2023 sure has been a year in video games, hasn’t it? We’ve had a brand new mainline Final Fantasy game, an iteration on arguably the most popular Zelda game, and a game that quickly ascended to conversations about the best games ever. Let’s not forget the mound of other excellent games that came out this year, and we’ve been absolutely delighted here at RPGFan with the release slate.
But it doesn’t look like 2024 is going to let up. In the next few months alone, we have enough big releases to fill most years. So, as we were discussing the games we’re most excited for this year, we struggled to get our list down to just 30, but we (mostly) got there.
So, here we are presenting our 30 (ish) RPG and Adventure games we’re most excited about. We have three full pages of games, so be sure to check them all out!
What are you most excited to get your hands on this year? Are there any big titles that we missed? If so, be sure to let us know on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Discord, or however you most enjoy interacting with us!
Intro by Zach Wilkerson
Another Code: Recollection
Raise your hand if the reveal of Another Code: Recollection in the last Nintendo Direct caught you off guard. I’d wager that remakes of Trace Memory (Another Code: Two Memories in Europe) and Another Code R: A Journey Into Lost Memories weren’t on anyone’s bingo cards at the time, but here we are.
Another Code: Recollection marks the return of Cing, a small studio responsible for a string of moody, ethereal adventure games in the ‘00s that were like nothing else at the time. While critically lauded, Cing never attained financial success and closed its doors in 2010, its oeuvre fading into obscurity.
The extent to which Cing’s former staffers are involved is unknown. Why Nintendo greenlit this in the first place is also unknown. Like the adventures of protagonist Ashley Mizuki Robbins, the circumstances behind Another Code: Recollection are mysterious and inviting in equal measure.
Writeup by Gio Castillo
Avowed
When folks think of the best Fallout game, it usually isn’t the name “Bethesda” that comes to mind.
Obsidian Entertainment’s Fallout: New Vegas is rightly considered to be one of the best Western RPGs ever made, and since then, they’ve continued to release incredible CRPG experiences, including The Outer Worlds, Tyranny, and the Pillars of Eternity series. And now, they might be eating Bethesda’s lunch yet again with the first-person fantasy RPG, Avowed.
Set in the same world as Pillars of Eternity, Avowed looks to offer a rich roleplaying experience with incredible levels of character customization, complex relationships with companions, and deeply immersive storytelling. With many hoping that Avowed will be Obsidian’s version of Skyrim, the expectations are unbelievably high. But if there is one developer that usually manages to meet the expectations of discerning RPG fans, it’s Obsidian Entertainment!
Writeup by Jonathan Logan
Clockwork Revolution
The understanding that popped into many viewers’ heads when watching the Clockwork Revolution reveal trailer was: “Bioshock Infinite but RPG.” Based on the limited details we have so far, this seems pretty accurate. My general cynicism towards recycled video game ideas would normally reject this premise, but there’s an underlying glimmer of promise there. Bioshock Infinite put players into an aesthetically remarkable steampunk city driven by a story about time-bending metaphysics and the corruption of glorified nationalism. Yet, this was ultimately all window dressing for an action game about shooting cops and robots in the face.
The promise of Clockwork Revolution is to give players some agency to engage with and reshape the visually extravagant and politically tumultuous metropolis of Avalon more deeply. The core mechanic driving this is the ability to travel to critical moments that have defined Avalon’s history and make decisions that will have a butterfly effect on its (r)evolution—while still making some time to shoot cops and robots in the face.
Writeup by Aleks Franiczek
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake
It’s been two and a half years since Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake was announced, and we remain hopeful that it will finally release in 2024. Admittedly, there are games on this list with more drawn-out release announcements, so perhaps it won’t. Maybe Square Enix wants to keep it in its dungeon for a bit longer. However long it takes, we can rest assured that this will be a high-quality remake, as Square Enix have yet to miss the mark with an HD-2D release.
Fans looking for a fix of turn-based combat along with the birth of Dragon Quest’s character class system have a lot to look forward to here, and it’s a possibility that Square Enix are waiting for the proper release window to ensure maximum visibility. Triple-A classically-styled games are becoming less common, so this beautifully crafted game is high on many RPGFans’ watchlists.
Writeup by Sam-James Gordon
Dragon’s Dogma 2
It’s been 11 years since the original Dragon’s Dogma title launched. Since the only other releases in the series are Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen, a DLC-inclusive re-release, and a short-lived Japan-exclusive MMORPG titled Dragon’s Dogma Online, fans have been champing at the bit for a new game. Capcom recently revealed the release date for Dragon’s Dogma 2 — March 22nd, 2024 — and have been marketing the game heavily for quite some time now.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 promises to continue the unique gameplay systems of its predecessor, with the player taking control of the eponymous Arisen and their loyal army of Pawns. The main character is accompanied by an AI-controlled and character-created Pawn that can be shared online for other players to use, and I’ve yet to see a similar system in any other game. In conjunction with the beautiful open world and engaging action combat, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is assured to be a unique and fascinating game.
