Top 5 Underrated RPGs Games

 

Role-Playing Games is a one of the video game genre that gotten really popular in between the 80's and 90's pioneering with the sub-genres categories such as Action-RPG, Turn-based-RPG, and Strategy-RPG. It was widely known for its cinematic story presentation, character's development, bigger open-world exploration, building up skills and powers, longer play-length with many side-quests and main adventures, and unique gameplay with strategic battle system is what made RPG so successful over the years. 

We have influential classic series like The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Shin Megami Tensei, and Paper Mario, while sharing with the acclaimed modern titles like Monster Hunter, Xenoblade Chronicles, Dragon Age, Elder Scrolls, and The Witcher had gained popularity over the years due to commercially sold well and has larger community had spawned many sequels and merchandise throughout the franchise. 

Despite their successes, there are some of the RPG games that didn't get a recognition what it deserved is because it had too many competition, lack of commercial success, smaller fanbases, and had received mixed reception from many journalist that the game developers are trying their best of creating the new ideas of making their own style of the RPG games.

I want to pick out the most underappreciated RPG games that I considered these games as the overlooked gem that are labelled as failed to notice from the public eye, so I have the reason to like these kind of games that I had fun playing the most and why is it worth checking out.

So without go further do, here is my top 5 underrated RPG games.

5 - Hybrid Heaven (N64)

Unlike PS1 has many libraries of RPG games such as Final Fantasy VII, Grandia, Xenogears, Chrono Cross, Persona, and Parasite Eve, the Nintendo 64 had not been known for its own RPG library beside Paper Mario is one exception.

There's one of the game that I didn't know it was existed on N64 library was Hybrid Heaven created by Konami, a company was responsible for their successful franchise such as Castlevania, Silent Hill, and Metal Gear Solid.

I remember discovering this game when I was a young teen sitting on the computer desk and learned that the game is kinda different from any of the action-adventure titles, so I had a first go playing on my N64 emulator for an hour and I was impressed with the concept of the game is actually interesting for the N64 standards.

A several years later, I finally got the original N64 copy of Hybrid Heaven from Ebay just for dirt cheap and decided to spent playing for a week to see if this game is any good? the answer is it actually turned out to be a decent RPG title that I did not regret playing on my N64 system.

Hybrid Heaven is one of the game was notable for its peculiar mix of genres such as both RPG and action-adventure that the designers had hoped to create a new style of RPG battle system.

You take control of the Agent named Johnny Slater finds himself in a massive underground installation created by the aliens under Manhattan as his mission is to stop the experiment involves cloning known as hybrids, as well as searching for his kidnapped president.  

What makes the game quite interesting is the mix of gameplay element such as standard 3-D action-adventure games that you have ability to move in any direction, jump, crawl, climb, and shoot as well as solving puzzles by disabling electronic weapons or through skillful maneuvering.

When being encountered by hybrids monster, it changes into the RPG battle system where you had to fight them with the strategic command menu such as punching, kicking, and grappling, as well as blocking, countering, and evading.

What made the RPG battle system great is that you can customise your own combo moves up to 5 different attacks and then you had a list of items that allow you to perform various things such as boosting up your speeds and strengths, draining down enemy's stats, increasing your health points, and shooting enemies with poison, ice, and fire.    
You will also build up both your offense and defense skill level as well as learning a various of fighting moves slowly improves your fighting style is what makes the game quite a unique for N64's RPG title.

The game also supported a widescreen aspect ratio utilising N64 expansion pak which I do not recommend playing the game on the high resolution which can result a grainy frame rate during the gameplay, so it doesn't mean it can ruin your overall fun factor of the game is played fine on low resolution. 

The game has a interesting story and presentation that is kinda like watching a early sci-fi film with darker tone feel and alien themed concept is pretty neat for this type of game and the whole soundtrack is one of the N64's most redeeming quality sounds you ever hear from the game featuring more eerie and suspenseful orchestrated style is what I considered these music as the best part of the whole game.

Hybrid Heaven is a Konami's most overlooked title that never got any of recognition due to being released in the same year as the massive title such as Silent Hill, Final Fantasy VIII, System Shock 2, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, Sonic Adventure, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, and Soul Calibur which left Hybrid Heaven on N64 remained forgotten, so I would love to see if any of the developers consider remaking the original N64 title to its modern-day console generation will be sounds like an honourable idea.

