15.Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness
WhileStar Oceanhas never enjoyedFinal Fantasyor evenTaleslevels of popularity, it still has a loyal fan base. Much of this is because of its combat system and the series' infamous post-game dungeons.
You can easily make it throughStar Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessnesson the default difficulty, but you’ll need to grind gear and levels for the post-game, especially on higher difficulties.
14.Toukiden 2
If you’re a fan of Capcom’sMonster Hunterseries, you’ll feel right at home withToukiden 2. In fact, if you playedMonster Hunterand wished it had a stronger focus on story, then this is the RPG for you!
Toukiden 2features many of the same mechanics and grind, with a continual push to upgrade your equipment and abilities so you can kill bigger and tougher enemies for even better loot and progression.
Thanks to the multiple weapon styles, you can easily sink hundreds of hours intoToukiden 2once you get hooked by its grind loop. The game is remarkably well-balanced to ensure that there are always new areas to explore as you progress through it.
As you defeat the Oni that swarm the lands, they free the souls of ancient heroes known as Mitama. These figures are based on real people from Japanese history, and they’re here to help upgrade your character’s powers, weapons, and armor.
Related:The Best PS4 Hidden Gems Still Worth Playing
13.Fallout 4
Exploring post-apocalyptic Boston isn’t for the faint of heart, but countless possibilities await you if you dare.
WhileFallout 3might still be Bethesda’s best entry in theFalloutuniverse,Fallout 4is a definite improvement when it comes to level progression, crafting mechanics, and the brilliant “second-hand future” aesthetic with power suits and weapons built from seemingly useless junk.
The grind inFallout 4stems from exploring Boston and its surrounding areas. It always feels like there’s something new waiting just around the next corner, rewarding your curiosity in the best possible way.
With no level cap and countless weapon upgrades, you can spend hundreds of hours grinding in this game without repeating yourself once.
Related:The Best Fallout Video Games of All Time, Ranked
12.Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2
It’s always great when an esteemed RPG is also an adaptation of a well-loved franchise likeDragon Ball.
While the originalDragon Ball Xenoverseadapted most of the original anime’s storylines into a series of “What If?” scenarios, the sequel turns its focus toward the slew of films in the franchise.
This means that the plot is significantly weaker—most of those movies are just plain bad—but the refined mechanics make up for it.
Most importantly, don’t make the mistake of thinking thatDragon Ball Xenoverse 2is a fighting game likeDragon Ball FighterZ. This is pure MMO goodness set within Akira Toriyama’s beloved universe.
You complete missions to earn experience points and money, which you can then spend to purchase many of the iconic moves, attacks, and abilities from the show.
Sure, there’s an element of luck when it comes to securing some of the most powerful moves, but who doesn’t love the idea of unleashing a full-powered Spirit Bomb on their enemies?
Related:The Best Dragon Ball Video Games of All Time, Ranked
11.The Elder Scrolls Online
The Elder Scrolls Onlineisn’t the only MMORPG on this list—you’ll seeFinal Fantasy XIVdown below—but don’t be turned off by the fact that this one’s ranked “lower” than the other.
MMORPGs may share a lot of the same DNA, but each one is uniquely suited to certain tastes, and you may like this one more than the other depending on your own preferences.
Either way, MMORPGs are quintessential grinding games, so if you’ve played previousElder Scrollsgames and liked what they offered, you’ll find plenty more to enjoy inThe Elder Scrolls Online.
It still feels like anElder Scrollsgame but there’s plenty of grinding to be done. It’s also less reliant on groups thanFinal Fantasy XIV, so if you tend to be a loner—even in online games—this is the game for you.
Related:The Best Open World Games on PS4, Ranked
10.Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance
The entireDisgaeaseries of tactical RPGs is known for grinding, grinding, grinding. Known for their comically high cap on levels and stats, you’ll be grinding battles for hours as you try to level up your party to where they need to be.
But inDisgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance, that’s only the beginning. Most of the items in this game contain their own randomly generated dungeons, and you’ll need to fight through them to level up the items.
Suffice it to say, you’ll never level up every item in this game—but that doesn’t mean it’s a slog, either. In fact, the grind inDisgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeanceis surprisingly satisfying every step of the way.
Related:The Best Fantasy RPG Soundtracks of All Time, Ranked
9.Final Fantasy XIV
Taking a page from old-school classics,Final Fantasy XIVis a lot more grindy than most modern MMORPGs. End-game levels are seriously earned, and many items require loads of time to acquire.
But what setsFinal Fantasy XIVapart even further is that everything else around the grind—the story, the lore, the community of players—is deep, complex, and fascinating.
You want to be in this world, which just makes the grind that much more interesting. And just when you think you’re done, you’ll find a new class added to the game to level up or some new type of item to grind out.
8.Borderlands 3
If you’ve never played theBorderlandsgames, the quickest way to describe it would be: imagine playing an action-RPG likeDiablo IIIorPath of Exile, except the whole game is a first-person shooter.
Borderlands 3is the best entry of the franchise, with over a billion randomly generated weapons to discover as you explore the vast open world of Pandora. In addition, spend skill points on your class’s skill tree to bolster your capabilities even further.
