Here is a Top 30 best turn-based RPGs of the last 2 years available on PC and consoles list. It goes without saying that RPGs are my favorite genre and without a shadow of a doubt one of the game genres that offer more depth, complexity, and often the freedom to be and do whatever you want within the game world.
Whether you are passionate about Japanese JRPGs or more inclined toward the Western RPG experiences, here you will find plenty of bread for your teeth. This article as the video version is split into two parts and part 2 will be available next week. It starts from 2020 up to June 2022.
Horizon’s Gate
Platforms: PC
Release date: 9 Mar, 2020
With retro, SNES-inspired graphics and a truly open world, Horizon’s Gate is a modern RPG experience disguised as a ’90s classic. Players can explore the world of Eral on their own terms, following the story or striking out to see what’s over the horizon. With turn-based tactical battles on land and at sea, there’s excitement to be had wherever you go.
If you want more adventure, Horizon’s Gate is the third in a series. Alvora Tactics and Voidspire Tactics have the same open-world gameplay, and the series can be enjoyed in any order.
Troubleshooter: Abandoned Children
Platforms: PC
Release date: 23 Apr, 2020
Troubleshooter is a very deep game that can provide hundreds of gameplay hours. Considering how big the game is, the fact that it’s marketed as the first chapter of a larger narrative begs the question of just how epic this tale is going to be. Troubleshooter‘s vast character development system and the sheer number of options allow for limitless playthroughs of the game’s 100+ missions.
If you’ve been looking for a game that can serve as your new obsession, this tactical anime dystopia is a great candidate. If the second game is as good as the first, then we expect the Troubleshooter franchise to develop a dedicated fanbase for years to come.
Wasteland 3
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Playstation 4
Release date: 28 Aug, 2020
If you like Baldur’s Gate or Divinity: Original Sin but want to trade in the fantasy setting for something different, Wasteland 3 has what you need. It provides quality CRPG gameplay in a post-apocalyptic setting. The game’s weird and violent world is easy to immerse yourself in, and the battles against bandits, mutants, and monsters will keep you on your toes throughout the story.
Even if you’re not usually a fan of post-apocalyptic games like Fallout, you may want to make an exception for Wasteland 3. It’s an excellent RPG that fully deserves the praise that’s been heaped upon it.
The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet of Chaos
Platforms: PC, Switch, Playstation 4
Release date: 17 Sep, 2020
Based on the fantasy parody audio series Naheulbeuk that’s been popular in France, The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk presents you with a dungeon to explore and several not-entirely-competent heroes to delve it. The game lovingly lampoons fantasy and gaming tropes alike and has great party-based battles underneath the humor.
The Dungeon Of Naheulbeuk will have players come for the laughs and stay for the gameplay. Its various difficulty modes ensure that any player can get the degree of challenge that’s right for them. Who knows, maybe it will make you want to learn French and check out the original series!
Crown Trick
Platforms: PC, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Playstation 4
Release date: 16 Oct, 2020
Synchronous turns seem like an under-used mechanic, and playing a game like Crown Trick might make you wonder why that is the case. Instead of taking your turn then standing by as your enemies give you a beating, this roguelike from NEXT Studio lets you plan your entire turn, then execute it at the same time your foes take their actions. Even if you think ahead, the procedurally generated challenges mean that the unexpected can happen at every turn.
Crown Trick also has a charming animated style that makes players want to see what’s around the next corner. With hundreds of enemies, weapons, and abilities – not to mention more than ten powerful bosses – you’ll never know what’s next.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon – 10 Nov, 2020
Platforms: PC, Switch, Xbox One, Playstation 4
Release date: 10 Nov, 2020
If any franchise could make the unexpected jump from open-world beat-em-up to turn-based RPG and create one of the best games in the genre while they’re at it, that franchise would be Yakuza. The series is famous for its over-the-top characters and gameplay and its attention to detail, and as it turns out translates scarily well into a JRPG.
Like A Dragon takes a break from longtime series leads Kiryu and Majima, instead focusing on mob grunt Ichiban Kasuga and his quest for revenge in the Japanese underworld. Ichiban and his crew turn out to be just as weird and lovable as their predecessors. Even if you’ve never played a Yakuza game before, this wholly bizarre RPG is not to be missed.
Monster Sanctuary
Platforms: PC, Switch, Xbox One, Playstation 4
Release date: 8 Dec, 2020
Pokemon has shifted toward open-world exploration in a big way this year, with the release of Pokemon Legends: Arceus and the announcement of Scarlet and Violet coming for the holidays. Monster Sanctuary did open-world monster catching first, though, and it did so by creating a turn-based Metroidvania.
