It is important to note that this list will be based on existing information released from the developers along with a sprinkle of speculation and whimsical hope thrown in for entertainment purposes. So without further ado, let’s get this list started (in no particular order).

Anyone who has watched my videos, or knows anything about me, will know that Baldur’s Gate is one of my favorite role-playing games of all time. What you might not know, is that Larian Studios is one of my favorite development teams of all time. When news hit the interweb that Larian Studios had landed development rights to continue the Baldur’s Gate franchise, my heart skipped a beat.

There were only two primary development teams I would trust to handle the source material with the reverence and care it deserved, Larian Studios and Obsidian Entertainment (inXile would have been my third choice). With Larian at the helm, I have never been more sure that Baldur’s Gate 3 is going to be a role-playing juggernaut.

Image Source: Steam

Unfortunately, there is not much known about the game as of yet. It is in early development and has no set release date. What we do know, from the trailer and interviews with Swen Vincke, is that Baldur’s Gate 3 will be set approximately a century after the events of the original saga.

From the trailer we can see that the game will be heavily focused around an invasion of terrifying psionic creatures known as Mind Flayers (or for those in the know… Illithid). Those who have delved into dungeons filled, occasionally, with dragons, will know that the Illithid are a race of humanoid cephalopod hybrids joined within a partial gestalt consciousness.

They are perhaps one of the quintessential “alien” races of the forgotten realms universe and if the trailer is accurate to the story, the entire world will shake under the power of their invasion.

There is going to be a tabletop campaign released as a prologue to the events in Baldur’s Gate 3, but it has been stressed that Baldur’s Gate 3 will be a self-contained story, and will not require you to know the events of Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus. Further, the importance of the player Bhaalspawn in the original saga is largely unknown at this time.

Bhaal is a deity in the Forgotten Realms universe in the timeline that this story will take place and it is important to note that Priests and Priestesses of Bhaal do receive divine power from their chosen deity, so it is safe to say that Bhaal will exist within the scope of this game.

Finally, just some other tidbits of information. Larian Studios will be using their own game engine, they are also the developers and the producers. They will be in charge of everything during development. The game will be using a modified Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition ruleset.

Keep your eye on this game as it develops. While I am going to come off as a complete fanboy, I cannot even begin to describe my excitement for this game.

Many people would consider Final Fantasy 7 to be the penultimate Final Fantasy game. I would tend to disagree with that particular assessment, but would never deny it is an iconic and incredible game that I have beaten several times. There have been rumors of Square Enix releasing an updated version of the game for so many years that it was almost unbelievable when they confirmed a remake was in the works.

The remake, however, is not entirely true to the source material. From gameplay trailers it is clear that the combat system has been refitted to a more modern system (though it has been confirmed a system closer to the original will also be available for selection in the game).

From what I have seen it seems to play a lot more like Final Fantasy 15 than it does the traditional turn-based mode of the earlier Final Fantasy games. While this has drawn some ire from fans of the original game, I am hopeful that the optional alternative system will be a suitable replacement. I would not hold your breath for a truly “turn-based” system however.

As some of you may not have played the original Final Fantasy 7, I won’t spoil any of the story, but what we do know is that Square is trying their best to be true to the source material.

The game will be released in three parts (which is something I am less happy about). It is unclear if this means that they will be expanding upon each act of the game in order to pad the play time, or if each part will be a lower price than a full-priced game in order to reflect the fact that it is only ⅓ of the whole. With the first part releasing in approximately six months, pre-orders should be available soon.

Renowned for the Witcher series of games, CD Projekt Red has taken it upon themselves to create an open-world cyberpunk world with an unstoppable hype-train behind it. With their well deserved reputation as being one of the best role-playing game developers in the world, CD Projekt Red is known for creating deep, engaging, and living worlds where player actions will cause ripples throughout the entire game.

Image Source: Steam

You take on the completely customizable role of V, a mercenary renegade who loves cybernetics. You will be able to choose from a variety of stat categories that should seem somewhat familiar to people who have played Shadowrun (Body, Intelligence, Reflexes, Technical, and Cool).

These will be affected by your chosen classes which are Netrunner (Decker), Techie (Rigger), and Solo (Street Samurai). There will also be a Perk Tree which will allow you to modify an array of skills.

The world of Night City is a futuristic cyberpunk metropolis located in California. The city looks to be massive, supporting six regions as well as the inhospitable Badlands surrounding it.

There will be vehicles in the game (hopefully less buggy than Roach), along with a ton of equipment, armor, cybergear, consumables, NPCs, Stores, Side Quests, Mini Games, and of course multiple endings based on your decisions. The game is played in first-person perspective, which is a noted departure from CD Projekt Red’s usual 3rd-person over the shoulder play style.

