Summer is almost here, and game developers are making some big announcements. Between Summer Game Fest and Steam Next Fest, there’s a huge number of new titles to get hyped for. There’s no better time for another edition of Keep An Eye On It, as we break down the most intriguing turn-based titles that were announced this week.
Old-school RPG fans will be able to take their favorite genre into the virtual realm with Burial Stone, while players eager to try the next big thing could find a winner with Sunday Gold or SpellForce: Conquest of Eo. There are, of course, roguelites aplenty, from accessible options like Desta: The Memories Between to hardcore ultra-challenges like Soul Wargame. Be sure to wishlist any games that interest you to give the developers a boost and show your support!
10 RPG & Strategy Games expected during 2022-2023
Highwater
The best strategy games have an immersive setting and characters for the player to explore. Demagog Studio’s Highwater could be the next big thing thanks to its flooded setting and the adventurers trying to survive it.
While Highwater will have exciting turn-based combat, it also has a strong adventure game feel to it. As Nikos and his friends, you’ll explore the beautiful but destroyed ocean-covered planet in search of a rumored escape to Mars. This is definitely a game to check out when it releases in December 2022.
Desta: The Memories Between
The creators of Monument Valley have returned to create a surreal tactical roguelike that’s accessible to beginners and experienced gamers alike. Each of Desta‘s colorful battlefields is a dream, exploring events in the main character’s life they wish could have gone differently. Part battle, part ball game, these sequences have countless possible dialogues and outcomes.
Players looking for a new approach to turn-based battles or a roguelike with a little more narrative will do well to check out Desta: The Memories Between. There’s no release date yet, so be sure to wishlist it if you’re interested!
Wishlist Desta: The Memories Between on Steam
Inkbound
Developer Shiny Shoe has a great-looking tactical roguelite in the works. In Inkbound, you and your friends can explore ruins, collect gear, upgrade your characters, and defeat brightly-colored ink monsters. Whether you’re playing solo or co-op, fans of Shiny Shoe’s previous game Monster Train will be delighted to know that the mix-and-match class system is back, potentially allowing for hundreds of builds!
It’s clear from the trailer that Inkbound won’t be a standard fantasy dungeon crawler. With unique heroes, foes, and environments, it’s sure to be on the radar when it launches in 2023.
Death Drive: A Deck-Building Open World Survival RPG
Death Drive looks like a hybrid of Battle Brothers and Slay The Spire in a zombie apocalypse. Exploring an open world with only your crew and the supplies you find along the way, you’ll have to fight for survival in tense card-based battles. There are more than just standard zombies out there, so danger lurks at every turn.
Beyond your deck, each character’s abilities will be determined by stats, perks, and gear. Crafting and cooking will keep your survivors safe and healthy, and it looks like the game will have several systems working together to determine your overall success or failure. No release date has yet been announced.
Sunday Gold
Mystery fans, get out your magnifying glasses and notepads because Sunday Gold is bringing dystopian noir sleuthing to turn-based games! Part point-and-click adventure, part tactical RPG, Sunday Gold tasks players with exposing the dark secrets of a powerful billionaire in a neon-lit near future.
The game promises crisp comic-book visuals and a delightfully grimy sci-fi London to explore. Characters’ stress and composure are tracked during combat as well as their health, which may cause both allies and enemies to act unexpectedly. This is a blend of genres that isn’t seen too often, so we’re curious to see where it goes when it releases later this year.
Burial Stone
RPG fans have been diving into first-person dungeons for as long as they could be drawn on a screen. Classics like Might & Magic or Ultima gave way to modern juggernauts like Skyrim. Burial Stone from solo developer Ofer Rubinstein is turning up the immersion by letting players explore a fantasy dungeon in VR.
Armed with only a torch and a blade, you’ll be able to learn new spells and skills as you participate in tile-based battles throughout the underground lair. If you’ve got a VR headset and want to check the game out now, a demo is currently available. Otherwise, the full version is coming soon with a release date of 30 June.
Soul Wargame
Hardcore Studio seeks to blend Fire Emblem-style tactics with roguelike gameplay and Dark Souls-style difficulty. It’s not for the faint of heart, but for expert strategy gamers it could be just the challenge you’re looking for.
Players set out on each run selecting a team of undead warriors with whom to engage in grid-based battles. Knowing each class, equipment piece, and skill will be necessary to take down the game’s mighty bosses, who might seem impossible at first glance. No release date has yet been announced, but if you’re up for some brutal battles a demo is available right now.
SpellForce: Conquest of Eo
Whether or not you’re a fan of the SpellForce series, if you’re into strategy games at all then SpellForce: Conquest of Eo is going to be one to watch. From your wizard’s tower you’ll recruit heroes and armies to go forth and conquer in your name. Recovering artifacts and learning new spells will allow you to expand your power and fend off rival wizards who would steal your secrets.
Each campaign is different, giving the game a 4X feel, and the game promises an intricate crafting system that lets you create renowned relics and mighty minions. The release date is listed as “Coming Soon,” and we can’t wait to see more.
Wishlist SpellForce: Conquest of Eo on Steam
Siege of Dungeon
There are plenty of roguelike dungeon crawlers out there, but Binary Tree Studios’ Siege Of Dungeon has quality pixel graphics and battle animations that feel like they’re straight out of old-school Final Fantasy to set it apart from the pack. Characters in your party can explore the dungeon separately – this means they can stick together and risk missing out on potential loot, or go off on their own to explore with exactly the consequences you’d expect.
It’s rare to see a grim-and-gritty dungeon adventure with such high-powered abilities and epic battles. If you’re tired of getting wiped by random cultists in a crumbling grey-and-brown tower, try Siege of Dungeon and get wiped by a screen-filling boss in a colorful, crystal-covered tower instead! Like many of the games on this list, there is no release date yet, but a demo is available if you’d like to try it out.
Demonschool
Demonschool is the game that would happen if you mixed Final Fantasy Tactics with Persona. That combination alone should be enough to get most players excited, but if you still need convincing just check out the trailer. Faye and her friends are caught between the worlds of humans and demons, and will need to battle enormous bosses in the course of their arcane studies.
The game’s battles will include plenty of pushing, pulling, and throwing enemies, and the boss fights look undeniably epic. There’s also academic planning and a relationship system between fifteen different characters, so if you liked Fire Emblem: Three Houses then Demonschool will be a great fit when it releases in 2023.
