One of the best things about an RPG is in the name, as they allow players to role-play as other characters or to customize their own avatar. Getting cool armor, changing costumes, and putting on accessories are all part of the fun. Some RPGs have more options than others, and this includes going back decades.

Who knew that a DS RPG could have as many options as something on the PS5? It just goes to show that some developers are forward-thinking while others are stuck in the past. So, for players who like to dress up their characters in single-player or multiplayer games, these RPGs will not disappoint. They will be ranked based on how they offer costumes and the options available.

Bravely Default 2 has a Job system wherein all four characters can change their classes and assume new roles. Every character gets a unique costume for their Job, so Elvis as a Beastmaster will look different than Gloria’s costume. Players can get new Jobs via boss battles, most of which are story-based, but some are optional. Unlocking them all is part of the fun, as these costumes are truly wild and add a little fun to the RPG magic.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is also a turn-based RPG based on the concept of changing classes. This will change everyone’s outfit, which also looks unique compared to others. The big difference is that characters can have separate costumes inside and outside of battle, or they can match both versions if they choose.

Also, there is a mechanic that will eventually unlock, which allows classes to look like others, so a ninja could look like a surfer, for example, which makes this class system slightly better than Bravely Default 2’s for those who care about fashion.

Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels of the Starry Skies has a class system known as Vocations, which changes abilities but not costumes. That’s because every weapon and armor in the game will be represented by the characters to give them an extra bit of flair.

It was the first mainline Dragon Quest game to include multiplayer co-op, making this fashion show a fun one to share with friends. Beyond costumes, players could also customize their main hero’s looks along with the other three party members.

The Pokemon series has been good with fashion for at least a decade now, ever since they added options for players to customize their Pokemon Trainer. Pokemon Legends: Arceus sticks out as a good modern entry gameplay-wise, but also as a game featuring cool clothing.

Players can get various hats and body outfits to make their character pop. Because Pokemon do all the fighting, the clothing is purely cosmetic, so players don’t have to worry about looking bad but having good stats.

Xenoblade Chronicles: Definite Edition redesigned a lot of aspects of the Wii game, including character design. It also added the option to keep stats from certain armor and weapons, but make them look different.

If players find or buy a piece of gear, that gear’s look will automatically unlock for that character and can be changed anytime. The only exception is the Monado, Shulk’s sword, which cannot have its design changed until players get to New Game+, which makes sense given the story.

Like Pokemon, the Tales of series has been good about costume choices and accessories for quite some time. Tales of Arise is the latest entry, and throughout the game’s story, players could get their party new costumes, but more so than that, they could accessorize.

There was a lot of headgear, including sunglasses and bunny ears. Specific costumes could be acquired through DLC, too, ranging from swimsuits to school uniforms to callbacks to characters from other entries in the series.

The character customization in Monster Hunter Wilds is the deepest the series has ever gone. Part of the fun in the game and series is fighting monsters and then crafting gear to resemble that monster’s parts. There are male and female versions of each armor set, which will change stats like in normal RPGs.

There is also Layered Armor that can be unlocked in the post-game, which allows players to transmog their outfits and to also change color patterns. Previous entries included skins from other games, like Ryu from Street Fighter, so fans are hoping for the same content updates eventually, but right now Monster Hunter Wilds is brimming with cool outfits.

There are tons of games in the series with good costumes and skins, including Final Fantasy Explorers, Final Fantasy 10-2, and Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13. However, Final Fantasy 14 is the reigning king because of how long it has existed. The reborn version debuted in 2013, and it has since received five expansions past that, with the latest releasing in 2024.

New expansions bring new Jobs and new armor sets, giving players plenty to wear. There are also specific costumes that can reference past games, like outfits resembling Tidus and Yuna from Final Fantasy 10. There’s traditional beach gear, samurai outfits, mascot costumes like Moogles, and so much more. An MMO is an easy pick for anyone who wants to get into an RPG and look good while playing it with friends.