15 best RPG games for iPhone and Android (2015 edition)

While there is quite a few original RPG releases for iPhone and Android, it's impossible to do such a round-up without mentioning some PC classics that have recently been adapted for touchscreens. Thanks to the consistent work of game studios like Square Enix, good news is that we have the legendary Super Nintendo (SNES) Final Fantasy series available on both Android and iOS. In this list, we've also tried to give some recognition to more recent releases that do not compromise on quality, but if you have some earlier released RPG favorites, do not hesitate to share the names in the comments section at the bottom of this article.

With no further ado, it's time to start with the countdown: here are the 15 best Android and iPhone RPG games so far in 2015.

#15: Road to Dragons

Road to Dragons does not shine with the most brilliant of stories - an army of mysterious and evil Giant Gorger Dragons take over the world, leaving it in darkness for 17 years, until a hero is summoned to save the people from their tyranny, but the gameplay is engaging. A lot of the action in Road to Dragons is placed on chess-like battlefields filled with monsters and treasure boxes, where you select one of eight possible paths. You have to pick the right fighting strategy and there are dragon bosses (and boy, they are huge) at the end of every chapter, and it all works to some nice gameplay for a free title.

#14: Swap Heroes 2

Swap Heroes 2 features an interesting battle mode where you swipe to switch your hero and select the right attack, and it is a surprisingly good role-playing game where you form your squad and guide it through various missions. With 8 unique heroes, over 10 new locations, as well as more than 30 different enemy types, you get plenty for your three-dollar investment.

#13: Joe Dever's Lone Wolf

A mashup of a gamebook with RPG, Joe Dever's Lone Wolf features great graphics and a truly immersive story revolving around Lone Wolf, a might warrior monk with some skeletons in his closet in the form of a tragic past (and present). In Act 1, you start developing your hero and that's the only act you get for the $1 price, while for Act 2, 3, and 4 you'd need to shell out an additional $4.99 per act. We like the battle system in Lone Wolf, with its liveliness (it's similar to battles in Final Fantasy), and the story starts to twist after the second act.

#12: Lowlander

Lowlander is a game inspired by the Ultima series. In it, you play the role of an adventurer-traveler who becomes a knight, and has to fulfill various quests stemming from the king. With a huge world to explore, filled with dungeons and loot, the game feels full of possibilities, and the controls are well optimized for touchscreens, so that you can even play with a single hand.

#11: Siralim

Siralim is a different kind of an RPG without a set ending. It has the turn-based battle element, but it's also about building a base and hunting for loom in randomly-generated dungeons. Pick your goal, and be sure that the game will continue throwing hard bosses and new mazes to explore.

#10: SwapQuest

Entering out top 10 picks, SwapQuest has a prominent place, being a great mashup of a puzzle/RPG game. In this game, you direct your hero through a tiled field toward the exit, and swapping tiles allows you to change direction and collect more loot, or avoid dangers. Add the element of jewel collection that you then use to buy your hero new weapons and armor, and you start getting a sense of SwapQuest. You also have a leveling system, tough-to-beat bosses, and a lot more to do to keep you entertained without getting bored.

#9: Evoland

Evoland is a new arrival for iPhones and Android devices, and it is an interesting original game that has the leitmotif of walking you through the history of gaming. In this tone, the game starts in monochrome, and quickly evolves to include color, free movement, battles, and so much more. We appreciated Evoland for its homage to earlier titles, but also for its original idea.

#8: Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition

Icewind Dale is a classic title originally released for Windows some 15 years ago in 2000. The older gamers (like ourselves) will remember the storyline, but here is a quick rehash for the newcomers: it all begins after the creation of a party of adventurers (you can choose up to six heroes of different races and classes that you later develop) that becomes the caravan guard as strange events unfold. The story unwinds to reveal a demonic feud that threatens the Ten Towns of Icewind Dale, and your role is that of the savior.

#7: Baldur’s Gate 2: Enhanced Edition

Another classic PC title from this golden age of RPGs that was the year 2000, Baldur's Gate 2 is a huge isometric world to explore and is better suited for tablets. Known for its 300 hours of gameplay (it takes months and months to complete), you control a party of six characters. The plot is set in the Forgotten Realms where you have fantastic monsters and magic, and it all takes place after the events of the original Baldur's Gate: the hero and the party are captured, your hero awakens in a cage and tries to escape from the evil wizard Jon Irenicus.

#6: The Banner Saga

A viking-inspired tactical RPG, The Banner Saga presents you with a 2D environment of hand drawn combat, over 25 characters in seven different classes, and a very well balanced gameplay where your decisions have profound impact on the story.

#5: Wayward Souls

Wayward Souls is an action-adventure game built for quick playthroughs and massive amounts of replay value. It was inspired by Spelunky, Secret of Mana, and our previous game, Mage Gauntlet. Procedurally generated random levels mean that every time you play the game, it's a different experience. In Wayward Souls, you control one of six characters, all with their own unique playstyles, abilities, and equipment.

Price: Free (with in-app purchases) | Download on iOS, Android

If you want an immersive MMORPG like World of Warcraft on your phone, Order & Chaos is probably the best way to go with a bustling community of players, and the underlying well-balanced fantasy worlds and 5 different characters to choose from (Elves and Humans fight for Order, Orcs and Undead for Chaos, and the Mendels are neutral). You get to pick your gender, appearance, class and talent, and can accumulate up to 2,500 skills and discover as much as 5,000 pieces of equipment.

#3: Battleheart Legacy

Battleheart Legacy lets you explore a rich and detailed fantasy world, customize your unique hero with dozens of powerful skills and items, do battle with hordes of enemies, encounter quirky characters and discover the stories of a troubled realm. It's up to you to choose whether you will become a powerful wizard, or a notorious rogue.

#2: Dragon Quest V

Dragon Quest V is widely believed to be the best game in the Dragon Quest series with a deep and long-developing story, as well as board-based battle system where you roll the dice to see the outcome.

#1: Final Fantasy VI

"The War of Magi left little but ashes and misery in its wake. Even magic itself had vanished from the world. Now, a thousand years later, humankind has remade the world through the power of iron, gunpowder, steam engines, and other machines and technologies. But there is one who possesses the lost power of magic--a young girl name Terra whom the evil Empire has kept enslaved in an effort to harness her power as weapon. This leads to a fateful meeting between Terra and a young man named Locke. Their harrowing escape from the Empire's clutches sets in motion a series of events that touches countless lives and leads to one inevitable conclusion."