In 2024, the tabletop role-playing game scene exploded with creativity and innovation, delivering unforgettable adventures from cyberpunk streets to mystical realms. Whether you’re a seasoned dungeon master or a solo player seeking new challenges, this year’s best TTRPGs redefined storytelling and gameplay, blending stunning art, deep mechanics, and fresh narratives that kept communities buzzing. From the highly anticipated Dungeons & Dragons 5e revision to indie gems like Otherscape and Legend in the Mist, these games are the must-plays that shaped the year’s gaming landscape.
You can’t really say that 2024 was an easy year, however. The looming threat of tariffs, suppression of game creators’ reach on social media, and introduction of AI into creative spaces sit in the zeitgeist behind all these games. In the face of massive political and social instability, artists and designers have doubled down on the importance of their work and playing together – and the games on this list highlight that. From the found family of Yazeba’s Bed & Breakfast to the conspiratorial The Slow Knife to the migrant refugees of City of Winter, each of these games tackles bigger issues in its own way, offering catharsis and escape through play.
As has become tradition, AELGAMES asked some of the brightest minds and biggest personalities in the tabletop industry to share what TTRPGs they loved playing this year. This is what they had to say.
City of Winter
City of Winter is a deeply evocative tabletop RPG that explores the journey of a refugee family fleeing a mysterious, encroaching force known as the Umbra. As players navigate the perilous path to the titular City of Winter, they engage with themes of displacement, cultural preservation, and adaptation through a unique mechanic involving tradition cards. These cards represent the family’s customs and bonds, which evolve as they encounter new places and people, allowing for rich narrative development and character growth. Unlike its predecessor Fall of Magic, City of Winter emphasizes the emotional weight of survival and resettlement, offering a poignant and immersive storytelling experience that can extend across generations of characters.
Quintin “Quinns” Smith, reviewer at Quinns Quest and co-founder of Shut Up & Sit Down
City of Winter is – I want you to imagine a gymnast in the deepest lunge imaginable – a game that capably straddles two distant worlds.
A lot of people who play TTRPGs want to tell a story that deeply moves them, but they don’t want to leave their comfort zone of role-playing in a plush fantasy world where pretending to be someone else feels lower-stakes somehow.
City of Winter will break your heart, but it’ll also make you feel safe. In this game everybody (there is no game master) plays members of an immigrant community searching for a safe place to live, and in however many evenings you care to give it, you’ll explore a story with breathtaking presentation and equally gorgeous mechanics. I love it.
City of Winter
$20 $20 $20 at Heart of the Deernicorn (digital)$160 at Heart of the Deernicorn (physical)
Desperation
Desperation stands out as one of the best tabletop RPGs we played in 2024, delivering a gripping experience that captures the raw tension and hopelessness of survival against overwhelming odds. The game excels in creating an atmosphere where players feel truly outmatched, emphasizing strategic caution and the terror of facing near-invincible foes. This design choice heightens the horror and suspense, making every encounter a nail-biting challenge that keeps players on edge. Its focus on a bleak, desperate struggle sets it apart as a compelling choice for those seeking a deeply immersive and intense role-playing experience.
Jeff Stormer, host of the Party of One podcast
Once in a while, you play a game that rewires what you think TTRPGs can be. Our Desperation two-parter on Party of One was that experience for me this year. Blending unique mechanics and richly realized historical horror, the end result was something absolutely haunting and harrowing (in the best possible way). The creeping horror of watching hell descend upon Neola, Kansas, or making the difficult decisions of which sailors wouldn’t survive the journey of the Isabel, was equal parts agonizing and thrilling. I still think about the character relationships that emerged, the stories that unfolded, and who could have lived if just one or two decisions went differently.
Desperation
$12 $12 $35 at Bully Pulpit Games (physical)$12 at DriveThruRPG (digital)$12 at Itch.io (digital)
Jukebox
Jukebox is a unique tabletop role-playing game that blends storytelling with musical performance, making it a perfect fit for theater enthusiasts. In this game, players collaboratively create a narrative inspired by music, selecting songs to perform that guide the story’s direction. After an initial number sets the tone, players draw songs at random to sing, each influencing the unfolding scenes and plot twists. This innovative approach to RPGs offers a joyful and immersive experience that stands out in 2024’s diverse gaming landscape.
