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Among the multitude of genres that Steam has in store, it features a long list of free-to-play role-playing games (RPG) that continue to delight customers every day. These free RPG games are easy to learn and offer thousands of hours in gameplay to keep players glued to their seats. From anime to strategy games, these titles cover a wide spectrum of subgenres.
Guild Wars 2
Those looking for a fantastic, engrossing, and downright massive MMORPG experience can load up Guild Wars 2. This epic from Arena Net has been running strong for over a decade and recently entered a free-to-play state. Players are able to snag the base game on Steam and enjoy most of the fun that Guild Wars 2 has to offer. They’ll sadly be locked out of some content due to free-to-play restrictions but these can be lifted for those that obtain the DLC content and expansion packs.
Guild Wars 2 features incredibly fluid and satisfying combat that will keep most players hooked from the moment they try it. With multiple classes, specializations, an array of weapons, and some amazing storylines, Guild Wars 2 is the perfect free-to-play RPG for those that are craving something they can easily sink hundreds of hours into.
Tower Of Fantasy
Genshin Impact took the world by storm thanks to its satisfying open-world gameplay that felt similar to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Unfortunately, the release never made it to Steam but one of its direct “competitors” did. Tower of Fantasy is another free-to-play release with a very similar style but focuses much more on the combat elements and weapon designs than miHoYo’s adventure.
Anyone who likes the look and feel of Genshin Impact (as well as its Gacha-style character and weapon unlocking methods) but wants something that feels more like an action-packed hack-and-slash should give Tower of Fantasy a try.
Warframe
Warframe is a frontrunner for the most improved game of all time. When the title launched in 2013, its enjoyable blend of third-person shooter and melee gameplay was let down by repetitive levels and bland environments. The game’s foundations were strong but the overall package left something to be desired.
Nearly a decade later, Warframe has evolved into an ambitious project that includes open-world sections, deep lore, an impressive roster of Warframes and weapons, and a gameplay loop that makes grinding rewarding. The RPG is absolutely stacked with content, and all of it is available for free. Anyone looking for a new game they can sink hundreds of hours into should give Warframe a shot, and that includes players who only tried the free RPG during its first year or two on the market.
Grimm’s Hollow
Released just in time for Halloween, Grimm’s Hollow is a story-driven RPG about a girl, Lavender, who finds herself in the afterlife. Once there, she sets out to locate her brother. That makes up the crux of the journey, although Grimm’s Hollow does throw in a few neat surprises along the way.
While the gameplay is nothing more than serviceable, Grimm’s Hollow makes up for it with a lovable protagonist, charmingly grim visuals, and an emotional narrative. It is also pretty short and does not overstay its welcome.
Eternal Senia
Eternal Senia drops players in a tower filled with monsters and tells them to climb. In due time, the anime RPG begins to expand on its plot by exploring Senia’s past and the one relationship that matters the most to her. Although it takes its time, the story is well written and builds nicely to a trio of endings.
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Utilizing a simplistic but effective combat system, Eternal Senia delivers an enjoyable, if not particularly challenging 5-hour campaign. The boss encounters are especially satisfying.
Old School RuneScape
RuneScape will last forever, at least that seems to be the popular opinion. While the franchise has produced modern iterations, Old School RuneScape presents a way for the original incarnation to be accessed in 2022. Naturally, the game looks incredibly dated, but that is also part of its appeal.
However, Old School RuneScape’s visuals were never its calling card. The game’s longevity can be largely credited to the freedom it provides players. In this MMORPG, users can decide what type of existence they want to lead. Wish to specialize in monster hunting? Go for it? Desire a quiet life? Old School RuneScape supports that choice.
Path Of Exile
Path of Exile is a free-to-play action RPG that immerses players into the dark continent of Wraeclast. The world provides gruesome combat, enchanted items, and deep character customization. Players and their party members can choose to play different classes such as the Duelist, Witch, Ranger, Templar, Marauder, Shadow, and the Scion.
Players can journey across Wraeclast and discover ancient secrets in an epic adventure. They can learn unique skills and trade gems while playing through quests and missions. Path of Exile offers PvP tournaments and Capture the Flag events on an international scale and encourages players with daily leagues to climb up ladders and win exquisite prizes.
Neverwinter
Neverwinter lets players play and defend beautiful cities inspired by Dungeons and Dragons. Players can choose to play as the Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Warlock, and Wizard. The combat system features an action bar with slots for extensive abilities. These slots can take up abilities that can be used for offense, defense, items, and passive skills.
