Every year, there are always several fantastic RPGs released. Therefore, there is sure to be plenty of great ones in 2026, too. In fact, it has already been a strong year for the genre. There have been action-RPGs, turn-based RPGs, and even a notable CRPG.

So, there has been quite a range of distinct ones. Plus, they've come from a range of different developers, from big triple-A studios to small indies. Here are the best the year has had 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 one, Twisted Reflection, lives up to the quality of the first two, meaning it is an exceptional RPG.

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You play as the captain of the Rangers, who is dedicated to protecting the monster ecosystem. So, despite the word 'hunter' being in the title, you aren't just killing beasts. You're helping them and teaming up with some to take on other creatures. Speaking of taking on other creatures, you do so in slick turn-based combat where your monsters play a huge role. You also fly around the world on monsters, too. Therefore, beasts in this game contribute a lot to the whole experience.

9 LumenTale: Memories Of Trey

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

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

8 Nioh 3

Nioh 3 puts you in control of Tokugawa Takechiyo, who travels to the past to discover a way to stop the evil that is corrupting Japan. This means you get to travel to different periods in time and meet some important historical figures, which is very cool.

Yet, the combat is where the game really shines. This is a souls-like game, so expect plenty of dodging and aggressive enemies. Combat goes much deeper than that, though. The best part of it is your ability to switch between Samurai and Ninja combat styles. The former has you dealing more damage, while the latter is more about mobility. You can switch between them easily, meaning you're prepared for each type of fight. It's truly one of the better souls-like games ever.

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 into 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 voyage into space. The narrative is great, even though it requires knowledge of past entries to truly appreciate it. The way it's told from the perspectives of three different characters enhances the storytelling. The gameplay is decent, too, as it combines real-time action with turn-based combat. It's very different from what many other RPGs offer, but it's fun.

6 People Of Note

Not only is People of Note different from every other RPG released in 2026, but it's different from most RPGs released in other years, too. The game puts you in the shoes of a pop star who is trying to make her name in this fictional world that revolves around music. So, she goes to different regions of the world to find people for her band.

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

5 Escape From Ever After

Escape From Ever After is a satirical RPG about a megacorporation that enters fairy tales and tries to make them more commercially viable. So, they're not just taking over the real world; they're targeting the 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 delivered on well.

Of course, a game can't just get by on humor alone. Thankfully, this is a very solid RPG. The combat is of a turn-based variety. It is similar to some of the Paper Mario titles in that it involves perfectly timing button presses to make your character's unique abilities very deadly. Outside of combat, you also do plenty of entertaining exploring and environmental puzzle-solving.

4 Esoteric Ebb

2026 hasn't seen many CRPGs, but one great one was released: Esoteric Ebb. You play as The Cleric, who is sent in to investigate a tea shop explosion that occurs five days before the first-ever election in this world.

The game is very similar to Disco Elysium, meaning you spend most of your time talking to people. The goal is to pry information out of them by picking the right dialogue options and passing skill checks with fortunate dice rolls. A game that revolves around talking requires good writing, and this game excels in this regard, making this an incredibly captivating adventure.

3 Hermit And Pig

Just from the name alone, you can probably guess that Hermit and Pig isn't the most traditional RPG. You play as an old man with social anxiety and his trusty pig ally. His anxiety plays a part in the game, as conversations can play out as battles where you pick dialog options, and if you select the wrong one, you lose HP.

These aren't the only 'fights' in the game, though. You also have well-designed turn-based battles against any hostile creature you meet. These fights are simple to understand and very enjoyable to play. Overall, the game is a nice, cozy RPG.

2 Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined

As the title suggests, Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined isn't 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 the story revolves around a group of friends who discover that the continent they live on didn't used to be the only one. There were more, and they go back into the past to save those continents. It's a well-crafted time-travel tale. Gameplay-wise, it's the classic turn-based combat affair that uses a class system, allowing you to develop a range of different characters with distinct abilities.

1 Mewgenics

Mewgenics isn't just an RPG; it includes things from 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 those cats and go on a roguelite adventure with them, where you go through different stages, battling enemies in turn-based RPG-like combat. Then, when a run comes to an end, you go back to your cats.

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

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