Some RPGs, from both East and West, are very lucky because they get to come back as ports, remasters or remakes. Final Fantasy 7 is an excellent example that has received all three types, and has also remained in the popular zeitgeist due to many multimedia projects related to Final Fantasy 7from books to movies to spinoff games.
10 Old-School JRPGs That Are Perfect From Start To Finish
These old-school JRPGs represent the best the genre had to offer before the 2010s, with no quality drops during their playthrough.
Some games, even if they get a second or third chance at life, aren't lucky enough to stick around that long, and that's a shame. If more RPG fans played these games, maybe they would be more accessible, or at least more talked about today. Popular or not, they are all amazing in their own ways.
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Breath Of Fire 4
Then to the party
Breath of Fire 4 was a late addition to the PS1 in 2000, coming out in North America after the PS2 launched. Like all major entries, the game featured a blue-haired silent hero, Ryu, who could transform into dragons in turn-based battles.
The visuals still look great thanks to the vibrant colors of the polygonal models, and the world is a bit more desolate than other entries in the series, giving it an almost post-apocalyptic feel at the start. There is some good news for Capcom RPG fans that Breath of Fire 4 was released on GOG in 2025, so it's not too late to check out this hidden gem.
Champions Of Norrath: Realms Of EverQuest
A true Diablo rival
Champions of Norrath: Realms of EverQuest was released for the PS2 in 2004, and there, along with the sequel, it has been ever since. As Diablo game, players could choose one of several characters, all belonging to a specific race and class. They could then go on a linear progression of levels through top-down dungeons to fight hordes of monsters and collect loot.
It was a staple for PS2 RPG fans who enjoyed multiplayer, and it's a shame Sony never remastered it or even ported it to another PlayStation console since publishing it in North America.
Dragon Quest 5: Hand Of The Heavenly Bride
Before Pokemon
Most Dragon Quest fans in North America missed out Dragon Quest 5: Hand of the Heavenly Bride because it didn't actually come out over here. Originally released for the SNES in Japan, the 2009 DS remake is the first official time North America got to play it. Release history aside, the second trilogy in the series, which includes this game, is often forgotten compared to others Dragon Quest titles.
Dragon Quest 5: Hand of the Heavenly Bride has many interesting concepts worth checking out in any version. Players will grow up over time, choose a bride and instead of a party they will be friends with monsters, and it is important to note that this was four years earlier Pokémon.
Final Fantasy 5
Not famous enough
Another fifth installment in a great franchise, Final Fantasyalso not getting enough credit. Final Fantasy 5 was also released in 1992 for the SNES in Japan, and North Americans got to play it in 1999 via the PS1 collection, Final Fantasy Anthologywhich also included Final Fantasy 6.
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This was the second game to use the Job system, after Final Fantasy 3and it did a better job of developing its four core characters over time. The job system was the selling point, and there are tons of versions to choose from now, with the GBA version still being the best option, albeit hard to find.
Joan of Arc
For France!
Joan of Arc was a PSP exclusive tactical RPG developed by Level-5, set in an alternate timeline to the Anglo-French War in the 15th century. In this version, the English are aided by monsters, and a young girl, Jeanne, is given a magical bracelet to transform into a mighty warrior, and other characters along the way gain similar transformative abilities.
Tactical combat is pretty standard with units moving on a grid, but that doesn't mean it wasn't compelling. Like so many other PSP RPGs, this one fell by the wayside due to the handheld's slow sales rate in North America. The game is thankfully now available on PS5, along with other PSP gems just waiting to be rediscovered.
Lufia 2: Rise Of The Sinistrals
Trapped on the SNES
The Luffy the series has been largely forgotten as this is a case where all the games are currently stuck on old hardware. Many fans believe Lufia 2: Rise of the Sinistrals is the best of the bunch, and it was released on the SNES in 1996. It has great music, colorful sprites, interactive dungeons, monsters that spawn in dungeons, and so much more.
It was way ahead of its time on the SNES, and the only real way to play it officially now is by buying a cartridge, and even an unboxed version won't be cheap, but anyone who longs for the glory days of the SNES will find a way to get this game going.
The Odin Sphere
An action anthology
The Odin Sphere was a very late release for the PS2 in 2007, which was a full year after the PS3 launched globally. It's a 2D action RPG developed by Vanillaware, who always excelled in 2D art with lavishly painted backgrounds and larger characters that were highly detailed.
Players will go through different tales, all exploring different characters connected to the same world, such as the fairy Mercedes, who uses a crossbow, and Cornelius, who is a warrior who has been transformed into a rabbit-like creature but can still use a sword. Odin Sphere Leifthrasir was a 2016 remaster, and a good one at that, but the reissue didn't set the world on fire either. True fans appreciated it, and Odin Sphere Leifthrasir can still be played on a PS5 thanks to backwards compatibility.
Brilliant History
Lost To Time
Brilliant History is a must-play DS RPG released in 2011 in North America before it received a new addition, Radiant History: Perfect Chronology2018 for 3DS. The attempt to make it available again was admirable, but it would have worked so much better on the Switch because DS cartridges still worked on a 3DS anyway, and the Switch just killed it in sales.
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Aside from the port story, this turn-based RPG used time travel as the core mechanic to tell its story. Instead of going to wild timelines like prehistory or the future, the like Chrono Trigger, Brilliant History were wiser in their choices because they all related to solvable problems within the given era. The art, story, and combat combine into the “perfect chronology.”
Shadow Hearts: Covenant
Alternate RPG history
Shadow Hearts: Covenant
- Released
-
September 27, 2004
Shadow Hearts: Covenant is another alternate history RPG, but this one takes place during the First World War. From a female soldier to a vampire wrestler, the party had an eclectic vibe that made the game more compelling than most, and the over-the-top nature of the story also made it more fun to dive into.
The turn-based combat was also a bit more active as players could time attacks and specials using a ring-like mechanic to get bonuses, which wasn't easy. Like the rest of The shadow heart games, these PS2 gems are completely lost to time, but hopefully die-hard fans will never stop beating the drum.
Xenogears
The beginning of something big
Xenogears was one of the more ambitious games from Square on the PS1, incorporating martial arts, mechanics and religion into one fantastic adventure. The story is almost impossible to summarize because it is so dense, but the twisted nature of the characters at least kept the players entertained and guessing what could happen next.
Combat was turn-based, but players could input button combinations to create special attacks, and later mechanics were unlocked. Today, the spiritual Xenoblade Chronicles games get more attention, with Xenogears is now forgotten on PS1.
8 Western RPGs You Can't Play Anymore (And It's So Unfair)
Explore the rise and fall of these once promising Western RPGs. Whether it's for the best or not, none of these games can be played today.
