A Lifelong RPG Fan’s Guide to the Best RPGs of 2024

Dragon’s Dogma II

• Release Date — March 21, 2024
• Publisher — Capcom
• Developer — Capcom
• Review Aggregate Score — 86% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 61% (Mixed)
• Platforms — PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

While it might be more of a glorified remake than a true sequel to its cult classic predecessor, there’s a lot to love about Dragon’s Dogma II. The original Dragon’s Dogma was a wholly unique game for its time that earned a massive cult following thanks to some interesting mechanics and systems that put player freedom and emergent gameplay at the forefront of the experience. At a time when many RPGs would hold players’ hands throughout the experience, Dragon’s Dogma was beautifully old-school. Dragon’s Dogma II continues that tradition with some rewarding exploration and combat, along with a steep difficulty curve, only it’s bringing along with it a massive visual upgrade. It’s not for everyone, but Dragon’s Dogma II will definitively “click” with the right kind of RPG fan.

Skald: Against the Black Priory

• Release Date — May 30, 2024
• Publisher — Raw Fury
• Developer — High North Studios AS
• Review Aggregate Score — 75% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 94% (Very Positive)
• Platforms — PC

2023 helped usher in a full-blown renaissance of the CRPG genre thanks to major releases like Baldur’s Gate 3 (and, to a lesser extent, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader). Building off of the genre’s momentum is the phenomenal indie RPG Skald: Against the Black Priory, which takes players back to the oldest of old-school CRPGs with its clear love for Ultima and other classics. What helps Skald stand out against the backdrop of the CRPGs that inspired it, though, is its excellent storytelling and Lovecraftian narrative, incorporating an ever-present sense of dread and a healthy dose of cosmic horror into its high-fantasy setting. With some compelling turn-based combat and a best-in-genre narrative, Skald is maybe the best $15 you can spend this year.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

• Release Date — May 23, 2024
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Developer — Intelligent Systems
• Review Aggregate Score — 88% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — N/A
• Platforms — Nintendo Switch

Remaking a beloved game can be tricky, especially when the original holds up so well even in a modern context. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door was an already near-perfect game that only just celebrated its 20th birthday this year, begging the question of whether we really needed a remake of one of the GameCube’s best titles. In true Nintendo fashion, and similar to what the Big N did with Super Mario RPG‘s remake from 2022, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door ends up being one of the year’s best RPGs and best remakes thanks to it not fixing what wasn’t already broken. By honoring the original’s narrative and gameplay by smoothing out the few rough edges with subtle quality-of-life improvements, Nintendo’s remake of The Thousand-Year Door is now the definitive release of what’s arguably the best Mario RPG.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance

• Release Date — June 13, 2024
• Publisher — Sega
• Developer — Atlus
• Review Aggregate Score — 87% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 93% (Very Positive)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Atlus’ decision to release Shin Megami Tensei V as a Nintendo Switch exclusive back in 2021 was a bit of a head-scratcher, especially given the increasing profile of the series’ Persona spin-offs in the wake of Persona 5 and P5 Royal. Thankfully, that exclusivity was only temporary, with a new and improved Royal-style definitive release of Shin Megami Tensei V arriving this year in the form of Vengeance. Vengeance takes the already great foundation of the original SMT V and adds a brand-new alternate campaign for players to experience, giving returning players an incentive to hop back into one of the best monster-taming RPGs in years. More people than ever can now experience one of the better SMT games for newcomers, meaning the future for the series in the West is brighter than it’s ever been.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard

• Release Date — October 31, 2024
• Publisher — Electronic Arts
• Developer — BioWare
• Review Aggregate Score — 82% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 71% (Mostly Positive)
• Platforms — PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S

This year’s release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard marks both BioWare and the Dragon Age franchise’s triumphant return. Following a couple of very pronounced missteps on BioWare’s part (including the disastrous launch and reception of the ill-fated Anthem) all eyes were on the developer to see how it would follow up its 2014 Game of the Year winner, Dragon Age: Inquisition. Is The Veilguard the return-to-form series diehards hoped it would be? Well, that depends on your perspective, but there’s little denying that Dragon Age: The Veilguard is at least a step in the right direction. It might shed some of the series’ trademark RPG depth and freedom for a more curated experience, but Veilguard also has the best combat in the franchise by a long shot.

Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader – Void Shadows

• Release Date — September 24, 2024
• Publisher — Owlcat Games
• Developer — Owlcat Games
• Review Aggregate Score — 86% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 91% (Very Positive)
• Platforms — PC

December 2023 saw the release of Owlcat Games’ highly-anticipated CRPG set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe following the studio’s successful run of Pathfinder games, and Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader proved to be every bit worth the wait. Owlcat followed it up this year with the game’s first major expansion, the excellent Void Shadows. Like the best DLC expansions do, Void Shadows introduces a slew of new content for returning players to dive into while also shaking up some of the core game’s mechanics and systems in meaningful ways. As a result, Void Shadows is now an unmissable part of the Rogue Trader experience, and the new classes it introduces pave the way for some truly fun additions to the combat.

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven

• Release Date — October 24, 2024
• Publisher — Square Enix
• Developer — Square Enix, xeen Inc.
• Review Aggregate Score — 79% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 96% (Overwhelmingly Positive)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch

The “RPG Remake” spotlight might have been focused on Final Fantasy VII and Persona 3‘s modern reimaginings, but you’d be doing yourself a disservice to miss out on the phenomenal Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven. A ground-up remake of the Super Famicom classic Romancing SaGa 2, Revenge of the Seven carries over just about all the unique mechanics that made the original such a cult classic in Square’s library while giving the game an impressive visual overhaul. Series staples like “Glimmering” abilities during combat and selecting from your party roster to choose the next emperor in a dynastic line remain, as do the trademark non-linear exploration and quest structure that made the series such a hit in the first place. As far as the year’s best “classic” JRPGs go, Romancing SaGa 2 is near the top.

Persona 3 Reload

• Release Date — February 2, 2024
• Publisher — Sega
• Developer — Atlus
• Review Aggregate Score — 87% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 95% (Overwhelmingly Positive)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Under the leadership of Katsura Hashino, the Persona series would achieve its greatest success to date thanks to the groundbreaking innovations introduced in his directorial debut on the franchise, Persona 3. Persona 4 and 5 would prove to be massive successes, elevating the Persona spin-off series to be more popular than the franchise that spawned it, Shin Megami Tensei. The popularity of Persona and the eye-catching visual style of Persona 5 made it almost a foregone conclusion that Atlus would remake classic games in the series, and it did so this year with the phenomenal Persona 3 Reload.

Reload takes the same visual palette and presentation of Persona 5 and reimagines the characters, setting, and events of Persona 3 in a brand-new way, making what’s old feel fresh again. Though it might have cut some of the content of previous releases of the game in favor of a more streamlined experience, there’s a strong case to be made that Persona 3 Reload is the definitive version of one of the series’ most pivotal games. That the “Year of the RPG” practically kicked off with this incredible game only set a high bar for every title that followed.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake

• Release Date — November 14, 2024
• Publisher — Square Enix
• Developer — Square Enix, ARTDINK
• Review Aggregate Score — 84% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 71% (Mostly Positive)
• Platforms — PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S

The last RPG remake to release in 2024 might not be as anticipated as those for Final Fantasy VII and Persona 3, but by no means is Dragon Quest III HD-2D any less of a triumph. Taking what’s perhaps the most beloved game in the legendary Dragon Quest series and reimagining it using the HD-2D art style of Octopath Traveler, Dragon Quest III HD-2D is as faithful a remake as one can get while also adding in several quality-of-life features that make it the best way to experience an iconic and foundational game in the genre. It’s almost impossible to overstate the importance of Dragon Quest III in the continued evolution of the JRPG, and to have the game available in a more accessible format on PC and modern platforms gives players a better excuse than ever to experience one of the genre’s undisputed classics.

Path of Exile II

• Release Date — December 6, 2024
• Publisher — Grinding Gear Games
• Developer — Grinding Gear Games
• Review Aggregate Score — N/A (Early Access)
• Steam User Score — 82% (Very Positive)
• Platforms — PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S (Early Access)

Even though it’s only in its Early Access period,Grinding Gear GamesPath of Exile II is already shaping up to be every bit the groundbreaking ARPG its predecessor was. Part of what makes PoE II so strong out of the gate is how it doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel, instead carrying over everything that worked from the original Path of Exile while also rebalancing things and making the onboarding and learning curve slightly more accessible. Unlike its contemporaries in games like Diablo IV and Lost Ark, Path of Exile II offers almost unprecedented freedom in how players build out their chosen class and character, and the combat is much more involved and intentional than the “click spamming” that ARPGs often fall victim to.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

• Release Date — January 25, 2024
• Publisher — Sega
• Developer — Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
• Review Aggregate Score — 89% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — 91% (Very Positive)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

The Yakuza games have always tread their own unique path, blending sprawling open worlds with excellent beat ’em up action to be one of the most beloved ARPG series. It was a surprising, but very welcome, change to see the series pivot to a turn-based JRPG with Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and the newest mainline entry in the series only improves on an already great formula. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is almost overwhelming in the size and density of its world, allowing players to get lost in a painstakingly recreated Hawaii while tackling the mystery and intrigue at the center of the game’s narrative. Beyond that main quest though, there are potentially hundreds of hours of side content for players to get lost in, meaning Infinite Wealth offers plenty of bang for players’ buck.

