Steamis a platform that empowers millions of gamers and developers. It is designed and developed by Valve, the gaming studio behind hit titles such asHalf-Life,Counter-Strike,Dota 2,Left 4 Dead, andPortal.
Among the multitude of genres thatSteamhas in store, it features a long list of free-to-play role-playing games (RPG) that continue to delight customers every day. Thesefree RPG gamesare easy to learn and offer thousands of hours of gameplay to keep players glued to their seats. From anime to strategy games, these titles cover a wide spectrum of subgenres.
Updated on July 28, 2025, by Mark Sammut:Dark and Darker has just debuted on Steam, and it is marked as an RPG on the site. However, due to primarily being a PvP dungeon crawler with light role-playing elements, the game does not fully fit this discussion, so it has not been included. That said, Ironmace’s release has been attracting quite a lot of attention, and RPG fans should keep an eye on it in case it looks like something that might hit the mark with them.
Anotherfree Steam RPGhas been added to this article. Scroll down the entry 6 to read about this game.
Path of Exileis afree-to-play action RPG that immerses playersinto the dark continent of Wraeclast.The world provides gruesome combat, enchanted items, and deep character customization. Players and their party members can choose to play different classes such as the Duelist, Witch, Ranger, Templar, Marauder, Shadow, and the Scion.
Players can journey across Wraeclast and discover ancient secrets in an epic adventure. They can learn unique skills and trade gems while playing through quests and missions.Path of Exileoffers PvP tournaments and Capture the Flag events on an international scale and encourages players with daily leagues to climb up ladders and win exquisite prizes.
Those looking for a fantastic, engrossing, and downright massive MMORPG experience can load upGuild Wars 2. This epic from Arena Net has been running strong for over a decade and recently entered a free-to-play state. Players are able to snag the base game on Steam and enjoy most of the fun thatGuild Wars 2has to offer. They’ll sadly be locked out of some content due to free-to-play restrictions but these can be lifted for those that obtain the DLC content and expansion packs.
Guild Wars 2features incredibly fluid and satisfying combat that will keep most players hooked from the moment they try it. With multiple classes, specializations, an array of weapons, and some amazing storylines,Guild Wars 2is the perfect free-to-play RPG for those who are craving something they can easily sink hundreds of hours into.
Warframeis a frontrunner for the most improved game of all time. When the title launched in 2013, its enjoyable blend of third-person shooter and melee gameplay was let down by repetitive levels and bland environments. The game’s foundations were strong but the overall package left something to be desired.
Nearly a decade later,Warframehas evolved into an ambitious project that includes open-world sections, deep lore, an impressive roster of Warframes and weapons, and a gameplay loop that makes grinding rewarding. The RPG is absolutely stacked with content, and all of it is available for free. Anyone looking for a new game they can sink hundreds of hours into should giveWarframea shot, and that includes players who only tried thefree RPGduring its first year or two on the market.
Released just in time for Halloween,Grimm’s Hollowis a story-driven RPG about a girl, Lavender, who finds herself in the afterlife. Once there, she sets out to locate her brother. That makes up the crux of the journey, althoughGrimm’s Hollowdoes throw in a few neat surprises along the way.
While the gameplay is nothing more than serviceable,Grimm’s Hollowmakes up for it with a lovable protagonist, charmingly grim visuals, and an emotional narrative. It is also pretty short and does not overstay its welcome.
Eternal Seniadrops players in a tower filled with monsters and tells them to climb. In due time, theanime RPGbegins to expand on its plot by exploring Senia’s past and the one relationship that matters the most to her. Although it takes its time, the story is well written and builds nicely to a trio of endings.
Utilizing a simplistic but effective combat system,Eternal Seniadelivers an enjoyable, if not particularly challenging 5-hour campaign. The boss encounters are especially satisfying.
