Frequently Asked Questions
The most-asked questions about role-playing games of the 2020s, part 3.
What does 'Part 3' of this fan encyclopedia actually cover?
Part 3 focuses on the 2022-through-2025 wave of role-playing game releases, picking up where Parts 1 and 2 left off after the 2020–2021 titles like Final Fantasy VII Remake and Wasteland 3. It treats this stretch as a distinct era defined by a surge of critically acclaimed, large-budget RPGs hitting the market in rapid succession.
Which titles are treated as the central entries in Part 3?
The core lineup includes Elden Ring, Baldur's Gate 3, Hogwarts Legacy, Dragon's Dogma 2, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Persona 3 Reload, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Each gets a dedicated section with lore, mechanics, and community commentary.
Who are the key studios and figures highlighted throughout Part 3?
Larian Studios (led by Swen Vincke), FromSoftware (Hidetaka Miyazaki and the Art of War team), Square Enix's FF7 project team, and Capcom's Dragon's Dogma crew receive the most sustained attention. Indie and mid-size developers like Obsidian Entertainment and Atlus also get dedicated profiles.
A newcomer wants to jump into the 2020s RPG scene — where does Part 3 suggest starting?
The guide recommends Baldur's Gate 3 for players who want deep choice-driven storytelling with a lower barrier to combat, or Elden Ring for those who prefer exploration and challenge over dialogue trees. Hogwarts Legacy is flagged as the most accessible entry point for fans of a specific franchise who want a lighter narrative load.
What single characteristic does Part 3 identify as defining this era of RPGs?
The encyclopedia argues that the 2022–2025 window is marked by an unprecedented convergence of open-world scale, character-driven narrative depth, and polished combat systems in a single package. Titles that previously excelled in only one or two of those areas now compete on all three simultaneously.
What are the most-cited 'notable moments' or award milestones in Part 3?
Baldur's Gate 3 sweeping the 2023 Game Awards as Game of the Year and winning multiple BAFTAs is the headline event. Elden Ring's 2022 Game of the Year win and its record-breaking Steam concurrent-player peak are the other two moments the encyclopedia treats as era-defining.
How does Part 3 differ in scope from Parts 1 and 2?
Parts 1 and 2 cover the 2020–2021 releases and the broader industry shifts (post-pandemic development, the Cyberpunk 2077 relaunch). Part 3 narrows to the 2022–2025 output and adds a new section on the rise of 're-release' and 'remake' projects like Persona 3 Reload and Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reawakening as a commercial trend.
What recurring community debates does Part 3 document?
The biggest threads involve whether Elden Ring's minimal narrative counts as 'RPG' in the traditional sense, the split reaction to Hogwarts Legacy's open world versus its linear quest structure, and ongoing discussion about whether Dragon Age: The Veilguard's combat overhaul alienated series veterans. Each debate is summarized with both camps' arguments.
Are there any key factual corrections or common misconceptions Part 3 addresses?
Yes — the encyclopedia notes that Baldur's Gate 3 is based on the 2014 video game, not directly on tabletop D&D sourcebooks, and that Elden Ring, while sharing DNA with Dark Souls, is a separate IP with its own mythos. It also corrects the frequent confusion between Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020) and Rebirth (2024) as if they were the same release.
Where can readers go for deeper community discussion beyond what Part 3 provides?
The encyclopedia points to the official Larian and FromSoftware Discord servers, the r/BaldursGate3 and r/Eldenring subreddits, and the Fextralife and IGN wiki communities as the most active hubs. It also lists several fan-maintained lore wikis and speedrun leaderboards for readers who want to go deeper into individual titles.