Best First-Person Indie RPGs

Key Takeaways

• Indie RPGs like Disco Elysium offer unique experiences for fans of first-person RPGs.
• Monomyth is an immersive dungeon-crawler with emergent gameplay for old-school RPG fans.
• Blood West combines weird-west themes, stealth gameplay, and immersive visuals for a unique RPG experience.

While independently developed role-playing games are in abundance, there are fewer that choose to tackle the first-person perspective. Indie RPGs such as Disco Elysium, Undertale, and Kenshi are shining examples of the work that can be done when developers are left to their own devices, but may not be in line with the taste of, for example, Skyrim fans.

Fans of first-person RPGs on the lookout for the creative, imaginative designs of indie games may be hard-pressed to find a large variety of titles, but there are a handful of stand-out experiences. It’s worth noting that larger-budget titles such as Dark And Darker and Kingdom Come: Deliverance, while great, have been intentionally excluded in favor of those with fewer resources.

1 Monomyth

An Interactive, Immersive, Old-School Dungeon-Crawler

• Platform(s): PC
• Released: 2024
• Developer(s): Rat Tower
• Genre: RPG

Despite bringing the imperfections that come with an Early Access launch, this combination of immersive-sim and dungeon-crawling RPG is already a worthwhile experience for fans of old-school gameplay. The interactive systems provide a great deal of emergent gameplay, immersing the player in the interconnected world, more than making up for the game’s rough edges.

Fans of games such as Arcane Studios’ classic, Arx Fatalis, with its focus on first-person dungeon-crawling, are sure to find the fun in Monomyth with little effort. Despite its old-school influences, however, the immersive elements of the game’s design and the classless character progression result in a unique experience that emphasizes player agency and encourages experimentation.

2 Barony

A First-Person Roguelike RPG Inspired By The Classics

Barony is an action roguelike dungeon-crawler with a first-person perspective, a unique art style, and diverse but frequently challenging gameplay. In keeping with traditional roguelikes, Barony features RPG character progression which is permanently lost when the player dies, and the variety of classes keeps things fresh over multiple runs.

Barony takes ample inspiration from first-person RPG classics such as Daggerfall, Ultima Underworld, and even System Shock, which is immediately apparent, but the roguelike structure and, more notably, the addition of four-player co-op (online and local), allows it to stand on its own two feet.

3 The Bloodline

A First-Person Sandbox RPG To Get Lost In

• Platform(s): PC
• Released: 2023
• Developer(s): Shieldbearer Studios
• Genre: RPG

The Bloodline is a first-person sandbox RPG with an open world packed with things to do. Weighty first-person combat, exploration, crafting, cooking, and RPG character progression make for a well-rounded experience that’s frequently rewarding. The game’s visuals may be relatively basic, but The Bloodline isn’t without awe, and the fun-first gameplay makes up for it in spades.

Fans of games such as The Elder Scrolls, Runescape, and Mount And Blade: Warband are sure to have a good time wandering the lands of The Bloodline, but it’s worth having a go for any fan of open-world RPGs and first-person combat. The Bloodline is an ambitious, expansive title, but only time will tell if it makes it through Early Access.

4 Dread Delusion

A Colorful Journey Through An Utterly Imaginative Open-World

Wild, vibrant, and utterly imaginative, Dread Delusion is a bright and colorful journey through a strange, fantastical open world. The game takes clear inspiration from classics such as The Elder Scrolls, but Dread Delusion is entirely its own beast, and the odds are that any fan of first-person RPGs with a penchant for old-school visuals will enjoy exploring it.

While Dread Delusion does feature combat and a variety of enemies, exploring its world and meeting its quirky characters is where its gameplay shines. In fact, in order to level up in Dread Delusion, players must actively collect delusions, blue skulls that allow the player to improve their attributes. This encourages exploration, rather than grinding, resulting in a refreshing loop that rewards curiosity.

5 Blood West

An Immersive Weird-West RPG With A Focus On Stealth

This first-person RPG features a weird-west theme and stealth-focused gameplay. Stealth isn’t just an option, as the world is harsh and unforgiving, and the enemies within are frequently hard-hitting, encouraging players to get creative and systematically take down their foe, rather than run in guns-blazing.

Blood West features retro 3D visuals, but its pixelated textures remain detailed. Furthermore, its various character designs are frequently memorable and, in the case of the enemies, often disturbing. The weapons are particularly great, with punchy animations and solid sound design supporting their chunky silhouettes. Fans of first-person RPGs, stealth-based gameplay, and the Wild West are sure to get a kick out of Blood West, especially if they don’t mind a little eldritch horror thrown in.

6 Lunacid

A Gloomy Adventure That Hearkens Back To Old-School FromSoftware

Taking great inspiration from old-school FromSoftware games such as Shadow Tower and King’s Field, this first-person dungeon-crawling RPG features simple but intuitive combat and, more importantly, a brilliantly executed, gloomy atmosphere. The game’s immersive low-poly environments and creative enemy and character designs are the true highlights, but the tranquil exploration and slow, methodical combat make for a rewarding gameplay loop.

Lunacid is not the most challenging game, and its labyrinthine level designs may irk some players on occasion, but its sense of style and almost cozy atmosphere alone make it worth playing. For players who also enjoy the slower pace and dungeon-crawling loop of games such as King’s Field, Lunacid is practically made for them.