There’s something about the RPG genre. These games tell amazing stories players want to experience time and time again, are populated by memorable characters, and often explore deep themes — even if their heroes do tend to have memory problems, spiky hair, and swords the size of New Jersey.
A truly great RPG is a generational treat. Players flock to the newest Final Fantasy, or to acclaimed newcomers like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Metaphor: ReFantazio. But there have been plenty of other great games released over the last ten years or so, and they didn’t always receive the attention they should have. Here is our list of 10 of the most underrated RPGs of the last decade, ready to point you toward some of the very best experiences you may have missed.
10
Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter
Available on: Switch, Switch 2, PS5, PC
The original release of Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter happened way back in 2004 in Japan, where it was known as Eiyuu Densetsu: Sora no Kiseki. In 2011, a localized version finally came to North America, courtesy of Xseed Games. Then followed the PC port in 2014. Recently, Falcom finally returned to its classic series, producing an ambitious remake that blends action and turn-based combat, while retaining the rich world and epic scale that made the previous versions so great. A remake of the second chapter followed earlier this year. While both games launched to rave reviews and have found a passionate audience among players in the know, they’re not being talked about in the same breath as behemoths like Final Fantasy. Don’t sleep on them.
9
Harvestella
Available on: Switch, PC
Ever since Harvest Moon launched on the Super Famicom in 1996, the world has had a passion for virtual farming that defies easy explanation. Stardew Valley has kept that passion alive, alongside new and remade Story of Seasons entries, and there have been numerous other cozy sim games along the way. Sometimes, developers mix the classic farming with RPG elements, as in Rune Factory. Then there is Harvestella, an action-RPG from Live Wire that takes that second approach. It provides 12 character classes, including standards like the fighter and the mage, and finds the hero managing a farm while interacting with the locals living in a village called Lethe. There are deep RPG elements, along with an intriguing plot to accompany all the farming, cooking, crafting, and fishing.
8
Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk
Available on: Switch, PS4, Vita, PC
Not everyone likes the old-school style of RPG that takes place from a first-person perspective and primarily confines itself to dungeon crawling. But if you have always appreciated games like Wizardry and Etrian Odyssey, Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk is another one to check out. Originally released on PlayStation Vita in Japan in 2016, the game came to North America on Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC a couple of years later. It casts you as a magical book with the ability to create a brigade of puppet soldiers to do your bidding. The story concerns finding a way to revive a deceased loved one, but the moment-to-moment combat and exploration are what will keep players coming back. A sequel, Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society, followed in 2020.
7
The DioField Chronicle
Available on: Switch, PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
Having Square Enix as its publisher seems like it should practically guarantee an RPG success, but that’s not what happened for The DioField Chronicle. Despite featuring a rich plot exploring the consequences of war, along with free-flowing combat that mixed real-time strategy with tactics, the game seems largely to have gone unnoticed by players who might have loved it if they gave it a chance. Square Enix didn’t only publish the game, but contributed to its development alongside Lancarse (Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey). Character art, for instance, was produced by Isamu Kamikokuryo (Final Fantasy 12). Fans looking around for something to keep them busy after they finish Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave need look no further than The DioField Chronicle.
6
Monark
Available on: Switch, PS4, PS5, PC
Developed by Lancarse, a studio that frequently seems to struggle to find a wide audience for its games, Monark takes place within Shin Mikado Academy. The high school is sealed away from the outside world, shrouded in a maddening mist powered by demonic forces. To free themselves, the students must defeat the monsters by venturing into an Otherworld, which can only mean one thing: lots of combat. Although it received some criticism for the amount of grinding necessary to progress, the game’s systems and abilities are definite high points. The dark scenario, co-written by Fuyuki Hayashi (Crystar) and overseen by Kazunari Suzuki (the early Shin Megami Tensei games), recalls genre classics. There’s also a somber soundtrack that delighted players who gave the game a chance. It may not be a visual stunner, but there’s enough going for it to entertain RPG players willing to look past its rough exterior.
5
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
Available on: Switch, PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes was announced on Kickstarter back in 2020 as an attempt to produce a spiritual successor to the Suikoden series, since Konami didn’t seem interested in doing much with that property at the time. Developed by the newly formed Rabbit & Bear Studios and headed by Yoshitaka Murayama, who created Suikoden and directed its first two games, the game ultimately wound up delivering much of what it promised. Sadly, Murayama passed away on Feb. 6, 2024, just two months before the game’s release. Upon launching, the game was well received by critics and players alike for its engaging plot and familiar gameplay elements, earning general recommendations as an RPG and additional enthusiasm from the dedicated Suikoden fans it was made to please.
4
CrossCode
Available on: Switch, PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
If you can appreciate 16-bit visuals, CrossCode is the action-RPG for you. Set in the far-flung future, it features brisk combat, challenging puzzles, and a unique sci-fi story to tie it all together. As sometimes happens in classic RPGs, the hero wakes with no memory and is also unable to speak. The game’s design was influenced by a number of classic RPGs from the era it mimics, including the likes of Chrono Trigger and even Terranigma (which will get an unexpected remaster in January 2027). When it launched in 2018, CrossCode received enthusiastic reviews, but it has largely been lost in the shadow of mainstream releases.
3
The Caligula Effect 2
Available on: Switch, PS4, PS5, PC
The Caligula Effect 2 comes from the minds of Tadashi Satomi (Persona) and Takuya Yamanaka (Heroland). The series traces its roots to the 2016 Vita original, which was remade as The Caligula Effect: Overdose and released on additional hardware in 2018. That first entry in the series follows a group of students who realize they are trapped in a virtual world known as Mobius that just so happens to feel like high school. They form a club to try to return home. In the sequel, many of the same plot beats are revisited, but the game offers more streamlined combat, improved dungeon designs, and enhanced visuals. The result is a fresh, generally polished experience that should appeal to Persona fans looking for something to keep them entertained until Persona 6 drops.
2
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden
Available on: PS5, PC, Xbox Series X
Developed by Dontnod Entertainment (Life is Strange) and released in 2024, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden takes place in 1695, within the haunted wilds of North America. That’s not exactly a conventional setting for an RPG, which is surely the point. And the two heroes, Antea Duarte and Red mac Raith, aren’t your conventional heroes. The pair work as “banishers,” invited to the New World by a friend who dies of a heart attack shortly after their arrival. From there, events grow increasingly bizarre for the central characters and their new acquaintances as they work their way toward five unique endings. The game reportedly underperformed, no doubt limited commercially by an unconventional plot that defies easy categorization. But it’s a true gem that action-RPG fans will want to seek out the next time they’re in mood for something different.
1
SaGa Scarlet Grace: Ambitions
Available on: Switch, PC, PS4
SaGa Scarlet Grace revived the dormant SaGa series on the PlayStation Vita in Japan on Dec. 15, 2016, where the title went largely unnoticed despite its engaging narrative and gameplay. Square Enix didn’t localize it for overseas players, and the game might never have reached the audience it deserved if something hadn’t changed. Three years later, an expanded port called SaGa Scarlet Grace: Ambitions arrived on Android, iOS, Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC in North America. With the wider availability came recognition befitting a new entry in a franchise that had endured for more than a quarter-century. The enhanced version offered voice acting, new characters, music, and additional plot elements. Critics and players responded favorably, though sales weren’t as brisk as they might have been for a new entry in the Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest franchises. The SaGa series has remained active since 2019, a streak that is set to continue in 2027 with the Feb. 16 release of Romancing SaGa 3: Destinies United.