But what is a Digital Tabletop RPG?
It's a mouthful to be sure, but it's the best broad term I can use to define the genre of games that are D&D-like or Digital Boardgame adaptations that teeter the line in it's themes and mechanics, drifting close to the realm of Tabletop RPGs.
It's broad, and that is annoying sure, however, because of that I am able to bring to light some titles that really make the genre interesting and focus on the tabletop-like gameplay we have grown accoustomed to, blending with RPG elements of story, world and charcter-focused development!
10. Gloomhaven (PC)
Gloomhaven is a board game ported by developer Asmodee Digital to Steam and GoG. Gloomhaven is described as "Dungeons and Dragons without dice," where the dice are replaced with cards that list abilities, movement, and more. With games lasting an average of an hour and a half to two hours, you play one of a group of preselected characters and explore an ever-changing RNG-centric story that leads you to various locations with combat, puzzles, and an ever-present threat trying to foil you along the way. The more you play the game, the more ancient treasure, secrets, and new playable characters you will discover.
Gloomhaven was recently ported to PC in 2021 and is, quite honestly, one of the best ports I have seen for a board game, period. Gloomhaven takes a very interesting approach to the TTRPG formula, mostly by throwing the entire basis out. Instead of using dice, literally at all, you use cards in combat and make team choices outside of it. Choices can benefit your party in the short-term or long-term, depending on the result of your choice. Combat is a turn-based sequence where combattants pick their speed by using higher level combat cards and do battle using the same cards. It’s quite a clever system after its steep learning curve.
Gloomhaven is a brutally difficult game. Although being loved for this difficulty, most players ignore the story on the whole, as it doesn’t seem to be the point of the game. Being given premade characters with few options to change them makes you feel more like a group of hired warriors than characters. However, a lot of people like that. I’ve recommended Gloomhaven to those who can’t stand the roleplay that most other games in the genre carry with them, for those who are less fans of story and more fans of killing things when they see them.
The combat itself is a whole other story; it’s creative, rewarding, and keeps the difficulty the game prescribes. Every card works in conjunction, with some characters needing to use cards to gain use of other cards, and some characters just hitting things with a giant hammer. It does have simplicity for newer players but keeps complexity for the more experienced. It rides a perfect line between looking good, being fun, and being difficult. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a single-player or multiplayer game with challenging features and random encounters, or groups with the same love.
9. Solasta: Crown of the Magister (PC / XBO)
Solasta: Crown of the Magister is the first release from game developer Tactical Adventures and aims to be one of the most direct translations of the Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition system to the PC. Focusing on a story surrounding a powerful crown, Solasta is a TTRPG where you create your own party of four of varying backgrounds and stories and seek to travel across a world ruined by the Cataclysm and explore all it has to offer in two campaigns and custom stories made by the player base using its custom campaign builder tool.
Solasta: Crown of the Magister challenged me in a way I’ve never been challenged by digital TTRPGs. It is heavily inspired by 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons in its class systems and storytelling methods, as well as using multi-layered combat that really sets it apart from other games. I think what impresses me most about the game are these aspects of combat, which is one of its forefront features. It’s simple to understand but many layers complex, using a variety of spells and subclass features to really change how the game can be played.
Its other leading feature, in my opinion, is its Campaign Maker and Manager, letting aspiring Dungeon Masters create entire interactive dungeons and stories for the community to enjoy on a large scale. This is a paramount feature to me, since even a second run of some TTRPGs can become a slog. With many new offerings coming from the community on a constant basis, though, it helps set it apart as an ever-changing game with new, continuous content.
When it comes to the enjoyment factor, there are a large range of reasons why people love playing Solasta. The developers actively look for help and support, and being one of the more unknown TTRPGs, it’s a great community feel at the same relative price as most TTRPGs on Steam, GoG and (newly) Xbox! A great experience for those who like turn-based combat in a style similar to one of the most popular physical TTRPGs of today, with hypothetically endless content and two 50-hour campaigns to play and experience.
8. Vagrus (PC)
Lost Pilgrims Studio's first game, Vagrus, is a brutally difficult single-player RPG with tabletop elements sprinkled into its vast, explorable world. Vagrus is known for its challenging gameplay, punishing survival systems, and a lot of reading. In a style similar to a literal book, Vagrus is huge on its story elements and your impact on the world as a whole, focusing on its traveling systems and character stories that expand as you explore the harsh wasteland of the world by micromanaging resources, trading, and killing anyone who tries to kill you.
