From the upcoming hack and slash Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes to the recently released Soulsborne game Elden Ring, RPGs continue to dominate the video game world. The genre remains popular as it allows players to escape to a fantasy universe and go on exciting quests and adventures.
With so many RPGs for gamers to play, there are some titles that may be overshadowed by the more popular games, especially those that come from bigger developers and publishers. On the website Ranker, video game fans have chosen some relatively unpopular RPGs that merit more attention.
The Age Of Decadence
From developer Iron Tower Studio, The Age of Decadence is an RPG that's loosely based on the demise of the Roman Empire. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, players get to call the shots and deal with various factions and individuals that may cause havoc to their empire.
The game also has a merciless morality system that can confuse players at first. But, what gamers need to be reminded of is that they're playing for their own characters in The Age of Decadence. While they can choose from the seven different factions the game offers, they can also reject all of them. Despite having a stellar gameplay, The Age of Decadence's graphics is not the best in the genre.
Star Ocean
The Star Ocean line of RPGs is criminally underrated. The game is about three friends who need to find a cure for their planet, while also trying to resolve an intergalactic war. Originally released in 1996 for the Super Famicom, Star Ocean was enhanced and remade for the PlayStation Portable in 2007.
The game was praised for its enthralling narrative and exceptional sound design. However, some critics felt that the graphics of the game were lagging behind its contemporaries. Hopefully, the upcoming RPG entry in the series Star Ocean: The Divine Force gets players to discover the RPG franchise.
The Last Story
The action RPG The Last Story allows players to take control of a group of mercenaries and help them traverse a tricky war between beasts and humans. While players primarily control a knight named Zael, they can also give commands so the AI can control the rest of the mercenaries and assist during missions.
The game received praise from critics for its brilliant combat system, sprawling narrative, and impressive visuals. However, some found the game to suffer from frame drop issues, due in part to its ambitious special effects.
Valkyrie Profile
Valkyrie Profile is an RPG from Japanese game developer tri-Ace. The game is inspired by Norse mythology and follows a valkyrie named Lenneth. While gamers primarily control Lenneth, there are 24 playable characters that can be unlocked as they progress in the game.
Released in 1999, the game was well-received by gamers for its characterization, writing, and plot. Despite being a critically successful game, not a lot of gamers today know how much of a genre-defining title Valkyrie Profile is.
Grandia
Grandia is a charming JRPG where players are tasked with preventing a devious organization from waking up a terrifying monster. The game was a commercial success when it was released in the late nineties. However, the game's fanbase has fizzled out by the time its sequel was released.
Despite being an underrated game, there's no doubt that Grandia is an influential RPG that has inspired numerous titles in the genre. The RPG game has even achieved classic status and was recently ported to the Nintendo Switch so modern gamers can enjoy it too.
Jade Empire
Bioware's Jade Empire is an action RPG where gamers can become a martial arts master. The game's world is loosely inspired by Chinese mythology. In Jade Empire, gamers assume the role of a Spirit Monk who needs to defeat the army of an evil Emperor.
Upon its release, Jade Empire received praise from critics due to its excellent characters, expansive missions, and unique combat system. However, the game sold below expectations and was considered a commercial failure, due in part to its niche premise and weak advertising campaign.
Grim Dawn
The hack and slash RPG Grim Dawn throws players into the post-apocalyptic world of Cairn where a great empire once stood and humans are close to being obliterated. Gamers will find that exploring Cairn is an epic adventure as they may be required to infiltrate the enemy base or traverse its lands in order to complete a quest or fight a boss.
Gamers find Grim Dawn to have similar aspects with Lost Ark, a popular MMORPG from South Korea. Despite being rich in content and having an interesting class system, some gamers feel that Grim Dawn is underrated and deserves more recognition from the general public.
Lost Odyssey
The joint project of developers Feelplus and Mistwalker, Lost Odyssey follows an immortal being named Kaim, who goes on a journey with other powerful beings to bring peace to a world at war. The RPG game has captivated fans of the genre for its cinematic cutscenes, engrossing story, and fun tactical combat system.
However, some gamers weren't a big fan of the Lost Odyssey's old-school gameplay mechanics and found it boring, especially since the game notoriously had lengthy load times. That's why it's an underrated RPG, despite having an epic and exhilarating narrative.
Shadow Hearts
Shadow Hearts is an RPG trilogy developed by Sacnoth for the PlayStation 2. The fantasy games are set in an alternate version of Earth where horrifying creatures roam. According to the creators of the game, the world-building and design are inspired by the works of various horror writers, such as H.P. Lovecraft, Lord Dunsany, and Umberto Eco.
While some gamers admit that they find the franchise to have bizarre elements and a weird narrative, it does feature charismatic characters and creates a dark and emotional world that players can get lost in. In fact, the third game in the series, Shadow Hearts: Covenant, is considered by players to be one of the best horror-based RPGs.
Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen
Not all Capcom games achieve commercial success. Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is a hack and slash title where gamers assume the role of a human who is on a quest to prevent the end of the world by beating a powerful dragon named Grigori.
The game has been thoroughly enjoyed by gamers and critics alike for its variety in combat, challenging gameplay, and fantastic boss fights. However, Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen has failed to captivate gamers, due in part to the popularity of similar games such as The Witcher and The Elder Scrolls.