The evolution of the RPG genre throughout the years, fromDungeons and DragonspredecessorChainmailto modern games likeThe Elder Scrollsfranchise, has been impressive, to say the least. Games that started as little more than chess pieces and dice have become immense worlds filled with stories and characters unimaginable to the early pioneers of the genre.
RELATED:Best 2000s RPGs (That Were Way Ahead Of Their Time)
Due to recent social restrictions, or just a lack of players, the transition from pen-to-paper to digital code has become a necessity for a lot of us, whether that means finding ways to emulate the tabletop experience through the weband to satisfy the gaming urge. Here are a handful of our favorite video games that have either directly adapted or otherwise translated tabletop systems to a digital experience. It’s something to remember when it’s time for the party to roll for Initiative.
Updated on June 21, 2025, by Kristy Ambrose:The trend of tabletop games being adapted for computer and console play is experiencing a resurgence thanks to the recent launch of some impressive titles based on TTRPGS and their related adventure modules. It’s also created a cyclical effect in which the popularity of some video adaptations has encouraged the rising trend of old-fashioned, pencils, paper, and dice, which could also be an indication that the age of digital gaming has reached its peak. There’s also the point where the two worlds meet halfway, in which adventuring parties connect online, and that can mean anything from an MMO to a virtual tabletop.
13Planescape: Torment (1999)
A dark fantasy tactical RPG directly taken from theDungeons & Dragonsmultiverse,Planescape: Tormenttakes place in “Sigil,” a city dug into the literal center of the multiverse. The city contains multiple portals for its inhabitants to travel between the outer planes, hence the title, which allows players much more variety in terms of exploration.
The recent remaster,Planescape: Torment: Enhanced Editionmultiplies the fun with HD graphics, better multiplayer, and a list of gameplay patches. It’s a classic for anyone into RPGs in real life or in digital form.
12Pathfinder: Kingmaker (2018)
Based on thePathfindergame system, which is one of the most popular alternatives toDungeons & Dragons, the video adaptation of Kingmaker is based on a series of TTRPGs in the Kingmaker Adventure Path Campaign series. Players not only fight their way through quests and adventures but also build a whole kingdom while doing it.
RELATED:RPGs With Great Battle Systems That Test A Player’s Patience
Combat, stats, and character customization are interpreted faithfully from the campaign and brought to an isometric, turn-based environment. The sequel,Wrath of the Righteous, doesn’t have the same building aspects and instead focuses on the adventure part.
11Shadowrun (2007)
TheShadowrunseries uses many of the same systems asDungeons & Dragons,translating the races and classes to a more cyberpunk setting, while keeping a good balance of fantasy. The first game in the series was released in 2007 and was also inspired by Counter-Strike in addition to the TTRPG of the same name.
The three most recent games,Shadowrun Returns, Hong Kong,andDragonfall,all have their merits in the world of roleplaying games and are worth a look for players intrigued by the world. Veteran fans will often recommendDragonfallover the rest, due to tightened mechanics and storytelling, but the original is most faithful to the tabletop version.
10Call Of Cthulhu (2018)
The role-playing game on which this video is based dates back to 1981 and has been consistently popular for the last few decades. The video game of the same title was launched in 2018, only a few years after yet another edition of the original TTRPG was released in 2014.
Call of Cthuluis a survival horror game as well as an RPG, and the video gameembraces its dark nature. The setting is 1920s Boston and the main character is a somber private eye plagued by nightmares as he tries to unravel the mysterious and gruesome death of a young family.
9Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic (2003)
Star Warsfans have long been delighted with the success of theKnights of the Old Republicgames, which took many systems from the 1987 TTRPG and enhanced them into an impressive open world. Modernized as it may be,KotORprovides an experience that feels not too far from the original tabletop setting, with clever story hooks, an alignment system, team-based combat, and dynamic leveling trees.
RELATED:Best Star Wars Games Ever, Ranked
BothKotORgames are worth a buy for TTRPG gamers and fans ofStar Warsalike and are relatively easy to pick up for newcomers to the series. The video gamealso does a fantastic job catering to fans of both the cinematic and extended universe, as it keeps the classicStar Warsfeel while also charting bold new territory for the series as a whole.
8Fallout Classic (1997)
Before Bethesda’s hit release ofFallout 3, which was the first in the series to follow a more modern RPG system, the series followed a much more tabletop-inspired format. Some fans of the franchise will go so far as to say that the earlyFalloutgames provide a much more immersive roleplaying experience than recent entries, as the storytelling is more dynamic and open-ended for player characters.
The original concept of Fallout was developed based on the Generic Universal Role Playing (GURP) gaming system. The first two games boast overwhelmingly positive reviews on their respective Steam pages and are highly recommended for any fans of the genre.
7Icewind Dale (2000)
Another directadaptation fromDungeons & Dragons,Icewind Daletakes players to the Spine of the World, in the northernmost reaches of the Forgotten Realms. There’s also a sequel and an Enhanced Edition for thoseD&Dadaptation fans looking to complete their collection.
With diverse options for party building, immersive world maps, and definitive combat,Icewind Daleis a must for fans of classic RPGs and even comes with multiplayer options to make play-throughs feel more authentic to the game’s tabletop origin.
6Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines (2004)
The title of this game is derived from the name of the TTRPG on which it’s based;Vampire: The Masquerade. The setting is the World of Darkness, as created by White Wolf Publishing as a TTRPG horror and fantasy gaming system, and every player begins their adventure as a fledgling vampire.
The video game adaptation is playable in both the first and third person and is considered an action and a role-playing game. Unique character customization choices include choosing a vampire clan and leveling their powers as creatures of the night.
5Pillars Of Eternity (2015)
Not only isPillarsa fantastically realized isometric RPG, but its character development and branching narrative have elevated it to a legendary status by critics and players alike.Pillars of Eternitytakes a unique, more streamlined approach toD&D’scharacter-building systems while using the same modules as theBaldur’s GateandPlanetscape: Tormentgames, which allows different approaches for any player’s style.
RELATED:Dungeons & Dragons: Must-Use Campaign Settings For Your Game Table
Any fans ofNew Vegas’famous roleplaying freedom will find the same creative joy inPillars of Eternity,while simultaneously scratching any player’s itch for well-written fantasy content, something that will never lose its novelty in the gaming community.
4Disco Elysium (2019)
Down to the dice rolls and branching character development,Disco Elysiumgets the tabletop and video game formula perfectly right. Legend has it thatthe whole concept for the gamestarted with aD&Dhomebrew module and evolved from there. It places the RPG genre into the world of a detective, who is entirely at the whim of the player.
The developers themselves claim “nothing is off the table,” as players are encouraged to take advantage of the world and its citizens to tell the story they want. Become a millionaire, a disaster, a folk hero, the world is as vast as the choices made therein.