I have a love-hate relationship with Vagrus, and to me, that's a good thing. I’m a big fan of reading, period, so when I found a game that was a micromanagement trading sim with combat and in-depth character progression and reading that matters? Sounds right up my alley, despite my 10 deaths every run. It blurs the line between being frustrating to play but so in-depth and detailed that I can’t stop, like a sick addiction, but entrancing to experience. With a range of playstyles and a free demo to try the game out, I could not say how much I respect the developers for the time and effort they’ve put into Vagrus.
When it comes to the tabletop aspects, Vagrus is the most removed on this list from the baseline understanding of games like Dungeons and Dragons. It has very little combat unless you look for it, and it is not entirely customizable in terms of the story you experience. However, it does range heavily in gameplay and character customization itself. It borrows from Dungeons and Dragons 3.5e in its combat, albeit much simpler, and cheats off of games like Civilization for its simple, but punishing survival systems that keep the game fun.
My favorite aspect, however, is how good the story is. The developers have a warning at the start of the demo and the game warning players how read-heavy and story-centric the game is, and if you need a warning for something like that, you either screwed up or really want to make it clear. Thankfully, the developers are the latter. Every character, every encounter feels rewarding, since at any moment, a misunderstanding or failed conversation can lead to lethal combat or horrible punishments. Characters can die, period. I hate games that try to stray away from characters dying, and I love it when a game takes it seriously. To be honest, there is so much in this game that I can’t even go over it all, so just play the demo. It’s a good game for certain people, like me.
7. For The King (PC / Switch / PS4 / XBO)
For the King is a Turn-Based Tactical Tabletop RPG developed by Ironoak Games as their first title. A multiplayer-incentivized experience, For the King is the best Turn-Based, randomly generated TTRPGs across all consoles. With a focus on procedural exploration and timed gameplay, For the King is made for those who love a simple, mostly storyless, game that is challenging but not unfair in its gameplay. A simple-to-learn, hard-to-master set of rules with increasing difficulty and a world that responds to the player’s actions.
For the King is my second favorite boardgame-esque TTRPG currently on the market. For the King can be played both solo and multiplayer, but it excels in the latter. While the games can be excruciatingly long, the procedurally generated world makes each experience feel just as rewarding as the one before. For the King also includes roguelike functions, where after playing you can unlock new characters, locations, and more to explore in the world. The game is split between exploring a vast overworld and rolling for events and stories, twinned with turn-based 3v3 combat and dungeons to explore.
Sadly, there isn’t much else to say about For The King. A sequel was just announced after the success of the first, and the many different campaigns and modes can keep anyone entertained for hours on end. There are issues with the game, of course, but they are limited and not really issues, but game design choices to add difficulty and expand the game setting itself. Simply, get it, get it for two friends, and do some trio co-op in this amazing little title
6. Talisman: Digital Edition (PC / Switch / PS4 / XBO)
Talisman: Digital Edition was ported from its tabletop form in 2014 by publisher Nomad Games. It’s more of a traditional board game that simplifies the process of playing the physical board game with modern digital game conveniences that bogged the physical down. With an astounding 50 DLCs and random-chance mechanics, this game is best played with a group of friends to yell at one another when sabotaging each other or getting the upper hand.
I’ve never had a game that both frustrates me to my very core and keeps me coming back for a handful of games every other week. With a large collection of characters, many end goals, and segmented randomness, the game has a near infinite replayability value. This doesn’t even take into account the DLCs either, which are variable and can be disabled and reenabled if you want a more realistic game or complete chaos.
When it comes to porting a game from tabletop to PC, there is no better port in my opinion, as it not only vastly simplifies the game playing process with auto-math and the like, but it also allows you to play with others across the internet on a game that I know no one would play with me in real life. I love that each character also has a vast range of different abilities and ideas that really vary the gameplay. If I wanted to play a vampire hunter against three vampires with only the Blood Moon and City available and dragons attacking everyone every six seconds--I can!
