Gaming is one of the best ways to sit back and relax while escaping the demands of daily life. However, many players enjoy video game experiences that scratch that itch for realism. Realism in gaming can come from multiple areas, like authentic locations and equipment, a relatable story or setting, or a level of detail and immersion that makes it feel like stepping into real life. Realistic games can span genres and time periods; even a game set in the past can still feel real.
Action RPGs, which combine traditional RPG elements with the fast-paced, high-octane combat of action games, often create worlds that feel incredibly real, even when they tell science fiction or fantasy stories. Each of the games on this list features brilliantly realistic combat that could rival any pure action title on the market.
10
Tom Clancy’s The Division Brings a Plausible Tragedy to Life
Tom Clancy’s The Division Delivers Authentic Modern Warfare With a Twist
The Tom Clancy series—whether books, films, shows, or video games—revolves around realistic events in modern settings. The video games, in particular, are known for featuring some of the most authentic combat in gaming, with extensive weapon customization and tactical battle options. Two standout games under the Tom Clancy name are The Division titles, which are looter-shooters with all the hallmarks of an action role-playing game.
The first Tom Clancy’s The Division game takes place in New York City after a catastrophic smallpox outbreak spreads through contaminated banknotes on Black Friday. Not only is this a unique and gripping premise, but it also isn’t far from something that could happen in real life. The second game shifts the setting to Washington, D.C., which has fallen into anarchy. Both games offer realistic weapons and tactics and let players experience the aftermath of a disaster.
Tom Clancy’s The Division
Third-Person Shooter
Open-World
- Released
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March 8, 2016
- ESRB
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M For Mature 17+ // Blood, Game Experience May Change During Online Play, Intense Violence, Strong Language
Skyrim Is a Fantasy Game, But With or Without Mods, Players Can Alter It to Meet Their Preferences
There’s little to say about The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim that hasn’t already been said. It’s one of the most iconic and enjoyable games of all time, and stands as one of the best ARPGs and fantasy games ever made. Although it’s set in a world of magic, dragons, and the undead, the game includes a surprising amount of realism. Skyrim‘s Survival Mode adds mechanics like hunger, limited saving, no fast travel, and significantly tougher combat. Beyond that, players can build relationships, adopt children, and decorate and protect a homestead.
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One of the biggest factors that has helped Skyrim remain immersive and realistic over the years is its modding community. There are countless mods that do everything from adding additional survival mechanics to introducing entirely new features to the game. As a true RPG, Skyrim also gives players complete freedom in how they play, whether they opt to roleplay a specific type of character or even avoid combat altogether. RPGs, regardless of setting, naturally align with realism through player choice, and Skyrim remains one of the best examples in gaming history.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Released
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November 11, 2011
- ESRB
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M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol
8
Dragon’s Dogma 2 Lets Players Experience Real Consequences
Unlike Some Action RPGs, Dragon’s Dogma 2 Doesn’t Shield Players from Their Choices
Like many of the best action RPGs, Dragon’s Dogma 2 gives players the freedom to customize every aspect of their experience, from the way their character looks to the way they approach monsters and other situations that they encounter. It’s an incredibly immersive title that adds realism by letting players do virtually anything they want to do, even if it has serious consequences.
In the original Dragon’s Dogma, NPCs who were killed would automatically respawn after a week. The sequel kicks things up a notch and lets players permanently kill any NPC in the game. While players have the option of resurrecting dead NPCs with an item called “Dragon’s Heartbeat,” it’s still an extra level of realism that goes far beyond many other games.
- Released
-
March 22, 2024
- ESRB
-
Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence
7
Bully Has a Surprisingly Realistic Setting for a Video Game
In Bully, Players Have to Deal With Wedgies, Teachers, and Cliques
Trying to decide which game from Rockstar Studios is the best is no easy task. Grand Theft Auto V is a gaming phenomenon. Red Dead Redemption delivers a brilliant western adventure through New Austin and Mexico, while its prequel is widely regarded as one of the finest-written stories in gaming history. The Warriors is one of the best movie-to-game adaptations ever made, and Max Payne is an icon. But one other game that deserves to be in the conversation is Bully, a life-sim/action RPG hybrid that takes place at a private boarding school.
In PAL Regions, Bully is known as Canis Canem Edit, a Latin phrase meaning “dog-eat-dog.”
Bully tells the story of Jimmy Hopkins, a troubled kid dropped off at a boarding school. Upon arrival, he falls in with Gary, who explains how the school’s ecosystem works. The cliques include the nerds, preps, greasers, jocks, townies, and generic bullies, each controlling different territories and locked in bitter rivalries. While the game is over the top in its missions, characters, and themes, much of it is drawn from experiences any player can relate to. Players can have Jimmy follow the rules or become a troublemaker who finds himself in detention.
Bully
- Released
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October 17, 2006
- ESRB
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T For Teen due to Crude Humor, Language, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
6
Alpha Protocol Lets Players Experience Life As a Spy
This Obsidian Action RPG Is Incredibly Underrated
Alpha Protocol is a realistic RPG developed by Obsidian Entertainment, known for games like Fallout: New Vegas and the recently released Avowed. In the game, players take control of agent Michael Thorton, a new recruit at a government-run spy agency. Alpha Protocol is one of the most underrated spy games of all time and gives players the chance to roleplay as a secret agent.
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What sets Alpha Protocol apart from other action RPGs is its emphasis on player choice. Nearly every action the player takes, from dialogue decisions to mission tactics, has a lasting impact on the game. Alpha Protocol also features a deep reputation system that makes NPCs feel more dynamic and reactive, which makes for a more immersive experience.