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Over the years, Neverwinter has released a number of campaigns and has expanded its map of dangerous dungeons to delve in. Sharander is the latest campaign from Neverwinter and was released on February 16, 2021.
Shakes & Fidget
Published by Playa Games Gmbh, Shakes & Fidget has more than 50 million players online and features dozens of dungeons to conquer and fortresses to defend. The classes included in the game are Druid, Warrior, Demon Hunter, Berserker, Battle Mage, Assassin, Scout, and Mage.
Shakes & Fidget has a shop with thousands of weapons and armor to customize characters and their builds. Having a tongue-in-cheek tone, the game features many funny characters with hilarious lines that will surely entertain and amuse players and party members. It also has PvE and PvP modes to play with friends and opponents online.
Firestone
Firestone is an indie RPG game set in Alandria, a world drenched in chaos by the forces of Undead and the Orcs. A party of five can team up and fight the forces of disorder in feature-rich maps such as Frostfire, Ebony Jungle, The Cauldron, Celenis, Silverwood, Dreadland, and Hinterland.
Players can equip their party with gear and enchantments to strengthen their might in battle. It has guilds and fellowships that players can join to take part in legendary battles. Gamers can also research ancient knowledge, carry out alchemical experiments, gather firestones, and much more.
Mist Legacy
Mist Legacy is an MMORPG that features a turn-based combat system with a top view world. Players can build their own fighting style through a combination of skills to battle monsters across the Mist. Everything in the game, from mountains, forest, rivers to cities, have skills that breathe life into the game.
Mist Legacy has a skill distribution system that can extract properties from materials and imbue them onto items that can be used in battle. Players can craft tools, gather weapons, and clothing to customize their characters. Users can team up with four other players to form a party and slay vicious monsters in the game.
Bit Heroes
Play as pixelated dungeon crawlers in Bit Heroes, a charming RPG game with a vast world to explore. The old-school RPG game has a turn-based combat system that lets players defeat and capture monsters and terrible bosses to fight alongside the party. Gamers can become the mightiest hero in the land by competing in the PvP arena, Raids, and other weekly events to win amazing prizes.
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Bit Heroes offers a ton of loot to collect and craft into items that can help players dominate every battle. The RPG provides players a surprisingly fun experience each time they play with levels that are randomly generated.
Spiral Knights
Take part in an alien adventure in Spiral Knights, a free RPG that unravels the mystery behind Cradle, a hostile planet swarming with alien creatures. Pair up with teammates and venture into the subterranean world of the Clockworks, a place pieced together by strange worlds and stranger creatures.
Worlds in the Clockworks are ever-changing and levels underneath the surface are rotated in real-time. Spiral Knights features several unique weapons and gear that are just waiting to be discovered and equipped by players. Take on monsters, solve puzzles, and collect treasures in alien worlds to reach the core of the Clockworks.
Wakfu
Wakfu is a humorous RPG that lets players venture through various dungeons, each with its own story, monsters, and final boss. Get together with friends and rise to the top of Mount Zinit to face Ogrest, the strongest being in the World of Twelve.
Players can choose to play as one of eighteen original classes that include Xelor, Sadida, Feca, Cra, and Masqueraider, just to name a few. Each class has special abilities that can help players fight creatures on the battlefield in a turn-based tactical combat system. Level up with friends and complete hundreds of quests to become a legendary hero in Wakfu.
Tactical Monsters Rumble Arena
Tactical Monsters Rumble Arena is a highly competitive indie RPG game. Take control of monsters from across time and space in a turn-based, real-time multiplayer mode to outsmart and beat opponents from every corner of the world. These monsters include Big Foot, Wukong, Hellboy, Frankenstein, and The Mummy among others.
Each of the monsters has a range of skills such as magical, physical, and ultimate attacks that keeps the action fresh and exciting for players new and old. Tactical Monsters Rumble Arena has a PvP mode that lets players battle each other to claim the world treasure chest.
Pixel Starships
Pixel Starships is a sci-fi MMORPG and a spaceship management game. Boasting a captivating 8-bit aesthetic, the free RPG lets players command every aspect of the ship, including its construction and getting it ready for battle.
People can design and build their own starships to conquer foreign lands that are under aliens. They have to also manage the ship’s limited resources and find new weapons in the depths of space. Players can look forward to forming alliances and duking it out with friends and foes online as they seek to emerge victorious on distant planets. Pixel Starships is completely crowdfunded, community-driven, and free-to-play.
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