Best 28 RPGs of 2023

If you’re an RPG fan, you’ve probably been living for the genre’s more mainstream acceptance over the past decade. From real-time action RPGs to turn-based strategy games, there’s never a shortage of titles to sift through. Whether you’re a console or PC player, 2023 looks to be another exciting year for the genre from both Eastern and Western studios.

#28 Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince

Platform: Switch
Release Date: December 1, 2023

Nintendo

In Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince, you’ll see your protagonist get cursed! That’s bad! But what’s worse is that this curse prohibits them from fighting against the monsters he comes across directly. So what’s a protagonist to do? Well, he’ll need to capture some monsters and have them do the fighting! It should be easy, right?

Gather strong monsters, and then fuse them together to make even grander beasts! With an elf at your side, you might have what it takes to defeat those who cursed you! Or perhaps you’ll die trying. After all, these are monsters, and they don’t often play nice with others.

#27 My Time at Sandrock

Platform: PC PS5 Xbox One XSX|S Switch
Release Date: November 02, 2023

Steam | PlayStation | Xbox | Nintendo

If you enjoyed My Time At Portia, then you might enjoy the sequel installment. My Time At Sandrock is a similar gameplay experience to the first installment. Players here take the role of a builder, but rather than being in a more fruitful environment from the previous game, we’re in a desert oasis. This location is called Sandrock, and we’re left with a rundown town needing desperate care. That’s where you come along as the builder to help rebuild this town to its former glory. As before, you’ll be spending your time here making farms, gathering precious resources, crafting items, interacting with the townsfolk, and making Sandrock a modern oasis that will help recapture its glory. If you enjoy a more casual gameplay experience, you might find your time easily sunk into this game. 

#26 Lies of P

Platform: PC September 18, 2023
Release Date: PS4 PS5 Xbox One XSX|S September 19, 2023

Steam | PlayStation | Xbox

When a brutal and monster-filled city awaits you, you must do what you can to survive and not let monsters take your life. But it’s you who will determine what happens to your soul.

In Lies of P, you’ll play a very grim version of Pinocchio, who is woken up in a dark city with the desire to find Geppetto. But to reach them, you must weave your way through a dangerous place, which means fighting off those who stand in your way!

Your decisions can shape how Pinocchio fights and the weapons that he uses. Create the fighter you want him to be, and then see just how far you can push this puppet’s ability.

#25 Remnant 2

Platform: PC PS5 XSX|S
Release Date: July 25, 2023

Steam | Playstation | Xbox

Are you ready to once again help lead humanity against unbelievable foes? Remnant II follows up the hit co-op title that’ll put you and others in a fight for all of existence! We mean that literally as your foe wishes to destroy all of reality!

So yeah, you should probably stop them from doing that.

Whether you play alone or with others, you’ll outfit your character to be the best fighter they can be. Use new systems and a foray of weapons to take the fight to them. Don’t be afraid to mix and match what you can access, as it might be the key to taking down future foes!

#24 Dredge

Platform: PC PS4 Xbox One PS5 XSX|S Switch 
Release Date: March 30, 2023

Steam | Playstation | Xbox | Nintendo

You might not think that a game like Dredge would feature RPG elements. After all, it bills itself as a type of fishing game. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t RPG elements for you to partake in here.

For example, on your quest to capture fish, you’ll partake in quests from the locals. When you complete them, you’ll uncover the area’s lore and what makes this place so mysterious.

Plus, like an RPG, there are monsters to “take care of.” Specifically, at night, massive beasts from below will rise as you try to get special catches. If you’re not careful, you’ll be sunk.

Not to mention, you can upgrade your boat to handle these dangers! So yeah, it’s an RPG.

#23 Persona 5 Tactica

Platform: PC Xbox One XSX|S Switch
Release Date: November 17, 2023

Did you see this coming? Few did, which makes Persona 5 Tactica a unique title that many will want to get once it comes out to console and PC.

The game will bring back the beloved Phantom Thieves and throw them into an unknown realm where an oppressive regime is ruling over its people with an iron fist. That’s where you come in. You’ll be pulled into a revolution via a woman named Erina, and you’ll make a deal with her to free everyone.

A turn-based tactics RPG awaits you in this new world. But will the story play out like you think it will?

#22 Atlas Fallen

Platform: PC PS5 XSX|S
Release Date: August 10, 2023

In many cultures, the gods are the beings that people worship because they are kind and help the land they live in grow and prosper. But in Atlas Fallen, the gods have long since forsaken the people. They are corrupted, and it’s time for them to be forgotten so humanity can thrive on its own.

