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 (alphabetical)

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: -

Ultima VIII: Pagan
Ultima VIII: Pagan – MS-DOS cover art
Ultima VIII: Pagan is a dark, action-oriented entry in Origin Systems’ legendary RPG series, released for MS-DOS in 1994. Cast into the mysterious and oppressive world of Pagan, the Avatar must master elemental magic and challenge four tyrannical…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1994
Developer: Origin Systems
Publisher: -

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: -

The Elder Scrolls: Arena
The Elder Scrolls: Arena – MS-DOS cover art
The Elder Scrolls: Arena is the first entry in Bethesda Softworks’ acclaimed fantasy RPG series, released for MS-DOS in 1994. The game introduces players to the vast continent of Tamriel, offering an unusually large, procedurally generated world for…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1994
Developer: Bethesda Softworks
Publisher: -

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

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: -

Robinson's Requiem
Robinson's Requiem – MS-DOS cover art
Robinson's Requiem is a survival simulation game developed by Silmarils and released for MS-DOS in 1994. Blending first-person exploration with detailed survival mechanics, the game follows Trepliev 1, a space marshal stranded on the hostile alien…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1994
Developer: Silmarils
Publisher: -

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: -

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

Knights of Xentar
Knights of Xentar – MS-DOS cover art
Knights of Xentar, released in 1995 by Megatech Software, is an English-localized version of the Japanese RPG Dragon Knight III. It’s a tongue-in-cheek, anime-styled role-playing game that mixes traditional fantasy storytelling with heavy doses of…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1995
Developer: ELF Corporation
Publisher: Megatech Software

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 3: The Seven Gates of Infinity
Ishar 3: The Seven Gates of Infinity – MS-DOS cover art
Ishar 3: The Seven Gates of Infinity is a 1994 MS-DOS role-playing game developed and published by Silmarils. It is the third installment in the Ishar series and continues the studio’s signature blend of first-person exploration, party-based…
Genre: RPG
Release: 1994
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: -

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

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: -

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

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

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