive critiques nonetheless describe this recreation’s good story, particularly the numerous branching narrative decisions gamers are compelled to make, which give the sport, like many within the Obsidian catalog, large replay potential.
So, whereas not the strongest Obsidian Leisure title, we’d nonetheless advocate it as a necessary checkpoint within the developer’s catalog, particularly since it’s their first unique IP.
10
Neverwinter Nights 2
Like Knights Of The Outdated Republic 2, Neverwinter Nights 2 is a sequel Obsidian made based mostly on a earlier Bioware recreation. Nevertheless, Neverwinter Nights 2 is ready in a way more conventional D&D universe, notably the three.5 version.
Neverwinter Nights 2 sadly relied quite a bit on multiplayer features, corresponding to community-made campaigns and large-scale MMO-like worlds, which now are principally unfunctional until you undergo a community-made route to revive them.
Nonetheless, Neverwinter Nights 2 is incredible for these occupied with third-person action-adventure CRPGs. Regardless of having just a few points with enjoying in 2024, the title nonetheless boasts just a few incredible built-in campaigns, stuffed with Obsidian’s knack for RPG gameplay and powerful storytelling.
Regardless of a lot of its magic being misplaced to time, Neverwinter Nights 2 is a extremely noteworthy addition to the league of RPGs Obsidian has grow to be identified for.
9
Tyranny
Taking heavy notes from Pillars Of Eternity’s trendy tackle CRPGs, Tyranny decides to dive head-first into these decision-making and ethical questions that make Obsidian RPGs that a lot of a headspin to play.
Tyranny places you within the footwear of a villain in an already collapsed world, and throughout the narrative, the sport makes it clear that participant choices matter, and your occasion’s affect on the story immediately pertains to the result of the world itself.
Set in a singular setting harking back to the Bronze and Early Iron Ages, Tyranny takes full benefit of the aesthetics inside its gameplay, narrative, and UI to craft a world stuffed with profound lore and thrilling twists and turns.
Though the considerably tough nature of this CRPG will not be good for everybody, Tyranny carries over gameplay and fight akin to Pillars Of Eternity 1, with party-driven, pause-heavy, real-time fight that may be a blast for followers of the style.
8
Pillars Of Eternity II: Deadfire
As a sequel, Pillars Of Eternity 2: Deadfire had the troublesome process of following up Obsidian’s Pillars Of Eternity, some of the influential CRPGs within the trendy period. In doing so, Deadfire switches up Pillar‘s gameplay with a brand new deal with sea exploration and naval fight.
Whereas some could say this transformation negatively impacted the story, Deadfire continues to be a much-needed improve to Pillars Of Eternity. It provides some good modifications whereas as soon as once more sticking with a strong narrative stuffed with participant selection and a wave of ethical and political examinations.
If you’re a fan of Pillars Of Eternity or the CRPG style as an entire, Pillars Of Eternity 2: Deadfire nonetheless stands sturdy as among the best of the style, a must-play with a variety of putting visuals, gameplay, and an excellent narrative.
7
Grounded
Though Obsidian had been growing many revolutionary narrative RPGs up to now years, amidst these releases, and simply two years after the discharge of The Outer Worlds, Obsidian launched Grounded, a survival recreation set within the perspective of youngsters who’ve been shrunk all the way down to the dimensions of a toothpick.
Though considerably completely different from their different releases, Grounded has already grow to be some of the acknowledged survival video games of the previous couple of years. Obsidian someway took the state of affairs of being shrunk down in a yard and injected their signature world-building and attraction.
Base constructing, insect-based fight, and a strong survival gameplay loop, the place you continually enhance instruments and talents, make Grounded a really rewarding expertise, particularly with the distinctive biomes and concepts that include being microscopically small.
Since its launch, Obsidian has continued to launch new content material and updates to this recreation, making it a must-try from the fashionable Obsidian library.
6
South Park: The Stick Of Reality
This licensed title was a recreation with giant footwear to fill, set within the groundbreaking South Park universe. Though South Park video games earlier than had a whole lot of that basic South Park wit, being an RPG, Stick Of Reality had the best expectations of hitting the politically and socially conscious voice South Park is thought for.
Fortunately, when you can rely on Obsidian Leisure for something, it is delivering insanely good but in addition impulsively humorous dialogue. Their collaboration with South Park is among the greatest matches in gaming, making Stick Of Reality in all probability the very best recreation ever launched throughout the South Park universe.
Stick Of Reality is consistently firing on all cylinders, with a barrage of jokes and attraction that make the sport really feel ripped straight out of a South Park episode. In comparison with trendy titles like South Park: Snow Day, Stick Of Reality maintains that basic 2D animation type, heightening its authenticity.
Though the sequel from Ubisoft, South Park: Fractured However Complete, nonetheless hit lots of the identical notes as Stick of Reality, we’d nonetheless be nowhere with out Obsidian’s blueprint.
