Sometimes, you need a bit more than choosing between Fight, Magic, Item, and Run. Tactics RPGs let players use positioning and cover along with powerful spells and weapons to win their battles. They’re some of the most challenging – and rewarding – games you can play, and 2023 is set to be a great year for the genre.
From top-shelf, triple-A titles to the best of the indie scene, if you live for combat grids, hit percentages, and area effects, you’ll have plenty to play this year. Check out our picks for the most promising, exciting tactical RPGs coming in 2023…
Baldur’s Gate 3
The wait is (almost) finally over! The third entry in possibly the most influential CRPG series of all time is set to release this August. With Larian Studios, the current masters of the genre, at the helm, Baldur’s Gate 3 is sure to be a satisfying, immersive epic.
The game is currently in early access, letting players get a sneak peek at the game’s early sections and gameplay. Both D&D and games in general, have changed a lot since 2000, when Baldur’s Gate 2 launched, so expect a blend of classic and modern elements throughout.
Platforms: Steam, GOG
Release date: August 2023
Wartales
Imagine Battle Brothers with full 3D character models and a detailed, open world, and you’ll start to have an idea of what Wartales is like. Even that description doesn’t quite do Shiro Games’ upcoming mercenary sim justice – if you want to get lost in a grim and bloody fantasy world, this is certainly going to be the game to play.
Wartales isn’t a game about heroes, it’s about survival. As you travel across the map, you may uncover secrets and maybe even make the world a little better, but ultimately your only goal is to see the next day. Wartales is currently in early access, so you can get a head start on your journey and see what dangers lie in store.
Platforms: Steam
Release date: TBA
The Iron Oath
It’s no secret that the team here at Turn-Based Lovers are excited about The Iron Oath. After a little less than a year in early access, we’re waiting with bated breath for the complete game. The Iron Oath is also a mercenary sim, with dungeon-crawling elements and some really astonishing pixel animations.
While most games in the genre have a fairly open-ended storyline, The Iron Oath gives players something to fight for in the form of a personal revenge tale. Your quest for justice could take years, decades, or even generations! To top it all off, the character classes are all a high-powered breath of fresh air – no basic fighters and bards here! Hopefully we’ll get to play the full game later this year.
Platforms: Steam, GOG, Humble
Release date: TBA
Songs of Conquest
Songs Of Conquest captures the feeling of classic Heroes Of Might And Magic, but has unique features that make it a new experience at the same time. Fans will instantly recognize the gameplay loop of recruiting armies, sending heroes to collect resources, and engaging in hex-based battles.
Songs Of Conquest features its own fantasy world, populated by mysterious fae and freedom-fighting frogfolk, with a distinct history and lore. Your army composition even impacts which spells you can cast in combat, adding an additional strategic layer. This is definitely one to watch as it enters the second half-year of early access.
Platforms: Steam, GOG, Humble
Release date: TBA
Redemption Reapers
Redemption Reapers is a tactical RPG in a stunning dark fantasy world. If you liked last year’s Hard West 2 or King Arthur: Knight’s Tale, this game should definitely be on your wishlist.
Commanding an elite squad of five mercenaries, you’ll have to use each character’s talents in tandem to overcome the hordes of the Mort. Best of all, there isn’t long to wait! Redemption Reapers is expected to release next month.
Platforms: Steam, Switch
Release date: February 2023
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader
It might be too early to say this, but Rogue Trader could very well be the ultimate Warhammer 40k video game. An isometric RPG courtesy of Owlcat Games (the studio behind the excellent Pathfinder adaptations), Rogue Trader will give players the opportunity to explore the grim darkness of the far future like never before!
As you can probably expect, your actions throughout the game will have consequences for your team and the world around you. We also expect that ranged combat will play more of a factor, resulting in gameplay more similar to Wasteland than Divinity. Either way, we can’t wait!
Platforms: Steam, PlayStation, Xbox
Release date: TBA
Spellforce Conquest of Eo
If the Spellforce trilogy blended RPG and RTS elements, the upcoming Conquest of Eo adds roleplaying to classic turn-based 4X strategy! Not only will players expand their territory and exterminate their rivals, but there are new ways to explore the world and exploit its resources. Notably, Conquest of Eo includes a crafting system, letting players develop new spells and units with whatever they have on hand.
Conquest of Eo is sure to draw parallels to the recent Master of Magic remake. While the latter certainly preserved the old-school feel of the original, Conquest of Eo looks to be a full modernization of the Master of Magic formula.
Platforms: Steam, GOG, Epic
Release date: 2023
Miasma Chronicles
Turn-based RPGs with ultra-triple-A graphics are a rare treat. Methodical gameplay gives audiences a chance to really take in the details and environments in a way that you can’t get in real-time games without pausing all the time. Such is the case with Miasma Chronicles, a drop-dead gorgeous post-apocalyptic RPG from the creators of Mutant: Year Zero.
Players will certainly want to explore every corner of Miasma Chronicles’ destroyed world – between combat encounters, of course. They’ll get their chance later this year.
Platforms: Steam, Epic, Xbox, PlayStation
Release date: 2023
Urban Strife
Urban Strife has all the hallmarks you’d expect from a zombie survival RPG; players build up their base, recruit allies, and fight off the undead using whatever weapons they have. Where Urban Strife differs, however, is its detailed approach to combat.
Melee and ranged combat have their own systems; ranged combat uses the game’s realistic ballistics engine to determine which body parts are struck and how badly they’re damaged, while melee combat wears down combatants, weakening them until they collapse or recover. Urban Strife also simulates the overwhelming advance of a zombie horde by giving all of the undead a single, simultaneous turn!
Platforms: Steam
Release date: TBA
Demonschool
Demonschool could be considered the Western, tactical cousin of Persona. A ragtag band of students balances college life with excursions into the infernal realms to battle enormous demons. The game is fully aware of both the humor and the horror of that combination, and leans into it.
Demonschool has style in spades, making it a perfect addition to publisher Ysbryd’s growing library of lovably weird titles. If you’re looking for something a little different and a lot of fun, be sure to try Demonschool when it launches later this year.
Platforms: Steam, Switch, PlayStation, XBox
Release date: 2023