You’ll take up the challenge and go across the land so you can fight monsters and gain their essence. By doing that, you can choose the path of your powers and become the fighter you wish to be! As you do so, you can create weapons that change based on your needs for battle.

Will you be able to lift humanity up from the sands?

#21 Bleak Faith: Forsaken

Developer: Archangel Studios
Publisher: Archangel Studios
Platforms: PC
Release: March 10, 2023

What happens when you’re placed in a world where humanity is on its last legs? You seek the truth and hope to find the answers you desire.

In Bleak Faith: Forsaken, you’re put into a world where only pockets of humanity are left. Within the Omnistructure, not everything is as it appears. You’ll need to be careful with how you move, how you fight, and what you explore if you wish to make it out alive.

Tough fights await you as you explore. You must be sure-footed and aim for the enemy’s weak spots to take them down. Even when you know how to beat them, doing so will be difficult.

#20 Miasma Chronicles

Developer: The Bearded Ladies
Publisher: 505 Games
Platforms: PC PS5 XSX|S
Release: 2023

Are you ready to play Elvis? No, not that Elvis!

In Miasma Chronicles, the world as you knew it was taken over by a force called the Miasma. Through that, life changed in an instant.

Enter Elvia, a young boy taken to a small town by his mother and watched over by a robot he calls his “big brother.” She left a glove to Elvis that lets him control the Miasma, and now the two brothers must journey across the world to figure out what happened to her.

Use your glove to fight off enemies and improve the skills of you and your brother so you can survive what’s to come!

#19 Stray Blade

Developer: Point Blank Games
Publisher: 505 Games
Platforms: PC PS5 XSX|S
Release: April 20, 2023

There is a legend of a land that once held great beings of power but eventually fell into ruin. You were able to find this place but at a terrible price. What was that price? You died—end of story.

Except it wasn’t because that land brought you back to life and bound your essence to it. If you wish to escape, you must free the land from its current state and defeat those that roam it.

What turned this place into a war-torn wreck? You’ll explore the island to find out, and with each secret you uncover, you’ll learn the truth about what is happening. But be ready for combat! You will face numerous enemies and have to be quick and precise to survive.

#18 Octopath Traveler II

Octopath Traveler 2 will take place in a new world, and will feature 8 new characters with 8 very different stories to tell. From a dancer wanting to bring joy to the world, to a scholar seeking vengeance on the man who ruined his life, to a cleric trying to find her lost memories, all will be told here.

What’s more, the game is promising not only even more refined graphics, but more interaction between the 8 heroes than we got in the first game. Add that to a familiar yet fun battle system and Octopath Traveler 2 is a game you will want to pick up.

#17 Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection

• Developer: Capcom
• Publisher: Capcom
• Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4
• Release date: April 14, 2023

Mega Man fans might have somehow let the tactical role-playing Mega Man Battle Network spinoffs slip by them. If that’s the case, Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection might be worth a look. Featuring six numbered titles, with the latter four having two versions ala Pokemon, the compilation includes all 10 Mega Man Battle Network games. This collection also includes the obligatory art gallery and music player modes for those that find themselves invested in the series’ soundtrack and art design.

#16 The Lords of the Fallen

• Release date: October 13, 2023
• Publisher: CI Games
• Developers: Defiant Studios, HEXWORKS
• Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 5

In The Lords of the Fallen, you’ll play as a new Dark Crusader a great many years after the first set of wars felled the Demon God. However, their efforts weren’t enough to stop things from continuing in certain directions. As such, the Demon God is close to being resurrected!

You must travel between the worlds in order to stop this, and forge your own path of justice and destruction in order to ensure that the world is at peace at last. If you’re a fan of souls-like gameplay experiences, this might be a game you’ll want to check out today.

#15 Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

• Developer: CD Projekt Red
• Publisher: CD Projekt Red
• Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC
• Release: TBA 2023

When CD Projekt Red unveiled Cyberpunk 2077, they promised that it would be a transformative and genre-defining RPG title. Whether it’s honestly been that for you or not will depend on how you personally have experienced the game, as well as what platform you played it on.

Now that the game has turned itself around, you can check out the first and only expansion to have released, Phantom Liberty. This is a DLC set up to be a “spy thriller”, and it’s actually set in the middle of the base game campaign. Players will get a brand new area called Dogtown to explore, new characters to meet, quests to take on, and we can’t forget to mention new gear along with cyberware.