Unicorn Overlord

• Release Date — March 8, 2024
• Publisher — Sega, Atlus
• Developer — Vanillaware
• Review Aggregate Score — 86% (Generally Favorable)
• Steam User Score — N/A
• Platforms — PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S

The TRPG (or SRPG as they’re known in Japan) is a genre near and dear to my heart, with classics like Tactics Ogre and Final Fantasy Tactics ranking among some of my all-time favorite games (RPG or otherwise). Learning that Vanillaware was working on an entry to the genre inspired by the TRPG highlights of yore was an exciting prospect, and Unicorn Overlord first met and then shattered any expectations I had regarding how good it would be. The amount of strategic depth on offer in Unicorn Overlord is staggering, and the large-scale battles blend elements of classics like Ogre Battle with the more intimate one-on-one encounters of Fire Emblem. Tying it all together is Vanillaware’s signature visual presentation, which brings to life a familiar (if not a bit predictable) fantasy tale of revenge.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

• Release Date — February 29, 2024
• Publisher — Square Enix
• Developer — Square Enix Creative Business Unit I
• Review Aggregate Score — 92% (Universal Acclaim)
• Steam User Score — N/A
• Platforms — PlayStation 5

The first chapter in the planned Final Fantasy VII Remake Trilogy boldly reimagined the Midgar section of the original, raising questions regarding how much of the game would be represented in the second chapter. Not to mention, the “middle chapter” of a planned trilogy of games based on Final Fantasy VII would include several of the narrative’s most pivotal and emotional moments, making the stakes for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth incredibly high. Thankfully, Square Enix more than rose to the occasion on both fronts. Not only does Final Fantasy VII Rebirth do right by one of the most iconic stories and casts of characters in gaming, but its open-world ARPG gameplay is truly something to behold, presenting players with one of the most captivating open-worlds in video game history.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

• Release Date — June 20, 2024
• Publisher — FromSoftware, Bandai Namco
• Developer — FromSoftware
• Review Aggregate Score — 94% (Universal Acclaim)
• Steam User Score — 70% (Mostly Positive)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Let’s put aside the controversy over Shadow of the Erdtree‘s Game of the Year nomination at The Game Awards for a second and just appreciate how monumental of an achievement both it and Elden Ring are. FromSoftware, under direction from its President and Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki, delivered a DLC expansion to one of the best and most ambitious action RPGs in decades, introducing significant additions to both the lore and gameplay. In an era when some AAA games release without all their content, FromSoftware comes along and gives fans a DLC with 40-100 hours of content that completely recontextualizes how players can approach the base game regarding character builds and meta. Shadow of the Erdtree is a phenomenal experience on its own, but the way that it has become a core component of the Elden Ring package has raised the bar for what’s possible in a DLC.

Metaphor: ReFantazio

• Release Date — October 10, 2024
• Publisher — Sega
• Developer — Atlus
• Review Aggregate Score — 94% (Universal Acclaim)
• Steam User Score — 92% (Very Positive)
• Platforms — PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S

Although this list isn’t in any specific order, per se, it’s hard for me to not put Metaphor: ReFantazio at the top of a list of 2024’s best RPGs. As someone who fell in love with the genre thanks to the original Final Fantasy on NES (just in time to do it all over again with Final Fantasy II on the SNES), Metaphor: ReFantazio immediately felt like one of those special games that belongs on the “Mount Rushmore” of RPGs, sitting alongside Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger as one of the best games the genre had seen in quite some time. Perhaps most importantly, Metaphor doesn’t just crib all its mechanics and elements from Persona, instead building on Hashino’s work on the franchise in meaningful ways that raise the bar for Studio Zero’s future games.

Metaphor: ReFantazio ticks all the right boxes as far as RPGs go. It has a best-in-class narrative with relatable themes tackling socially conscious and relevant topics. It has an unmistakable sense of art direction and visual style that draw you into its world and threaten to never let go. And its mechanics, combat, and progression are so finely tuned as to make the game’s pacing feel brisk. Out of all the RPGs I played in 2024, only one made me feel the way I used to when I played the classics on the SNES and PlayStation. That game is Metaphor: ReFantazio.