Of the many tropes associated with RPGs, the most prominent is the idea that they always end up killing a god and saving not just the world, but all of existence. After all, who doesn’t want to be the chosen hero? However, we may not always want such a high stake placed on our shoulders.
If you’re looking for a game with a lower, more personal stake, the games below will largely tick off that requirement. That doesn’t mean these titles aren’t also full of suspense and danger, you just don’t control the fate of the universe.
6 South Park: The Stick Of Truth
Before South Park: The Stick of Truth, the raunchy animated series didn’t have the best track record with video game adaptations. From the start of the 2014 title, it’s clear that developer Obsidian has put a lot of effort into both pleasing fans and making a great RPG. It is full of references to the series and the graphics could fool someone into thinking they are watching an episode.
Fittingly with South Park, the story is completely irreverent and the frame device is an imaginary game the kids play in South Park. The stakes may be high in their imaginations, but in the end nothing would change no matter how the story played out. The sequel, The Fractured but Whole, has a similar story. The only difference is that the kids become superheroes instead of pretending in a fantasy setting.
5 Eternal Sonata
The frame device and setting of this game also prevent real bets from being part of the picture. The whole game world is the last dream of Frederic Chopin, the legendary composer of the romantic era. The characters’ names and cities are all inspired by musical terms and pieces.
Turn-based JRPGs on consoles became rarer at the start of the PS3 and Xbox 360 generations, but Eternal Sonata still takes cues from older games in the genre. Like many games that take place in dreams, it begs the question; are the characters in Chopin’s head real? What happens to everyone in their dream world after Chopin dies?
4 Child of the light
This Ubisoft RPG is unique for a number of reasons. Child of Light’s art style is distinctive and the overworld is side-scrolling while combat plays out like a traditional turn-based RPG. While it also takes place in an imaginary world, its stakes and story transition at least somewhat into the real world.
However, the real threat is not an omniscient creature or magic. Instead, the protagonist learns about an impending flood that threatens to destroy her father’s kingdom in the late 1800s. If the hero had failed, it would have caused a lot of destruction, but the planet would have survived.
3 Yakuza: like a dragon
It’s fascinating to see how popular the Yakuza series has grown in popularity over the years. While the sheer number of games in the franchise may be intimidating to many, Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a good starting point. Despite being the 7th main title, it has a new protagonist and moves from a fighter to a turn-based RPG.
A game like Yakuza is rare in the first place, but being an RPG set in modern times makes it even more noticeable. The story is filled with melodrama and well-written, realistic characters. You could just burst into tears and relate to the plight of the heroes here, but the stakes never pose a threat to the entire world.
2 The Witcher
This is pretty much the only simple fantasy world on the list. The Witcher is about a lot of death, violence and debauchery. You hunt monsters and put yourself in the middle of intense political affairs. Magic is also heavily involved. Despite all this, the stakes in the first game never get too drastic.
It’s not until the end that a more menacing threat is revealed. Still, this threat was not really confirmed during the game. For those who have only played The Witcher 3, the smaller stakes here also come with a smaller game overall. Don’t go to the first game in the series and expect a sprawling open world like the third numbered entry.
1 pokemon red and blue
The world wasn’t ready for what happened when Pokemon Red And Blue first hit the Game Boy in 1996. As anyone reading this already knows, Pokemon was going to become one of the most successful and persistent media properties in existence, almost. permeating every aspect of pop culture.
Even if Pokemon were to eventually change the world, the actual story in the first game is low stakes. It’s all about capturing the titular creatures and defeating other trainers in a journey to become the best among them. After more than 25 years of gaming, the main format has not changed drastically. There’s no need to tweak a formula that works.
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