As part of our ever-growing body of coverage, we will be featuring a look at single player RPGs that are of interest to the wider gaming audience encompassed by MMORPG gamers. With that in mind, a couple of weeks ago, we took a look at six independently developed RPGs that are on the books for release in 2014. In today’s List, we take a look at ten promising single-player RPGs in development or already released by larger gaming studios. See if your favorite title made The List.
The List is presented in order of release or projected release. Without further ado, here we go!
Might & Magic X (Q1 2014 - RELEASED)
Ubisoft hopes to rekindle the love and affection of millions of Might & Magic and Heroes of Might & Magic fans around the world with the release of Might & Magic X: Legacy. The newest iteration in the beloved series brings a first person view to players as well as the familiar turn-based strategy game play that won millions of fans throughout its fabled history.
It will remain to be seen how convinced player are after trying out MMX. It is the first attempt at the main Might & Magic series by Ubisoft since acquiring the IP in 2003.
Dark Souls II (Q1 2014 – March 11)
Namco-Bandai has been working on Dark Souls II since its introduction in late 2012. Set to bring a new hero and a new set of features to the original, the multi-platform title is set to launch worldwide in March 2014.
It seems that the developers, From Software, have taken a page or two from horror television, novels and even other horror genre games and are bringing a more visceral set of features into the series that will include visual and aural sensory stimulation, as well as the standard action-RPG game play that most are familiar with. Dark Souls II will also feature a brand new game engine and server-based multiplayer.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (Q2 2014)
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt brings to a close the story of Geralt of Rivia, the main protagonist through the first two chapter of the now iconic series. Announced in early 2013, W3 is set to be released for PC, PlayStation 4 and XBox One.
What sets The Witcher 3 apart from the first two titles in the series is, according to developer CD Projekt RED, is the expansive size of the game. Developers have indicated that the game world will be less linear and more “open world” and will be thirty times larger than either of the previous two games. That’s a lot of game to explore. It is also being built on the new REDengine 3.
Dragon Age Inquisition (Q3 2014)
Bioware is heading back to its roots with Dragon Age: Inquisition, the third title in the popular medieval-style RPG. The first Dragon Age was extremely popular with traditional RPG fans, while the second was much less so and roundly castigated for its “on rails” approach to game play.
By all reports, Dragon Age: Inquisition will take the best of both games and fuse them together using a new engine based on the Frostbite 3 engine allowing for, according to developers, a more expansive game world.
In development since 2011, Dragon Age: Inquisition is reportedly on track for release in late 2014.
Deep Down (2014 - PS4 Only)
Capcom seems hopeful to cash in on the RPG console revival led by Dark Souls with Deep Down. Set in 2094, players will touch magical artifacts to be transported back in time to dungeons where they'll explore, hunt, and kill their way to fame and fortune while unraveling a mystery from the present day. Currently set for a TBA 2014 release, we hope to find out much more about Deep Down during this year's E3 and PAX conventions.