In all honesty I am very nearly as hyped for this game as I am for Baldur’s Gate 3 and that says a lot. So if you enjoyed the Witcher Saga (especially the Witcher 3 because let’s face it, that game is one of the best games of all time) then keep your eye out for this game. It is also available for pre-order right now!

Not much is known about the brainchild of legendary writer George R. R. Martin, and Hidetaka Miyazaki, the director of the Dark Souls series of games, but as both men seem to like character death an inordinate amount, I think it’s safe to assume this game is going to be tough.

Image Source: FromSoftware

What we know so far is that the game began development in 2017 and Mr. Martin was given creative freedom for world-building and game lore. The game will, naturally, be set in a dark fantasy world featuring an open world environment. There will be no populated towns in the game, instead it will be more of a dungeon crawler, where the story will unfold as you explore and journey through the land.

We will try and add more information to this entry as it becomes available, but if you liked the Dark Souls games, this will be one to watch.

Largely considered one of the best role-playing games of all time, Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines was released in 2004. As the years rolled by, many people abandoned hope that a sequel would be made until February 2019 when it was confirmed a studio by the name of Hardsuit Labs was working on the sequel under the umbrella of game juggernaut Paradox Interactive.

Image Source: Steam

VTMB2 is a sequel of the first game and takes place in Seattle. Much like the first game you will be taking on the role of a vampire; however, unlike the first game, you will not be taking on a specific clan type (at least night right away).

You are instead known as a “thin blood”, barely a vampire by vampire standards. Due to this malediction you are looked down upon by the greater Vampire society, but are much more easily able to pass as human, which is kind of useful.

You will also have to choose one of three power trees, Chiropteran, Mentalism, or Nebulation. Later in the game you will be able to join one of the full blood vampire clans, such as the Malkavian. The game is played primarily in first-person mode, but third-person over the should is available, just like in the first game.

You will be thrust into a world of Vampiric intrigue with several factions with their own goals and ideologies vying for power, dominance, and influence. Not much of the story is known aside from the “how” of your transformation into a vampire, and even if I did know, I wouldn’t tell you. Spoilers are silly, pick up the game and make your own story in the world of the Masquerade… Just don’t break it.

Wasteland 3 is a sequel to the popular Wasteland 2, which was kickstarted in 2012. Similarly Wasteland 3 was crowd funded, but this time using Fig. It reached its funding goal of $2.75 million and exceeded it by around $400k. One of the major features of this game compared to its predecessor is the inclusion of a multiplayer mode, allowing you and a friend to team up with your own groups of rangers. How this will be handled in-game has yet to be seen.

Image Source: Steam

Wasteland 3 is set in the frozen tundra of Colorado instead of the arid wastes of the southern states. You will again take on the role of a group of Rangers, exploring the world, righting wrongs, and taking missions.

From what I have seen of the screenshots the game gives me futuristic Icewind Dale vibes, which I am absolutely loving. The game does not have a definitive release date yet, but I backed it on Fig as did most of my friends. It is definitely a game to keep your eye on.

My only hope or concern is that inXile has learned from some of the more critical bugs present during the release of Wasteland 2 and will endeavor to ensure they don’t exist during the Wasteland 3 release.

Image Source: Cygames

To say there is minimal information about this game would be an overstatement. All we have so far is a trailer and a webpage with the trailer.

From what I can gather, this game will be similar to Monster Hunter. So far I have only found confirmation that it will be released on PS4 with no evidence of a PC or X-Box release. In the trailer we see a human with clearly supernatural speed and strength, jumping around in plate armor while being chased by some sort of saurian monster out for his blood.

There is a narrator who claims that the era of peace is over and that you are to go out hunting for blood. Also at the end of the trailer we see the shadowy forms of several titanic humanoids approaching. That’s all the information I have so far.

Mount and Blade 2 is an upcoming action-RPG. Much like its predecessors, Mount and Blade 2 will involve some strategy elements combined with some good old fashioned killing. Your goal is to build up a group of soldiers and lead them against enemy cities and armies.

One addition to the game is that you can build siege engines to target enemy fortifications and to make invasion easier. There will also be considerable improvements to the dialogue/diplomacy system. You can get married and even have children that can inherit your lands when you die.

Image Source: Steam

Set some two centuries before the events in Mount and Blade: Warband. The general aesthetic of the game will be similar to that of Rome, during its collapse between 600 to 1100 AD, though in this case you will be in the fictional land of Calradia.

There are several major factions and many minor factions each with their own goals. Each faction is roughly based on real-world counterparts, the Calradic being Greco-Roman, the Vlandians being the Normans, The Sturgians being the Rus (Russians), the Aseria being the Arabic or Persian people, the Khuzaits being the Mongolians, and the Battanians being the Celts.

