BioWarehas been developing games and expertly craftedRPGssince 1995. despite being better known for their RPGs their first game was a mech-simulator for the MS-DOS calledShattered Steel.It was a moderate success for the developers, but it was the beginning of their relationship with the game publisher Interplay.
The team was determined for their next title to be an RPG and Interplay suggested that BioWare’s next title should be based on theDungeons & Dragonsfranchise, which lead to the development ofBaldur’s Gateand a long list of great games.
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In the 2000s BioWare was purchased byElectronic Artsreleasing games likeMass Effect,Dragon Ageand more recentlyAnthem. Unfortunately, their most recent titles -AnthemandAndromeda -haven’t been as well-received, so it’s easy to forget just how good the BioWare brand has been when it comes to RPGs. Let’s take a look at ten of their best rated, according to Metacritic.
10Mass Effect 3 (Metascore 89)
Mass Effect 3is the final episode in the originalMass EffectCommander Shepard trilogy. It was released on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii U, and PC in 2012. Despite the critical acclaim, the game’s ending wasn’t as well-received among fans of the series.
As a big-budget science fiction spectacle though the game was filled with incredible set-pieces and character interactions with Shepard’s crew especially after BioWare released the Extended Cut DLC which helped expand the game’s ending and provide a satisfying farewell to the characters.
9Jade Empire (Metascore 89)
Jade Empirewas released on the Xbox as timed exclusive in 2005 and was later released on the PC in 2007. It was a different direction for BioWare as the game’s theme and the setting were steeped in Chinese Mythology and martial arts.
The game’s combat system was more action-oriented than BioWare’s previous games but the importance of morality-based dialogue choices was just as prominent. Visually, the game still holds up very well with a colorful dream-like art style that only adds to Jade Empire’s mysticism and lore.
8Mass Effect (Metascore 89)
The firstMass Effectwas first released exclusively in 2007 for the Xbox 360 and was eventually ported to the PC in 2008 and the PlayStation 3 in 2012. It was the first game in BioWare’s new science fiction series after they moved on from theStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republicseries.
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The game’s mechanics built upon many of the same mechanics that BioWare created forStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Just like its predecessor, it offered players incredible amounts of replay value and they created a fantastic new sci-fi universe with its own believable lore and history.
7Dragon Age: Inquisition (Metascore 89)
Dragon Age: Inquisitionwas released on the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and the PC in 2014. It was considered a return to form for the series in terms of storytelling and characters after the disappointingly linear and action-orientedDragon Age II.
Inquisitionwent back to what made the first game so good and gave players the choice of a third person or the classic top-down view in combat. It meshed together with the elements from its predecessors and came up with plenty of ideas of its own. Furthermore, the game’s regions gradually gave players a much larger and open game than ever before.
6Dragon Age: Origins (Metascore 91)
Dragon Age: Originswas released in 2009 for the PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It was the first time that BioWare took worked on a high fantasy RPG since theBaldur’s Gateseries. Just like the Mass Effect series, theDragon Ageuniverse was created from the ground up by BioWare.
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The developers used both A Song of Fire and Ice andThe Lord of the Ringsas a source of inspiration forDragon Ageand created a dark fantasy world filled to the brim with its own lore and history.
5Neverwinter Nights (Metascore 91)
Neverwinter Nightswas first released on the PC in 2002. The remastered edition created by Beamdog eventually made its way on to consoles in 2019 and was published by Skybound on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and the Nintendo Switch.
Set in theForgotten Realmsuniverse and using theDungeons & Dragons3rdedition rulesNeverwinter Nightsoffered players incredible amount freedom and depth. It also provided gamers with the Aurora toolset so they could create their own campaigns and worlds.
4Baldur’s Gate (Metascore 91)
Baldur’s Gatewas first released on the PC in 1998. It was eventually remastered and ported to consoles in 2019 on the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. The game is based in theForgotten Realmsuniverse and uses a modified version of theAdvanced Dungeons and Dragons 2ndEdition Rules.
The game is still regarded by fans of the computer RPGs to be one of the greatest in its genre almost twenty years later.Baldur’s Gatestill offers players a nearly unmatched amount of freedom that has only been surpassed byDivinity: Original Sin II– a game inspired byBaldur’s Gate.
3Mass Effect 2 (Metascore 94)
Mass Effect 2was released on the Xbox 360 and the PC in 2011 and the PlayStation 3 in 2012. The second episode in Commander Shepard’s trilogy is considered to be the best in the series and some of BioWare’s finest work.
Shepard finds himself resurrected by the villainous Cerberus organization seemingly lead by the Illusive Man (voiced by Martin Sheen) and has to work with them to fight against the Reapers.Mass Effect 2is an emotional thrill ride from start to finish and the difficult decisions having an impact that will last all the way to its sequelMass Effect 3.
2Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic (Metascore 94)
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republicwas released on the Xbox and the PC in 2003. its story is set 4000 years before the Galactic Empire was formed and centers on the aftermath of Darth Malak unleashing a Sith attack on the Republic.
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The game’s impactful plot and dialogue choices, as well as the protagonist’s allegiances, will affect whether their character will choose the light or dark paths of the Force. With the amount of freedom, replay value and a fantastic twist,Knights of the Old Republicstill hold up as the greatestStar Warsgame ever created.
1Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows Of Amn (Metascore 95)
Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amnwas first released for the PC in 2000 and on consoles in 2019 together with the first game. It is still regarded as BioWare’s greatest title by fans, of course, Metacritic with its score of 95. The game is a direct continuation ofBaldur’s Gateand was an improvement in every way to its predecessor.
There’s a near-endless amount of things to do inBaldur’s Gatewith hundreds of side-quests, relationships, and romance choices.Shadows of Amnand theThrone of Bhaalexpansion could last players at least 140-150 hours.
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