Some RPG fans bemoan high fantasy and advanced science fiction settings. The pickings are slim for those who prefer a grounded experience or a style not associated with dragons or spaceships. However, the following games below should tickle one's fancy with their RPG mechanics in more unique worlds.
Some of these contain light elements of fantasy and science fiction, but for the most part they are either grounded worlds or contain a wholly unique visual style. Whether one is a fan of turn-based battles or real-time combat, the entries offer something for everyone, regardless of their sub-genre preference. Most of these are easily accessible as well.
10 Kingdom Come: Deliverance
This first-person RPG looks like Elder Scrolls on the surface, but its systems go way deeper than modern Bethesda titles. It also eschews any fantasy elements in favor of a historical fiction narrative. Some missions include big battles and most of the quests offer multiple solutions. The only big negative is the plethora of technical issues, but anyone willing to look past these is in for a wholly unique RPG experience with Kingdom Come: Deliverance.
9 EarthBound
While EarthBound's story includes aliens and some mysterious powers, it feels more like mysticism than straightforward science fiction or fantasy. Protagonist Ness' adventure takes place in a real-world setting, but events become off-kilter soon after starting a new game. The title is also notoriously difficult and some of the puzzles are obtuse, but it is more than worth trudging through to experience all the weirdness the game has to offer.
8 South Park: The Fractured But Whole
Obsidian did the impossible by making a great video game based on a TV series with South Park: The Stick of Truth. The series did not lose any of its thunder when Ubisoft San Francisco took over for the sequel, South Park: The Fractured but Whole. The first title feels like a celebration of the series, with most of the jokes calling back to the show's storied history, while the sequel includes a different battle system and a story with more original humor.
7 Dead Island
Techland was known for their niche western first-person shooter, Call of Juarez, before the co-op zombie survival RPG Dead Island. By completing quests and chopping up the undead, players gain new abilities that make surviving the zombie hordes and malicious human survivors a little easier. Playing alone is a decent time, but venturing through the campaign with friends online really makes the gameplay shine.
6 Valkyria Chronicles
Valkyria Chronicles takes place in alternate world's version of World War II. The technology feels primitive, yet is simultaneously wholly different than what existed in the real world eighty years ago. The aesthetic is only one part of its charm, however, as the unique turn-based strategy gameplay makes battles tense and addictive. Like other entries in the genre, one wrong move can mean humiliating defeat.
5 Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
This adaptation of a tabletop RPG only made a small splash upon its 2004 release due to technical issues and bleeding-edge gameplay mechanics, but word-of-mouth and fan patches have prolonged the game's life longer than anyone expected. The cult classic allows players to live out their vampire fantasy in modern-day California.
After more than fifteen years, a sequel is finally scheduled to come out in 2020. Hopefully, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodline 2 releases with fewer bugs.
4 Persona 5
Persona 5's gameplay relies on a mix of high school social simulator and more traditional turn-based JRPG combat. One part of the game involves going through the life of a high school student in Tokyo, while combat takes place in a different world and features dungeon-crawling gameplay with turn-based battles.
Persona 5 is by far the longest game on the list when it comes to progressing through the story. With the recently released Persona 5: Royal, players can easily lose over one hundred hours in this stylized RPG.
3 Alpha Protocol
Obsidian has made some highly-celebrated RPGs throughout their history, including Fallout: New Vegas. Alpha Protocol was met with less-than-stellar reviews and did not break the sales chart, but those who looked past its faults found a compelling spy thriller. Obsidian wants to make a sequel, but Sega has no desire for one. Additionally, the game was delisted from Steam recently, so the only way to play it is on the PS3 or Xbox 360 with a disc.
2 Dying Light
Instead of making a direct sequel to Dead Island, Techland released a spiritual successor of sorts with Dying Light. The gameplay is familiar and still includes hectic cooperative action, but there is a new increased focus on maneuvering through the environments. Running along the city rooftops to escape groups of undead is thrilling. Additionally, different monsters come out at night, encouraging players to rush to safety before the sun goes down.
1 Parasite Eve
This PlayStation One turn-based RPG deals with scientific ideas and experiments, but takes place in modern-day New York City. Not only is it an atypical setting for the genre, but it is also horrifying. The graphics resemble Resident Evil, but combat uses a unique ATB system. A direct sequel came out on the same console, and a third game made its way to the PSP many years later. Fans of the original Parasite Eve game are holding out hope for a reboot eventually.