It may be the furthest away from the Dungeons-and-Dragons mentality many other games on this list have, but it is still one of the most enjoyable digital TTRPG games I have played and continue to play every other week, and I could not give a better recommendation for it. You’ll be missing out on a lack of story and coherent logic, but it makes up for that with chaos and versatility in the long run. It’s my favorite port of a TTRPG I’ve ever played.
5. Tyranny (PC)
Tyranny is a TTRPG developed by Obsidian Entertainment and released in 2016 as a stand-alone title in the digital TTRPG world. With a world focused more on story than combat, Tyranny makes itself a black sheep among many other TTRPG games of the modern day. Focusing most exclusively on the player’s impact on the world, Tyranny itself is a very odd game, but nonetheless enjoyable in a different, but same-y way as many of the classics like Baldur’s Gate or Icewind.
Tyranny is an odd choice, and many would be confused why I would even consider putting it on this list, but I think it is an example of a game that is a game we might not want, but deserve. Tyranny is a game that benefits from player choice alone, whether or not it's combat may be iffy. I find Tyranny to be a great example of when world building is at its absolute peak. I adore the characters, the rebellion story, and everything on a storytelling level with this game. The combat is wishy-washy, but with very good boss fights.
It is a very average game overall, but an amazing addition to the sea of TTRPGs. It's less on this list for its individual qualities than for its importance in existing in the TTRPG space. It is a perfect in-between between games like Baldur's Gate and Divinity and the more underground games that blur the line like Vagrus and similar. If you love the stories and feel negligible about combat, it is highly recommended to at least check it out as it is a good game in its own right, but works as a divider in the overall TTRPG landscape, at least in my totally-objectively correct opinion.
4. Pillars of Eternity (PC)
Pillars of Eternity is a Classic Live-Action with Pause TTRPG developed by Obsidian Entertainment in 2015, a spiritual successor to the Baldur’s Gate series. Pillars of Eternity is a single-player game where you rally a band of NPCs to help explore the world of Eora while solving its puzzles and story. It makes use of intricate in-depth combat that is expansive to master but simple to learn. A top-down based micromanagement game that has beautiful combat and graphics and expands on where Baldur’s Gate I and II left off.
Pillars of Eternity was my first introduction to the RTwP (Real-Time with Pause) combat system that is iconic among the older TTRPGs of Baldur’s Gate, Icewind Dale, and Planescape. While I may have started kicking and screaming while being dragged away from my turn-based love, I did learn the system in one of the easiest-to-learn methods possible, dying over and over again. This is only good, though, as death is not immediate in Pillars and is a staged system where you can go down multiple times without major problems. This I love.
I fell in love with the characters in Pillars of Eternity. As a person who needed the story to carry, despite learning the combat system, I can say that I was blown away. It felt like a game made from the original Dungeons and Dragons and done well the first time, being mindful that Obsidian had two great games under their belts already. Pillars of Eternity gets my vote for those transitioning from turn-based to real-time combat in older games. Not only does the combat get very interesting very quickly, but the main character's story feels rewarding, and the world feels large and explorable.
When it comes to getting my feet wet in the ocean of older TTRPGs like Icewind, Planescape, and so forth, this was an amazing introduction. For those first entering the genre, looking for a first game and eyeing up Divinity, Pathfinder, Baldur’s Gate III and the like, I will always point to Pillars. I’m currently playing through the second installment of the series, and it’s just as good as the first was (with turn-based finally implemented), and I can only see the series getting better with each further release. I tried to stay away from explaining the story because.. well, you simply have to try it to find out, but I will say, it is a gem.
3. Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous (PC / Switch / PS4 / XBO)
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is the second game in the Pathfinder Series by Owlcat Games, after Pathfinder: Kingmaker, which directly turns the Pathfinder TTRPG system into a fully fledged game down to exact mechanics and character creation. Similar to the old-school Digital TTRPGs of Baldur’s Gate and Icewind Dale, Pathfinder’s main differences are its turn-based combat optional system and its differing system of rules from the classic titles.
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous was the first title, after Divinity Original Sin 2, of TTRPGs I had ever played. Coming from the limited customizability of Divinity, Pathfinder's vast options for customizing class, character, and story were a breath of fresh air. The length and scale of the game are massive. Having literally hundreds of hours of content, not counting differing playthroughs, is absolutely crazy to imagine and amazing to experience.
