Looking for some hidden gems from 2019? I’ve whipped up another batch of great RPGs for you to enjoy.
Author’s note: None of the titles on this list were sponsored, and all titles were purchased at the author’s expense.
1) Puzzle Quest: The Legend Returns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bkbxp6jMMQ
The premise is simple: match 3 gems, use spells and skulls to defeat your enemies. This revamped version of the 2007 title is a welcome return, without any insidious tricks to waste your time or money like “energy” or “premium currency”. The developers have added more content and classes to further exemplify the match 3 experience, and the rich customization options are still as enticing as ever.
If you can close your eyes without seeing cascades of gems, then you haven’t played enough.
2) Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1skc1U-PtM
When’s Mahvel? While not an RPG per se (let’s be honest, it’s a beat ’em up), Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order has a wide roster of over 50 characters and has more content slated to be released right before Christmas 2019 and in Spring 2020. It’s been a solid decade since the previous title, so if you grew up with the previous games, then consider giving this one a try.
The game does lean heavily on the Infinity War storyline, so you might get a sense of deja vu from this title. However, I’d argue it’s a lot more satisfying to stomp Thanos outright with your favorite Marvel superheroes than to sit through Avengers: Endgame again.
3) Fire Emblem: Three Houses
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADaRsEhTB70
The venerable Fire Emblem series’ first title on the Switch has been met with nothing but praise. You start as a teacher in a Hogwarts analogue for part of the game, and then segue into leading your students into battle in the later parts. Players seeking a challenge can opt for the Classic mode which features permadeath, or the new “Maddening” difficulty mode.
Between the multiple endings and social link aspects, there is plenty to do in what is one of the best strategy RPGs on the Switch.
4) Divinity: Original Sin II Definitive Edition (also available on PC, PS4, XBOX)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf_eCJl5-ts
The Switch port of Divinity: Original Sin II was recently published in September of 2019. If you’re a fan of CRPGs like Fallout 1 and 2, Dungeon Siege, or Baldur’s Gate, then this is a game you simply cannot pass up. This game is so expansive that it would be impossible to do it justice in a short blurb. Just check out the Wikipedia page, which calls the game “one of the best roleplaying games of all time”, with no less than 7 sources cited to back up that statement.
Honorable Mention: Collection of Mana
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OE9tcYSRFqI
Square Enix has also bundled three classic games: Final Fantasy Adventure (aka Sword of Mana or Adventures of Mana), Secret of Mana, and Trials of Mana (more commonly known as Seiken Densetsu 3).
Trials of Mana is an absolute gem of a game that was never released stateside. I was able to play the game via translation patch and emulator as a kid, but it really is a much better experience on the Switch. Trials is also getting a total remake from the ground up that is set to release in April of 2020, so if you want to familiarize yourself with class changing, now’s the time to do it.
Have you already played the titles on this list? Check out our other article.
