The role-playing genre trumps with class instead of mass. Consequently, there are few but quite promising RPGs in 2021. We reveal which ones.
The Next Gen has begun. PS5 and Xbox Series X have been released – and with them the entire gaming industry is looking towards a promising future. On the PC, too, as there is now less need to consider the now aged hardware of PS4 and co. Instead, everyone is dreaming of more impressive technology or even larger game worlds, and of course role-playing games benefit considerably from both.
But it will probably be some time before development teams really exhaust the possibilities of the young console technology. That’s why the question for 2021 naturally arises all the more: What exciting role-playing games are already coming out?
Especially since the role-playing genre has proven time and again that it can produce fantastic RPG masterpieces even without impressive technology. So let’s dare to look into the future and take a look at all the promising role-playing games whose release is confirmed or at least extremely likely for 2021.
Table of Contents
Gamedec
How it works. Gamedec will be a cyberpunk role-playing game set in the dystopian Warsaw of the 22nd century. You play a private detective who hunts down particularly horrible criminals – cheaters! Your decisions are meant to strongly influence the course of the story. The developers also promise great freedom in the development of the player character. For example, you can choose a special profession and make friends with various NPCs. So far, Gamedec sounds like a real dream for story fans, but of course it remains to be seen whether it can keep its promises.
Suitable for whom? Looking for new fodder for your cyberpunk hunger? Decisions that change the story are right up your alley? Then definitely keep an eye on Gamedec. We’ve attached our preview below, where you can learn a lot more.
When is it coming? Gamedec is scheduled for release on Steam and Epic on 16 September 2021. You can already try out a free demo.
Dark Envoy
How does it work? At first (and second) glance, Dark Envoy looks like a Divinity: Original Sin in a gritty sci-fi guise. However, with pausable real-time battles. The role-playing game combines various genres such as fantasy, science fiction and steampunk into a gripping setting that you don’t often find. Humans use highly developed technologies, while elves, orcs and co. continue to rely on their magic. Unfortunately, this is disturbed by technology. This leads to brutal wars – and you get caught up in one of them.
You can play the story campaign of Dark Envoy either alone or in pairs in co-op. As in Divinity, you control a party of up to four members, then share control in multiplayer mode.
Suitable for whom? If you have spent countless hours in Divinity co-op with a friend and are comfortable with real-time, then you should put Dark Envoy on your wish list.
When is it coming? After the 2019 announcement, it was very quiet around Dark Envoy for a while. Recently, the role-playing game came back with a trailer and the release date, which should be sometime in 2021.
Black Book
How it works. Black Book has a similar setting to the Witcher games. It’s based on Slavic mythology – but will be much more compact than CDPR’s role-playing games. Nevertheless, it deserves a place in our list. Because it not only creates a dense, gloomy atmosphere to cut through, but also brings an amazingly complex combat system. Your character, the witch Vasilisa, who is persecuted by the church, has a spell book full of magical spells that you gradually enter (i.e. unlock). In the turn-based battles, it’s all about the right tactics, because you can already see what your opponents are up to.
Suitable for whom? If you like role-playing games with an unusual setting and a gripping story, then you can confidently put Black Book on your watch list. Keep in mind, however, that Black Book is being developed by a small team and has rather modest financial resources. So it won’t be the next AAA blockbuster.
When is it coming? There is no fixed release date for Black Book yet, but it should be ready in the 2nd quarter of 2021. So actually by the end of June at the latest. But we think a postponement is quite possible. Consolation: There is already a free prologue on Steam.
Darkest Dungeon 2
How does it work? The first Darkest Dungeon caused quite a stir among role-playing game fans in 2015. Instead of leading a colourful troop of heroes through a magical adventure, here it is part of the game concept that your characters die gruesomely. The hard-hitting mix of roguelike, gothic horror and Cthulhu aesthetics has delighted the community for years. And will be continued in 2021.
Darkest Dungeon 2 is graphically more elaborate, switches to the third dimension, but remains true to itself: once again you lead a troop of hard-boiled main characters through gruesome dungeons in which death is very often inevitable.
Who is it suitable for? Like its predecessor, Darkest Dungeon 2 is aimed at tolerant people who like the roguelike concept. That is, to fail again and again, only to get a little closer to victory in the next attempt with a new troop and new experiences.
When will it be released? Sometime in 2021 Darkest Dungeon 2 will move into Early Access, but exclusively on the Epic Store.
Crimson Desert
How does it work? Crimson Desert still ekes out a niche existence, but that could change. Because the single-player role-playing game pushes many buttons that already made The Witcher 3 a sensational hit: You travel a dark European-medieval fantasy world with a hard-boiled hero (or heroine), gather companions around you and beat up everything that hits you in this dirty scenario.
