Updated on November 2, 2026, by Mark Sammut: As there seems to be a real interest in underrated/forgotten turn-based RPGs, I’ve added two more games to the article, this time focusing on somewhat recent releases.
There was a time when turn-based RPGs ruled the world, and that time was the ’90s and early 2000s. On the SNES and PS1, we couldn’t get enough of both Japanese and Western games, with every month seemingly producing a new, exciting title that could keep players grinding for a very long time. Since turn-based RPGs are harder to come by nowadays, this is the perfect time to spotlight underappreciated old-school gems that never quite got the attention they deserve.
While I’m sure some people played these RPGs when they originally came out, as I am one of them, all of them were commercial disappointments that struggled to find an audience. Unless you were a completionist who picked up every turn-based RPG you could find, you probably never got to play these games. If you have time, this might be the perfect opportunity to change that.
I know “near-perfect” is a bit of a stretch for a few of these games, especially when viewed through a modern lens. But they were good for their eras, and they deserved a bit more attention.
Skies Of Arcadia Is A Masterpiece That Failed To Catch Fire Twice
This RPG Just Had The Worst Luck
Anybody remotely into turn-based RPGs likely knows Skies of Arcadia, Overworks and Sega’s pirate-themed masterpiece that ranks among the genre’s best offerings of the 2000s. While “nobody played” doesn’t really hold water nowadays, it does reflect the game’s original release… and that of its upgraded version. Within roughly 2 years, Skies of Arcadia underperformed financially twice on two consoles, each with a distinct audience.
Find the odd one out before the timer hits zero.
Debuting in November 2000 on the Dreamcast, Skies of Arcadia only had a few months to fly before Sega retired the console. Although technically a flop, you really cannot blame the game for being stuck on a doomed system. A few years later, Sega gave it another go by releasing Skies of Arcadia Legends on the GameCube, and this is the version everyone should play today. Unfortunately, Legends didn’t seem to do all that much better, and it again had the misfortune of landing on a struggling system.
Although well-respected, Skies of Arcadia is still nowhere near as famous as any of the truly massive JRPGs, and Sega has kind of let the game die by not re-releasing it on any modern systems.
Crystal Project Is A Metroidvania Turn-Based RPG
A Modern Throwback That Does Great Things
While this article primarily highlights forgotten classics from yesteryear, let’s also dedicate a bit of time to modern turn-based RPGs that flew by somewhat unnoticed. Crystal Project blends old-school battle mechanics with Metroidvania-style level design and a heavy focus on exploration, with things like a story taking a backseat. Although granted an ultimate goal, you are mostly left to explore the interconnected voxel world at your leisure, defining your own priorities in the process.
Crystal Project should be absolutely perfect… for a certain subset of RPG fans. If you love epic cinematic adventures rich in story and character, you will likely bounce off Andrew Willman’s game sooner or later. However, if you love classics like Final Fantasy 5 and enjoy RPGs that come with platforming and puzzles, then you need to check this game out. The battle system emphasizes tactics and transparency, eliminating hidden dice rolls that inject a touch of luck. You also have a pretty extensive dual-class customization system.
Nostalgia Will Make You Nostalgic For Classic Turn-Based Combat
The Nintendo DS Has Such A Fantastic Turn-Based RPG Library
Even more than the PS1 and SNES, the Nintendo DS arguably has the most underrated turn-based RPG library, and Nostalgia is one example. Developed by Matrix Software, a studio that mostly specialized in handheld games, Nostalgia is a classic turn-based JRPG, with a few fun additions thatset it apart from the crowd. Set in an alternate steampunk Earth, the world immediately feels different from most fantasy contemporaries, and it’s cool to visit familiar cities with a unique flavor.
The story is fairly decent and works as a globe-trotting adventure, but it isn’t really anything out of this world. The 5 playable characters carry most of the load, supported by two combat systems. On foot and exploring dungeons, you engage in traditional but still well-done turn-based combat; in the air, you take part in airship battles reminiscent of Skies of Arcadia.
Nostalgia came out in October 2009 in North America, putting it within roughly a month of Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story, and Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky. A niche game with little marketing had no chance.
UnderRail Is A CRPG For Fans Of Older CRPGs
A Challenging But Impressive Trip Through Underground Hell
I admit, my JRPG bias shines through in this article quite a bit, but “turn-based” covers a far wider spectrum of goodness than just classic Square Enix. Taking cues from Western masterpieces like Fallout, UnderRail is an isometric CRPG that can be downright overwhelming, especially since this is a one-character game that doesn’t give you any companions. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the title refers to a metro network and cavern system that covers a few states that generally do not see eye to eye.
While gridless, UnderRail centers its combat around movement and action points, forcing players to take things like line of sight and lighting conditions into account when planning their moves. As you only have one character, you need to carefully plan your build to cover as many mitigating situations as possible, although you can craft quite a few different types of fighters, ranging from stealth snipers to a sledgehammer-wielding juggernaut. Good crafting system, too.
