Gothic 2, Two Worlds 2, Divine Divinity, Sacred 1+2, Geneforge, Kenshi.

Suikoden 5

Wow. Continually impressed by your knowledge of titles and genres. Thanks!

Evil Islands and Knights of the Chalice look quite interesting. Avernum and Avadon are perfect examples of games most would never have heard about unless you were trawling RPG Codex or the like.

Anyone know of -- or have played -- Serpent in the Staglands? Darklands?

Thanks. Yeah, I know nothing about the SaGa series.

Evil Islands is okay but I thought it a bit bland. I liked Rage of Mages 1 & 2 better (all three are by the same dev and part of the Allods series, although there is no direct connection between Rage of Mages and Evil Islands). The Rage of Mage games are a bit weird as RPGs as you got separate mission maps and a static city hub screen between missions, and while you've got your party of RPG heroes that you can equip, that can cast a variety of spells etc., you often got ally troops to help you and combat is a bit like RTS skirmish; at the same time it's not really an RTS game either. Evil Islands is a more traditional RPG, but also less unique and original, IMO.

Knights of the Chalice is great, it just can be a bit frustrating later on, because, and I repeat myself here, there are a few one-way dungeons where the game shuts you in and takes away your option to redraw and rest, which means you have to manage your resources (spells, healing items etc.) for a longer time without knowing for how long and whether you'll even get to rest at all before the inevitable boss fights at the end of the dungeons. Some might find that excitingly challenging, but for me it ruined the fun because made the game much more stressful than before, so I never finished it. Had a great time with it in the first half or two thirds though. The combat system is really fun.


Hm, know, yes, I have them in my collection, but unfortunately I never played them, so far. From what I've read about Serpent in the Staglands, it's interesting but very hard and obscure, and areas can feel a bit empty.

Nice that Evil Islands (review) and Spirit Engine 2 (review - really, it's free, grab it! - less so for 1 (review)) were already named... Shudder at Dink Smallwood (review) being named though (may be free, but that's still too high a price for that one!). Wouldn't call Gothic (1 and 2) or Divine Divinity (review) as obscure though, but sure, if you haven't played them, go ahead. Also wouldn't call Two Worlds (but the first one (review), definitely not second (review)!) obscure, but nice sense of exploration in that (again, referring just to the first!). Had something to hold against Driftmoon (review) myself but ah well...

Of course, question is what counts as obscure or underrated for you. Going alphabetically through fantasy RPGs I played, Arcanum shouldn't fall under that category, Arx Fatalis probably would, not sure of The Bard's Tale (2004), Betrayal at Krondor might be if you haven't been playing games in the 90s, not sure I'd name Ember (review) but not bad at least, same goes for Eschalon (just played 1, which is free), the Quest for Glorys (mainly 2 and 3 from my point of view) also shouldn't count as obscure or underrated but just in case, same for Might and Magic 6 (others may also add WoX (4+5) and/or 7), some sure seem to have enjoyed Nox, since someone mentioned Gothic at least the first Risen (review) isn't bad either, some may also mention Silver, and VtM Bloodlines is well known (even more so now) but Redemption may fit for a mention...
Excluding a few due to non-fantasy.

My review links just in case you want another more detailed opinion.

Edit: Add another "know and have it but didn't play" for Serpent in the Staglands here.

Edit 2: Hm, was just going through games I finished (or clearly abandoned in one case), not also temporarily (I hope, even if it may be years) set aside or currently playing, but if someone mentioned Divine Divinity, can also mention Divinity 2 (just leave Beyond aside), not sure if King of Dragon Pass may fall under RPG, and then there's Lords of Xulima and maybe even Regions of Ruin.

Ember looks very interesting. I'm surprised I'd never heard of it before. I like some of N-Fusion's games (ie Deadly Dozen games)

Arx Fatalis is definitely one to get!

The Bard's Tale is hands down one of the funniest games I've ever played. Loved it.

Temple of Elemental Evil. Hard mode before hard mode was a thing. Great implementation of the D&D rules and people still have an active community today. Yet its reach has always been short, never understood it.

Or had played the originals, the Exile series back on Shareware CDs, like I did.

It's Square's (now Square-Enix's) more experimental RPG series, in a sense. Basically, these games have mechanics that are different from what you'd normally expect; for example, XP-based leveling is not something you'd expect to find in a SaGa game. Here is a brief summary of what each game is like (note: I haven't played the SFC Romancing SaGa ganes, though I have played the PS2 remake of RS1).