The game may not have the story depth of The Witcher, but in terms of technology it plays in the first league. Take a look at the trailer above. What the developers promise here could be a real role-playing heavyweight for fans of dark RPGs.
Who is it suitable for? Crimson Desert began as a prequel to the MMO Black Desert Online, but has since developed into a completely independent project. This also means that the game does without multiplayer and is aimed entirely at single-player enthusiasts with a penchant for dark medieval scenarios.
When is it coming out? Crimson Desert is scheduled for release in the fourth quarter of 2021, so you’ll have to be a little patient.
The Ascent
How does it work? The Ascent pushes all the right buttons to catapult itself into the heart of our community: an action role-playing game in the finest Diablo tradition, gaudy cyberpunk aesthetics, even gaudier weapons, co-op support. The gunfights seem so massive that The Ascent almost looks like a twin-stick shooter. And thanks to the excellent technology, the plaster crumbles out of the walls in an incredibly vivid way if you miss with a volley.
Suitable for whom? You like cyberpunk and Diablo? There you go. However, The Ascent is also aimed at fans of fast-paced urban skirmishes. So if you’ve played Ruiner or like Hotline Miami, you’ll get a more complex but probably similarly satisfying gaming experience here. We can’t yet judge how the battles will ultimately play. And whether there is enough depth in the game to compete with action role-playing games like Diablo or even Path of Exile.
When is it coming? The Ascent was unveiled as part of Microsoft’s next-gen unveiling of the Xbox Series X, but contrary to expectations it was not one of the launch titles for the new console. In 2021, however, we firmly expect a release.
Elden Ring
How does it work? It’s been quiet around Elden Ring, though the cheers were very loud at the beginning: The Dark Souls developers are creating an open-world role-playing game? And are collaborating with Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin to do it? What a marriage!
We don’t know much about the game yet: In the best Dark Souls tradition, you fight from a third-person view with swords, axes and co. against enemies in a dark fantasy world, but this time you travel through a much larger open world than in the Souls games or Sekiro.
Who is it suitable for? From Software games have a tendency to be a little tricky. So be prepared for a mercilessly challenging action role-playing experience in which a great deal of skill is required.
When is it coming out? As we said, it’s been very quiet about the game, but we think a 2021 release is quite realistic. With one small catch: From Software games are usually released in the first half of the year, which seems very unlikely given Elden Ring’s sparse advance info. So with a bit of bad luck, it won’t be until spring 2022, but we’re still keeping our fingers crossed for Autumn 2021.
Starfield
How it works. Starfield will be Bethesda’s first new role-playing game brand since they took over Fallout what felt like 100 years ago. Instead of the fantasy world of Tamriel or the nuclear winter of Fallout, here we travel to – you guessed it – the stars! Starfield will be a single-player role-playing game with classic Bethesda virtues: Instead of permanently taking you by the hand, you get maximum playful freedom and an open gameplay sandbox.
Suitable for whom? However, not too much is known about Starfield yet. For example, whether it plays like a shooter, includes space battles, how many planets are involved and so on. If you liked The Elder Scrolls and Fallout and have a heart for science fiction, keep an eye on the game anyway.
When is it coming out? Starfield doesn’t have a confirmed release date yet. However, the game has been in development for five years and after a rather release-weak 2020 (and a great Doom Eternal), Bethesda will need a big top dog for 2021. So we think Starfield’s release for next-gen consoles and PC is at least realistic.
Medieval Dynasty
How does it work? Similar to Mount & Blade 2, Medieval Dynasty is also a role-playing game in the most literal sense: you embody a person within medieval peasant society. And that starts out anything but praiseworthy, because it’s all about hard backbreaking work. Tilling fields, chopping wood, picking herbs. Yes, in Medieval Dynasty we work in the long run to establish a wealthy dynasty (and eventually play our heir), but the road ahead is rocky.
Suitable for whom? Rocky, but also fun! Because it is precisely in working through supposedly trivial tasks that the game unfolds a great medieval atmosphere and draws us into its world. Also cool: You are completely free to complete quests or simply work on your dynasty in a survival-like manner. Houses can be freely placed in the landscape (depending on resource requirements). And if you hack, plough or collect a lot, you can improve your skills dynamically, as in Skyrim. But that can take quite a while. Medieval Dynasty is aimed at people who enjoy leisurely role-playing.
When is it coming? Medieval Dynasty has already been launched in Early Access on 17 September 2020; according to the developer, this pre-release phase should last about six months. With a bit of mathematics, you can calculate the release of the full version around March 2021, provided the pandemic doesn’t put a spanner in the works.