4 - Ys Origin (PS4/PS Vita)

 

Back in my old days where I can only recognise several of RPG games as a young teen like Skies of Arcadia, Grandia II, Paper Mario, and Final Fantasy VII. There's one of the series that I never actually heard of it before until I discovered it from mostly gaming related YouTube channels (like Game Sack) had already covered their retrospective on Ys series long time ago.

After learning about the whole series, I thought this might be an interesting for me to try and see if it's any good about the game, so I've picked Ys Origin for both PS4 and PS Vita digitally as one of my very first Ys game to experience and discovering a cult-following Action-RPG.

Ys Origin takes place in 700 years before the event of the original 1987's Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished which explains the backstory involves Ys, Darm Tower, the Black Pearl, the twin goddesses, and the six priests.

I fully acknowledged the Ys Origin is one of the first game in the series in which Adol Christin is not the protagonist, unlike the rest of the Ys games, so instead you take control of either Yunica Tovah or Hugo Fact navigating the Darm Tower to rescue the two goddesses who helped make the land of Ys flourished and saving them from demons who seek to obtain the power of the black pearl.

What I like about this game is that it's more focused on the straightforward dungeon crawling style with top-down perspective, taking place entirely within the massive Darm Tower which I think it made the game much easier to get into.

You have the playable characters has different fighting style such as Yunica wields her axes and greatswords as well as performing various of combos and moves, while Hugo uses his wand to fire energy projectiles, uses destructive power in close range, and wider effect of power shot.

Once your boost meter had reached capacity that allow the characters to perform a affective quicker and stronger attacks and far greater defense. 

I really liked playing this type of game where you can able to navigate and explore the multiple floors of large tower filled with many enemies, hazards, puzzles, and collecting stuff which really encouraging me to fight off against these foes to build up our levelling skills and gaining more currency or items to upgrade your weapon and skills which makes the game feels very beneficial for most of the RPG players can able to enjoy the game.

I love the design of the visuals that is so impressive to look at especially even the game was came out in 2006 for PCs which adds up a great level structure inside the castle that is wide and huge, and I got to say the lighting effects and environments in most floors is quite nice and polished that made the whole game pretty amazing, but as a PS4 and PS Vita title it did a decent job of adding a proper widescreen support with fully cleaned resolution to make the game look better when playing on modern HDTV.

Ys series definitely has the greatest music scores in RPG gaming which I considered it as the marvellous thing they ever produce in whole game.

Ys Origin is one of the game that I quite liked it which got me into with the whole series and I also considered this game as being one of the hidden gem of all RPG library that is worth playing as today.

3 - Valkyria Chronicles (PS3)

 

SEGA had their own libraries of the RPGs classics such as Phantasy Star, Shining Force, Panzer Dragoon Saga, Skies of Arcadia, and of course Sakura Wars, but there's one of the game that caught my attention was Valkyria Chronicles for PS3 which many had believed the whole series is sort of the cult-following RPG mixes with fantasy and war alike presentation that I finding it quite interesting to pick up and play.

It is a Third-Person Tactical RPG game originally released in 2008 for PS3, and was later being re-released for PC and PS4 in between 2014-16.

The game set in 1935 E.C and takes place in Europa, which is fictional region based on Europe during the early World War 2. 

You take control of the members of the Gallian Militia to take out the evil empires known as Imperial Alliance in order to save Atlantic Federation and the land of Gallia.

It played in third-person perspective with tactical RPG elements, which uses the turn-based battle system, so you will have the list of playable units on the briefing options with many combat classes and the mission objectives which has a list of goals as your mission is to capture the enemy's base in order to complete the mission.

The gameplay worked pretty well for its the range of combat featuring upgrades for weapons and tanks as well as building up your class units by increasing their EXP points for better performance, and the overhead design is stunningly remarkable giving a wide depth of battlefield which allows your strategic command system ability to move unit freely on overhead map adding a great use of both combat and tactics.

