Choosing a class is one of the first things you do in most RPGs. These titles place more importance on it than others.
Role-playing games have always been about character progression and deep immersion in the worlds carefully crafted by the developers. In some of the older RPGs, going down a certain path with a character carried much more weight than it does nowadays, with respeccing and easily-created jack-of-all-trades builds allowing gamers to be much more careless with their choices.
Classes and guild allegiances in RPGs used to matter a lot more in older games than they do now, but that doesn’t mean that all modern titles discard their importance. Whether it’s a 20-year-old cult classic or a modern AAA blockbuster, video games where class systems are fleshed out and have more impact on storylines and gameplay usually have a higher replay value than their more straightforward counterparts.
Updated on June 11, 2023 by Ritwik Mitra: With RPGs becoming more and more common across most games, many fans of the hardcore nature of these titles are pretty displeased that the rigid class systems that really forced players to think about their build are not present in titles that are meant to appeal to a broader audience. It’s easy to see why so many people are fans of more rigorous and tough RPGs that utilize class systems to great effect, allowing players to customize and form a build that suits their playstyle.
Thankfully, there are more than enough titles where making a class is extremely important, with games making it a point to ensure that players can only pursue a particular build instead of becoming a master of all trades in record time. Combat is not the only thing that is affected by a different build, since many events and interactions can also change in certain games based on the skill set of the player! 18 Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines
It’s a shame that Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines was released on the same day as Half-Life 2, pretty much dooming the game’s sales for good. The fact that the game was pretty broken on launch didn’t help things either, with a slew of bugs and glitches bogging down the entire experience.
However, over time, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines has accrued a reputation in the industry as one of the best-written RPGs in the genre. There are different kinds of vampires to choose from, with each class being wildly different in its own way. The Malkavian and Nosferatu vampire classes serve as great examples of just how brilliant this game really is, with the entire playthrough changing wildly based on the restrictions and unique eccentricities these classes possess. 17 Golden Sun
Nintendo has several great franchises that have unfortunately been lost to the sands of time, and Golden Sun is no different. This unique JRPG series allowed players to mix and match Djinns to form different classes that sported unique powers of their own. Not only did this help out in combat, but players could interact with the overworld in new and meaningful ways as well!
The magic of Golden Sun was accumulating numerous Djinns and figuring out the best possible permutations and combinations that could benefit the player both in and out of combat. It was a unique spin on the class system and made for a great and unique way to play through a JRPG that combined the age-old job systems of the series along with a unique mix-and-match system that made players feel quite smart when they finally figured out some innovative Djinn combinations. 16 Final Fantasy 5
Final Fantasy 5 is one of the most underrated games in the series, with many players lamenting the lack of a serious story that the previous title in the series employed to great effect. However, while this criticism may be valid in certain instances, most people who go all-in on the negative points of this title fail to appreciate just how amazing the gameplay of this title really is.
The fact that many Final Fantasy veterans feel like this title has the best implementation of the Job System in the series is hefty praise that goes to show just how fun the moment-to-moment gameplay in this game really is. Mastering jobs and acquiring new ones before using the Freelancer job to utilize every skill the player has learned makes for an amazing time indeed. 15 Grim Dawn
Grim Dawn is a fantastic ARPG that did not get enough hype back when it was released in 2016. With smooth combat and a unique, interesting world, no role-playing enthusiast should sleep on this game. One of the better aspects of Grim Dawn is its class system.
Straight-forward and easily understandable even at first glance, the class mechanics allow for some surprisingly in-depth character customization, significantly altering the experience every time an upgrade is made. With six base classes to choose from (players can attach their characters to a second class later on in the game) and complex yet concise skill trees, the class system in Grim Dawn is truly something players can sink their teeth into. 14 Outriders
Developed by People Can Fly, the same studio that created Bulletstorm, and laid down the foundations for Fortnite during their brief stint as part of Epic Games, Outriders is a class-based looter-shooter that players have been yearning for ever since many have grown tired of the Destiny formula.
