Thanks to the likes of Unreal Engine and Unity, it has never been easier for indie developers to create their own games. As the aforementioned software is geared largely towards developing 3D titles, however, those hoping to replicate the 16-bit style of the mid-nineties often turn instead to Enterbrain's excellent RPG Maker. Some of the resulting games have been truly spectacular.
First released almost three decades ago, the package has grown into one of the most prominent and easiest-to-use game design programs on the market. Although geared mainly towards RPGs, it can be used to create games in a wide range of genres; giving its users the power to customize just about every element of their creations as they go.
Updated May 25, 2023, by Tom Bowen: Thanks to the ever-expanding indie game market, gamers no longer need to rely on big-name developers for their fix of top video game titles. The number of indie games has skyrocketed in recent years due largely to the many easily accessible video game engines and game creation tools that are now available to devs and enthusiasts. The likes of RPG Maker and Unreal Engine make it easy for would-be developers to bring their ideas to life, while platforms like Steam make selling the finished product directly to the end user surprisingly simple. The best RPG maker games have had a huge impact on the industry, with a handful of them even inspiring change in some AAA titles.
20 Ib: A Dreamlike Adventure
As one might expect, most of the games developed using RPG Maker tend to mirror the many great role-playing games of the early to mid-nineties. However, one other genre has benefited quite a bit from the emergence of the popular game development program, with many great horror games having been created using RPG Maker over the years.
Ib: A Dreamlike Adventure is a psychological horror game in which a young girl finds herself lost and alone at an art gallery. However, it soon becomes clear that she's not quite as alone as she first believed, as the museum begins to come to life around her. The game's 2022 remake makes these nightmarish visuals all the more terrifying and helps to cement Ib's place as one of the best RPG Maker games of all time.
19 Mad Father
Mad Father is a horror adventure game in which players control an 11-year-old girl named Aya. They'll need to use everything at their disposal to figure out what happened at Aya's home and uncover the truth about the experiments being conducted by the patriarch of the Drevis family: the titular mad father.
Thanks to a 2016 remake, the game boasts full achievement support on Steam as well as multi-language support. The remake spruces up the visuals, too, as well as adding new scenes and a new game+ mode of sorts which alters the course of the main story. It's a fun and at times terrifying experience that fans of RPG Maker games should definitely check out at least once.
18 Grimm's Hollow
Despite the software being incredibly intuitive, using RPG Maker to create a game is far from simple. As well as experience and dedication, creators need a strong vision, and that's something that is clearly on display throughout Grimm's Hollow. It's one of the best free-to-play horror games on Steam, and, thanks to its singular art style and striking color palette, one of the most distinctive RPG Maker games of the past few years.
The game's much more than just pretty visuals though, with a solid combat system and a strong narrative helping to catapult it into the hearts and minds of those who take the time to play it. It really is a charming game and will likely bring more than a few tears to players' eyes during the course of a standard playthrough. Its brevity arguably works in its favor too, helping it to fit neatly into the "short but sweet" category of games.
17 Star Stealing Prince
Released back in 2012, Star Stealing Prince tells the story of Snow, who inherits the kingdom of Sabine following the mysterious death of his parents. Though short, its narrative crams in plenty of exciting twists and turns, while also introducing an extensive cast of likable and well-realized characters along the way.
Not only did the game receive a web novel sequel, but its creator, who goes by the name of Ronove, recently revealed plans to remake the game using RPG Maker MV. An early demo of Star Stealing Prince – Definitive shows off the power of the new engine, not to mention how much Ronove's skills have improved since the release of the original game almost one decade ago.
16 Alter A.I.L.A. Genesis
Alter A.I.L.A. Genesis is a side-scrolling RPG set in a post-apocalyptic world. Though somewhat simplistic in its design, the game features a lot of interesting ideas, particularly when it comes to combat. The sprite work is fantastic too and will likely appeal to fans of classic 8 and 16-bit games.
Though the game certainly has its fair share of flaws, it's difficult to judge it too harshly given that the majority of the work was completed by just one person. Besides, none of these issues are close to being enough to dampen the overall experience, which is fun from start to finish.
15 Space Funeral
Released more than a decade ago, Space Funeral is an RPG in which players embark upon a mission to save the world from a mysterious corruption. Its simplistic MS Paint-style visuals are somewhat deceptive and don't come close to giving an accurate portrayal of the quality that's on offer here. The game excels in many departments, but it's through its fantastic humor that it's able to connect with most players.
