Best games
Best RPG games of 2002
The 12 best RPG games released in 2002, ranked from 3,809 critic and player ratings.
The best RPG game of 2002 is KINGDOM HEARTS FINAL MIX, with a critic score of 85/100 — updated September 2026.
How this ranking is built
- Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
- A game only enters the ranking with at least 80 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
- Each game is ranked in one genre only, the one that defines it best, so the same title never tops two different genre charts.
- Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
- Release window covered: 2002.
- 12 games are listed on this page, carrying 3,809 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 28 September 2026.
Top 12
01
KINGDOM HEARTS FINAL MIX
Originally released only in Japan on December 26, 2002, Kingdom Hearts Final Mix has several events and a number of gameplay tweaks that are not in previous releases. Spoken dialogue is in English, with Japanese subtitles. New scenes, clarifying certain plot points, such as Riku's journey and foreshadowing of Kingdom Hearts II, were included, but no new dialogue was recorded. A gameplay option allows the player to skip cutscenes after seeing them once. The optional bosses first included in the English version were introduced to Japanese players for the first time, along with a new fight against "Unknown Man," in an attempt to raise interest for the sequel.
85
/100
02
Pokémon Sapphire Version
Sequel to Pokémon Gold and Silver Versions (1999), Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire Versions offer 135 new Pokémon, more complex battling and training systems, new crime organizations, a longer and more story-focused campaign and upgraded graphics to create a new and technically improved Pokémon experience.
83
/100
03
Pokémon Ruby Version
Sequel to Pokémon Gold and Silver Versions (1999), Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire Versions offer 135 new Pokémon, more complex battling and training systems, new crime organizations, a longer and more story-focused campaign and upgraded graphics to create a new and technically improved Pokémon experience.
81
/100
KINGDOM HEARTS FINAL MIX
Originally released only in Japan on December 26, 2002, Kingdom Hearts Final Mix has several events and a number of gameplay tweaks that are not in previous releases. Spoken dialogue is in English, with Japanese subtitles. New scenes, clarifying certain plot points, such as Riku's journey and foreshadowing of Kingdom Hearts II, were included, but no new dialogue was recorded. A gameplay option allows the player to skip cutscenes after seeing them once. The optional bosses first included in the English version were introduced to Japanese players for the first time, along with a new fight against "Unknown Man," in an attempt to raise interest for the sequel.
85
/100
02
Pokémon Sapphire Version
Sequel to Pokémon Gold and Silver Versions (1999), Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire Versions offer 135 new Pokémon, more complex battling and training systems, new crime organizations, a longer and more story-focused campaign and upgraded graphics to create a new and technically improved Pokémon experience.
83
/100
03
Pokémon Ruby Version
Sequel to Pokémon Gold and Silver Versions (1999), Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire Versions offer 135 new Pokémon, more complex battling and training systems, new crime organizations, a longer and more story-focused campaign and upgraded graphics to create a new and technically improved Pokémon experience.
81
/100
04
S
Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts is an action role-playing game developed and published by Squaresoft for the PlayStation 2. It is the result of a collaboration between Square and The Walt Disney Company. The game combines characters and settings from Disney's animated features with those from the Final Fantasy series, developed by Square. Kingdom Hearts was a departure from Square's standard role-playing games by introducing a substantial action-adventure element. In addition, it has an all-star voice cast which included many of the Disney characters' official voice actors. Kingdom Hearts was longtime Square character designer Tetsuya Nomura's first time in a directorial position. The game uses an experience based progression system, with experience gained by defeating foes. Experience gained rises in relation to the strength of the foe, and is consistent for each enemy over the course of the game. Levels are gained with experience, and provide increases to stat attributes in strength, defence, magic, hit points, magic points and ability points, with a new, predetermined ability unlocked approximately every four levels.
80
/100
05
Gothic II
Gothic II is a role-playing video game and the sequel to Gothic, by the German developer Piranha Bytes. It was first released on November 29, 2002 in Germany, with North America following almost one year later on October 28, 2003. The game was published by JoWooD Entertainment and Atari.
