The best party-based RPGs on Xbox and Nintendo Switch
Build your own team: role-playing games where you lead and develop a whole party of characters.
How to find games that really suit you: Tap “I like it” on up to 5 games. Playalike compares 20 traits such as combat, story and atmosphere and suggests games that hit exactly the same spot, even across genres.
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1 Dragon Age: Origins
- A party of several characters
- Strong character progression
A grim fantasy RPG where you lead a band of memorable companions as a Grey Warden against the Blight. Tactical pausable combat, distinct origin stories and weighty moral choices shape the fate of Ferelden.
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2 Baldur's Gate 3
- A party of several characters
- Strong character progression
A sprawling D&D-based CRPG where inventive turn-based combat rewards creativity and nearly every decision reshapes the story and your bonds with its superbly written companions.
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3 Pathfinder: Kingmaker
- A party of several characters
- Strong character progression
A classic isometric party RPG built on the Pathfinder ruleset where you don't just adventure but found and rule your own kingdom. Huge build depth, tough fights and decisions with lasting consequences define the experience.
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4 Fire Emblem: Three Houses
- A party of several characters
- Strong character progression
A tactical RPG with school life, in which your choice of house fundamentally changes the story.
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5 Pillars of Eternity
- A party of several characters
- Strong character progression
A love letter to Infinity Engine classics, offering tactical real-time-with-pause party combat, a richly written world built around souls and reincarnation, and a mature, melancholic story. Companions, a stronghold to manage, and meaningful choices make it a deep treat for CRPG fans.
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6 Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous
- A party of several characters
- Strong character progression
A sprawling Pathfinder CRPG about fighting a demon invasion while shaping your hero through powerful Mythic paths like Angel, Lich or Azata. Deep rules, elaborate party builds and weighty moral choices define the experience.
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7 Fell Seal: Arbiter's Mark
- A party of several characters
- Strong character progression
A turn-based tactical RPG in the vein of Final Fantasy Tactics: you lead the Arbiter Kyrie and her squad across terrain with elevation, and craft builds through a deep job class system. It features a serious fantasy story with a touch of steampunk.
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8 Solasta: Crown of the Magister
- A party of several characters
- Strong character progression
A turn-based tactical RPG that faithfully adapts Dungeons & Dragons 5e rules. You build your own party and use terrain, lighting and elevation to win fights in dungeons and ruins.
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9 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- A party of several characters
- Strong character progression
Turn-based RPG with real-time parrying and dodging, set in a melancholic Belle Époque–inspired fantasy world.
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10 Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire
- A party of several characters
- Strong character progression
A deep isometric CRPG with real-time-with-pause combat where you sail an island archipelago, command your own ship and crew, and build elaborate characters. Rich writing and meaningful choices drive the story.
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11 Mewgenics
- A party of several characters
- Strong character progression
You breed cats with random mutations, train them, and send them into tactical turn-based fights on chaotic adventures. Its twisted humor and the blend of breeding sim with roguelike structure set it apart.
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12 Persona 5 Royal
- A party of several characters
- Strong character progression
High-school life in Tokyo meets dungeon crawling: stylish turn-based battles, time management and a long, gripping story.
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13 Genshin Impact
- A party of several characters
- Strong character progression
A vibrant anime-styled open world where you swap between a team of heroes and chain elemental reactions in fast real-time combat. Every region is packed with puzzles, secrets and climbable vistas, and regular updates keep expanding the world.
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14 Battle Brothers
- A party of several characters
- Strong character progression
You lead a mercenary company through a gritty, procedurally generated medieval world, juggling contracts, gear and recruits. The turn-based battles are brutal, and losing your men is part of the experience.
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15 Final Fantasy XI Online
- A party of several characters
- Strong character progression
The first online entry in the Final Fantasy series is built around group play: you form parties with defined job roles and explore the world of Vana'diel together. Long-term character growth and teamwork are at the heart of the experience.
