Summary
- Bandai Namco has a diverse RPG portfolio featuring emotionally-charged epics and unique premises.
- Games like Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth explore mature themes with deep turn-based combat mechanics.
- Titles like Ni No Kuni and Scarlet Nexus offer stunning visuals, engaging combat, and emotionally resonant storytelling.
Bandai Namco might be best known for its anime adaptations and fighting games, but when it comes to RPGs, it's got more than a few gems under its belt. Whether it's emotionally-charged epics, tactical curveballs, or titles with wildly creative premises, the studio has quietly built a surprisingly diverse RPG portfolio over the years.
Best Bandai Namco Games, Ranked
From Dragon Ball to Nintendo staples, Bandai Namco has published quite a number of great games. According to Metacritic, these are the best.
Some of these games flew under the radar, others exploded into the mainstream, but all of them left a mark. From sci-fi psychics to time-traveling composers, here are seven of the best RPGs Bandai Namco has ever put its name on.
7 Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth
The Game Where Digimon Finally Grew Up
Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth
- Released
- February 2, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- RPG
This game caught longtime Digimon fans off guard in the best way possible. Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth didn’t just lean into the franchise’s digital DNA; it rewired it. Set in a sleek, near-future Tokyo where digital realms are bleeding into real life, this RPG finally gave Digimon a narrative weight that stood shoulder to shoulder with more mature JRPGs. Players didn’t just raise cute creatures—they navigated a full-on cyberpunk detective story, complete with identity theft, AI conspiracies, and existential dread wrapped in neon.
And the turn-based combat? Surprisingly deep. With over 240 Digimon to raise, evolve, and fuse, there was serious build potential for team synergy and strategy. The evolution trees allowed for constant tweaking and rerolling, so even early companions like Agumon could end up as devastating endgame beasts if nurtured correctly.
10 Hardest Digimon Games, Ranked
There is a lot of Digimon media targeted toward a younger audience, but that doesn't always mean they will be an easy experience.
Cyber Sleuth proved that the Digimon franchise could handle heavier thematic tones without losing its identity. It was a wake-up call that Digimon could play in the same arena as Pokemon, Persona, and Shin Megami Tensei, and not look out of place doing it.
6 Summon Night 6: Lost Borders
The Tactical Oddball That Deserved Better
Summon Night 6: Lost Borders
- Released
- March 10, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Strategy, RPG
By the time Summon Night 6 showed up in the West, it was already late to its own party. Released long after the peak of tactical RPGs on consoles, and with little marketing, this entry slipped under most players' radars. That's a shame, because it quietly featured some of the most charming, heartfelt writing in the genre.
Rather than leaning on world-ending stakes or grimdark posturing, Summon Night 6 went for a gentler, more introspective route. The story revolves around three protagonists living isolated in a pocket dimension, slowly revealing the reason why characters from previous Summon Night games keep appearing in their world. It's more about relationships, memory, and emotional healing than tactical conquest.
That said, the grid-based combat is no slouch. It has its quirks—some mechanics lean more on anime-flavored flash than tight balance—but the system is accessible and satisfying once things click. The ability to call in different characters from past titles also turns the game into a soft celebration of the series' legacy. It might not be the tactical RPG that tops every tier list, but Summon Night 6 has heart, and in a genre that's often obsessed with darkness and edge, sometimes that's exactly what's needed.
5 Doraemon Story Of Seasons
Wholesome Farming With A Side Of Robots
Doraemon Story of Seasons: Friends of the Great Kingdom
- Released
- November 1, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E For Everyone Due To Alcohol Reference, Mild Language
- Genre(s)
- Farming
Nobody expected Doraemon—a time-traveling robot cat from one of Japan’s most iconic children’s manga—to become the star of one of the coziest RPGs in Bandai Namco’s catalog, but Doraemon Story of Seasons pulls it off, blending the charm of Harvest Moon with the gentle nostalgia of a Saturday morning cartoon.
At its core, it's still a farming sim. Players grow crops, raise animals, upgrade their tools, and explore the countryside. What makes it hit differently is its tone. The world is infused with Doraemon's childlike wonder, filled with soft piano music, beautifully hand-drawn environments, and NPCs that actually feel like a small-town community instead of checklists with legs.
Doraemon’s gadgets—like weather manipulators or time-freezers—add unique twists to the otherwise grounded gameplay, letting players experiment with mechanics in ways Story of Seasons veterans wouldn't expect. Somehow, despite being a crossover spinoff, the emotional beats land. There’s a story here about friendship, growing up, and learning to slow down, that hits all the right notes.
4 Eternal Sonata
Chopin’s Final Dream Is A JRPG Fever Dream
Eternal Sonata
- Released
- September 17, 2007
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Use of Alcohol
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
There aren’t many RPGs out there where Frederic Chopin is both the main character and the final boss. Eternal Sonata takes that concept and runs with it, building an entire story around the idea of the composer dreaming up a whimsical fantasy world on his deathbed.
