Baldur’s Gate 3 has really reignited my love for tactical RPGs, and I know I’m not alone in that. 2024 brought us the mighty Metaphor ReFantazio, and the future holds the likes of Solasta 2 ahead. The latest game to join that wishlist is Wartorn, a new fantasy RPG with roguelite progression systems. It comes from indie developer Stray Kite Studios, featuring veterans from BioShock, Borderlands, Age of Empires, and Halo Wars among its team, and is set to plunge us headfirst into its brutal, broken world in the spring.
Wartorn creative director and co-founder Paul Hellquist, formerly a lead designer on the first BioShock and the creative director of Borderlands 2, says the new RPG “challenges players to navigate the chaos of a divided world while finding purpose and joy in selflessness.” He adds that Stray Kite wants to make something entertaining that “also makes players think deeply about sacrifice, survival, and the bonds that unite us.”
Set in a fantasy realm where “extremism and the unraveling of ancient bonds” have torn society apart, Wartorn places you in the shoes of a family attempting to survive and make it back together. That means tough choices must be made; there may not be enough food to go around, you won’t always be able to save everyone, and you’ll be faced with moral gray areas when it comes to the use of violence and sacrifice.
The dynamic combat systems implement various elemental powers that interact with each other and the environment. That means all the classic tactical RPG strategies such as igniting tar with flame spells or spreading electric shocks through water. Destructible environments add an extra layer of unpredictability to every encounter. To help you through even the toughest battles, you can slow time or pause the action to issue precise commands at a speed you’re comfortable with.
Alongside this, Wartorn also implements a progression system inspired by roguelike games. Each run will award new abilities and hero upgrades that you can carry forward to your next attempt, giving a gradual sense of growth even through your failures. “We want players to feel like every choice matters, both on the battlefield and in the story” Stray Kite CEO and co-founder Shovaen Patel explains.
Wartorn launches in early access in Spring 2025 on Steam and the Epic Games Store. You can wishlist it now to keep track of development and receive a notification when it releases.
For now, you can try another of the best turn-based RPGs to play in 2025, or even the best games like Baldur’s Gate 3 specifically if you fancy.
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