If you are waiting for Shadow of the Road, Owlcat Games’ samurai-themed CRPG published by Owlcat and developed by Another Angler Games, there is now a longer wait to fill. Windows Central reported on October 9, 2026, that the PC launch had moved from November 12, 2026, to March 10, 2027. Release plans can change, so verify that date before publication or purchase.
The best substitute depends on what you want from the wait: Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is the closest studio and tactical match; Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is the deepest character-building option; Baldur’s Gate 3 is the strongest party-focused choice; Divinity: Original Sin 2 rewards environmental combat; and Shadowrun Returns supplies a turn-based cyberpunk-fantasy alternative.
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What makes a good stand-in for Shadow of the Road?
The appeal of Shadow of the Road is not simply that it has a samurai setting. It is positioned as a CRPG from the studio associated with large, choice-heavy campaigns, tactical encounters, party management and detailed character development. A useful waiting list therefore needs to match the part of that formula you value most rather than pretend that one game can reproduce every aspect of an unreleased title.
The recommendations below are editorial matches, not an objective ranking. They separate five different reasons to play: an Owlcat-like tactical structure, extensive build experimentation, party-centered storytelling, highly interactive battlefields, or a different genre setting built around turn-based decisions.
#1 Best Overall
- Online multiplayer for up to four players - allows you to combine your forces in combat, and split your party to follow your own quests and agendas. Concoct the perfect plan together… or introduce an element of chaos when your friends least expect it
- Origin Character - offer a hand-crafted experience, each with their own unique traits, agenda, and outlook on the world. Their stories intersect with the entire narrative, and your choices will determine whether those stories end in redemption, salvation, domination, or many other outcomes
- Evolved turn-based combat - based on the D&D 5e ruleset. Team-based initiative, advantage & disadvantage, and roll modifiers join combat cameras, expanded environmental interactions, and a new fluidity in combat that rewards strategy and foresight
- Define the future of the Forgotten Realms - through your choices, and the roll of the dice. No matter who you play, or what you roll, the world and its inhabitants will react to your story
- Player-initiated turn-based mode - allows you to pause the world around you at any time even outside of combat. Whether you see an opportunity for a tactical advantage before combat begins, want to pull off a heist with pin-point precision, or need to escape a fiendish trap. Split your party, prepare ambushes, sneak in the darkness -- create your own luck!
Because Shadow of the Road has not released, no existing game can confirm how closely its systems, pacing or writing will resemble these comparisons. Treat the list as a way to spend the intervening months, not as a promise about the final game.
Quick comparison
| Game | Setting and tone | Combat emphasis | Build and rules complexity | Party focus | Best fit if you want… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader | Warhammer 40,000 science-fantasy | Isometric, tactical, turn-based encounters | Character customization and layered RPG choices | Companion stories and consequential decisions | The closest Owlcat-published structure, even with a very different setting |
| Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous | High fantasy | Turn-based combat | Very extensive customization and character-building | Campaign companions and party management | Rules depth and a long fantasy campaign |
| Baldur’s Gate 3 | Party-focused fantasy | Turn-based encounters shaped by positioning and choices | Character choices with a comparatively approachable presentation | Strong emphasis on companions and relationships | A widely recommended modern party CRPG |
| Divinity: Original Sin 2 | Fantasy adventure | Combat driven by elemental and environmental interaction | Flexible builds supported by creative combinations | Party play and cooperative decision-making | Turning the battlefield itself into a tactical tool |
| Shadowrun Returns | Cyberpunk fantasy | Turn-based tactical battles | Focused character progression | Story and team-based missions | A shorter, stylistically distinct alternative to medieval fantasy |
The descriptions in this table reflect how GamesRadar’s 2026 CRPG coverage presents the four major recommendations and how the Steam listing classifies Wrath of the Righteous. They describe the kind of experience to expect, not a universal quality score.
