5 Fantastic Turn-Based RPGs To Try In 2026

From story-driven adventures to traditional meticulous strategies, turn-based RPGs are already having a great year in 2026. Several new titles have taken the genre by storm, providing players with great experiences that offer twists on traditional gameplay ideas. Those who want to form a classic party to take on challenges will feel right at home with some of the best projects releasing or in early stages of development this year.

There is a difference between a “traditional” turn-based RPG and a strategy game or retro-style CRPG. Games like Baldur’s Gate 3 have many unique qualities compared to another title like Civilization, for example. For the purposes of this list, the turn-based games mentioned have their own quirks, but adhere to similar gameplay ideas that create role-playing opportunities alongside some sort of back-and-forth between players and their opponents.

5. Blightstone

Currently in Early Access, Blightstone is described as a turn-based strategy RPG with plenty of challenge. The gorgeous art style of this game is matched with roguelike progression systems, creating layers in the turn-based RPG moments that give players plenty of depth to explore. Failure is not only expected, but encouraged as you discover how the world works little by little to improve your turn-based strategies.

Dynamic weather and other environmental systems create a constantly changing map that you and your party navigate through a strict grid in Blightstone. Squad building features in this game are everything you could want out of an RPG, with every character in your group capable of learning new skills from massive move sets. The variation of abilities, status conditions, and classes provide unique play styles for every person allied with you, allowing you to meticulously customize your party’s best synergies together.

Procedural generation in each of Blightstone‘s levels means that you’ll constantly have to adapt to changing circumstances too, evolving how your party functions. Like some of the best turn-based RPGs ever made, Blightstone makes sure that the details of its world are always clear and available to you, giving you the options to adapt to shifts in your journey. With resource management at play too, the turn-based combat and RPG party building go hand in hand to create a challenging, but rewarding experience that is still developing through Early Access.

4. Wicked Seed

Wicked Seed is a turn-based RPG that spins the genre in a new direction, ditching the usual fantasy or sci-fi settings in favor of something more akin to classic survival horror. This game has you play as Ella, a “final girl” archetype from a horror movie who must fend off various monsters through the resources she finds. Hidden upgrades, side stories, unlockable accessories, gear items, and puzzles make this game almost feel like Resident Evil, but with far more RPG elements to carry its gameplay forward.

Ella fights using a customized build you create through the enchancement of certain abilities. The combat of Wicked Seed combines real-time action attacks like dodging and parrying with strategic turn-based moves, having you work through a hybrid system for the best outcomes. Precise timing and reading enemy patterns might remind some players of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a game that Wicked Seed takes some inspiration from. Multiple difficulties and New Game+ expands this game’s experience too, letting players enjoy its distinct take on the turn-based RPG formula.

3. Dead in Antares

Released in February 2026, Dead in Antares is a complex game, with almost an endless amount of RPG systems for detailed players to really dig into. As one of the best sci-fi titles of 2026, Dead in Antares earns that acclaim by putting you in charge of a crew of survivors as they must survive on an alien planet. Throughout the game, you must manage the survival of your crew, while also building their strengths and teamwork as you tend to their basic needs. Exploration of the world you’ve crashed on is always dangerous, demanding tactical excellence to stay alive.

The turn-based battles of this game requires constant attention to what your crew members can do, from their special abilities to the technology at their disposal. Maintaining your camp is just as important as taking care of crewmates, with upgrades to stations helping you prepare for new encounters. Every move counts, especially the Power Surge ultimate techniques exclusive to characters to turn the tide of battle in your group’s favor.

The wonderful 2D art of Dead in Antares pairs well with a deep story that develops as you interact with two factions warring with each other over the planet you landed on. Forming bonds like an extensive story-driven RPG is important here, as the rivalries and allies you find will help determine your strategies in the battles to come. Despite the amount of systems you have to remember, Dead in Antares‘ tough choices only emphasizes how great effort to understand its progression systems will lead to great rewards.

2. Dragon Quest VII Reimagined

Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined is a remake with tons of polish released in early 2026, bringing a classic turn-based RPG back into the hands of old players while refining its mechanics for new ones. The Dragon Quest series has always been considered the quintessential JRPG series along with Final Fantasy, so this title has all the tropes fans of the genre could hope for, with an additional fresh coat of paint.

This game has you once again begin your adventure on the island Estard, where you and your friends discover the Shrine of Mysteries that sends you all back in time. Restoring sealed away lands turns this title into an RPG classic, where you and recruited party members fight in limited groups against waves of enemies and challenging bosses. Use MP to cast magic, exploit enemy weaknesses, and level up your party’s skills to overcome any obstacle that stands in your way.

The main narrative of this game has been modernized in the best ways possible, making it far more accessible to new audiences. Combat is faster than it ever was before, and something that may have taken me some time to get used to, but resulted in incredibly smooth turn-based battles that were easy to understand over time. New Vocation advantages to flesh out your party broadens the depth of the original game, with dual Vocations giving you more ways to flesh out your party too for a remastered version of an already classic tale.

1. Mewgenics

There are few turn-based RPGs as addicting as Mewgenics right now, developed by the same creator behind the beloved rougelike The Binding of Issac. This game has consumed my time over the last due months for one simple reason — the almost endless replayability. This title allows you to create your own cat units, who each have randomized skills and abilities based on the genetics used to breed them. Hundreds to thousands of different modifiers exist within the game, meaning you’ll constantly be searching for the “perfect” unit to fit the play style of your next run.

This game has plenty of roguelike elements to it, demanding that you take the time to carefully craft the cat party needed for specific challenges. Turn-based fights can go extremely poorly due to the procedural generation of encounters, with boss battles sometimes becoming a one-sided affair. Growing to master how to produce the best units is crucial for making it through the tough Act routes of this game, mainly since cats can have nearly endless combinations of unique abilities.

Over 900 items, 200+ different enemy types, and 10+ character classes all contribute to the important choices that shape your game. The random nature of this game’s progression rewards players who take the time to master combat, with manipulation of turn-based systems being almost necessary for victory. As far as turn-based RPGs go, Mewgenics is easily one of the most polished of 2026 so far, and definitely worth playing for many, many hours.

What is your favorite turn-based RPG of 2026 so far? Leave a comment below or join the conversation in the ComicBook Forum!

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