30 BEST RPGs of 2022

Check out this list if you’re after some video games to really sink some time into. We’re going to highlight the absolute best upcoming RPGs that we can’t wait to dive into. Some of these games were unfortunately delayed out of 2021. However, that means 2022 should be filled with quite a few exciting releases. Likewise, some games will be available on PC, last-generation consoles, and the latest-generation platforms.

Disclaimer Update: Diablo 4, Hogwarts Legacy, Final Fantasy XVI, Starfield, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2, Palworld, Forspoken and Lost Souls Aside removed due to being pushed to 2023.

#30 Mount & Blade II Bannerlord

Developer: TaleWorlds
Publisher: TaleWorlds
Platform: PC PS4 Xbox One PS5 XSX|S
Release date: October 25, 2022

Are you ready to fight for medieval glory? Mount & Blade II Bannerlord lets you create a character to bring to an established world and then enables you to go about it as you wish!

Your ultimate goal is to raise your clan’s worth to the highest in the land. But how you go about that is up to you. For example, will you raise a vast army to take out those that stand in your way? Or will you pursue politics to ensure you have the support you need to support your claim?

Perhaps trade is how you’ll gain favor. All of these options are available to you and more! The game notes that no two playthroughs will be the same, so why not partake in this medieval adventure?

#29 Persona 5 Royale

Developer: ATLUS
Publishers: SEGA
Platforms: Microsoft Windows Xbox One
Release: October 21, 2022

Fans of the Persona franchise were thrilled when Atlus announced they would finally bring Persona 5 Royale to multiple platforms. It had previously only been available on PS4. But now, you can get it on the Xbox One and PC.

The game focuses on a group of teens who can go into people’s hearts and rid them of the darkness within them. Alongside their Personas, they’ll fight monsters and overcome the challenges put in front of them.

The game is super stylish and is hailed as one of the best RPGs of recent years. So if you haven’t had the chance to play the game yet, now is the time!

#28 20 Minutes Till Dawn

• Developer: Flanne
• Publishers: Flanne, Erabit, Erabit Studios
• Platforms: Android, Microsoft Windows
• Release: June 7, 2022

What if we told you that you could beat this game in 20 minutes? Now what if we told you that you would be very lucky to be able to last twenty minutes in this game?

20 Minutes Till Dawn puts a fun twist on roguelike titles by putting you in an arcade-style universe where you will face a swarm of enemies that will bombard you for twenty straight minutes. You’ll get to choose the character to be in your ship and then use their special abilities and gain upgrades as you fight in order in take down all the enemies.

Will you be able to survive? Can you last the full 20 minutes? You’ll find out when you play…

#27 Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga

• Developer: Dancing Dragon Games
• Publisher: Freedom Games
• Platform: Microsoft Windows
• Release: June 10, 2022

The world of Tahnra has been beset by war for a very long time, and just when it seemed that via a new ruler that things would be well, the princess was captured and the conflict started anew.

You are a graduate from a military academy who is sent to go and get her back and dispel the rebellion that has now started. But doing so will be anything but easy as this 30+ hour campaign will reveal to you.

Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga isn’t just an RPG though, it’s a squad tactics RPG. You’ll not win through strength of arms, but strength of strategy. Meet heroes of all types and get them to help you so that your army can grow, then save the world, if you can.

#26 King Arthur: Knight’s Tale

• Developer: NeocoreGames
• Publisher: NeocoreGames
• Platform: Microsoft Windows
• Release: April 26, 2022

The legend of King Arthur is well known, as he is felled by his traitorous former knight in Mordred. But, Arthur was able to slay him with his final breath, ending both their lives.

However, King Arthur: Knight’s Tale tells a different ending to this legend. As the Lady in the Lake has resurrected Mordred to redo what he had done before: kill Arthur.

King Arthur was resurrected in Avalon, but he fell into madness and now has infected the land with monsters. Mordred must assemble his own group of knights to once again slay the kind, and save the land.

A deep and dark RPG awaits you, so be mindful of how you play…

#25 Citizen Sleeper

• Developer: Jump Over The Age
• Publisher: Fellow Traveller
• Platforms: Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
• Release: May 5, 2022
  

Erlin’s Eye is a space station in ruins, and yet, it’s home to thousands of people who are just trying to survive while also being on the edge of a capitalist empire in space.