Johnny O’Neal, founder and president of Brotherwise Games, home of Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere RPGs
Jukebox is “the Karaoke Musical Tabletop Roleplaying Game,” and based on that description you probably already have a good idea of whether this is the game for you. In Jukebox, you and some friends collaborate to tell a story inspired by music. Before play, and before you know the story, you’ll choose some songs you’re up for singing. After an opening number sets the stage, you’ll randomly draw songs to sing, sending the narrative in a new direction in every scene. It’s the ultimate RPG for theater kids, and the most fun I’ve had this year.
Jukebox: The Karaoke Musical Tabletop Roleplaying Game
$11 $11 $11 at Plus One Exp (digital)$22 at Plus One Exp (physical)
Legend in the Mist
Legend in the Mist is a standout tabletop RPG released in 2024 that offers a fresh, lighter alternative to traditional fantasy games like Dungeons & Dragons. It emphasizes narrative and character significance over complex mechanics, allowing characters of vastly different power levels to coexist seamlessly in the same party. The game features an innovative rule-teaching method through a 50-page choose-your-own-adventure comic that guides players step-by-step in a solo session, making it highly accessible for newcomers. This modern approach revives and expands upon an old idea from early D&D starter sets, combining engaging storytelling with intuitive gameplay.
Charlie Hall, senior editor, tabletop games
Nearly a full year after playing an early version, Legend in the Mist from Son of Oak Game Studio continues to stick with me. I’m not a numbers guy; in fact, as a journalist I even count differently. Here I go to 10. one, a pair, a trio, a quartet, five, a half dozen, more than a half dozen, eight, less than 10, 10. see? IT’S ALL JUST WORDS!!! Maybe that’s why I’m so bad at spellcasting classes.
I like that Legend in the Mist runs on words. The rustic fantasy role-playing game uses these “tags,” as they’re called – little phrases, really – to fill out the character sheet. The effect is to turn your character’s motivations and backstory literally into the powers they’ll use in combat and other encounters, building their legend with more words and phrases that will evolve and change them over time. I’m excited for this counter-Dungeons & Dragons system to launch fully later this year, but you can get a head start with the free demo available now.
Legend in the Mist
$0 0 $0 at DriveThruRPG
Oh Captain, My Captain!
“Oh Captain, My Captain!” is a standout short-form tabletop RPG released in 2024 by James D’Amato under Simon & Schuster’s Adams Media imprint. This game is part of the “Descended From The Queen” lineage, known for its accessible, single-session, self-teaching gameplay that makes it an excellent introduction to role-playing for newcomers. Players take on the roles of a loyal crew on a quest for a legendary treasure, with the story unfolding through collaborative question-and-answer storytelling that reveals the captain’s nature, the treasure, and the crew’s dynamics. Praised for its satisfying one-shot experience and its ability to foster quick, engaging character building and group storytelling, “Oh Captain, My Captain!” also serves as a fantastic warm-up for longer sessions, making it a versatile addition to any gaming bag.
Rowan Zeoli, co-founder of Rascal News and tabletop contributor at AELGAMES
While there are many, many games I could put down on this list as being “the best” for a multitude of reasons, the game I played the most last year was Oh Captain, My Captain! by James D’Amato. Based on the original For the Queen card-based RPG by Alex Roberts, Oh Captain is a game that takes minutes to explain and less than an hour to play. Where For the Queen explores the trauma of abusive codependency, Oh Captain tackles hero worship and cult of personality. You were chosen for this mission because the captain knows that you believe in them. And deconstructing that relationship through prompts that evoke answers of admiration, betrayal, and a desperate need to belong is something I’ve found everyone can understand. More than any other game I played last year, I used Oh Captain to introduce the people in my life to RPGs – and every single time, they wanted to play again.
Oh Captain, My Captain!
$16 $16 $16 at Amazon$20 at Barnes & Noble
Starfinder Second Edition Playtest
The Starfinder Second Edition Playtest marks a significant evolution for the acclaimed science-fantasy RPG by Paizo, transitioning to the Pathfinder Second Edition rules engine. This free playtest offers players six new classes, ten ancestries, updated skills, feats, futuristic equipment, and new science-fantasy spells, providing a fresh yet familiar space opera experience. The playtest includes engaging adventures like A Cosmic Birthday, which blends classic dungeon crawling with narrative sandbox elements, allowing players to shape the game’s future through feedback. While the playtest is praised for its solid mechanics and well-designed layout, some aspects such as spaceship combat rules remain absent, signaling areas for further development before the full release. Overall, it is a compelling preview that balances innovation with the beloved Pathfinder system, making it a must-try for fans eager to explore the next chapter of Starfinder.
