There are six RPGs coming this week, and they all promise to be meaty, immersive adventures. Well, one of them is not like the others. I’ll explain it when we get there. Let’s dive in!
Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society – February 14th (PS5, PS4, Switch, Windows)
Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society is a sequel to Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk, a relatively unsung dungeon crawler from 2018. What’s remarkable about the first game is that the lead character actually starts out as the “villain” of the story; her mean-spiritedness gets so over the top that it usually ends up being hilarious. My interest in these games begins and ends with the funny dialogue, and I’m hoping The Moon Society delivers more on that front.
On the other hand, we thought some scenes were handled a little tastelessly. Your mileage may vary.
Souls of Chronos – February 14th (PS5, Switch, Windows)
I’m noticing a distinct uptick in chibi aesthetics this week. From a certain Square Enix rhythm game to this indie release, we’re getting more than our weekly quota of “uwu” this month. Souls of Chronos is an action RPG brought to us from Chinese developer FUTU Studio, and it looks quite promising, going by the trailer. You’ll be able to pick this up on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam.
Elderand – February 16th (Switch, Windows)
We at RPGFan love our Metroidvanias, but we’re a little picky about the titles we decide to cover. It’s not an exact science, but games usually need to contain some sort of leveling mechanic and/or character customization to qualify. Case in point: the experience system in Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth.
Elderand seems to have a significant bit of RPG DNA. According to the Steam page, you can tailor the protagonist’s stats, weapons, skills, and even looks based on your preferences. We’re definitely looking forward to seeing what builds we can cook up when this launches.
Theatrhythm Final Bar Line – February 16th (PS4, Switch)
Am I crazy, or could Theatrhythm Final Bar Line be Game of the Year material? I mean, Nothing about this rhythm game is new; if you’ve played Curtain Call or All-Star Carnival, you’ve played this one. It’s just… 385 songs in the base game.
You’ll find that Theatrhythm blossoms beyond a mere celebration of Final Fantasy and becomes a bona fide Square Enix love fest if you get the season pass (the first of many, by the way). I hate to sound like a shill, I really do, but I have to gush about the prospect of tapping along to tracks from SaGa, Mana, LIVE A LIVE, The World Ends with You, and NieR. Might we expect the likes of Chrono, Bravely, Octopath Traveler, Xenogears, and Dragon Quest in the next pass? Ball’s in your court, Square.
Wild Hearts – February 16th (PS5, XSX, Windows)
Fun fact: when Omega Force wasn’t making Warriors-style musou titles in the ’10s, it sometimes made hunting-focused action games. Remember Toukiden? Omega Force made that, and Wild Hearts is basically the studio treading the same ground but with EA money. In a genre dominated by Monster Hunter, it’s good to see other studios trying their damnedest to get an audience.
The conceit of Wild Hearts is that the player character relies on “karakuri” (mechanical technology) to overcome giant creatures. If you were a Yu-Gi-Oh! fan in the 5D’s era, that term will likely sound familiar. I think this game has potential to be a good time, especially with (up to two other) friends. You may or may not expect a verdict from us in the future.
Tales of Symphonia Remastered – February 17th (PS4, XB1, Switch)
It seems like RPG lovers who had (or still have) GameCubes are eating quite well in 2023.
Tales of Symphonia is usually regarded by many as one of the greatest titles on that system and one of the greatest titles in the series. Bandai Namco seems keenly aware of this, considering this is the second time it’s remastered the game (we got a PS3 compilation containing it and the sequel Dawn of the New World in 2013). No, Symphonia Remastered isn’t quite the 60-fps port we wanted, but this remains an important title in the history of Tales and the RPG genre, and it’s important that it be available in some fashion (other than the slipshod Steam port).
If you haven’t played this game yet, this is going to be the most accessible and pain-free way of rectifying that grievous error.
What’s everyone picking up this week? There doesn’t seem to be a hands-down pick, but I expect a lot of folks will be snatching up Theatrhythm or Wild Hearts. The adventurous sortswill see about purchasing Elderand, Souls of Chronos or Labyrinth of Galleria, while the nostalgic will be putting down dosh for Symphonia. The people of culture like myself? Purchasing nothing because we’re flat broke. Until next time, readers!
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