You are a “Citizen Sleeper”, a consciousness that just so happens to be within a robotic human-shaped shell. You were made by a corporation, and yet you fled them and reached this station to hide. Now, you must live amongst the people, find out how to survive, and make sure you last until the next cycle beings.

This narrative RPG has a unique feel and setting to it, so you’ll want to explore it all and keep yourself sharp for all that might come your way.

#24 Expeditions Rome

• Publisher: THQ Nordic
• Developer: Logic Artists
• Platform: PC
• Release Date: January 20, 2022

Expeditions Rome puts you in the heart of Rome during their most powerful times, and as Legatus, you will do what you must to both make yourself stronger, and make Rome an unstoppable force on the battlefield and on the world stage.

You’ll travel with various companions with various backstories, all the while building up your character and weaving through a world of military might and political intrigue.

With three different war campaigns to lead, you’ll find there’s plenty of actions to do. And how you handle yourself on the battlefield will affect the people’s view of you and Rome itself.

How will you lead? How will you conquer? You’ll find out once you take the first step to glory.

#23 Harvestella

• Developers: Square Enix, Square Enix Montreal
• Publishers: SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD., Square Enix
• Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch
• Release: November 4, 2022

Harvestella is a very unique kind of game that blends grand-scale RPG mechanics and storylines with the farming mechanics that many have come to enjoy across numerous franchises.

In the title, you play as someone who awakens into the world and learns of the dangers of a death cloud known as Quietus. Every change of the season it comes, and lingers, and kills both people and plants alike with its touch.

When it’s gone, you must grow your own plants and food in order to survive, then, travel the land to meet allies and learn the truth about the Quietus! Where will your journey end? You’ll have to play to find out.

#22 Thymesia

• Developer: OverBorder Studio
• Publisher: Team17
• Platforms: Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 5
• Release: May 2, 2022

There once was a grand kingdom that started to have problems, to try and solve those problems, they turned to the ancient “art” of alchemy. Eventually, the people became addicted to the art, and the sacrifices that were made were too great, and the kingdom tried to stop its use.

But the backlash from it was great, and the kingdom soon became infected with monsters of alchemic origins.

Now, the only hope lies in that in the being known as Corvus. But their memories are scattered across the land, and only with them all can things return to what they once were. Go on a journey to collect the memories, and unveil the truth behind all that has happened!

#21 Guild Wars 2: End of Dragons

• Developer: ArenaNet
• Publisher: NCSOFT
• Platforms: Microsoft Windows, macOS
• Release: February 28, 2022

Guild Wars is one of the longest-running MMORPGs out there, and for good reason, and with Guild Wars 2, they just got their 3^rd major expansion back in February via End of Dragons.

In the game, the titular “age of dragons” seems to be waning, and as a result, forces converge to either end it fully, or try to restart the cycle.

As per the usual with expansions like this, you’ll find yourself with large new quests to do, as well as new classes, weapons, skills and so on. And as if that’s not enough, you’ll get a new mount that’s a freaking giant turtle!

#20 Elex II

• Developer: Piranha Bytes
• Publisher: THQ Nordic
• Platforms: PC, X/S, PS4, PS5, XBO
• Release: March 1, 2022

If you enjoyed Elex, a 2017 action RPG release, then you might find some interest in a sequel. The original installment had some mixed reviews, but the sequel takes place after the first game’s events. Jax once again has to fight for peace across the land when a new alien threat has invaded. However, the only way Jax will be able to defeat this new power is by uniting the different factions. Again, this is another action RPG experience focusing on several choices and consequences. Depending on your choices, NPCs can decide to leave your party, get killed, or recall what you have done in the past when new aid is requested.

#19 Steelrising

• Developer: Spiders
• Publishers: Nacon, BIGBEN INTERACTIVE
• Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 5
• Release: September 8, 2022

Set in an alternate history, Paris is once again under the threat of revolution, but not in the way you know. This time around, King Louis XVI has garnered an army of mechanical machines to do his bidding, and the people are suffering as a result.

Enter the Aegis, a machine of grand design that was first built to go and protect the queen, but now, you’ll wield this masterful machination in order to try and save Paris from itself. Each fight will test you as you’ll need both skill and precision in order to overcome.

Meet legendary figures from history, and determine the fate of Paris and France via your mechanical hands.

