There may never 🐎be a developer as influential as BioWare wheꦕn it comes to RPGs. They have been making hits since Neverwinter Nights was released in 1991. It’s been over 20 yearsꦿ, and they are still going strong, carving enjoyable digit🧸al experiences out of pen and paper games like Dungeons and Dragons while sho🍎wing off their own world-building skills in Jade Empire and the Mass Effect trilogy.

Typically, BioWare games have a few core concepts that🦩 vary slightly from title to title: a morality system, willing followers, and storyline elements that change dependi𒅌ng on your decisions or who your character is. Players are always encouraged to create their own adventures within the world of the story, much like how tabletop RPGs are still played today.

BioWare’s formulaic structure does not always work to its benefit, and, initially, it didn’t work that well at all. Some of their🎃 games suffer from flat stories or confusing and challenging combat. Others fail when it comes to character development or game mechanics. None of their games are perfect, but, in a way, that’s their charm.

However, let’s get one thing out of the way right now. BioWare does not make bad games in the traditional sense of the word. Nearly all of their games are pretty good. Some are just better than others. The worst entries on this list, if developed by another company, would be considered decent, if not great, titles. Wꦕhen you are a superstar developer like BioWare, your games get held to a higher standard.

15 Worst: Neverwinter Nights

BioWare got in over their heads with Neverwinter Nights, the third-person RPG set in the world of Dungeons and Dragons. The single-player campaign was lengthy but repetitive and forgettable. Players were promised a toolset that would allow them to create new monsters, dungeons, encounters, etc., giving them the👍 power to literally shape their adventไure and share it with others using the game’s DM Client.

This all sounded fantastic until playe💫rs loaded up the game. The single-player campaign got rid of the popular party dynamic present in the Baldur’s Gate series, allowing pla🐠yers only one follower. Due to a lack of variety in textures and models, many of the levels looked the same—even when player created. Worst of all, the♌ game’s constraints weren’t conducive to the spontaneity required for a true role-playing session. Mods and add-ons would eventually save NWN but, out of the box, it was a huge disappointmen🐓t.

14 Best: Mass Effect 3

That♍’s right. It’s not a typo. I get it. After spending over 75 hours making nerve-racking decisions, watching Garrus make calibrations, and saving the universe one battle at a time, it’s safe to say that by Mass Effect 3’s 🐎end, gamers were pissed. However, the final entry in Shepard's journey got a lot of thi✨ngs right. Mass Effect 3 gave us pow✱er combos, expanding upon and improving the warp det🎐onations present in the second game.

Gameplay wise, it’s 🔯the best in tꩵhe series. The missions are integral and satisfying, the level design is above average, and both seamlessly support and enhance the story. Mass Effect 3 served its purpose. It gave us a fun game and closer. It moved us. 🎶I mean, reme🍷mber how invested you were in the Krogan genophage?

It may not have been perfect, but it’s def💖initely better than its last few minutes would have you believe.

13 Worst: Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood

Mass Effect 3 isn’t the only BioWare game 🎃that suf🌠fers from a lazy, throwaway ending. Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood’s ending makes the end of Shephard’s tale seem O🔯scar-worthy in comparison. Without giving too much of the plot away, the game ends on a cliffhanger, which Sonic and Tails point out in their post-game dialogue. They then discuss, I kid you not, the history of Bioware and the team that built the game.

Outside of its ending, it features a watered-down dialogue tree that has no deep impact on the story. The battle system gets old quick, requiring players to poke and slid🉐e their stylus across their DS’ screen to attack. Even the quests are repetitive and uninspired. Plaܫyers spend most of the game fetching items, often returning to low-level areas they have already cleared—and encountering weak monsters along the way.

Overall, it’s a medio🐠cre RPG from a powerhouse deve🅘loper.

12 Best: Jade Empire

Jade Empire is an action (martial arts) RPG set in a fascinating world inspired byꦦ Chinese mythology. Don’t let the landscape fool you, this is no Ancient China, bits of technology, like flying vehicles, quietly blend into its picturesque landscape.

A labor of love, BioWare chose to work on this title (an original🌳 ♍IP) over the sequel to KOTOR, and it shows. The game’s captivating story and world are even more impressive when you realize it was created from scratch. There was no established lore to build on or fan base to rely on. It was a risk that paid off because of their attention to the little things—like working with an Asian linguist to create a fictional language for 🃏the elders. Not only that, battles happen in real time, there are plenty of martial arts skills to acquire, and, of course, multiple outcomes.

You’ll definitely need a second playthrough.