Samantha Nelson, freelance writer and AELGAMES contributor
I really enjoyed being part of a yearlong Starfinder campaign, so I was very excited to try the Starfinder Second Edition Playtest. While still a work in progress, the rules feel well balanced and offer a huge amount of character possibilities thanks to being fully compatible with Pathfinder 2e. I loved playing through a modified version of the adventure A Cosmic Birthday as a reincarnated android tapping into the Akashic record to heal my friends and bestow them with knowledge about how to face gremlins. Paizo has developed a wonderfully weird world and excellent mechanics for exploring it.
Starfinder Second Edition Playtest
$47 $47 $47 at Paizo (physical)$0 at Paizo (digital)
The Slow Knife
The Slow Knife is a compelling card-based story game for 2-4 players that centers on themes of betrayal, conspiracy, and patient revenge. Inspired by tales like The Count of Monte Cristo, players take on the roles of villains whose lives intertwine in a decades-long narrative of vengeance against a single wronged protagonist known as “The Knife.” The game unfolds through a series of card prompts that build a complex web of scandal and deceit, culminating in a dramatic reckoning. Designed to be accessible for both newcomers and seasoned RPG players, The Slow Knife requires minimal preparation and no game master, making it an excellent choice for those seeking a dark, immersive story experience with rich character-driven drama. It also includes several pre-written playsets offering diverse settings from revolutionary France to sci-fi and fantasy realms, enhancing replayability and creative storytelling.
Tasha Robinson, entertainment editor at AELGAMES
It’s been two years since I wrote about the paranoid conspiracy-thriller RPG The Slow Knife and interviewed its designer for his Kickstarter launch, and the game’s been out nearly that long – but I didn’t have a chance to play it until Origins 2024. And good googly-moogly, was it ever an experience. The game is designed to tell a Count of Monte Cristo-type story of betrayal and revenge, which could be set anywhere and in any genre – our playthrough was a galaxy-spanning far-future sci-fi story, but I can see how the mechanics would work just as well in a Greyhawk setting or a historical one in any era with rich opportunists and fickle allies. Highly recommended for anyone who loves drama, court intrigue, and dark, destructive endings.
The Slow Knife
$12 $12 $12 at Itch.io (digital)$33 at Heart of the Deernicorn (physical)
Subway Runners
Subway Runners stands out as one of the best tabletop RPGs of 2024, celebrated for its unique setting where players take on the roles of gig-economy metro workers tasked with clearing monsters and maintaining a subway system that has dug too deep beneath the city. This Forged in the Dark game offers a blend of quirky character generation and inventive mechanics, encouraging players to combine unusual traits and abilities in creative ways. Its continued popularity since its pandemic-era release highlights its engaging gameplay and the vibrant community it has fostered.
Aaron Voigt, TTRPG video essayist
I’ve never laughed as hard during character creation than in my first session of Subway Runners – a Forged in the Dark game where you play as gig workers fighting monsters and performing maintenance on the megasubway system humming beneath your city’s streets. Because all characters are procedurally generated to absurd detail, it was a delight to look through the sheets of my fellow players, giggling as we discovered the hand fate had dealt us. It’s all well and good to have a “sweaty” vibe and “apple-bottomed” build. But what purpose does it serve to give me an “AB Double” blood type, or a “party magic” proficiency? Subway Runners is more than happy to hand you a box of oddly shaped toys and let you smash them together in the weirdest way possible.
Subway Runners
$3 $3 $3 at Itch.io$3 at DriveThruRPG
Two Moons Rising from the World of Life Is Strange
Two Moons Rising brings the emotional storytelling and supernatural intrigue of Life Is Strange to the tabletop, offering a gripping murder mystery adventure set just before the events of Life Is Strange: Double Exposure. Designed as a free-to-play TTRPG, it follows a group of young people who gather at Devil’s Tower on the eve of a Blood Moon, only to find themselves embroiled in a chilling mystery where secrets unravel and every decision matters. Framed through the in-universe true crime podcast of Loretta Rice, the game captures the essence of the Life Is Strange universe-where personal choices, atmospheric tension, and the unknown collide-making it a standout tabletop experience for both fans and newcomers alike.