SaGa 1 (Final Fantasy Legend 1): A very short (by RPG standards, I'm thinking ~8 hours), fast-pased, RPG. You choose a race for your main character at the start, and can add extra party members in the guild (to a maximum of 4 total). Humans get stats by using buyable consumables, Espers (Mutants) gain stats and skills after battle based on the RNG, and Monsters change form (getting an entirely new set of stats and skills) by eating meat from other monsters. Weapons and other items have limited uses, which can't (easily) be refilled. The story is rather strange; it may start reasonable (gather the sword, armor, and shield from the kings), but then you get to later worlds, and it gets interesting and perhaps even disturbing. There is a central tower, 4 major worlds, and a bunch of minor optional worlds. The game's battle program is rather buggy, but it somehow manages to be enjoyable, though the game's poor RNG (read: it's not random) does hurt the game a bit. There is a JP-only WonderSwan Color remake, but it only fixes some of the bugs, and it introduces others.

SaGa 2 (FFL2): Like a refined SaGa 1, though slower paced. Humans and Espers now gain stats after battle based on actions, and Robots are a new playable race, getting stats solely through equipment, having weapon uses restored at the inn (to an extent), and being able to ignore armor slot restrictions (so you can wear multiple suits of armor). The settings aren't quite as exotic as in SaGa 1, and the central pillar no longer acts as a dungeon. There's only one optional area, but it's big. There is a JP-only remake on the DS, and it fixes bugs and adds some new mechanics, though the core mechanics of the game are retained.

SaGa 3 (FFL3): The *only* game in the series to use XP and levels. It also ditches the weapon durability system of previous games, and the multi-world plot has been replaced with a more cohesive plot involving time travel. Instead of creating your party, you start with a pre-made party and can change party members' races by eating meat or installing parts. The plot involves a Water Entity that is flooding the world. It shows that, unlike the rest of the series, Kawazu was not involved in this game; instead, it's developed by the same team that did Final Fantasy Mystic Quest, and it shows. The game got a JP-only DS remake (which I am re-playing right now, actually) which completely changed the game mechanics, removed XP and levels, made it so that you gain stats based off your actions (and can even gain stats mid-battle!), removed MP and added weapon durability (though easy to repair this time around), and expanded on the race change system.

I'll describe the later entries in the series later; this post is already getting pretty long.

Great game, great source port here: https://arx-libertatis.org/

Even though it is already being mentioned, I highly recommend Albion, its simply such a fantastic game.

That the storywriter was like "meh, whatever its just nicomachean ethics" when he came up with it is a funny anecdote I've once read. That game really only sticks to you if you've played it up to a certain point.

I can see why its quite unappealing though, its seriously difficult. I've seen experts struggling with the game and giving up so its absolutely not for everyone. But you do yourself a huge favor if you at least consider trying it out its also pretty convenient that the game is also available on GOGs store.

As long as you get used to the controls made for tablets (which I'll still say actually work out better than those made for consoles that are so frequently used now) and can put up with character skills being determined solely by equipment, it's all right. Do recommend installing on a SSD if possible though, due to it constantly reading off disk at up to a few MB/s. Not that a HDD would make it stutter because of that, but all that use continuously for hours may have effects in terms of wear, especially if it's an older drive to begin with.
That it is.

And if I'm here again, wth, not fantasy but I'll throw Anachronox and Septerra Core here too.

Already mentioned above, so nevermind.

Old FROM Software games, before they went full Souls, mostly King's Field 1-4 and Shadow Tower 1 and Abyss, plus Eternal Ring. They have some common features like world without loading screens but they are really slow, even for old school standards, and they are first person RPGs.

Wizardry games made after Wiz8 and inspired - D.W.Bradley's Wizards&Warriors, japanese Wizardry for Playstation 1 and 2, Elminage games...
Grimoire is great, beside drama(s) and other mess - it's worth a full playthrough.

Summoner games, for some weird reason sequel was released only on PS2 while first one was both PS2 and PC release.
Same case with Drakan games - first one on PC and sequel on PS2.

Eschalon trilogy, nice RPG that have nothing original but it's fun to play nonethelss. And it get bonkers at the end.

Wish that GOG some day re-release Grom: Terror in Tibet on their store. It's not bland hack'n'slash like other games made later by devs.

Jeanne D'Arc. No idea how and why but I dig that tactical game even though I don't dig jRPGs and anything resembling them, visually and whatnot.
From other obscure PSP games - Brandish: Dark Revenant was pretty fun dungeon crawler.

Might&Magic IX - Writ of Fate. They ironed out bugs but game is still ugly like sin. Still - great adventure and dungeon crawling with classic M&M character developements.

Iron Tower games - Age of Decadence and Dungeon Rats. RPG where world is not turning around the player is a good one, and this one is filled with backstabbers.

Underrail. Fallout+Metro+Deus Ex+lot of crafting and dungeon crawling. And there is expansion coming out soon...

bugs, most likely
all Troika's games were great but bugridden
it's a pity they don't have much additional content (mods or expansion packs aka DLCs) because you have no reason to come back to ToEE after you beat the main game