So far it is shaping up to be a magnificent game that Mount and Blade fans should keep their eye on. Also I should note for clarification the March, 2020 release date is for Early Access and not full release. Just want to be clear on that.

When I first read about Outer Worlds I was extremely excited. Obsidian has long been a developer I associated with a lore-heavy, story-driven game. It is a shame it isn’t being released until 2020. All jokes aside, Epic’s one year exclusivity deal is nothing if not extremely frustrating, but we make do with what we have. So, for those of you who cannot wait, Outer Worlds will be released in a little over a month, for those that can, we have another year to go.

Steam

Outer Worlds is a first-person role-playing game not unlike Borderlands. The game takes place on a colonized but alien world in an alternate future where humanity has reached and colonized the stars under the monolithic eyes of extremely… powerful… mega corporations… okay this is sounding a lot like Borderlands now…,

Anyway, your ship crashes, as many many protagonist ships seem to do (does no one do quality assurance or anything?). As with most Obsidian titles you will come to realize that not all is right with the status quo and it is your job to make the status… un quo.

There will be several factions vying for dominance and control, and you will be able to help or hinder them as you deign. You will also have a group of companions that will help you out and will get more powerful the more you succeed.

I have no doubt the story will be immersive, intriguing, insightful, and in-depth. If Obsidian does one thing really well, it is a strong, compelling narrative. On the bright side… for those of us waiting for a year, the game will have a year to get patched up. Obsidian may be one of my favorite developers, but their games are often quite buggy at first and a dozen months of QA should fix most of them right up.

Aside from a cinematic trailer and a few gameplay videos, there is not a lot known about the game yet. From the gameplay video it looks and feels very similar to games like Dark Souls or Sekiro.

You take on the role of a protagonist and you will have to gather weapons, armor, items, etc. Beat up hard enemies, beat up harder bosses. The world itself looks grim and is graphically beautiful. You will also be gathering souls and upgrade your stats, skills, and abilities.

Image Source: PlayStation

Though it is being released in 2020, there is no official website or wiki page to provide information related to the world or the plot. I am sure more information will become available as we get closer to the release date. Take a look if you like Dark Souls or Sekiro, it looks very similar in style to those two games.

Biomutant is another open world action RPG, however this one looks truly adorable. You take on the role of a racoon-esque character and you can customize a ton of things about your appearance. Your appearance also changes your stats which is a neat divergence from other games, where your appearance was strictly aesthetic.

Steam

I am getting Rocket-Racoon vibes from this particular game where you will be using bio-mechanical body parts, a variety of different weapons, and presumably a plucky attitude as you adventure through the world.

The developer has stated there will be branching storylines with a variety of endings. There are six factions, called tribes, each of which have their own goals and objectives. You can influence the tribes towards your own goal, ally with some against the others, or just destroy everyone in your path. Also, can I just say the world looks incredible?

I have to express some concern about this game. While it looks incredibly fun, this is another situation where we could see a surprise Epic exclusive thrust upon us. Currently the game is available on Steam and Gog, but it does use the Unreal Engine 4, owned by Epic.

A lot of games using that engine have found themselves as an Epic exclusive lately, so bear in mind that if you do not want to support Epic you may have to wait longer than anticipated to play this game.

Divinity: Fallen Heroes appears to be a tactical sequel to Divinity: Original Sin 2. From what I have read it seems that it will be much less narratively driven than D:OS 2, but it will have an overarching story. From the narrative in the trailer it would you are the commander of a squad of ass-kicking heroes ready to take on the evils of the world.

Image Source: Larian Studios

Malady appears to be a choice of character to play and you will have up to 6-group members in order to take down your enemies. You take command of the Apocalypse Squad on the Lady Vengeance, and you will have the ability to play cooperatively with your friends again.

You will also have access to your favorite D:OS 2 characters, including Fane, Lohse, Ifan, Sebille, Red Prince, and Beast. You will also, most likely, be able to create custom characters if you choose.

Personally I am looking forward to how this new game will play out. If it is anything like Final Fantasy Tactics or Tactics Advanced, I will be super happy. Larian is also a very reputable developer, so I am not overly concerned they will release a poorly executed game in their most iconic series.

Released in 1994, System Shock is still largely considered to be an iconic roleplaying game. In 2016 Nightdive Studios released a kickstarter for the remake with a $900k goal. It was funded and had an overage of around $450k. In 2018 development was put on hiatus so that the development team could re-evaluate their vision, however it is back on track for a 2020 release.

Image Source: Steam

In System Shock is a first person role-playing game that takes place on a space station. I won’t spoil much of the story, even though it is a 25 year old game at this point, but you are a hacker that is pitted against a terrifying evil AI as you advance through the story.

From what I can gather the remake will not deviate much from the original, though the team has brought on Chris Avellone to fix up some of the writing and plot holes.

