In the many years since its 1979 inception, Capcom has developed a wide range of exciting RPGs. Many of their finest efforts in the genre have showcased their innovation and creativity. Capcom’s finest RPGs have featured compelling plot lines, colorful characters, and engaging gameplay mechanics.
The company’s RPG portfolio has covered action, traditional turn-based gameplay, and tactical gaming, ensuring it has a bit of something for everyone along the way. With plenty of layered world-building, strategic combat, and immersive exploration for players to discover,it’s hardly surprising that Capcom has enjoyed a glowing reputationon the RPG front over the years.
This wild hack-and-slash epictakes players to a fantasy world inspired by Sicilian history and culture.Dragon’s Dogmasees players take on one of several potential roles, including a Mystic Knight, a Strider, or an Assassin.Dragon’s Dogmais quick to immerse players in a rich, complicated fantasy realm chock-full of both engaging quests and intimidating creatures. The diverse selection of character classes is one of several factors in the game’s memorable, highly detailed combat system.
Focusing heavily on strategy, the variety of skills and powers to discover and use makes the often-unpredictable action encounters exhilarating for players. In an innovative feature, players get to make use of the Pawn system. With it, players get to recruit and customize their very own AI companions, providing another layer of complexity for gamers to get the hang of. With its engaging adventure narrative and creative gameplay,Dragon’s Dogmais an underrated Capcom gemthat enjoyed new life under its expandedDark Arisenversion.
Mega Man Battle Networkstands out as an extremely influential RPG because of its neat combination of real-time action and function-playing elements. The game’s effective combat devices, which mix grid-based motion with tactical card-based combat, provided a fresh and dynamic gameplay experience for GameBoy Advanced users.
Fusing conventional RPG mechanics with real-time gameplay succeeds in setting up an immersive and rapid-paced environment. Set in a futuristic, high-tech world reliant on the internet above all else, the imaginative plot provides a fascinating backdrop for the gamers’ adventures to have high stakes and meaning. With its inventive gameplay, compelling story, and memorable characters,Mega Man Battle Networkprovided a surprisingly effective RPG by handheld device standards of its time.
Metacritic: 79
Monster Hunter Stories
Monster Hunter Stories is an RPG that takes the world of Monster Hunter and expands upon it in new and exciting ways! No longer are you hunting monsters, but raising them! In this deep story featuring heroes known as Monster Riders, you will live alongside monsters and form lifelong bonds with them. The first installment of the Monster Hunter Stories series returns, fully voiced in Japanese and English, with additional features such as a new museum mode where you can listen to music and view concept art, allowing you to dive even deeper into the world of Monster Hunter Stories.Story:As the hero of the story, you were born in a village of Riders who raise monsters for a living. You’ll overcome trials and tribulations as you grow as a Rider, and leave your village to embark on an adventure. Your destination: the world of Hunters, who make their living by hunting monsters. Although their lifestyles are vastly different, you must learn to live and work together with Hunters, and in turn, bring the world of Hunters and Riders ever closer.
This well-regarded spin-off of the main series completely overhauled many of the standardMonster Huntergameplay tropes. Players assume the role of The Rider, forming bonds with the majestic monsters of the world on offer along the way. As has come to be expected from the classicMonster Hunterseries,Storiesprovides players with vibrant visuals, diverse and dangerous environments, and plenty of strategic, turn-based battles.
This impressive combination adds depth to the action-packed gameplay, bringing great energy and immersion to the proceedings. The bond-building mechanic, which allows players to hatch, raise, and train their very own monsters, proves to be one of the game’s defining features, providing a unique and rewarding experience for games to enjoy. Overall, the bond with the monstersallows this colorful RPG to shinein a series full of high points.
The sixth mainline chapter in the iconic series delivers the goods when it comes to both engaging gameplay and an engrossingly deep progression system. Players have the chance to build their character from the ground up, developing various skills to flesh out their play style.
As is to be expected, the game provides players with all manner of difficult monsters to hunt down. In a neat change-up for companions, players can now work with creatures called Palamutes. The Palamutes provide a quicker way to travel across the map, as players can ride them over the game’s diverse, detailed terrain. Better still, the introduction of Wirebugs allows additional, more fearsome creatures to be tamed and potentially ridden as well. With its impressive combat mechanics, fun co-operative gameplay, and two rewarding story arcs to play through,Riseis a superb entryin the belovedMonster Hunterfranchise.
Metacritic user score: 8.7
Breath of Fire III
A MYSTERIOUS POWER… AN UNLIKELY HERO… A CLASSIC ADVENTURE..The lone survivor of a legendary dragon clan, a rebellious youth embarks on a great journey. One of discovery… and danger. The classic role-playing game now returns to continue the epic tale of Ryu and the dragon people. An inner power of uncertain origin matures Ryu into a warriorwho ponders his purpose as he embarks on a mystical journey. What lies ahead is shrouded in mystery. yet strangely familiar.DRAGON GENE SPLICINGLEGENDARY ROLEPLAYINGPOWERFUL MAGICLEARN OR STEAL ADVANCE SKILLS AND TECHNIQUESAN EPIC 3-D ENVIRONMENTNOW YOU POSSESS THE POWER TO CONTROL RYU’S DESTINY.
3
This warmly-regarded PS1 and PSP favoriteintroduces gamers to Ryu, a young dragon who mysteriously shapeshifts into a human. From there, adventures, intrigue, world-building, and plot twists become all too commonplace as the narrative takes form.
Ryu’s adventure grows increasingly captivating and emotionally engaging as players move through the game. Better still, the development of character relationships and general character progression provide further depth to both the plot and the gameplay. Along with the rewarding lore and diverse, colorful environments on offer, the game’s combat also stands out.Emphasizing strategic wits and timing, the action fits the fantastical setting and various threats flawlessly. Between its storytelling, combat mechanics, and world-building,Breath of Fire 3is an excellent piece of RPG fun.
The fifth installment in the mainMonster Hunterseriestakes players into a dynamic, immersive hunting experience. On top of the rewarding action and intensity, the game’s immersion factor is greatly enhanced by the living, breathing ecosystem setting.Monster Hunter: Worldsucceeds in delivering a worthwhile RPGthanks to its deep progression systems, challenging monster encounters, and emphasis on co-operative multiplayer action.
The game sees players assume the role of The Hunter, who is tasked with the dangerous objective of scouting and analyzing the immensely powerful Elder Dragons. On top of eyeing up the habits and behaviors of the Elder Dragons, The Hunter also lives up to their name, frequently colliding with fearsome beasts that need to be taken down. Overall, this entry encompassed everything fans have come to love aboutMonster Hunterand took it further, providing a seminal RPG in the process.
WhileOkamiis an action/adventure game, it does have light RPG elements in it, which is why it is considered here. Players take control of a Shinto goddess to protect the world from a demonic threat. Richly steeped in Japanese folklore and mythology,Okamimaps out a rich complex plot that encompasses everything from apocalyptic disasters to the disturbing genocide of the gods.
Widely praised forits thought-provoking subject matter and colorful visuals, the game sees players level up and interact in the way one has come to expect from an RPG experience. At the time of its release, the game received widespread praise for its originality, design, and storytelling. All these years later,it still remains a one-of-a-kind gaming experience.