#18 Babylon’s Fall

• Developer: PlatinumGames, Square Enix
• Publisher: Square Enix
• Platforms: PS4, PS5, PC
• Release: March 3, 2022

Babylon’s Fall might have gone a bit under the radar for some, but the game is gearing up for its release. This is a fast-paced action hack and slash game. If you’re familiar with PlatinumGames, then you know this is where they shine. These are the folks behind games like Nier: Automata and Bayonetta. Overall, the game is centered around a massive tower called the Ziggurat, where characters strive to reach the top. It’s a brutal battle as players will have to scale the countless floors to reach the summit. Fortunately, you’ll get some freedom in weapons and gear you choose to take with, although weapons can eventually be depleted, so players will have to be mindful of their gear and ensure that it can hold up long enough to get through certain battles.

#17 My Time at Sandrock

• Developer: Pathea
• Publishers: Pathea, DMM GAMES Limited, PM Studios
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows
• Release: May 26, 2022

My Time at Sandrock is very much like a certain other game in My Time in Portia.

This time around, you’ll be a builder who is sent to a place called Sandrock, 300 years after a calamity wiped out all modern technology. As a result of this, you’ll need to work hard with your tools in order to rebuild Sandrock into the thriving city that it once was.

Start small, then build your way up. After that, go and explore the world around the city, interact with NPCs to get more of the story and form relationships! There’s also combat and mini-games for you to do, so no matter how you want to play, My Time at Sandrock is ready for it.

#16 Marvel’s Midnight Suns

• Developers: Firaxis Games, Virtuos
• Publisher: 2K Games
• Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows
• Release: 2022

Marvel’s Midnight Suns is very much a title for those who are “in the know” about how Marvel Comics is with their crossovers. Long story short, this is a crossover title when the heroes come together to face a paranormal and downright demonic threat. And as you can see in the trailers for the characters, their looks and even abilities at points have been altered from the “standard model” so that they can handle these new threats.

A unique card battling system will be in play here, so you’ll want to do your best in order to stack the deck in your favor, and take down the enemies ahead.

What set of heroes will you choose to save the world?

#15 Valkyrie Elysium

• Developer: Solei
• Publisher: Square Enix
• Platforms: PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 5
• Release: November 11, 2022

Square Enix has not been shy as of late to go and bring forth all sorts of RPG adventures for gamers to have fun with. And Valkyrie Elysium is an example of that in the grandest of ways. Because here, they’re continuing the Valkyrie line of titles with a new 3D adventure that promises to be something special.

You’ll play a Valkyrie who is tasked with trying to stop Ragnarok from wiping out everything, and the world itself is starting to crumble as it looms large. You’ll have help in your epic combo-driven fights though, as you’ll have access to the spirits of warriors whom you’ve ferried to the afterlife to help you on your way!

With great visuals and soundtrack backing it up, this will be a game you’ll want to try out.

#14 Triangle Strategy

• Developer: Square Enix, Artdink
• Publisher: Square Enix
• Platforms: NS
• Release: March 4, 2022

Triangle Strategy might be of interest if you enjoy classic turn-based tactical RPGs. This is an upcoming game from Square Enix. Overall, this is a period fantasy game that follows a fictional continent under war. Three countries have taken up arms with each other over the scarce resources found within the area. Players will be following Serenoa Wolffot as they manage to get through the ongoing battles. So far, the game looks to play around with the different environments you’ll venture through. Each will apparently alter the characters’ attributes and abilities, which may limit attack power or movement range.

#13 Outward Definitive Edition

• Developer: Nine Dots Studio
• Publisher: Koch Media
• Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 5
• Release: May 17, 2022

There are all kinds of exploration games out there, but Outward Definitive Edition is one of the more expansive ones you will find. Mainly because it has a lot of content for you to partake in, and there are many ways to survive in this world.

As you are an ordinary being in this world, you must look across the lands for resources and things to use in order to build and survive the dangers that are out there. You can eventually find a town to go and help and make your own part of history.

Add to that, there’s a magic system that’s almost ritualistic in nature. So go, explore, build, create, survive. Whatever it takes.

#12 Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

• Developer: Game Freak
• Platform: Nintendo Switch
• Publishers: Nintendo, The Pokémon Company, Nintendo of America Inc.
• Release: November 18, 2022

With each generation of Pokemon, new advancements and evolutions (pun intended) happen and make the game better. For Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, the leaps that they’re taking here could forever augment how we perceive Pokemon titles.

That’s due to the fact that like the spinoff title Pokemon Legends Arceus, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are going to have an open-world feel to the game. While we haven’t been able to experience it in full, Arceus did it quite well, and Scarlet and Violet will likely advance it farther than that.