Cyberpunk 2077 DLCs
How does it work? Cyberpunk 2077 has been released in the meantime and caused mixed feelings especially at the release. On the one hand, enthusiasm for the story, the fantastic game world, but CD Projekt also reaped criticism for bugs, glitches and the disastrous console versions. The developers are still working on patches – and DLCs. We don’t know much yet, but Cyberpunk 2077 is supposed to get big story add-ons in addition to small free expansions.
Suitable for whom? If you like Cyberpunk 2077, you should ring the addons thick in your calendar as soon as there is a release date. And if you are unsure whether the basic game is suitable for you, then read our big spoiler-free review of Cyberpunk 2077.
When is it coming? We don’t know yet when the first DLCs for Cyberpunk 2077 will hit. At the moment, CD Projekt seems to be busy with the patch development, but part of the team will probably be working on the new story content at the same time. However, we firmly expect the first expansions to come as early as 2021.
Mount & Blade 2
How does it work? Yes, you can argue that Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord isn’t a role-playing game at all, because here we’re primarily fighting action-packed mass battles. But under the bonnet, RPG virtues roar: You create your own character and choose your own role in the game world. Make big profits as a trader? Rob profitable traders as a robber? Go to war as a lord, king or lackey? Everything is possible in this medieval sandbox. Find out how to become a king in the big plus guide to Mount & Blade 2 with the best tips.
Suitable for whom? Most of the campaign is already playable in Early Access. If you are a role-playing game fan who doesn’t need a carrot in front of your nose or a red thread in your hand, take a look.
When is it coming? It’s hard to believe: after so many years of waiting, Mount & Blade 2, arguably the most exciting medieval role-playing sandbox on the market, is finally a reality. The game has been available in Early Access since 31 March 2020. The final release is to follow sometime in 2021.
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous
How does it work? You get the idea: this role-playing game list is very oldschool-heavy. Many developers want to keep classic RPG virtues alive. This is also the case with Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous, the successor to the grandiose Pathfinder: Kingmaker. You don’t need to have played the predecessor to understand the story – Pathfinder 2 revolves around a completely new war between angels and demons.
You command your tribe of heroes, you also lead an army and make lots of decisions. However, if you unceremoniously summon an undead army, you might upset your own team mates. Moral decisions play a big role in this classic RPG. You can read more about the gameplay details in the big pre-review of Pathfinder 2 after 15 hours.
Who is it suitable for? Actually, we can repeat the same sermon for all oldschool role-playing games: To win tactical RPG battles, you need to have patience and brains. Simply clicking through does not work. At the same time, Pathfinder 2 wants to remain beginner-friendly in order to convey the charm of old CRPGs to newcomers.
When will it be released? Pathfinder was supposed to be released in June 2021, but according to Steam, the release has been delayed to 2 September.
Tales of Arise
How does it work? Of course, we don’t want to leave out Far Eastern PC role-playing games – and we shouldn’t, because with Tales of Arise, one of the longest-running and most popular JRPG series is getting a new instalment in 2021 that definitely catches the eye. Where previous Tales instalments were often oriented towards a timeless cartoon look, Tales of Arise combines the anime aesthetic with a more natural storm of effects.
At the same time, of course, the game does not want to forget its own series strengths: The story is also intended to be the highlight of the adventure. At the centre are two planets that get into a bitter conflict – and our troop of heroines and heroes must pull the cart out of the mud.
Suitable for whom? Unlike many classic JRPGs, the Tales series has always relied on very direct action. You fight with your characters in real time against enemy monsters. But there is a lot of tactical depth behind it. Tales of Arise will be an RPG heavyweight aimed at fans of fancy JRPGs with patience for complex mechanics.
When is it coming? Arise was originally still scheduled for release in 2020, but we now know: The game won’t be released in this country until sometime in 2021.
Path of Exile 2
How it works. In the long dry spell since Diablo 3, no game has fought as hard for the action role-playing throne as Path of Exile. The Free2Play title offers everything a genre fan could imagine in their blissful dreams: complex skills, an interesting story, endless replay value and a cracking combat system for soloists or co-op enthusiasts. Well, all this also applies to the successor: Path of Exile 2.
Suitable for whom? If you think Diablo 3 is too soft, then Path of Exile 2 is aimed directly at you! If you have a bit of patience, you will experience a grandiose mix of direct action battling and complex game mechanics. At least that was the case with Path of Exile 1, but the sequel is supposed to follow suit.
When is it coming? The full version of Path of Exile 2 will not be released until 2021, and the beta has also been postponed until the new year. Path of Exile 2 will perform a similar stunt as Overwatch 2: all your unlocks from the predecessor will remain, even the campaign is in the successor, only supplemented by a complete sequel. This makes Path of Exile 2 a great combi-package for action RPG fans – and actually real competition for Diablo 4, at least on the PC.