Though in many ways Space Funeral is a parody of both the RPG and horror genres, there's a surprising amount of depth to its narrative and gameplay, which has led to the game being downloaded more than 100,000 times. Prospective players can check it out for free over on Gamejolt, and fans of some of the more unique RPGs like Earthbound and Undertale are strongly advised to do so.
14 Off
The decade that followed the turn of the century was arguably the golden age of RPG Maker games, with many of the best examples having been released during this ten-year period. Off is one of the more underrated RPG Maker games in this regard. It rarely gets the same levels of acclaim as some of its contemporaries, yet that's not to say that it isn't just as deserving.
The turn-based RPG was released in 2008 and places players in the shoes of a baseball player known simply as "The Batter." After the protagonist is given a sacred mission at the beginning of the game, players will need to navigate their way through four unique worlds, using baseball bats and magic to fend off enemies. The game also features two distinct endings, providing players with plenty of reasons to give it another swing after they've completed their first playthrough.
13 Finding Paradise
Freebird Games has released some fantastic RPG maker games over the years. Finding Paradise is a sequel to the developer's very best, and while it doesn't quite live up to the excellence of the original, it's still a fantastic game with a narrative that's more befitting of a big-budget AAA title.
As with its predecessor, the score for the game is a thing of beauty that perfectly captures the emotional tone of the narrative. The visuals are impressive too, offering a noticeable improvement over the original game without straying too drastically from the predefined art style.
12 Pokemon Uranium
There have been plenty of Pokemon fan games and ROM hacks over the years, but none are quite as impressive as Pokemon Uranium. Built using RPG Maker and Poccil's Pokemon Essentials template, the game is incredibly ambitious and one of the largest unofficial Pokemon games to date.
As well as designing a brand new region and numerous original Pokemon, the team behind the project also created its own unique Pokemon type, complete with its own custom moves. Nuclear-type Pokemon aren't all that easy to use due to their innate weaknesses, but they're some of the coolest-looking Pokemon in the game and contribute a lot to its fantastic story.
11 The Endless Empty
When most people think about RPG maker games, they tend to imagine titles with graphics like Final Fantasy 6 and Chrono Trigger. The Endless Empty shows that the engine is capable of a whole lot more than just replicating the visuals of classic RPGs though, with the game looking more like a Cyriak video than an NES or SNES title.
The Endless Empty puts players in control of a recently deceased spirit who, perhaps understandably, is struggling to come to terms with being dead. They're then taken on an intense journey full of vibrant visual and audio stimuli and interesting philosophical ideas regarding death and the afterlife. The experience it offers is entirely unique and is definitely one worth checking out.
10 The Crooked Man
The Crooked Man is a 2D indie horror game with a solid narrative that expertly guides players toward its multiple branching endings. It may not be too much to look at, but the dark and foreboding atmospheres created by the developer really draw players into the game's world and make for a spooky and enjoyable adventure in the process.
Although some of the other titles in Uri Games' The Strange Man series do have slightly better visuals, none of them are quite able to match the excellence of the developer's debut title when it comes to tone and narrative. That said, the others are definitely worth checking out too, especially considering how cheap they all are on Steam.
9 Skyborn
Like many of the games made using RPG Maker, Skyborn is a relatively short affair. What it's lacking in length, however, it more than makes up for with its overall quality. The game's story is excellent and features a likable cast of interesting characters. The soundtrack offers plenty of variety too and combat is intuitive, albeit a little generic at times.
What really sets the game apart though is the distinct lack of grinding, with players able to battle as much or as little as they like on their way towards the game's climax. There's also a battle arena for those who really want to push themselves to the limit and taking on all of the challenges found there can go some way towards padding out the game's short story.
8 The Way
First released in 2008, The Way is an epic six-part series that tells the story of a young warrior named Rhue as he searches for his true love. Some of the episodes are definitely stronger than others, although each plays its part in the overarching narrative well while also introducing new and interesting characters for the player to interact with.
Though it may initially look like just another generic RPG Maker title, there's a lot more depth to the game than first meets the eye. A lot of this can be found within the main story, but Rhue and his companions are arguably just as worthy of exploration too, if not more. The game's combat is perfectly serviceable and the mini-games and branching storylines can help to pad out its otherwise short length.
