PAX Aus: Top 5 RPG Games

The whirlwind phenomenon of PAX Aus took over the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre this past weekend, mesmerising video game enthusiasts mind, body and soul. There was a fine collection of role-playing games to tuck into, including Capcom’s beautiful Monster Hunter: World, and Hand of Fate 2, the riveting fantasy sequel to Hand of Fate.

Ticket to Earth

Developer: Robot Circus
Publisher: Robot Circus
Platform/s: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android
Release: Out now

As a team of confirmed perfectionists, Robot Circus has spent two years cooking up a solid tactical experience fans of both comics and the RPG genre can enjoy. The fruits of their labour is Ticket to Earth, a vibrant, turn-based, episodic tile-matcher that pits you up against mutants, robots and criminals. Ticket to Earth began as a “crazy 4am vision” and evolved into a playable prototype. You play as Rose, a serendipitous warrior who must engage in an epic sci-fi battle to collect matching tiles, power up abilities, but most importantly, overthrow a corrupt government before everything she loves is lost. Robot Circus says an Android version of Ticket to Earth will be releasing in the next few weeks, and that the game’s tactile nature lends itself very well to the mobile realm.

Monster Hunter: World

Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Platform/s: Windows, PS4, XB1
Release: 2018

Now just a couple of months away from release, Monster Hunter: World is shaping up to be a positively breathtaking open-world adventure. Playing as a bulked up champion, you go trekking through the New World, a thriving ecosystem of exotic wildlife that can be hunted, trapped, or observed from a distance. The latest installment in the series looks gorgeous and controls pretty smoothly to boot. PlayStation 4 players have first dibs with a beta launching on December 9.

Odd Gods

Developer: Inn Between Worlds
Publisher: N/A
Platform/s: PC
Release: TBA

Pulsating with nineties goodness and dazzling animations, Odd Gods takes you on an isometric odyssey through space-time. Using every last ounce of might and magic, development team Inn Between Worlds explodes into the fantasy RPG scene with tactical combat, discovery, and the chance to transform yourself into an almighty deity.

Hand of Fate 2

Developer: Defiant Development
Publisher: Defiant Development
Platform/s: Windows, Mac, Linux
Release: November 7

Creative director Morgan Jaffit tells me Hand of Fate 2 is “much bigger” than the original Hand of Fate. It’s also Defiant Development’s equivalent of The Witcher 3, which is definitely saying something. This time around, the game’s focus sticks closely to deckbuilding, but still evokes “the right atmosphere” in the battleground. Hand of Fate 2 scales back on the grind and infuses gameplay with more surprises, 22 different challenges, and switched up mechanics. Jaffit thinks it will give fans a place to let their imaginations run wild.

YIIK: A Postmodern RPG

Developer: Ackk Studios
Publisher: Ysbryd Games
Platform/s: Windows, Mac, PS4, Nintendo Switch
Release: 2017

In development for several years, YIIK: A Postmodern RPG takes place before the millennium strikes, and chronicles the events following the disappearance of one Sammy Pak. It’s unclear how she’s been sucked into a supernatural netherworld, but it’s your job to save her. Mimicking the style of Japanese RPG campaigns, YIIK offers 25 hours of fully-voiced singelplayer heaven, puzzle filled dungeons, and an unforgettable soundtrack featuring the likes of Toby Fox (Undertale) and Hiroki Kikuta (Secret of Mana).