Lord of the Rings, both the books and the movie franchise, is one of the most influential pieces of fantasy media in the world. The books introduced a generation to a world full of elves and kings and great evil, yet still a world where one person made a difference. The movie adaptations of these books reintroduced the story to a younger generation and have been in our hearts and minds ever since.
I think the reason we love this franchise so much is yes, the fantasy and escapism, but also the idea that you don’t have to necessarily be special to be a hero. Isn’t that what we all want in the end? To feel like we can do something meaningful despite our roots?
Here are ten RPGs that will make you feel like a hero:
10. Runescape
An oldie but a goodie
Runescape is a vintage, nostalgic fantasy MMORPG that has been online for over twenty years. The game is massive, offering a community of gamers that can interact through chat, player versus player combat and mini games. The storyline is not linear, being very much open world and focused on what each player wants.
The setting is your typical high fantasy, but is shown through vintage 3D graphics. The game itself takes place in the kingdom of Gielenor, which reminds me of medieval Europe.You as the player are able to interact with your environment, other players and NPCs depending on what you want.
The goal of this game is to level up your character and build the character’s skills in the game. It is also extremely focused on collaborative play between gamers as it does not have an option to not include others such as other MMORPGs.
What makes this similar to LotR is that it highlights community, much like Tolkien does. Without their allies, Sam and Frodo would have no chance in Mordor to destroy the Ring. It also hearkens back to a time when fantasy was a bit more simple in its creation.
Oregon Trail for fantasy nerds
9. Dragon’s Dogma 2
Here to steal your heart
The most recently released game on this list, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is the sequel to the original Dragon’s Dogma. In a parallel world to the first game the hero, known as the Arisen, like any fantasy game worth their salt, wakes up in prison. You are chosen by a dragon to be its next challenger. To get there you must fight monsters and navigate the politics of two warring kingdoms alongside your companions, known as Pawns.
This is another medieval fantasy based RPG. The two kingdoms of Vermund and Battahl are home to a few familiar fantasy races such as elves and a feline based race. It takes inspiration particularly from countries such as Italy and Greece giving the players a glimpse of a rocky and sun soaked environment. This makes it a little less dreary cinematically than other games on this list.
The main goal of the game is for you to defeat the dragon that has stolen your heart. If you ever saw Dragonheart in the 90s, this game is its reverse uno. In the process you are able to explore a massive map and many quests given to you by NPCs. You as the Arisen are able to choose your path and change the world around you based on those decisions.
This game’s narrative path plays out a bit more like The Hobbit, rather than LotR as the story is based around a dragon that has stolen someone’s heart. Still very Tolkienian in its nature it gives that classic high fantasy environment that feels so familiar. If you are looking for a game to scratch that Smaug itch here you are.
Think of this as an opportunity
8. World of Warcraft
The game she told you not to worry about
World of Warcraft also known as WoW (cue Owen Wilson), is a mass multiplayer online rpg that allows players to become the hero of their dreams. This massive game has many different storylines and even different servers to make the playthrough right for the player. The essential heart of the game is to defeat those that wish to rule over Azeroth with tyranny.
Azeroth is a diverse world, mixing elements of high fantasy, steampunk and sci-fi. Home to many races and monsters it allows characters to enjoy the full unadulterated scope of what RPGs can be. It is a large map embodying different climates and terrains depending on what quest and where you are. You are able to use air crafts and boats to explore beyond the given ground making for an expansive universe.
As an MMORPG, the main goal can depend on the player, but the essence is that of creating an online community. Creating a party with other people and role playing characters creates bonds between people who may not have the chance to interact in the world outside of games. As a player you are able to play until your fingers bleed or until your character is leveled up enough to take on truly heinous quests.
The thread of camaraderie that weaves itself through this game is one of the most Tolkien-esque aspects about it. Lord of the Rings at its heart, besides the battle between light and dark, is a story of friendship. The multiplayer function to this game encourages players to create parties and bonds that stand the test of time and difficult adventures. This is something I believe Tolkien could appreciate above all else.
It's giving Pandora
7. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
It's also a Netflix show
The Witcher 3 is an RPG that follows the life of a witcher named Geralt of Rivia. Geralt has a rough life. Which is to put it kindly, as he is part of a group of people who fight monsters with little thanks. In the third installment of the game franchise, Geralt is essentially tasked to find and babysit a girl with immense magical potential. With a host of zany, lovable characters this gritty RPG will drag you in and never let you out.
