Best Turn-Based RPGs That Nobody Played At First, Ranked

RPGs come in all forms, but one of the most popular sub-genres is turn-based games. Over the years, we have seen thousands of incredible turn-based RPGs with a range of scopes and scales, yet a lot of the best games in the space were actually overlooked when they first launched.

This could be due to a number of reasons, whether it was a lack of publicity at release or a weaker Western launch that meant the game found its popularity much later in its life. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter when or why these games weren’t played, but the legacy they left behind as true titans of the turn-based RPG genre that are now praised and adored by fans across the globe is undeniable.

7

Planescape: Torment

Winning In The Long Term

• Text-heavy adventure that struggled to capture a wider fanbase.
• Branching conversations and dialogue remain timeless.

Planescape: Torment was one of the last RPGs released before the turn of the century, and despite launching so close to Christmas, it was absent from many people’s lists. The opening has you waking up in a morgue with no memories, accompanied by a floating skull who guides you through the early hours as you attempt to learn about your past.

Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.

Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)


Start

Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.

Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)Start

From there, a lot of the gameplay revolves around text-heavy interactions and a slower pace that put off a lot of players at the time. Since then, many people have come to appreciate the writing as world-class, and I think it is one of the best examples of how to make a turn-based RPG truly timeless.

6

Lost Odyssey

Obscured By A Sea Of Competition

• An Xbox 360 exclusive without a strong RPG audience.
• A unique battle system and compelling hero story.

Lost Odyssey is a reminder of the downsides of console exclusivity. This game was stuck on hardware whose audience was far from the target: the Xbox 360. You follow Kaim Argonar, an immortal soldier who has lived a thousand years and forgotten almost all of it, and you are pulled into a war over magical technology that will take you across space and time.

Due to its release on the Xbox 360, Lost Odyssey reached fewer players than its peers, and was initially lost in a sea of shooters and other more accessible titles. However, thanks to the unique ring system and more mature story, this turn-based epic has found a new lease on life and is now being enjoyed by more players than ever.

5

Breath Of Fire: Dragon Quarter

Punishing Yet Rewarding

• Brutal difficulty turned many people off.
• Insane tactical depth in battles.

Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter suffered the same fate as so many other difficult games, where the challenge proved too much to handle for the masses. The setting itself is already pretty crazy, sending you a kilometer underground as a transforming ranger who must escort Nina and Lin to the surface, using whatever tools and dragon powers you possibly can.

Because of how the dragon form counter works, if the meter ever overflows, you die instantly. Combined with limited permanent save points, that meant a lot of players were scared right from the get-go. Some players even went so far as to blame it for the series’ discontinuation. However, I would argue that the scenario overlay system introduced an incredible new layer of strategy that turned losses into new paths to success. If you can stomach some failures, then you will be treated to a really stellar turn-based RPG with Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter.

4

Radiant Historia

A Time-Travelling Gem

• Small print run prevented widespread play.
• Grid combat allows for incredible combos.

A lack of physical media is often one of the main reasons why certain great games fail to reach huge player numbers, and Radiant Historia fits that bill perfectly. With two timelines at your disposal, the game revolves around hopping between them, making decisions that ripple across the past and present in unexpected ways.

Arriving on the Nintendo DS in a limited run, a lot of people only discovered it years later when used copies sold for higher prices. When they finally got their hands on the game, the grid-based battles and time-travel storytelling stood out the most, cementing Radiant Historia as a hidden masterpiece that rivals the best of the genre.

3

Valkyria Chronicles

Visuals Alone Can’t Market A Game

• Modest sales on the PS3, but the unusual blend of gameplay styles drew a larger audience over time.
• The BLiTZ system makes every fight feel like a puzzle.

Valkyria Chronicles looks as beautiful as it plays, but it still took quite a while for that statement to ring true for the masses. Reimagining the Second World War in a fantasy Europe, you follow Squad 7 as the small nation of Gallia fights an invading empire, using the BLiTZ system, which blends turn-based command with third-person shooting, incorporating both manual controls and tactical elements into one.

Despite the praise, it wasn’t a big seller at launch, and many players only found it after sequels, ports, and in-store sales. Today, its mix of strategy, grounded stories, and unique visuals makes Valkyria Chronicles one of the most distinctive tactical RPGs ever made, and a must-play for even lukewarm fans of the genre.

2

Suikoden 2

A Collector’s Item Turned Masterpiece

• Small North American print run.
• Tells a war story built on the backs of dozens of iconic characters.

Suikoden 2 is a game that could very easily have become a bestseller at the time if just a few more copies were put into circulation. Beginning with two childhood friends, Riou and Jowy, who end up on opposite sides of a brutal war, the story of friendship influenced by politics and loyalty is among the most powerful in the genre, and that’s without even factoring in the gameplay.

This PlayStation game launched in a 3D-obsessed era, and its hand-drawn sprites were easy to overlook, so few players saw it until used copies became pricey collectibles. Nowadays, it is viewed as an icon of the era that had a lot of great ideas, like the NPC recruiting and strategic duels. Thanks to an HD remaster, Suikoden 2 now has a second chance to impress the world.

1

EarthBound

As Cult Classic As It Gets

• Childish art made many more serious fans switch off.
• Heartfelt humor and lovable characters turned it into a classic.

EarthBound may be an icon in the gaming world today, yet at launch, it was anything but. The basic plot follows Ness, a boy with psychic powers, across a surreal version of 1990s America to stop a cosmic evil called Giygas. That said, instead of knights and dragons, it pits you against hippies, taxis, and stray dogs, with baseball bats and frying pans to use as weapons.

Almost nobody noticed EarthBound at first, largely because of its cartoony look, which seemed childish compared to the era’s darker, grander RPGs. Nintendo’s “This game stinks” scratch-and-sniff ads also confused buyers more than they enticed them. As a result, North American sales were pretty disappointing, but over time, the offbeat humor and lovable characters made it into a cult classic that now outshines many of its more serious rivals.