There are many varieties of video game genres that can grab the audience’s attention, but the different interpretations ofRPGscan lead to some of the more fulfilling gaming experiences. The sprawling nature ofRPGs usually means that they can tell deeper stories and dig into characters in a way that other games can’t.
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It’s satisfying to see the genre morph as it takes elements from strategy or action games to develop new types of experiences. There are lots of good strategy RPGs, but so many are decades old that they’re in serious need of a reboot. There are some real hidden SRPG gems that modern audiences deserve to play.
Updated 18th of April, 2022 by Michael Llewellyn:Thanks tothe Fire Emblem seriescatching on in recent years andTriangle Strategyproving to be a popular title with gamers, the SRPG is mounting something of a comeback. Tactical RPGs offer gamers the perfect balance of narrative and strategic gameplay. However, outside some of the biggest publisher’s most popular games, there are several SRPGs that have been overlooked or left dormant over the years. With this in mind, this list has been updated to include more SRPGs that not only deserve a second look but where a reboot and a remaster would help gives these titles the audience they deserve.
As a title from the same studio that created theDisgaeaseries,Soul Nomadis a deep SRPG with a ton of customization options for strategy fans. It isn’t quite as complex asDisgaeabut makes up for this in the game’s narrative. It’s less tongue-in-cheek than other NIS titles but there is still lots of humor for fans, but the darker and more complex tone is a welcome change.
Unlike theDisgaeafranchise, however,Soul Nomaddidn’t get the sequel treatment. However, with it being bundled as part of thePrinny Presents NIS ClassicsVolume 1collection there is hope that NIS will revisit this game.
12Stella Deus: Gate Of Eternity
Released in 2005,Stella Deus: Gate of Eternityis a criminally overlooked tactical RPG fromAtlus. It features a stunning art style that still looks great by today’s standards, excellent gameplay, and an excellent narrative.
Its dark and serious tone is only slightly down by some of the weak voice performances, but this is easily overlooked by the sheer amount of customization and depth on offer. As a game developed by Atlus,Stella Deusdeserves more attention as it shines in almost every department. A remaster with a reworked voice cast would be perfect on modern consoles.
11Eternal Poison
As a game released toward the end of the PS2’s life cycle,Eternal Poisonis a criminally overlooked SRPG from the makers of theSummon Nightseries. It borrows heavily from theFire Emblemseries by incorporating its perma-death mechanic and challenging gameplay.
Eternal Poisonadopts a heavy gothic fantasy element into its looks and narrative. It features a great cast of characters that offer their personal perspectives on the same events. It has a few quirks that can be ironed out with a remaster and thanks to its dark story and deep gameplay it deserves another look on modern machines.
10Arc The Lad
Arc the Ladis an interesting SRPG series that launched in Japan in 1995. While it doesn’t necessarily reinvent the wheel for the genre, it tells an engrossing story about underdogs who fight corruption and each game progressively adds to the scope of things. The series was a mainstay on the PlayStation and had much greater appeal in Japan.
TheArc the Lad Collectionfeatures the first (and the best) three games in the series released in the West in 2002. This was followed by the well-receivedTwilight of SpiritsandEnd of Darknesson the PS2. A remaster of these five games in the franchise would be the perfect way to reboot this overlooked series in the West.
9Langrisser
TheLangrissergames are quite deep and the SRPG series meshes fantasy with a Germanic environment while incorporating headier concepts like religion, Gods, and mysticism. The games offer up a ton of options when it comes to both characters & story avenues, and it finds a combat system that’s somewhat original for the genre.
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The series was effectively dormant since 1999 and although 2015 marked a strange new release for the Nintendo 3DS in Japan only, it’s still a property that isn’t on enough people’s radars and deserves a comeback. Atlus’Growlanseris considered a spiritual successor as it follows the same non-linear gameplay mechanics and maintains the visual aesthetic. The first two games in the franchise were bundled together in 2020 and released on the PS4 and Switch in Japan and the West.
8Final Fantasy Tactics
TheFinal Fantasyseries has found such levels of success that it’s been able to experiment, not just within its mainline series, but also with various spin-offs that pursue different genres.Final Fantasy Tacticstakes many of the franchise’s defining themesand incorporates them into tactical RPG gameplay.
TheTacticsseries has received various ports, updates, and spin-offs, but the games have struggled to reach the same level of success asFinal Fantasyproper. It deserves another shot in a big way because the formula is just as good.
7Vanguard Bandits
The major appeal ofVanguard Banditsis that it takes knights and meshes them together with extreme mecha action. Characters battle in mech suits that makes combat deeply enjoyable and wildly anachronistic. It feels like it should be an anime.
Vanguard Banditsis an exceptionally cool SRPG for the PlayStation that never managed to catch on and didn’t receive any sequels. This is unfortunate because it features some genuinely good ideas, which makesVanguard Banditsmore appropriate for a reboot that figures out how to make these ideas work. Unfortunately for fans, the developers of Human Entertainment disbanded after the studio filed for bankruptcy. So the likelihood of aVanguard Banditsremake orasequel seems unlikely at this point unless the property gets picked up by another studio.
6Tactics Ogre
TheTactics Ogreseries is one of the more distinctly Japanese SRPG takes on the genre. It begins with powerful Gods and demons, but then embraces more of a dark fantasy angle that grounds itself in the policy and power struggles of different kingdoms.
There’s an epic story that spans hundreds of years and while many sequels & updates have happened over the years, a new reboot that takes the gameplay elementsof Let Us Cling Together, but combines them withMarch of the Black Queen’sstory, could work as a great reintroduction to the series.
5Crystal Warriors
Back when the video game market was largely occupied by just Nintendo and Sega, Sega’s Game Gear didn’t cause much of a stir– which means the handful of quality titles for it are in dire need of a revival.Crystal Warriorsis an SRPG with heavy elemental use that strays away from exploration.
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What’s so interesting about it is that there are neutral monsters that can be defeated and recruited for battle. It also has a punishing permanent death factor, too.Royal Stoneis another SRPG for the Game Gear that features the same mechanics.
4Bahamut Lagoon
Bahamut Lagoonis considered by some to be a spin-off of theFinal Fantasyseries but focused on Bahamut and other dragons from the canon.Bahamut Lagoonhad a lot of theFinal Fantasy Tacticsteam involved so the pedigree of storytelling and refined gameplay mechanics are there for fans of SRPGs.
The title incorporates aPokemon-like aspect where battle involves raising & leveling up dragons before dividing them between different squads.Bahamut Lagoonwas only released in Japan for the Super Famicom in 1995. With only a fan translation available for English-speaking players it’s long overdue a Western release let alone a reboot.
