Since the console’s emphatic launch just over five years ago, the Nintendo Switch has fleshed out an impressive library of RPGs. In many ways, the console is one of the most accessible of its kind given its hybrid handheld and home console format.
This makes it friendly for the long durations typical of games in the genre, of which there are many acclaimed titles on the system. Video game review aggregator OpenCritic has the top 10 ranked to date, showing the versatility of the genre ranging from JRPGs, CRPGs, action RPGs and everything in between.
ten Shin Megami Tensei V (86)
It was a long time coming, but after a 3 year drought from announcement to release, Shin Megami Tensei V finally launched in 2020. The Personage The Progenitor series was released to strong critical reception, with its expansion into an open-world format being praised for bringing home the post-apocalyptic setting and its monster-collecting mechanics to be rewardingly deep.
The parent series’ story was also well received for its exploration of darker, grander-scale philosophical concepts. Shin Megami Tensei V is one of the best modern Switch RPGs to play today, and part of that is how the game remains uncompromising in refusing to abandon its vision in favor of watering down its formula for the sake of appeal to the mass market like other IPs.
9 Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Remastered (86)
Inspired by the best of Studio Ghibli’s animated films – and who animated the game’s cinematics – Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch was one of the most underrated JRPGs of the PlayStation 3 era. The game won critical acclaim for its loving homage to the studio’s revered films in its touching coming-of-age story, charming characters and its colorful and vibrant fantasy world.
The gameplay featured a turn-based combat system that should satisfy longtime JRPG fans, and the recent Remastered version revamps the experience for a more modern audience.
8 Hyper Light Drifter – Special Edition (88)
heart machine Super Light Wanderer is a nostalgic throwback to the days of 8 and 16 bit games. The player character has access to advanced technology that has been lost over time and suffers from a mysterious disease, embarking on a quest battling increasingly tough monsters.
Although the story is a bit too ambiguous for some, Super Light WandererThe versatile combat, sleek art direction, and neon atmosphere are enough to keep gamers hooked. the Special edition was a port for the switch that included additional content.
7 Rise of the Monster Hunter (88)
Following the worldwide success of the franchise with monster hunter world, To go up enjoyed similar success given that it was only released on two platforms. World was acclaimed for its graphical and mechanical evolution over its predecessors and for streamlining them into a modernized framework.
Rise of the Monster Hunter goes one step further, becoming arguably the franchise’s most accessible game to date without losing sight of what made the series’ gameplay loop so great. The addition of new monsters, a Palamute mount, and wirebug mechanics for traversal adds an exciting vertical feel to the game, with the Sunburn The expansion is quickly proving to be one of the most anticipated video game DLCs of 2022.
6 Fire Emblem: Three Houses (89)
After Intelligent System’s flagship series was reinvigorated by Awakening on the Nintendo 3DS, the success was emphatically carried over to the Switch. 2019 Fire Emblem: Three Houses received praise for adding more mechanical depth while retaining the series’ proven core. Likewise, however, it takes a games page like Personage by implementing life-simulation elements to bond and romance NPCs off the battlefield.
Three Houses maintains a high-fantasy setting, set in the land of Fódlan where three ruling powers at peace are held together by its central church at Garreg Mach. The way its story is set up in a branching fashion also adds an impressive level of replayability to the game.
5 Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition (89)
While the Xeno The series started out as a Square Enix (then SquareSoft) property, it exploded into a Nintendo JRPG staple on the Wii with Xenoblade Chronicles. Even with the RPG titans released on the much more powerful consoles in the face of the Wii, it still managed to establish itself well in the genre.
For its time over a decade ago, the game was praised for its incredibly large open world, compelling storyline while utilizing conventional genre tropes, and entertaining group combat. The recent Definitive Edition remaster for the Switch improves the game for the 2020s, bringing with it a host of visual and gameplay quality-of-life changes.
4 Disco Elysium: The Final Cut (89)
Developer and editor ZA/UM’s Disco Elysee is one of the most recent CRPGs to bring a new wave to the subgenre, often hailed as one of the best in recent times. The RPG genre as a whole is known for delving into the realms of high fantasy and/or science fiction punctuated by strategic or real-time action-based combat, but Disco Elysee reaches great heights by being a non-combat sleuth-focused game.
There are light fantasy elements used in its grimy, war-ravaged city, but players take on the role of an amnesiac detective solving a murder case with an engrossing amount of dedicated content of the player’s choice. The final cut added even more story content alongside full voice acting to become all the more immersive.
3 Stardew Valley (89)
In the midst of “sword and sorcery”, ConcernedApe’s Stardew Valley is a relaxing down-to-earth RPG about the likes of animal crossing and a strong influence of harvest moon. Players take on the role of a character whose grandfather died and who seeks to take over and repair his dilapidated farmhouse.
The game’s fame comes from having such an open gameplay loop, with players engaging in activities such as farm maintenance, mining, selling goods, and socializing in an immersive game simulation structure. life. It’s a great pickup and play game for 30 minutes to a few hours, making it effective Stardew Valley a game tailored for most playing styles.
2 Divinity: Original Sin II – Definitive Edition (91)
The classic CRPG subgenre has seen something of a resurgence in the modern gaming scene through indie and dual AA spaces, and Larian Studios Deity: Original Sin II was one of the biggest highlights. The subgenre can understandably be difficult for newcomers to assimilate given its hands-off approach.
However, the Definitive Edition of the game lived up to its subtitle and also achieved an excellent balance of accessibility without sacrificing any of its rich role-playing depth. Deity: Original Sin II was widely acclaimed for its engrossing fantasy world and story, strategic combat, and impressive level of player freedom to dictate plot events and character progression. It’s been hailed as one of the best modern RPGs overall for good reason.
1 Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition (92)
Although it may be eclipsed internationally by Square Enix’s other JRPG titan Final Fantasythe thunderous welcome of dragon quest Intellectual property in Japan is almost unparalleled – and it has been making strides globally in recent times. Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age broadened the franchise’s appeal by broadening its reach based on what Dragon Quest VIII made years ago on the PS2.
It received critical acclaim for its sprawling story, classic turn-based combat, and rich content. It’s a game that’s done a good job of justifying its open-world setting with substance and play. Definitive Edition makes it the best starting point for the uninitiated.
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