The world in which this is based is known as the Continent. It is a kind of middle ground where many races from different dimensions live alongside humans. It is based on Slavic traditions and the environment echoes that with dark forests and deep lakes alongside abandoned castles where monsters reign.
The goal of playing as Geralt is to find and guide Ciri into saving the world. This is a bit different from the other RPGs in this list, as though Geralt is the PC, he is not necessarily the hero but actually a mentor to the person who can actually save their world. He is absolutely giving Aragorn in this game, even though Aragorn is a king in his own right, his first goal is to aid the hobbits on their journey.
Similar to Lord of the Rings, the Witcher is based off of a book series. As a game it has a rich source material to draw from, enhancing the lore and characters in the game. It also is based on a mythology system much like LotR, though The Witcher draws from the Slavic mythos while Lord of the Rings draws from the Nordic tradition. This gives both series a weight to them that many high fantasies tend to lack.
Is he blonde or just old?
6. Lord of the Rings Online
Sorry honey we have Gandalf at home
This is a MMORPG that is actively based in the lore and world of Tolkien’s LotR. As a player you get to experience the events of the War of the Ring and after. You are able to interact with many of the main characters of the franchise such as Aragorn and Gandalf. You can visit different regions of Middle Earth to enjoy being immersed in such a loved world.
Middle Earth itself is a medieval fantasy rendition of England, Tolkien’s home, and this is translated into the RPG. The world itself is extremely reminiscent of both the movies and the books. As the game draws directly from the source you can expect to find regions such as Gondor and Mordor on the map. The races themselves stay relatively true to Tolkien’s with dwarves, elves, men and hobbits being the main four playable races.
The main goal of the game begins as you assist on the side of good in the War of the Ring. As it is such a long running MMORPG it has many expansions presented to the players in volumes. You essentially play through the plot of LotR, but slightly adjacent. There are also other quests where you help others in Middle Earth such as the dwarves.
The similarity between this is rather obvious, as you are literally in the universe of LotR.
Can't get this from books
5. Elden Ring
Be prepared
I feel like grueling is not an appropriate enough word for this game. Hell like? Yes. In this game you are known as the Tarnished. You have been summoned to the Lands Between in the aftermath of the Shattering, an event that broke the order of the world. Like any good hero, it is your job to clean up a mess you did not make. With the help of Melina and your trusty steed, Torrent, you can bring order back to a chaotic world.
The world of the Lands Between is split into six different sections. From the volcanic Mt Gelmir and the grassy plains of Limgrave to the fields of dead in Caelid and the forests and fogs of Liurnia, Elden Ring is a game that provides a variety of different regions. The wide array of terrains helps to keep you engaged as you explore. Each region offers different types of enemies and demigods to defeat.
The goal of the game is to struggle. It is notorious for its difficulty. But in canon the goal is to defeat the six demigods ruling over the Lands Between. Each has been corrupted by their mother’s death and seeks to overthrow their siblings. You, as the Tarnished, are supposed to defeat them and take their Great Runes to bring back order to the Lands Between
The trip to Mordor was no easy jaunt undertaken by Hobbits in the midst of drink. It was a journey that almost killed Sam and Frodo and irrevocably changed them. What they achieved was not for the faint of heart and neither is this game. The challenges you face as the Tarnished are very true to the creators of the Dark Souls games. It is a game that will leave you fuming and defeated and ready to give up if you are not strong enough.
You'll be ok, I promise
4. Divinity: Original Sin II
Larian before BG3
If you have ever been an atheist or just wanted to fist fight God in a Denny’s parking lot this is the game for you. Divinity is made by the same studio that created BG3, offering an immersive experience into the world of Rivellon. You are a Sourcerer, a being who has access to the magic known as the Source. As a magic user you are part of a group of people that are reviled and exiled for attracting monsters, known as the Voidwoken, with your magic use. Finding yourself captured and imprisoned you must escape and decide what to do against the powers that be.
Rivellon is a world that is developing through magic. It is fairly rural and untamed set in a fantasy medieval time. Explore small villages and dense forests where no has traversed before in this open world game.
The goal of this game is to solve the mystery of the Voidwoken as well as yourself. You are able to create a character as well as play as a set story of another. These stories can become companions in the game if you choose your own path. Your choices affect the world around you and your goals as you travel.