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader — the closest Owlcat connection
Why it belongs first
Rogue Trader is the natural first stop if the reason you are waiting is specifically “I want another Owlcat-style CRPG.” It is an isometric tactical role-playing game published by Owlcat, with choices, companion stories and character customization at its center. That shared studio connection makes it the most direct way to experience the developer’s approach to party composition, dialogue consequences and strategic encounters before Shadow of the Road arrives.
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What to pay attention to
- Combat decisions: Approach encounters as positioning and resource problems rather than as simple damage races. The tactical format rewards considering the whole group’s actions.
- Companion arcs: Party members are not only combat roles. Their stories and reactions are part of the campaign’s appeal.
- Character customization: Experiment with different roles instead of treating the opening build as permanent proof that one path is correct.
- Choices: Dialogue and strategic decisions are a major part of the experience, so avoid rushing from battle to battle.
Who should choose it?
Choose Rogue Trader when studio continuity matters more than matching the samurai theme. It is also the best pick for players who want an isometric presentation, tactical combat and a party whose stories develop alongside the main campaign. Choose something else first if your priority is a gentler introduction, a more conventional fantasy world or a combat system built around manipulating terrain and elements.
Rank #2
- Reactive Turn-based Combat: Craft unique builds for your Expeditioners that fit your playstyle via gear, stats, skills, and &character synergies
- Dodge, parry, and counter in real time, chain combos by mastering attack rhythms, and target enemy weak points using a free aim system
- With only one year left to live, join Gustave, Maelle, & fellow Expeditioners as they embark on a desperate quest to break Paintress’ cycle of death
- Explore an enchanting realm populated by adversaries; Wander through breathtaking landscapes, from Island of Visages to the Forgotten Battlefield
- Experience the debut game from Sandfall Interactive, fully realized in Unreal Engine 5 with stunning graphics and a heartbreaking soundtrack
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous — the build-crafting choice
Why it fits the wait
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is the recommendation for players who want to spend the waiting period learning, testing and rebuilding characters. Its Steam classification highlights turn-based combat, story, choices and character customization, while the broader CRPG coverage emphasizes the breadth of its fantasy campaign and build possibilities.
This is the option to pick when “role-playing” means deciding exactly what every member of the group can do. The attraction is not a single samurai-like archetype; it is the ability to shape a protagonist and party around a chosen concept, then see those decisions affect how encounters are approached. The rules can feel demanding because a large number of choices interact. That complexity is a feature for players who enjoy planning and a warning for anyone who wants to improvise without consulting the system.
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How to make the complexity manageable
- Start with a clear role. Decide whether your main character is primarily a front-line fighter, ranged attacker, support character or spellcaster before selecting options.
- Give the party complementary jobs. Avoid building five characters that solve the same problem; coverage is more useful than making every member independently powerful.
- Use turn-based combat deliberately. Pause to inspect the encounter, identify threats and choose actions in an order that protects the group.
- Accept experimentation. A first build is a learning tool. If a concept is not fun, change direction rather than forcing yourself through a long campaign.
Who should choose it?
Pick Wrath of the Righteous if your ideal wait is a long fantasy campaign with extensive character customization and turn-based encounters. It is less suitable if you mainly want environmental puzzles in combat or a streamlined party drama with fewer rules to track.
Baldur’s Gate 3 — the party-first recommendation
Why it remains a strong alternative
Baldur’s Gate 3 is the clearest choice when companions, party decisions and reactive storytelling matter more than matching Owlcat’s identity. The recommendation coverage places it alongside the other major modern CRPGs as a party-focused experience, and it is available on PC and consoles according to that coverage.
Its value as a waiting game comes from the way it makes group decisions feel central. You are not merely assembling a mathematically efficient squad; you are managing personalities, competing priorities and the consequences of choosing one approach over another. That makes it a good bridge for readers who want the social and narrative side of a large CRPG while they wait for a new campaign.
