2026 might already be in July, but there’s still a lot of gaming left to be done. Although Grand Theft Auto 6 overshadows every other upcoming game to an extent, you don’t need to pre-order a ticket to Vice City to have something to look forward to, and action RPGs are primed for a big second-half of 2026. Dragon’s Dogma 2 and Elden Ring will drop their definitive versions, and they aren’t even the most exciting releases coming soon.
Cast me as a knight in a fantasy hellscape, and I’ll be sticking around for at least 20 hours, just to make sure I give the RPG a proper chance. The immediate future includes Soulslikes, first-person, sci-fi, and vampires, all of which come with what looks like intense real-time combat that toes the line between style and challenge. Crimson Desert was great, but the best 2026 action RPG might not be out yet.
Therefore, let’s rank the biggest upcoming action RPGs, based on just how perfect they look.
I’m going to be strict with the classification, so there are no borderline cases like Onimusha: Way of the Sword or Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse. They look awesome, and Onimusha is one of my most anticipated games of the year, but they seem to only have light RPG elements. No re-releases/ports/remasters either.
Also, only action RPGs with confirmed 2026 release dates.
6
Mortal Shell 2 Could Be The Next Big Soulslike RPG
Releases August 20
- Platforms: PC, PS5, and Xbox
Released in 2020, the original Mortal Shell was among the earliest non-FromSoftware Soulslikes to be genuinely decent. While replicating the Dark Souls formula, Cold Symmetry introduces a few interesting ideas, particularly the concept of Shells, which act as class loadouts that players can swap between.
Although a good first effort, Mortal Shell had too many rough edges to justify a recommendation to non-Soulslike fans, but it laid the foundation for a sequel that could expand its reach to general action RPG fans. Mortal Shell 2 seems to be that game, offering a plethora of changes that could improve accessibility, hopefully not at the risk of losing its identity.
The sequel will ditch the stamina meter, a change designed to accommodate for more aggressive combat rather than the first game’s slow, deliberate pace. In service of that, Mortal Shell 2 doubles its predecessor’s number of Shells, effectively offering 8 classes that come with their own skill trees and movesets. While not an ideal RPG for players who want to craft unique builds, this jump up should make a world of difference.
5
The Blood of Dawnwalker Is A Vampire Epic With A Witcher 3 Connection
Releases On September 3
- Platforms: PC, PS5, and Xbox
Whenever discussing a developer’s impending debut game, expectations should be kept under check, just to avoid setting the bar too high for a young team to reach. However, Rebel Wolves was founded by The Witcher 3‘s game director, Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, and features plenty of experienced developers who know a thing or two about putting together top-notch action RPGs. The Blood of Dawnwalker might be the most exciting debut game in a long time.
As the title implies, you play a Dawnwalker, a person stuck between human and vampire, and this dichotomy defines the day and night cycle. In the light, players control an agile human who relies on swordplay and magic; when the sun goes down, the protagonist takes on his vampiric form and becomes far more brutal (along with picking up a taste for blood). The combat utilizes directional inputs, so you would need to match an enemy’s actions.
In a gothic medieval fantasy world ravaged by a plague, vampires achieve control by promising salvation to humanity, albeit at a cost. The protagonist, Coen, survives a forced transformation, gaining powers that he needs to use to save his family. Player agency should be a big part of the game, as players are on a timer and must decide which quests to commit to.
4
Beast of Reincarnation Asks What If Game Freak Took A Break From Pokemon
Releases On August 4
- Platforms: PC, PS5, and Xbox
Who could have imagined that Game Freak’s big 2026 game would be a post-apocalyptic action RPG releasing on every console besides Nintendo? Beast of Reincarnation‘s existence is fascinating, but it also looks pretty darn good. This is hardly the first time that Game Freak has stepped away from Pokemon, but Little Town Hero and The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero felt like small side adventures rather than tentpole projects.
Set in a corrupted dark fantasy version of Japan inspired by Studio Ghibli, which is always a plus, Beast of Reincarnation casts players as Emma, a woman who has blight powers and also knows how to use a katana. While other humans are hard to come by, Emma has something even better: a dog companion.
Beast of Reincarnation‘s combat seems to be pretty complicated, at least going by the previews that have come out so far. While potentially incorporating some Soulslike elements, that appears to be mostly through things like a campfire, while the real-time combat emphasizes speed and reflexes akin to something like Sekiro (including a parry and posture system). Emma also needs to make full use of Koo’s Blooming Arts abilities, as her companion is not there solely for emotional support.
3
Valor Mortis Is A Rare First-Person Soulslike
Releases On October 13
- Platforms: PC, PS5, and Xbox
Yeah, this upcoming action RPG will probably be an acquired taste, as tends to be the case with first-person games in a genre more traditionally associated with third-person. First-person Soulslikes already exist, but they mostly consist of indie titles that pop up on Steam. Consequently, Valor Mortis is the first big attempt to present the Dark Souls formula from a new dimension, and One More Level‘s Ghostrunner pedigree is encouraging.
Even beyond the combat, Valor Mortis stands out for being a historical fantasy game set during the Napoleonic era, casting players as a fallen soldier of Bonaparte himself. Yes, we do have another realm ravished by a plague, but that’s basically standard practice for modern action RPGs. Reflecting the era, your weapon arsenal involves a cutlass and firearms like muskets, and they are supplemented with magic.
2
Phantom Blade Zero Is The Latest Wuxia Action RPG Masterpiece (Hopefully)
Releases On October 29
In recent years, games developed by Chinese studios have begun to more frequently crossover into international markets, with Black Myth: Wukong being the most famous traditional single-player release. Well, Phantom Blade Zero seems set to challenge for that crown by serving up another stylish epic with combat and visuals that look impressive. Also, this game is not Soulslike.
The director, Soulframe Liang, described the RPG’s setting as “Kung Fu Punk,” a subgenre that sounds absurdly cool and needs to catch on. Focusing on Chinese Wuxia martial arts, Phantom Blade Zero casts you as an assassin who has 66 days to live, which he plans to use to unravel the ploy that saw him framed for murder.
Although I won’t know until I spend actual time with it, Phantom Blade Zero‘s combat seems like it was designed for me. Focusing on combos, acrobatics, and parries, it looks like a martial arts action epic bolstered by a steampunk dark fantasy aesthetic.
1
Control Resonant
Releases September 24
- Platforms: PC, PS5, and Xbox
Finally, let’s end with a game that isn’t some combination of fantasy, history, and medieval. Control Resonant ditches its predecessor’s third-person shooter classification for the action RPG genre, replacing a shapshifting gun for a shapeshifting rod. Rather than exploring the FBC headquarters, players travel to Manhattan, which has become warped and broken due to a cosmic presence.
This time around, we play as Dylan, the supernaturally-endowed brother of the first game’s protagonist, who seems to have a far wider set of strange abilities that will seemingly be customizable. Remedy Entertainment has more than earned the trust of players, but the developer is entering new territory as this will be its first RPG. Control‘s gameplay was generally fantastic, and the sequel takes this in a new direction that might be polarizing or, at least, require some adjustment.
Still, Control Resonant looks incredible.
