We already published the list of best original Xbox games of all time, now it’s time to discover the best original Xbox RPGs of all time.
With amazing titles available, the original Xbox definitely has a great library of RPGs.
So, if you’re a fan of both the original Xbox and RPGs, there’s a chance you’ll like this list.
And some of you may already know some of the games mentioned in this list.
#25. Black Stone: Magic & Steel
- Release Data: Xpec/Idea Factory, 2003
- Genre: Role-Playing » Japanese-Style
Ultimately, there’s nothing about Black Stone: Magic and Steel that makes it good enough to recommend, even to someone whose favorite games are from the Gauntlet series.
The game is extremely unoriginal in concept and poorly executed, and it’s hard to understand why it ever crossed the ocean.
#24. Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows
- Release Data: Midway, 2005
- Genre: Role-Playing » Action RPG
Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows ends up being a straight-forward hack-and-slash action game that isn’t a bad way to spend it with friend but if you’re looking for the next evolutionary step in the genre this isn’t it.
Still, the game is fun enough for new fans as well as those who fondly remember the original.
#23. Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel
- Release Data: Interplay/Avalon Interactive, 2004
- Genre: Role-Playing » Action RPG
Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel isn’t a great game, but it can still be entertaining to play.
The action is repetitive and straightforward, but the game features a lot of cool weapons and tons of stuff to hack or shoot at, plus it’s got some of the charm that helped make Fallout a genuine classic.
#22. Pirates of the Caribbean
- Release Data: Akella/Ubisoft, 2003
- Genre: Role-Playing » Action RPG
Even with its problems, though, Pirates of the Caribbean is an enjoyable game that’s recommendable to those intrigued by the subject matter.
Too bad the shortcomings put Pirates somewhat shy of greatness in the grand scheme of things, but you won’t be thinking about that as you’re waylaying or defending merchant ships filled with silk and ale.
#21. Justice League Heroes
- Release Data: Snowblind Studios/Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, 2006
- Genre: Role-Playing » Action RPG
While it shares a lot of its components with Snowblind’s past dungeon crawlers, Justice League Heroes has a pretty unique flavor.
It flexes the strengths of the DC universe quite well.
The game does both the comic book and the dungeon-crawler parts well enough that it has the potential to turn fans of one into the other.
#20. Arx Fatalis
- Release Data: Arkane Studios/Mindscape, 2003
- Genre: Role-Playing » Western-Style
If you don’t have any hang-ups with wandering around in dark places, and you’re looking for a deep and involving role-playing game, then you’d be doing yourself a favor by checking out Arx Fatalis.
It’ll make you feel as though you yourself are trapped in this fantastic world, filled with interesting, dangerous places to visit and characters to meet.
#19. Sudeki
- Release Data: Climax Studios/Microsoft Game Studios, 2004
- Genre: Role-Playing » Action RPG
Sudeki can be completed in fewer than 20 hours of play, though you can spend a bit of extra time filling out the side quests and acquiring all the available weapons—if you like.
Sudeki is, unfortunately, more style than substance. Those longing for a meaty Xbox action RPG should only consider this game for a casual session.
#18. Dungeons & Dragons Heroes
- Release Data: Atari SA, 2003
- Genre: Role-Playing » Action RPG
D&D Heroes has a number of redeeming qualities and isn’t a bad way of whiling away a few minutes, or hours, if you’re looking for a pure hack-and-slash action RPG.
But if that’s you, then you ought to have played other, similar, and far superior games before, and, as such, D&D Heroes won’t do much of anything to impress you.
#17. The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age
- Release Data: EA Games, 2004
- Genre: Role-Playing » Japanese-Style
In the end, The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age molds Middle-earth into a traditional turn-based frame, and while the results aren’t all that great, the game carries some pretty good features and should appeal to fans of the source material.
#16. The Bard’s Tale
- Release Data: InXile Entertainment/Ubisoft, 2004
- Genre: Role-Playing » Western-Style
The straight high-fantasy stuff it employs is actually pretty good, and the game might’ve even been better if it had played it straight all the way through.
The core hack-and-slash stuff is solid, and the changes it makes to the genre’s formula, though not entirely successful, do help give the game a bit of its own personality.
#15. Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance II
- Release Data: Black Isle Studios/Avalon Interactive, 2004
- Genre: Role-Playing » Action RPG
Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance was an RPG for people who didn’t like RPGs, and its sequel does a fine job of maintaining that design philosophy.
Though the ending is a little unsatisfying, and the actual adventure is a little short, the game offers plenty of replay value with five appreciably different character classes and a really satisfying cooperative mode.
#14. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
- Release Data: Stormfront Studios/Electronic Arts, 2002
- Genre: Role-Playing » Action RPG
In the end, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers is a traditional action RPG with a terrific gameplay system that encourages you to battle it out like there’s no tomorrow.
Fans of the films will definitely want to pick this one up, but those who enjoy action RPGs will also find a lot to like about it.
