It’s a great time to be a fan ofRPG video games. There are more to choose from than ever before, and several modern RPG games are also designed to be tablet and phone-friendly. Given all of the choices players have before them, it might be difficult to find the RPG that’s right for each player. One way to narrow down choices is to define western RPGs asopposed to the JRPG format, although that division is growing fuzzier by the day.
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JRPGs often rely on a predetermined drama and feature turned-based combat, especially in beginning levels. They use a design style similar to anime, and are usually produced by Japanese companies. Western RPGs, meanwhile, draw in players using loot and combat as opposed to storyline and dialogue. Isometric games or anything based onD&Dmechanics is another dead giveaway. For fans of the latter style of RPG who want to explore a game off the beaten path, the following are perfect choices.
10Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
Why It’s Underrated:Given the massive number of RPGs out there using military or post-apocalyptic aesthetics, it’s not a surprise that this one has fallen through the cracks. The grim realism of the setting and action, a trait that carries over from the novel and movie franchises on which this game is based, can also be a hard sell for those who aren’t already fans. In a sea of glitzy games with little depth, this is an ideal choice for those into grit as opposed to glamour.
9Outward
Why It’s Underrated:Survivalist RPGs are coming into fashion, but up until recently, they weren’t as popular. With a lot of attention on games that include flying mounts and transmog options, a game in which a character can suffer from hunger, thirst, exposure, or even indigestion might not seem like fun at first glance. However, it’s a popular niche genre that’s quickly expanding.Outwardhasn’t really been discovered yet, but it’s already a hidden gem lost in a sea of games that have appeared in response to the survivalist RPG trend.
8Disco Elysium
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Why It’s Underrated:There are a vast number of RPGs to choose from, a vast majority are either military-based or fantasy games.Disco Elysiumis one of the exceptions to this rule, which is one of the reasons it didn’t get a lot of attention upon release. Despite the weird setting in a post-apocalyptic city that looks like it fell out of the 1950s and a lack of traditional RPG classes, the game relies heavily on D&D for its combat, discovery, and leveling style. It also uses a familiar isometric format reminiscent of the oldBaldur’s Gategames.
7Grim Dawn
Why It’s Underrated:A dark,Gothic game based loosely on Victorian loreand legend,Grim Dawnactually takes place in a fictional world known as Cairn. It’s aptly named, as the game’s open-world setting is being torn apart by two otherworldly powers that are using it as a battleground.Grim Dawnan ideal game for players that appreciate combat and loot more than the storyline, even if it isn’t the prettiest game out there.
6Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning
Why It’s Underrated:This is a remastered version ofKingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, which was released in 2015. It’s famous for being the only game produced by Studio 38, an independent company that was headed and funded by some of the greatest minds in video games. The remastered version features updated graphics along with a refined method of leveling and gameplay. Although it’s mostly gone unnoticed so far, many players will gravitate towards the classic RPG style that recalls elements from the vintageElder Scrollstitles.
5Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order
Why It’s Underrated:This game would get a lot more attention if it were available outside of the Nintendo platform.Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Orderis also a great example of a game that blurs the borders between western RPGs and their Japanese counterparts.
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Although it’s made in Japan by a Japanese company, it utilizes features like a top-down view that’s reminiscent of a classicD&D-based dungeon crawler. Nintendo owners who like RPGs, especially those with a futuristic setting, shouldn’t miss this.
4Pyre
Why It’s Underrated:This title calls to mind isometric games likeDiablo,but is perfect for those who wished these games looked more likeThe Legend of Zelda:Wind Wakerand added some elements from sports games.Pyreis the ideal game for such players, and it’s even available on Linux and MacOS. The strange mix of gaming and graphics styles, along with the marketing budget typical of most indie game production companies, is why this game never got the attention it deserved.
3Greedfall
Why It’s Underrated:Greedfallgoes where humans have gone before, and takes on the thorny issues of colonialism as its setting. The game hasn’t even been out for a year, and it’s also one of the more realistic RPGs available, which is why it’s still a fairly obscure and underrated title. However, the popularity of survivalist games with a more accurate historical setting is on the rise. It’s possible that the time forGreedfallto go mainstream is here.
2Outriders
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Why It’s Underrated:Third-person shooters are still gaining a foothold in the RPG genre. This title was only released a few months ago, so if the upward trend for this genre continues,Outridersmay yet rise from obscurity. Although the game is published by Square Enix, a Japanese company, it was developed by their European subsidiary and utilizes features that are typical of western RPGs. These include the third-person shooter POV and the focus on gathering loot.
1Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Why It’s Underrated:Realism is making a comeback, but the pendulum hasn’t swung back yet, and there’s still plenty of love for the fantastical. In the meantime,Kingdom Come: Deliverancehas been plugging along since 2018as a single-player game with a focuson historical accuracy, in a world based in Roman Imperial times. It includes the quests and combat typical of other RPGs, and players need to take care of basic activities like eating and sleeping. It isn’t glamourous, but that’s part of its charm — and why it’s still relatively unknown.
