In these last few days of December, there hasn’t been a single new release, but since I couldn’t leave Saturday without my recap of new RPGs and strategy games (and everything in between) to play, I figured I’d point you toward a handful of interesting demos for games launching sometime in 2026, or that are already available in early access.
So you’ll still have plenty to choose from, and maybe you’ll spot a title that slipped past you and you didn’t even know existed. Alongside that, I’m also flagging the article published yesterday with the 2025 GOTY picks. If you’re looking to start a new adventure, you’ll definitely find the right game there.
That said, I don’t want to waste any more of your time, so let’s jump into the list.
CARNEDGE
- Developers: OneShark
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: January 19, 2026
- Steam Page
This is a title I did have on my wishlist, yes, but I had completely lost track of it until the demo dropped just a few days ago, followed by the announcement of its release date.
CARNEDGE is a dark fantasy roguelite RPG from OneShark where a lone warrior carries the Lantern of Eternal Flame across a decaying world, pushing toward a lighthouse that has to be reignited to keep hope alive.
Each run is about shaping a build through cards, gear, and relics, then letting those choices play out in deckbuilding-driven auto battles where you can summon allies and pile on status effects like burning, freezing, shattering, and melting.
Progress moves across a world map with branching routes, story nodes, quests, and boss fights, so pathing becomes part of the resource management as corruption keeps closing in.
Loot matters in a very literal way too, since the game claims 300 plus hand drawn items that show up on your character during combat, which makes upgrades easier to read at a glance when a run starts stacking modifiers. It launches on Steam on January 19, 2026, and there is a demo up already.
The Life and Suffering of Prince Jerian
- Developers: Schisma Games
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: TBA
- Steam Page
I’d also like to point out that you can request access to the playtest for the sequel to an interesting narrative RPG that came out a few years ago. The Life and Suffering of Prince Jerian, from Schisma Games, published by 101XP, set in the same universe as The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante.
It follows Jerian from childhood toward the throne of the Blessed Arknian Empire, where society is split into rigid Lots laid down by the Twins, and every choice pushes the political balance in a different direction as nobles, clergy, and commoners pull for power.
The core is interactive fiction built around branching decisions, shifting alliances, and multiple endings, with Jerian carrying both royal authority and a religious role as Primate tied to a divine pact his family guards with a sanity mechanic and mature themes that can be avoided depending on choices.
It is listed as coming soon on Steam for PC, with a Steam Playtest sign-up that grants selected players access to the full first chapter, with access handed out at random and no NDA.
Band of Crusaders
- Developers: Virtual Alchemy, Ironward
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: TBA
- Steam Page
One of my absolute darlings, one I just can’t stop thinking about. And if we’re being completely honest, it’s not even turn-based: it uses RTwP. More specifically, during combat, this strategy game lets you trigger slow motion to issue orders to your mercenaries. Still, the visual style and the overall Battle Brothers–like gameplay experience make it utterly irresistible.
It’s called Band of Crusaders and is a dark medieval strategy RPG where the player becomes the Grandmaster of a knightly order fighting a demonic invasion across Europe.
It leans on a sandbox campaign layer where the world changes over time, with a simulated invasion that pushes human factions to react while conditions like seasons and a day night cycle shape how safe travel and recovery feel.
The player manages a roster of up to 20 crusader knights, then builds up a mobile camp that supports recruitment, healing, repairs, training, and long-term progression through upgradeable buildings.
Combat is tactical and party-based, built around positioning, ability timing, and character synergies, with slow-motion mechanics and a hard consequence loop where hits can lead to permanent death for a crusader.
Progression comes from attributes and skill trees, plus weapon-tied abilities with no fixed classes, so builds come from equipment choices and how active, passive, and semi-active skills connect. A demo is available on Steam, and the full release date is still listed as to be announced.
Blightstone
- Developers: Unfinished Pixel
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: January 20, 2026
- Steam Page
Another very interesting title set to debut this month is Blightstone. It’s a tactical RPG with roguelite progression that I’ve been playing heavily over the past few days, as I prepare a full review and some in-depth coverage for you in the next days.
