Role-playing games are wonderful, story-driven experiences that complement the mobile gaming experience nicely. Despite the relatively tiny mobile screens we're used to (yes, 5.7 inches is still small by gaming standards), RPGs allow us to get lost in fanciful worlds for a while. In the case of some games, especially those ported over from PC, that "while" could be 20, 30 hours, or even more! This makes the best RPGs worth their price in the Google Play Store. Unfortunately, like most game genres, there are some mobile duds. We've hand-picked the best of the best to save you the trouble of digging. If you're looking for more than just RPGs, be sure to check out our roundup of the best Android games out there! Verizon is offering the Pixel 4a for just $10/mo on new Unlimited lines

BattleChasers: NightWar

BattleChasers: NightWar is an award-winning JRPG that offers one of the most complete mobile RPG experiences you'll play in 2020 — and that's complete in the sense that there's no in-app purchases or paid DLC to worry about. Hallelujah! Everything about this game is polished and complete, and it starts with a robust overworld that's filled with hidden dungeons to explore, epic bosses to take down, and other surprises along the way. The turn-based combat is inspired by all the favorites you remember from the JRPG genre and is a real treat even for a casual fan like myself. Along with the dense and sprawling world to explore that's teeming with enemies to do battle with, there's also deep crafting elements for upgrading your team's weapons, armors, and magical jewelry. An RPG is only as good as its story and characters, and given that this game is based on a graphic novel of the same name, we're given fully developed characters and a compelling story. The main character of the story a young girl named Gully who is on a quest to find her father, Aramus, a renowned hero who left behind powerful gauntlets before mysteriously disappearing — gauntlets that his daughter now makes use of in her own epic adventure. Gully is joined by a supporting cast that includes Knowlan the wise old mage who always travels with Calibretto, an ancient war golem built for battle that developed his own sentience and emotions. This game is definitely worth checking out if you're a fan of either BattleChasers or simply looking for a new JRPG to dive into.

Battle Chasers: Nightwar Battle Chasers: Nightwar is a game specifically designed to appeal to fans of turn-based role-playing titles, with a JRPG influence in all the aspects of the game. Best of all, there are no microtransactions of any kind — buy the game and you're all set. $10 at Google Play Store

Final Fantasy

Final Fantasy Square Enix has done a great job porting the majority of the Final Fantasy franchise to Android, along with developing a couple free-to-play games developed specifically for mobile. A must-play for any respectable RPG fans. Free-$21 at Google Play Store

Chrono Trigger

Chrono Trigger is another legendary RPG developed by Square Enix that's been celebrated for its fantastic storytelling and gorgeous 16-bit graphics; and it still holds up as one of the best video games of all time. The game and gameplay itself have been preserved here while upgrading some of the visuals and sound in the port over to Android. Admittedly, this is going to be a bit jarring for hardcore fans of the game; this is not an emulated SNES ROM but rather a standalone game that's been optimized for mobile gaming, with touch controls set by default and support for Bluetooth controllers. You're also now able to play this game offline, making it a great travel companion for a long plane ride. If you've never played Chrono Trigger before, this game is absolutely worth your time and money. It's a game full of mystery, adventure, and action with a riveting story that is just so satisfying.

Chrono Trigger Chrono Trigger is one of the greatest RPG stories ever told. The game has been optimized for mobile rather than a direct port from the 16-bit game (for better or worse) and includes support for Bluetooth controllers. $10 at Google Play Store

Evoland 2

Evoland isn't the most original game of all time. It borrows elements from the Legend of Zelda, Diablo, and Final Fantasy to create a classic RPG adventure that might be a bit of a knock-off, but is as fun as any of the originals. However, there's a damn-good reason for its pilfering of the classics. It offers a meta-narrative that explores the evolution of RPG video games, starting you off with monochrome graphics and a 2D character. As you progress, you unlock new technologies and new graphics until you reach the modern, 3D/HD age. Your journey is punctuated by references to classic RPGs and movies, so keep a sharp eye out and enjoy the easter eggs thrown in as you battle and loot and level up. For the sequel, the scope of gameplay was expanded to include a broader look at the history of video games, blending in different genres as you embark on a new adventure. If you love RPGs, no matter when they were made, then you'll love Evoland and the sequel Evoland 2.

Evoland 2 Evoland 2 stands out from the rest of the games on our list with its self-aware sense of humor and homages to the most popular games and genres throughout game history. $6 at Google Play Store

Arcane Quest 3

Arcane Quest 3 is a mobile RPG game for fans of classic tabletop games. It's a turn-based RPG that mixes adventure, role-playing, and strategy elements to tell an epic story of revenge and redemption. You create your adventurer from your choice of 10 unique classes as you battle hordes of orcs and other undead enemies to restore the honor of your guild and save your people. On top of the main storyline, there are real-time multiplayer quests so you can team up with your friends and other players from around the world and unlock fantastic rewards. There's also a quest editor that lets you create, publish, and share your custom-made quests, as well as options to play quests created by other players. There are hours of gameplay to be had, which are sure to please the hardcore RPG gamer, all without implementing a pay-to-win mechanic.