7 Corpse Party
The 16-bit gore that punctuates the first Corpse Party game may not be as impactful or graphic as some of the scenes found in the likes of Resident Evil and The Evil Within, but it is still able to create a terrifying atmosphere nonetheless. This and the game's fantastic characters are its biggest assets, although that's not to say that there aren't plenty of other things to enjoy here.
The game's story does an excellent job of evoking emotions from players, typically by killing off characters to whom they had slowly become attached. The music is great too, with only the game's visuals really holding it back. Those who are able to look past this will likely have a lot of fun with the game, while those who aren't may want to consider checking out one of the series' more recent entries instead.
6 Yume Nikki
Visually, Yume Nikki is fairly reminiscent of the classic nineties RPG, Earthbound. The experience it provides, however, could not be more different. It's an eerie, free-to-play adventure game that takes place across a wide range of vibrant and varied locations and features some unique mechanics that really help to differentiate the game from other indie titles.
There is no real aim or goal to speak of, with players simply expected to explore the game's wacky and wonderful world. It can be pretty trippy at times and truly terrifying at others, with some of the dreams that players are given access to touching on some dark and depressing themes. Not everyone will enjoy it, but those searching for something a little different will definitely find it here.
5 Ara Fell: Enhanced Edition
Ara Fell and its enhanced edition really do an excellent job of capturing the classic 16-bit RPG vibes that were first popularized by the likes of Secret of Mana and Final Fantasy VI. It really does look fantastic and features a well-thought-out combat system that is very easy to pick up and rarely feels like a grind. Equipment upgrades are simple enough too and serve as an excellent way of managing player progression.
Unfortunately, however, the story is something of a mixed bag. It's certainly presented well enough and moves along at a nice brisk pace, but it does start to stumble quite a bit as it nears its underwhelming climax. This shouldn't be enough to taint the entire experience for most players, although it does detract a little from the game's otherwise overall excellence.
4 LISA: The Painful
LISA: The Painful is a charming and humorous game that tackles some fairly serious issues along the way. At its core, it's a game about survival and the sacrifices that people must make in order to maintain their own physical and mental well-being. Players will be faced with many difficult decisions and will likely learn a lot about themselves as they gradually make their way toward the end of the story.
There are more than 30 different party members for players to find and recruit as well as the odd mini-game to distract from the main story when needed. It can be a little depressing at times and some of the choices can be difficult to make, but the overall experience is a positive one that will likely stick with players long after they have finished playing.
3 OMORI
Though its combat and gameplay may be reasonably straightforward, the narrative threads that combine to make up OMORI's main story are anything but. The themes and ideas that the game addresses are both dark and deep, but there is a certain beauty to be found through exploring them that most other games simply cannot provide.
At first glance, it may seem like another Undertale clone, but any similarities with the Toby Fox title are purely superficial. The presentation is only a small part of what makes the game as enjoyable as it is, with the narrative doing the vast majority of the heavy lifting. The soundtrack does deserve a special mention though, as, just like the one found in Undertale, it perfectly complements what's happening onscreen.
2 OneShot
Despite being made in RPG Maker, OneShot chooses to focus primarily on puzzle-solving rather than turn-based combat. This works surprisingly well and is backed up by a fantastic soundtrack, a wide range of well-crafted environments, and one of the best indie game protagonists of all time. For as well-realized as Niko is though, the gender-ambiguous cat-person is just one of many great characters to appear throughout the game.
The visuals may be a little basic, but combine well enough with the music to create an ever-changing atmosphere that matches the tone and content of the story. It's not too difficult either, although offers just enough challenge to make progress feel rewarding to players. The real prize comes through the player's interactions with Niko, however, which are both memorable and thought-provoking in equal measure.
1 To The Moon
To the Moon is one of the best indie games ever made and excels in just about every area. It looks stunning, is easy to pick up and play, and is full of interesting and well-written characters who are an absolute joy to interact with. Where the game really shines, however, is through its unique story, which is both expertly told and beautifully presented.
Players take control of two doctors as they make their way through the memories of a patient in order to fulfill his dying wish. In doing so, they'll learn all about Johnny's interesting past while also meeting some of the people who helped to shape his life. The melodious piano soundtrack that accompanies them on their journey is truly delightful too and serves as the metaphorical cherry atop a perfectly baked cake.