2024's Fantasy RPG Battlefield: We Ranked Every Major Release So You Don't Have To
Photo by Photo by Omry Assouline on Unsplash on Unsplash
Let's be honest — 2024 was a lot. Between AAA releases dropping every other month and the indie scene absolutely refusing to slow down, the fantasy RPG genre gave players more options than any reasonable person has hours for. So we did the heavy lifting.
The KingMaker Chronicles team spent the better part of this year playing, replaying, arguing in Discord servers, and reading community feedback from players across the US and beyond. What follows is our definitive tier ranking of 2024's most significant fantasy RPG releases, evaluated on four criteria that actually matter: story quality, character depth, combat systems, and replayability.
We're not just handing out scores — we're telling you which game is right for you, because the best RPG of the year means nothing if it doesn't match your playstyle.
S-Tier: Set a New Bar
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree (DLC)
Best for: Players who love challenge, lore hunting, and builds that break the game
Okay, technically an expansion — but Shadow of the Erdtree was so substantial that leaving it off this list would be journalistic malpractice. FromSoftware delivered a dense, punishing, and genuinely beautiful addition to the Lands Between that managed to feel fresh even for veterans who'd already sunk hundreds of hours into the base game.
The storytelling here is vintage FromSoft: deliberately obscure, told through item descriptions and environmental details rather than cutscenes, and richer for it. Players who enjoy piecing together lore like a puzzle will find more here than most full-priced releases offer. Combat, as always, is precise and demanding. Replayability is exceptional — different builds genuinely change how the entire expansion plays.
Verdict: If you haven't touched this yet, stop reading and go fix that.
A-Tier: Excellent, With Caveats
Dragon's Dogma 2
Best for: Players who want emergent adventure and don't mind rough edges
Capcom's long-awaited sequel arrived with enormous expectations and delivered... most of what fans wanted. Dragon's Dogma 2's open world is genuinely alive in ways that most games only claim to be — Pawns behave with surprising intelligence, environmental encounters feel organic, and the sense of physical danger in exploration never really goes away.
Where it stumbles is in its story, which never quite reaches the ambition of its world-building. The main narrative is serviceable but forgettable, which hurts replay motivation for story-focused players. Combat, however, is some of the most tactile and satisfying in the genre. Vocations (the game's class system) are distinct enough that a second playthrough with a different build feels meaningfully different.
Best playstyle match: Adventure-first players who treat the story as a vehicle for exploration rather than the destination.
Hades II (Early Access)
Best for: Roguelite fans, action RPG lovers, and people with limited time
Supergiant dropped Hades II into Early Access and immediately made every other roguelite in the genre look over its shoulder. The combat is tighter, the build variety is wider, and the narrative — delivered through hundreds of voiced character interactions — is already more developed than most finished games.
Replayability is, almost by design, the entire point. Every run is different. The question of whether it belongs on a fantasy RPG tier list is fair, but the mythological setting, deep character work, and genuine narrative progression earned it a spot here. It's not done yet, which is the only thing keeping it out of S-Tier.
Verdict: One of the best uses of 30-minute gaming sessions you'll find anywhere.
B-Tier: Solid Picks for the Right Player
Alone in the Dark (2024 Reboot)
Best for: Horror-adjacent RPG fans who prioritize atmosphere over mechanics
The reboot of this classic survival horror franchise leaned hard into its Southern Gothic atmosphere and came out with something genuinely moody and distinctive. David Harbour and Jodie Comer give strong performances, and the Derceto Manor setting is dripping with dread.
But the combat is clunky, the puzzle design is inconsistent, and replayability suffers from a relatively linear structure. It's a great experience more than a great game, if that distinction means anything to you.
Enotria: The Last Song
Best for: Soulslike fans looking for something visually distinct
This Italian-developed Soulslike set in a world inspired by Italian folklore and commedia dell'arte is one of the year's most visually striking games. The mask-swapping mechanic adds genuine strategic depth to combat, and the setting is refreshingly unlike anything else in the genre.
It doesn't quite nail the level design consistency that FromSoftware has spent years perfecting, and the story loses steam in the back half. But as an indie Soulslike with real personality, it punches above its weight.
C-Tier: Decent, But Skip If Backlog Is Long
Dungeons of Hinterberg
Best for: Players who want chill dungeon-crawling with light RPG elements
This Austrian-developed indie has a genuinely charming premise — a tourist destination built around magical dungeons — and delivers a relaxed, social-sim-flavored adventure that's hard to hate. It's just also hard to get truly excited about. Combat is simple, story is pleasant but thin, and replayability is limited.
If your backlog is manageable and you want something low-stakes, Hinterberg is a nice afternoon. If you're choosing between this and anything in the A-Tier, it's not a competition.
D-Tier: Not Recommended
We're keeping this section brief out of respect for the developers, but a few 2024 releases promised far more than they delivered — particularly in the live-service fantasy space, where several titles launched with critical content gaps and community management issues that soured even enthusiastic early adopters. You know who you are.
The Replayability Breakdown: A Quick Reference
For players specifically hunting games with strong replay value, here's the short version:
- Highest replayability: Hades II, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, Dragon's Dogma 2
- Moderate replayability: Enotria: The Last Song (different builds), Dungeons of Hinterberg (completion runs)
- Low replayability: Alone in the Dark (linear structure limits return visits)
Which Game Is Actually Right for You?
Here's the honest truth — tier lists are useful, but they're not personal. The best game of 2024 is the one that fits your schedule, your playstyle, and what you actually want from an RPG right now.
- Got 200+ hours to burn and love challenge? Shadow of the Erdtree is non-negotiable.
- Playing in 30-minute windows between real life? Hades II was engineered for exactly that.
- Want a living, breathing open world? Dragon's Dogma 2 delivers in ways the marketing undersold.
- Looking for something genuinely different? Enotria is the indie bet worth taking.
Whatever you choose, the fantasy RPG genre had a strong year in 2024 — and if the early previews for 2025 are any indication, we're just getting warmed up.
Rule your realm. And maybe finish your backlog first.