Platforming through the game’s vast 2D world is only half the fun in Monster Sanctuary. You’ll also catch the dungeon’s myriad monster species and deploy them in turn-based battles. Each playable monster has its own skill tree, letting you customize your team however you like.
Bravely Default II
Platforms: PC, Switch
Release date: 26 Feb, 2021
The original Bravely Default was a JRPG tour de force, merging classic and modern elements seamlessly both in terms of gameplay and storytelling. Bravely Second followed as a direct sequel, but Bravely Default II tells an entirely new tale with a brand-new cast of characters.
Fans of the original will be glad to see the return of the BP system, Asterisks, and Crystals, but there are new systems to explore. Characters can now have both a primary and a secondary Job, allowing more customization and unique builds than the series has seen to date.
The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Playstation 4
Release date: 4 Mar, 2021
Somewhere between a roguelike and a visual novel but not really either, The Life And Suffering Of Sir Brante is a unique narrative experience. As the title implies, players follow Sir Brante from his birth all the way to his (often untimely) death and experience all of his trials and tribulations throughout the journey. The number of possibilities is staggering, and you’ll be hard-pressed to see them all.
The Life And Suffering Of Sir Brante offer limited resurrections, allowing you to keep Sir Brante’s skills for his next attempt. They might just give him the edge he needs to survive the next time, or open previously-unavailable opportunities that change the course of his entire life.
Solasta: Crown of the Magister
Platforms: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Release date: 27 May, 2021
Solasta: Crown Of The Magister brings the modern D&D experience to your desktop. Using official licensed rules, Solasta will be instantly familiar to anyone who’s readied their crossbow, rolled for initiative, and attacked the darkness in the last few years.
Solasta is designed to allow for both single-player and co-op campaigns, so grab some friends and face the game’s challenges together! There’s even a robust dungeon-editing tool, allowing you to create and share your own adventures.
Edge of Eternity
Platforms: PC, Switch, Xbox One, Playstation 4
Release date: 8 Jun, 2021
Players waiting patiently for Final Fantasy XVI can pass the time with Midgar Studios’ Edge Of Eternity. With a lush world to explore that blends elements of sci-fi and fantasy, Edge Of Eternity challenges you to gripping tactical battles against an alien threat.
The game’s stunning visuals are complemented with a soundtrack by none other than Yasunori Mitsuda himself, the composer of Chrono Trigger and Xenoblade Chronicles.
Rise Eterna
Platforms: PC, Switch, Xbox One, Playstation 4
Release date: 9 Jun, 2021
Rise Eterna takes the classic gameplay of SNES tactical RPGs and launches them full-force into the twenty-first century. The combat will feel instantly familiar to anyone who’s ever played Fire Emblem, but the game is much deeper than it first appears. Not only are the fourteen playable characters much more individually powerful than the average soldier in Marth or Byleth’s army, but the game’s crafting system challenges you to put the spoils of war to efficient use.
Tactical games aren’t normally known for their hidden content, which is where Rise Eterna throws players another curveball. There are secrets to be found throughout the entire campaign, and only the truly dedicated will find them all.
Wildermyth
Platforms: PC, Switch
Release date: 15 Jun, 2021
If anyone tells you roguelikes don’t have enough plot, have them try Wildermyth. The best stories are the ones you create yourself, and Wildermyth is designed to do just that. Each playthrough, your band of villagers will embark on the journey of a lifetime, forging relationships with one another throughout their trials.
Characters who become true heroes might even show up again in later runs, figures of legend that the current crop of adventurers grew up hearing stories about. Wildermyth is the kind of game that shows the power of emergent storytelling and does it with gusto.
Dark Deity
Platforms: PC, Switch
Release date: 16 Jun, 2021
Dark Deity is a deep tactical RPG with nearly-unlimited customization. It boasts thirty playable characters and fifty-four classes, to say nothing of the hundreds of available weapons and spells. It’s safe to say that you’ll need more than one playthrough to try every possible build!
The game also looks beautiful, with fantastic pixel art alongside expertly hand-drawn characters. Dark Deity is the Fire Emblem game that never was.
Cris Tales
Platforms: PC, Switch, Xbox One, Playstation 4
Release date: 20 Jul, 2021
Cris Tales is a gorgeous animated RPG that puts the heroine’s command overtime at the forefront. Able to glimpse the past, present, and future, you can reveal hidden details and even send your enemies hurtling through time! Crisbell’s status as a Time Mage also lets you see how your choices will affect later events.
The game itself has the style and flair of modern animated series like the reboots of She-Ra and Carmen Sandiego, while the gameplay has notes of Persona and Chrono Trigger. That’s a powerful combination, and Cris Tales is an adventure you won’t want to miss.
