TOP 7 New Upcoming Adventure RPGs of 2022

by Mike Alexander / Top Lists, Articles / 23 Jan 2022

Everyone loves a good role-playing game. Taking on the role of a well-made character or even making your own for hours in a character creator with thousands of options, then setting out on an adventure that you just know will take more than 50 hours or so to even start scratching the surface of what your end goal will actually be, is an intoxicating formula that has held players hostage for generations, whether it be in a video game or a tabletop game. For the purpose of this list, we will be discussing these experiences in their video game form. Here are the Top 7 Adventure RPGs to Get Excited About in 2022 and Beyond.

Steel Rising

First, we have a very interesting alternate history action RPG with developer Spiders’ Steel Rising. This game takes place in Paris as the fires of the French Revolution are at their peak, but with an alternate history twist. In this, Louis XVI has a cold, unfeeling automaton army that is wiping out dissenters to his rule. You play as the only thing that can combat this army, also a robot, but a highly advanced one created by an engineer to the Clockwork King. As Aegis, you will engage in ruthless fights against unforgiving machines, reveal the many hidden secrets of Paris by traversing its many streets and rooftops, and ultimately ensure the success of the Revolution. Decommission an army of robots when Steel Rising activates on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on June 22nd, 2022.

Elex 2

Jump back into a post-apocalyptic science fantasy world in Piranha Byte’s Elex 2. This sequel to Elex has you once more playing as powerful warrior Jax as he fights to unite the people of Magalan against a powerful new threat: the Skyands. Vintage open-world role-playing action will carry you through an epic story that takes place several years after the first game and has much higher stakes. In addition to overcoming the Skyands, Jax must find his son Dex, who was separated from him in the chaos. A hand-crafted, unique world is waiting to be explored with full freedom thanks to Jax’s jetpack and is home to many NPCs who will remember your actions and either join or leave your cause based on those. Make tough moral decisions when Elex 2 flies onto PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, Series X/S, and PC on March 1st, 2022.

Crimson Desert

Go on an exciting fantasy RPG journey in Pearl Abyss’s Crimson Desert. This open-world action-adventure RPG was originally planned to serve as a prequel to the MMO Black Desert Online, but somewhere along in development changed to a single-player game that takes place in the same fantasy world. It uses an upgraded BlackSpace Engine to achieve an almost photo-realistic level of detail in its characters and environments. Crimson Desert tells the tale of a band of mercenaries as they fight for their survival on the vast, war-torn continent of Pywell. You play as Macduff, a mercenary being crushed under the weight of leadership and the painful memories of his past. See if you have what it takes to be a strong leader when Crimson Desert lands on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, Series X/S, and PC sometime in 2022.

Star Wars: Knights of The Old Republic – Remake

Our next game is a venerated, classic RPG adventure that is being remade for a new audience: Star Wars: Knights of The Old Republic – Remake. This is being made as a faithful, one-to-one adaptation of the original game, remade from the ground up with new graphics that are expected to push the power of the newest PlayStation console, and features reinvented combat that reportedly uses God of War (2018) and Nioh 2 as points of reference. This change to the combat is considered pretty drastic, as those who played the original game will know that it featured a D&D style ruleset, including the rolling of virtual dice and individual turns. Also, the soundtrack is being re-recorded, so the game should sound as incredible as it looks. There is no solid release date yet, but it is rumored to be available in 2023 exclusively for PlayStation 5 and PC.

Lord of The Rings: Gollum

Become immersed in The Lord of The Rings Universe with Daedelic Entertainment’s Lord of The Rings: Gollum. In it, you play as the titular Gollum and experience stories that are mentioned in the main Lord of The Rings media but never shown, like his time as a slave below the Dark Tower and when he lived with Elves on Mirkwood. This perilous journey will take you through many locales, and it is up to your skill and cunning to keep Gollum alive through it all. He will chase his Precious through anything, even to his own demise. Gameplay consists of heavy stealth elements with a focus on platforming and either planning your attacks or not attacking at all, as Gollum is frail and will perish quickly if he acts without thinking. Find your Precious when Lord of The Rings: Gollum stalks Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, Series X/S, and PC in 2022.

Horizon: Forbidden West

Dive back into the world of Horizon: Zero Dawn in its upcoming sequel: Horizon Forbidden West, being made by Guerilla Games, who brought us the Killzone series previously. This role-playing action-adventure game is set in a post-apocalyptic Western United States (a damaged, overgrowth covered Golden Gate Bridge is prominently featured on the box art), and has Aloy on a journey to discover the cause behind the crippling plague “The Red Blight” that threatens to collapse Earth’s biosphere. Fight a host of dangerous dinosaur and animal-themed robots with enhanced melee combat and craftable tools that return from the first game. Traverse a massive open-world using revamped climbing mechanics and improved movement options. Help Aloy save the planet while staying alive herself when Horizon: Forbidden West arrives exclusively on PlayStation 4 and 5 on February 18th, 2022.

Elden Ring

Lastly, we have the much delayed, highly-anticipated Elden Ring by FromSoftware. It is directed by the legendary Hidetaka Miyazaki, who is responsible for the Dark Souls series and written in collaboration with George R.R. Martin of the Game of Thrones novels. This game takes place in The Lands Between after the destruction of the titular “Elden Ring”, which then had its pieces scattered about the land. These “Great Runes” are now controlled by the demigod spawn of Queen Marika. As the Tarnished, it is your job to reclaim these Great Runes throughout a huge open world in an attempt to restore the Elden Ring to its former glory, becoming an Elden Lord. Enjoy this generation-defining adventure on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, Series X/S, and PC on February 25th, 2022.

Mike Alexander

Mike has been playing video games since he was able to hold a controller, having been fascinated by Sonic 2 on his mom’s Sega Genesis. That fascination and passion for the art form has grown exponentially nearly 30 years later, and he doesn’t see that fading away anytime soon.

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