In the conversation of historic video game companies that have played a major role in the industry, it's only a matter of time before Sega's name is brought up. There was a time when this company used to play a major role in the console market and gave stiff competition to Nintendo's console lineup. However, a string of poor decisions led to this branch of the company shutting down, with Sega switching over to video game development along with its other prospects.
This isn't necessarily a bad thing, since Sega has several impressive franchises under its belt that have become dominant names in the video game industry. A lot of their franchises ooze quality and have rarely features any less-than-impressive titles, with the following titles being proof of how successful their video game development prospects really are.
8 Yakuza
The Yakuza series has absolutely blown up in recent times, and the game that deserves credit for sparking worldwide interest in this franchise is definitely Yakuza 0. It's clear that Ryu ga Gotoku Studio is a master of their craft, with nothing on the market coming close to what Yakuza has to offer.
The series predominantly took a look at the life of Kazuma Kiryu and his exploits as a member of the Tojo Clan before shifting over to other protagonists like Ichiban Kasuga and Takayuki Yagami instead. All games in the series boast a steady and consistent level of quality, making them truly excellent games in their own right.
7 Etrian Odyssey
Etrian Odyssey is definitely not a series for the casual JRPG player. The dungeon-crawling in these games is absolutely hardcore and one of the biggest draws of the experience, with the characters and narratives of each game also being quite memorable in their own right.
Players need to form balanced and powerful parties if they even wish to stand a chance against some of the more powerful bosses in these games. It might be a bit of a learning curve, but players who understand how the mechanics of Etrian Odyssey work will find themselves enjoying a great JRPG.
6 Bayonetta
Technically, Bayonetta isn't exclusively a Sega franchise anymore. The studio cut off the budget for the second game in the series, and it was only through Nintendo's financial support that later games in the series even saw the light of day. Fans were glad for this development, since the adventures of everyone's favorite witch have been quite awe-inspiring across all these titles.
The recent release of Bayonetta 3 made waves in the gaming industry for all the wrong reasons before release, so many people were glad to see that the game holds up as a worthy entry in the series. Slicing and dicing through enemies using an array of abilities makes for a great time and is the primary reason why fans of hack-and-slash titles should not skip a franchise that is absolutely oozing with quality and charm.
5 Football Manager
The Football Manager series has been manned by Sega for the longest time and is the most popular football simulation game around. It's a testament to the quality of this franchise that it managed to become such a household name despite lacking many major licenses that contribute to the overall immersion.
Players love taking on the role of a manager for their favorite club and guiding them to the heights of success over and over again. Given how in-depth and complex Football Manager is, there's a steep learning curve involved in this title... but it's very much worth it just for the sense of satisfaction players enjoy after guiding their club to silverware after a hard-fought season.
4 Shin Megami Tensei
The Shin Megami Tensei series is a JRPG franchise that is absolutely rife in quality. The fact that its various spin-offs have become standalone franchises of their own speaks volumes when it comes to the game's quality.
The latest entry in the series, Shin Megami Tensei 5, encompasses everything that players love about this series. The story is riveting despite being a bit confusing and the combat is brutal, forcing players to employ the best and most sound strategies to get through these fights by the skin of their teeth.
3 Trauma Center
Trauma Center is a highly underrated franchise that combines elements of visual novels with a medical simulation of sorts that is highly riveting. It's genuinely impressive to see the amazing tales that are weaved in a title that heavily features doctors.
Trauma Center's gameplay is surprisingly challenging, with players having to make moves with pinpoint accuracy to get through most operations with flying colors. A single misstep can lead to their patient passing away under their care, which is pretty realistic given how critical most major operations in hospitals really are.
2 Valkyria Chronicles
Valkyria Chronicles is a strategy JRPG series that is highly underrated. The games use the backdrop of war to tell compelling and human stories, with the tough gameplay further personifying the brutality of warfare and why it's so unnecessary.
It's a shame that the third game never made it outside of Japan, but that's no excuse to ignore this amazing franchise. Valkyria Chronicles might have its flaws, but there are many gamers who connected with this title and its overall message, making it worth checking out for fans of real-time strategy games.
1 Persona
Of course, it was only a matter of time before Persona would appear on this list. The collaboration between Atlus and Sega has paid dividends, with this spin-off of the Shin Megami Tensei series becoming so massive and popular that it ended up becoming an independent franchise of its own.
With all three mainline Persona games being released on modern consoles, it's easy to see why both new and current fans are excited about playing through these titles and experiencing their amazing stories. It helps that the combat is pretty stylish and approachable, especially in Persona 5.