Winter is the perfect time to curl up on the couch for a long RPGadventure, but some games make for better fits than others. While sunny beaches and arid deserts are great RPG settings in their own right, making a cup of hot chocolate and venturing through a virtual blizzard is the perfect pairing.
The best RPGs to play in the winter all take advantage of this fact, but more importantly, they’re great RPGs. From the branching opportunities of Bethesda games to the grand storytelling of JRPG giants, there’s no shortage of great options to explore before spring arrives.
10
I Am Setsuna
As a throwback RPG from Square Enix, I am Setsuna has been thoroughly outstripped in recent years. Games like Octopath Traveler 2 have taken things to new heights, recapturing more of what made classic Square Enix games so legendary to begin with. I am Setsuna, however, is the only one completely dedicated to a wintry setting, making it the obvious choice for this list.
I am Setsuna isn’t afraid to invoke the classics, citing Chrono Trigger as one of its main sources of inspiration, but it’s better not to think about the truly legendary RPGs while playing it. Taken in its own right, it’s still a solid experience, with some interesting characters and party builds.
9
Yakuza 0
Before the turn-based switch, not everyone qualified the Yakuza games as RPGs, with the emphasis on beat-’em-up combat and urban setting deviating from genre norms. Between the dizzying array of stats to upgrade and the unending barrage of memorable side quests, however, they definitely earn the genre title.
Yakuza 0 is one of the best starting points for the series, and it also takes place during the Christmas season. The same goes for Yakuza Kiwami, Kiwami 2, and 5, so you can mark your calendar for Decembers to come. Meanwhile, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth and Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii are sunny summer options.
8
Disco Elysium
Unlike a lot of games on this list, Disco Elysium isn’t set in the depths of winter, but it does catch the tail end of the season. The detective Harry Du Bois is thrust into a tangled mystery while snow drifts still cover the ground, and all the eccentric characters that litter the streets of Revachol are bundled up against the cold.
If you like complex storytelling and rich, interesting choices, Disco Elysium is a must. While it doesn’t involve any traditional combat like you’d expect from most RPGs, you’ll have your hands full navigating everything else that it has to offer. There’s a reason this one pops up so often in conversations about the greatest RPGs of all time.
7
Valkyria Chronicles 4
Like the othergames in the series, Valkyria Chronicles 4 features plenty of grassy fields and plains of flowers. It also, however, features some snow-bound environments, and it leans into them in a way that stands out. From snow physics to visible breaths in the cold, Valkyria Chronicles 4 pushes the wintry atmosphere to the forefront.
The Valkyria Chronicles series focuses on strategy, but they’re still RPGs through and through. You don’t need to worry about playing the others before Valkyria Chronicles 4, as 1, 2, and 4 all follow different events at the same time. While there are still some references here and there, you definitely won’t find yourself lost as to the story.
6
Parasite Eve
Let’s say you don’t want to commit to a bunch of Yakuza games, but you still want something to scratch the Christmas itch. Enter Parasite Eve, another RPG out of Japan that takes place during the holiday season. This one’s much more horror-tinged, having as much in common with Resident Evil as it does with Final Fantasy.
It’s not necessarily full of cheer, but the presence of Christmas is explicit. Everything kicks off on a Christmas Eve date, and protagonist Aya Brea has to trade her stylish dress for warmer clothes as she ventures through snowy urban environments. Parasite Eve 2 has less interest in the holidays, but the PSP entry The Third Birthday returns to the Christmas focus.
5
Icewind Dale
Icewind Dale may not be the very best of the D&D RPGs, with the Baldur’s Gate trilogy and Planescape: Torment outstripping it in role-playing and storytelling. It is, however, the most wintry. The game is fully committed to the frosty reaches of Icewind Dale, a D&D setting that tends to emphasize the environment as one of the biggest threats.
There’s also Icewind Dale 2, but if you haven’t played either, you’re probably better off starting with the first. It’s a lot easier to get lost in the sequel — literally, not in terms of immersion — so it could be a frustrating experience for newcomers.
4
Final Fantasy 7
It’s common for JRPGs to have a wintry area, and a lot could earn valid places on this list. Tales of Symphonia‘s snow-covered town of Flanoir is one of my favorites, and Octopath Traveler has some nice offerings. Even Final Fantasy 10, a game with a beach on the cover, eventually heads to a colder climate.
Final Fantasy 7‘s Icicle Inn is a charming setting, but that wouldn’t be enough to push it over the competition by itself. The real treat is the snowboarding minigame, a claim to fame that puts other snowy JRPG areas to shame. Beyond that, Final Fantasy 7 is also one of the greatest RPGs ever made, with a compelling emotional narrative and a constant willingness to reinvent itself.
3
Wasteland 3
Wasteland 2 was largely billed as a Fallout spiritual successor, crafted by developers behind the original Wasteland and Fallout. Unsurprisingly, it leaned into a Western desert setting, ticking all the right boxes for fans of classic Interplay games. Wasteland 3, however, heads north, embracing a frigid, post-apocalyptic Colorado environment.
Luckily, Wasteland 3 maintains the strengths of the series despite the setting swap. From meaningful choices to complex tactical combat, there’s plenty to sink your teeth into here. The other Wasteland titles are also worth playing, but you’re fine to pick things up here if you want to leap into the Colorado setting headfirst.
2
The Banner Saga
The Banner Saga isn’t the richest tactical experience of all time, but its solid tactical battles are just one part of the overall picture. It’s also a game about making hard choices, and it pulls that off better than almost anything else out there.
While The Banner Saga draws on Viking mythos and imagery, it takes its own fantastical approach to an apocalyptic scenario. As doom approaches, keeping your band of survivors alive and unified can become a Herculean task, presenting complex decisions with no obvious wins. You’ll want to play both sequels after the first, as it’s essentially just one story broken into three games.
If there’s one quintessential winter RPG, it’s probably Skyrim. The fifth installment in The Elder Scrolls moves to the frosty land of the Nords, and you can practically feel the chill when wandering its mountainous landscapes. The rich world of modding also makes it possible to adjust the environment entirely to your liking, adding features like more dynamic snow.
Skyrim is an iconic open-world game, obviously, but the best reason to play it in the winter is just how cozy it can feel. In the midst of the harsh weather, the warmth of a tavern or home offers true solace. If you want to lean into the weird side of The Elder Scrolls, Morrowind is an even more interesting RPG, but Skyrim is the best of Bethesda’s RPGs to hit up on a winter night.
- Released
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November 11, 2011
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes
- Engine
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Creation
- Expansions
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Skyrim: Dragonborn, Skyrim: Hearthfire, Skyrim: Dawnguard
