Best Western RPGs With Almost No Character Customization

Role-playing games commonly allow the player to create their own character so they can immerse themselves within the world they are adventuring in. However, some western RPGs will instead give players few or no customization options and instead give them a character that they must play throughout one of several games in the franchise.

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While it may be disappointing to not have the control to customize them fully, these western RPGs are some of the best that have almost no customization options but are justified and fit with their stories, to still allow the player to have a good time as they role-play.

7

Fable 2

Choices Change The Character’s Appearance

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Fable 2

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Released

October 21, 2008

Like the original Fable title, players are unable to customize their character in Fable 2 other than choosing if they wish to play male or female. Later on in the game, players can visit barbers and such to give themselves new hairstyles, make-up, or tattoos, but the overall appearance of the hero will remain the same.

This is because Fable 2 allows the player’s appearance to change through choices they have made in the story. Therefore, if a player makes a lot of evil decisions, their character will start to look evil, as well as leveling in certain ways, such as boosting their strength, will show their character becoming physically stronger.

6

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

It Follows The Story Of Henry

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is another Western RPG that doesn’t allow the player to customize the character Henry at the start of the game, though visiting bathhouses around the map does allow the player to change his beard and hairstyle. While unfortunate for some, playing as Henry fits the story of Kingdom Come: Deliverance, as the player witnesses the story of Henry from starting as a Blacksmith’s son who sees his village destroyed to becoming a soldier that once would’ve never expected to wield a sword.

Being able to change Henry’s appearance would’ve removed some realism in Kingdom Come: Deliverance, depending on how the player could customize their character, and therefore, only small changes can be made.

5

Dragon Age 2

Hawke Has Become A Staple Of The Series Since

Many players were disappointed when playing Dragon Age 2 that they could only be human, especially after the assortment of races and backgrounds that were established in Dragon Age: Origins. However, BioWare managed to make Hawke fit their story in Dragon Age 2, as well as making them a staple of the franchise that was created since.

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Hawke can still be somewhat customized at the start of Dragon Age 2, though the player can only be a human. This plays into the story of Dragon Age 2, as, although Hawke is human, they are a refugee who has come to Kirkwall and therefore gets treated differently. Having this already set background for Hawke allowed BioWare to create a staple figure with set family ties that the player also takes part in.

4

Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla

Eivor Is Vital To The Assassin’s Creed Story

Before Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, players had no choice as to who they were playing in the Assassin’s Creed franchise. However, as the games became more RPG-based, players got not only a choice of characters, but in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, the player even had various customization options, from gender, hair color, hairstyle, and tattoo options.

While these don’t change Eivor majorly, they still added a way for the player to personalize their experience. The canon of Assassin’s Creed still appears to be female Eivor, though players can freely play as either in Valhalla, with the characters of the game acting the same either way, as Eivor will always be a Viking Warrior.

3

Borderlands 2

There Are Still Unique Vault Hunters To Play As, With Their Own Backstory

Although Borderlands 2 is firstly a looter shooter, there are RPG elements to the game that allow it to fit the western RPG genre. Every Borderlands title doesn’t have an in-depth character customizer, though players are able to unlock different skins and head types for their Vault Hunter, as well as having the choice between various Vault Hunters in the game.

The limited character customizer makes sense for Borderlands 2 as well as the other games in the franchise due to each Vault Hunter having their own unique backstory, as well as the games always having at least one Siren for the player to choose. These characters also have their own unique abilities which also play into the type of character they are as well as some of them even appearing in future Borderlands titles.

2

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition

A Human With An Important Role In The Franchise

Although Dragon Age 2 may have been the only game in the Dragon Age franchise where the player must play as a set hero, the main Mass Effect franchise that has since been remastered in the Mass Effect: Legendary Edition has always had the player taking on the role of Shepard.

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In a sci-fi world, it’s upsetting that the player can only be a human, but for the story of Mass Effect, it makes sense as Shepard is not only trying to save the world but also proving to the alien races that humans deserve more authority in space.

1

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Players Experience Certain Events Like The Witcher Books

With the next The Witcher title from CD Projekt Red having players controlling Ciri, in the previous games such as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, players were given control of the much loved Witcher, Geralt. In this western RPG, players are unable to customize Geralt, especially as he is an original character from the Witcher books.

While some elements of the game are different from the books, with each of them having their own canon, the only changes that can be made to Geralt involve changing his hairstyle and beard, which makes little difference to the appearance of Geralt. Many players don’t have any complaints about this in this RPG franchise, many players have come to love the character of Geralt and getting to play as him.

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