RPGs Archives

AppWizard

September 12, 2026

New Open-World RPG Is Officially the #1 Best-Selling PC Game on Steam

A new open-world RPG, The Blood of the Dawnwalker, has become the best-selling PC game on Steam. It is developed by Rebel Wolves, a studio founded by former CD Projekt Red developers, and features a narrative and gameplay style similar to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The game has an 85% approval rating on Steam and a score of 83 on Metacritic. Players assume the role of Coen, a young man with newfound powers in a 14th-century Europe setting plagued by war and the Black Death. The gameplay experience ranges from 15 to 30 hours, or up to 50 hours for completionists, but it is currently listed as "Unsupported" for Steam Deck compatibility.

AppWizard

September 7, 2026

‘If you’re designing an RPG, you have to go back to the source:’ The post-apocalyptic RPG Entropy takes notes from Fallout and a long-abandoned Warhammer spinoff

Entropy is an early access RPG developed by the creators of Dread Delusion, marking a shift towards a JRPG style reminiscent of Final Fantasy 10 and Lost Odyssey, while also incorporating elements from PC gaming traditions. The game features a larger party size for tactical battles, permadeath mechanics, and locational damage. Lead developer James Wragg emphasizes the influence of tabletop gaming on the design, allowing for extensive character customization and creative freedom due to its low-fi graphics. Entropy is currently available in early access on Steam, along with a free demo for players.

BetaBeacon

September 5, 2026

King’s Raid set to make its return to mobile as King’s Raid Re:verse

King's Raid Re:verse is a resurrected version of the popular RPG King's Raid, set to debut at Tokyo Game Show. The new version will retain the original characters and world but with additional optimizations and balance tweaks. Masangsoft aims to please both new and returning players with the revamped game.

AppWizard

September 3, 2026

The bizarre spirit of classic Elder Scrolls games is alive and well in little lo-fi RPG A Short Quest

A tree instructs the narrator to deliver a note to the King, despite the absence of a monarch in the current playtest of A Short Quest. The playtest reveals various mysteries, including a pond that offers blueberries for jumping, a hidden note about a glyph cipher, and an encounter with a ghost wizard. Players engage with the environment to discover item functions without a quest log or map, leading to potential unintended consequences. The narrator finds a broken sword that allows parrying and hints at undiscovered uses, while even a simple rock can serve as a defensive tool. The Steam page mentions upcoming tools and companions, such as axes, daggers, and a pet dog. Skill trees for weapons and spells suggest diverse combat strategies, and a bandit advises targeting enemy knees. The developer, Silent Moon, describes the experience as a brief adventure, serving as a precursor to the anticipated The Elder Scrolls 6.

AppWizard

September 1, 2026

Fable’s story will be ’15-20 hours’ long, according to its game director, although the game’s life systems are ‘limitless’

Fable will offer approximately 40 hours of gameplay, including 15 to 20 hours for the main storyline and an equal amount for side quests and exploration. The game features innovative life-systems that allow players to engage with NPCs, commit various acts, and purchase property, potentially leading to limitless gameplay possibilities. It will also introduce a sophisticated reputation system that is character-specific, allowing for nuanced in-game navigation, and wealth may enable players to bypass certain moral dilemmas.

AppWizard

August 31, 2026

‘Sidequests are almost my reason for doing videogames in the first place:’ The dev behind one of the coolest upcoming RPGs says its word count is ballooning because they just love side stories so much

Entropy is an early access role-playing game featuring experimental, JRPG-style combat in a bizarre, fallen world. It is developed by Lovely Hellplace, the team behind the acclaimed Dread Delusion. Dread Delusion was praised for its first-person gameplay and engaging side quests, including themes of ethical dilemmas and memory. The writer Harry Tuffs contributed significantly to the game's narrative, while Io Brindle returns to help with Entropy. Initially intended to have a shorter narrative, the game's writing expanded due to rich character development. Entropy features a diverse party system with permadeath for all characters and is available on Steam for £8.99, along with a demo.

AppWizard

August 30, 2026

Star Wars Zero Company’s permadeath makes it a better RPG than most RPGs, even though it’s not really an RPG

Star Wars Zero Company is a role-playing game that combines tactical gameplay with narrative depth, allowing players to explore a universe similar to Mass Effect 2. A key feature is its system of permanent character loss, where main characters can be lost if they fall in battle three times without medical attention, adding emotional weight to player decisions. The game emphasizes meaningful choices, enriching the narrative experience. Companion questlines, such as that of the clone trooper Trick, personalize the story and deepen player engagement. While the game successfully integrates permadeath into its mechanics, the narrative and tactical elements are somewhat distinct, with potential for greater integration in future developments.

