The RPG genre has seen explosive success over the last decade. No longer are shooters at the top of the game, but hard-hitting single-player RPGs. Games like Sea of Stars and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 are showing just how strong the classic old-school style is with modern updates. Turn-based combat, memorable party members, exploration, and progression systems remain just as compelling today as they were during the golden age of RPGs. This also applies to games with real-time combat as well, thanks to invoking the old-school feel with graphics and storytelling.
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The problem is that a handful of high-profile releases often dominate the conversation. While those games deserve the praise they receive, they overshadow smaller titles that capture the same old-school magic. Some of these games come from tiny development teams, while others simply launched without much fanfare. For RPG fans searching for hidden gems, several outstanding modern adventures deserve far more attention than they receive. These five underrated RPGs borrow heavily from classic favorites while still bringing fresh ideas to the table.
5) Manafinder
At first glance, Manafinder looks like a lost role-playing game from the late 1990s. Developed by Wolfstride and released in 2022, the indie RPG combines pixel art visuals with a world that feels inspired by classic Japanese RPGs. The game follows a bounty hunter named Lambda as she travels across a dying world filled with strange technology and dangerous enemies.
What makes Manafinder stand out is its combat system. Battles are turn-based, but players can actively dodge incoming attacks during enemy turns. This reminds me of the timing-based mechanics seen in games like Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario. Instead of simply selecting commands and watching the action unfold, players remain engaged throughout every encounter.
The game’s world design also feels reminiscent of older RPGs from the PlayStation era. Exploration, hidden secrets, and character-driven storytelling take center stage rather than cinematic spectacle. Fans who grew up with classics like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI will find plenty to appreciate here, even if Manafinder never received the attention many genre veterans believe it deserved. With a sequel on the way, now is the best time to give it a try.
4) Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi
Dungeon crawlers were once a major pillar of the RPG genre. Series such as Wizardry, Might and Magic, and later Etrian Odyssey built loyal audiences through challenging first-person exploration. Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi embraces that tradition while modernizing many of its rough edges and incorporating a more modern setting and horror vibes.
Developed by Experience Inc., the game takes players into a supernatural underground labyrinth beneath Tokyo. The atmosphere is immediately striking. Dark environments, unsettling creatures, and resource management create a constant sense of tension. Every trip deeper into the dungeon feels risky, which is exactly what made classic dungeon crawlers so addictive.
The game’s party-building system is another major strength. Players create and customize multiple adventurers, selecting classes and abilities that complement one another. This approach recalls older computer RPGs and first-person dungeon crawlers where experimentation was often the key to survival. For players who miss the challenge of mapping dungeons and carefully managing a party, Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi is one of the best modern examples of the genre.
3) 8-Bit Adventures 2
The title may suggest a retro throwback, but 8-Bit Adventures 2 is far more ambitious than its name implies. Developed by Critical Games, the RPG serves as a love letter to the 8-bit and 16-bit eras while incorporating modern storytelling techniques and quality-of-life features. The visuals are outstanding and immediately capture the old-school vibes of previous generations of RPGs.
The influence of early Final Fantasy games is obvious. Players travel across a world map, recruit party members, explore towns, and engage in traditional turn-based combat. Yet the game avoids feeling like a simple imitation. The story delivers surprising emotional depth, and its cast develops in ways that many larger RPGs struggle to achieve.
One of the most impressive aspects of 8-Bit Adventures 2 is how it captures the pacing of classic RPGs. There is always another mystery to uncover or a destination to explore. Longtime fans of Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy VI, and Chrono Trigger will recognize many familiar design ideas, but the game consistently builds upon them rather than merely repeating them. That balance between nostalgia and innovation makes it one of the strongest overlooked RPGs of the past several years.
2) Cosmic Star Herione
When Cosmic Star Heroine launched in 2017, many RPG fans immediately noticed its clear inspirations. Developed by Zeboyd Games, the title draws heavily from beloved classics such as Chrono Trigger and Phantasy Star. The result is a science-fiction adventure that feels refreshingly different from the fantasy settings that dominate the genre and is one of my favorite Chrono Trigger-inspired games.
The combat system is where the game truly shines. Instead of relying on traditional MP management, abilities enter cooldown states after use. This encourages players to constantly rotate skills and adapt their strategies. Battles remain fast-paced and engaging from beginning to end, avoiding many of the repetitive encounters that can plague longer RPGs and forcing players to adapt their strategy throughout the game.
Beyond its mechanics, Cosmic Star Heroine succeeds because it understands what made older RPGs memorable. The adventure moves quickly, introduces new locations regularly, and never wastes the player’s time. During a period when many RPGs were becoming increasingly massive, Zeboyd Games delivered a tightly designed experience that respected the strengths of classic genre favorites.
1) CrossCode
Few modern RPGs deserve more recognition than CrossCode. Originally released in 2018, the action RPG combines elements from classic 16-bit adventures, MMORPGs, and puzzle-focused dungeon design. The result is one of the most impressive indie RPGs ever created, one that deserves way more attention than it received.
The game’s combat immediately evokes memories of Secret of Mana, Terranigma, and other action RPG classics. Battles require precision, quick reactions, and careful use of abilities. At the same time, the game’s dungeons feature elaborate puzzles that often feel inspired by The Legend of Zelda. Solving them can be just as satisfying as defeating a difficult boss. Some of them actually stumped me for quite some time.
But my favorite part about CrossCode is its world and characters. The story takes place within a fictional MMORPG, allowing it to explore both virtual and real-world themes. The protagonist Lea quickly becomes one of the most memorable RPG heroes of the modern era despite her unusual communication limitations. Combined with excellent gameplay, rewarding exploration, and an enormous amount of content, CrossCode stands as the best underrated modern RPG for players searching for an experience that captures the spirit of the classics.
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