5
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Offers an Authentic Viking Experience
Outside of Combat, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Offers Settlement Management and Relationship Mechanics
The Assassin’s Creed series is a fascinating mix of realism and historical fiction. While it features magical abilities, an ancient race of god-like beings, and assassins surviving impossible leaps, its worlds are so meticulously crafted that they feel incredibly authentic. In 2019, when Notre-Dame Cathedral caught fire, Ubisoft even offered its Assassin’s Creed Unity 3D render as a perfectly scaled reference for restoration efforts. The series also brings history to life with figures like the Borgia family, Leonardo da Vinci, Charles Darwin, Blackbeard, and Ivarr the Boneless.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla takes place during a critical period in the formation of what would become the United Kingdom, when Saxons, Britons, Irish, Danes, and Norse fought for control. The game enhances its realism through settlement-building, as Eivor gathers resources to develop Ravensthorpe, mediates disputes, and supports their clan. Every decision has lasting consequences, shaping the political landscape and determining who rules each region.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
- Released
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November 10, 2020
- ESRB
-
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
4
Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord Lets Players Control Their Destiny
Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord Is an Incredibly Immersive Game
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord combines multiple video game genres, and combines action RPG mechanics with settlement management and kingdom creation. Its story is fitting for its medieval setting, beginning with the player fleeing an attack that led to their parents’ deaths. From there, they must reunite their family and decide how to shape their clan’s future, whether as wandering mercenaries, loyal vassals rising through the ranks of an established kingdom, or rulers forging their own legacy by rebuilding the fabled Dragon Banner.
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The game’s realism comes from its challenging combat, life management mechanics, and the freedom to play however one chooses. For example, even the best armor in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord won’t make a player invincible, and an unequipped helmet can mean being taken out in just one or two hits. It also has management mechanics, like keeping troops well-fed and loyal, maintaining order among governed citizens, and handling marriage proposals. Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord also allows for complete freedom in approach. Players don’t even have to fight and can instead become traveling merchants who resolve conflicts with diplomacy rather than a sword.
3
Cyberpunk: 2077 Makes the Future Feel Real
In Cyberpunk: 2077, Players Can Race Around Night City and Take In the Sights
Cyberpunk 2077 may not be the first game that comes to mind when thinking of “realism,” given its flying cars, cybernetic augmentations, and the collapse of modern borders. However, it provides an authentic vision of what today’s world might look like if thrown into such a scenario. Beneath its futuristic elements, the game is deeply grounded in themes of identity, purpose, and legacy. Relationship-building and romance also enhance the game’s realism, with characters texting V throughout the game for casual conversations.
Where Cyberpunk 2077 truly shines in realism is its world itself, since there are few games can match the depth, vibrancy, and immersion of Night City. Citizens go about their daily routines, the lower districts hide crime and corruption, and the neon-lit streets invite endless exploration. Another major element of realism comes from the sheer number of choices V can make, with Cyberpunk 2077 offering one of the most non-linear gameplay experiences in recent memory, pushing it slightly into sandbox territory.
Cyberpunk 2077
- Released
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December 10, 2020
- ESRB
-
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
2
Red Dead Redemption 2 Offers Immersion On a Whole New Level
RDR2 Is One of the Most Realistic Games Ever Made
One of the greatest works of fiction ever created, Red Dead Redemption 2 lets players experience a realistic life in the Old West, with a few over-the-top action sequences to keep the pace exciting. Beyond its stunning graphics, compelling story, engaging missions, and immersive gameplay, the game delivers an incredible level of realism. This is evident in small details, like Arthur and John’s hair and beards growing over time, as well as their need to eat, sleep, and bathe to maintain health. There’s even a tricky weight management system that requires attention. But realism isn’t limited to the main character—it extends far beyond that.
The world of Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the most immersive ever created. Its wildlife behaves with remarkable realism, affected by day and night cycles and engaging in lifelike interactions. Birds of prey carry off smaller animals, possums play dead, foxes can be seen playing together, and bears will back down when challenged. Of course, there’s also the now-legendary detail of male horses’ testicles contracting in colder weather.
Red Dead Redemption 2
- Released
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October 26, 2018
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol
1
The Kingdom Come: Deliverance Series Lets Players Experience Life In the Early 15th Century
In the Kingdom Come: Deliverance Games, Players Need to Eat, Sleep, and Bathe Themselves
The Kingdom Come: Deliverance series is built around and heavily marketed on its realism. Both Kingdom Come: Deliverance and the recently released Kingdom Come: Deliverance II follow the story of Henry of Skalitz, the illegitimate son of a noble who was raised by a blacksmith. He starts as a naive and inexperienced fighter but grows into a skilled warrior, earning the trust and admiration of nobles while becoming a significant threat to enemy forces. These games allow players to explore medieval Bohemia as if they were truly there, dealing with realistic injuries, unforgiving combat, and the complexities of social status.
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Kingdom Come: Deliverance II delivers what fans want in a sequel while providing a great starting point for newcomers.
Henry must stay clean by washing in a trough or visiting a bathhouse. His gear needs regular maintenance, either by paying craftsmen or repairing it himself. Weapons can be sharpened on a grindstone, and his behavior around different social classes affects mission outcomes. He must eat and sleep, while getting drunk or consuming spoiled food has noticeable consequences. In the sequel, a new blacksmithing minigame even allows players to forge weapons and tools for personal use or profit. No other game implements realism as deeply as Kingdom Come: Deliverance.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
RPG
Action-Adventure
Open-World
- Released
-
February 4, 2025
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ // Use of Alcohol, Blood and Gore, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity
