As 2024 draws to a close, it’s hard not to reflect on what an incredible year it’s been for turn-based games. From thrilling new releases to jaw-dropping announcements, the sheer volume of content has been nothing short of overwhelming—in the best way possible.
Over the past year, I’ve shared countless overviews and showcased some truly exceptional indie titles through seven episodes of the Indie Showcase (including this one). Now, to end the year with a bang, I’ve put together a list of 15 must-see RPGs that have recently been announced. Each of these promises to deliver unforgettable adventures, tactical depth, and all the turn-based goodness we love. Let’s dive in!
Blightstone
Let’s start with an RPG that was announced about a month ago and has been stuck in my mind ever since. Blightstone is a dark fantasy turn-based roguelite where every decision can mean the difference between survival and ruin. Tasked with protecting the Earthglass Crystal on a perilous journey to destroy the Blightstone, you’ll face procedurally generated maps, environmental hazards, and dynamic weather systems that demand adaptive strategies.
Combat shines with its freedom of character placement, status effects like poison or stun, and abilities ranging from traps to summoning allies. The game’s resource management adds another layer of challenge, pushing you to balance health, blight levels, and party synergies. The game is expected to be released on PC in 2025, but there is no release date yet.
Solasta II
Freshly announced during The Game Awards, Solasta II is undoubtedly a welcome return, building on everything the team at Tactical Adventures showcased in the first installment. Solasta II invites you to return to the world of tactical RPGs inspired by the SRD 5e ruleset, where your decisions shape the story, but the dice hold ultimate sway.
In this sequel to Solasta: Crown of the Magister, you’ll assemble a party of four adventurers to traverse the unexplored continent of Neokos, a land steeped in mana and threatened by the mysterious Shadwyn. The game blends familiar tabletop mechanics—like preparing spells, landing sneak attacks, and wielding divine smites—with an open exploration system that lets you forge your own path through its dangerous wilderness and ancient ruins. No release date yet.
Legends of Awen: Rise of the Fianna
RPGs that adapt to in-game choices are reaching impressive heights, offering stories of love, enemies becoming allies (and vice versa), and remarkable freedom of action. Another title aiming to deliver all these possibilities is Legends of Awen: Rise of the Fianna.
It transports you to a Celtic-inspired medieval fantasy world where myths and magic intertwine in a richly crafted, story-driven cRPG. As Finn, a gifted orphan, you’ll lead a party of legendary Fianna champions on a quest to save the kingdom of Tara from internal turmoil and an ancient, vengeful darkness.
With tactical, grid-based turn-based combat, flexible character customization blending Bard, Druid, and Warrior abilities, and a narrative shaped by impactful choices, the game offers a deep roleplaying experience. Forge bonds with complex companions, navigate moral dilemmas, and watch the world evolve based on your actions in this immersive journey of heroism and intrigue. We still need to wait for Legends of Awen as no release date has yet been announced.
Liegecraft
A purely strategic title cannot be missing from this Indie Showcase—especially because leaving out a promising project like Liegecraft felt like a real shame. Plus, the RPG elements are still prominently featured here.
Liegecraft combines the grand strategy of 4X with the character-driven drama of RPGs, immersing you in the gritty politics and warfare of a medieval kingdom. As King, you’ll manage a realm shaped by the ambitions, flaws, and loyalties of your vassals, each with unique traits and relationships. Whether promoting loyal knights, scheming against rivals, or imprisoning disobedient nobles, every decision ripples across your reign.
Engage in real-time events like feasts, hunts, and duels, or lead armies in epic battles to expand your domain. In my opinion, Liegecraft delivers an auspicious sandbox experience with dynamic storytelling, intricate character systems, and customizable maps.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Perhaps the least “RPG” of this list, but a title starring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with turn-based mechanics simply had to be included here.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown reimagines the TMNT universe in a bold turn-based strategy format, blending fast-paced combat with a deeply personal story. With Splinter and Shredder gone, the Turtles face new threats and the struggles of adulthood as they grow apart.
Each campaign spotlights a Turtle, letting you customize their movesets to suit your style while battling the Foot Clan in dynamic, ever-changing arenas inspired by classic TMNT games, featuring a graphic novel-inspired art style and 20 action-packed levels.
Chains of Freedom
It’s in my sights, with a 99% hitting chance—and it won’t escape me (though, if this were XCOM, still need to worry about it). In any case, Chains of Freedom, with its premise, setting, and gameplay, is one of the titles I’m most eagerly anticipating.
Set in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic Eastern Europe teetering on collapse, you lead an elite squad through perilous missions as you unravel a sinister conspiracy involving rogue scientists, mind control, and a crumbling government. The game’s tactical combat demands precise decision-making, leveraging unique squad abilities, scavenged gear, and adaptive strategies to survive against overwhelming odds.
With a dark, atmospheric world ranging from abandoned urban centers to fortified bases, and a plot rich in betrayal and moral dilemmas, Chains of Freedom challenges your resolve as the fate of a nation hangs in the balance. My only doubts lie in how the game world will be structured—whether it will feature an open-world design to explore or simply consist of missions tackled one after another. The latter option intrigues me a bit less. Either way, we’ll be able to play Chains of Freedom on PC sometime in 2025.
NITRO GEN OMEGA
Another title to keep a close eye on is NITRO GEN OMEGA. Despite not being a huge fan of anime-style characters in video games, I’m drawn to it because the developers cite inspirations like Battle Brothers, Darkest Dungeon, and Fire Emblem for this project—and, of course, because it features giant mechs you can pilot.
This RPG combines high-octane cinematic Mech battles with a timeline-based combat system, letting you orchestrate every action like scenes from a gripping anime. Customize your Mechs, recruit procedurally generated pilots, and forge bonds aboard your airship, where rivalries and friendships shape both combat and story.
Whether you’re traversing a perilous open world or diving into an online experience with unique characters and global permadeath, NITRO GEN OMEGA offers a dynamic blend of strategy, narrative depth, and adrenaline-pumping battles.
RuneQuest: Warlords
Tabletop gaming enthusiasts are likely pulling their hair out or rolling dice all over the place right now with the announcement of RuneQuest: Warlords. This digital adaptation of the renowned tabletop game invites you to the mythical world of Glorantha, where you’ll command armies of heroes, creatures, and spellcasters in large-scale turn-based strategy battles.
Step into the shoes of a tribal warlord during a desperate struggle against the Chaos hordes, mastering rune-based magic to turn the tide of battle. Featuring a rich single-player campaign, you’ll ally with iconic figures like elves and Lunars across 18 missions filled with valor, betrayal, and heroism.
The game’s grid-based combat rewards tactical mastery, with zones of control, diverse unit types, and powerful runes tied to the gods. Only a “coming soon” on PC.
The Time I Have Left
A race against time—specifically, 6 hours. Six hours to escape a mysterious underground facility and evade a strange alien presence. These are the premises of the RPG The Time I Have Left, which blends exploration and clue-hunting with a combat system focused more on survival than offense.
With a ticking clock governing gameplay, you must guide Aline through desolate corridors, solve puzzles, and uncover the secrets behind her grim predicament.
The game features a reactive turn-based combat system where you must outsmart and endure grotesque enemies in combining strategy with precision timing. Exploration is key, as uncovering hidden clues and unlocking skill trees bolsters Aline’s chances of survival. The game also boasts stunning visuals and a narrative-driven progression system, emphasizing the tension of limited time while encouraging replayability.
Currently in development, The Time I Have Left offers a free demo and an active Kickstarter campaign (last hours) for fans eager to support this innovative indie project.
Conquest Tactics: Realm of Sin
Conquest Tactics: Realm of Sin plunges you into a dark fantasy world brimming with peril and intrigue, blending hex-based tactical combat with roguelite exploration. As the Commander, your every move—whether rotating units for the perfect flank or managing the rising Threat Level on the world map—shapes the fate of a realm mired in sin.
