There are so many amazing RPGs, including the likes ofFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth,Baldur’s Gate 3, andKingdom Come: Deliverance 2, but many, including the likes ofGreedfall, go massively under the radar, despite being incredible games in their own right. Whether down to a lack of promotion, lower-budget, some expected jank due to the size of the development team, many of these RPGs go criminally overlooked.
Fortunately, many of them happen to be some of thebest RPGs ever made. From indie games to AA masterpieces with worlds and mechanics other RPGs could only dream of having,these RPGs are absolutely incredible and well worth checking out. While they may have a few minor issues, or are lesser-known than some of the bigger players, they are nevertheless deserving of endless praise and attention.
Edge of Eternity (Midgar Studio)
A Huge JRPG Made By A Small Studio
Edge of Eternityis a fantasy/sci-fi JRPG hybrid that takes inspiration from the likes ofXenoblade ChroniclesandFinal Fantasy. In fact, it is so inspired by those games - especially the former - that the team at Midgar Studio hiredXenoblade Chronicles’own composer, Yasunori Mitsuda, to work on a handful of songs, including the game’s incredible main theme song. Much like the upcomingClair Obscur: Expedition 33,Edge of Eternityis an attempt at the cinematic JRPG formula from a Western developer.
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DespiteEdge of Eternity’smixed reviews, it remains an exceptional RPG, one perhaps a tad hampered by its lower budget, but nevertheless an incredibly ambitious experience from start to finish. Featuring genuinely jaw-dropping visuals, huge open areas to explore, a great cast of well-written characters, the aforementioned amazing soundtrack, and exciting turn-based combat,Edge of Eternityis a great and hugely underrated RPG.
Wolfstride (OTA IMON Studio)
A Gorgeous Mecha Boxing RPG
Wolfstrideis developer OTA IMON Studio’s debut title, and frankly, that’s hard to believe.This self-assured, stylish, existential, fantastically written, and effortlessly fun RPG is a joy to play from start to finish, its incredible narrative woven through genuinely exhilarating fights in which players control a customizable mech and attempt to pummel or riddle their opponent with bullets until either mech goes down.
Featuring a wide range of minigames and an even bigger roster of characters to meet and face,there’s something truly unique aboutWolfstridethat hugely elevates the experience. For fans ofCowboy Bebop,Meaglobox, and even the equally underrated Hugh Jackman film,Real Steel,Wolfstrideis a phenomenal, heartfelt, creative, witty, and often heartbreaking RPG well worth playing.
Pine (Twirlbound)
A Living Breathing Open-World RPG
Pine, the huge RPG from Twirlbound - the developer of theBOTWspiritual successor,The Knightling- is, much likeEdge of Eternity,a strikingly ambitious game that aspires to be far more than even most AAA games do. Featuring a sprawling open world filled with intriguing puzzle design, collectibles, unique locales, and warring factions,Pine’sexploration never gets old. Its defining feature is its aforementioned factions, which interact with each other as well as the player.
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You can often stumble across them raiding each other’s cities and even taking them over, fighting among each other in the open world, or just wandering in packs, waiting to strike. The player can use this to their advantage, such as by calling upon their allies for assistance, but will lose out on access to other factions and safe travel in their territory if they anger them too much. It is a novel system that massively elevates this otherwise incredible RPG.
Elex (Piranha Bytes)
A Fascinating Sci-Fi RPG
Elexis the 2017 fantasy/sci-fi RPG from developer Piranha Bytes, the studio perhaps best known for the also criminally underrated RPG series,Gothic. However, while many do fondly regardGothic, you rarely hear a good word said aboutElex.That is frankly surprising, especially considering just how good the game is, despite some jank that’s more or less a feature of Piranha Bytes' games.
Featuring a stunning and diverse world with numerous biomes, each populated by drastically different factions that, much likePine, have deeply meaningful interactions with the player, a fascinating narrative, and occasionally brilliant combat,Elexoften feels likeHorizon Zero DawnmeetsSkryim. It’s a phenomenal RPG that was lucky enough to get asequel that expands upon the originalin the best way possible.
The Technomancer (Spiders)
A Bioware-Like RPG
Spiders is the leading developer of underrated RPGs. Its back catalog isn’t flawless, butits recent games, includingThe Technomancer, sit squarely at the top of modern RPGs that are actually really great, but literally no one seems to have heard of.The Technomanceris set within the same universe as Spiders' previous game,Mars: War Logs, and puts players in the role of the titular Technomancer, who quickly becomes embroiled in something far bigger than himself.
WhileThe Technomanceris set within the same universe asMars: War Logs, players do not need to play it in order to understand its story. The two games almost run parallel to one another, with events crossing over, although an understanding of one won’t elevate the other.
