Seven Best Isometric Games You Should Play Right Now!
Among too many AAA games with outstanding graphics and impressive visuals in the market nowadays, most simple games stand out due to their mechanics and gameplay. Some of these games are the famous Isometric Games, titles that differentiate from other genres due to their tactical combat, sense of exploration and investigation, multiple menus and RPG elements, and their top-down perspective where lines are parallel. Today, we are discussing several incredible games of this style! Then, prepare your mind and controller, and let's go straight to this!
Seven Best Isometric Games You Should Play Right Now!
What Is an Isometric Game?
Isometric is a map organization and visualization characterized by equal proportions, measures, and sizes. In isometric mapping, all the shapes have the same relations in terms of dimensions. Besides, lines are parallel, and the laws of perspective do not exist.
Isometric games are games whose graphics and scenarios are shown with the rules mentioned above, with such titles as Tactics Ogre (1995), Dragon Age: Origins (2009), and Final Fantasy Tactics (1997), which used 3D graphics to build an interactive environment where the player could freely rotate the camera.
The Best Isometric Video Games in the Industry
Isometric games abound nowadays in the video game industry. We’ve selected the seven best isometric titles you should play for listing purposes!
Tunic
Release Date: March 16, 2022
Developer: Isometricorp Games
Publisher: Finji
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Metascore: 85
What happens when you cross the best of Legend of Zelda with deeper and classic RPGs? The answer could be “The Legend of Zelda: Link Awakening,” but the truth is that Tunic would be the expected result of the mix between LoZ and role-playing games.
Ok, let’s say that the anthropomorphic fox in Tunic looks very similar to Link of LoZ – he even has a very similar sword and shield –but beyond this, Tunic is a game that offers a unique experience of gaming manifested through its isometric view and multiple secrets to solve.
Tunic, an action-adventure isometric RPG in 3D, presents an immersive world for you to explore freely. Within this expansive environment, you'll come across in-game guide pages that provide valuable clues and insightful notes about your surroundings, enhancing your journey of discovery.
Moreover, since the game is played from an isometric perspective, it hides multiple secret passages and pathways. This structure generates an imperative sense of exploring you can’t miss out on.
Tunic was one of the great games of the past year and probably one of the best indies of recent times.
Key Features:
An interesting in-game’s reconstruction manual you need to rebuild by recollecting pages in the world.
A hostile and interconnected world containing multiple biomes, such as forests and catacombs.
Hidden treasures in all the corners of the map will give valuable resources.
Tunic US Xbox Live CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys.
Baldur’s Gate III
Release Date: August 3, 2023
Developer: Larian Studios
Publisher: Larian Studios
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, macOS, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Metascore: 96
Baldur’s Gate 3 is likely one of the most anticipated games of 2023, together with other games of the quality of Final Fantasy XVI and Legend of Zelda: The Tears of the Kingdom. Although Baldur’s Gate 3 shares features with other RPG games like the latter, it boasts a unique sense of adventure, freedom, and incredible characters who define the franchise.
Baldur’s Gate undoubtedly would be in the top three if we discussed the best isometric RPGs. We can also say that Baldur’s Gate is the spiritual successor of another Larian Game, Divinity Original Sin 2, which we discuss later in this article.
This title is based, just like all the other games in the Baldur's Gate franchise, on the Forgotten Realms of the Dungeons & Dragons world, which is a dark fantasy world full of mysterious creatures, magic, deadly warriors, and secrets in all the corners of the land.
Moreover, unlike Baldur’s Gate II and the franchise's first game, Baldur’s Gate III has a turn-based combat system, bringing it closer to the RPG genre. Therefore, BG III offers great customization and the possibility of enjoying the adventure in single mode and cooperative multiplayer.
The game offers you twelve different classes. Each of them has unique competencies, skills, strengths, and weaknesses. Your role in the game will depend on the class you choose and what elections other players control. Acolyte is another important decision you make at the beginning of your adventure since it provides certain expertise and traits that affect proficiencies.