80
/100
06
Gothic 2
79
/100
07
Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal
The legends speak of a long forgotten prophecy... of a shining hero and of perilous adventures... of sinister powers, strange worlds and swarms of fairies ... but they said nothing of a girl with a big heart instead of a big sword!
79
/100
08
Neverwinter Nights
Neverwinter Nights (NWN) is a third-person role-playing video game and is set in the fantasy world of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, with the game mechanics based on the Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition rules. The game engine was designed around an internet-based model for running a massively multiplayer online game (MMOG), which would allow end users to host game servers. The intent was to create a potentially infinite massively multiplayer game framework. This game was named after the original Neverwinter Nights online game; the first ever graphical massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), which operated from 1991 to 1997 on AOL.
74
/100
09
Heroes of Might and Magic 4
Heroes of Might and Magic IV is a turn-based strategy game developed by Gus Smedstad through New World Computing and published by the 3DO Company for Microsoft Windows-based personal computers in 2002. The fourth installment of the popular Heroes of Might and Magic franchise, it is the sequel to Heroes of Might and Magic III, and was the last to be developed by New World Computing.
74
/100
10
Dungeon Siege
Dungeon Siege combines the immersive elements of a role-playing game with over-the-top intensity and non-stop action. Dungeon Siege plunges you into a continuous 3D fantasy world where you face off against an army of evil that has been unleashed.
72
/100
11
Enclave
71
/100
12
S
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
63
/100
S
Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts is an action role-playing game developed and published by Squaresoft for the PlayStation 2. It is the result of a collaboration between Square and The Walt Disney Company. The game combines characters and settings from Disney's animated features with those from the Final Fantasy series, developed by Square. Kingdom Hearts was a departure from Square's standard role-playing games by introducing a substantial action-adventure element. In addition, it has an all-star voice cast which included many of the Disney characters' official voice actors. Kingdom Hearts was longtime Square character designer Tetsuya Nomura's first time in a directorial position. The game uses an experience based progression system, with experience gained by defeating foes. Experience gained rises in relation to the strength of the foe, and is consistent for each enemy over the course of the game. Levels are gained with experience, and provide increases to stat attributes in strength, defence, magic, hit points, magic points and ability points, with a new, predetermined ability unlocked approximately every four levels.
80
/100
05
Gothic II
Gothic II is a role-playing video game and the sequel to Gothic, by the German developer Piranha Bytes. It was first released on November 29, 2002 in Germany, with North America following almost one year later on October 28, 2003. The game was published by JoWooD Entertainment and Atari.
80
/100
06
Gothic 2
79
/100
07
Zanzarah: The Hidden Portal
The legends speak of a long forgotten prophecy... of a shining hero and of perilous adventures... of sinister powers, strange worlds and swarms of fairies ... but they said nothing of a girl with a big heart instead of a big sword!
79
/100
08
Neverwinter Nights
Neverwinter Nights (NWN) is a third-person role-playing video game and is set in the fantasy world of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, with the game mechanics based on the Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition rules. The game engine was designed around an internet-based model for running a massively multiplayer online game (MMOG), which would allow end users to host game servers. The intent was to create a potentially infinite massively multiplayer game framework. This game was named after the original Neverwinter Nights online game; the first ever graphical massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), which operated from 1991 to 1997 on AOL.
74
/100
09
Heroes of Might and Magic 4
Heroes of Might and Magic IV is a turn-based strategy game developed by Gus Smedstad through New World Computing and published by the 3DO Company for Microsoft Windows-based personal computers in 2002. The fourth installment of the popular Heroes of Might and Magic franchise, it is the sequel to Heroes of Might and Magic III, and was the last to be developed by New World Computing.
74
/100
10
Dungeon Siege
Dungeon Siege combines the immersive elements of a role-playing game with over-the-top intensity and non-stop action. Dungeon Siege plunges you into a continuous 3D fantasy world where you face off against an army of evil that has been unleashed.
72
/100
11
Enclave
71
/100
12
S
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
63
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best RPG game of 2002?
KINGDOM HEARTS FINAL MIX currently tops the ranking with a score of 85/100 across 83 ratings. Ranking updated September 2026.
How is this ranking built?
Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.