A cute and crude turn-based RPG,Epic Battle Fantasy 3is an obvious love letter to classic JRPGs and anime culture (seriously, the world is packed with NPCs who are taken directly from popular shows). While they are fun enough to find and understand, references can only carry a project so far if the rest of the experience is lackluster; fortunately, this 2010 title is all-around great, as long as a player goes in with reasonable expectations. Made primarily by one person,Epic Battle Fantasy 3is obviously “small,” with levels mainly consisting of tiny static screens with motionless NPCs and enemies. The battle system is ripped from the genre’s greats, which is not a bad thing if someone is specifically craving turn-based goodness. While the mechanics are fairly typical, battles are elevated with impressive attack animations, along with inspired designs for the enemies. The campaign can get quite difficult too, even when played on normal difficulty.
Epic Battle Fantasy 3just gets most of the basics right. The combat is fun, challenging, and moves at a fairly quick pace. The main playable characters have access to a wide range of skills that can also be upgraded, and players can also forge weapons. Loot is not overly abundant, but each character should receive a new armor and weapon relatively frequently (and their designs change to match the equipped items). The campaign is also pretty long, and while the story is just passable, it is elevated by funny dialogue. Most importantly,Epic Battle Fantasy 3is completely free, with no time gates getting in the way of a good time. Its sequels are also available on Steam, although they are notfree RPGs.
A small project that caters to old-school sensibilities,Moonringcame and went without making much of a fuss, an inevitable outcome exasperated by major releases likeBaldur’s Gate 3andStarfieldoccurring around the same time. Still, Fluttermind’s roguelike has plenty of positives in its favor, and it can scratch an itch that not many otherfree Steam RPGstry to reach. More importantly, these types of indie games are typically fully fleshed-out experiences that can be enjoyed without worrying about hitting time limits or restrictions imposed by bigger free-to-play MMOs. They exist just to be enjoyed, andMoonringoozes passion.
Dropped into the mysterious world of Caldera, players are both given smart directions and left to explore blindly. The latter comes in the form of the world’s lore, the story’s purpose, and many of the main mechanics that will hog most playthroughs. However,Moonringalso provides enough early guidance to ensure players do not immediately find themselves running headfirst into walls. Like many classic dungeon crawlers, the world (and its inhabitants) move when the player does so, which adds an element of strategy when approaching enemies. While combat is quite simplistic, it is complemented by a pretty good skill progression system that is linked to this universe’s gods.
RuneScapewill last forever, at least that seems to be the popular opinion. While the franchise has produced modern iterations,Old School RuneScapepresents a way for the original incarnation to be accessed in 2022. Naturally, the game looks incredibly dated, but that is also part of its appeal.
However,Old School RuneScape’s visuals were never its calling card. The game’s longevity can be largely credited to the freedom it provides players. In this MMORPG, users can decide what type of existence they want to lead. Wish to specialize in monster hunting? Go for it? Desire a quiet life?Old School RuneScapesupports that choice.
Phantasy Star Online 2spent nearly a decade stuck in Japan, but it eventually morphed intoNew Genesis. This iteration tweaks quite a few things, including the introduction of an open-world as a replacement for self-contained regions. That is just the most obvious change, asNew Genesisalso revampsPSO2’s combat, progression, and graphics.
New Genesishas plenty of things going for it that make it worth a download at the minimum. The real-time gameplay is fast-paced, responsive, flashy, and simple fun. This goes beyond just the combat, as Sega also took steps to ensure that traversing the map is also enjoyable. The world is beautiful and diverse without being too huge. The main story is decent for an MMORPG, even if it is on the short side. However,New Genesisis very grind-heavy, in the sense that the game expects players to just head out and fight enemies to gain experience. There are not all that many quests, at least compared to otherfree Steam RPGs.
Shakes and Fidgethas been around in some form or another since 2009, and its mobile and web browser origins are hard to ignore. Still, the game has enjoyed a successful run on Steam, developing a fairly positive reputation over the 6+ years it has been on Valve’s platform. Designed with a casual audience in mind, the RPG allows players to pick a class and race for their main character, who they will then be able to send out on quests to earn things like experience or items. Naturally, the game utilizes a timer to limit the player’s potential actions, although it is reasonably forgiving when compared to many games that use a similar technique.
Shakes and Fidget’s uniqueness comes from its fortress management system. Eventually, this location will serve as the player’s main hub where they can develop their party, bringing quite a bit of depth to the experience. The actual battles are completed automatically, so the majority of the gameplay revolves away from the battlefield.