#14 Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty

• Developer: Team Ninja
• Publisher: Koei Tecmo
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
• Release date: Early 2023

When it comes to Team Ninja, you know you can expect intense action titles against mighty foes to test you to the brink and beyond!

If you’re up for such an experience, check out Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty! The game puts you in the Three Kingdoms period, back in the Han Dynasty. But this is no golden age! Instead, it’s an age of chaos and darkness as the land is being ripped asunder by forces beyond human comprehension.

You are a militiaman returning to China and must rise up to free the land from this darkness. The more you fight, the more you will unlock special powers to help carry you through the struggles ahead!

#13 Sea of Stars

• Developer: Sabotage Studio
• Publisher: Sabotage Studio
• Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
• Release date: August 28, 2023

Sea of Stars is a prequel to The Messenger, which was a retro-inspired sidescroller. Shifting genres for the latest entry in this universe, Sea of Stars takes inspiration from games like Chrono Trigger. Even Chrono Trigger composer Yasunori Mitsuda has had a hand in this game’s soundtrack. While turn-based, Sea of Stars still demands some dexterity. Players are able to time their actions to in-game animations for boosts such as increased damage to foes while reducing oncoming damage. If you’re a fan of the classic era of RPGs, then you have to give this game a shot. It’s certainly gained quite a positive attention online since it released earlier this year.

#12 For the King II

• Developer: IronOak Games
• Publisher: Curve Games
• Platforms: PC
• Release date: November 2, 2023

For The King II is a turn-based roguelike with heavy tabletop RPGs underpinnings. This is communicated through exploration, which resemble pieces moving along a board. Many other elements such as combat are determined by a dice roll, just like with real tabletop RPGs. Most crucially, For The King II features the same online four player co-op as its predecessor. When playing with people, you can choose to team up or go your separate ways.

#11 Darkest Dungeon II

• Developer: Red Hook Studios
• Publisher: Red Hook Studios
• Platforms: PC
• Release date: May 8, 2023

Even among the faithful RPG aficionados, Darkest Dungeon II is not for everybody. This turn-based roguelike series is known for its status effects and stress system. These effects include a range of buffs and debilitations that can considerably change the tide of battle. As for the stress system, if you’re not providing the proper care, party members can suffer from heart attacks mid-battle. Each dungeon excursion in Darkest Dungeon II is a war of attrition.

#10 Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society

• Developer: Nippon Ichi Software
• Publisher: NIS America
• Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
• Release date: February 14, 2023

Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society is the spiritual follow-up to 2018’s Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk. As such, you should expect first-person dungeon crawling and intense stat crunching. This franchise is not for the faint of heart. Its unconventional party system is referred to as a coven. Each coven has its own party within called a pact, meaning you end up managing progression for up to 15 characters at once with different stat growths, stances, and other factors. If it’s anything like its predecessor, Labyrinth of Galleria is the kind of game for people that love constantly deliberating over stats and making difficult decisions.

#9 Persona 3 Portable

• Developer: Atlus
• Publisher: Atlus, Sega
• Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PSP, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
• Release date: January 19, 2023

Persona 3 introduced the social link system to the franchise. Forming bonds with characters leads to bonuses for your Persona depending on which confidant that character was tied to. Much of the level grinding associated with RPGs can be circumvented through careful social link management. When not experiencing a typical high school day, you’re scaling the massive tartarus dungeon. Unfortunately, this version removed the full 3D exploration in the real world and told its story in a visual novel format. However, Persona 3 Portable also added an optional female protagonist path, along with the ability to directly control party members for the first time.

#8 Persona 4 Golden

• Developer: Atlus
• Publisher: Atlus, Sega
• Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
• Release date: June 13, 2023

Persona 4 Golden follows in the same direction as Persona 3. You’re still a high school student that has to manage relationships, meanwhile engaging in turn-based battles when the time calls for it. Persona 3 was criticized for its sole tartarus dungeon, with every procedurally generated floor looking the same as the last. While Persona 4‘s dungeons still use procedural generation, there is more than one dungeon. Luckily, each includes different themes ranging from a bathhouse to an 8-bit video game.

#7 Super Mario RPG

Platform: Switch
Release Date: November 17, 2023

Nintendo

Given the characters involved, you might find it hard to picture Super Mario RPG as a “traditional” JRPG. But when you play the original or the recently released remake, you’ll see exactly why it fits that mold.

