Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Genre: RPG, FPS, Stealth
Release date: August 23rd, 2011
Platforms: PC, PS3, Xbox 360, Mac
Score: 9/10
Similar titles: Fallout 3, Mass Effect, System Shock

Adam Jensen, pretty badass for a protagonist.

Deus Ex is a franchise every gamer should try at some point. With a rather unique science fiction plot and the brilliant 'do it how you want' attitude, this series has received high review scores by almost everyone.  Although the younger generation may have missed the first two games, Human Revolution is a prequel ideal for bringing new players into the fold.

The premise of Deus Ex: Human Revolution is set in the near future. With the world being on the brink of a new era, man is evolving beyond the realms of human and developing robotic 'augments' to enhance their capabilities. The plot revolves around Adam Jensen, a security guard at the augmentation company Sarif Industries.

Psychonauts

Genre: Platform/Puzzle
Release Date: October 11th 2006
Platforms: PC, Mac, PS2, Xbox, Xbox 360
Score: 8/10
Similar: Crash Bandicoot, Mario, Sonic
Worth Playing: While a basic platformer at heart, Psychonauts is the type of wacky & innane that you cannot help but enjoy.

The opening screen has you walking on a giant brain.

As a top contender for my favourite game, Psychonauts is really a great experience. Most critics hold Psychonauts in high esteem, despite its lack of sales. Even though it came out back in 2005, the game has aged wonderfully. Even now I'm rather eager to continue, just writing about it is making me want to play. Psychonauts 2 will possibly be coming to town in the future- and despite the douchebag Notch funding the efforts, let's hope he has nothing further to do with the development.

Torchlight

Genre: Roguelike, RPG, adventure
Release Date: October 27th 2009
Platforms: PC, Mac, Xbox 360
Score: 7/10
Similar Titles: Diablo, Titan Quest, Dungeon Siege

I've always thought of Torchlight as Diablo 2.5, although a few might be a little upset with me besmirching Blizzard so. At any rate, Torchlight is a great singleplayer timesink if you're a fan of Roguelikes.

Looks like a shiny Diablo to me.

What you will find upon purchasing this game (or stealing, for the unscrupulous), is an incredibly polished top down hack and slash. As you derp your way through a few floors of the ember mines of Torchlight, beating down on various goblins, zombies, and whatnot- you will probably wonder if there is much more to the game than this. Not really. But it's hella fun anyway.

Baldur's gate 2

Genre: Western, RPG
Release Date: September 24th 2000
Platforms: PC, Mac, Android, Iphone
Score: 10/10
Similar Titles: Neverwinter Nights, Planetscape: Torment, Icewind Dale

The game cover, nostalgic.

I'm pretty sure my review of Baldur's gate 2 won't do it justice. My score of 10/10 is all I can give it. This game is basically the king of singleplayer RPG, and I don't know how to express that. I started playing it for the first time in 2009, and it still captivated me until the very end. It has aged wonderfully, for such an outdated game.

You won't be surprised to hear it was one of the early games made by Bioware, before they became the gaming behemoth that they are today. This is another one of those games you will get constant remarks for not playing if you consider yourself an RPG connoisseur. It's not hard to get your hands on it, I'm sure there's a torrent you can find somewhere if you're a cheapskate.

Knights of the old republic

Genre: RPG, Adventure
Release Date: July 15th 2003 
Platforms: PC, Xbox, Mac
Score: 10/10 (If you like Star Wars)
Similar Titles: Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Oblivion

Game cover.

If you haven't played Knights of the old Republic and you are either a Star Wars or RPG fan, I can say only one thing to you: play it.

Most of your party can train to use the force.

If you've heard about the MMORPG game Star Wars the Old Republic, this is where it all originally came from.

KotOR is easily one of the greatest RPG games I have had the luck to play. Sure it's got flaws, any game has. But even if you despise George Lucas and Star Wars entirely, I still think you would look upon this legendary Bioware masterpiece as one of your favorites.

The plot is the games strongest point. From the beginning you are thrown into a battle with almost no recollection of your past. Original, right? Anyway, as you progress into the story it will encapture you in a immersive atmosphere, getting more intense the further you get. Not everyone wants to kill you, but you'd be surprised how many do. Your party members are fairly interesting, and can say some hilarious things. There are plenty of dialogue options, allowing you to say some pretty awesome stuff.

Dark side powers are awesome and powerful.

Graphics and sound are nothing special compared to the standards of today, certainly not the reason to buy the game. Think slightly worse than Mass Effect, with lightsabers. Overall, they aren't horrible. There are a few cutscenes in the game, some are pretty badass.

Combat is another one of the games strong points. Developing your Jedi is fun as hell, especially with all the abilities and equipment options. Using force powers like Lightning and Push are just as awesome as ever, and you can train your characters in many different specialisations. When encountering a pack of enemies and arrogantly smiting them you will truly feel like a boss.

Lightsabers are basically the best.

Choosing between light and dark has completely different consequences throughout the plot, which adds plenty of replayability along with the veritable host of characters you can recruit to your party. In other words, you wont be short on content. Even when you run out, there's always KotOR 2.

Check out the top 5 PC turn-based RPGs here!