The 15 Best Android RPGs of All Time
Android gaming has come a long way in the last decade or so. Once dismissed as the realm of casual gamers, Angry Birds hasn’t been the only game in town for a long time. Android has long been a competitive platform for those seeking a hardcore RPG experience. From retro dungeon crawlers to modern Souls-likes to state-of-the-art MMOs and story-driven classics, there is something here for every fan of Android RPGs. So sit back as we count off the 15 best role-playing games on Android.
15. Tales of Illyria
2013’s Tales of Illyria is the rare game that gets to benefit from both ends of nostalgia. At the time of its release, the game was a charming and well-made throwback to early RPGs. Today, many still remember it as definitive proof that an Android original can compete with and in some cases surpass RPGs on other platforms.
A hybrid of Oregon Trail, classic Final Fantasy and 90s strategy games, Tales of Illyria combines survival strategy with engaging combat and top-tier storytelling. Players take on the role of Lord Elric, a disgraced noble on a quest to clear his name and defeat a tyrannical emperor. From that seemingly generic premise, the world of Illyria comes alive with nuanced characters and spectacularly detailed worldbuilding. A passion project in its purest form, Tales of Illyria seamlessly blends its inspirations into a wholly unique experience. Even after more than a decade, it’s still one of the best Android RPGs out there.
Available on Google Play
14. Atom RPG
Does anyone remember Fallout Shelter? Was a disposable management game really what people wanted from a mobile Fallout title? Well, maybe some people wanted that, but even they would probably have preferred something like Atom Team’s Atom RPG.
Released in 2020, the game takes place in an alternate world where a nuclear war in the 20th century wiped out most of the life on planet Earth. On top of that, an evil conspiracy is plotting to finish the job. To stop it, players must traverse the irradiated wastes of post-nuclear Russia to reveal the truth. Atom RPG is inspired by Interplay’s original Fallout from 1997 and also offers 60+ hours of fascinating characters and classic turned-based action. Also offering multiple endings and deep RPG mechanics, it’s the closest we’ve gotten to old-school Fallout on Android.
Available on Google Play
13. Heroes of Steel
Trese Brothers forged Heroes of Steel piece by piece in 2019. And by that, I mean they developed and released it episodically. A turned-based tactical RPG, the retro-inspired dungeon crawler is one of the best Android RPGs. It’s also a must-play for fans of the genre.
The post-apocalyptic dungeon crawler takes place 17 years after a catastrophic war between rival gods. The survivors of humanity eke out a meager existence in the sprawling caverns of the Underdeep. But the underground harbors dangers of its own, ranging from common monsters to forgotten gods and far darker things. Players can customize their party of four heroes as they venture deep into the unknown. Meanwhile, the variety of enemies and biomes force players to think tactically and learn on the fly. Heroes of Steel keeps players on the edge of their seats straight through to the final boss.
Available on Google Play
12. Final Fantasy I-IV
The legend goes that Square Enix called their 1987 classic Final Fantasy because it was the studio’s last chance to stave off bankruptcy. Little could they have known that it would launch what is arguably the best known and most beloved RPG franchise ever made. While some people believe the later installments lost some of the magic, the early games have stood the test of time.
Whether you prefer the old-school simplicity of the first two games or the masterful storytelling of III and IV, there’s no denying the series deserves a spot on this list. These games are what later JRPGs aspire to be and are still worth playing decades later. Half the games on this list owe Final Fantasy a debt, so the games that started it all are worth checking out if you haven’t already.
Available on Google Play
11. Ravensword: Shadowlands
Skyrim on mobile may only exist in Todd Howard’s most beautiful dreams, but 2013’s Ravensword: Shadowlands is there in spirit. The sequel to 2009’s Ravensword: The Fallen King, this open-world action RPG might not be Skyrim, but it’s within arm’s reach of The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion.
