Summary
Ever since the late 90s, Bioware has stood as one of the titans of the western RPG genre, producing modern classics that will likely be remembered as some of the greatest games ever made.
The crazy thing is that some of those games are actually sequels, not originals, meaning there’s a wealth of brilliant Bioware sequels to admire. This list ranked is purely based on game quality alone, and there’s a lot of that to be found.
There’s a fairly high chance that most gamers haven’t playedMKD2,or even heard of it. After all, Bioware didn’t develop the originalMKD,and the franchise has been dormant ever since, but it’s a weird but delightful anomaly in Bioware’s game library.
Taking the form of a third-person fast-paced shooter instead of an RPG,MKD2is beloved among its fans for its wicked sense of humor, its chaotic energy, and its determination to have cartoonish fun. It was even popular enough to get a remaster back in 2012, so it’s well worth checking out even today.
Dragon Age: Originswas an RPG sensation. Coming off the likes ofBaldur’s Gate 2andNeverwinter Nights, expectations were high for Bioware to take the Western RPG crown and develop something truly fresh with an original setting, andOriginsdidn’t disappoint, so expectations were even higher for its sequel,Dragon Age 2.
At the time,Dragon Age 2was a very controversial entry, as it discarded a lot of the hardcore RPG elements ofOriginsand replaced it with a more linear story and more action gameplay. We now know that it was likely due to a rushed production schedule, but the game has found plenty of admirers (anda lively modding scene) since its release as a bold experiment that would inevitably divide the fans.
To sayDragon Age: Veilguardwas a controversial entry into theDragon Agefranchise would be to underestimate the sheer amount of vitriol about the game. That’s a big shame, because behind the weird internet reception to the game lies some of the best action gameplay Bioware has ever delivered.
Following up the story threads ofDragon Age: Inquisition,Veilguardsees the players fight against the supernatural hordes of the mystical Veil with a tightly refined real-time combat system that prioritizes combos, fast thinking, and smart team builds. The action gameplay got overshadowed by a somewhat lackluster story, despiteseveral returning fan-favorite characters, but it’s worth checking out for its combat alone.
It’s fair to say that Bioware never had more pressure on them than the release ofMass Effect 3, the sequel toMass Effect 2,and the conclusion of an epic original sci-fi trilogy that had dominated the Western RPG market with millions of fans around the world.
WhenMass Effect 3was released and the threat of the Reapers apocalypse came true, fans were divided due to the game’s controversial ending. With several patches andtruly brilliant DLC,Mass Effect 3has become the farewell the series deserved and is well worth revisiting for gamers who may have been disappointed with it on release.
After the controversial release ofDragon Age 2, fans were cautious about what to expect from the franchise going forward. WhileDragon Age: Inquisitiongot off to a rough start, mainly due to its intimidating Hinterlands area that opened the game, it’s come to have a dedicated fanbase who regard it as one of the best entries in the franchise withsome of the best companionstoo.
A big reason for that new love is that the game deftly manages to weave the more hardcore RPG elements ofOriginswith the action-focused presentation ofDragon Age 2. By balancing those two halves of theDragon Agefranchise,Inquisitionbecame the platonic ideal for all future games to strive towards.
With the smash hit success ofBaldur’s Gate 3in 2023, many gamers may wonder whether they missed by not engaging with the franchise sooner. The answer? A resounding “Yes”.Baldur’s Gatehas always been brilliant, andBaldur’s Gate 2is a great way to prove it.
Set in Athkatla and based on the second edition ofD&Drules rather than 5e,whichBaldur’s Gate 3is based on, Bioware took all the criticism and feedback of the originalBaldur’s Gateand turned it into one of the best isometric RPGs ever made telling a compelling story with truly incredible Bioware style writing.
In the world of RPGs, the MMORPG is the final boss that few dev studios ever truly conquer as they’ve got to create not just a massive living, breathing world full of quests, raids, and memorable characters but also react to live player feedback and keep a constant churn of new content to play.
Bioware took up the task withStar Wars: The Old Republic, a spiritual sequeltoKnights of the Old Republic,The Old Republiclets players take on a variety of custom-made campaigns depending on their chosen class with truly great writing, generating over a billion dollars worth of revenue for Bioware. It’s a great time, particularly for Star Wars fans interested in the deep lore.
Nothing else could have topped this list. Widely regarded to be not just one of the greatest RPGs of the 2010s, but one of the greatest RPGs ever made,Mass Effect 2took everything wrong withMass Effectand improved on it all, modernizing in some areas, while deepening the emotional core that charges every single encounter in the game.
Bioware’s writing chops have never been better here, with acast of characters so iconicthat they remain beloved to this day. Topped off by the so-called Suicide Mission which is widely regarded to be one of the best RPG setpieces ever made, and gamers have a recipe for an absolute GOAT.
