TheDragon Questfranchise has maintained its position as one of the RPG genre’s most iconic franchises since the original game hit stores in the late 80s on NES and Famicom. The Nintendo Switch has numerousDragon Questgames available to players, including the most recent entry in the series,Dragon Quest XI,which arrived on the console in September 2019 in the form of a Definitive Edition.
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The nextDragon Questgame,Dragon Quest XII,hasrecently been confirmed to be in development. However, the release date hasn’t been announced, and it could still be many months away. So, to tide players over until the next game releases, here are ten other excellent RPGs to play.
10Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition
Tales of Vesperiais the tenth entry in theTalesseries, which began in 1995 withTales of Phantasiaand has included critically acclaimed titles such asTales of SymphoniaandTales of Rebirth.The gamewas originally released on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 (Japan only) in the late 2000s before the Definitive Edition hit stores worldwide in 2019.
Tales of Vesperiaimplements an altered version of its trademarkLinear Motion Battle System, titled Evolved Flex-Range Linear Motion Battle System, which gives the RPG its own unique feel.
9Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout
Koei Tecmo’sAtelierseriesis one of the most densely packed RPG franchises in the genre’s history that is still active today, withAtelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideoutbeing the series' twenty-first entry.
The game differentiates itself from other RPGs with its heavy focus on Alchemy. By collecting resources found in the field, players can create a range of items with various recipes. In January 2021, a sequel was released titledAtelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy,becoming the series' twenty-second entry.
8Octopath Traveler
Octopath Travelerwas released exclusively on Nintendo Switch in 2018, before coming to PC, Stadia, and Xbox One in the years that followed. Players have an important decision to make at the very start of the game, asOctopath Traveleroffers players an impressive range ofeight different charactersto choose from.
Along with its compelling story andmemorable soundtrack,Octopath Travelerreceived tons of praise for its excellent art design, which implements a modern interpretation of classic SNES styles.
7The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition
Nintendo has always had the ideology of trusting their own IPs rather than relying on third-party titles to sell their consoles. The Nintendo Switch kept this long-running tradition going, with their two mascot characters, Mario and Link, leading the console’s sales push withSuper Mario OdysseyandThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
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However, gamers are now wanting to play more games than ever before, so Nintendo have added some of thetop titles from the last decadeto their latest console. One such game isThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which blew fans and critics away with its incredible visuals and engrossingstory that players can heavily influence with their choices.
6The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Another critically acclaimed third-party title that Nintendo has offered players on its latest console isTheElder Scrolls V: Skyrim.Granted, most RPG fans will have already playedSkyrimwith around five different characters on multiple consoles, but a list of recommended RPGs would feel incomplete without 2011’s instant classic.
The Elder Scrolls VIhas been officially announced, though it’s unclear whether the game will be exclusive to Microsoft systems following their acquisition of Bethesda. Therefore, it may be worth booting up another new save file and escaping Helgen once again.
5Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition
Xenoblade Chroniclesis the third but not the last definitive/complete edition to make it onto this list. The game was initially released on the Nintendo Wii in 2010 and was extremely well-received by fans and critics, exemplified by its92 score on Metacritic.
The Definitive Edition of the classic game was released in May 2020 and implemented numerous changes such as a remastered soundtrack and new and improved visuals that made it one of the best-looking games on the console.
4Monster Hunter Rise
Capcom’sMonster Hunterfranchise has carved itself a comfy spot in the RPG genre with frequent releases that tend to follow the same gameplay patterns but don’t feel too repetitive thanks to the great range of monsters to slay in each game.
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Monster Hunter Rise’s predecessor,Monster Hunter World, took the series to new commercial heights with enormous sales figures thatsurpassed 14 million in 2019.Monster Hunter Riseappears to have picked up whereWorldleft off, as the gameshipped five million units in its first ten days.
3The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IIIwas originally released for western audiences in 2019 on the PlayStation 4 before coming to Nintendo Switch the following year.
The game differentiated itself from its predecessors with alterations to the series' combat. The game’s combat was noticeably faster than other entries in the series, thanks to quicker transitions into battle and button-mapped commands.Trails of Cold Steel IIIwas well-received by fans and critics, exemplified by its84 Metascore and 8.1 User Score.
2Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
TheFinal Fantasyfranchise has gone hand in hand with theDragon Questseries since both games debuted in the late 80s, with many people believing that they are the two most iconic and quintessential JRPG IPs of all time.
The high-definition remaster ofFinal Fantasy XIIis one of the bestFinal Fantasygames available to players on Switch, though there are also other excellent titles from the series available, including the original version ofFinal Fantasy VIIand the remaster ofFinal FantasyVIII.
1Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition
Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Editionis the best RPG available on the Nintendo Switchaccording to Metacritic, with a score of 93 that also makes it the join-third highest-rated game on the system, beaten by onlyThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildandSuper Mario Odysseythanks to their near-perfect scores of 97.
Divinity: Original Sin 2fully deserves its high praise from critics, as Larian Studios' game is an incredibly enjoyable and engrossing RPG to play alone or with friends.
NEXT:10 Great Nintendo Switch Games To Play If You Like Ratchet & Clank