Tolkien is essentially the father of high fantasy and this game finds its place amongst those ranks. The struggle between good and evil hearken to the very theme of Lord of the Rings. Though Divinity plays a little more with nuances in the story its very core goes back to that essential heart of any Tolkien story. The only difference is that you get to be the hero or the villain depending on the path you take.
He's with me
3. Baldur's Gate 3
Even Sam and Frodo can get behind this game
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a little known game, ok I’m lying. It’s a worldwide sensation that lives up to its own hype. You are a random NPC picked up by an brain eating squid guys’ ship. You are infected, the ship crashes and subsequently end up on a quest with a cast of colorful characters to find a cure. The plot is not so simple as that though as each act is completed there are more twists than a broken bendy straw. It is a turn based RPG that changed my mind about turn based games.
The game takes place on the Sword Coast, which is an area of the Forgotten Realms, a part of the Dungeons and Dragons universe. Its time seems to be similar to the Renaissance period with snippets of a harder life. There are many different areas to the game, a ship crash, a cursed forest and the city of Baldur’s Gate itself. The visuals are immaculate and don’t need to be modded to all heck, like another game (I’m talking about Skyrim). A main place where you spend a lot of time is the camp and even that changes with your surroundings.
The goal of the game is to essentially cure yourself and your party of the illithid parasite in your brains. That is the first goal but then the main questline grows larger and more complicated as you play. A secondary, or maybe first goal, is to also get to know your companions and help them with their own issues, possibly making smoochy faces at them along the way.
Like LotR, an important part of this game are the relationships among characters. You are able to romance people, but more importantly the companions' storylines make you care deeply for each one. You can influence your companions' lives like a true friend, or enemy depending on the choices you make. Another similarity is the setting as a large part of D&D is based off of Tolkien's writings, which can be evidenced in the way the races are set up, such as elves, orcs and halflings.
Behold!
2.The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
It's Back!
Skyrim is a game that when it was released was industry changing. It is a RPG where the player is a hero known as the Dragonborn, who is undiscovered until they are captured and awaiting execution. “Good you’re awake” haunts my dreams. But as the Dragonborn you are a character that can absorb the souls of dragons, who up until this point in the lore are thought to be extinct.
The setting is very classic fantasy, semi-medieval and a place where magic exists. It is filled with people of different races, such as the Khajiit and Argonian, a race of cat and lizard humanoids respectively. The map is mostly rural with large cities where lots of main questlines reside. Explore the tops of harsh mountains and the very depths of ancient burial grounds. It also seems to be modeled off of Nordic traditions as the leaders are called Jarls.
The goal of this game is to basically become all powerful. In reality it is to figure out and stop dragons from coming back. Another is to solve the conflict between the Imperials and the Stormcloaks. This is the main quest line but there are so many others such as the civil war, including the DLCs, that it can become a backburner quest.
Skyrim will scratch your LotR itch based solely on the amount of lore in the game. In the game there are over three hundred books that are readable and pertinent to the lore and history of Skyrim. It’s no Silmarillion, but if you are a deep diver like myself, it will do the trick. Another similarity are the complexities of the storylines, though each quest is different they all weave together into the fate of Skyrim.
It's never too late to play Skyrim
1.Middle Earth: Shadow of War
Dark and Gritty and Sad
This game is the sequel to Shadow of Mordor, and both games take place in the time between The Hobbit and LotR. The game follows Celebrimbor and Talion, essentially two PCs in one as Talion is possessed by the elf lord. Playing as them you are intent on gathering forces and defeating Sauron.
Based in Tolkien’s world of Middle Earth the game takes place mainly in Gondor and Mordor. The graphics for the game are rugged and harsh terrains. The developers took inspiration from the landscapes of Iceland and the Pacific Northwest. The game is populated by familiar faces and stays relatively true to the lore of Tolkien.
The main goal of the game is to be the light in the dark. Without spoiling anything it is safe to say that who you thought was on your side definitely was not, and had their own motivations. Eventually you must change tactics and figure out how to keep evil at bay
Drawn from Tolkien’s Legendarium, this game is set in Tolkien’s universe. This makes for a game that stays true to its roots without just regurgitating the plot that has already taken place. The story focuses on the darker side of Tolkien’s lore and gives the player a sense of nuance that isn’t usually present in Tolkien’s writing, which honestly makes it a breath of fresh air.
Why does he kinda look like Boromir