Like the famous tabletop Dungeons and Dragons, your path across Faerûn in Baldur's Gate III is paved with personal decisions and the experience points you can win.
From a certain point of view, Baldur’s Gate III is a D&D experience in modern computers, with all the classic elements that build this story into a great game with a majority positive reception.
Key Features:
An immersed story with multiple conflicts between sinister forces that will determine the fate of the Forgotten Realms.
An unprecedented experience where you can explore, interact and live the world freely.
An online multiplayer mode for up to four players with origin characters.
Baldur’s Gate 3 GOG CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys.
Disco Elysium - The Final Cut
Release Date: October 15, 2019
Developer: ZA/UM
Publisher: ZA/UM
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, macOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Stadia, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Metascore: 97
At first sight, Disco Elysium is a role-playing video game played from an isometric perspective, but if you delve into its mechanics and plot, you soon notice that this title is more than that. We can say that Disco Elysium is a “detective RPG.” It means the main mechanics involve solving puzzles during different scenarios to find the answer to an important case.
Disco Elysium stands out over other isometric and indie games due to its impressive visuals and stylish graphics. Colors and atmosphere play a crucial role in understanding what is happening in the world and mind of the protagonist since this title heavily focuses on analyzing environments and crime scenes.
This is because the main character is an amnesiac detective who must rebuild personal memories and solve a murder crime. As such, you playing as the detective must study different scenarios and interact with several NPCs who provide crucial information. Your weapons are your psyche, intellect, motorics, and dialogue trees you must develop to complete tasks and even combat.
Elysium has been numerously called one of the best games ever made since its release in 2019. This is a mighty reason to play it right now!
Key Features:
A groundbreaking gameplay with a unique skill system.
Unforgettable characters and multiple mysteries to solve, like murders and robberies.
Unprecedented freedom of choice when interacting with NPCs.
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut Global GOG CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys.
Divinity: Original Sin II
Release Date: September 14, 2017
Developer: Larian Studios
Publisher: Larian Studios
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, macOS, Nintendo Switch, iPad
Metascore: 93
We mentioned Larian Studio and its mastery in developing RPGs from an isometric perspective. Baldur’s Gate III is living proof of this. But before releasing this probably game of the year, the Belgian studio developed the Divinity franchise, one the best RPG sagas of the last decade.
Divinity: Original Sin II is everything you may want from a role-playing game from an isometric point of view. We mean an open-world setting where your player character interacts with hundreds of NPCs to obtain main and side quests and gain experience and in-game currency. This game represents the classic mechanics of RPGs that gamers and fans love. In other words, Original Sin II is an RPG that goes back to the genre's roots.
But we must stop for a second to admire its world-building. Original Sin II introduces us to one of the best game worlds we've seen in recent years. It’s well-interconnected, challenging, colorful, full of creatures, monsters, events, and incredible environments. Besides, the isometric perspective adds a sense of live experience beyond what you can see.
Regarding the combat system, it’s turn-based with action points and relies on using elemental spells. You must use several action points by deploying several attacks and actions. A combination of abilities is crucial to succeed in battle since enemies respond differently to impulses and stimuli.
Original Sin II started with early access and a crowdfunding campaign. Since then, this title has been a complete success receiving cross cheers and multiple awards. If you decide to play this game, you won’t regret it.
Key Features:
A complete sense of freedom to make all the decisions you want.
A turn-based combat with a rebalanced AP system and new mechanics.
A 4 co-op mode where each character has a different storyline and goals.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 Global GOG CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys.
Pillars of Eternity II - Deadfire
Release Date: May 8, 2018
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
Publisher: Versus Evil
Platforms: PC, Linux, macOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Metascore: 88
Pillars of Eternity II - Deadfire is a great entry to the genre since it integrates all the basic and classic features of RPGs. What’s more! PoE II is similar – at least visually – to Baldur’s Gate III and Planescape: Torment, which tells a strange tale about an immortal being but with a more frenetic combat system full of exquisite complexities that will you engage for hours.
