There's no shortage of RPG games available to play. The RPG genre is vast had has many subgenres. There are action RPGs, MMORPGs, dungeon crawlers, tactical RPGs, JRPGs and so many more. There's no limit to the types of RPGs there can be, but usually, to classify a game as one they follow game mechanics that include one or more characters, some sort of leveling up system, quests, or missions to take on that include puzzle solving and some form of combat.
Some of the most popular RPGs out there include these things and many other elements that draw a fan following, like the action and deep lore of Elden Ring, the memorable characters, and relationships players can build in JRPGs like Final Fantasy 7 and Persona 5. Even the popular simulation game Stardew Valley can be classified as an RPG. For all the amazing RPGs that get the attention they deserve, there are several hidden gems to be found, and a lot of them can be found on Steam. The games listed have less than 3000 reviews overall and are rated as either Very Positive or Overwhelmingly Positive.
8 Haven
Haven is an RPG where players get to play as Yu and Kay, two lovers who have settled on a forgotten planet. The story focuses on Yu and Kay as they work to make the planet into their new home and deepen their relationship. Combat includes controlling both of them and finding synchronicity between their actions.
The game allows for both single-player and local co-op, where the second player can jump in or jump out at any time. Haven combines an engaging romantic storyline with a fun RPG adventure. There has also been a free update that lets players have the option of playing Yu and Kay as a same-sex couple.
7 Doom & Destiny
Doom & Destiny is a JRPG that doesn't take itself seriously and that is a part of its overall charm. Players are taken on a journey of four nerdy friends as they are drawn into a fantasy world. Like the plot of any isekai series, the four friends are mistaken as heroes and are tasked with defeating an evil villain, saving a princess, and a number of other fantasy hero-related things.
Doom & Destiny is a game filled with many parodies and cameos of iconic series. But it is also a solid JRPG with tons of items to collect, special powers to learn, enemies to fight and locations to visit. Fans of almost anything that would be classified as "nerd culture" can find something that's an amusing nod to their series.
6 Star Renegades
Fans of RPGs and mech-anime will likely enjoy Star Renegades as it combines both of those aspects and so much more into its gameplay. Described as a 'roguelike' strategy RPG, players must fight and try to keep their characters alive by battling against a powerful and impending force known as the Imperium.
Each battle is generated based on previous battles and choices. Enemies that players have faced in the past will come back stronger, rising in the ranks as the player's characters do. The game includes permadeath, with players able to keep up the fight with new characters and use what they learned to give them a better chance of success.
5 Hylics 2
Hylics 2 is a surreal RPG that is unlike many others. A sequel to Hylics, though a perfectly standalone game in itself, players follow the hero Wayne, as he gathers a crew to stop the minions of an evil tyrant from bringing him back to life.
The most notable aspect of the game is the way it combines 3D art with stop-motion animation and pixel art to create a bizarre but visually appealing game. Players can fight over 25 opponents that all have unique behaviors and special abilities. There's also a minigame platformer and a first-person dungeon crawler as additional and optional content.
4 The Bard's Tale Trilogy
The Bard's Tale is considered to be a series that helped define what defines an RPG. The Bard's Tale Trilogy is a remaster of the 1985 game, combined with two of its sequels The Bard's Tale 2: The Destiny Knight and The Bard's Tale 3: Thief of Fate.
It doesn't have the flashiest of graphics, but it gives a solid old-school RPG experience that can be enjoyed by newer and older players alike. The gameplay focuses on dungeon-crawling and building up the skills and experience of the player's party so that they can defeat the evil wizard Mangar the Dark.
3 Stolen Realm
Stolen Realm is an Early Access dungeon-crawling RPG. In this high fantasy game, players can do solo mode where they can control up to six characters, or play with five other people through online co-op. Every battlefield is hex-based, allowing players to position their characters anywhere they want.
Positioning and environment can actually play a role in how well a battle goes as there are areas that have special effects, characters can take cover behind objects and some objects can even be used as improvised weapons. There are over 240 different skills to choose from, allowing players to customize their characters from their preset builds.
2 Horizon's Gate
Horizon's Gate is an RPG game that came out in 2020. It has a very interesting combat system that lets players battle on land and sea. Players can make their mark within the land of Eral as either a trader, privateer, or explorer, with each profession offering its own perks, based on the type of gameplay desired.
Combat is turn-based and simple, but engaging. There are 36 different classes and hundreds of abilities and passive abilities players can choose for their character and their crew. Which gives them complete freedom to create the character build that allows them to enjoy the game the most.
1 Realms Of Magic
Realms of Magic is a fusion of old and new with its setting in a modern open-world structure and old-school RPG mechanics. In Realms of Magic, players create characters that live in the high fantasy world The Old Kingdom. It is a land filled with everything expected from high fantasy; magic to learn monsters to slay and dungeons to loot.
Players can build their characters up to be the best adventurer in the land, or they create a more quiet and lowkey lifestyle for their character by having them focus on their profession and other skills that can make them money.