How to make an RPG game you can finish

Most first RPGs die because they start as an open world. Scope yours to one town, one dungeon and one boss, with a few stats and an XP curve you can tune. RPG Maker, GameMaker, Godot and describe-it apps like Roam can all get you there.

The starter plan

Four stats. HP, attack, defense, speed. Every extra stat doubles your balancing work.
An XP curve. Try XP needed to level up = 20 x current level squared: 20, 80, 180, 320. Aim for level 5 by the boss.
Three quests. One fetch, one hunt, one talk-to-someone. Each teaches the player a part of the world.
One dungeon. Three to five rooms, one key, one shortcut back to the start.
One boss. Two attack patterns, each with a clear warning before it hits. Change pattern at half health.
Loot that matters. One real weapon upgrade per area beats twenty swords with tiny stat changes.

Tools for an RPG

RPG Maker. A paid engine for Windows and Mac made for 2D RPGs, with map, database and battle editors. Most logic is set up with events, not code.
GameMaker. Free for non-commercial use, with a paid license to sell. Undertale was made by Toby Fox in GameMaker.
Godot. Free and open source. More coding, more freedom, and good 2D tools.
Roam. A free iPhone app. Describe the RPG and it comes back playable with world, art, characters and sound. Add quests or a boss by asking.

For free, or without coding

Free: Godot always, and GameMaker for non-commercial games. No code: RPG Maker's event system covers dialogue, shops and battles for most small projects, and Roam needs only sentences.

Whatever the tool, write the boss fight first. If the fight is fun, the town and the quests have something to lead to. If it is not, fix it before you draw a single map.

Play it on Roam

Describe your RPG to Roam

One town, one dungeon, one boss, in a sentence. Play it on iPhone and add quests by asking.

Try: "pixel RPG in a cursed bakery town, 3 quests, a cellar dungeon, the boss is a giant sourdough"

Create it with Roam See Roam

Questions people ask

How do I make an RPG for free?

Use Godot, which is free and open source, or GameMaker's free non-commercial license. Roam is also a free iPhone app for describing one.

Can I make an RPG without coding?

Yes. RPG Maker handles most logic with events, and Roam turns a description into a playable RPG.

How long does it take to make an RPG?

A small one with one dungeon can take a few weeks to a few months. Full-length RPGs often take years.

Keep exploring

More on Roam: All Roam games Games to play, by kind