Video game franchises are notorious for their ups and downs in terms of quality. It is pretty hard to start a series off with a banger and keep that level of hype and quality high all the way through another set of games, but despite how difficult it is, there are a few trilogies within the RPG world that have managed to hit that mark on the head, and deliver a drawout experience that never once dips in the middle.
The stories may be cohesive and engaging throughout each game, the gameplay may be incredible enough to carry the experience, or the world design might be all the series needs to keep players invested across titles. Regardless of the focus or style, these trilogies show that with the right set of design philosophies and a compelling enough universe, a single series can remain truly spectacular from the moment players are introduced to it, all the way until the final credits roll.
Baldur's Gate
The Gold Standard For CRPGs
Details:
- Party-based storytelling
- The third entry brought a more cinematic presentation to the genre.
Baldur’s Gate as a series has always been a frontrunner in the CRPG world, and with the release of the third mainline installment, the trilogy's legacy is now firmly cemented in the genre. Built on the foundational Dungeons & Dragons rules, the series focuses on tactical combat, meaningful party interactions, and sprawling questlines that reward curious and attentive players immensely.
Each entry refined the formula without sacrificing any complexity, and all of that progress culminated in the third installment, which brought with it more cinematic moments and even more depth to virtually every system in the game. It is a rare example of a series where each subsequent game is better than the last, and only time will tell if another RPG can come close to the unmatched quality of Baldur's Gate 3.
Mass Effect
Sci-Fi Action That Sticks The Landing
Details:
- Continuity across games
- Memorable relationship arcs
The Mass Effecttrilogy follows Commander Shepard’s fight against the Reapers across three interconnected games in an epic saga that still remains one of the best of its kind. Individual player choices carried forward, shaping character relationships and galactic politics in tangible ways, and those changes gave the game a much more personal feel that is rare in the modern gaming landscape.
The first game started the series with a bang, the sequel perfected squad loyalty missions, and the third escalated the stakes to full-scale war. Despite debates about its ending, the trilogy managed to maintain cohesion and consistent character development throughout, sustaining its momentum in a way that very few other games in the genre have ever come close to.
Dark Souls
Pionering An Entire Genre
Details:
- Popularized the soulslike genre
- Exceptional tie-ins between all three games
Dark Soulsbrought the soulslike genre into the mainstream, showing players around the world that punishing gameplay and ambiguous worlds could be just as, if not more, compelling than more streamlined experiences. Initially, the focus centered around the challenge and lack of direction, and those things remained constant throughout the series and even in the rest of the FromSoftware catalog.
Many people fell in love with the series right from the start, while others have gone back to revisit the classics after experiencing the epic, cinematic battles seen in the final entry. It is fair to say that DS2 has its issues, but despite the criticism, it remains a stellar RPG that can stand alongside its soulslike brothers even after all these years.
The Witcher
A True Gaming Titan
Details:
- Character story arcs are always central
- Evolving combat systems
The Witcher trilogy charted Geralt of Rivia’s journey from modest beginnings to global acclaim. The original game introduced players to a world of grey morality, while The Witcher 2 sharpened its attention towards political arcs and a more robust combat system that gave players more control over how encounters played out.
The Witcher 3 elevated the series to biblical heights, taking the existing formula and turning it into one of the most celebrated RPGs ever made. Across all three entries, characters and the world around them remained at the heart of the experience, and despite having aged slightly, the earlier titles are still well-worth revisiting to this day.
Dragon Age
Epic Ambition Matched With Epic Execution
Details:
- Rich companion dynamics
- Expanding political stakes
The original Dragon Age trilogy set out to deliver a series of varied yet interconnected tales set in the fantasy world of Thedas. Origins emphasized tactical combat and introduced many iconic origin stories, and the second game continued several character narratives, branching out even further and polishing some of the rougher edges.
Inquisition expanded the scope dramatically, extending the conflict to a much larger scale, whilst also introducing bigger areas to explore and discover. There's a reason the third installment won Game of the Year, as it took the blueprint laid by the first two and really ran away with it, and if players are worried about the earlier games' age, they can rest assured that the gameplay and stories hold up surprisingly well, especially compared to other RPGs at the time.
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This article originally appeared on GameRant and is republished here with permission.