The Technomanceris a Bioware-style RPG, in which players recruit a party of quirky characters, each with their own backstories and specializations, explore small hub areas, fight enemies in tense third-person battles, and listen to a lot of surprisingly well-voice-acted dialogue. In many ways,The Technomancerfar surpasses the efforts of Bioware- especially its recent games like thelacklusterDragon Age: The Veilguard- making it the perfect experience for fans of the developer’s previous titles, especiallyMass Effect.
Greedfall (Spiders)
One Of The Best RPGs Available
WhileThe Technomanceris certainly a more obscure title thanGreedfall,Spiders' more recent RPG is still shamefully absent from most people’s top 10 RPGs, despite being one of the best games in the genre. Set in a colonial fantasy world, players take on the role of De Sardet, the Legate for the Congregation of Merchants, who is dispatched to the newly discovered island of Teer Fradee in search of an all-important cure to a seemingly neverending disease killing much of the mainland’s population.
Greedfallhandles its mature and dark themes of colonization, racism, and genocide extremely well, delivering an excellently written narrative full of twists and turns and a truly memorable cast of characters. Its fairly robust combat and engaging exploration make venturing across Teer Fradee a genuine joy, and the many side quests help further flesh out its interesting world. While underrated,Greedfallwas, fortunately, a big enough success to warrant avery different sequelthat fans should definitely check out.
Outward (Nine Dots Studios)
Uniquely Charming Co-Op RPG
Outwardby Nine Dots Studios is an RPG that won’t be for everyone, and that’s likely why it flew under everyone’s radar. That’s because, despite being truly excellent,Outwardis very challenging.It never holds the player’s hand, lacking map markers and thus forcing players to rely on their surroundings to discern where they are on their map, as well as featuring survival mechanics and difficult souls-like combat.
However, once players get over the initial difficulty slump,Outwardoffers an incredibly immersive experience, one with a lore-rich world teeming with interesting places to visit, a fascinating narrative with huge expansions that build upon it, and the ability to play in co-op, either online, or, surprisingly, via split-screen on the same console.Outwardis a groundbreaking RPG, one that, while not for everyone, is so beautifully unique and daring, that it genuinely offers an RPG experience unlike any other.
The Banner Saga (Stoic)
A Phenomenal Lord Of The Rings-Esque RPG
DespiteThe Banner Sagabeing a relatively well-known RPG, when people discuss the very best in the genre, it’s rarely brought up. However, while it lacks the striking 3D visuals ofKingdom Come: Deliverance 2or the ability to approach each mission however one pleases, like inBaldur’s Gate 3,The Banner Sagatrilogy is perhaps the most cinematic RPG ever made, and the closest we’ll ever get to a genuinely goodLord of the Ringsgame.
The Banner Sagatrilogy is perhaps the most cinematic RPG ever made, and the closest we’ll ever get to a genuinely goodLord of the Ringsgame.
The Banner Saga trilogytells a sprawling narrative filled with meaningful choices that carry across each game. Characters will die depending on the choices players make, including ones pivotal to the story, and there’s little to no chance of saving everyone.This is a deeply emotional, gritty, melancholic, epic, and ultimately hopeful narrative that ends with such a satisfying conclusionthat anyone who plays it is bound to finish it with a smile smothered in floods of tears.
Wildermyth (Worldwalker Games LLC)
An RPG Truly Like No Other
Wildermythis a procedurally generated RPG, one that tells an ever-changing narrativethat unfolds based on the player’s actions. It offers an experience more akin to tabletop RPGs than traditional video game RPGs, with the game answering every decision the player makes with a consequence that could change their playthrough forever. You’ll lead a band of heroes through trials and tribulations, with each one growing up, falling in love, making questionable decisions, and, potentially, even making the greatest sacrifice.
Wildermythis a wonderful game, one with endless replayability that manages to put the player’s own story front and center, despite its lack of a focused script.It is a game of memories, one in which players will make some of the most incredible stories they’ll remember forever, one in which truly anything is possible.Wildermythis one of thebest indie RPGsfor a reason, and more people need to play it.
Elin (Lafrontier)
One Of The Biggest RPGs Ever
There really isn’t any game likeElin. Truly. It is a sequel to the legendary Japanese gameElona, which promised the ultimate freedom and absolutely delivered. Much like its predecessor,Elinalso delivers a freeform sandbox experience that truly allows the player to do whatever they want. There are no restrictions, even in its Early Access phase.Players really can do whatever they want, and that will get them into ridiculous situations they’ll hardly believe were possible, and neither will anyone they tell.
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One look at the game’s reviews will show just how truly wild and unpredictable this sprawling open-world roguelike RPG is. It also has a demo that allows the player to experience a game-sized chunk ofElin, which is frankly too generous.Elin, much likeGreedfalland all the other aforementioned RPGs, is sadly underrated despite being a genuinely unique and creative experience that most of the AAA RPGs of today can barely live up to.