I was so impressed with the overall presentation has the World War 2 influence with the mix of fantasy and war settings which makes the whole concepts worked really well for this type of RPG genres.

The game has memorable cast of characters, best story-written dialogue, and cinematic design that keeps up feel very emotional about the depressing history behind the event involves tragic war.

The whole graphics design offers anime art style design, colourful scenery background and well designed environments that is looking spectacular that I consider it a best looking graphics of the PS3 era that SEGA had ever produced.

It has the most amazing orchestral soundtrack ever made by the composer Hitoshi Sakimoto, who are best known for scoring Final Fantasy XII, Ogre Battle, and Radiant Slivergun, had delivered a magnificent results of war-alike vibes with dynamic instruments and atmospheric quality music that gives the game more heroic feel of the game's personality.

Valkyria Chronicles is probably my favourite RPGs of all PS3 libraries that deserves many recognition and praises that SEGA had done absolutely well with the game, but unfortunely the whole series had been fallen behind due to sequels like VC2 came out on the wrong platform such as PSP resulting the poor sales in comparison with the first ones and the VC3 is one of the first game that never got released outside of the japan that turns away the fanbases from the western territory, but thank god SEGA had learned their lesson with the VC 4 are finally getting a proper home console release since the previous two installiment being on handheld platform.

That being said, this game is still an underrated title that I highly recommend to all RPG fans to pick up and play this game.

2 - Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadow of Valentia (3DS)

          

  

              

   

First of all, it is true that I never actually heard of the Fire Emblem series when I was a child in early 2000's. I remember when I had a copy of Super Smash Bros Melee for Gamecube which I was so addicted to play everyday with my cousins. There's two of the unlockable characters that nobody actually have heard of them are Marth and Roy which had caught my attention, but the issue is that the Fire Emblem series are exclusively in Japan which was the reason why these two ended up popular as a fighting roster of the Super Smash Bros series that leads Nintendo wanted to introduce their Tactical RPG series to western audiences in early 2000's making the first time ever since the Fire Emblem had originated at Japan in early 90's.

A first worldwide debut such as Fire Emblem which is one of the well received GBA title that was being loved by many fans that the series had spawned numerous of sequels such as The Sacred Stones, Path of Radiance, Radiant Dawn, Awakening, Fates, and Three Houses, while sharing with spin-offs such as Heroes, Warriors, and Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE.

I was originally gonna put Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn for Wii as my number 2 list because it didn't get a same recognition as the previous titles, but instead I made the mind up with the 3DS title that are actually done better such as Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadow of Valentia is one of the game that I'd preferred it more than any of the Fire Emblem games as my opinion.

It is a full remake of 1992's NES title called Fire Emblem Gaiden which added the elements in the game such as rebuilding the storylines and expanding core gameplay mechanics based on recent 3DS games like Awakening while adding dungeon crawler aspects in game. 

You take control of Alm and Celica as part of the Zofian's deliverance team along with the friends to battle against the Duma's Empire of Rigel as well as reuniting with the goddess Mila for seeking help and support of the land of Zofia.

What makes the Fire Emblem game so great is that I loved the turn-based core battle where you and your team batting out against the enemies in tactical battlefield.

The grid system is much easier to navigate where you can able to move and attack the enemy's unit as well as the many of the class units are pretty done fabulous sharing with different advantages of skills, defense, speed, and health which nicely balances the combat performance.

The game also shared with two gameplay mechanics such as dungeon crawling aspects where you explore around the area to locate the hidden secrets filed with coins, items and treasure chest, and then you will have a point and click style where you can able to talk people in the town, examine the whole area for items and weapons, and move to different area to explore which I really liked the idea of adding a new element to it's whole series makes it very different approach from any of the Fire Emblem games.

The whole presentation in the game is looking spectacular for its 3DS standards thanks to full animated sequences throughout the game really shows how amazing the cutscenes looked on the Nintendo's handheld system  filled with amazing anime drawn characters and fully voiced dialogue for its story design and it also had a fantastic storyline and interesting characters that really builds up many of joyful and teary moments that makes your heart feels very emotional is the reason why I loved this game so much.

The original score is a great rendition to 1992's original NES title with fully remade orchestrated music as well as included several of new soundtrack that aren't present on the NES version are actually heartwarming and heroic that really fits well for several of cutscenes which is the reason why I considered it as masterpiece.

