The 10 best RPG games of 2026 so far, ranked

Every year, there are always so many fantastic RPGs being released. So, 2026 is sure to be great too. In fact, it's already been a strong year for the genre. There are also action-RPGs, turn-based RPGs, and a notable CRPGs.

So, there has been a very different range. Plus, they come from a range of different developers, from big triple-A studios to small indies. Here are the best this year has to offer so far.

10

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection

Monster Hunter Stories is a sub-series of the main Monster Hunter series. The third, Twisted Reflection, lives up to the quality of the first two, meaning it's an exceptional RPG.

You play as the captain of the Rangers, who are dedicated to protecting the monster ecosystem. So, despite the word 'hunter' in the title, you don't just kill animals. You are helping them and teaming up with some to take on other creatures. When it comes to taking on other creatures, you do so carefully in turn-based combat where your monsters play a big role. You also fly around the world on monsters. Therefore, the animals in this game contribute a lot to the whole experience.

9

LumenTale: Memories of Trey

It's fair to say that Lumentail: Memories of Trey is heavily influenced by Pokémon. After all, this is a creature collection game where you fight and capture small creatures using other small creatures. In this game, these monsters are called Animons.

Despite borrowing heavily from another famous game series, it's still a really solid title with well-designed creatures and fun turn-based combat. Plus, the story makes for an interesting story about an amnesic cyborg trying to remember his past.

8

Neoh 3

Nioh 3 puts you in control of Tokugawa Takechio, who travels back in time to stop the evil that is corrupting Japan. This means you will travel through different times and meet some important historical figures, which is great.

However, the combat is where the game really shines. This is a Souls-like game, so expect a lot of dodging and aggressive enemies. The fight goes much deeper than that, though. The best part of this is your ability to switch between samurai and ninja fighting styles. The former is doing more damage to you, while the latter is more about mobility. You can easily switch between them, meaning you're ready for every type of battle. This is one of the really good soul-like games.

7

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond The Horizon

Technically, The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon was originally released in 2024, but only in Japan. The rest of the world had to wait until 2026 to experience this RPG. It was worth the wait, as it's a solid entry in both The Legend of Heroes series and the Trails sub-series.

The game includes characters from previous titles and places them in a story centered around a place called Zemuria and its people's first journey into space. The story is great, though it requires knowledge of the previous entries to truly appreciate it. As it is told from the perspective of three different characters, it enhances the storytelling. The gameplay is also decent, as it combines real-time action with turn-based combat. It's very different from what most other RPGs offer, but it's fun.

6

A man of note

Not only is People of Note different from all the RPGs released in 2026, but it's also different from most RPGs released in other years. The game puts you in the shoes of a pop star trying to make a name for herself in this fantasy world that revolves around music. So, she travels to different parts of the world to find people for her band.

Creating your own musical group isn't just your thing, as there are plenty of fights to be involved in as well. These battles are classic turn-based skirmishes. However, they feel like a musical performance where you have to perform certain attacks to the beat to deal as much damage as possible. Therefore, from the story to the world of combat, everything revolves around music, which is why it is different from other titles in the genre.

5

Escape from Ever After

Escape From Ever After is a satirical RPG about a mega corporation that enters fairy tales and tries to make them commercially viable. So, they're not just taking over the real world; They are aiming for a fantasy world. Your character works for them, but as you climb the ladder, you actually try to stop their plans. It makes for a very humorous premise that is well delivered.

Of course, a game can only get humor. Thankfully, this is a very solid RPG. Combat is of the turn-based variety. It's similar to some Paper Mario titles in that it involves perfectly timed button presses to make your character's unique abilities more lethal. Outside of combat, you also do a lot of entertaining exploration and environmental puzzle-solving.

4

Mystical Ebb

2026 hasn't seen many CRPGs, but one great one was released: Esoteric Ebb. You play as a cleric, who is sent to investigate a tea shop explosion that takes place five days before the world's first election.

The game is very similar to Disco Elysium, meaning you spend most of your time talking to people. The goal is to extract information from them by choosing the correct dialogue options and passing skill checks with lucky dice rolls. A game that revolves around something needs to be written well, and this game excels in this regard, making it an incredibly engaging adventure.

3

The Hermit and the Pig

Just from the name, you might guess that The Hermit and the Pig isn't the most traditional RPG. You play as an old man with social anxiety and his trusty pig sidekick. His anxiety plays a role in the game, as conversations can play out as a battle where you choose dialogue options, and if you make the wrong choice, you lose HP.

These aren't the only 'battles' in the game though. There are also well-designed turn-based battles against any enemy creature you encounter. These fights are simple to understand and very fun to play. Overall, the game is a nice, comfortable RPG.

2

Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined

As the title suggests, Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined is not the first version of Dragon Quest 7. That game came out in the 2000s. This 2026 version is a reimagining of that game. As a result, it has some visual improvements and a bunch of quality-of-life changes. However, the core of the game is still the same.

This means that the story revolves around a group of friends who discover that the continent they live on isn't the only one. There were many, and they return to the past to save those continents. It is a well-crafted time-travel story. Gameplay wise, it's a classic turn-based combat affair that uses a class system, allowing you to develop a range of different characters with different abilities.

1

Meugenics

Mewgenics isn't just an RPG; It covers a few different genres including roguelite and life simulation. How the game works is that you breed and manage a collection of cats. You regularly select a group of cats and go on a roguelite adventure with them, where you go through different stages, fighting enemies in turn-based RPG-like combat. Then, when the race is over, you return to your cats.

During fights, you move around your cats on a tiled battlefield and use each cat's unique abilities to get the better of your opponents. The combat system works much better than you might expect for a game about breeding cats. The non-RPG aspects of the game work well too.