5
Pillars Of Eternity
Pillars of Eternity makes an attempt to strike an fascinating steadiness between the brand new age of gaming and basic CRPGs, combining the attitude and options that made video games from the Nineteen Nineties and early 2000s so engaging however created within the trendy age with many developments instilled alongside the way in which.
Harkening again to the times of Black Isle Studios, with features much like a few of the greatest CRPGs of all time, like Planescape: Torment and Baldur’s Gate, Pillars Of Eternity was a Kickstarter venture with heavy footwear to fill, and did so fairly gracefully.
Taking over a contemporary look, Pillars of Eternity has a few of the greatest visuals of any CRPG and, extra importantly, a few of the greatest writing—conversations with NPCs and the overarching story implant Pillars as an all-time Obsidian nice.
By way of fight, Pillars Of Eternity could really feel a tad unusual to gamers who have not engaged with this pause-heavy real-time fight earlier than, however it’s remarkably entertaining when you get the ball rolling.
As a forefather of contemporary CRPGs, Pillars of Eternity is a straightforward advice for these occupied with Obsidian’s greatest.
4
Pentiment
Pentiment’s medieval-renaissance-styled artwork route is nearly exceptional in gaming, however the title excels at infusing this unusual ambiance in every part it does. Actually, Pentiment is considered one of Obsidian’s greatest video games but, even when it might not have gotten the credit score it deserves.
Not like lots of Obsidian’s different RPGs, Pentiment focuses nearly fully on the distinctive narrative, trimming the fats of RPG mechanics like fight that comes with their different video games. In that approach, Pentiment is a case of what you see is what you get; what we get is an extremely well-made story.
Pentiment mixes deep themes with a speculative thriller stuffed with decisions that can final your total playthrough. The sport’s intelligent writing and bold type are an excellent signal that Obsidian nonetheless has many extra boundaries to interrupt as a contemporary recreation developer.
3
The Outer Worlds
Branded as, “from the identical builders of Fallout: New Vegas,” The Outer Worlds was, from the beginning, marketed with Obsidian’s monumental previous in thoughts. Whereas very completely different from New Vegas and never fairly as strong in just a few methods, it nonetheless confirmed Obsidian’s capacity to flex its muscle mass with an unique IP.
The Outer Worlds takes a extremely stylized method to the space-age sci-fi aesthetic by infusing it with brand-heavy capitalist themes. With an analogous design to some Fallout titles, you continually really feel like a small pawn in a particularly overdeveloped world.
Moreover, The Outer Worlds is a incredible first-person RPG and shooter with first rate fight and development that makes exploring and immediately interacting with the world really feel each immersive and satisfying.
Not like different odd takes on the sci-fi style, like Starfield’s Nasa-punk, The Outer Worlds excels in taking full benefit of its sci-fi nature by combining weirdness and ethical ambiguity to create a really compelling RPG narrative, and one that does not take too lengthy to beat.
2
Star Wars Knights Of The Outdated Republic II: The Sith Lords
Knights Of The Outdated Republic 2 is a recreation with a lot aura that it is onerous to speak about. Nevertheless, as a sequel to the already critically acclaimed Knights Of The Outdated Republic from Bioware, Kotor 2 not solely delivered however, in some ways, blasted the unique out of the water, changing into a legend within the RPG style.
Knights Of The Outdated Republic 2 was a significant enchancment on the unique. Its new, distinctive story allowed for an amazing mixture of lore and ethical complexity—each RPG lover’s dream.
Regardless of the very warranted criticism of its launch in a damaged state (not not like many different early Obsidian tasks), Kotor 2 has a variety of fan assist and love, making it a blast not solely to play but in addition to debate with others in the present day.
Taking over the Star Wars universe for the primary and solely time, Obsidian was in a position to do justice to the universe whereas instilling the tabletop/RPG mechanics that make you surprise why Star Wars doesn’t have many different RPG video games in its library.
1
Fallout: New Vegas
I could also be a bit biased after I say this (look no additional than my 3-hour video essay on the subject), however Fallout: New Vegas isn’t solely considered one of Obsidian’s greatest titles, however seemingly among the best video games ever made.
The Fallout franchise began with the unique Fallout RPG, a recreation stuffed with quite a few choices, compelling characters, and complicated factions. With Bethesda’s addition of Fallout 3, a few of that unique focus was misplaced, solely to be restored when Obsidian, based by Fallout 1 builders, took upon a follow-up.
New Vegas establishes some of the distinctive settings in Fallout, with a brand new set of factions set across the New Vegas strip. Stuffed with participant selection and a thick-as-molasses ambiance, New Vegas is a dream to play and tops as among the best RPGs ever.
The person areas of New Vegas are participating to discover, the fight and dialogue focus completely on participant freedom and construct selection, and the writing and voice appearing are pleasant from the primary quest to the numerous DLCs.
In the event you’re on the lookout for Obsidian’s greatest recreation, a morally and thematically profound story, and a enjoyable open-world RPG for the ages, you possibly can’t get higher than Fallout: New Vegas.