Gladius Is The Gladiator Turn-Based RPG
We Need More Gladiator Games
Whenever I put together one of these “underrated/never played/forgotten” articles, a LucasArts game tends to always make the shortlist. This time around, Gladius makes the cut, and it is inarguably one of the developer’s best RPGs. Admittedly, LucasArts isn’t synonymous with role-playing games, but this 2003 release is an absolute triumph for its creator and the genre as a whole.
First things first, we have a gladiator-themed turn-based RPG. That already sets the game apart from almost every other release in the genre, though its combat also leans into tactical territory. You choose between two protagonists – a barbarian princess or the son of a gladiator – and set out to recruit, equip, and manage a stable of arena fighters. The story starts relatively small, but gradually adds an “everything has gone to hell” element.
Using a grid system, the turn-based combat has one particular feature that really sets it apart: the swing meter. Basically, whenever you commit an attack, you need to nail button inputs to determine your performance, which can be the difference between a complete fail and a critical hit that causes a status effect. Gladius backs its combat with a vast class system that even lets you recruit mythological beasts like Minotaurs.
LucasArts was in full Star Wars mode in the early 2000s, with KOTOR coming out onlya couple of months before Gladius. The latter just didn’t receive the marketing push it really needed. Tactical turn-based RPGs were also a harder sell on consoles at the time, and the game never came out on PC.
Shadow Hearts: Covenant Is The Poster Child For This Topic
A Series That Never Quite Got There
To be honest, I initially left Shadow Hearts: Covenant off this article, just because it is often the first classic PS2 JRPG that comes to mind when this topic comes up. However, the entire Shadow Hearts series (and Koudelka) suffered the same fate, although only Covenant really comes close to perfection (the others are decent, though!). Considering none of them were really hits, it’s a miracle we even got three (or four) of these games.
Shadow Hearts‘ main mechanical feature is the Judgment Ring, which injects timing-based inputs and a risk-versus-reward system into traditional turn-based combat. The original game had a version of it, but Covenant gave players way more control. In combat, characters gradually lose Sanity Points as fights drag on, forcing you to stay offensive and avoid relying on stall tactics.
More than anything, I love Shadow Hearts: Covenant‘s alternate WW1 setting and horror elements. No generic fantasy tropes here.
Treasure of the Rudras Is Square’s Final SNES Masterpiece
A Turn-Based RPG With An Incredible Magic System
- I wanted to avoid including too many Japanese exclusives, but I had to include one.
Square was THE turn-based RPG developer during the SNES era, releasing games like Super Mario RPG, Final Fantasy 6, Live A Live, and Chrono Trigger. You really can’t go wrong with any of these titles, and Treasure of the Rudras deserves to be mentioned alongside them rather than just existing as the answer to the trivia question, “What was Square’s final SNES game?”
Treasure of the Rudras represents the absolute peak of 16-bit pixel animation, which means its graphics have aged so absurdly well that the game could easily pass for a modern indie throwback. By 1996, Square had not only perfected turn-based combat but was also embracing experimentation. In this case, that “experimentation” largely revolved around the magic system, which let you create spells by entering different letters into your grimoire. You can even learn an enemy’s spell by just jotting down its name and then activating it.
Treasure of the Rudras came out when the SNES was very much old news, and Square didn’t even bother releasing the RPG in North America, leaving it as a Japanese exclusive. It’s a shame, as this one is pretty great.
Shadow Madness Is Final Fantasy 7 But American
Yeah, The PS1 Had Western Turn-Based RPGs!
OK, I admit that describing Shadow Madness as “near-perfect” is probably wrong, and Craveyard’s game doesn’t come close to matching the genre’s best offerings on the PS1. However, this 1999 RPG feels like it should have been a bigger deal than it ended up being, since it’s a rare American turn-based RPG made by a team that includes writers and programmers who worked on Final Fantasy 7. That influence is pretty obvious in the combat system and in the blend of 3D models and 2D backgrounds in the presentation.
Shadow Madness takes FF7‘s core combat system and adds a near-button prompt that lets you dodge fightsyou don’t want to take part in. Otherwise, it’s a well-made game with a bleaker premise than usual for the genre and a cynical sense of humor. The backgrounds were and still are quite atmospheric, too. 1999 was an absolutely massive year for PS1 RPGs in North America, and Shadow Madness was not going to float to the top in a pond that included Final Fantasy 8, Star Ocean 2, and Suikoden 2.
Guardian’s Crusade Oozes Whimsy And Charm
Turn-Based RPGs Don’t Need To Be Dark And Brooding
Let’s end things with another forgotten PS1 turn-based RPG, as roughly a billion of them exist. Guardian’s Crusade‘s main claim to fame is that it shifted to non-random encounters years before that became the genre’s standard, a decision that has allowed it to age far more gracefully than some of its more archaic peers.
Beyond that, the game uses a unique “creature collection” system: you accumulate Living Toys that act as summons and support units. They replace traditional magic systems, and they really fit Guardian’s Crusade‘s fairy-tale vibe and colorful aesthetic. Also, you get to raise a baby creature during your adventure, which is a lot more charming than annoying.
In 1999, the most successful games seemed to lean into darker tones, especially in RPGs. Guardian’s Crusade‘s bright colors and whimsical nature might have caused folks to dismiss it as being for children. Activision didn’t heavily promote it either.