First off, it’s classic turn-based gameplay with you having a team of characters and trying to use their abilities to get past the bad guys. Second, it has levels to explore, bosses to fight, and an over-the-top storyline about a “gang” made up of weapon-style characters taking over the Mushroom Kingdom!

So you need to save the day, and that’s definitely a JRPG thing. So jump on in and start your adventure! 

#6 Baldur’s Gate 3

• Developer: Larian Studios
• Publisher: Larian Studios
• Platforms: PC, PS5
• Release date: August 3, 2023

Who’s ready for a classic RPG-style adventure in the realm of D&D? If so, then create your character and start your quest in Baldur’s Gate 3!

The game, which continues the grand legacy that came before it, will put you in the Forgotten Realms as a character of your own design! But just as important, you can embrace a dark power within you or fight it and do what you feel is best for those around you.

Once you make your early choices, you’ll gather up a party of characters and travel the land! You’ll fight evil, make choices that’ll affect the realm, travel to your heart’s content, and possibly romance some characters along the way.

#5 Hogwarts Legacy

• Release date: February 10, 2023
• Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
• Developer: Avalanche Software
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows

How many of us have dreamed of being at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? The Harry Potter books and movies painted a lovely canvas of what it would be like to be there, and through certain games we got to play as Harry Potter in his journey through the school.

But in Hogwarts Legacy, we get to finally make our own journey! We’ll be our own witch or wizard, get to be in a house that best suits us, go to class, learn all sorts of spells, interact with magical creatures, and more! Explore the school, the nearby villages, and prepare for whatever danger may come roaming your way.

#4 Diablo IV

• Developer: Blizzard Entertainment, Vicarious Visions
• Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
• Release date: TBA 2023

Diablo was one of the progenitors of building a game around progression via an in-depth loot system that keeps players hooked past the main story. The darker tone and art style should satiate fans that were unhappy with Diablo III‘s Warcraft-like aesthetic. Additionally, it is the first truly open world installment in the series. Since it has released, the developers have supported it with seasonal content which means you’ll be sticking around into the Sanctuary for a long time to come. Prepare to spend countless hours clearing dungeons, making new builds, and battling off demonic scum.

#3 Final Fantasy XVI

• Developer: Square Enix
• Publisher: Square Enix
• Platforms: PlayStation 5
• Release date: Summer 2023

Typically, if we mention Square Enix and note they’ve made another RPG, you’ll know what to expect. It’ll be a kind of turn-based affair or one that has similar RPG elements that you can easily fall into.

But with Final Fantasy XVI, the game has literally been changed. Instead of those familiar mechanics, the game’s team wanted to give a more intense action-packed feel and turned it more into an action RPG. You’ll wail on your opponents until they fall or turn into a beast known as an Eikon and unleash monstrous fury on your enemies!

Adding that to a deep story with great characters gives you a title you won’t want to miss out on.

#2 Starfield

• Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
• Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
• Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X/S
• Release date: Q1/Q2 2023

When it comes to Bethesda, they know how to make titles that will engage your desire for action while also ensuring that you have to think strategically as you go forth. In Starfield, the action will take you to the stars above and to numerous planets.

Whether you’re on a mission to get something done or fighting off pirates in deep space, the action can come in from all sides and at any moment. So you’ll want to build your character and ship to be everything you need to be to survive.

Or, you can simply ignore the action and focus on other things. The game gives you the option to do that.

#1 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

• Developer: Nintendo
• Publisher: Nintendo
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch
• Release date: May 12, 2023

The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild remains one of the most critically acclaimed games of all time. Aside from being a true open world, Breath of the Wild also provided the opportunity for true systemic interactions. Physics objects, tools, and abilities could be combined in non-conventional ways to defeat enemies, solve puzzles, and reach new areas.

It’s been a long time coming, but The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom has come. The game takes place not long after the fall of Calamity Ganon. Link and Zelda unleash the power of Ganondorf, and Hyrule is ripped apart as a result.

Separated from one another, Link must use new powers to travel across this new version of Hyrule and save the day!

The game will have many new gameplay elements to try and whole new layers to explore in Hyrule. What secrets are hidden in the Sky Islands? What awaits in the underground sections of the realm?

What is Ganondorf’s true plan? Play the game and find out!

Disclaimer: This article was updated on 12/12/23 as we continue to adjust this list with new entries or remove games due to delays or failure to captivate audiences.