RPG games are incredibly diverse, offering a vast array of stories that gamers could never hope to explore fully in a single lifetime. From sprawling JRPGs to Western franchises like The Elder Scrolls, the RPG genre encompasses a wide range of styles and narratives. However, a recurring theme that frequently emerges in most RPGs is the idea of saving the world. Whether players are venturing through Hyrule, Tamriel, or alternate versions of Earth, the central focus of many RPGs revolves around thwarting world-ending catastrophes. While some games take a different approach, such instances are relatively rare.
Fallout: New Vegas
Among the well-known contemporary RPG franchises, Fallout stands out. Despite recent controversies surrounding newer entries in the series, Fallout: New Vegas remains a universally adored installment that deviates from the norm of confronting players with a world-ending crisis. Instead, the game’s climax revolves around the fate of the Mojave Wasteland itself.
By not obligating the story to hinge on a global catastrophe, New Vegas sets itself apart. This choice aligns with the post-apocalyptic setting of the Fallout Universe, where the world has already faced its end. New Vegas earns praise for its grounded storytelling, sidestepping the tendency of many RPGs to escalate from modest beginnings to grand-scale events. In contrast, New Vegas concludes with the Battle for Hoover Dam, with the player’s character, an unknown courier, leading one faction to triumph.
Knights Of The Old Republic 2
Star Wars movies frequently tackle the theme of thwarting galactic tyranny. Thus, it was a refreshing departure when a game franchise, set in the same Universe but centuries before the rise of Palpatine and Darth Vader, opted for a different narrative approach. While Knights of the Old Republic 2 involves a conflict of somewhat smaller scale, its events still carry significant weight.
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Players assume the role of an Exile Jedi, pursued and later betrayed by their companion, Kreia. While the story entails epic battles and the mission to stop the newly anointed Darth Traya from ripping apart the fabric of the Force, none of these events pose a threat of ending the Universe as the characters know it.
Dragon Age 2
Dragon Age 2 represents a shift in the franchise by focusing on a more localized and politically-driven conflict, a departure from the expected grandiosity of a large-scale RPG. Unfolding over several years, the game follows Hawke, who initially seeks to avoid involvement in the escalating struggle between Mages and Templars.
However, as circumstances repeatedly draw Hawke back into the conflict, they are eventually compelled to take a side. The game concludes with Hawke either leading the city or becoming a revered figure to its populace, setting the stage for future adventures. Despite its narrower scope—centered on the fate of a single city—Dragon Age 2 masterfully imparts a sense of enormity to its narrative.
Disco Elysium
With the tagline “What kind of cop are you?” Disco Elysium stands out for its departure from world-ending threats. Instead, it immerses players in the role of a detective suffering from memory loss, tasked with solving a murder mystery. While this might seem like a modest premise for one of the greatest RPGs, Disco Elysium’s brilliance emerges from its treatment of morality and player choices.
The game’s dialogue-heavy approach transforms a seemingly common crime movie plot into something extraordinary. From a hanging outside a hostel to a group of vigilante dockworkers, the storyline deepens at every turn, sustaining player engagement without the backdrop of a world-saving narrative.
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The Witcher
While The Witcher series features conflicts with high stakes, the first game diverges from the trope of averting an impending apocalypse. Geralt of Rivia, the formidable protagonist, embarks on his inaugural video game adventure by investigating a group known as the Salamandra. This organization has stolen Witcher mutagens in a bid to forestall a potential future catastrophe.
The Witcher offers a more intricate narrative, akin to a mystery detective RPG, rather than a tale focused on averting global doom. While the story unfolds across a sweeping landscape and involves pivotal characters within the Continent, the gravest threats to the world emerge later in the series.
Nier: Automata
Nier: Automata presents an unconventional gaming experience, requiring multiple playthroughs for a comprehensive grasp of the storyline. Amidst robotic invasions and captivating narratives across various playthroughs, the true essence lies in the interpersonal relationships between the diverse playable characters.
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Initially featuring 2B and 9S as primary characters, the story takes a poignant turn when A2 is compelled to end 2B’s existence, causing 9S to unravel. This climactic confrontation between A2 and 9S unfolds within the context of a sprawling war, yet the fate of the world remains distant from the core narrative.
Planescape: Torment
Planescape: Torment deviates from the theme of saving the world, focusing instead on freeing the Nameless One from an eternal curse. Upon his death, a random being across the multiverse perishes, leaving the Nameless One to awaken with no recollection of his identity or predicament. This unique RPG challenges players to unravel the mysteries surrounding the protagonist’s past selves, transcending the world-saving narrative archetype.
Planescape offers a brilliant exploration of mortality, defying the convention of safeguarding entire realms. Despite its introspective focus on the protagonist’s journey, the narrative achieves an expansive scale across the multiverse’s diverse planes of existence.
