Best RPG
The Contenders Dark Souls, Diablo III, Dragons Dogma, Final Fantasy XIII-2, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, Mass Effect 3, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, The Witcher 2, Xenoblade Chronicles
The Likely Skyrim
The Dark Horses Mass Effect 3, Diablo III, The Witcher 2
The Verdict Probably the most close fought contest of any category, as Skyrim, Mass Effect and Diablo have all been massively popular and could all take it. In the end, I believe Skyrim can take the cake because it is the most role playing of all RPGs your character customisation is completely unlimited, you can do pretty much whatever you want, rather than following the linear stories of the other contenders. Skyrims flaw comes in the form of repetition the environments, while some (like Blackreach, Sovengarde and the Soul Cairn) are breathtaking, begin to feel quite samey, the same type of dungeon, the same enemies, the same puzzles, and of course, everything outside is snow. Once youve finished the game and the major side quests and guilds the radiant quest system a brilliant idea that feels a bit unfinished due to the radiant quests being the same thing again and again. Still, the game is gorgeous, the combat is far superior to Oblivions, the quests are engaging and interesting (for the most part) and it is a deserving winner. The only thing stopping Mass Effect 3 from being considered one of, if not the best RPG in the past decade is the fact that the award is considered without the DLC attached, and so the ending is the major blip in a sublime gameplay experience. In Mass Effect 3, the choices from previous games were put down a level (with the possible exception of the rewriting choice in Legions loyalty mission in Mass Effect 2), with genuinely major, moral shaking issues that have to be resolved. The Tuchanka mission especially doing what is necessary for the galaxy, at the cost of two close friends and companions, who the player really associates with over the games, is truly a tough one. With the Extended Cut DLC, which solves at least some of the major problems with the ending, Mass Effect 3 is truly a great game, but not quite on the level of proper role playing as Skyrim.