Throughout 2024, it felt as if a brand new amazin RPG was proper across the nook at each second. The yr 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 Final Fantasy VII when Rebirth expanded the horizons of a beloved basic.
Those might have been the headliners early within the yr, however Unicorn Overlord labored its method into our hearts with its fascinating artwork type 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 top of the yr, displaying how two iconic RPG improvement 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 can solely spotlight a handful of them, nevertheless, so right here’s our record of one of the best RPGs of 2024.
Honorable Mentions
Two RPGs from this yr acquired an Honorable Mention, which we might like to focus on earlier than entering into our runner-up and winner.
You can spot a Vanillaware recreation from a mile away due to its painterly artwork type and expressive anime-inspired character designs. It’s what provides Unicorn Overlord such a definite fantasy aesthetic, however it’s the distinctive mixture of real-time technique and tactical gameplay that makes it stand out amongst a sea of nice RPGs. Creating squads composed of various lessons and deploying them strategically stuffed that Ogre Battle-sized void in our lives, and exploring the overworld to construct up cities that be 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 way in which that left an enduring impression in Unicorn Overlord.
Despite 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 moderately heavy. It’s an examination of household, legacy, and what you do with the time you’ve left. Series-long protagonist Kazuma Kiryu teaming up together with his successor in Kasuga Ichiban made for an exquisite passing of the torch. I got here for the detailed and nuanced recreation of Waikiki, however it’s the bittersweet and provoking 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 neglect that. Capcom didn’t sand off the sides, streamline methods, or make its darkish world any extra inviting, and that’s why it was capable of stand out in 2024 regardless of being one of many greatest years for the style.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 is all about its natural emergent moments. There is a essential quest to observe, in fact, however NPCs will faucet you for sidequests and also you by no means know what you run into alongside the way in which. 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 celebration members, or borrow members from others on-line to make the goofiest band of heroes. Dragon’s Dogma 2 will not be a clear expertise and it thrives off of a novel friction that’s robust to search out in video games lately. When you replicate on how a lot work you set into surviving in its huge and harsh world, the consequential world-altering occasions and its message are nothing in need of awe-inspiring.
Runner-Up: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
After taking part in Remake in 2020, it felt as if there have been countless prospects for what the remainder of Final Fantasy VII would seem like for a brand new technology. Stepping out into the Grasslands for the primary time in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, when Aerith takes within the scenic view and reveals pleasure a couple of world value combating 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 Final Fantasy VII grew up with us.
We have our qualms with how Rebirth ends and units up half three on this remade trilogy, however that doesn’t essentially outline the whole 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 an exquisite growth of the unique’s overworld, they usually’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 many respects, Rebirth linked us to a world we thought we knew on a deeper degree – it made for one of many yr’s greatest RPGs and it has us extremely anticipating what’s subsequent.
Runner-Up: Dragon Age: The Veilguard
It’s been 10 years since Dragon Age: Inquisition, and the way in which by which sequence followers had been thirsty for something associated to Dragon Age in that point was wild to see. With a tumultuous improvement cycle, it’s sort of a miracle that The Veilguard exists in any respect, however it turned out to be a worthy successor and probably the greatest RPGs of the yr. Through 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. Yet, The Veilguard was nonetheless capable of set up a brand new path 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 filled with vivid personalities who create a way of objective paying homage to the BioWare video games of yore.
Combat will probably be acquainted for anybody who has performed a contemporary motion recreation with out sacrificing the sort of depth you’d count on from an action-RPG. Every class feels nice to play and retains a novel playstyle whereas being viable – which is vital contemplating you solely management Rook all through the sport. While your celebration members nonetheless play an vital function in fight, it is their presence and the place you stand with them that makes the journey value seeing via. Either method, 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 technique to exceed them. To name it fantasy Persona isn’t essentially inaccurate (and is a reasonably good indication of what you’re entering into), however that might additionally undersell the nuances that make Metaphor one of the best RPG of the yr.
Using the context of a day by day calendar system, Metaphor wields acquainted mechanics to usher you thru its fantasy political drama. Deciding how you can spend your restricted time makes these selections intriguing, whether or not it’s spending time with followers to degree up bonds, discover dungeons for sidequests, or higher your self by rising advantage stats – it’s the small moments like these that join you to its world on the bottom degree. That’s the social sim factor that leaves you naturally invested, and it provides its large moments extra weight. So, if you see a personality overcome their trauma or push themselves to do what’s proper, it feels prefer it comes from a real place.
More than something, Metaphor is the sport of the second. It doesn’t draw back from themes equivalent to racism, inequality, non secular extremism, and abuse of energy and demonstrates an understanding of the fabric it is working with via a robust story. Every character, each bond and follower, and each main story beat feeds right into a considerate illustration of our actual world, displaying us the ugliest elements of humanity but additionally what it takes to create a brighter future. Metaphor could be very upfront about its message from starting to finish, and but, what it says concerning the energy of fiction may be probably the most inspiring a part of all of it. There’s simply nothing like Metaphor: ReFantazio, and it represents one of the best of what video games can supply, particularly in 2024.
