All through 2024, it felt as if a brand new amazin RPG was proper across the nook at each second. The 12 months kicked off with a bang when Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth launched simply earlier than Persona 3 Reload confirmed us why the unique is a timeless story. And we solely needed to wait till February to return to Remaining Fantasy VII when Rebirth expanded the horizons of a beloved basic.
These might have been the headliners early within the 12 months, however Unicorn Overlord labored its manner into our hearts with its fascinating artwork fashion and tactical depth, earlier than Dragon’s Dogma 2 proved why the cult basic deserved a sequel. It was greater than sufficient to carry us over till the large hitters like Metaphor: ReFantazio and Dragon Age: The Veilguard landed towards the tip of the 12 months, exhibiting how two iconic RPG growth groups can forge a brand new path in their very own methods.
It was a humiliation of riches for the RPG sickos right here at IGN, particularly contemplating the aforementioned video games weren’t the one RPGs that caught with us all year long. We will solely spotlight a handful of them, nonetheless, so right here’s our checklist of one of the best RPGs of 2024.
Honorable Mentions
Two RPGs from this 12 months obtained an Honorable Point out, which we might like to focus on earlier than moving into our runner-up and winner.
You possibly can spot a Vanillaware recreation from a mile away due to its painterly artwork fashion and expressive anime-inspired character designs. It is what provides Unicorn Overlord such a definite fantasy aesthetic, however it’s the distinctive combine of real-time technique and tactical gameplay that makes it stand out amongst a sea of nice RPGs. Creating squads composed of totally different lessons and deploying them strategically crammed that Ogre Battle-sized void in our lives, and exploring the overworld to construct up cities that be a part of your trigger introduced all its mechanics collectively. Its story of political drama has intriguing twists and turns, however it’s the squad members we made alongside the best way that left an enduring impression in Unicorn Overlord.
Regardless of it partly being a Hawaiian getaway for the crew from RGG Studio’s RPG debut Yakuza: Like A Dragon in 2020, the follow-up Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth was fairly heavy. It’s an examination of household, legacy, and what you do with the time you will have left. Collection-long protagonist Kazuma Kiryu teaming up along with his successor in Kasuga Ichiban made for a wonderful passing of the torch. I got here for the detailed and nuanced recreation of Waikiki, however it’s the bittersweet and galvanizing moments in Infinite Wealth that reminded us why there’s simply nothing just like the Yakuza franchise.
Runner-Up: Dragon’s Dogma 2
Many would contemplate the unique Dragon’s Dogma from 2012 a cult basic for the methods it thrusts you right into a harsh fantasy world with little or no to information you. And the sequel in Dragon’s Dogma 2 didn’t overlook that. Capcom didn’t sand off the sides, streamline programs, or make its darkish world any extra inviting, and that’s why it was in a position to stand out in 2024 regardless of being one of the largest years for the style.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 is all about its natural emergent moments. There’s a important quest to observe, of course, however NPCs will faucet you for sidequests and also you by no means know what you run into alongside the best way. Its mechanics could appear inelegant, however after giving it time, you notice how versatile and deep it’s from a gameplay perspective, particularly when you grasp how reactive the in-game physics are. The Pawn system provides one other layer, letting you customise your personal AI-controlled get together members, or borrow members from others on-line to make the goofiest band of heroes. Dragon’s Dogma 2 isn’t a clear expertise and it thrives off of a novel friction that’s powerful to search out in video games today. If you mirror on how a lot work you set into surviving in its large and harsh world, the consequential world-altering occasions and its message are nothing brief of awe-inspiring.
Runner-Up: Remaining Fantasy VII Rebirth
After enjoying Remake in 2020, it felt as if there have been countless potentialities for what the remainder of Remaining Fantasy VII would appear to be for a brand new era. Stepping out into the Grasslands for the primary time in Remaining Fantasy VII Rebirth, when Aerith takes within the scenic view and exhibits pleasure a few world price preventing for, captures the precise feeling. The musical motifs performed on our nostalgia and the recreation of its unique world was undoubtedly spectacular whereas evoking a way of wistfulness – it felt like Remaining Fantasy VII grew up with us.
We now have our qualms with how Rebirth ends and units up half three on this remade trilogy, however that doesn’t essentially outline all the recreation. Tucked inside its reinvention of the present story are moments that elevate beloved characters to really feel like model new heroes who’ve impressed us in new methods. Its open areas are a wonderful growth of the unique’s overworld, and so they’re full of issues to try this are sometimes extra than simply busy work – and don’t ask us about what number of hours we sunk into the brand new card recreation Queen’s Blood. In lots of respects, Rebirth related us to a world we thought we knew on a deeper stage – it made for one of the 12 months’s greatest RPGs and it has us extremely longing for what’s subsequent.
Runner-Up: Dragon Age: The Veilguard
It’s been 10 years since Dragon Age: Inquisition, and the best way wherein sequence followers have been thirsty for something associated to Dragon Age in that point was wild to see. With a tumultuous growth cycle, it’s form of a miracle that The Veilguard exists in any respect, however it turned out to be a worthy successor and one of one of the best RPGs of the 12 months. By way of the lens of Rook, our new customizable protagonist, we get to select up on the story of Solas that left us hanging from Inquisition and its DLC. But, The Veilguard was nonetheless in a position to set up a brand new course that stayed true to the core ideas of a sequence so steeped in its personal lore. Its hotter tone is probably not what you bear in mind from earlier Dragon Age video games, however you roll with a celebration full of vivid personalities who create a way of objective reminiscent of the BioWare video games of yore.
Fight can be acquainted for anybody who has performed a contemporary motion recreation with out sacrificing the type of depth you’d anticipate from an action-RPG. Each class feels nice to play and retains a novel playstyle whereas being viable – which is essential contemplating you solely management Rook all through the sport. Whereas your get together members nonetheless play an essential function in fight, it is their presence and the place you stand with them that makes the journey price seeing via. Both manner, you’ll be handled to some nice conclusions that present how The Veilguard carves its personal path with confidence.
Winner: Metaphor: ReFantazio
With a pedigree of the final three Persona video games, I got here into Metaphor: ReFantazio with excessive expectations, and even then, developer Atlus discovered a option to exceed them. To name it fantasy Persona isn’t essentially inaccurate (and is a fairly good indication of what you’re moving into), however that may additionally undersell the nuances that make Metaphor one of the best RPG of the 12 months.
Utilizing the context of a each day calendar system, Metaphor wields acquainted mechanics to usher you thru its fantasy political drama. Deciding the best way to spend your restricted time makes these selections intriguing, whether or not it’s spending time with followers to stage up bonds, discover dungeons for sidequests, or higher your self by growing advantage stats – it’s the small moments like these that join you to its world on the bottom stage. That’s the social sim component that leaves you naturally invested, and it provides its large moments extra weight. So, once you see a personality overcome their trauma or push themselves to do what’s proper, it feels prefer it comes from a real place.
Greater than something, Metaphor is the sport of the second. It doesn’t shrink back from themes similar to racism, inequality, spiritual extremism, and abuse of energy and demonstrates an understanding of the fabric it is working with via a strong story. Each character, each bond and follower, and each main story beat feeds right into a considerate illustration of our actual world, exhibiting us the ugliest elements of humanity but additionally what it takes to create a brighter future. Metaphor may be very upfront about its message from starting to finish, and but, what it says in regards to the energy of fiction is perhaps probably the most inspiring half of all of it. There’s simply nothing like Metaphor: ReFantazio, and it represents one of the best of what video games can provide, particularly in 2024.