If you liked the first System Shock and were looking for a modified and updated version in the present, hopefully next year you will have your wish.

Empire of Sin is diverges from this list a little, in that it is a tactical RPG with strategy elements. You take on the role of a crime boss and your goal is to take control of Chicago by building an empire based on Alcohol, casinos, brothels, speakeasies, and of course, good old fashioned bullets.

Image Source: Steam

This game is primarly a simulation game, where you have to recruit followers, acquire assets, and try and assert influence over others.

When combat occurs, the game switches to a tactical RPG mode, not unlike X-Com where you control your small army in an attempt to slaughter your opponents. There is a neat feature in the game where a unit’s perks and traits may cause them to ignore your orders and do something completely different instead, meaning you have to be well versed in your units and their behaviours before executing a battle plan.

If you enjoy X-Com type games, I think you will want to keep your eye on this upcoming strategic RPG.

Eastward is an upcoming action RPG made by the same developer responsible for the addictive and light-hearted Stardew Valley. The graphical style is very similar to Stardew valley, but in this game you will be adventuring through a detailed and lovingly crafted world instead of building a farm.

Image Source: Steam

There isn’t a lot of information related to the story, or what to expect from the game. From what I can gather we are a digger who encounters a girl in a secret facility. Will this be kind of like Stranger Things? No idea. But anyway, the world’s population has collapsed and you will be travelling through a somewhat post-apocalyptic wasteland, beating up monsters.

Being as Stardew Valley was a pretty well polished game, with fun and addictive gameplay, I have no doubt that this game will be equally fun, even if it does not give you that satisfaction of building a farm. Keep your eye out for this game in 2020.

Honestly, I have no idea what Crisis Tales is about. There is very little information related to the story around to read. What I do know however, is that this game is beautifully stylized and seems to have a traditional JRPG combat system, both things that I love. There is a demo available, but I have not yet had the chance to try it out.

Image Source: Steam

The game seems to take place within several different timelines, and I am getting some Chrono Trigger type vibes from it. From the screenshots and videos it looks like we are going to have to change the past, present and future to either improve the world or save it from disaster. Even the music is vaguely reminiscent of Chrono Trigger.

I am actually extremely excited to see how this game plays on release. If you like turn-based RPG games in a beautiful, artistic world, look no further.

The Waylanders is a time-travel based role-playing game inspired by Dragon Age: Origins. Some of the team involved in the development of this game are former Dragon Age, Mass Effect, and Pillars of Eternity Devs, so hopefully they will bring their wealth of experience down upon this game.

Image Source: Steam

From what I can gather from the trailer, bad things are happening in the world (when are they not?) and we have to gather up a party and through some time-travel shenanigans set things aright. The game will have a strong story and narrative focus with a combat system similar to the one in Dragon Age: Origins.

From a video narrated by Mike Laidlaw, the story will focus on two primary periods of time, Celtic Brigantia and the Middle Ages. You will have to travel between these two timelines and uncover the story in both worlds as you perform quests and adventure through the land. It is an ambitious premise for sure. There are 6 basic classes and 30 advanced classes in the game, with different skills, abilities, and even formations.

If you like role-playing games with a strong narrative focus and you are okay with the generally accepted problems with a time-travel paradox, keep your eyes on this game as it continues to develop.

Okay let me just put this out here, I love the Mana series. I will fully admit that I am biased. Some of my fondest memories growing up were playing the Secret of Mana on my super nintendo when I was a kid. With that said, let’s take a look at the newest addition to the Mana series coming out in April 2020.

Image Source: Square Enix

The trailer video clearly shows a traditional action RPG gameplay style with the character in the foreground and the adjustable camera behind them. There are several unique characters, presumably with their own weapon types, combat styles, and magic, similar to previous Mana entries.

From what I can gather, you chose one primary character, each with their own starting zone, adn then you have to seek out companions to aid you on your quest. There are three primary motivators, Angela and Duran seek to stop the Dragon Lord, Hawkeye and Riesz are against teh Dark Majesty, and Kevin and Charlotte stand opposed to the Mask Mage.

The main story is determined by your primary character, but it is strongly encouraged that you recruit the hero with the same goal as you for more story.

Without giving much else away I would say take a look at the trailer. It is very reminiscent of Secret of Mana, with updated graphics.

Honourable Mentions

I would have loved to include Dragon Age 4 and Elder Scrolls 6 to the games above, but there is simply too little information available to know anything about them. Only one of them even has a trailer and it is simply an aerial shot of trees. Hopefully we will find out more soon as the year progresses and will be able to update this list to include these games.

We are always on the lookout for other upcoming RPGs that look like they will inspire hours of immersive gameplay. If you can think of any you would have added to this list let us know below.