Johnny Stanton, co-creator of Sink!: The 5e Guide to Pirates & Tattoos and former NFL fullback
It’s only natural for the Life Is Strange universe to have its own official TTRPG, considering the award-winning video game series has prominently depicted dice rolling in the past. Two Moons Rising is an adventure created by Noxweiler Berf of Hunters Entertainment set within the world of the newly released game Life Is Strange: Double Exposure. Built with its own custom-made game mechanics, named the Butterfly System, this mystery box’s core mechanics utilize a shared pool of dice for character abilities designed to build tension among both the players as well as the characters they inhabit.
I might be biased choosing Two Moons Rising, as I had the opportunity to be a part of the debut of the adventure in October, but when a brand-new TTRPG system is designed well with accessibility in mind and fits naturally within the context of the world, you can’t help but be impressed.
Two Moons Rising from the World of Life Is Strange
$0 0 $0 at DriveThruRPG
Yazeba’s Bed & Breakfast
Yazeba’s Bed & Breakfast is a unique slice-of-life tabletop role-playing game set in a cozy, magical inn run by a heartless witch. It stands out with its pre-set characters, quick-play chapters, and an adaptable ruleset that is easy to learn yet rich with depth, allowing players to unlock new chapters and secrets over time. The game beautifully captures themes of home, growth, and community, offering a warm, inviting atmosphere where players can explore meaningful stories about the inn’s residents and guests. Its sprawling 500-page content and innovative mechanics make it a compelling experience that can sustain long-term play, appealing to those who enjoy emotional, vulnerable storytelling and dynamic roleplay.
Em Friedman, associate professor of English at Auburn University, director of 18thConnect.org, actual play scholar, and AELGAMES contributor
When I teach, I look for games that don’t need a game master, are quick to pick up and play, and reward thinking about their structure and craft. Meanwhile, my students increasingly want a respite from any digital nonsense, clamoring for A Mending orCity of Winter and plaintively asking, “Dr. Friedman, do you have a physical copy of the game?”
So Yazeba’s Bed & Breakfast landing in its full glory with a satisfying thunk on my doorstep was among the highlights of 2024. While I’ve played the game since its ashcan days, and adore the gloriously pixelated One More Multiverse online interface, the game really sings in its deluxe, bookish form, where I can have new players sign the Ledger, pour jewel-like tokens into their hands, and have them spread out character sheets already marked by other hands and all. those. stickers.
Beyond the classroom, a Pensive chapter played in a shadowy basement this summer was a reminder that this isn’t a cozy game – beneath its candy-colored veneer are the kinds of questions that keep you up at night:
Do you worry about losing control?
Who are you trying to impress?
Do you think you’re too much, or never enough?
What do you think people see when they look at you?
Which 2024 TTRPG release stood out for its stunning artwork and design
The 2024 tabletop RPG release that stood out most for its stunning artwork and impressive physical design is Tephrotic Nightmares for MÖRK Borg, praised for its evocative writing and brilliant setting alongside its remarkable visual presentation. Additionally, Mythic Bastionland has been noted for its delightful and gorgeous illustrations that complement its imaginative worldbuilding. Another mention goes to Dragonbane supplements, which feature enchanting artwork that inspires gameplay.
Why is Tephrotic Nightmares praised for its artwork and design in 2024
Tephrotic Nightmares is praised for its artwork and design in 2024 due to the deliberate and highly considered visual presentation crafted by artist and designer Johan Nohr. The module embraces a bold, abrasive aesthetic that aligns with Mörk Borg’s maximalist punk philosophy, featuring graphic design elements that feel organic, messy, and violent, yet are carefully orchestrated to create a powerful emotional and thematic impact. The layout integrates text with evocative imagery, such as misaligned columns on headstone-like surfaces, enhancing the game’s bleak and oppressive atmosphere. This design approach challenges traditional RPG presentation, inviting players to engage deeply with its dark, doom-laden world through both narrative and visual means. The artwork and design are not just decorative but integral to the game’s identity, making the experience immersive and uniquely compelling for those who appreciate its intense style and thematic depth.