Between the main story, side quests, and world, there’s so much grinding to do—and it’s capped off with the signatureBorderlands-style humor that oozes from every character you meet along the way.
Related:The Best Shooter Games on PS4, Ranked
7.Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Grinding has always been a key part of the RPG experience, so when Ubisoft finally released anAssassin’s Creedgame that embraced the genre, they had to get this aspect right.
While many of the mythical weapons inAssassin’s Creed Odysseyaren’t needed to complete the main story, they will be required if you want to take on the more dangerous foes in ancient Greece.
The grind inAssassin’s Creed Odysseymainly takes place on the side quests, many of which will reward you with powerful weapons and armor based on key figures from Greek mythology.
Fighting more powerful enemies grants more experience points and allows you to visit some truly fantastical locations. This PS4 classic rewards grinding by opening up an impressive world for you to explore.
Related:The Best Assassin’s Creed Characters, Ranked
6.Genshin Impact
Whether or not you approve of thegacha(“toy vending machine”) mechanics employed byGenshin Impact, it’s impossible to deny the game’s influence since it first launched in September 2020.
You probably knowGenshin Impactas a mobile RPG, but it actually launched simultaneously on the PS4. With bright, memorable anime-inspired characters to recruit and a vast world to explore, this game is synonymous with the character recruitment RPG genre.
Plus, the regular updates and free expansions ensure that there are always new characters to summon and monsters to defeat.
While many balk at the “pay-to-win” aspects ofGenshin Impact, it’s definitely possible to progress—at a reasonable pace—without spending any money at all.
You do need a bit of luck to secure some of the more powerful characters, but you can always grind to earn more summons and stronger items without making any in-game purchases. Play this way and you’ll never run out of things to do inGenshin Impact.
Related:The Best Mobile Game RPGs Worth Playing This Year
5.No Man’s Sky
In retrospect,No Man’s Skyhas earned itself two big reputations: first, for having one of the worst launches of any modern video game, and second, for having one of the best comebacks of any video game, period.
At launch,No Man’s Skywas woefully incomplete. It boasted a huge universe that was underutilized, underdeveloped, and underwhelming. Some players claimed false advertising, and it became the poster child for why gamers shouldn’t pre-order games.
But Hello Games didn’t give up. They spent years adding quality updates and DLCs to the game, bringing it much closer to the developer’s original vision. Now, players can jump from world to world and unravel the mysteries of a long-dead civilization.
The grind inNo Man’s Skyrevolves around the different resources you can mine and craft on each world. Early on, you’ll be world-jumping just to find enough fuel to get around. Eventually, you’ll upgrade your ship and be able to finance your adventures across the stars.
Related:Stop Pre-Ordering Games! Reasons to Never Pre-Order Games
4.Diablo III
Diablo IVjust released a few months ago, but if you’re still gaming on a PlayStation 4, you’re better off sticking withDiablo III.
Having launched over a decade ago,Diablo IIIhas years of refinement under its belt, resulting in one of the smoothest and most engaging experiences on the console.
If you have bothReaper of SoulsandRise of the Necromancerexpansions—included inDiablo III Eternal Collection—then you won’t run out of stuff to do for a long, long time.
Simply put,Diablo IIIjust doesn’t quit. Even after you’ve beaten the game three times, you’ll still have more difficulties to overcome, more gear to acquire, and more places to discover. This is one of the best “listen to a podcast and grind away” type games out there.
Related:Offline RPG Games That’ll Scratch Your MMORPG Itch
3.Warframe
There are distinct similarities betweenWarframeandDestiny 2—like the fact that they’re both grind-heavy loot shooters—but play the two games and you’ll see how different they are.
Warframefocuses much more on the titular Frames, which are always growing in number, along with all the other gear you’ll need to grind out over the weeks, months, and maybe even years.
For context,Warframecame out several years beforeDestiny 2, which is a double-edged sword. It’s had a head start in terms of refining its bugs and shortcomings, butDestiny 2’s design team sawWarframeand went in a different—arguably better—direction.
2.Destiny 2
To this day,Destiny 2is the best loot shooter on PS4. Even when you eventually hit that point where you think you’ve finishedDestiny 2, you’ll learn that you still haven’t yet.
There’s always more out there, whether it’s some sort of currency to grind, some new piece of gear to attain, or another piece of DLC added to raise the level cap.
We’ve seen several “Destiny 2killers” over the years, but none have managed to dethrone the king. And if you haven’t played it yet, it’s time to give it a shot because the base game is free to play! (UnlikeWarframe,Destiny 2does require all other content to be bought.)
Related:The Best Loot Shooter Games (That Aren’t Destiny 2)
1.Monster Hunter: World
Since the first installment on the PlayStation 2, theMonster Hunterfranchise has always been about the grind. No matter how grindy the grindiest game you’ve ever played,Monster Hunteris even more.
It all feeds back into one core loop: hunt monsters, loot parts, use those parts to craft better weapons and armor, all so you can hunt tougher monsters to loot bigger parts to craft even better gear. This refined loop gets addictive quickly and it can be tough to quit.
If you’ve never playedMonster Hunterbefore, go ahead and dive right in toMonster Hunter: World. It’s the pinnacle of the series so far, with vast quality-of-life improvements over its predecessors. This is the quintessential grinding experience in video games, period.
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