Plus, for the first time, we have two new professors, each ones tied to a particular game and legendary Pokemon. Not to mention, you still gotta catch’em all! So getting this game is a must for Pokemon fans.

#11 Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak

• Developer: Capcom
• Publishers: Capcom, Capcom U.S.A., Inc.
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows
• Release: June 14, 2022

There have been a LOT of people enjoying Monster Hunter Rise ever since it came out on the Nintendo Switch, and then was ported to the PC.

But now, with Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, you’re going to have all new lands to explore and all new challenges to take on! And trust us when we say that these are going to be very worthy challenges for you.

Because in the game, you’ll be summoned to a whole new land to stake on a grave threat amongst a new set of monsters. You’ll have new quests to go on, new armor and weapons to collect, and playing with friends is encouraged!

#10 Gotham Knights

• Developer: WB Games Montréal
• Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
• Platforms: Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows
• Release: October 25, 2022

While not an RPG in the traditional sense, Gotham Knights is a title with RPG elements. In the game, Batman has been killed by the Court of Owls, and to take his place, Nightwing, Batgirl, Red Hood and Robin must rise up.

This is where things take an RPG turn, as you’ll be able to pick and choose which character you play as during each mission. Then, you can guide their growth via a skill tree of sorts to make them play the way you want.

Given that every characters’ interaction with the villains will be different, that’s basically four different storylines for you to enjoy. So who will you pick first to go save Gotham?

#9 Pokemon Legends: Arceus

• Developer: Game Freak
• Publisher: Nintendo
• Platforms: NS
• Release: January 28, 2022

There is a brand new Pokemon game coming out next year from Game Freak’s development team. This new upcoming installment is Pokemon Legends: Arceus, and so far, fans have been expecting an extensive new experience. This game is set long ago within the Hisui region before it was known as the Sinnoh region. Players are dealing with a slightly new take with the game, putting our protagonist in a period before there were Pokemon Leagues. In this game, you’re venturing out into the world, looking to study the different wildlife. This time around, you can also attempt to catch a Pokemon freely in the open by throwing a Pokeball before entering into a battle phase.

#8 Gordian Quest

• Developers: Mixed Realms, Swag Soft Holdings Pte Ltd
• Publishers: Mixed Realms, Coconut Island Games
• Platform: Microsoft Windows
• Release: June 23, 2022

A great evil has swept the land, and as a result, those of cowardly and vile natures are trying to overtake it all. You are one of the last remaining heroes, and must go on a quest to stop the evil from spreading further, and save the land!

Gordian Quest is a tribute game of sorts to the old-school titles like Ultima, while also having its own thing going on via a deckbuilding battle mechanic. You’ll assemble a group of heroes across a 4-act campaign and work with them in intense battles that’ll test your skills and strategies. Then, you’ll need to forge bonds between these heroes to help them grow stronger.

#7 Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin

• Developer: Team Ninja
• Publisher: Square Enix
• Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, XBO, X/S
• Release: March 18, 2022

Ninja Theory has been around since the 1990s, and they have delivered Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Nioh, and in 2022 we’re getting a Final Fantasy game from them. It looks like this will be a fast-paced action RPG where we’re getting a new interpretation of the first Final Fantasy game released. So far, what little information is known, we’re following a group of characters that have popped up in this fantasy world.

With a legend telling of warriors coming in to stop Chaos and its legion, our group of protagonists begins their uphill battle to cleanse the world. While this game is throwing players back into the first installment setting, this is not to be confused with a remake. Instead, this is a new storyline that will showcase some of the developer’s inspirations from the first installment. As a result, there might be familiar themes, but overall it’s a darker take than what the original developers initially brought out.

#6 Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade

• Developer: Square Enix
• Publisher: Square Enix
• Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5
• Release: June 17, 2022

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is a VERY long name for basically saying this is the “definitive edition” for those who are just now getting a chance to get the title on places like the PC.

Because within Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade you’re going to find two things. The first thing is that of the main FFVII Remake which shocked the world by how great it was when it came out on PS4. But also within the game is the Yuffie side story that was tacked on to the main game afterward.

