We’re on to Part 2! There’s a little something for everyone here, including indie games we thought we might get in 2025, yet another game in a long-running series, and just about everything in between!
Exodus
Writeup by Audra Bowling
Exodus is a choice-heavy sci-fi RPG developed by former BioWare staff. In Exodus, players take on the role of the customizable Jun Aslan as he becomes the powerful Traveler, a pivotal figure in humanity’s fight for survival against entities known as the Celestials. With the Traveler’s assembled crew, you’ll uncover how time dilation and your choices impact the very fabric of the universe. The game looks to be a highly polished science-fiction epic, and the time dilation plot point is described as affecting both story and gameplay in creative ways. Exodus promises engaging combat that incorporates salvaged Celestial Remnant tech you can fuse to create new abilities and weaponry, alongside relationship-building dynamics, as well as a sprawling, constantly evolving narrative. This is an upcoming space adventure worth keeping an eye on!
Fable
Writeup by Jimmy Turner
It has now been over two years since the first trailer for Fable was revealed at the 2023 Xbox Games Showcase. Since that time, fans have learned little else about what to expect from the series’ first entry since 2012. Here’s what we do know: first, the game is being developed by Playground Games, the studio behind Xbox’s decidedly non-RPG series, Forza Horizon. Second, one of Fable’s lead writers is Andrew Walsh, a lead writer for Horizon: Forbidden West. That series has been an enormous success, despite being developed by a studio previously known for the decidedly non-RPG Killzone series (perhaps this is a precedent?). Third, this new Fable will be a reboot of the long-dormant series, which was once a flagship for Microsoft consoles. The limited gameplay footage available has provided a glimpse of both the action combat and British humor that the series has always done well. I am looking forward to playing a Fable title again. I just miss Peter Molyneux hyping it.
Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave
Writeup by Ben Love
Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave represents a clear inflection point for Intelligent Systems’ long-running strategy RPG series. Three Houses‘ fascinating world, compelling characters, and engaging plot structure split between four routes brought in new players, but the mechanics and map design lacked the finesse and complexity that make the series beloved to longtime fans. Engage, on the other hand, delivered some excellent mechanical changes and masterfully crafted maps and encounters, but the worldbuilding, story, and characters left much to be desired. My hope is that Fortune’s Weave will combine the best aspects of each Fire Emblem title on Nintendo Switch, and what little we know is promising. Fortune’s Weave is set in the same universe as Three Houses, but in a time period distant enough from the events of the former to have its own identity. The gladiator theme and small snippets of gameplay promise a new structure distinct from Three Houses‘ academy setting with some of the added mechanical complexity introduced in Engage. If that’s the case, Fortune’s Weave could easily be one of the series’ best entries.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails beyond the Horizon
Writeup by Audra Bowling
The Legend of Heroes: Trails beyond the Horizon continues the adventures of Van, Agnes, and the rest of the Arkride Solutions crew, set to bring them face-to-face with hidden truths that could potentially alter the entire Zemurian continent! In fact, we might even see trails that reach beyond the skies in this latest installment of Falcom’s traditional RPG magnum opus series. Trails beyond the Horizon brings back the polished gameplay of its Daybreak predecessors, alongside a multifaceted story that sees the return of not only the Calvard crew but also others from throughout the LoH: Trails lineup. I adore the entire Trails series and have a special fondness for the Daybreak games in particular, so The Legend of Heroes: Trails beyond the Horizon is my most anticipated upcoming release of 2026. I can’t wait to experience what lies beyond the horizon!
Mina the Hollower
Writeup by Tina Olah
A little white mouse with a red coat and a long whip may be a familiar sight for readers of our Most Anticipated lists, and indeed, Mina the Hollower has once again made it onto our latest. This eagerly awaited retro adventure from Shovel Knight‘s Yacht Club Games has already seen several delays, largely due to the game expanding far beyond its original scope. Will Mina’s whiskered face finally peek out from your TV (or computer) screens in 2026? I’d bet an entire wheel of cheese on it! The game is currently in its final stages of polish, so it shouldn’t be too long before this epic top-down adventure arrives. In the meantime, we can always return to Shovel Knight or Mina’s well-loved inspirations, including the Castlevania series and The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. Alas, none of these other titles feature mice in a lead role.
