Obsidian Entertainment, founded in 2003, has built a strong reputation for consistently releasing popular games. This is no accident, considering the studio was started by veterans from Black Isle Studios, the team behind classics like Icewind Dale, Planescape: Torment, and Fallout 2. What’s particularly impressive is Obsidian’s recent success with games outside of the role-playing genre, demonstrating their growing development skills. While they’ve made many great games, here are five that truly stand out.
Here are Obsidian Entertainment’s five best games.
5) The Outer Worlds
I initially wanted to include Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, but the game was rushed during development and had to have content removed. With the fan-made patch that restores that content, it’s a truly exceptional game. However, the original release from Obsidian wasn’t quite as good, though that wasn’t the team’s fault.
Luckily, the studio has several other fantastic games to consider. I think The Outer Worlds is a strong contender for a spot in the top 5. While it doesn’t hit quite as hard as Fallout: New Vegas, this “Fallout in space” game is really well done. It features a great cast of companions, fun and unusual combat, and some of the best player choice we’ve seen in recent games. Overall, it’s an excellent game from Obsidian, and the sequel is just as good.
4) Pillars of Eternity
As a gamer, I’d say Pillars of Eternity is a real love letter to those old-school RPGs like Baldur’s Gate and Icewind Dale. It’s played from that top-down, isometric perspective, and you really have to think about your strategy and how your party works together. The fighting is good, but honestly, the best part is the story – it’s what keeps me coming back for more.
Obsidian Entertainment crafted a rich and immersive world with memorable characters. The depth of their creation allowed them to expand the story with two follow-up games: POE II, which continues the original narrative, and Avowed, an action RPG set in the same universe. If you’re looking for a classic, top-down RPG experience, Pillars of Eternity is a must-try – it excels in almost every aspect of game design.
3) South Park: The Stick of Truth
It sounds cliché, but it’s true: The Stick of Truth really captures the feel of a full season of South Park in video game form. The game is about 15 hours long and is filled with content that perfectly mirrors the show. If you don’t enjoy the unique humor of Matt Stone and Trey Parker, it might not be for you, but fans have loved it.
It’s unusual for video games to be genuinely funny, though things are slowly improving as developers focus more on writing quality. The Stick of Truth is a hilarious exception, packed with memorable moments that will stay with you long after you finish playing. Combined with simple, strategic battles, it’s one of Obsidian’s strongest games. The sequel, The Fractured but Whole, developed by Ubisoft, was also well-received, but didn’t quite match the wildly creative story of the first game.
2) Pentiment
Honestly, when Obsidian just dropped Pentiment, I was totally surprised – but in the best way! It’s a story-focused adventure where your choices actually mean something. What really got me hooked was the time pressure. Every decision felt weighty because you knew you couldn’t solve everything, and that created this awesome tension. It also made me want to replay it right away to see how different choices would play out.
What’s really impressive about Pentiment is that every decision you make truly matters. There isn’t one single ‘right’ way to play – every choice has a real impact and leads to consequences, making the story feel incredibly realistic. You can’t manipulate things to get a perfect ending, and on top of it all, the game’s art style is absolutely stunning – some of the best in gaming.
1) Fallout: New Vegas
Fallout: New Vegas isn’t only Obsidian’s greatest achievement, it’s arguably the best Fallout game ever made and a strong contender for one of the top 25 video games of all time. Obsidian truly excelled with this title, successfully blending updated combat mechanics with the quirky, classic Fallout feel that longtime fans adore.
Okay, so this game’s world is HUGE and seriously worth exploring – I mean, every little corner has something interesting to discover. The quests? They’re all over the place in the best way – sometimes I was genuinely scared, other times I was laughing my head off, and then other times I was actually getting emotional. Honestly, the sheer amount of stuff to do is mind-blowing, and the best part is, it doesn’t feel like pointless busywork. Plus, the writing is incredible, which is something I can’t really say about the newer Fallout games from Bethesda. It’s just on another level.
It’s no surprise these two games are so good – they share the same director as Pillars of Eternity. When Josh Sawyer leads a project at Obsidian, you can always expect strong writing and well-designed quests. While many people contribute, he’s definitely someone to watch for future games.
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2026-01-28 02:11