16. Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire

Will this Pillars of Eternity sequel top the previous game?

If one thing is clear, is that role-playing games in the Baldur’s Gate 2 mould have become popular again. Both Divinity: Original Sin and its sequel were smash hits, while 2015’s Pillars of Eternity was well-received by both fans and pundits alike. And RPG fans sure were ecstatic when developer Obsidian Entertainment announced the latter would be getting a sequel in 2018.

And Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire looks like it could be another epic role-playing experience like the original but in a new setting, the mysterious island region of Deadfire. Here you and your companions will be attempting to hunt down a rogue god, while you can also explore the vast archipelago aboard your ship and play pirate captain if you wish.

Another plus is that all the conversations in the game will be voiced, so you won’t be stuck reading reams of text here. Factor in a clever combat system (which even lets you put bombs in enemies’ pockets), and there’s no doubt this could end up being one of the year’s most exciting RPGs.

Release date: May 8, 2018. Available on PC (also shipping on PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch later this year).