Last year was a great year for RPGs, and it’s looking as though 2017 could be even better. SEGA is boasting an incredible line-up of role-playing games while another impressive looking title is coming from a more unexpected source. It’s going to be a busy time for fans of the genre, and here are a few RPGs we can’t wait to play (and allow to take over our lives) in the next year.
Persona 5
You may or may not have noticed that we’re fans of the Persona series and if you’re anything like us, you’ve been aching to get your hands on Persona 5 for some time. After numerous delays, it feels like we’ve been waiting forever to play the follow-up to 2008’s Persona 4 but now it’s so close we can almost taste it. Barring another unexpected delay, we’ll be joining the Phantom Thieves on April 4.
Valkyria Revolution
SEGA’s Valkyria franchise is one of our favorites, so we’re understandably excited for the upcoming release of Valkyria Revolution. Revolution looks as though it’s going to take the strategy series into a new and more action-oriented direction, and the music will be composed by none other than Yasunori Mitsuda (of Chrono Trigger fame). The game has been steadily revealing its main characters and it’s all looking great so far. Valkyria Revolution is due out in Japan on January 19, with a worldwide release to follow in the coming months.
South Park: The Fractured But Whole
Here’s one that you wouldn’t typically expect to see on a list of top RPGs, but here we are. It might seem out of place at first, but given the previous game’s quality, the new South Park title could be one of the best RPGs of the year. The predecessor, Stick of Truth, surprised everyone with its combination of ribald humor and old-school turn-based gameplay. And it arrived after a long road of determining what works, experimenting with cart racers, shooters, and a licensed online slot-reel geared toward the casual audience.
The latter adds some much-needed humor to the online market and features the whole gang fans have grown to love along with unique animations and sound effects that help bring the show to life. But it’s the latest console titles that have gone a few steps further to create sprawling epics that can stand alongside some of the best RPGs out there. South Park: The Fractured But Whole should be here before April.
Shenmue 3
It’s hard to believe that Shenmue 2 was released more than 15 years ago. It’s even crazier that we’re finally going to receive the ridiculously anticipated third chapter in Yu Suzuki’s epic later this year. Given how long it’s been since we last helped Ryo Hazuki in his quest for vengeance, we’re dying to see how they’ll treat the legendary franchise in the modern day.
We recently reported on Sega registering the domain for Shenmue HD. And that news has some believing there may be an announcement on the horizon for HD remakes of the first two games in the series before the release of the third installment. Shenmue 3 is currently set for a December 2017 release.
