The Most Original RPGs Of All Time

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Have you ever played a role-playing game that really stood out? There are a few things that can make an RPG exceptional, such as a captivating story, engaging gameplay, and plenty of options to personalize your character and how you experience the game.

Beyond the well-known RPGs like Final Fantasy 7, Persona 5, Baldur’s Gate 3, and Diablo 2, there are truly unique games. While some may inspire sequels, these RPGs stand out as completely original experiences—either essential to play or so innovative they have to be seen to be appreciated.

E.V.O.: Search For Eden

Start From Nothing

E.V.O.: Search for Eden is an action RPG for the Super Nintendo that explores the idea of evolution. The game lets you start as a tiny fish and grow stronger by battling other creatures, quickly evolving into new forms.

While it doesn’t have the complex story choices of some other RPGs from the Super Nintendo era, this game features incredibly creative character upgrades. Plus, you’ll get to explore sections on land with dinosaurs and cavemen, making it a truly memorable and unique game even today.

Dark Half

Light And Dark Side

  • Developer: West One
  • Publisher: Enix
  • Released: May 31, 1996 (Japan Version)
  • Platform: SNES

Dark Half is a little-known role-playing game for the Super Nintendo. It was only released in Japan and has never been available elsewhere. What makes it unique is that you play through the story from the perspectives of both the hero and the villain, switching between their separate journeys as they clash with each other.

This game has a unique and difficult mechanic: every move you make depletes a meter, and if it empties, you lose. Luckily, a fan-made translation exists for those interested in trying out this unusual RPG.

Parasite Eve

Survival Horror Meets RPG

The Parasite Eve series includes three games, but the original stands out from the others with its distinct style. Players take on the role of a New York City police officer investigating a mysterious and dangerous threat: a monstrous being named Eve who is spreading an infection, and she appears during the Christmas season.

During battles, players move freely but can stop at any time to attack with weapons or use psychic powers. Ammunition is scarce, and a dome-shaped indicator shows the range of attacks – a system reminiscent of the game Vagrant Story. This blend of survival horror and traditional turn-based combat is what continues to make Parasite Eve stand out.

Thousand Arms

Doki Doki Blacksmith

Thousand Arms is a classic PlayStation 1 role-playing game with a unique feature for its time: voiced characters. It features 2D battles with an anime art style. The game’s protagonist, Meis, is learning to be a blacksmith, and, like his father, he needs affection to create powerful weapons.

Players can build relationships and even romance their teammates, and the strength of those bonds unlocks better improvements for their equipment. While many RPGs feature dating, few center it around the craft of blacksmithing.

Infinite Space

Battle Stations!

Infinite Space is a unique game from PlatinumGames. It’s a visual novel that focuses on the downtime between spaceship battles. All combat happens using ships, which players can customize. During fights, you also assign crew members to different stations to operate weapons or fix damage.

The game features challenging battles that require careful planning. It’s similar to a sci-fi anime like Star Trek. While Infinite Space didn’t gain much attention when it first came out on the DS in 2009, it might appeal to more RPG players now.

Contact

Breaking The Fourth Wall

Many RPGs playfully acknowledge they’re games, like EarthBound and Undertale, but Contact takes this much further. The game features a professor who begins in a retro 16-bit style world, then unexpectedly crashes his spaceship into a more modern, 3D environment.

Players take on the role of a young islander who assists a professor. Throughout the game, you’ll explore diverse environments like beaches and caves, battling monsters and collecting resources for him. The professor will also interact with you directly, offering guidance and commentary as you progress. This unique action RPG for the DS offers a truly one-of-a-kind and captivating experience.

Little Town Hero

Imaaaaaagination

While Pokemon is Game Freak’s biggest success, many of their other games haven’t become widely known, including Little Town Hero – one of their most unusual RPGs. In this game, you’re the protector of your town, but instead of the typical RPG gameplay of battling monsters and going on long journeys, you stay in town, interact with residents, and prepare everyone for a giant, monster-like threat.

In the game, battles involve players creatively using their wits to build attacks based on what they learn about the enemy. Think of it like a young, inventive MacGyver battling Godzilla – that’s the core idea behind Little Town Hero.

Nobody Saves The World

The Blank Slate RPG

In Nobody Saves the World, you play as a completely unremarkable character – someone with no real personality or ambitions. That changes when they stumble upon a magic wand and are unexpectedly tasked with rescuing a famous wizard. The game’s world map and dungeons feel similar to those in a Zelda game, but with a unique mechanic: you can transform into different animals and people, and each form acts as a distinct class with its own abilities and upgrades.

Some character classes in the game are built for combat, such as the archer, while others are better suited for discovering secrets, like the rat. Surprisingly, Nobody Saves the World is fun whether you play it alone or with a friend in co-op mode.

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2025-11-14 11:37