Everything in the game is wrapped in musical motifs. Characters are named after instruments or musical terms. Battle mechanics change depending on whether a character is standing in light or shadow. The soundtrack—composed by Motoi Sakuraba—shifts between sweeping orchestral pieces and Chopin’s own piano compositions, and is performed with reverence. It’s surreal, but it works.
The combat system, which combines real-time movement with turn-based execution, feels more like Tales than traditional JRPGs. Timing attacks and positioning matter. Each character plays differently, and light and shadow transformations keep things dynamic even during longer fights.
The real kicker, though, is the way Eternal Sonata blends dream logic with genuine historical facts. Between chapters, the game presents actual history lessons about Chopin’s life and political ideals. It’s weirdly educational for an RPG where characters fight using magical umbrellas and glowing batons, but that’s what makes it so unforgettable; it’s earnest, eccentric, and totally unique.
3 Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch
A Ghibli Fairytale With Teeth
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
- Released
- January 22, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Alcohol and Tobacco Reference, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Simulated Gambling
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Level-5 and Studio Ghibli teaming up felt like a dream come true, and Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch delivered exactly the kind of visual and emotional magic fans hoped for. With Ghibli’s art direction and animation leading the way, and Joe Hisaishi composing a full orchestral score, the whole thing looked and sounded like a playable Miyazaki movie.
However, beyond the surface-level beauty, there’s a dense RPG hiding here. Players control Oliver, a boy grieving the loss of his mother who journeys into a magical world with the hope of bringing her back. The premise is heavy, but the tone strikes a delicate balance between childlike wonder and real emotional depth.
10 JRPGs With The Most Creative Dungeons And Environments
The following JRPGs feature some of the most creative dungeons and environments present in the genre.
Combat plays out in semi-real time, with players swapping between party members and familiars—creature companions that fight, evolve, and learn skills. It borrows from Pokemon in spirit, but with more active control and a greater emphasis on team synergy.
Despite some pacing issues and a few spikes in difficulty, Ni no Kuni holds up remarkably well. It’s a rare case where an RPG nails its aesthetics, mechanics, and emotional resonance all in one go. That moment when Drippy, Lord High Lord of the Fairies, opens his lantern-nose and starts cracking jokes in a thick Welsh accent? Instant classic.
2 Scarlet Nexus
A Brain-Punk Power Trip
Scarlet Nexus
- Released
- June 25, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Alcohol Reference, Blood, Mild Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Calling Scarlet Nexus "anime X-Men" barely scratches the surface. Set in a future where certain humans develop psychokinetic abilities thanks to a mysterious hormone in their brains, the game dives headfirst into a “brain-punk” aesthetic—equal parts sleek sci-fi and grotesque body horror. It’s stylish, yes, but also loaded with dense political themes and surprisingly mature storytelling.
Combat is where it shines brightest. Players control either Yuito or Kasane, dual protagonists with interlocking storylines. Their abilities let them fling cars and debris using psychokinesis, then chain those into melee combos. Add in the ability to link with teammates and borrow their powers—like teleportation or invisibility—and every fight becomes a playground of chaos. The monster design deserves a shoutout too. The main enemies, called Others, are horrifying amalgamations of limbs, flowers, mannequins, and metal. Fighting them isn’t just flashy, it’s unsettling in all the right ways.
What really elevates Scarlet Nexus, though, is its commitment to duality. Two perspectives, two paths, two views of the same conflict. Playing both storylines isn’t optional—it’s essential. Only by seeing both sides can players understand the full scope of what’s going on behind the curtain. And the ending? Weird, heady, and totally satisfying.
1 Tales Of Arise
The Tales Series Finally Hits Its Stride
Tales of Arise
- Released
- September 10, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Alcohol Reference, Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
For years, the Tales series was quietly beloved but always seen as a tier below the big hitters like Final Fantasy or Persona. Tales of Arise changed that. This was the moment Bandai Namco finally swung for the fences—and nailed it.
Visually, the game leaps and bounds ahead of its predecessors. The “Atmospheric Shader” gives characters and environments a painted, anime-meets-oil-paint look, and it’s stunning in motion. The UI got a sleek overhaul. The camera, for once, doesn’t spin wildly during battles. With that said, the heart of Arise is still in its combat. Fast, fluid, and responsive, the action system feels more like a fighting game than a traditional RPG. Every character plays differently—Law is a flurry of fists, Rinwell controls spell cooldowns mid-cast, and Alphen can burn through his own health to unleash devastating finishers. Chaining Boost Strikes with teammates never gets old.
The story, which follows a group of revolutionaries from two warring planets, digs into themes of slavery, trauma, and personal identity without getting preachy. Skits—those classic Tales mid-scene conversations—return in full force but with stylish new framing. And for once, the series doesn’t fumble its ending. It sticks the landing, offering emotional closure and one hell of a final boss sequence.
10 Games To Play While You're Waiting For Tales Of Arise
Tales of Arise is the 17th installment of the popular JRPG series. We've found 10 other games to keep Tales fans occupied until release.