Writeup by Sam-James Gordon
Dungeons of Hinterberg
Deep within the Austrian Alps lies a magical tourist village named Hinterberg, drawing adventurers from all over to visit the spas, enjoy the snowboarding, and explore the many, many dungeons.
A seemingly Zelda-inspired action RPG, Dungeons of Hinterberg follows tourist and law trainee Luisa through a beautiful alpine wonderland filled with puzzles, platforming, combat, and quality hot tub time. Spend the day exploring unique biomes with their own monster-filled dungeons, then head back to town to relax and make friends with the locals. Socializing also has benefits, granting you new skills and important information; you’ll even have the chance to befriend a cute dog!
The game’s cel-shaded graphics are simply stunning; picture a mix of Level-5 RPGs, Made in Abyss, and the detailed art of Jean “Mœbius” Giraud. It’s an impressive-looking debut for Austrian indie team Microbird; both cozy and awe-inspiring! Expect this beautiful adventure on Steam and Xbox Series X|S consoles in 2024!
Writeup by Tina Olah
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
It’s coming! It’s finally coming!
Ahem. You’ll have to excuse my excitement, but I’ve been positively buzzing for years now, eagerly awaiting the release of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes. Even the delay to 2024 did nothing to dampen my excitement. Why wouldn’t I be excited? A spiritual successor to the Suikoden series, notably I and II, headed up by the series creator? With that information alone, Hundred Heroes would be my most anticipated game of the year. But the fact that we’ll have large armies to recruit and all the other trappings we love from Suikoden just pushed it over the top. The prequel game, Rising, while slight, was fun in its own regard and set the stage for an engaging political story; in other words, precisely what we Suikoden die-hards want.
Oh, but have you seen it in action? I get a feeling this one is going to be special, folks, and April can’t come soon enough.
Writeup by Zach Wilkerson
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC
Wherever the light of the Erdtree’s grace exists, there is also shadow. And in the shadows under the Erdtree in Elden Ring dwells Miquella, child of the game’s final foe, Marika, and both progenitor and protester of the Erdtree itself.
In this DLC’s solitary piece of key art (above), we can see Miquella riding the player’s steed to a shriveled, ashen Erdtree through the graves of Haligtree soldiers. What are the implications of this shot? I am unsure, but it certainly seems like endings which see the Erdtree burned and the Golden Order dismantled are canon in this DLC, and the shadowy “threat” to the wellbeing of the Lands Between has moved from its underground to its surface as the Erdtree’s grace fades.
It looks like this DLC will take a darker approach to the game’s aesthetic, and I am excited to see where this goes. If the scope and reputation of the original are any indication, this will be an enormous and compelling addition to the base game, and an unmissable addition to any Eldie fan’s library.
Just remember: your choices will shape the future of all who dwell in the shadow of the Erdtree.
Writeup by Noah Leiter
Fable (Reboot)
A highlight of the Xbox Games Showcase in June was the first significant look at the Fable reboot (which I refuse to call Fable 4 unless the working title changes). The game is being developed by Playground Games, best known as the studio behind Forza Horizon. They may seem like an odd choice of developer for an open-world RPG, but there was a time before Horizon that Guerrilla Games was known strictly for Killzone, so…
If the trailer is a good indication of the final product, Fable will still be full of the wit and British-style humor that gave the original games their charm. By all accounts, the game looks to retain its core of open-world exploration and action RPG mechanics. Xbox has been hit or miss as of late with first-party titles, but I am cautiously optimistic that Fable will be a success and introduce a new generation of fans to the world of Albion.
Writeup by Jimmy Turner
Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time
Fantasy Life for the Nintendo 3DS was, at the time, a unique mashup of class-based gameplay with an action combat system, but to explain it so simply doesn’t do it justice. Think Final Fantasy XIV — the player has access to “life skill” classes as well as combat classes, aptly named Lives. Lives have a wonderful synergy with each other but are also a chore to level individually. We’re hoping Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time introduces some quality of… life… features to freshen things up. My brain amazes me.
New features introduced so far include customising an island with houses, furnishings, and terraforming similar to Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Level-5 could be onto a winning formula by fleshing out the Life system with more extensive ways for the player to live out their very own fantasy existence, and with the release delayed to 2024, we hope to hear more information soon!
Writeup by Sam-James Gordon