Arcane Quest 3 Arcane Quest 3 is an RPG that pays homage to the legacy of tabletop games. There's a full single player campaign to enjoy along with multiplayer quests for teaming up with your friends. Free w/IAPS at Google Play Store

Crashlands

Butterscotch Shenanigans makes some quirky and hilarious games and Crashlands is no exception. In what might be the funniest mobile RPG to date, you play as Flux Dabes, a space trucker who's forced to crash-land (get it?) on an alien planet thanks to an alien jerk named Hewgodooko. As you try to survive on this strange planet, you must craft your way through repairing your ship, building bases, taming wildlife to be your pets, and fighting the locals while crafting weapons and items from their corpses (it sounds morbid, but it's great). This is an award-winning RPG that most of you have been sleeping on. If you haven't checked it out yet what exactly are you waiting for?

Crashlands Crashlands is a hilarious RPG that's brimming with charisma. If you love witty dialogue, a fun story, quirky games, and crafting a ton of items, then you should be playing Crashlands. $5 at Google Play Store

Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn

If you're a D&D fan, then you'll want the Baldur's Gate games on your phone ASAP. They use a modified version of the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 2nd Edition rules and the original Baldur's Gate was credited with the computer RPG renaissance in 1998. These are your classic fantasy games, where you start off knowing only the walls of the castle in which you were born but are thrust into a war-torn world under mysterious circumstances. Venture off and take on mythical creatures, as well as real ones like rats. If you like a good old-fashioned romp around a medieval realm, clearing dungeons and slaying beasts, all while creating potions and bettering your character, then the Baldur's Gate games should be right up your alley. Given the smaller text and menu controls, this game should ideally be played on a tablet, but you might be able to get by if you've got a larger flagship phone. Once you're done with the enhanced version of the original game we've linked below, check out the sequel Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn. You won't be disappointed.

Baldur's Gate Baldur's Gate is an iconic RPG that is ideal for fans of D&D lore. Create your own customized hero, recruit your party of allies, and explore the Sword Coast in your search for adventure, profit, and the truth.. $10 at Google Play Store

Pocket Mortys

Like Pokémon? Love Rick and Morty? Does the Pope have lips? Is a chicken Catholic? At their core, the original Pokémon games were glorious RPGs and Pocket Mortys is about as close as you can get to (legally) playing the classic Pokémon games on your phone. You get to control Rick, who's just doing science in his garage when Mysterious Rick comes through a portal and challenges him to a Morty battle. Rick then goes through the portal to the Council of Ricks, who confiscate his portal gun. To get it back, you have to defeat the six Ricks sitting on the council, but before you can battle them, you must battle the Ricks from other dimensions and claim their badges. After all that's through, you have to go and capture every type of Morty. This is probably the most twisted take on Pokémon you'll come across, but it's fun and branded with the cartoon's signature humor, making it a game that just makes you wanna get schwifty. Download Pocket Mortys and SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT.

Pocket Mortys Somehow, a promotional app for Rick and Morty is also one of the best RPGs you can play on Android. If you're a fan of both Pokémon and Rick and Morty, Pocket Mortys is a must-play. Free w/IAPs at Google Play Store

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

This is the full KOTOR experience, so if you're a Star Wars fan, this is definitely the mobile game you're looking for. It's a huge download — at 2.4GB — but you get all the force-wielding, lightsaber-swinging, Republic-saving goodness that the console games dazzled us with. Choose your party from nine types of characters, travel to eight planets on the Ebon Hawk, and learn to use the Force, including over 40 powers. You also get to build your own lightsaber! Knights of the Old Republic is the epitome of a classic Star Wars RPG and this port is totally worth the cash. This game even supports controllers if you prefer to play that way. As the Jedi's last hope, you decide the fate of the galaxy as you battle your way to becoming a hero or falling to the temptation of the Dark Side.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Still to this day, KOTOR is revered as one of the greatest Star Wars video games ever created. While the graphics haven't aged quite as well over the years, few other games give you the freedom to explore the Star Wars universe like KOTOR does. $10 at Google Play Store

Dragon Quest VIII

Possibly the most popular game in the Dragon Quest series, Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King is available for Android in all its cell-shaded beauty. It was the first widely released Dragon Quest title, the first to hit the PAL region, and the first to be called Dragon Quest in North America, where it was always called Dragon Warrior. (You can check out the earlier Dragon Quest games on Android as well.) In this version, you play as the Hero, a Trodain guard, who embarks on a quest to reclaim a stolen scepter from the evil court jester, Dhoulmagus, who has cursed Trodain castle, turning the king into a troll, the princess into a horse, and everyone else into plants. This is the full PS2 game, so it takes up 1.4GB of space on your phone, but you get everything the original has to offer: epic, turn-based battles, crafting via the Alchemy Pot, and classic fantasy, presented in a gorgeous 3D anime style. If you loved Dragon Quest VIII on PS2, you'll love it on Android too.

