Anthropomorphic means giving something non-human the characteristics of a human. This can be physical appearance, like posture or wearing clothes, or behaviors such as talking and cooking. There is no end of literature and movies featuring anthropomorphic characters; a few that might immediately come to mind areFantastic Mr. FoxorTheWind in the Willows.They also frequently appear in children’s films, especially those by Disney and Dreamworks.
Role-playing games, the fantasy genre in particular, are also no strangers to creating interesting figures. With their rich world-building comes a diverse range of mythical races, rarely excluding those that are animal-like. These are some of thebest RPGs with anthropomorphic characters,from playable characters to NPCs to bosses.
This list does not include MMORPGs, although it is worth noting that many games in the genre also include anthropomorphic characters. A few notable examples areWorld of WarcraftandGuild Wars 2.
Solatorobo: Red the Hunteris an action RPG for the Nintendo DS. The gametakes place in a steampunk-esque worldof floating islands inhabited by cats (“Felineko”) and dogs (“Caninu”), following the mercenary hunter, Red Savarin. The player must save the islands from being controlled by the evil Kurvas Guild, simultaneously uncovering Red’s own identity.
Solatorobohas a comprehensive story and well-developed characters that fit right into the aesthetic of the game. Although there are many RPG elements - leveling, puzzles, combat - it should be noted that it is a dialogue-heavy game, making it much slower paced than others in the genre.
9Ghost Of A Tale
Follow A Small Mouse On A Big Adventure
When thinking of a brave adventurer protagonist, a mouse is probably not the first figure that comes to mind.Ghost of a Talecompletely ignores the stigma around rodents, giving the player control of a minstrel mouse, Tilo, trying to escape the clutch of the self-important rat army.
Unlike the majority of RPGs, there is no combat inGhost of a Tale,insteadencouraging players to use stealthand strategy. Tilo can level up by finding collectibles and can learn skills from NPCs. Overall, this is a charming indie game, with a dark fantasy atmosphere that is easy to immerse in.
After traveling into the future to find humanity almost entirely destroyed, the protagonists must go back in time to stop Lavos, the entity responsible for the eventual apocalypse. One notable anthropomorphic character is Frog, formerly a knight and a member of Crono’s party.
If players earn enough tech points, they can unlock “Techs” to use in combat, which are special moves that cost magic points to perform. They can also time travel, each era coming with its own side quests and characters. While not the most extravagant plot,Chrono Triggeris a refreshingly simple yet effective RPG. There are twelve endings.
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteousfollows the player-character as they lead the Fifth Crusade against the demons traveling through a chasm called “the Worldwound” to wreak havoc on all those in their path. On the journey to figure out how to close the Worldwound, the player will also discover more about their own character and the source of their mythic powers.
Wrath of the Righteoushas extensive character creation, with a range of classes, races (one of which being the fox-like “Kitsune”), and “Mythic Paths” to choose from, determining their abilities and playstyle. For gamers looking for an RPG to sinkhundreds of hours into, this could be the one.
Original Sin 2is the fifthDivinitytitle, once again taking place in Rivellon - a medieval world overrun with dark, hostile monsters dubbed the “Voidwoken”. The player takes on the role of a Sourcerer who has been captured in order to remove their “Source” (ability to manipulate energy). After being rescued, they must embark on a journey to seal the Void.
Full of all the fantasy tropes - Gods, demons, magic, betrayal - and RPG systems such asturn-based combat, skill crafting, and different races (including lizards),Divinity: Original Sinquickly became critically acclaimed. The developer would later work on another classic:Baldur’s Gate 3.
InDiablo 2,the player controls a hero following the Dark Wanderer, a warrior corrupted by the demon Diablo, to find the source of the demon infestation. The remastered version,Resurrection,keeps the same story but introduced 3D models, improved cutscenes, and an upgraded skill point system.
Players may or may not be familiar with the “Secret Cow Level” - an Easter egg level (referencing a false rumor about the originalDiablo) that can only be unlocked after completing the game. In this level, they must battle hostile bipedal cows and kill the Cow King in a fun, optional side-quest.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildis theseventeenth game (by release) in the franchise. The player follows Link as he explores Hyrule to defeat Ganon and rescue Zelda. Among the interesting characters inhabiting the weird and wonderful world are the Rito, a bird race, and the Zora, a fish race - both communities having their own quests.
Breath of the Wildmarked a move into open-world games for Nintendo, allowing players to explore freely and complete (or not) puzzles and side quests as they please. The game was so pivotal that it influenced the development of proceeding open-world RPGs such asHalo InfiniteandGhost of Tsushima.
TheFinal Fantasyfranchiseboasts upwards of 100 titles, including spin-offs and remakes.Final Fantasy 7is part of the main series, withRemakeandRebirthbeing the first two parts of a re-imagining of the original game. The latter continues to follow Cloud on a mission to defeat Sephiroth, who is attempting to become a god, in the process damaging the Planet.
Alongside stunning environments and a diverse open-world are a number of compelling anthropomorphic characters, including the lion-esque King of the Forest, Red XIII, and the fortune-teller robot cat, Cait Sith. Both can be recruited as part of the player’s party.
Of course, players can’t forget aboutSkyrim.Despite being a relatively old RPG in a climate of increasing game standards, it still holds up today as a well-rounded experience. Players can follow the main questline to defeat Alduin and become the Dragonborn, see an end to the ongoing civil war, or simply wander the landscape at leisure.
TheElder Scrollsfranchise as a whole has extensive historical and political lore, with the majority of characters having some level of backstory. Players will undoubtedly encounter the cat-like ware-peddling Khajiit, and the swamp-dwelling amphibian Argonians, both of which are also playable races. Overall,Skyrimhas appeal for all kinds of gamers and is a must-play RPG.
These anthropomorphic races also appear in other Elder Scrolls games such asOblivionandMorrowind.
Upon its release in 2022,Elden Ringtook the gaming world by storm, quickly blowing up as one ofthe best-selling video games of all time. A collaboration between theDark Soulsdeveloper FromSoftware and author ofA Game of Thrones,George R. R. Martin, the game was unsurprisingly a huge success in terms of world-building, narrative, and gameplay.
There is no shortage of fantastic character designs inElden Ring,from epic bosses to passing NPCs, it will come as no shock that some of them happen to be anthropomorphic. On example is Blaidd, a half-man half-wolf that can be killed for his armor. Boc the Seamster is also a rat-like demi-human who will alter armor for free if helped.
