25 new RPGs on the horizon for 2014 and beyond

Kingdom Hearts 3 (PS4, Xbox One)

Release date: TBD

Kingdom Hearts 3: The 8th Installment. And were sure it's not the last, because this franchise has some of the most consistently good games currently being developed. Even the music can get us going. Unfortunately it wont do to get too terribly excited--not only has there been no official release date, but its been rumored that we wont be seeing the next installment of this lovely series until 2015.

Tragic. But until then, and until more RPGs come out, its highly recommended that you sink some time into the series as a whole. Lets be honest: nothing is right around the corner, and youll be surprised at the emotional journey this mash up of characters can take you through.

Dragon Age: Inquisition (PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One)

Release date: Q3 2014

The next iteration of Dragon Age to come from developer and producer Bioware, Inquisition will be the direct sequel to Dragon Age 2. From everything revealed, it looks like there will be just more of everything in this game. More customizability for your team, more choices within that customizability, and a bigger, more open environment. On this front Bioware has actually come out and said that they were looking at games like Skyrim for open-world inspiration. So thats exciting.

Youll also be able to import data from your previous Dragon Age playthrough, so the storyline you built in DA2 wont just fizzle away with the ending of that game. In an interesting move, the game will take place following events from the novel, Dragon Age: Asunder. So if you really want to be all caught up for this game, youll probably want to grab that book and give it a read.

Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair (PS Vita)

Release date: Q3 2014

If you think that you had a hard time in high school, you really got nothing on the characters of Danganronpa 2--no one at your school wanted you dead. In the RPG/visual novel, you take the role of a super intelligent new student at Hope's Peak Academy. Thing is, the principal is a nut job, and he transports you and your classmates to an inescapable island. You're then tasked with murdering one of your fellow students and getting away with it. Pretty messed up.

Disturbing plot and all, the Danganronpa series has a history of having lots of interesting characters, addicting detective gameplay, and a comedic yet morbid touch thats incredibly alluring. If you like quirky high school drama, Danganronpa 2 is a portable release you'll want to look out for.

Tales of Xillia 2 (PS3)

Release date: 2014

Tales of Xillia 2 has been out in Japan for nearly two years to high acclaim, so you should be thankful that this high profile JRPG is finally getting localized in the west. Taking place a year after the first Tales of Xillia, you work your way through the twisting plot to decide the fate of the story's two leads, Ludger and Elle.

The main draw the Tales series is usually it's real time combat system. In Tales of Xillia 2, the character linking system from it's predecessor returns, allowing two characters to combine their moves and abilities into massively punishing attacks. Anyone who wants a change of pace from the more gradual, turn-based, tactical combat will find just that with this Tales sequel.

X (Wii U)

Release date: 2014

Monolith Software, the developers behind the Xenosaga games, is coming out with a new RPG for Nintendo's Wii U. There isn't much information on the game as of yet (or even if its coming out in the US), but we do know that it involves your character being able to jump into gigantic mechs called "Dolls." And not only can those huge humanoid machines can fly, but they can also transform into rolling tanks, helping you kick lots of monster ass.

What more do you need to know? That's really all the information we needed to know to add the game to this list. Now we just play the waiting game until Monolith decides to give us more details to mull over.

Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth (3DS)

Release date: Q4 2014

Persona Q isn't the typical Persona RPG you might be used to. For Shadow of the Labyrinth, the gameplay has less of a focus on the social interactions between characters and lets players jump right into a plethora of dungeon-crawling--similar to the gameplay from the Etrian Odyssey series. Oh and another thing: Persona Q is a crossover title, so you'll be seeing characters from Persona 3 and Persona 4 teaming up, along with some new faces as well.

This marks the first time a Persona game has come to a Nintendo system, and just like several other titles on this list, most other info is still scarce. Be sure to check back for more details on Persona Q.

Phantasy Star Nova (PS Vita)

Release date: TBA

The next entry in the Phantasy Star series is coming exclusively to the PlayStation Vita, and what we got to see from its Tokyo Game Show 2013 reveal looks impressive. Nova is set in the same world as Phantasy Star Online 2, and you can expect the same type of cooperative combat with the game's four-player online support.

While the game was originally thought to be getting a release outside of Japan, that might not be the case after all. Sega has said, There are currently no plans to release Phantasy Star Nova in the Western market. Should this change, we will ensure the information is shared as soon as possible. So that means it could change, right? We'll just have to wait and see.

Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem (Wii U)

Release date: TBA

Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem is another major RPG coming to the Wii U. Crossovers seem to be all the rage these last few years. Developer Monolith's crossover title Project X Zone mixed characters from Namco, Capcom, and Sega games in an RPG adventure that had Mega Man X, Jin Kazama, and Frank West all sharing the screen. Now developer Atlus hopes best that by mixing the Shin Megami Tensei crew with the likes of Marth, Roy, and Chrom from Fire Emblem.

Other than some swirling rumors saying the game will be set in the modern era, that's pretty much all thats known so far. The reveal trailer from early 2013 didn't have too many details, so there is no indication of what the actual gameplay will look like. Perhaps, it will go with something similar to Project X Zone's active battle system, which would fit for Fire Emblems grid-based style.

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix (PS3)

Release date: 2014

Ok, this is actually a collection rather than a new release, but hey, it's still worth knowing about. The Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix includes both Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix and Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix editions. What's really cool is that this collection is the first time the Japan-only Final Mix editions of these titles will be released in the west.

We're not going to try to summarize the convoluted Kingdom Hearts story right here (you can get all that info in our article on Kingdom Hearts' history), but if you are looking for another reason to hang out with some of your favorite Disney characters once again, this is your chance. Only now itll be in 1080p.

Drakengard 3 (PS3)

Release date: May 20, 2014

Looking for an RPG that lets you ride on a dragon and hack your enemies to bits with a sword? Well, look no further, because Drakengard 3 is coming to the west. You play as Zero, a woman on a mission to kill her five god-like sisters for some reason. Zero's motivations aren't exactly clear. But whatever, you get to ride a badass dragon!

The combat takes center stage in Drakengard 3, with hack n slash real time combat. On the ground, as Zero builds up combos and destroys her enemies she becomes bathed in blood and enters her "Excited" mode, giving a limited boost to her abilities. Then you mount your dragon and take to the skies, scorching your foes with your beast's flame breath. Need we say more?