Rank #3
- Exclusive Deluxe Edition Content: Includes a physical copy of Baldur's Gate 3 for PS5, along with bonus digital and physical items such as a soundtrack, art book, map, and exclusive in-game items like skins, weapons, or cosmetics.
- Big Box Packaging: Comes in a premium, collector's edition box with unique artwork, making it a standout addition to any gaming collection.
- Enhanced for PS5: Fully optimized for PlayStation 5, featuring faster load times, stunning 4K visuals, and immersive DualSense controller integration for haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.
- EU Region Version: Specifically designed for the European market, ensuring compatibility with PS5 consoles in the EU region. Includes multi-language support for a wider audience.
- Collector's Item: A must-have for fans of the Baldur's Gate series or RPG enthusiasts, offering both gameplay and collectible value with its high-quality physical and digital extras.
How it differs from the Owlcat options
- Emphasis: The focus is more strongly on the party as a cast of characters and on the situations created by their conflicting viewpoints.
- Learning curve: It still offers substantial choices, but its presentation is generally easier to approach than a rules-heavy system built around extensive character planning.
- Combat expectations: Battles are turn-based and reward tactical thinking, but the reason to keep playing is as much the evolving party story as the build puzzle.
- Setting: It is fantasy rather than Warhammer 40,000 or cyberpunk, so choose it for party-centered CRPG play rather than for a specific aesthetic resemblance.
Who should choose it?
Choose Baldur’s Gate 3 if you want companions to drive your decisions, or if you are looking for a broadly recommended party CRPG before committing to a more specialized rules system. If your priority is the closest possible Owlcat connection, start with Rogue Trader instead.
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Divinity: Original Sin 2 — the environmental-combat choice
Why the battlefield matters
Divinity: Original Sin 2 is the pick for players who want combat to be an interaction puzzle. GamesRadar describes it as a combat-focused choice with a deeper elemental system, and that distinction is important: the battlefield is not just a flat space where characters exchange attacks. Elemental effects and environmental conditions can influence how an encounter unfolds.
That approach changes the question you ask on each turn. Instead of only deciding which enemy to target, you look for interactions: what can be ignited, spread, blocked, electrified or otherwise turned into an advantage? The result is a more experimental style of tactical play than a purely class-and-stat-driven encounter.
How to approach its combat
- Survey the arena. Before committing to an attack, look for surfaces, hazards and objects that can change the fight.
- Plan combinations. An elemental effect is most useful when it works with another ability or with the position of the opposing group.
- Use the party together. Coordinate turns so one character creates an opportunity and another exploits it.
- Expect unconventional solutions. A battle may reward a clever environmental interaction more than a straightforward exchange of strongest attacks.
Who should choose it?
Pick Divinity: Original Sin 2 when tactical creativity is your priority. It is especially suitable for players who enjoy party play but want the environment to be an active part of every encounter. It is not the closest choice to Owlcat’s studio identity, and its strengths are less about reproducing a samurai atmosphere than about giving you a different way to think about turn-based combat.
Shadowrun Returns — the cyberpunk-fantasy detour
What makes it different
Shadowrun Returns offers a turn-based cyberpunk-fantasy alternative to the medieval and science-fantasy settings elsewhere on this list. That combination gives the wait a different texture: urban technology, magic and tactical missions instead of castles, crusades or a grimdark far-future empire.
Rank #4
- Day 1 Edition includes the Base Game Disc, Steelbook, and World Map.
- Make The Story Your Own - Experience and shape the plot the way you want. Embark on the quest to save your family, or swear revenge on your sire and destroy everyone standing in your way. Discover ancient secrets lurking in the valley. Rush in head first or risk taking time to prepare. Go alone or search for friends and forge unlikely alliances.
- Day And Night - Experience two different gameplay loops, offering distinct abilities to choose from, mysteries to uncover, and varying ways to achieve your goals. Experiment with different approaches and discover how the world reacts to your actions.
