I feel that 2024 was one of the strongest years for RPGs and puzzle adventure games in recent memory, and as a result I played way more new video games than I originally planned to, enough for a list of my ten favorite RPGs released in the calendar year. Missed Connections Black Myth: Wukong, Dragon… Read More »
Best Stylish Action RPG/Gambling Simulator: Wuthering Waves Punishing: Gray Raven is easily one of my favorite mobile games, so I was over the moon when an official PC client released. Once developer Kuro Games announced their follow-up to PGR and revealed it to be an open-world action RPG, I was in… Read More »
Best Older RPG that I Played (For the First Time) in 2024: Linda³ Again Playing Linda³ for the first time today feels like NieR went back in time and had a child with EarthBound. This is the best way I’ve been able to convey what makes this PSX boundary-pusher such a special game. I’d heard chatter… Read More »
For me, it’s easily Metaphor: ReFantazio… To be frank, I was not particularly excited for Metaphor: ReFantazio even when it emerged from the ether after many quiet years following its announcement. I didn’t follow the pre-release cycle closely and only maintained the faintest interest because my f… Read More »
The 2024 RPG I Played in 2024 Award: Unicorn Overlord The Ogre Battle series, particularly Person of Lordly Caliber, is a series that has moved and inspired me more than most. The notion of a similar game, given Vanillaware’s signature treatment, is quite a nice prospect. Unicorn Overlord does not q… Read More »
Let’s be honest: 2024 was one of the fullest, most complete years for RPGs in history. Whether you were looking at the AAA space (ahem, me), more independent offerings, or really anything between, there was a lot for everyone. That also means that I played several more games released this year… Read More »
Year-on-year, I seem to be getting busier and busier with my non-gaming pursuits. In 2024 I started a new job, alongside rehearsing for my 4th theatre show in a 12-month period, so you’d think I’d pick shorter games to play. Perhaps this is where I learn something about myself. Perhaps I am a masoch… Read More »
We’re on to part 2! There are plenty of excellent remasters here, an early game that might have been in Games of the Year if the full one wasn’t releasing next year, and at least one game in a long running franchise that is so unbelievable that it’s downright perfect. Go to Part 1 Go to Part 3 Fable… Read More »
Here we have some remasters that this author might be chomping at the bit to play, new entries in some long-running franchises, and some indie releases we’re chomping at the bit to play. We also have a couple of late bonus entries that we just had to include! Go to Part 1 Go to Part 2 Monster Hunter… Read More »
Origins is so much more than just board gaming with strangers and buying the latest and greatest. You can meet your favorite designers and chat with them! Imagine going to ye olde E3 and having a chance to talk with Hideo Kojima or Shigeru Miyamoto. With a wealth of guests and board gaming celebriti… Read More »
Do you enjoy tea? What about escape rooms? Interested in the logistics of actually manufacturing a game? What about LGBT non-profits and queer friends who play and make games? Origins has all of that and more. Tea Punk Teas In years past when we’ve covered Origins, we discussed the odd and novel bus… Read More »
A Message From the Stars I must have been sleeping on AllPlay pre-pandemic, or they’ve just grown tremendously since then. Initially a luxury board game table developer, AllPlay has leaned heavily into publishing board games that they describe as “approachable and easy to learn,” which I agree with,… Read More »
I’m a medium-to-heavy board gamer. I don’t turn my nose up at any game, but if I had my way, I’d be chompin’ on an intense, complex, multi-hour battle for first place. That said, short, snappy games have their place, especially depending on who I have over. 5-Minute Dungeon contributes nicely to a s… Read More »
And now we’re on to part 2 (games ranked 17th through 9th on our list). A couple of series have multiple entries here, but each game is very different. Check them out! Go to Part 1 Go to Part 3 #17 Undertale Writeup by Tim Rattray The PS4 has many great RPGs, but I’d wager that none were more influe… Read More »
And we’ve come to the end of our list! While there will be some surprises, the top of this list is very good and showcases just how excellent the PS4 library is! Go to Part 1 Go to Part 2 #8 Disco Elysium Writeup by Aleks Franiczek Disco Elysium is, first and foremost, a PC game, heralding back to t… Read More »
Page 1 Page 3 Flammie (Secret of Mana) Writeup by Patrick Gann Lifting the spin drum into the sky and giving it a sharp turn, the Mana Beast, Flammie, descends to sweep up you and your two companions. Goodness gracious, I always loved calling upon this lovable cutie as the ideal mode of transportati… Read More »
Page 1 Page 2 Nidhogg (Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward) Writeup by Zach Wilkerson We had a hard time deciding on the best dragon from Final Fantasy XIV. There’s certainly no shortage of excellent dragons, but even amongst them, Nidhogg soars above the rest. In many ways, Nidhogg becomes the tem… Read More »
Best Game of 2023 (That I Played): The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom When The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was released in 2017, it was heralded as one of the greatest Zelda games of all time, if not one of the greatest GOATs, period. Knowing everyone was eagerly awaiting word of the… Read More »
My Top 5 RPGs: 5. The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie Trails into Reverie reignited my passion for The Legend of Heroes: Trails series, making me extremely excited for what’s next. I adore its characters and story resolutions, and give special kudos to protagonist C for phenomenal character de… Read More »
Proof That Giving Gust Time and Money Is a Great Idea of the Year: Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key Ever since 2019’s Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout reignited the Atelier series, the Secret (Ryza) sub-series saw drastic improvements from one entry to th… Read More »
In 2023, I found myself most inspired by games with excellent writing. That is how I arrived at my top three picks for the year: Top 3 Games of 2023 Hush Hush – Only Your Love Can Save Them On its surface, Hush Hush appears to be a “fanservicey anime schlock” visual novel based on characters from an… Read More »
I’ve played so many stone-cold classics for Retro Encounter over the years (Mother 3, NieR: Automata, and even Disco Elysium) that it’s hard to pick a favorite. But I can confidently say that Bloodborne belongs in the same conversation. It’s been a bit of an odd year for me with many life changes —… Read More »
I had a difficult 2023 for several personal reasons, but finding excellent new RPGs to play was never a challenge. I’d love to talk about a few of them; first a few honorable mentions, then my six favorite 2023 RPGs. Missed Connections: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Baldur’s Gate III, D… Read More »
Hello, RPG friends! This year, I continued my grand tradition of playing short, 5 to 20-hour games, mostly on Steam and Xbox Game Pass. Below are some of my top choices from 2023, featuring new games and backlog classics! Best Fairytale World: Ravenlok In the ninth month of 2023, I wandered through… Read More »
Every year, I find myself behind in gaming. Not to say I haven’t played any games released in 2023, but I’ve found progress slowed by the number of amazing games over the past several years. TOO MANY GAMES! Unfortunately, several 2023 games will also spill over into my 2024 backlog. I will try my be… Read More »
RPGFan uses cookies to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.