#13. X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse
- Release Data: Raven Software/Activision, 2005
- Genre: Role-Playing » Action RPG
Overall, X-Men Legends II is a definite step up from its predecessor.
It doesn’t do anything new or groundbreaking in terms of gameplay mechanics, but the cast of characters and the story are more than enough to make it worth playing.
Even if you’ve already played the first game to death, you’ll have a lot of fun with X-Men Legends II.
#12. Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II
- Release Data: Sonic Team/Sega, 2003
- Genre: Role-Playing » Action RPG
If you’ve already played through the GameCube version, there really is no reason to play through the Xbox version.
However, if you’re completely new to the Phantasy Star Online experience, then you’ll find an incredibly addictive game that will keep you glued to the TV for hours on end.
#11. Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance
- Release Data: Snowblind Studios/Interplay, 2002
- Genre: Role-Playing » Action RPG
Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance for the Xbox is essentially a perfect port of one of the 2001 surprise hits.
And if you overlooked Dark Alliance, then you shouldn’t miss this opportunity to get what’s easily one of the finest action RPGs ever made.
#10. Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
- Release Data: Raven Software/Activision, 2006
- Genre: Role-Playing » Action RPG
Beyond being a well-made and accessible action RPG, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance captures the essence of the Marvel Universe, an incredible feat considering the breadth of the source material.
This is simply a must-have for Marvel fans, though the action itself remains satisfying enough for those in search of a good dungeon crawler to enjoy.
#9. X-Men Legends
- Release Data: Raven Software/Activision, 2004
- Genre: Role-Playing » Action RPG
Overall, X-Men Legends does a good job with the comic license, so fans will probably enjoy the game’s attention to detail.
It also does a good job with the standard action RPG formula that was popularized by games like Dark Alliance.
But most importantly, it’s an entertaining game with a story that you’ll want to see through to its conclusion.
#8. Fable: The Lost Chapters
- Release Data: Lionhead Studios/Microsoft Game Studios, 2005
- Genre: Role-Playing » Action RPG
Fable: The Lost Chapters is an imaginative game that’s got enough remarkable, unique moments in it to make it shine.
Regardless of how much time you ultimately spend playing Fable, you’re not likely to forget the experience for a long while.
#7. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
- Release Data: EA Redwood Shores/EA Games, 2003
- Genre: Role-Playing » Action RPG
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King features fast-paced, cinematic action with plenty of pick-up-and-play appeal.
On its own merits, it’s not a particularly lengthy or complex game, however, it’s a great experience while it lasts, and the Lord of the Rings fans will want to hold on to this one for posterity.
#6. Fable
- Release Data: Big Blue Box/Microsoft Game Studios, 2004
- Genre: Role-Playing » Action RPG
Fable is an imaginative game that’s got enough remarkable, unique moments in it to make it shine.
That many of these moments happen to be good for a laugh is all the better.
Regardless of how much time you ultimately spend playing Fable, you’re not likely to forget the experience for a long while.
#5. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords
- Release Data: Obsidian Entertainment/LucasArts, 2004
- Genre: Role-Playing » General
Knights of the Old Republic impressively succeeded on several counts: It delivered a memorable and open-ended story featuring lots of excellent voice acting, an entertaining strategic combat system, and a lengthy, highly replayable quest.
Now all those good traits are back once again in Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords.
#4. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
- Release Data: Bethesda Softworks, 2002
- Genre: Role-Playing » Western-Style
It’s a beautiful-looking and completely open-ended game that allows you to play pretty much however you like as long as you’re willing to fill in a few blanks using your imagination.
If that’s the case, then you could easily spend a couple of hundred hours over the course of days losing yourself in Morrowind‘s carefully detailed world.
#3. Jade Empire
- Release Data: BioWare/Microsoft Game Studios, 2005
- Genre: Role-Playing » Action RPG
You’ll probably enjoy Jade Empire a great deal if you approach it with reasonable expectations.
In short, if the setting of Jade Empire appeals to you, along with the promise of a good storyline and some open-ended role playing, then you’ll be more than satisfied with this game.
#2. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind – Game of the Year Edition
- Release Data: Bethesda Softworks, 2003
- Genre: Role-Playing » Western-Style
What modern The Elder Scrolls players might notice about Morrowind that sets it apart from modern titles is that it really doesn’t hold your hand at all.
The world is vast, the expanses are huge and detailed, and you will easily get lost but that’s kind of the point.
#1. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
- Release Data: BioWare/Activision, 2003
- Genre: Role-Playing » General
It’s apparent from playing Knights of the Old Republic that a remarkable amount of effort, work, and talent went into this game.
It’s one of the only Star Wars games to truly make you feel at times as though you’re a key player in and a part of this unique and beloved sci-fi setting.
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See also: Best Gaming Chairs & Best Xbox 360 Games
Are your favorite games on the list?
Deciding which original Xbox RPG is the best is no doubt a never ending topic, but it’s fun to do!
