Every gamer is eternally looking for that next great game; for people who play role playing games it can become an epic quest. Here's an overview of online sites and tools to help you find the best role playing video games, whether they're old, new, or still in development!
Finding the games
The one-stop-shop for online role playing games is MMORPG.com. This site has a comprehensive list of most of the best (and worst) role playing games ever produced. You can sort the games according to genre depending on whether your interested in sci-fi, horror, fantasy, or history, etc... You can also search according to release date, whether or not they allow player vs. player combat, and the rating the game has received. You can even search according to the amount of the monthly fee if you're looking for free to play (f2p) games.
Is this the game for me?
Once you've found a game that interests you, check out the onsite review as well as the forums for that particular game. There are a lot of "forum trolls", or people who love to cause drama, on the MMORPG.com site, but every little bit of info helps. Next, check out the game's actual website. There will be a link to the developer's site from the game's page on MMORPG.com. The developer's site should have forums as well, and the information will be much more up-to-date than that found on game review sites. Even if the game is still in development or beta, you can get a feel for the game from fan and developer discussion.
For the truly hardcore gamer, looking for relentlessly brutal, in-depth reviews, check out www.eurogamer.net. While eurogamer does focus on European releases, their game reviews set the standard world-wide and have been known to weigh heavily in the success or failure of a game. Eurogamers also sorts games by platform and genre. They also offer reader-reviews of a game, so you can get an idea of what a non-professional gamer thought of your chosen game.
Gamerzines
If you find in-depth reviews helpful, there is a company by the name of Gamerzines.com that might suit your needs.Gamerzines.com offers free electronic magazines (e-zines) for several different gaming platforms including the XBox 360, PS3, Wii, PSP and DS. They also have a magazine dedicated specifically to MMO games. The e-zines are available to download free of charge and offer well done reviews and re-reviews of the latest games and expansions.
Solo Play
If you aren't into playing with other people online, and prefer to go solo there are still online resources to help you find the best role playing video games. Websites like IGN.com and Gamespot.com both focus on reviewing all games, regardless of the platform or genre. These sites offer a huge assortment of reviews, previews, trailers, interviews and features. They also offer lists ranking games according to various criteria (usually editorial reviews).
You can also check out platform specific game reviews if you play console games. Gamer/writers make their livings reviewing and writing articles like "Free MMORPG Games We Loved Playing in 2008" and "Best MMORPG List". It's entirely possible to find a gamer/writer who's tastes match your own and follow them to find out what they're reviewing.
If you're a console or solo gamer, IGN.com has an added bonus of offering various cheats and codes that may be useful if you're an offline gamer. IGN also offers video footage of many of the games so you can take a look at it before you play. Once you've found the best role playing video game, IGN can probably help you find a guide or walk through for it as well!
Gaming is becoming more and more popular world wide, and the world is taking notice. The sites mentioned here are among the oldest and most respected, but they are by no means the only sources of gaming information on the web. Use them to get a good idea of what you want and to keep your eyes on what is coming. Someday, someone will produce that next uber game. Knowing how to find it will make sure you're there when it happens.