The game by Unfinished Pixel, published with the help of Kepler Ghost, built around escorting an Earthglass Crystal toward the Infernal Rift so it can be used to shatter the Blightstone and take down the demon overlord Korghul.
Fights use free movement without a grid, so positioning is about angles, cover, traps, terrain, plus weather that changes how attacks land, with fog cutting visibility, rain boosting electric effects, and wind messing with accuracy.
Runs revolve around building a party from five classes, Brawler, Hunter, Arcanist, Druid, Priest, then stacking skills and status effects like bleed, poison, bind, stun, and burn while the crystal gets its own progression through gems and runes.
The current Early Access plan calls out three maps, five biomes, over 150 nodes, 10 crystal gems, 24 runes where you pick up to six at the start, 38 enemies, two mini bosses, three main bosses, 14 Continuum Forge upgrades, plus campfire nights with resource management and dark events. It is set to enter Early Access on Steam for Windows on January 20, 2026, and the demo is already available.
The Adventurers
- Developers: Eternal Vigilance Entertainment
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: Available in Early Access
- Steam Page
Another Battle Brothers–style title I’m keeping on the back burner, waiting to fully enjoy it once the complete version is ready, is The Adventurers. It’s an open-world sandbox RPG developed by Eternal Vigilance Entertainment, already available in early access, with a demo you can try as well.
Lead a party of hired heroes through a high fantasy open world that keeps throwing contracts, random events, and shifting threats at you. Combat focuses on terrain, positioning, and timing skills, spells, and class tools, so party composition matters when encounters scale up.
Outside fights, the game leans into the day-to-day grind of adventuring life, with character customization plus management of morale, health, and stamina while you chase quests for loot and reputation.
The current Early Access feature list includes three classes, a full level-up system, turn-based combat, and over 100 enemies, with the developer planning more classes, quests, items, and a much larger pool of events over time.
Of Grit & Graves
- Developers: Melted Monster Game Studio
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: May 1, 2026
- Steam Page
Another interesting one I strongly recommend trying is Of Grit & Graves, a turn-based tactical dungeon crawler from Melted Monster Game Studio that blends classic party-based RPG structure with dice-driven resolution mechanics.
You lead a party of four heroes, built around familiar roles like a front-line warrior, a support cleric, a backstab-focused rogue, and a spellcasting wizard, then push through procedurally generated dungeons where line of sight, range, locked doors, and hidden traps shape every turn.
Attacks and defenses come down to dice rolls, but the roll count is tied to attributes, so builds matter as much as luck, and you can choose between physics-based 3D dice or instant results to speed things up. Enemy behavior aims for threat-based targeting, with monsters reacting to who is hitting them hardest, while casters try to use spells tactically.
Between runs, the game sends you back to town to spend experience on stats, buy weapons and armor, equip relics with unique effects, and set a limited spell loadout before the next expedition, with the current feature set calling out seven dungeon environments and 120 quests. It is set to release on May 1, 2026, on Steam, with a demo available now.
Master of Piece
- Developers: I M GAME
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: Q1, 2026
- Steam Page
Next advice is, Master of Piece. A deckbuilding roguelite strategy game from I M GAME where your deck is a growing band of mercenary pieces moving through a medieval world covered in black mist.
Each fight starts with you spending action points to deploy units onto the field, then combat plays out automatically in Speed order, so positioning and setup decisions do most of the work. Builds come from recruiting new mercenaries, stacking relics, and combining traits, with each mercenary able to carry up to two traits that can chain into synergies once the battle starts.
The run is paced by building events that let you tweak the roster, plus choice-driven card encounters, while long-term progression comes from using run resources to expand an Outpost that grants permanent upgrades for future attempts.
The Early Access version is planned to ship with four regions, eight bosses, two commanders, and outposts, and it is currently set for Q1 2026 on Steam with a demo already available and a free prologue to test.
The Chronicles of Overlord
- Developers: Blind Archer Games
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: TBA
- Steam Page
The Chronicles of Overlord is a turn-based tactical RPG from Blind Archer Games where a resurrected necromancer called the Overlord tries to stop an ancient threat known as the Devourer by hunting down four legendary artifacts guarded by the rulers of the major peoples in a world at war.