AppWizard

August 30, 2026

Elden Ring’s Tarnished Edition is exciting enough on its own, but it’s also our last chance to properly experience the game’s launch day hype

The Tarnished Edition DLC for Elden Ring introduces two new classes, armor, and items, providing players with a final opportunity to engage with the game four years after its launch. Despite its modest appearance, the DLC is expected to significantly enhance player engagement. Elden Ring, which won the 2022 Game of the Year, features a rich narrative and stunning visuals, set in a world dominated by the Erdtree. The gameplay includes diverse character builds and intricate combat mechanics, with the new expansion adding a perfect block mechanic from Sekiro. The DLC serves as a bridge to future projects from FromSoftware, as players continue to be drawn to the game's captivating landscapes.

AppWizard

August 27, 2026

Blue Dragon has been stuck on the Xbox 360 for 20 years, but no longer: a fantastic unofficial PC port unlocks the FPS, goes 4K, and even adds mod support

Hironobu Sakaguchi founded Mistwalker after leaving Square Enix in the early 2000s. Blue Dragon, a title from Mistwalker, is now available on PC due to a fan-made port created by programmer Tom, who used his toolset ReXGlue to recompile the game. This port integrates original game files into a single executable, enhances graphical fidelity, and resolves compatibility issues. Tom's work allows the game to run at 1080p resolution and 60 fps on systems with as little as one gigabyte of VRAM. The port was released on GitHub to coincide with the 19th anniversary of Blue Dragon's U.S. release, and future updates and mods are planned, including the introduction of characters from the Nintendo DS sequel.

AppWizard

August 26, 2026

GBA Emulator Android: My Boy! vs John GBAC vs RetroArch

Game Boy Advance emulation on Android has gained significant traction in 2026, with key applications like My Boy! priced at .99, John GBAC receiving an update on May 19, 2026, and RetroArch enhancing its mGBA core for free use. The search term "gba emulator android" sees around 8,100 monthly searches in the U.S., reflecting a resurgence in interest, particularly among former GBA owners now in their late 20s and 30s who prefer using their smartphones for gaming. All five apps—My Boy!, GBA.emu, John GBAC, RetroArch, and Lemuroid—can run the entire GBA library at full speed on devices from the last six years. The main differences lie in software quality, including save state management, cheat code reliability, controller mapping, and update frequency. My Boy! and GBA.emu utilize cores derived from VisualBoyAdvance (VBA), while John GBAC uses a custom core, and RetroArch and Lemuroid rely on the mGBA core. In terms of features, all apps support save states, but My Boy! offers multiple named slots with thumbnail previews, while RetroArch has a more complex system. Cheat code support is available across the board, with My Boy! and GBA.emu accepting GameShark and CodeBreaker formats, and RetroArch providing a built-in cheat database. My Boy! stands out for its link-cable emulation, allowing local multiplayer connections, whereas RetroArch's netplay is designed for online gaming. All apps support external controllers, but RetroArch excels in visual enhancements with its extensive shader options. The setup process for all five apps is similar and typically takes under ten minutes. GBA ROMs are small, ranging from 4MB to 32MB, making them easy to store on modern devices without significant battery drain. Common issues include save files not loading, audio problems, and cheat codes failing to apply, with solutions often involving file management and settings adjustments. Users can migrate save files between emulators by ensuring the correct file naming and directory structure. Pros and cons of each app include: - My Boy!: Ad-free, strong multiplayer support, but lower rating and closed-source. - GBA.emu: High rating and broad support, but outdated and lacks a free trial. - John GBAC: Free and recently updated, but lower rating and ad-supported. - RetroArch: Free and feature-rich, but complex setup. - Lemuroid: User-friendly and actively maintained, but limited shader options. All five apps are legally available on Google Play, as they do not distribute copyrighted ROM files. Users are advised to source their ROMs legally, ideally by dumping from their own physical cartridges. GBA emulation remains an accessible entry point into retro gaming on Android, especially compared to more demanding systems like the PS2 or GameCube.