Tactical RPG is one of the most underrated sub-genres of JRPGs. Even though there are some really popular games in the genre out there, such as Final Fantasy Tactics and the Fire Emblem series, most games go under the radar.
So we have undertaken the task to list down a few of the really underrated tactical RPGs ever made, throughout the history of the genre.
Tactical RPGs That Are Underrated
King Arthur: Knights’ Tale
Released in 2022 and then later on to consoles in 2024, King Arthur: Knight’s Tale is a tactical RPG developed by NeoCore Games. This is not the first King Arthur video game title that the company has developed, but it is a part of the long-running line of King Arthur games.
It is based on the classic Arthurian legends, but is not a direct interpretation; instead, it is a twisted retelling of figures in a dark fantasy setting. King Arthur: Knight’s Tale is one of the most underrated tactical RPGs from recent years; it even got a proper standalone expansion in 2024.
The Banner Saga
Spanning across a trilogy of games, The Banner Saga is definitely one of the most underrated tactical RPGs out there. There are a lot of reason as to why more people needs to play this game.
The most prominent one has to be its beautiful art style, which made us question: why do more people not check this game out? The game follows a fictional setting based on Norse mythology and Viking warriors.
If you are looking for a really interesting tactical RPG with a story that spans across multiple characters, then you should definitely check this series out.
Redemption Reapers
Some of the most underrated works in video games come from lesser-known developers. Such is the case with Adglobal, who were the developers for Redemption Reapers. This is a tactical RPG published by Binary Haze Interactive.
If you love games in this genre that put work into the visual aspect of action sequences, then Redemption Reapers should be on your list of games to try out. The story follows the Ashen Hawk Brigade, who are mercenaries resisting the forces of Mort.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns
Marvel’s Midnight Suns is not completely an unknown property, but it is one of the most underrated games out there for sure. This is sad because the game tries to bring two fanbases that are furthest from each other together.
This game is made for both the fans of the tactical RPG genre and regular fans of Marvel comics. It follows an original story that involves players creating an original character for the Marvel universe.
Players take control of this character to fight alongside a plethora of heroes and anti-heroes from the Marvel universe.
Into the Breach
Mechs and the tactical RPG genre go hand in hand. We have seen a lot of popular game series over the years prove this, such as the Super Robot Wars and Front Mission series. Naturally, there are a lot of underrated games in the genre that were inspired by these in the later years.
One of the games that we want to bring into the limelight for our list is Into the Breach by the indie developers at Subset Games. The premise is simple: you control mechs in a tactical RPG layout to fend against alien life forms.
What’s special about this title is the meticulously hand-drawn animation for all units, making it a beautiful retro game experience.
Wargroove
There’s no stopping with just one indie game that was inspired by a long-running tactical RPG franchise. If we were to pull out some of the biggest inspirations in the genre, then no doubt it had to be Advance Wars and Nintendo’s Fire Emblem franchise.
Wargroove is a game series developed by Chucklefish that tries to emulate the feeling of replaying this Nintendo classic from the early Game Boy Advance era. Set in a medieval fantasy world with it’s own unique design that is displayed through beautifully hand-drawn art.
Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga
There are just too many tactical RPGs that were inspired by Fire Emblem and Advance Wars out there, so we most definitely had to list another one. The most prominent features that make us immediately lean forward and point our fingers at the screens are key visual similarities to the classic games.
This is not to accuse Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga of blatantly copying aspects of Fire Emblem. After all, why rework something that has already become a standard?
Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga stands proud with its original setting in a medieval world. You step into the shoes of a young academy graduate, slowly building up your army, gathering units, and seeing your own journey through, in the lands of Tahnra.
The DioField Chronicle
The current generation of Square Enix RPGs, which are outside the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest spheres, have been seeing a surge in HD-2D games. So we were surprised to find a fully 3D game from the developer that is also a tactical RPG.
The DioField Chronicle is definitely one of the most underrated games the company has published in recent years, with the help of LANCARSE Ltd. It boasts ideas of a new kind of real-time strategy gameplay, with diorama-style tabletop aesthetics.
Devil Survivor
One great thing about all the RPGs we discussed in this list so far is that almost all of them are easily available on modern systems, so you can check them out right now. But let’s talk about a tactical game that is not available on any modern system, making it truly an underrated gem.
We are, of course, referring to Atlus’ Devil Survivor game series, which was created for the Nintendo DS and 3DS handheld systems, and is also a part of the Shin Megami Tensei umbrella series.
These games have a unique modern-day world setting, with monster collection mechanics that fans of the Megami Tensei games will be familiar with. We hope to see this game get a remastered release someday on modern consoles.
Eternal Poison
Following up on the list with another tactical RPG that is not easily available anymore. But unlike Devil Survivor, this game didn’t have an umbrella franchise to rely on. Eternal Poison truly gained its niche fan following through its own merits.
Developed for the PlayStation 2 by Flight-Plan, this title follows the same gritty and dark fantasy setting as Megami Tensei, with monster collection at the center. But the game is not set in the modern-day world.
Players instead step into the fictional Kingdom of Valdia, collecting demons known as Majins that can be customized for combat.