My favorite aspects are most definitely the story and characters, each feeling unique and really tempting me in their good-bad story system, where you can be enticed to be a bad guy or good. This is incredibly impressive because I am normally difficult to persuade to do anything that isn't the "best case" decision, but the characters are just so well written that I am much closer to that line than I have ever been in any other title I've played. I think the fact that you can ignore quests and play main quests in different ways also adds a lot, giving players a lot of options and opportunities.
When it comes to personal preference, this is high on my list for people who are interested in a modern-day game that gives you a slew of options and customizability while keeping modern-day conveniences and introducing you to the genre as a whole. I think the fact that the game is flavored well and the story feels impactful beyond anything else helps the player feel like they have a major impact, which they do. Having a range of engageable NPCs with good stories and even romance options just adds more fuel to the fire. One of the best digital TTRPG experiences I've ever had.
2. Divinity Original Sin 2 (PC / Switch / PS4 / XBO)
Larian Studios’ major hit, Divinity Original Sin 2, is a game that solidified the possibility of fun gameplay with a turn-based system in a digital TTRPG system. With amazing visual graphics and a non-committal class system, Divinity 2 made its own name, disconnected from its predecessor, and set its own example for the digital TTRPG market and Larian Studios as a whole. With a focus on story and NPC development, the game’s in-depth combat and creative plotlines can only benefit.
I’ll give credit where it’s due; when it comes to a TTRPG in terms of combat, visual aesthetic, and game design on a whole, little to none stand up to the masterpiece that is Divinity Original Sin 2. It was my first digital TTRPG which I have done three playthroughs of and enjoyed each time. This is the greatest introduction to the genre by most accounts and has only been praised by the vast majority of those who’ve touched it.
I won't lie when I say it lacks the custom character development and social systems that other TTRPGs provide, but it is the best in terms of entertaining humor, good story, and great combat. To give a point of reference, those who made Divinity 2 are now working on Baldur’s Gate 3, finally overlapping these worlds, which is amazing by all accounts. While being stunned by the price tag is not uncommon, it’s worth every single penny.
I would be lying if I said it was my personal favorite TTRPG, but I do respect the steps it took for other games to do as well as they did in the market. I also have to give it credit for the major addition of turn-based combat done well in a digital TTRPG, despite its very different gameplay and very loose class features. On the whole, it is near perfect, only needing a couple community mods to make it fun for me, but needing none to be a fantastic experience for the vast majority of players.
1. Baldur's Gate 2 (PC / Switch / PS4 / XBO / Mobile)
Baldur’s Gate 2 is beyond its namesake. The classic Digital TTRPG made by Obsidian Entertainment is a top-down, real-time with pause combat epic that follows the events of the first. The combat is expanded from the original, and so is the story; both are continued in this follow-up. Well known for its innovative gameplay based on early Dungeons and Dragons, fantastic storytelling and characters, Baldur’s Gate 2 is the gold standard for TTRPG storytelling and gameplay among the mass of titles released.
I was afraid of the hype, I'll be honest. I was skeptical that the game would be as good as everyone said it would be, but for once, I'll go with the crowd. Badlur’s Gate 2 is an actual masterpiece of the highest degree. The gameplay is fluid, inventive, and fun, the story is detailed, engaging, and layered; and there is nothing wrong with the actual game that I can find. I may dislike the RTwP combat system, but it really did not take me out of the overall experience that is the game.
I will give the disclaimer that to play Baldur’s Gate 2, you should play 1, without a doubt. A friend and I played through the second without the context of the first and were thrown waist-deep with no knowledge of party members and the like. I would normally not mention anything like this if it wasn't paramount, such as in Divinity Original Sin 2. Although, there is an extent to which you can play the sequel by itself, which works, but isn’t advised by my own experience playing Baldur’s Gate 1 after i played 2.
The final benefit, as I had alluded to, is that all these older TTRPGs support multiplayer through their console services, which not only gives you the opportunity to play with friends, but also lets you do blind runs with others online that feel more realistic for a team working together. I know, weird opinion, but I like it that way sometimes. When it comes to enjoying a TTRPG, I always play Baldur's Gate on my phone or on my bad laptop. Ease of access, ease of play, an amazing game. Period.
