The S.S. RPGs Coming This Week is here with a veritable boatload of titles to throw your money at. This lineup is straight bangers all the way, and we can’t wait to share it all with you. Now, all aboard!
Afterimage – April 25th (PS5, XSX, PS4, XB1, Switch, Windows)
Not to be confused with the Filipino rock band, Afterimage is a Metroidvania with a hand-drawn fantasy aesthetic from Chinese dev outfit Aurogon Shanghai. We’re getting more and more games from that side of the world, and I love it. The combat looks slick and the visuals remind me of Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth, which surprised a lot of people (us included) with how good it ended up being. I think Afterimage could very well scratch that same itch, so you may want to pick it up on your preferred platform when you can. It’s coming out on basically everything.
by Gio Castillo
Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord – April 25th (PS5, PS4, Switch)
Can we get some Fs in the chat? Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord is a follow-up to Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force, and it’s a strategy RPG instead of a standard turn-based affair. I don’t know about you, but this feels extremely 3DS-core (see Lord of Magna: Maiden Heaven and Stella Glow to know what I mean). The fact that Sting is behind this should also pique the interest of you RPG connoisseurs. Let it be known that Fairy Fencer F is more than a random sequel to what was, by all accounts, an average Compile Heart joint.
Please make more of these, games industry!
by Gio Castillo
Roots of Pacha – April 25th (Windows)
At first glance, you might think that Roots of Pacha is a bit derivative. I mean, it’s a prehistoric-themed farming/life sim with many of the Stardew Valley activities you know and love (fishing, mining, relationship-ing). At second glance, though? You’ll find that its ambitions go a little further than being a mere reskin.
A significant part of Roots of Pacha is discovering and developing technologies and teaching them to the townsfolk. Eventually, you might find that your town’s gone from the Stone Age to the Iron Age. Isn’t that appealing? Maybe I’ve been playing too much Civilization VI.
by Gio Castillo
Trinity Trigger – April 25th (PS5, PS4, Switch, Windows)
As you may already know, Trinity Trigger is FuRyu’s new solo and local co-op action RPG developed by an array of talented individuals behind Xenoblade Chronicles, Octopath Traveler, Chrono Cross, and Secret of Mana. I’d be lying if I said that isn’t the reason why I’ve been keeping an eye on this game.
Last year, Trinity Trigger was first teased as Project Tritri, described as “a revival of classic 90s RPGs for the modern age”. Japanese players have already experienced it firsthand since it landed on September 15th, 2022. It finally makes its western debut next week on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam. Keep an eye out for RPGFan’s review coming soon!
by Tin Manuel
Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed – April 25th (Switch)
So we all expected to get the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 expansion DLC sometime in 2023, but I’m fairly confident in saying LITERALLY NO ONE expected the shadow-dropped trailer and April 25th release date we got last week. Makes the original December 31st deadline Monolith Soft gave itself pretty comical in retrospect. All of this has easily been one of my favorite surprises in the last few years.
Okay, I will now try to describe Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed while avoiding any potential spoilers. It looks to be a Torna-style prequel to the main game and, simultaneously, a resolution to the overarching plot of all three mainline games. Before watching the trailer, I wouldn’t say this is exactly what I wanted (a sequel/epilogue of sorts would’ve been it), but damn am I excited to see where Tetsuya Takahashi and company take us.
by Gio Castillo
Cassette Beasts – April 26th (Windows, Linux)
Poké Balls are out, retro cassette tapes are in! This indie game immediately caught my attention with its charming visuals and innovative combat system. If it hasn’t fallen under your radar, Cassette Beasts is a turn-based RPG by Bytten Studio wherein you explore an open world boasting 120 monsters to collect. You can also fuse two monsters to create a new one, and, well, I’ll let you do the math on how many possible combinations there are.
The pixel art and vibe of this game remind me of Nintendo titles such as EarthBound and the early Pokémon titles. The combined approach of urban and retro concepts works flawlessly. It might share a few similarities, but I adore how the developers managed to make it unique on its own.
by Tin Manuel
Honkai: Star Rail – April 26th (iOS, Android, Windows)
Developer HoYoverse is back with a free-to-play turn-based RPG centered around space exploration. The sci-fi adventure Honkai: Star Rail features party-based battles aplenty and several gorgeous vistas both on-world and off while exploring fascinating new vistas and dangerous dungeons with tactical-minded combat! As a fan of sci-fi in general and of Leiji Matsumoto’s works, the concept behind the Astral Express itself is all sorts of intriguing to me. I enjoy playing Genshin Impact in my off-hours when I can, so I’m eager to find out more about Honkai: Star Rail when it releases this week.
by Audra Bowling
Dungeon Drafters – April 27th (Windows, Linux)
There’s a lot going on in Dungeon Drafters, and I’m amazed that it all seems to cohere rather nicely. This is an SRPG slash dungeon crawler slash rogue-lite slash semi-card battler with deliciously crisp sprite work and environmental design. I just like looking at it.
The gameplay loop has you exploring ancient ruins to find cards and other neat items to make you stronger. Rinse and repeat. It’s a simple concept, but Dungeon Drafters seems to afford you a reasonably wide variety of tools at your disposal.
by Gio Castillo
Also Coming This Week
LIVE A LIVE – April 27th (PS5, PS4, Windows)
Play through different time periods in a classic RPG experience that our very own Izzy Parsons had already had quite a positive experience with! I haven’t played LIVE A LIVE myself yet, but I’m thrilled that we’re getting more console options for it. Now seems like a good opportunity to finally try this missing gem out if you’re like me and haven’t had the chance.
by Audra Bowling
Mugen Souls – April 27th (Switch)
Here’s a blast from the past that I’m not sure needed to come back. Mugen Souls was originally a Compile Heart RPG from the PlayStation 3. It eventually made its way to PC, and now it’s hitting Switch systems. This new release has all the content that was cut out for being NSFW. I don’t necessarily have qualms with adult-themed gameplay, but this one veers far into creepy territory for me. Still, I know the game has its fans for a reason.
by Gio Castillo
Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak – April 28th (PS5, XSX, PS4, XB1)
Fight deadly monsters using sheer grit, tenacity, and cunning strategy in this DLC expansion to the excellent Monster Hunter Rise! Des Miller gave Sunbreak a glowing review, and I’m so very curious to try my hand at an MH game. This is definitely a very tempting reason to pick one up!
by Audra Bowling
Well, I’m basically a lock for the Xenoblade DLC, and I’ve got eyes on quite a few others this week. What are you getting? Feel free to sound off in the comments or on our social media channels. We’ll see you next week!
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