11 Worst: Mass Effect 1

Mass Effect was the start of arguably the greatest RPG franchise ever made. It gave us everything we wanted—space, an epic protagonist, and harrowing decisions. I mean, who doesn’t remember having to choose between Kaidan and Ash♔ley (and always letting her die) on Virmire or deciding whether or not you should let the Rachni Queen live? The latter was a big choice that 💧impacted the rest of the series.

Although the story ultimately improved (and dramatically fell apart at the end), the first game’s plot is as predictable as they come. In addition, it looks terrible in comparison to part 2. Not to mention, its clunky controls make combat unnecessarily difficult. If you die during a big battle, you are forced to watch the same cutscene over and over again uꩵntil you win because they are unskippable.

Nice going, BioWare!

10 Best: Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic

In a sea of mediocre Star Wars games, Knights of the Old Republic manages to st🦄and above the rest. The game is set over 4000 years before the first Star Wars film, which gave BioWare enough distance to tell their own unique tale witꦓhout🐈 betraying the feel of the wondrous world Lucas created.

Players control a soldier who is naturally gifted in the ways of the Force. As they move through the game, their morality is revealed as they choose from dialogue options leaning tow😼ard the Dark or Light side of the force. But they aren’t alone.

Two followers accompany them on their journey. Durin🅺g enemy encounters, players enter a paused mode where they can make equipment changes and assign up to 5 actions to each character, making for more dynamic and strategic ba🌳ttles.

This captivating tale from lo🐻ng long ago is everything you want in a Star Wars game.

9 Worst: Dragon Age II

Dragon Age II as a much shorter game than Origins set in a smaller world. That might have been fine its design didn’🧸t make you painfully aware of this fact. Recycled areas and textures make every dungeon and cave look the same no matter its occupant, players are forced to play as a human, and you encounter the same enemies at every tur💧n (demons anyone?).

These aren’t the only ways the game falls short. Players are restricted to a single city over a 7-year period. During this period, time skips advance the story but skip over crucial information (like characters you supposedly already know). The writing falls apart toward the end when you ultimately realize that your choices had no impact on th🐼e game’s disappointing (and linear) story. Ultimately, it leaves you feeling as if your choices had no impact on its plot, particularly if y൲ou decide to side with the mages.

8 Best: Dragon Age Origins

Dragon Age: Origins is the game that started it all. Unlike Dragon Age II, it allows you to choose from three races—human, elf, or dwarf—as a warrior, rogue, or mage. Your choices affect the game right from th♍e beginning, as your selections will throw you into one of six stories and ultimately affect how your character is received and treated by others in the world.

Choices not only affect the game but how your companions view you, forcing you to really consider the consequences of your actions. You want them to like you. Ignore their feelings, and you could lose out on stat bonuses for characters within your party, teachable ski♏lls, and the opportunity to get to know them better (everyone’s got a story). Really piss them off, and they’ll just leave your party.

Origins’ replay value is hig🌠h. There’s no shortage of stories to te𒉰ll and characters to romance.

7 Worst: Baldur's Gate 1 

BioWare’s first RPG was a groundbreaking game ꦐt♔hat brought Advanced Dungeons and Dragons to lꦕife on computer screens across the country🎃. However, while Baldur’s Gate didn’t age well and, by today’s standards,꧟ is unforgiving.

You start out as a low-level character unable to handle the much stronger enem♒ies you encoꦡunter early one. What’s worse, the game doesn’t care if you understand how it works or not. Expect many deaths.

The story builds as slowly as boiling water and is peppered with a few, easy moral choices. The majority of your time is spen๊t grinding (for the next dungeon) or going on non-narrative fetch quests. Oh, and don’t forget to listen in as your bland companions constantly talk over each other as you travel.

While not the best game, Baldur’s Gate laid the groundwork for BioWare’❀s future titles.

6 Best: Baldur's Gate II: Shadows Of Amn

Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn cemented BioWare’s place in RPG-making history. Unlike its predecessor, the game holds up quite well. It allows players🦄 to shape their destiny, making choices that will place them on the path to good or evil.ꩲ

Here, quests are story driven, and there is less grinding. Also, the game starts players off at a higher level, which makes for more interesting battles early on, as you’ll already ha🌊ve a few abilities to start you off.

The story is more nuanced and picks up where the 🦹previous game left off, with multiple storylines occurring along the game’s main storyline. Side and returning characters꧙ have more depth due to their diverse dialogue options (especially outside of battle), meaningful interactions, and the ability for romance.

The sequel imp⛦roved upon꧂ its predecessor in every way and proved that BioWare was a force to be reckoned with.