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16 Unicorn Overlord
- A party of several characters
- Strong character progression
A tactical fantasy strategy RPG from Vanillaware where you build squads, lead them across a world map and reclaim a kingdom. Battles play out semi-automatically based on your formations and command setups, all in gorgeous hand-drawn art.
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17 Bravely Default II
- A party of several characters
- Strong character progression
A classic turn-based JRPG where a party of four uses the Brave and Default system to borrow or save up actions. The deep job system allows many combinations and rewards clever build crafting.
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18 Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave
- A party of several characters
- Strong character progression
A new Fire Emblem tactics RPG built around a tournament where warriors fight to have their greatest wish granted. Familiar systems like combat arts and gambits are joined by new Blaze Arts, which let units trade health for powerful special moves.
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19 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
- A party of several characters
- Strong character progression
BioWare's classic Star Wars RPG lets you walk the light or dark side millennia before the films, backed by a crew of memorable companions and one of gaming's most famous plot twists.
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20 Xenoblade Chronicles 2
- A party of several characters
- Strong character progression
A sprawling JRPG set on the backs of giant Titans, where you collect Blades and use them in a real-time combat system built on auto-attacks and combos. Exploring the cloud-sea world of Alrest and a deep progression system drive the experience.
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21 Yakuza: Like a Dragon
- A party of several characters
- Strong character progression
A turn-based RPG set in modern-day Yokohama that blends gritty yakuza drama with absurd humor and plenty of charming side activities. Ichiban and his ragtag party turn everyday jobs into battle classes.
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22 Metaphor: ReFantazio
- A party of several characters
- Strong character progression
A fantasy RPG from the Persona team with stylish presentation and tactical turn-based combat.
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23 Digimon Story: Time Stranger
- A party of several characters
- Strong character progression
A turn-based JRPG where you collect hundreds of Digimon, evolve them and build your own teams while unraveling a time-travel mystery spanning the human and Digital Worlds.
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24 Octopath Traveler
- A party of several characters
- Strong character progression
Eight travelers, each with their own story and path action, roam a fantasy world rendered in the striking HD-2D blend of pixel sprites and 3D dioramas. The Boost-and-Break system makes its turn-based battles surprisingly tactical.
What matters with Party-based RPGs
Party-based RPGs are about more than one hero. You recruit companions, shape their builds, learn how they fit together in a fight and watch how they react to your choices. The appeal comes from that mix of tactics and relationships: a well-tuned team feels like your own creation, and good companion writing makes the journey personal.
The biggest choice is combat style. Real-time with pause, as in Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn and Dragon Age: Origins, keeps fights flowing while letting you stop and issue orders. Turn-based games give you time to plan every move. Also consider tone and length: Western CRPGs lean on branching choices and dense rules, while JRPGs tend toward a more directed story with a strong visual identity. Difficulty varies a lot, so check whether a game's ruleset and build depth sound fun or overwhelming to you.
Baldur's Gate III is the easiest recommendation: inventive turn-based combat and superbly written companions whose bonds shift with your decisions. Divinity: Original Sin II suits players who like creative fights, combining elements and terrain, and it supports four-player co-op. Pathfinder: Kingmaker adds kingdom management and huge build depth but expects patience with tough fights. If you prefer JRPGs, Persona 5 blends school life and dungeon heists with snappy combat, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 adds real-time parrying and dodging to turn-based battles.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best party-based RPG for beginners?
Baldur's Gate III is a strong starting point thanks to its readable turn-based combat and excellent companions. Persona 5 and Final Fantasy X are also approachable if you prefer a more guided JRPG story.
Which party-based RPGs can I play in co-op?
Divinity: Original Sin II offers four-player co-op, and Divinity: Original Sin - Enhanced Edition lets two custom heroes be played together in co-op.
Are there party-based RPGs with real-time with pause combat?
Yes, Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn and Dragon Age: Origins both use tactical pausable combat. Pathfinder: Kingmaker supports real-time with pause and also offers a turn-based mode.
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