This title is the direct sequel to 2015’s Pillars of Eternity and continues with its general elements, such as gameplay, perspective, and interactions with surroundings. Still, PoE II puts new companions at your disposal, and the possibility of playing an optional main quest leading you throughout an optional storyline.
To survive in the world of Eora, you’ll have to focus on developing your main character, a “Watcher,” at their highest level. As such, you can see other people’s souls, check their memories, and build a great team and crew that assists you in combat.
Contrary to its predecessor, PoE II features sub-classes that complement the original classes. The combination of several approaches represented by these sub-classes bestows PoE’s stories an interesting gameplay that enriches the formula.
Since its full release, Pillars of Eternity received positive reviews and has become one of today's standards for RPGs and isometric experiences.
Key Features:
A multi-classing and sub-classing system that offers dozens of combinations.
Several new companions provide a new and engaging narrative.
An exciting conflict between several crews for the control of the isle.
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire Steam CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys.
Fallout 2
Release Date: October 29, 1998
Developer: Black Isle Studios
Publisher: Interplay Productions
Platforms: Windows, Mac OS X, Steam
Metascore: 86
If you’re a seasoned gamer, you’ll already know what Fallout is about, at least in broad strokes. After a nuclear war and a cataclysm, the civilization had to start over from scratch. With pure chaos taking the throne, rival factions ferociously battle to claim dominion and ensure their survival in the territory.
Fallout 2, in particular, is one of the two original Fallout games with an isometric point of view. This second part is the direct sequel to the first chapter of the series and occurs in the year 2241.
Like most games of the saga, Fallout 2 is set in an open world where only a few humans remain. This world features a small village on the United States West Coast and its surrounding nature. Of course, these lands are infested with creatures of different races you must combat.
Fallout 2 also uses the Action Points system. These allow you to move, strike, fire, check your equipment, reload, etcetera. Whether you win or not depends on your decisions with the available points. Remember that Fallout is more a survival game than a role-playing game, although quests, jobs, and leveling play a crucial role in the adventure.
Key Features:
A vast open world with dozens of scenarios from an isometric perspective.
Multiple weapons, from melee to ranged and energy-based.
A SPECIAL system that stands for Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, and Luck.
Fallout 2 Steam CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys.
Shadowrun: Hong Kong
Release Date: August 20, 2015
Developer: Harebrained Schemes
Publisher: Harebrained Schemes
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5
Metascore: 81
Shadowrun features an incredible universe based on the famous tabletop role-playing game of the same name. This universe presents a cybernetic future where magic, technology, and fantasy live together amidst conspiracy, horror, industrial espionage, and corporate warfare.
In Shadowrun: Hong Kong, you develop a single-player campaign featuring isometric graphics and 3D model characters, sometimes reminding us of games from famous franchises like Metal Gear.
You play Shadowrun: Hong Kong using Action Points (AC), which can increase or decrease during the game's development. These options are used for moving, attacking, reloading, or using times, among other actions. Planning and resource management is crucial since your determination and calculation will determine your raid's success.
Yet, let's not overlook the breathtaking visuals that Shadowrun: Hong Kong brings to the table. This game boasts some of the most finely-crafted and visually captivating environments, bursting with vibrant colors and immersive atmospheres. While its cyberpunk influence is undeniable, this element weaves the intricate lore, culminating in an exceptional isometric universe that's an absolute must-play.
Key Features:
A novel-like narrative is full of sharp prose and deep character development.
“Tech meets Magic” environment that will surprise the most seasoned players.
A turn-based tactical combat focusing on the administration of resources and smart planning.
Shadowrun: Hong Kong Global Steam CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys.
The Bottom Line
Crafting a gripping narrative unfolding within an isometric perspective is undoubtedly challenging. Video game storytelling is rife with diverse aspirations, yet only a few have managed to translate those ambitions into triumphs. This article highlights several games where these aspirations have borne fruit and resulted in successful ventures.
The games mentioned above perfectly combine exploration, turn-based strategy, profound storytelling, and an isometric point of view. Consequently, these titles will provide you with a great moment of fun. Do not hesitate to download and play them!