Classic MS-DOS RPG Games

The MS-DOS era was a golden age for role-playing games. Computer RPGs on DOS ranged from grid-based dungeon crawlers like Wizardry and Might & Magic, to open-world epics like Ultima VII and the early Fallout games. Developers like Origin Systems, New World Computing and Interplay Productions pushed the boundaries of character systems, branching narratives and persistent worlds. Many foundational RPG conventions — experience points, party management, inventory systems — were refined and popularised on DOS machines in the late 1980s and 1990s.

Games in the RPG genre (by release years)

The Bard's Tale
The Bard's Tale – MS-DOS cover art
The Bard’s Tale (1985) for MS-DOS, developed and published by Interplay Productions, is a landmark fantasy role-playing game that helped define the golden age of computer RPGs. Set in the icy city of Skara Brae, the game casts players as a party of…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1985
Developer: Interplay Productions
Publisher: Electronic Arts

Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar
Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar – MS-DOS cover art
Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar is a landmark fantasy role-playing game released by Origin Systems for MS-DOS in 1985. Set in the realm of Britannia, it moves beyond the traditional quest to defeat a single evil villain and instead challenges the…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1985
Developer: Origin Systems
Publisher: -

Dungeon Master
Dungeon Master – MS-DOS cover art
Dungeon Master, released in 1988 by FTL Games, is a groundbreaking dungeon-crawling RPG that set the standard for immersive, real-time gameplay in the genre. Players embark on a perilous quest to recover the Firestaff and defeat the evil Lord Chaos,…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1988
Developer: FTL Games
Publisher: -

The Adventures of Robin Hood
The Adventures of Robin Hood – MS-DOS cover art
The Adventures of Robin Hood, released in 1991 by Millennium Interactive, is an isometric action-adventure game that reimagines the classic English legend. Players take on the role of Robin Hood, recently outlawed after losing his lands to the…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1991
Developer: Millennium Interactive
Publisher: -

HeroQuest
HeroQuest – MS-DOS cover art
HeroQuest (MS-DOS, 1991) is a classic fantasy role-playing game developed by Gremlin Interactive, inspired by the popular board game of the same name. It brings the tabletop dungeon-crawling experience to computers, allowing players to step into the…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1991
Developer: Gremlin Interactive
Publisher: -

Eye of the Beholder
Eye of the Beholder – MS-DOS cover art
Eye of the Beholder is a legendary first-person dungeon crawler released for MS-DOS in 1991 by Westwood Associates and published by Strategic Simulations, Inc.. Set in the famous Dungeons & Dragons world of Forgotten Realms, the game sends a party…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1991
Developer: Westwood Studios
Publisher: Strategic Simulations

Legends of Valour
Legends of Valour – MS-DOS cover art
Legends of Valour, released in 1992 by Synthetic Dimensions, is an ambitious first-person RPG that offers players an open-ended adventure in a vast medieval fantasy city. Set in the sprawling metropolis of Mitteldorf, the game allows players to…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1992
Developer: Synthetic Dimensions
Publisher: U.S. Gold

Heimdall
Heimdall – MS-DOS cover art
Heimdall, released in 1992 by Core Design, is an action-adventure game inspired by Norse mythology. Players take on the role of the young warrior Heimdall, chosen by the gods to recover three stolen relics — Odin’s sword, Frey’s spear, and Thor’s…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1992
Developer: The 8th Day
Publisher: Core Design

Darklands
Darklands – MS-DOS cover art
Darklands, released in 1992 by MicroProse, is a unique role-playing game set in a gritty, realistic version of 15th-century Germany — a world where medieval folklore, alchemy, and religious superstition come to life. Instead of traditional fantasy…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1992
Developer: MPS Labs
Publisher: MicroProse

Might and Magic IV: Clouds of Xeen
Might and Magic IV: Clouds of Xeen – MS-DOS cover art
Might and Magic IV: Clouds of Xeen is a classic first-person role-playing game developed and published by New World Computing in 1992 for MS-DOS. Set in the high-fantasy world of Xeen, the game invites players to lead a party of adventurers across…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1992
Developer: New World Computing
Publisher: -

Wizardry VII: Crusaders of the Dark Savant
Wizardry VII: Crusaders of the Dark Savant – MS-DOS cover art
Wizardry VII: Crusaders of the Dark Savant is a 1992 MS-DOS role-playing game developed by Sir-Tech and widely regarded as one of the most ambitious entries in the classic Wizardry series. It continues the tradition of first-person, party-based…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1992
Developer: Sir-Tech
Publisher: -

Ishar: Legend of the Fortress
Ishar: Legend of the Fortress – MS-DOS cover art
Ishar: Legend of the Fortress is a fantasy role-playing game developed and published by the French studio Silmarils in 1992. Set on the island of Kendoria, the story follows the warrior Aramir on his quest to defeat the evil sorcerer Krogh, who has…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1992
Developer: Silmarils
Publisher: -

Ishar 2: Messengers of Doom
Ishar 2: Messengers of Doom – MS-DOS cover art
Ishar 2: Messengers of Doom, released in 1993 by Silmarils, is an immersive role-playing game (RPG) that continues the epic saga of the Ishar series. Set in a rich and expansive fantasy world, the game challenges players to assemble a team of…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1993
Developer: Silmarils
Publisher: -

Betrayal at Krondor
Betrayal at Krondor – MS-DOS cover art
Betrayal at Krondor is a story-driven role-playing game developed by Dynamix and released for MS-DOS in 1993 under the Sierra label. Set in Raymond E. Feist’s richly imagined world of Midkemia, the game unfolds like a playable novel, following a…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1993
Developer: Dynamix
Publisher: Sierra On-Line

Dark Sun: Shattered Lands
Dark Sun: Shattered Lands – MS-DOS cover art
Dark Sun: Shattered Lands is a classic role-playing game released in 1993 for MS-DOS by Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI). Set in the harsh and unforgiving world of Athas from the Dark Sun campaign setting of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, the game…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1993
Developer: Strategic Simulations
Publisher: -

Hired Guns
Hired Guns – MS-DOS cover art
Hired Guns (1993) is a cyberpunk first-person action game for MS-DOS published by Psygnosis and developed by DMA Design. Set in a dark, dystopian future ruled by megacorporations, the game places the player in the role of a freelance mercenary…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1993
Developer: DMA Design
Publisher: Psygnosis

Dungeon Hack
Dungeon Hack – MS-DOS cover art
Dungeon Hack is a classic dungeon crawler for MS-DOS released in 1993 by Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI). Built on the iconic Gold Box engine, the game uses Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition rules, placing players in control of a party of…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1993
Developer: DreamForge Intertainment
Publisher: Strategic Simulations

Fantasy Empires
Fantasy Empires – MS-DOS cover art
Fantasy Empires is a grand strategy game released in 1993 for MS-DOS by Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI), set in the rich and expansive world of the Forgotten Realms. Combining empire management with role-playing elements, the game allows players…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1993
Developer: Silicon Knights
Publisher: Strategic Simulations