10 underrated gems for RPG lovers on PlayStation Plus
PlayStation Plus is a veritable treasure trove of games, particularly if you’re a fan of RPGs. These adventures come in all shapes and sizes; small indie platformers with RPG upgrading, vast Japanese RPGs with turn-based battles, or first-person adventures that take you through an apocalyptic wasteland.
While we all know about the Final Fantasy titles and the Dragon Quest games, there are plenty of lesser-known gems as part of the PlayStation Plus subscription, too. So, let’s hear it for the underrated bangers that you should be playing.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot
There’s no denying the popularity of the Dragon Ball anime and manga. Many of us grew up watching Goku battle it out with a variety of world-ending aliens. Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot puts you directly into Goku’s shoes and lets you play through the events of Dragon Ball Z, featuring all of the classic fights you know and love.
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If that weren’t enough to pull you in, it truly feels like playing an episode of the anime with the bold, cartoon visuals of Akira Toriyama come to life on the screen. Even players who don’t know much about the series can enjoy the bombastic battles and over-the-top action.
Immortals Fenyx Rising
A gorgeous, open-world RPG from Ubisoft, Immortals Fenyx Rising was a bit of a change up for the developer. At the time, Ubisoft was known for the Assassin’s Creed games but they decided to take a chance on a family-friendly title based on Greek mythology. The action is very hack-and-slash, while your abilities and power are based on traditional RPG mechanics.
And this was all set in a world of differing biomes themed on the powers of Greek Gods. It was colourful, funny, and accessible. It was never going to challenge a seasoned player, but that wasn’t the point. What was created was a joyous experience that ended up being overshadowed by other Ubisoft games, when it deserved to be played by everyone.
Tales of Arise
We can’t have an RPG list without a Japanese RPG on here, and when you look away from the big-hitting series’ on Western shores, you’ll find the ‘Tales of’ franchise. Similar to Final Fantasy, each ‘Tales of’ game focuses on a different hero and a different world. For Tales of Arise, we got dual protagonists dealing with big social issues such as class standing, all against a backdrop of world-ending mysteries.
With a focus on action, this one ended up feeling a bit more of a hack-and-slash than a traditional RPG, though it does feature plenty of the genre’s more common elements like enemy encounters, dungeon areas, and levelling up combined with armour and weapon choices. What stands out the most is the story which is filled with a great cast of characters.
Salt and Sacrifice
If you’re looking for something very different, then Salt and Sacrifice will have you covered. It’s more of a Metroidvania mixed with some Dark Souls elements. There are large labyrinthine levels, some light platforming, and plenty of hardcore boss fights that will test your skills. But at the core is an RPG system that is just as deep as any 3D epic.
Don’t let the 2D side-scrolling view fool you. This game will knock your socks off if you let it. You can play around with all the mechanics that come from successful 3D action titles and explore a bleak world filled with secrets and exploration. The combat is pretty nifty too, even if it’ll have you grinding your teeth at times.
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut
When GAMINGbible reviewed Disco Elysium: The Final Cut we said it’s “a game that had me on the edge of my seat with my knuckles clenched just as often as it made me laugh out loud or well up unexpectedly. It is, and I mean this without a whiff of hyperbole, a masterpiece.” It wasn’t me reviewing it, but I’d agree with every word.
It’s loosely based on tabletop RPG mechanics with background dice rolling to see how well your character reacts to situations and this can create some wonderful moments. It’s a game that makes you think about the world around you, it can constantly surprise you, and it will likely have you thinking about how every other RPG should be just like this one. It’s bonkers and esoteric in the best way.
Sea of Stars
For a bit of retro flavour, we don’t have an old GBA game for you, but rather one that looks like it broke out of that era. Sea of Stars is a heartwarming, traditional adventure wrapped up in a JRPG format of turn-based battles and old-school menus. Not only is this game gorgeous, but it tells a brilliant story of two young heroes thrown into a world filled with chaos and turmoil.
The interactive battle system makes the game all the more dynamic as you press buttons with the correct timing to boost your attacks or take less damage and each ability bursts to life with pixelated colours. There’s a lot of beauty in the game’s simplicity whether that’s through environmental puzzles or the witty dialogue between the cast members.
Dragon Quest Builders 2
The Dragon Quest franchise has been around for decades and while the mainline games look and feel like traditional RPGs, the series took a turn with this one. Dragon Quest Builders 2 feels like Dragon Quest and Minecraft had a baby. It’s equally about building cool projects out of different blocks as it is about swinging swords at monsters.
It takes the usual Toriyama-inspired characters and plonks them in a world where you’ll need to create a house, and a village, all from which you will adventure. You can still find the traditional monsters lurking about and you’ll protect others from them, but at the end of the day, you can also go about your business building a monumental castle. If you like.
Maneater
With more action than you can shake a broken oar at, Maneater is Jaws, but on steroids. There are definitely RPG tropes in here, but let’s be honest, what’s best is chomping swimmers and wrecking boats. Think about it, what’s more fun than swimming around an ocean getting more and more mutated while sinking the boats of those who are fishing the sea constantly?
Be the beast. Fulfil the wishes of your inner shark. If you hadn’t already gathered, Maneater puts you into a shark and you cause as much carnage as possible throughout the ocean. You can literally eat the rich, it’s already a win.
Nioh
Perhaps one of the more accessible Soulslike games out there, Nioh steeps itself in the touchstone mechanics that made Dark Souls popular. Though it does so with a very different style, travelling through the lands of Japan and taking in the mythology and legends and building on them.
With blade-swinging action and plenty of magic besides, Nioh is first and foremost an action game, but with a deep inventory and plenty of skills to play around with, it’s certainly an RPG too. It’s also spectacularly gorgeous, with plenty of colour and detailed 3D monsters that remain memorable long after you’ve stopped playing.
Fallout 76
When Fallout 76 first hit hardware, it was a bit of a limp release. Over the years, it has grown into a great place to hang out with friends and revel in what makes the Fallout universe so great. Of course, it has risen in popularity more recently after the Amazon Prime TV show captured audiences, so it’s the perfect time to start playing.
As with any MMORPG, the goal is yours to decide. You can wander and explore, killing mutated enemies that get in your way; buddy up with friends and strangers to go on epic looting trips; or perhaps you’d rather build your own home and do a bit of traditional role-playing with others on your server. Fallout 76 is constantly expanding and giving players more options, no matter what role you fulfil.
Topics: PlayStation, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Playstation Plus, Fallout, Dragon Quest