Baldur’s Gate 3
How does it work? Baldur’s Gate 3 wants to shine in the same virtues as the BioWare masterpieces Baldur’s Gate 1 and 2. Specifically, this means: a gripping story in the Forgotten Realms of the Dungeons & Dragons world, multi-layered characters, countless decisions on our part that can sometimes drastically influence the course of the plot.
However, it is not Bioware that is working on this third part, but the Belgian Larian Studios. But these developers also know their business: with Divinity: Original Sin 2 they published one of the best role-playing games of the last ten years.
Suitable for whom? You like Divinity: Original Sin 2, grew up with Baldur’s Gate or generally find good role-playing games … well … good? Then Baldur’s Gate 3 is worth a look. The game could be one of the coolest RPGs of the last years, a mix of oldschool and newschool. Read more about it in the Early Access Test of Baldur’s Gate 3.
When will it be released? Baldur’s Gate 3 has already been released in Early Access. According to the developers, the game should remain there for about a year before it switches to the full version. This would be the case in autumn 2021.
Black Geyser: Couriers of Darkness
How does it work? Not every oldschool RPG reinvents the genre cog – and that’s perfectly fine, as long as it gives fans exactly what they want from CRPGs. Black Geyser aims to do just that – as a Baldur’s Gate legacy with real-time combat, a charming hero squad, quests, deep mechanics and a 40-hour campaign.
Suitable for whom? What applies to all oldschool role-playing games applies to Black Geyser: You should want to get to grips with complex mechanics and read a lot of dialogue. And, of course, you should have an interest in fantasy stories with a long storyline.
When is it coming out? Colleague Peter Bathge thought a 2020 release was unlikely from the start. Now we know officially: Black Geyser will be released sometime in 2021.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition
How it works. The Mass Effect trilogy is considered by many to be one of the best science fiction epics in gaming history, if you ignore the controversial ending of the third installment. As Commander Shepard, you experience a gripping story, take your companions to heart, make tricky decisions and explore a fascinating world.
The so-called Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is a remaster that not only polishes up the graphics for modern systems, but also contains all three original games including all DLCs. Quite convenient, considering that back then we still had to arrange this via Bioware Points.
Suitable for whom? Compared to classic Bioware role-playing games, Mass Effect focuses on fast-paced shooting. So you need to have a soft spot for shooter gameplay. Apart from that: If you like role-playing games and science fiction, then off to the stars. However, if you already own the previous trilogy, you should definitely wait and see if it’s worth buying a remaster just for the graphical revisions.
When is it coming out? In May 2021, the upgraded Normandy set off once again on its galactic adventure.
Biomutant
How it works. Biomutant mixes the intrigue behind console classics like Jak & Dexter with free character development, interesting RPG ideas and a touch of Conker’s Bad Fur Day. This gives it the chance to become one of the more unique role-playing games of 2021. You create a raccoon or any other crazy animal to travel through a completely irradiated game world. There’s no shortage of humour either: at one point during our playthrough we were swallowed by a giant boss monster, forced through its intestinal tract and sent back up into the air through the back exit.
Suitable for whom? Admittedly: Biomutant ranks very close to action games like Sekiro or Anthem with its nimble combat system. Nevertheless, we have decided to classify the raccoon adventure as a role-playing game, because on the one hand it allows for rather multi-layered character development, and on the other hand it also brings completely wacky ideas to the table, which are usually more familiar from JRPGs from Far Eastern cultures. Nevertheless, you should have a soft spot for action combat systems.
When is it coming? Biomutant was actually supposed to be released in 2019, but then the project went quiet.
Solasta: Crown of the Magister
How it works. Solasta takes on a lot. A hardcore oldschool role-playing game it wants to be, without going for the oldschool look of a Pillars of Eternity. Instead, similar to Divinity: Original Sin 2, you get modern graphics. But unlike Baldur’s Gate 3, for example, a hardcore D&D rulebook roars under the bonnet that has no regard for losses.
In crisp turn-based battles, you lead your self-created troop of role-playing heroes and heroines from one victory to the next. On the way to the finale of the almost 40-hour story, you will experience a classic fantasy adventure that draws on all the strengths of the genre.
Who is it suitable for? Solasta is based on the 5th edition of the D&D rulebook, adheres very closely to its complexity and thus demands patience, training time and the will to win with brains from its players. At the same time, it does not seem as old-fashioned as many other oldschool games.
When is it coming? Solasta is launched in version 1.0 on 27 May 2021.