Although this game did not get a same attention as the previous two titles such as Fire Emblem Awakening and Fire Emblem Fates which had a stronger overall sales, but that doesn't mean this game didn't get a much love what it deserved because this is really outstanding RPG game that the RPG fans should be much appreciated by getting an hands on with this overlooked 3DS title.

1 - Terranigma (SNES)

I grew up playing some of the best RPGs that SNES has to offer such as the likes of Secret of Mana, Final Fantasy VI, Chrono Trigger, Super Mario RPG: Legend of Seven Stars, and of course The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, so these are the RPGs games that defines the 16-bit era just like how SEGA had their own RPG titles for SEGA Genesis/MD such as Phantasy Star II and Shining Force.

There's one of the game that caught my attention was Terranigma, a Action-RPG game which was created by Quintet, a same team behind SNES classics such as Actraiser, Soul Blazer, and Illusion of Gaia.

It's one of the first Quintet's game that never officially released in USA due to publisher Enix (now merged as Square Enix) had already ended the US subsidiary by the time the localisation was finished, so unlike the rest of the region such as JP, EU, and AUS did finally get a release in between 1995-96, a same year as the fifth generation era of console gaming including the newcomer home console such as Nintendo 64.

Last year, I had a reproduction SNES multi-cart which includes 70 SNES games featuring the battery save function and fans translation games which I got it off from Ebay, so I was happy with the repro cart came with the great libraries of the SNES games, so I had spent playing Terranigma for 3 weeks to see if this game is just as good as the previous Quintet's titles like Actraiser and Soul Blazer. 

The answer is that I really enjoyed the game which deserves to be on my list of top favourite SNES RPGs, so I have the reason to like this game because it's one of the Action-RPG game that I wasn't regret playing on my SNES.

The game tells the story of young boy named Ark sets out his adventure to resurrect the mother world of earth from life evolution to the present day as well as defeating the demons who corrupting the peaceful mankind.

You take control of Ark in top-down perspective view which is kinda like Zelda: ALTTP, but utilises with action-based real-time battle system that allows the player to perform different techniques such as running, jumping, attacking, and using the combination of these actions as well as gaining experienced points for level up system such as strength, defense, and luck.

The gameplay system is working absolutely well for its combat control mechanics, numerous of weapons and armors to increase your player's stats, and using various of corresponding spells which makes the whole game so unique and creative for SNES RPGs encouraging all players to improve upon your combat and skills that made the game quite fun.

I really like exploring the overworld map of open-world levels just like most of the SNES RPGs did a same approach where you get to explore and visit the unknown places with different kinds of environmental settings such as the towns, the villages, the port, the forests, the mountains, and the castles, and I also liked talking with the random peoples for hints and clues or just for normal conversation. 

The game also shares with numerous of miscellaneous tasks that keeps you playing the game even more and it has many best boss battles in any RPGs games which really adds the fun factor of the whole game.

The graphics is truly an outstanding for 16-bit standards featuring an impressive mode 7 style overworld map with great use of scrolling animation and variety of open-world design making it a most achieved game's design of SNES hardware and it also has the richest soundtrack that the developers had ever produced showing the full power of SNES sound technology produces a variation of instruments feels almost like a CD based quality.

Terranigma is a last greatest RPGs of SNES libraries that didn't get a massive attention what it deserved due to lack of the USA releases and being released in a same year as the SNES RPGs titles like Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals and Super Mario RPG: Legend of Seven Stars had left Terranigma being a long forgotten for awhile. 

It's a shame that this game never got any of re-releases or remake that I really wanted to see this game happen for modern-day generation, so that being said it is clearly being one of the most underrated RPGs games that no one ever had played the game before, so I highly recommend to all RPGs fans to play this masterpiece that shall not be forgotten. 

Honorable Mention:

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars (3DS)

Codename: Steam (3DS)

Soul Blazer (SNES)

Secret of Evermore (SNES)

Project X Zone 2 (3DS)

Draglade (DS)  

Advanced Wars: Days of Ruin (AKA Dark Conflict) (DS) 

     

         

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