Ravensword: Shadowlands may not have aged gracefully in terms of visuals, but that doesn’t stop it from being one of the best Android RPGs of all time. The bustling city, sprawling dungeon and vast wilderness immerse players in a world that feels truly alive. It offers a fast-paced, console-quality ARPG experience on your Android device that also features a fully voiced narrative. Ravensword borrows the style of 2000s era Bethesda, encouraging players to mix and match weapons and abilities. If you are both an Android gamer and an Oblivion or Skyrim fan who has not tried Ravensword: Shadowlands, you’re missing out.
Available on Google Play
10. Dragon Raja
Fairly or not, South Korean MMOs have something of a bad rap. The market has a reputation for putting quantity over quality, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t hardcore MMORPGs coming out of the ROK. Mobile MMO Dragon Raja is among the crème of that particular crop.
Based on a novel series of the same name, Dragon Raja is a science-fantasy epic featuring impressive visuals and stunning voice talent. Players take control of a superpowered human-dragon hybrid in a cyberpunk version of East Asia. They travel from the streets of Tokyo to the wilderness of Siberia to stop the ancient and powerful Dragon Lord from returning to conquer the world. It also features hundred of hours of content that lets players immerse themselves in the digital world. Dragon Raja also comes to life thanks to its state-of-the-art graphics, physics engine and robust character customization system.
Available on Google Play
9. The World Ends With You
The phrase “surprisingly good” sounds like a backhanded compliment, but that almost seems like what Square Enix and Jupiter were going for. The World Ends With You starts out reading from the big book of anime clichés before turning it on its head and making a genuinely fantastic JRPG.
Some reviews described the story of The World Ends With You as one of the greatest in gaming, packed with unexpected twists and stunning turns. The gameplay is similarly intricate and exciting, and the unique soundtrack and artwork set it apart from other JRPGs. Originally released on the Nintendo DS, the Android version suffered somewhat from lacking a second screen. Even then, The World Ends With You blows most other RPGs out of the water.
Available on Google Play
8. Eternium
Another throwback to an old-school classic, Eternium draws inspiration from the legendary Diablo series of action RPG dungeon crawlers. Developers Making Fun and DreamPrimer and also brought innovations to the table, introducing a mechanic where the player draws symbols on the screen to cast spells.
Players battle a range of creatures from fantasy staples to aliens and robots in a wide range of environments. They can also recruit companions to aid in their quest for revenge against their nemesis Ragadam. The fast-paced point-and-click combat keeps players on the edge of their seats as they traverse the vast landscape. Eternium offers a unique ARPG experience that fully takes advantage of the Android platform in a way few others manage. It’s not just an RPG on android, but a true Android RPG, and more then deserving of our number seven spot.
Available on Google Play
7. Chrono Trigger
The legendary JRPG Chrono Trigger came to Android in 2012. While the port had some initial kinks that needed working out, this classic title is just as great as it was back in ‘95. Some have called it the best RPG ever made. While it didn’t quite snag the top spot on our list of the best Android RPGs, that is absolutely a defensible position.
Chrono Trigger offers accessible gameplay, a spectacular soundtrack and beautiful 16-bit artwork. But it’s the storytelling that makes this game truly magnificent. Chrono Trigger also manages to take a zany plot about time-traveling kids and ground it with believable characters and realistic conflicts. A sequence of bad decisions by Square Enix are the only reasons Chrono Trigger’s Android port missed out on a spot in the top five.
Available on Google Play
6. Pascal’s Wager
Darks Souls on mobile? It sounds unlikely, but that’s precisely what Pascal’s Wager set out to be. Few people would say Giant Global’s dark fantasy action RPG was anything other than successful.
Pascal’s Wager throws players into a dreary world where humanity is barely hanging on after the Sun’s disappearance. Protagonists Terrance and Norwood battle hosts of mutated creatures searching for a mythical place said to contain humanity’s only real chance of survival. Pascal’s Wager brings the grim atmosphere, horrific monsters and twisted landscapes of Dark Souls to mobile. It also incorporates challenging Dark Souls-inspired combat that feels just as tense and engaging on a smaller screen. Additionally, the game achieves an impressive level of graphical fidelity for a game on Android. Pascal’s Wager is easily one of the best Android RPGs on the market and more than deserving of its place on this list.