- Every Action Matters - Every action - and inaction - shapes the world around you. Your family’s days are numbered, and every time you take on a quest, time moves forward, compelling you closer to the end. Choose carefully whom to help and whom to leave behind. You will not have time for everyone. The world waits for no one. And neither does the villain.
It is useful as a change of pace because it preserves the core CRPG loop—building a character, making story decisions, assembling a team and solving encounters—without asking you to spend another campaign in a familiar fantasy template. The setting shift can also clarify which parts of the genre you actually value. If you miss party choices and tactical planning even when the world changes completely, those systems are probably the reason you enjoy CRPGs.
Who should choose it?
Choose Shadowrun Returns when you want turn-based tactics and team-based storytelling in a cyberpunk-fantasy world. It is the least direct substitute for an Owlcat campaign, but that is precisely its advantage for anyone who wants variety while waiting rather than another long fantasy epic.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choose by the feature you miss most
Use this decision path if you are unsure where to begin:
- Do you mainly want another Owlcat-style campaign? Start with Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader.
- Do you want to spend your time designing and refining characters? Choose Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous.
- Are companions and party relationships the main attraction? Choose Baldur’s Gate 3.
- Do you want the environment itself to become a weapon? Choose Divinity: Original Sin 2.
- Would a completely different setting keep the genre fresh? Choose Shadowrun Returns.
If two answers apply, use the first one as your starting point and keep the second as your follow-up. For example, someone who wants Owlcat’s structure and deep customization can begin with Rogue Trader and then move to Wrath of the Righteous; someone who wants party drama and environmental experimentation can reverse the order between Baldur’s Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin 2.
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Three sensible waiting-game play orders
For Owlcat loyalists
- Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader for the studio connection and isometric tactics.
- Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous for a deeper build and rules challenge.
- Shadowrun Returns for a shorter-feeling change of setting and tone.
For party-story players
- Baldur’s Gate 3 for a party-centered campaign.
- Divinity: Original Sin 2 for another group-focused adventure with more emphasis on combat interaction.
- Rogue Trader to see how a different studio campaign handles companion stories and consequential choices.
For tactical-system players
- Divinity: Original Sin 2 for elemental and environmental interaction.
- Wrath of the Righteous for character-building depth and turn-based planning.
- Rogue Trader for an isometric tactical campaign with a distinct rules and setting identity.
Pitfalls to avoid when choosing
Expecting a samurai game from a non-samurai substitute
None of these recommendations is evidence of what Shadow of the Road will ultimately feel like. Rogue Trader is the closest studio match, but its Warhammer 40,000 setting is entirely different. The others are useful because they isolate particular CRPG qualities, not because they reproduce the unreleased game’s world.
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Confusing “turn-based” with one identical combat system
All of the recommendations can appeal to players who like deliberate, turn-based decision-making, but their reasons for doing so differ. Wrath of the Righteous foregrounds character rules and customization; Divinity: Original Sin 2 foregrounds elemental interaction; and the party-focused games make group choices central. Choose by the kind of decision you want to make, not just by the label.
Starting with the most complex ruleset by default
More options are not automatically better. If you want to learn systems gradually, start with the game whose central attraction matches your interest. A player who mainly wants companions may have a better first experience with Baldur’s Gate 3 than with a rules-heavy build exercise, while a player who enjoys optimization may find the reverse true.
Treating the reported release date as permanent
The March 10, 2027 PC date was reported by Windows Central on October 9, 2026 after a move from November 12, 2026. Check the latest official announcement before planning a purchase or a playthrough around that date.
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Start with Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader if you want the closest Owlcat connection. Choose Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous for maximum build experimentation, Baldur’s Gate 3 for party-centered storytelling, Divinity: Original Sin 2 for environmental tactics, or Shadowrun Returns for a cyberpunk-fantasy change of pace. Together they cover the major reasons to play a CRPG while you wait, without pretending that any released game can fully stand in for an unreleased samurai adventure.
Quick Recap
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