The best Korean RPG that rivals JRPGs

PC gamers had a plethora of great RPGs in the 90s, e.g Diablo and Baldur's Gatewhile console players had JRPGs to entertain them like Final Fantasy VII and Pokemon Yellow. Now, console and PC gamers alike can play Western-style RPGs and JRPGs on their system, and much of the best of the 90s is still available.

Also, thanks to the growing global game market, there are now many South Korean developers who also make RPGs. Many of the best South Korean games mirror the best of the best, such as examples from the 90s, so let's go over some games that RPG fans in general should check out if they want to expand their knowledge.

Lies P

Pinocchio Souls

Lies P is a different take on the Pinocchio lore that Disney fans would never have seen coming, set in the steampunk dystopian city of Krat. The entire city has been overrun with clockwork puppets, and players are the cure to fix this overcrowded robot city.

Players are encouraged to be on the offensive and take down enemies with customizable weapons and various weaponry such as the grappling hook to make the fight even more frantic. From the tone to the combat system, it feels like a spiritual successor Bloodyand the Japanese masters at FromSoftware would be proud. Like most Soulslikes, it can be challenging, but there's an AI partner system to help players if they need to get a leg up on these dilapidated puppets.

First Berserker: Khazan

No shirt, no shoes, no problem

First Berserker: Khazan is part of Dungeon & Fighter universe. Soulslike games are known for being hard, but this game takes things to a whole new level. Players will feel every hit and every kill they take. The weapon system is unique as there are only three types, with each weapon having an extensive branching skill tree.

Committing to one weapon is a plus, as is v Monster Hunter series. The most challenging part First Berserker: Khazan there are bosses that only require the best and most patient players because this game doesn't care if they succeed. It's there to toughen up players, and if they can pull it off, there's no soul like it they can't beat.

Star Blade

He looks good in Apocalypse

Star Blade was a surprise hit when it launched on PS5 in 2024, and had a chance to expand its audience in 2025 with a PC port. Players take on the role of the battle android Eve, who is sent to stop an alien invasion of a ruined planet. With tight outfits and style for days, she was like the second coming of Bayonnetta if thrown into an action RPG with soul-like elements.

With different combos, players can explore multiple biomes and fight mutated aliens that have an angelic design as if they were created by HR Giger. The action is fast-paced, the visuals are impressive, and the world-building is superb. Next to Lies P, Star Blade has to be the most famous South Korean action RPG in the video game market today, and a sequel is definitely in the works.

MagnaCarta 2

The forgotten Xbox 360 cult classic

• Developer: Softmax

• Publisher: Namco Bandai Games

• Released: October 13, 2009 (NA)

• Platform: Xbox 360

MagnaCarta 2 is an Xbox 360 exclusive that was released in 2009. It is the third and final game in the series, with the second game being released on the PS2 in North America and the original never being released outside of South Korea. This latest game has a hybrid combat system that is part action, part MMO. As players explore the world, they can encounter enemies by choosing them.

A meter ticks down during a character's turn, and during that time they can attack with various abilities, all of which can be chained to another character if they switch in time. It takes a while to get used to, but it's easily the best part of the game. The story and character design may not agree with everyone, between the civil war aspect and the small heads. That said, fans of JRPG combat can compare MagnaCarta 2 to Final Fantasy 12 or Xenoblade Chronicleswithout the giant open world design.

Lost Eidolons

Challenging tactics

Lost Eidolons it doesn't look like an RPG made in South Korea, as the design is more like something similar Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. While the characters and overall design have a more western aesthetic, the gameplay is in line with Fire Emblem's record as a turn-based tactical RPG with permadeath.

Players need to be extra careful during normal play or they may lose units and go off on tactics. Between combat, players can bond with their units and boost morale, again similar to some of the newer ones Fire sign games. There are some fantasy elements like magic, but for tactical RPG fans looking for a more grounded experience, Lost Eidolons is it

Crimson Gem Saga

Diamond In The Rough

For PSP fans looking for another good RPG or JRPG on the system, they've probably come across it Crimson Gem Saga at some point. Technically it's included The story of Astonishia series, but since this game was not well reviewed, this may have been the reason why a different name was chosen for the sequel.

It's a much better game overall, with an easy-to-understand turn-based combat system that includes four characters, a timeline, and combo attacks like Chrono Trigger. The art design looks very similar Ragnarok onlineanother South Korean game with subtle colors and an almost watercolor aesthetic. Among PSP's hidden RPG gems, Crimson Gem Saga is definitely one that needs to be rediscovered, or better yet, reissued.

Black Desert Online

More than dunes

Black Desert Online is a massive MMO that started in South Korea in 2015, after a North American version in 2016. It's been around for so long that the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S even got a version in 2025, and it's changed a lot over the past decade. It's not even a normal MMO as there was more emphasis on action combat as the enemy mobs were larger in size, almost like the hordes of monsters that appear in Diablo game.

In addition to the combat, there are cool mini-games like fishing and hunting, and it's a great MMO to live in. Maybe not as popular as Final Fantasy 14but considering it's been going since 2015, someone is doing something right at developer Pearl Abyss. They even do offline tracking Crimson desert in 2026, which should be one of the biggest South Korean action RPGs of the next year.

TERA

The original MMO

TERA is one of the most important MMOs because it is believed to be one of the first to have real action combat, back in 2011 in South Korea. North Americans would have to wait a year later and the scope of the game was promising with open world, character design and racial options. Few games allow players to be stocky animals like dogs or bears, and Popori was for TERA. The world also had large monsters that were almost impossible alone, but manageable with friends, which could be compared to the overpowered monsters that roamed the world. Xenoblade Chronicles games. The action combat made it feel different from other big MMOs like World of Warcraft.

Ragnarok online

Classic MMO of all time

The early 2000s had plenty of basic MMOs for all PC fans to mess around with Ragnarok online to be one of the bigger ones. First released in 2002 in South Korea and a year later elsewhere, the game chose to prioritize sprites over 3D models. Combat was simplified with point-and-click mechanics, and it was another grind-heavy MMO. Although it wasn't a completely immersive game Final Fantasy 11's a stunning 3D world that launched in 2002 in Japan, Ragnarok online it had a good social aspect which is what brought many players in. From teaming up to killing monsters to just hanging out in the city, these are the memories that fans cling to the most.