Combat is a sort of puzzle where you must use heroes’ distinct skills and spells, while artifacts and potions act like swing tools for tough turns.
Varied mission design that asks for different approaches, plus character progression that lets you reshape roles as the campaign throws new enemy setups at the party. Story scenes and dialogue choices sit alongside faction-driven worldbuilding, and the visuals go for modern pixel art with dynamic lighting and spell effects. It is listed as coming soon on Steam, and a playable demo is available now.
Deep Fringe
- Developers: Bosoneon Studio
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: TBA
- Steam Page
An interesting title I’m keeping an eye on, one that, among other things, consistently delivers updates and devlogs, is Deep Fringe. A grim, hardcore tactical RPG set in a biopunk post-apocalyptic wasteland, built around turn-based fights on a grid where the environment is part of your toolkit.
Terrain can be modified, destroyed, or replaced, letting you play for height and tile effects, then shape lines of approach before enemies press in.
The campaign is built around expeditions into dangerous territories, rival factions, and story choices that let you form alliances or turn groups against each other as your path branches. Combat supports large units that occupy multiple tiles, plus squad building and gear upgrades that lean into heavy firepower when you want to brute force a turn.
It includes a graphical editor for creating levels, characters, and campaigns using the game assets, with sharing through the Workshop mentioned as part of the plan, and there is a Steam demo up now, while the Early Access release date is still listed as coming soon.
Plague Lords: Witch Hunt
- Developers: Red Unit Studios
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: 2026
- Steam Page
Among the most interesting indie strategy RPGs coming in 2026, Plague Lords is definitely one to watch. It’s a genre-blending project developed by Red Unit Studios, published by HypeTrain Digital, set in the mid-14th century, while the Black Death empties towns and a new infection spreads through a plague-hit barony.
You start as a scout squad sent to track a missing noble, then the game pivots into an open-world sandbox where you explore abandoned cities, farms, monasteries, and fortresses while growing a tent camp into a walled town with production buildings and defenses.
The roster is built from townsfolk with jobs and traits, and characters can train into leaders, specialists, and warriors through combat rather than being bought for gold, with permanent losses from injuries, infection, or fatal wounds keeping every fight expensive.
Loadouts depend on skills, so a hammer, bow, or heavy sword only works if a character can actually use it, and skill capacity is tied to intellect. The world regenerates each run, survival needs cover food, water, morale, and rest, and the day-night cycle affects visibility enough that torches matter. There’s a free prologue called Witch Hunt that you should absolutely try now.
Lootbound
- Developers: ArtDock
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: Q1 2026
- Steam Page
The final title worth mentioning in this early-January 2026 recap is Lootbound. A dark fantasy tactical roguelite from ArtDock that mixes turn-based combat with tight inventory decisions and a tabletop vibe, and it is built around runs where your party forms on the fly.
Each run begins with the Hero alone, then you move through a linear route with branching rooms where you pick risks and rewards, and companions join mid-run to turn it into a full squad that matters just as much as the Hero for your build.
Equipment is the core lever since an item only does anything when it is actually equipped, and gear choices change how the whole party behaves in fights. Items can create auras that affect nearby items of certain types, so one good setup can swing a run while a messy loadout can wreck it.
Progression happens inside the run through choices that unlock new skills, plus damage types that interact differently with enemy armor and health, letting you lean into armor penetration, armor destruction, attrition, or straight damage depending on what you draft.
Some rooms revolve around dice rolls where you choose both the reward and the difficulty, then live with the consequences if the roll goes bad. It is planned for release in Q1 2026 on Steam, with a Steam playtest sign-up already live.
These are just a few interesting titles pulled from the countless projects I keep an eye on. I hope I’ve given you some solid ideas and a few things to sink your teeth into over the weekend. As always, let me know what you think by reaching out on my social pages (where I personally do all the writing) and on the new Reddit channel, which has just passed a thousand members. Have a great weekend. Ciao
