There are so many amazing RPG releases out there. The genre has been a huge part of the gaming industry since its inception back in the early 1980s. As soon as developers unlocked the ability to produce longer and more complex games, they began crafting some truly engaging RPGs, but even text-based games and point-and-click adventures found their own nice in the RPG and adventure space.
Fast-forward to 2022 and there are tons of RPGs for players to choose from, with the average number released each year bloating quite a bit thanks to the introduction of the Indie scene. With the sheer number of titles to play each year, it’s inevitable that some truly engrossing games may fall through the cracks. Here’s a look at some underrated RPG releases that have come and gone.
6Grim Dawn
Dungeon crawlers have developed quite the cult following over the years and birthed some truly spectacular releases in games like Divinity: Original Sin, Diablo, and Path of Exile. Even the recent free-to-play, Lost Ark, is seeing massive attention and success.
Grim Dawn recently threw its hat into the ring in an attempt to capitalize on all of the players anxiously awaiting Diablo 4, with its own unique brand of dungeon-crawling ARPG action. The result was a fantastic, entertaining, and engaging game that features a pretty robust weapon system and skill tree. Unfortunately, it didn’t catch fire and progress as much as the juggernauts that inspired it, but it’s a must-play for ARPG fans.
5Skies Of Arcadia
The Dreamcast was home to a wide array of great RPGs, with many of them flying under the radar thanks to the Sega-based system they released on. Of all the RPGs found on the iconic device, Skies of Arcadia is arguably the best that was ever released. It was critically acclaimed when it first came out and has a devoted fanbase, but, unfortunately, that never really translated well in terms of sales.
At its core, Skies of Arcadia is a beautifully-designed and visually appealing (for the time) RPG that is rather straightforward in its presentation. Similar to Final Fantasy and other turn-based RPGs, Skies of Arcadia doesn’t stray too far from the traditional formula and opts to stick close to the dungeon-crawling, character-leveling, boss-battling schematic that RPG fans enjoy.
4Lost Odyssey
Those looking for a truly underrated turn-based RPG should check out Lost Odyssey. This 2007 release is traditional in its presentation, with an overarching storyline that has players exploring a variety of levels, undergoing quests, and battling powerful bosses along the way. The turn-based action has enough variety to help differentiate itself from other RPGs that follow the same formula, but Lost Odyssey’s real power lies in its story and game world.
The characters are unique, the world is interesting and visually stunning, and the storyline is strange yet captivating. It’s easy to sink a lot of hours into this underrated RPG.
3Wild Arms
The PlayStation was home to a ton of incredible turn-based RPGs. After all, it’s where Final Fantasy VII rose to superstardom and there was a slew of in-depth and downright exciting titles that spanned hundreds of hours. Because of this, there were many great RPG releases that ended up falling by the wayside, thanks to the oversaturation of the genre on the iconic PS1 platform.
The Wild Arms series stands as one of these overrated gems. The first title is listed here, but the Wild Arms franchise, in general, is an exciting and worthwhile experience for those that are craving something traditionally turn-based but wholly unique.
2Blue Dragon
Although artist Akira Toriyama is most known for his work on the Dragonball and Dragon Quest series, he also lent his talents to a 2006 Xbox 360 RPG dubbed Blue Dragon. Traditionally turn-based in the same vein as titles like Final Fantasy and Chrono Trigger, Blue Dragon had a special mechanic that allowed players to attack and use various skills by ways of a “puppet-like shadow” that could be mixed and matched across a party.
The story itself is solid but what really makes Blue Dragon such a spectacle are the visuals, the monsters, and the bosses. There is so much to see in this beautifully-designed RPG.
1Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning
Although there are a lot of turn-based RPGs out there that are spectacular, there are quite a few adventure RPGs and traditional RPGs that also deserve some attention. Of these releases, Kingdoms of Amalur stands as one of the most woefully underrated of its time.
Similar to titles like Skyrim, The Witcher, Elden Ring, and Fable, Kingdoms of Amalur is an incredibly addictive and entertaining open-world-esque RPG that has players utilizing magic, skills, and a wide array of weapons as they battle enemies and bosses. It was cult-classic enough to receive a recent re-release in Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning and is a must-play for those looking for a massive and combatively-fun RPG.
