This year had plenty of worthwhile role-playing games to get lost in. A slew of absorbing games, such as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Pillars of Eternity, and Fallout 4, appeared with much fanfare. Unfortunately, handheld RPGs weren't as dominant as usual, and games like Tales of Zestiria and Xenoblade Chronicles X underwhelmed compared to their predecessors. The year also had its share of unexpected darlings with Undertale and Legends of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel coming out of nowhere to earn a spot in the race to the top of the RPG pack. Read on to discover what stood out in a year full of ups and downs for the genre.
Best Narrative: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher 3 has some of the series' best writing, showcasing that not everything in the world is as cut-and-dried as it appears. CD Projekt Red once again tackles choice and situations with plenty of shades of gray and memorable outcomes. The Bloody Baron storyline, anyone? Can you trust the vengeance-focused Dijkstra? The writing also presented a more tender side to Geralt in his quest to help Ciri fend off the Wild Hunt, and watching Ciri determine the right course for her life was exciting in its own right. The narrative may begin with you following Ciri's footsteps, but it always leads to interesting places with complex people, never once dialing back on its dark and bleak world.
Best Combat System: Legends of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel
Falcom has always had a way with combat, and Trails of Cold Steel features one of the series' best efforts. The traditional battle system has you factoring multiple elements into your strategy, such as turn order, placement, elemental properties, special craft attacks, and linking combatants for bonuses. Battles get heated, but victory makes you feel like you've outsmarted the competition.
Best Setting: Fallout 4
A retro-futuristic ambiance drives every aspect of Fallout's world, making every discovery exciting. This time around, Boston takes center stage. Fallout 4 recreates Massachusetts' iconic places; from its historical locations, such as Paul Revere Monument and the Massachusetts State House - complete with its Golden Dome - to other popular places like Fenway Park, now grown into Diamond City. The urban exploration is cool, but you also get to search the wilderness outside the city. Bethesda proves once again why it's one of the top developers at creating worlds; not many games feature a backdrop that compels you to explore like Fallout 4 does.
Best Tactical RPG: Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance
This over-the-top strategy/RPG continues to showcase why it's one of best franchises in the strategy/RPG sphere. Disgaea 5 is the series debut for the PS4, allowing it to add more enemies on the screen than ever before. It also brings with it new features to keep the experience fresh, such as a revenge system and alliance attacks that makes battles even more delightful. Most importantly though, Disgaea 5 doesn't forget what made people fall in love with the franchise: the humor, the insane customization, and creative ways you can kill foes. Making towers out of characters and throwing prinnies never gets old, and this entry allows you to deal damage in the billions. No strategy/RPG provided the depth and excitement that Disgaea 5 did this year, dood!
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