10 Most Criminally Underrated RPGs Of All Time, Ranked

Hidden gems are prized possessions in the video game world. Even though most of them are obscure and underrated, these jewels continuously shine in the gaming community. Many of these games seem to fall into the RPG genre. The reasons why a number of RPG games go widely underappreciated are unknown. However, they’re some of the most influential games, so it is a shock overall.

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It’s criminal how overlooked past (and recent) beloved RPG video games become in such a short amount of time. Among the sea of new video games constantly being released, RPGs that didn’t get enough time to shine are whisked away. But it’s thanks to the internet that we can easily uncover widely-unappreciated RPG games, showing them the true love they deserve.

10
Radiant Historia

As one of Atlus’ many hidden gems, Radiant Historia is an RPG often compared to Chrono Trigger. Both focusing on plot points that include time travel, the Chrono Trigger and the Radiant Historia series go hand-in-hand.

The game pinpoints you onto two split timelines, standard and alternate history. Radiant Historia also includes a journal that helps you keep track of important events on both timelines. Audiences adored this game and thought it was a thrilling RPG adventure. Some critics weren’t as warm, but they still found the game to be an impressive RPG for the Nintendo DS.

9
Jeanne d’Arc

The game’s title is aptly named after the Joan of Arc as its loosely based on her story. The tactical role-playing game was exclusively on the PSP and made use of the console’s mechanics wonderfully.

The story bought a fantasy-centric interpretation of Joan of Arc, having a fantastical twist on the tale. Taking place in 15th-century Europe, it differs from reality as it features a war between humans and monsters. During gameplay, Joan leads her party to go against enemies. Jeanne d’Arc had excellent reviews during its release, but its sole PSP port made it lost in time.

8
Legend Of Legaia

The Legend of Legaia was fully 3D and almost entirely rendered in polygons. It had a twist on typical RPG combat. It combined turn-based mechanics with fighting styles seen in traditional fighting arcade games.

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It had the same layout as any turn-based, except its actions had attacks like Slash Kick and Power Punch. The story was fantastic and focused on a character who only wished to uncover the spiritual secrets in the mist to obtain ancient and magical powers. Even though it’s so underrated, its mixture of melee fighting and fantasy is unforgettable.

7
The Last Story

Leaving you the control of an entire band of mercenaries, The Last Story was an immersive RPG that offered stealth gameplay techniques. The game’s name and logo have been compared to the Final Fantasy series. This is funny as Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of Final Fantasy, made them for The Last Story.

The game had phenomenal success in Japan when it came out. However, because of its exclusive Wii release, it wasn’t as much of a commercial success in the States. For its time, The Last Story deserved more than it got for its story and fantastic soundtracks.

6
Grim Dawn

This dark fantasy-centered RPG loosely based its themes and imagery on the Victorian era. Grim Dawn was unique from other dark fantasy RPGs. Its narrative was dimensional and incorporated ethereal beings that took this game’s story for a spin.

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Grim Dawn challenged you to reclaim what’s left of the world as we know it. All while attempting to protect the very few humans who have survived this far. Including fast-paced gameplay, on top of looting potions and weapons, this game kept audiences on the edge of their seats with the intense blood-pumping feeling.

5
Hylics

The claymation style of Hylics made it colorfully stand out. Using clay as an outlet to represent a surreal environment, creator Mason Lindroth developed a bizarre and engaging RPG video game.

The game took place from a first-person perspective. The light JRPG mechanics and quirky elements made it a unique experience. The game referred to hit points as “Flesh” and magical points as “Will.” Oddly though, even though this plays such a small part, it persuades us to be involved in the world within Hylics as it begs us to uncover more.

4
Folklore

The fantastical world of Folklore is forgotten by many. Since it was a PlayStation 3 exclusive, the RPG didn’t reach the wide audience it deserved. Folklore blended a familiar murderous and mysterious comic-book-style narrative with Irish mythology.

Folklore took place between two main environments: The real world and the Netherworld. Because it’s such an underrated game, remembering it unlocks a special part in the minds of the fans. Some describe playing the game as though it was an unforgettable mystical experience. Others hope that Folklore eventually gets remastered for modern consoles sometime soon.

3
Shadow Hearts

Shadow Hearts was clearly overlooked because Final Fantasy took away all of this game’s attention. With a linear storyline and turn-based battles, it didn’t seem like anything new. But the playability and quirky style captured the hearts of fantasy RPG lovers.

Taking place in an alternative reality on Earth, monsters and mythical forces co-exist with humans. Critics say the game lacked originality and the combat system made it repetitive. However, this reception wasn’t an accurate reflection of Shadow Hearts, as true fans of the series loved it more than anything.

2
Parasite Eve

Parasite Eve is a cult classic in both the RPG and horror video game communities. It was a terrifying horror role-playing game that became a part of the J-horror phenomenon. SquareSoft also made it their first M-rated game.

The game has been compared to Resident Evil, with similar combat and movements and armed forces taking care of the supernatural. Happening over the course of six days, Parasite Eve has quick gameplay that will go by in a flash. Despite how much praise and recognition it got in the past, Parasite Eve has strangely become underrated in recent years.

1
Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen

While the original Dragon’s Dogma was already perfect, the Dark Arisen expansion enhanced it. The story involves the typical hero epic but builds off familiar elements with various distinctive features.

The expansive and immersive gameplay made it iconic to many fans of the franchise. The classes offered to players are a perfect fit for anyone, such as being a fighter or an assassin. For how thrilling it is, it’s shocking that Dark Arisen is so underrated. However, some say that it’s because of the Souls-like gameplay that turns players away.

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