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection
Writeup by Audra Bowling
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is a monster-taming RPG with a traditional turn-based combat system, which isn’t surprising considering it’s the third installment of the spinoff series to Capcom’s acclaimed action RPG series Monster Hunter. Players take on the role of a customizable prince or princess who, instead of hunting the fearsome monsters that roam the lands, aspires to tame the creatures and ride them as a Monster Rider. I was pleasantly charmed by the heartfelt storylines of the first two Monster Hunter Stories games, finding their monster-taming gameplay and rock-paper-scissors take on combat extremely entertaining. Monster Hunter Stories 3 appears to up the ante in a lot of ways, given its presentation in trailers and what can be gleaned from currently released information, all while still hopefully managing to maintain the appeal of previous titles. I’m eagerly anticipating its upcoming release!
Nioh 3
Writeup by Zek Lu
Out of all the 2026 games announced so far, Nioh 3 is the one I’m counting the days for. Team Ninja’s action RPG combat has always been some of the best in the genre, and everything shown of Nioh 3 so far suggests the developers are pushing that gameplay even further. The new dual-style system lets you switch instantly between a heavy, stance-focused samurai form and a quick, tool-driven ninja form, and I cannot wait to see how those styles open new build paths. The larger field areas look like they will give encounters more room to breathe while still keeping the series’ signature close-quarters boss design. Early previews hint at yokai abilities with more flexibility, smoother Ki management, and more dynamic enemy patterns. If Team Ninja can balance its bigger scope with the precise combat that defined the first two games, Nioh 3 has a real chance to be the must-play action RPG of 2026.
Parasite Mutant
Writeup by Paul Skevington
1998’s Parasite Eve featured a unique horror setting with hybrid gameplay that trod the line between roleplaying and survival horror. Fans clamoured for more for decades, but Square Enix did not heed their call. Now, indie developer IceSitruuna seeks to fill that gap with the (ahem) legally distinct spiritual successor, Parasite Mutant. You play as Nova, a “Psionic Agent” investigating a dark island filled with what look like escapees from Resident Evil’s Raccoon City. The graphics have a nostalgic PS1 feel whilst still being attractively modern, especially when it comes to character design. It looks like the team put a lot of thought into the combat, which utilises an adapted version of the traditional ATB system of old. If they can conjure the creepy atmosphere Parasite Mutant needs and deliver an interesting plot on top of that, this could be the terrifying title we’ve been looking for.
People of Note
Writeup by Matt Wardell
At Tokyo Game Show 2025, I got some hands-on time with People of Note, developer Iridium Studios’ forthcoming turn-based musical RPG, and I was blown away by the strategic potential presented by even the early-game battle system. Despite the bright colours and loud, eclectic mix of musical genres in the fluidly shifting soundtrack, this is a thinking fan’s game first and foremost. Swappable abilities a la Final Fantasy VII’s materia system, timed attack inputs like those in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and a strong emphasis on turn order and buffing and debuffing means every encounter brings a lot to consider and, well, fret about. I also love the way each character represents their own musical genre and genre-focused city in the overall land of Note, which players will journey through in order to stop the mysterious, dark Harmonic Convergence. I’m personally looking forward to seeing how all of these gameplay and aesthetic elements harmonize when People of Note rocks and rolls onto PC, PS5, and Xbox Series next year.
Petal Runner
Writeup by Mike Salbato
Petal Runner‘s pastel-tinged Game Boy Color-style visuals are immediately charming, but the game’s charm goes beyond its looks to its slice-of-life story about growing up and taking care of your pets. The game’s open-world design lets you freely explore the sprawling city of Sapphire Valley as Cali and their first-generation HanaPat, Kira. Cali is a motorcycle courier called a Petal Runner who delivers Leap Cells, the flower-derived technology used to create HanaPets. These HanaPets serve as companions and even help with planning your day from their keychain, Tamagotchi-like home.
While developer Nano Park Studios has cited Pokémon as an influence—those Certification Badges won’t collect themselves!—Petal Runner aims for a more cozy and wholesome adventure. Even the inventive minigame-style “battles” are “designed to be nurturing rather than destructive, including pet care and bonding activities,” based on our own Mario Garcia’s Summer Game Fest 2025 hands-on preview. Fans of Pokémon with a soft spot for chunky GBC pixel visuals should keep an eye on Petal Runner!