So that means in this one title you’ll have even MORE things to do as you prepare for the Rebirth sequel that might come next year…or might suffer a series of delays. Just saying…

#5 Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands

• Developer: Gearbox Software
• Publisher: 2K Games
• Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, XBO, X/S
• Release: March 25, 2022

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is a new spin-off installment from the Borderlands franchise. However, even though this is a spin-off to the Borderlands franchise, you don’t have to play these Borderlands titles. Instead, players can still freely enjoy this game without any issues, and it will be a bit different. We’re following the chaotic young girl from Borderlands 2, Tiny Tina, through a fantasy adventure with this game. Players will still have some firearms to use, but there are also more melee and magical spells to use against your enemy. Like with Borderlands, players can also expect a ton of loot to acquire and seek out. Currently, the game is slated to launch in March of this year, so more information about the game narrative and features should soon make its way out. Although, if you would like a small taste of what this game will be like, there is Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep: A Wonderlands One-Shot Adventure. This is the standalone DLC from Borderlands 2 that featured Tiny Tina, to begin with.

#4 Xenoblade Chronicles 3

• Developer: Monolith Soft
• Publisher: Nintendo
• Platforms: NS
• Release: July 29, 2022

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 in many ways is the culmination of everything that Monolith Soft has been building ever since the first game was brought over from Japan onto the Wii.

The game focuses on six characters who are part of a war between nations that seemingly has no end in sight. But when they learn the truth about how their nations and entire lives are being manipulated, they strive out on a quest to try and stop this from continuing.

You’ll have a massive RPG adventure ahead of you, with a world apparently five times the size of the previous entry! Add that to a deep battle system and you’ll be enjoying this game for some time.

#3 Dying Light 2: Stay Human

• Developer: Techland
• Publisher: Techland
• Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, XBO, XSX/S
• Release: February 4, 2022

Dying Light was a big zombie game hit when it launched back in 2015. It had a parkour-style element to it which players could quickly traverse around structures as they battle against undead hordes. However, its sequel has been in development for quite a while at this point. We’re still waiting on the game and, hopefully, we’re going to receive it this year. From what we know so far, this title takes place over a decade after the first game’s events, with the zombie plague proving to be disastrous around the world.

Players are essentially one of the least safe cities, which is not only in a threat of the undead beyond the walls but the fact that there are conflicting factions within the city limits itself. Gameplay will mainly be the same as the last installment. Still, the developers have expressed that this game will feature quite a few choices throughout the campaign, which will have significant consequences, so we’re interested in seeing how extensive the consequences go in this game when it releases. Likewise, parkour and combat have been enhanced so you could likely string together a series of attacks while vaulting around the open-world map.

#2 Horizon Forbidden West

• Developer: Guerrilla Games 
• Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Platforms: PS4, PS5
• Release: February 18, 2022

One of the more popular exclusives for the PlayStation 4 was Guerrilla Games Horizon Zero Dawn, an open-world action RPG that follows a young woman named Aloy. In this series, the game is set in the distant future where humanity has fallen, with large mechanical beasts taking the role of apex predators. What’s left of mankind has turned into small tribes that live in fear of these mechanical monsters. Aloy was born as an outcast, and uncovering the truth behind where she came from and why she was outcasted is her main journey in the first installment.

In this latest game, it looks like Aloy has set her eyes upon exploring the western outskirts that expand onto the Pacific Coast. It’s here that she learns a new plague is killing humans and the vegetation. Players will need to find a way to save humanity once again, but in this journey, there will be new mechanical foes and hostile human factions that have found a way to take control of these beasts. This game is currently available for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, but you might recall that Horizon Zero Dawn was released on PC a few years after its launch on the PlayStation 4. No statements indicate that will happen for this sequel, but it’s something you may want to look out for.

#1 Elden Ring

• Developer: FromSoftware
• Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
• Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
• Release: February 25, 2021

FromSoftware is a big game development studio that brought out the infamous Souls franchise. The game series is not only challenging but incredibly popular, and they recently brought out a new game, Elden Ring. This is another brand new action RPG being developed under game director Hidetaka Miyazaki. Likewise, another credible name has given fans some interest in this game, and that’s author George R.R. Martin, who is stepping in to expand the game’s lore. If you’re not familiar with the name, George R.R. Martin is responsible for A Song of Ice and Fire, adapted to the hit premium HBO series, Game of Thrones.

The duo brought out a new fantasy setting where players will be going through an open world Souls-like video game. Being developed by the creator behind the Souls series, you can expect some tough battles, but it does look like there are some areas that FromSoftware is hoping to feature in this game that wasn’t present in past titles, such as using mounts to traverse the world. You’ll have the open world, more freedom to complete objectives and some challenging gameplay throughout the campaign.