If you want one starting point, choose Metaphor: ReFantazio: it has the strongest award case among the 2024 PC RPGs covered here, winning PC Gamer’s Best RPG of 2024 and RPG Site’s RPG of the Year. But the right pick depends on what you want from an RPG—story-led fantasy, turn-based party combat and side activities, or action-driven exploration.
Here, “of 2024” means released on PC in 2024, not merely recognized at an awards ceremony held that year. “Best” is an editorial judgment, not an objective ranking. This is a curated shortlist, not a complete registry of every PC RPG released during the year.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
The Baldur's Gate Collection (EU) | $9.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - PC | $43.93 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Doom - PC | $15.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
The Elder Scrolls Online: Elsweyr - PC | $15.00 | Buy on Amazon |
How to choose among the best PC RPGs of 2024
Start with the kind of play you want, rather than treating award titles as interchangeable recommendations. The sources distinguish a story-and-design-led fantasy RPG, a turn-based party game with abundant side modes, and an action RPG built around exploration.
| Game | Best fit | What stands out |
|---|---|---|
| Metaphor: ReFantazio | Players who want story-led fantasy and a broad mix of narrative, characters, themes, gameplay, art, and design. | PC Gamer named it Best RPG of 2024; RPG Site named it RPG of the Year. |
| Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth | Players drawn to turn-based party combat, comedy, and plenty to do beyond the main story. | GameSpot highlights its turn-based JRPG design, engrossing story, and many additional modes; RPG Site placed it in its top five. |
| Dragon’s Dogma 2 | Players who want action-focused exploration and room to chart their own route through a world. | RPG Site selected it for its top ten and named it the winner of its Design and Immersion category. |
The distinctions are supported by PC Gamer’s 2024 awards, RPG Site’s year-end picks, and GameSpot’s review of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.
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#1 Best Overall
- Baldurs Gate 4 In 1 Compilation.
- Features: Special 4-game DVD-ROM.
- Play the original Baldur's Gate game.
- Includes Tales of The Sword Coast Expansion.
- Explore unseen lands as you take part in an epic conflict that will define your future, and create your legend. Venture into a deadly new dungeon.
Metaphor: ReFantazio: the strongest all-round pick
Metaphor: ReFantazio has the clearest dual editorial-award case in this shortlist: PC Gamer chose it as Best RPG of 2024, and RPG Site selected it as its RPG of the Year. RPG Site’s rationale emphasizes how its narrative, character writing, themes, gameplay, art, and design come together. That makes it a strong first choice if you want an RPG whose appeal is not limited to combat or exploration alone.
The awards are evidence of editorial judgment, not a guarantee that every player will prefer it. If your priority is specifically a large menu of side modes or a more action-oriented approach to exploring a world, the other recommendations below may be a closer fit.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth: turn-based combat and side activities
For a party-focused RPG built around turn-based combat, consider Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. GameSpot describes its JRPG design as turn-based and highlights an engrossing story alongside many additional modes. RPG Site placed it in its top five, and its reader poll ranked it fourth.
Rank #2
- Skyrim reimagines the open-world fantasy epic, pushing the game play and technology of a virtual world to new heights
- Play any type of character you can imagine, and do whatever you want; the legendary freedom of choice, storytelling
- Skyrim's new game engine brings to life a complete virtual world with rolling clouds, rugged mountains, bustling cities, lush fields
- Choose from hundreds of weapons, spells, and abilities; the new character system allows you to play any way you want
- Requires internet connection and free steam account to activate
That combination makes it a good option if you want a central story but also value diversions around it. Its distinction here is not that it is a universal alternative to Metaphor: ReFantazio; it is that the turn-based party setup and extra activities offer a different reason to play.
Dragon’s Dogma 2: action-oriented exploration
If exploring and making your own way through a world matter more than a turn-based party structure, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is the action-oriented choice. GameSpot highlights exploration and a world in which players can forge their own path. RPG Site included it in its top ten and awarded it the Design and Immersion category.
Those endorsements make it a compelling pick for players seeking discovery and a less menu-driven style of combat. They do not establish a technical-performance comparison with the other games on this list.
Rank #3
- A Relentless Campaign: There is no taking cover or stopping to regenerate health as you beat back Hell's raging demon hordes
- Return of id Multiplayer: Dominate your opponents in DOOM's signature, fast-paced arena-style combat
- Near-Limitless Gameplay: DOOM SnapMap - A powerful, but easy-to-use game and level editor that allows for limitless gameplay experiences on every platform
Why some celebrated 2024 RPGs are not listed here
A release-year label needs a clear rule. This list is about games released on PC during 2024, so a game’s presence in a 2024 award or ranking does not by itself qualify it. For example, RPG Site’s top five includes Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, but its inclusion in a 2024 RPG ranking is not enough to establish a PC release during that year. The available evidence does not verify that timing, so it is not presented as a 2024 PC release here.
The same caution applies to other RPG Site selections such as Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, Granblue Fantasy: Relink, and The Thaumaturge. A strict list needs to verify each PC release date and decide whether expansions and re-releases count; those details are not established here.
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Rank #4
- Venture to elsweyr-explore the Khajiit homeland; A land ravaged by warfare.
- Defend against dragons - Scaled terror attacks from the skies; Seek new allies and weapons to take them down.
- A year-long epic tale-Eso reaches new storytelling heights with a war against Dragons told across a chapter and three DLC game packs.
- Wield the power of Necromancy - Master control over life and death with a character class that channels the undead.
How these recommendations were selected
The shortlist uses year-end editorial awards and rankings as useful signals, then connects each game to a distinct player preference. PC Gamer says its annual awards begin with staff nominations for games released that year, followed by team discussion and selection. RPG Site describes staff deliberation over the year’s RPG releases and presents an overall winner, a top five, a top ten, and category picks. Neither approach should be read as an exhaustive registry of all PC RPG releases.
The recommendations also reflect different needs a PC RPG player might have: satisfying combat and progression, exploration, loot and upgrades, narrative emphasis, and side content. The cited coverage supports clear contrasts for story and design breadth in Metaphor: ReFantazio, turn-based combat and additional modes in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, and exploration in Dragon’s Dogma 2. It does not establish a comparable ranking of loot systems, upgrade depth, current prices, availability, or technical performance.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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