Dragon Quest VIII Square Enix once again comes through and has ported most of the Dragon Quest franchise to Android. We'll recommend the eighth game in the series simply because its the first to make the leap to 3D graphics. $20 at Google Play Store

Eternium

Claiming to be the first RPG truly designed for touch controls, Eternium is an excellent fantasy RPG that does feel great to play. The controls are smooth and make sense to the mobile experience and the gameplay is fun and immersive. You and your party are off on a quest to prevent Ragadam from taking over the world and ultimately destroying it, all the while battling skeletons and demons, collecting loot, crafting items and weapons, and casting spells to get the job done. The spell-casting controls are particularly cool, since you have to draw symbols on your screen to summon different spells. If you're looking for an RPG experience similar to dungeon crawlers like Diablo that was truly meant for mobile, then indulge in Eternium.

Eternium Eternium is a free-to-play mobile RPG that claims to offer no paywalls and is never pay-to-win. It's a refreshing take from the dungeon-crawling genre that all too often follows the opposite philosophy. $10 at Google Play Store

Dungeon Hunter 5

This is one of the deepest RPGs on this list, featuring a story mode, an online mode, and a co-op mode where you and up to three friends can team up to hack and slash your way through dungeons, all the while leveling up and unlocking new weapons, armor, and other upgrades to create even stronger weapons. This game is huge. The initial download is 33MB, but you'll eventually be downloading gigabytes of data, since there are over 900 weapons to wield and hundreds of different spells and skills to acquire. While online, you get to develop your own dungeons where your precious loot resides, defended by minions that you recruit and craft from Minion Shards. As an added defense, you get to build Trap Rooms within your dungeons in order to thwart those that might steal your treasure. Just be careful; you'll likely be on the receiving end fairly often! If you're looking for an awesome free RPG that you can play until Ragnarok, then dive into Dungeon Hunter 5 and definitely keep an eye on your data usage!

Dungeon Hunter 5 This hack n' slash RPG will have you hunting down monsters through more than 90 dungeon crawler missions. Featuring great graphics and a ton of weapons and armor to loot and customize, there's a ton of content here for hardcore RPG fans. $10 at Google Play Store

Neverwinter Nights

We have a few classic RPGs on this list and I figured it was time to add some more. Among those is the Enhanced Edition of Neverwinter Nights, one of my favorite games of my early years. This BioWare CRPG is often eclipsed by Baldur's Gate and KOTOR in terms of what people remember, but it's still a fantastic game. As I recall, it's a bit darker than Baldur's Gate, but I haven't played it in years. Like the other Beamdog titles, Neverwinter Nights' Android port features a ton of mobile enhancements, like a refined UI, touch controls, graphics options, cross-platform multiplayer, and backwards compatibility with your old save games and mods. At $10, it's a steep price, but you're getting a ton of value for your money. Like the similarly-priced Android versions of KOTOR and Baldur's Gate, there is multiple hours' worth of content to play through. If you're a fan of classic RPGs, or want to experience more of the genre's history, then be sure to check this one out.

Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition If you liked Baldur's Gate, then Neverwinter Nights is for you. It features a ton of mobile enhancements and it's well worth the many hours of investment. $10 at Google Play Store

Icewind Dale

Continuing the trend of classic RPGs, Icewind Dale deserves a shoutout. While perhaps not as memorable as Baldur's Gate or Neverwinter Nights, I still have fond memories of Icewind Dale "back in the day." Thanks once again to Beamdog, it has seen new life on Android. Much like the other Enhanced Edition ports, Icewind Dale has received some upgrades to make it more palatable to modern audiences. It's optimized for large tablet screens, but it's playable on a big phone. There are a slew of bugfixes and improvements versus the original and it sports cross-platform multiplayer for that epic adventuring with friends. Many RPGs tend to pack in a ton of value for the money, and Icewind Dale is no different. It definitely shows its age, but I think any RPG fan can enjoy it.

Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition Wander into the brutal and harsh Icewind Dale to uncover an evil brewing deep beneath the Spine of the World. This classic RPG is sure to keep you entertained for many hours to come. $10 at Google Play Store

Planescape: Torment

Going back to 1999, we have one of the best RPGs ever, Planescape: Torment. This game is legendary for its story, soundtrack, and characters. Now it's been remastered and ported to modern platforms, including Android, all thanks to Beamdog. Planescape: Torment's return comes with several improvements to the core game, like bugfixes and so on. What made the original so amazing is still here, like the excellently-written dialogue, character builds, and the soundtrack (which has also received a remaster). It's well worth the monetary and time investment to experience this gem of RPG history and to see what inspired so many others that followed. For me, personally, there hasn't been anything quite like Planescape: Torment since, though there are other RPGs I like better. That's nostalgia for you.

Planescape: Torment: Enhanced Edition Hailed as one of the best RPGs of all time, 1999's Planescape: Torment is available on Android with many enhancements. You can expect superb writing, great characters, and an excellent soundtrack on top of the many, many hours of gameplay. $10 at Google Play Store

The Banner Saga

The Banner Saga is a pretty awesome Norse fantasy tactical RPG that reminds me a lot of Fire Emblem. I only got a chance to play a little bit of the first game, but I hear nothing but good things about the trilogy. Unfortunately for Android users, only the first two games are available on the Play Store. Still, those are two games worth your time. The art style is simply stunning, with excellent character design and gorgeous vistas. The gameplay itself is fairly intense, requiring a lot of strategy in how your form your party, place your units, and engage with your enemies. The Banner Saga features plenty of characters to interact and develop relationships with. Your choices matter here, so be careful in how you approach things. I highly recommend both The Banner Saga and The Banner Saga 2. Yes, they're $10 each, but if you're a fan of tactical RPGs, then you should give them a try.

The Banner Saga Embark on an epic journey in The Banner Saga, a Norse-inspired fantasy adventure. Save your people and engage in the tactical combat that will require your best strategies. $10 at Google Play Store

AnimA

AnimA is a Diablo clone for Android, even down to the fonts used, but I'm here for it. This game pays homage to Blizzard's classic ARPGs. It has a dark, foreboding atmosphere, a fun loot grind, and plenty of enemies to hack-and-slash to death. This is a free-to-play game with microtransactions, but it seems to be similar to Path of Exile where you can still play through the game on your own terms. Overall, the monetization isn't too egregious and the developers just let you enjoy the game. So give AnimA a try if you're into ARPGs and need something new to play. It's a great time while you wait for Diablo Immortal to arrive.

AnimA AnimA is an isometric ARPG that features a fun gameplay/loot loop, pretty visuals, and a dark storyline. It's perfect for Diablo fans. It's also free with minimal microtransactions. Free w/ IAPs at Google Play Store

Titan Quest

ARPGs aren't super common on Android, other than AnimA, but we have a classic on our hands. Titan Quest filled the void for a lot of us in the time between Diablo II and Diablo III. It plays heavily into different mythologies, looks nice (especially given that the original game came out in 2006), and the Android port is mostly good. It's no secret that I love Titan Quest and I gush about it whenever I get the chance. The story is fun as heck, the gameplay is incredibly addicting, and the loot pool keeps you coming back for more. Within hours of starting the game, you'll have a pretty badass-looking hero ready to save the world from the Titans. My biggest complaint is that this is a port of the OG Titan Quest, not the more recent Anniversary Edition. That means it lacks the additional content that THQ Nordic has packed in. However, if you love the thrill of finding new loot and want a classic game that does it right, then be sure to pick up Titan Quest in the Play Store. I've played through this game tons of times and loved each playthrough. There's a lot of build diversity, and though there are fewer disciplines than the Anniversary Edition, you still have plenty to work with.

Titan Quest This classic ARPG was ported to Android a few years ago and it's worth every penny. If you like ancient mythology, hack-and-slash ARPG gameplay, and tons of loot, this game is definitely one you should pick up. $8 at Google Play Store

Wayward Souls

Wayward Souls is a special treat of a game, blending APRG elements with a rogue-like. Each level is randomized, including loot and enemy placement, and death is permanent. Combat is fun and in real-time, so things can get out of hand rather quickly if you're not careful. This game doesn't hold your hand and you will die several times over. The goal is to reach the exit of each level, but that can often be extremely difficult or super easy, depending on your luck of the draw and your skill. Some people have even said Wayward Souls sports some Dark Souls design cues, though it doesn't quite qualify as a Souls-like. Think of an ARPG like Diablo and a rogue-like with a hint of Dark Souls thrown in. Wayward Souls is hard, don't get me wrong, but it's something you need to experience for yourself. Controls are super tight, there are no microtransactions, and it's overall a must for people who like a challenge, love retro-style pixel art, and want a game that will keep them really busy.