The unique Sin system ensures your decisions carry weight, influencing encounters, alliances, and the story’s outcome. If I’ve piqued your interest, remember you can try Conquest Tactics for yourself thanks to the demo available on Steam. As for the release date, there’s no specific information yet.
Dice Gambit
In Dice Gambit, you’re thrust into the debt-laden shoes of a noble family of inquisitors charged with purging Neo-Talis of chromatic monsters while juggling societal intrigue and legacy-building. The game’s innovative dice-based tactical combat keeps each skirmish dynamic, allowing you to reroll, combine, and strategically use dice to unleash devastating attacks.
With over 200 abilities and a flexible class system, the possibilities for unique character builds are endless. Beyond battle, navigate a world of eccentric nobles, forge alliances, uncover secrets, and shape your lineage by managing marriages and heirs to craft a family of unmatched prowess. Without a doubt, after trying it out, it’s one of the titles I’m most excited about in 2025. The demo is available now.
Wild Tactics
The term “XCOM-Style Combat System” has become a standard for describing games with tactical combat featuring cover mechanics, skills to deploy, success percentages, and more. WILD Tactics, a fascinating strategy game starring anthropomorphic animals, makes excellent use of these dynamics and recently showcased a gameplay trailer.
The setting is the noir-inspired city of Clawville, where anthropomorphic animals fight for survival and where you must assemble and command a team of quirky misfits. But the battlefield isn’t the only place relationships matter—team dynamics evolve based on friendships, rivalries, and even grudges, offering buffs or debuffs that reflect the squad’s chemistry.
With a gripping narrative spanning 15 missions, a ’50s aesthetic, and deep character backstories, you’ll unravel conspiracies, manage your base, and upgrade weapons to lead your squad through a city plagued by crime and corruption. We do not have a release date yet.
Inkshade
Inkshade immerses you in a sinister strategy game orchestrated by a cryptic game master. Set within a surreal world of wooden miniatures and ink-stained chambers, you’ll guide a crew of customizable pieces to conquer lands, acquire an airship, and chart a course to the fabled abyss.
Each run presents fresh challenges and the constant threat of failure, as fallen foes can be recruited into your ranks—willingly or not. With evolving tactics, unlockable classes, and puzzle-filled exploration, every decision tightens the web of intrigue spun by the game master. The release date is yet to be announced.
Veilfall: True Strength
Veilfall: True Strength plunges you into a world on the brink, where the Veil that shields humanity from its nightmares is beginning to tear. As Parlan Reed and Sian Ardelene, you’ll lead a resistance against an empire that has shattered your homeland, battling both mortal foes and otherworldly terrors.
This turn-based strategy RPG demands sharp tactical thinking as every move generates Fatigue, pushing you to carefully manage resources and balance risk. With customizable skills, equipment optimization, and the innovative Strive system for extra actions at a cost, your choices will shape your team’s growth and survival. Will you reclaim your land or succumb to the encroaching darkness?
Eldritch Tactics: Lichtmond
And we wrap up this seventh and final episode of the 2024 Indie Showcase with a tactical RPG deeply rooted in Germanic folklore. It’s called Eldritch Tactics: Lichtmond and takes place in the eerie, purgatorial realm of Anderswelt.
You must choose to use light magic or the corrupting power of darkness. Each decision impacts not only the strength of the main hero but also their allies. With a rich narrative that ties personal vendettas to the supernatural, Eldritch Tactics: Lichtmond blends myth and strategy in a way that feels both grand and intimate.
The game’s dynamic system, where units can be permanently lost or even turned against you, adds a layer of tension to every turn. Whether you’re seizing enemy ghouls to bolster your ranks or navigating the fragile balance between light and dark, each choice echoes Kriemhild’s desperate fight for redemption in a world bent on her destruction. I have no clues about its release date yet.
