The RPG genre has a particular way of pulling gamers into the fictional realms they provide, but one of the most beloved pastimes of any role-playing experience is creating a custom avatar to further bolster the immersive endeavor.
Players might want to make a complete replica of themselves or simply fulfill their fantasy and design their own being. But, whatever the case, a good character creator is practically mandatory for many entries in the genre. So, it should come as no surprise that, as the genre continues to evolve, developers add more and more choices and variations on character creation.
Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels Of The Starry Skies
It might have been a Nintendo DS title, but this entry in the iconic Dragon Quest franchise offered a character and party creation system that was revolutionary for the time. Not only were players able to craft their own hero character, choose their class, and outfit them with various weapons and outfits, but the same options were offered for their NPC party members, as well.
The amount of character freedom was truly remarkable for a traditional JRPG, but it did come with one certain drawback. Unlike the other entries in the series, party interaction was practically nonexistent, making the player character and their party blank slates with little chemistry or outside personality.
Divinity: Original Sin II
Impressive is just one word used to describe the creation system in this equally impressive RPG. Not only can players design their own fantasy character, but they can customize their backstory, subclass, appearance, and even their voice and personality to create a totally original hero.
There are many games that take after story-heavy titles like Dungeons and Dragons, and to say character development isn't an important factor would be an outright lie. By including more personal character details in creation, the game further enhances the roleplaying element of the RPG.
3D Dot Game Heroes
There are many who dispute the fact that Zelda and games that take after it shouldn't count as RPGs, but there are many who would highly disagree, especially when considering this title from From Software. If gamers can build with legos, they can build their own sprite-inspired character for this adventure.
Apart from the graphics, it's a more tongue-in-cheek take on a '90s adventure title like Link To The Past, but there's easily a more personal and fun element by creating an alternative to the typical green-clad hero.
Bloodborne
Games in From Software's insanely difficult Souls series have always had a solid character creation engine, but Bloodborne came with a particularly stylish system. Trading in the medieval fantasy for a more Lovecraftian Horror setting allowed for a unique, decidedly Victorian flavor.
Unlike the Souls games, the player characters presented in the game feel more human and prepared for the horrors ahead—provide they don't succumb to the dreaded blood plague or pantheon of eldritch entities, of course.
Skyrim
Skyrim has been in RPG gamers' good graces for years, and its character creator has helped many fantasy fans create many variations on the one to be called "Dovakhin." From Nords to and Bretons to the more exotic races of Argonians and Khajiits, the possibilities of character appearance and archetype are endless.
Since the game offers a grand sense of freedom in its story and gameplay, a character creation process to match is to be expected. Simply put, the game offers an endless variety of looks for endless playthroughs.
Fallout 4
Of course, the mystic realms of Tamriel weren't the only worlds Bethesda had their hands in. Enter the Fallout series with its post-apocalyptic landscapes, mech suits, and mutants. While Fallout 3 and Fallout New Vegas were certainly popular, Fallout 4 had an infamously thorough creation system.
Even just toying around with the various bits and bobs of the character creation tool is a good time, with many players posting screenshots and memes of the familiar faces they've created. The game itself may have been a step back in terms of depth when compared to its predecessors, but there's no denying the amount of fun that can be found in merely creating a player character.
Red Dead Redemption II
While there might only be one playable character in Rockstar's immersive and immense wild west wonderland, Arthur Morgan always looks unique. With a variety of gear and styles to equip the outlaw protagonist in the game, he can look just as varied as the player themselves.
The fun doesn't stop there, as Red Dead Online also offers a full and complete avatar creator to make their own wild west alter ego. At the end of the day, there are a million and one ways to make a statement in this western adventure.
Kingdoms Of Amalur
Kingdoms Of Amalur offers a great selection not just in terms of avatar creation, but in the entire character experience, as well. Sure, the creator tool offers a selection of fantasy races and features to make characters distinct, but that same amount of customizations freedom carries over into gameplay.
Just as players are able to create a character to suit their desires, so are they able to craft their own fates and classes. Tired of playing a sneaky rogue? Simply switch to a full-on tank-like warrior—all at the press of a button.
Dragon Age: Inquisition
While the Dragon Age series certainly checks a lot of familiar boxes for more western-developed RPGs, the character creation system in Inquisition is particularly thorough. Granted, Humans, Dwarves, Elves, and Qunari are all par for the course for high fantasy, but the amount of detail a player can give their character is astounding.
From basic shapes and bone structure of the character to eye shape and tattoos, the number of options is simply incredible. Even with a replay or two, it would be incredibly difficult to make the exact same character model twice.
Dragon’s Dogma
Before it was an action-packed anime on Netflix, it was Capcom's fantasy epic. A bit of a niche favorite, but an excellent ARPG available across multiple consoles, Dragon's Dogma certainly has one of the deepest character creators seen in recent years. Nearly everything can be customized, from something as simple as height and weight to skin tone, ear shape, body type, and loads more.
Players even get to use the tool to create their own assistant Pawn to recruit in their adventures. There's something incredibly refreshing about having so much control over the world the hero gets to explore.