Available on Google Play
5. Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions
Final Fantasy Tactics occupies that weird border region between a turn-based RPG and turn-based strategy game. It’s in that strange place where the Fire Emblems and XCOMs of the world dwell. That might be why it is often overlooked compared to other classics of its era.
War of the Lions is a remake of a game originally developed for the PSP. In addition to graphical improvement, the tactical battles also received a bit of polish, boosting it from good to great. The deep and nuanced combat system makes the player feel like they earned every victory. Meanwhile, character permadeath adds an extra layer of danger to defeat. The addition of beautiful cel-shaded cutscenes also help bring the characters to life and helps propel Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions to the number five spot.
Available on Google Play
4. Battle Chasers: Nightwar
I only recently learned about Airship Syndicate’s Battle Chasers: Nightwar. Frankly, I’m a little annoyed no one told me about this JRPG-inspired masterpiece back when it came out.
Based on the comic book series of the same name, players command a party of five heroes as they battle the forces of an evil sorceress. Playing like a mix of Diablo and classic Final Fantasy, the game features turn-based combat and procedurally generated dungeons. The challenging dungeon crawler forces players to think tactically and weigh the risks of every encounter. It also features fantastic art design courtesy of the original comic’s creator, Joe Madureira. His talents are on full display, making Battle Chasers: Nightwar easily one of the best-looking mobile games on the market. Those combined factors make it more than deserving of the #4 spot.
Available on Google Play
3. Knights of the Old Republic
It’s practically a law of nature that you can’t have a list of the best Android RPGs without mentioning classic BioWare. Many still remember Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic as one of the greatest story-driven RPGs of all time. While its mobile port introduced some minor issues, those complaints are just sunspots on KOTOR’s shining surface.
Set 4,000 years before the Star Wars films, players find themselves thrust into the midst of a galaxy-wide conflict between the titular Old Republic and an expansionist Sith Empire. The story is front and center in this BioWare classic, as the player meets fascinating characters and experiences the branching narrative. Whether you save the galaxy as a Jedi or conquer it for the Sith, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic captures the spirit of Star Wars from the opening crawl to the end credits.
Available on Google Play
2. Genshin Impact
One of the newest and best-looking games on this list, Genshin Impact proves you can have a console-quality action RPG on Android. The game was developed by miHoYo and based on a manga series of the same name. It also took the world by storm in late 2020., making it currently the newest game on our list.
The single-player story tasks the main character with finding their missing twin after being magically transported to the fantasy world of Teyvat. miHoYo represents the land of Teyvat as a beautifully rendered and highly detailed open world. In fact, it’s quite possibly the best-looking game on mobile. The game features over a hundred hours of combat and exploration. It also boasts a gacha mechanic that feels like it is rewarding the player instead of holding them for ransom. It’s no surprise that Genshin Impact glided its way to the number two spot on our list.
Available on Google Play
1. Beamdog: Neverwinter Nights, Icewind Dale, Baldur’s Gate I and II
We could have given the whole top four to Beamdog’s ports of classic BioWare and Black Isle Studios RPGs, but that wouldn’t have given anyone else a chance. Neverwinter Nights, Icewind Dale, Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate II are some of the greatest RPGs of all time.
Inspired by the Forgotten Realms setting from Dungeons & Dragons, each game offers 50 to 60+ hours of gameplay. And because it’s classic D&D, players can expect a level of complexity and strategic depth rarely seen in modern RPGs. Not only that, but Beamdog brought them all to Android without sacrificing any of what made these games the legends they are. Frankly, if you’re an Android RPG gamer and haven’t played any of these classic titles, what are you waiting for?
Available on Google Play
Did you agree with our list of the best Android RPGs of all time? Let us know in the comments. And while you’re here, check out our lists of the Best Offline Android Games. On the other hand, if you’re in the market for some great, newer games, take a look at Hardcore Droid’s Best Android RPGs of 2021.
