On this edition of RPGs Coming This Week, we tackle the big one. You know, the one with a hound, but not the salty kind. The one set in Valisthea, not Valthiria. That’s about all the superficial similarities between titles that I can pull out of my tush, so let’s just get on with the show!
Final Fantasy XVI – June 22nd (PS5)
So that demo was kind of all right. I mean, my jaw was totally not on the floor for a good 60 percent of it, and I definitely was not on the verge of tears at the end. None of the above!
Okay, no, the Final Fantasy XVI demo absolutely blew me away. I went from “this seems mid” to “this is gonna rule” a quarter of the way through the opening cutscene. I take back everything I ever said. It appears we have a masterpiece on our hands, folks.
What can we expect from Final Fantasy XVI? Objectively speaking: the most intricate action combat the series has ever had, a narrative inspired by Dragon Quest V, music from the award-winning composer for Final Fantasy XIV, and a good boi by the name of Torgal. He’s actually the goodest boi, objectively speaking.
You should also check out our comprehensive coverage of the pre-launch celebration in Los Angeles for more about Final Fantasy XVI. Also, beware of spoilers.
by Gio Castillo
Valthirian Arc: Hero School Story 2 (Exiting Early Access) – June 22nd (PS5, XSX, PS4, XB1, Switch, Windows)
It’s time to give an education in heroics with Valthirian Arc: Hero School Story 2, the latest in a series of RPG-slash-management titles from Indonesian dev outfit Agate. If you can believe it, Valthirian Arc began life as a free Flash game. Now, it’s coming this week out of Early Access and making its debut on consoles.
As a huge fan of 3DS-core graphics, I’m a sucker for this game’s chibi sprites and diorama-esque aesthetics. Honestly, I’d be more than content if more RPGs looked like this. Can we as a collective industry go back to 2013? Please?
by Gio Castillo
Salty Hounds (Exiting Early Access) – June 23rd (Switch, Windows, macOS)
Salty Hounds is a dating sim/RPG hybrid by developer Topping Palette that sees you becoming the new manager of the aptly named Salty Hounds bodyguard agency. This game has you explore a gorgeous pixelated and open-world city at your leisure, potentially getting close to five eligible bachelors along the way. Boasting a narrative that evolves depending on your actions and how close you get to the characters, you might even be able to share in some text messaging later on!
Salty Hounds looks to be an entertaining title that combines two of my favorite video game genres, so I’m definitely looking into it more when it fully releases this week!
by Audra Bowling
Also Coming This Week
Rogue Legacy 2 – June 20th (PS5, PS4)
Rogue Legacy 2 arrives on PlayStation 5 and 4 this week, and it’s going to be available on PS Plus Extra and Premium at launch with all the new content that’s come out since 2020. We enjoyed the Early Access release quite a bit, and this is pretty much guaranteed to be a better experience than that. If you’re hankering for some rogue-lite Metroidvania action, you could do far, far worse than Rogue Legacy 2.
by Gio Castillo
The Last Hero of Nostalgaia – June 20th (PS5, PS4, Switch)
The comical Souls-like The Last Hero of Nostalgaia is coming this week to PS and Nintendo Switch, and coming alongside it is a new DLC expansion called The Rise of Evil (also coming to Steam and Xbox). If there’s a hole in your heart labeled “funny Dark Souls,” you might consider taking a look at this.
Harmony: The Fall of Reverie – June 22nd (PS5, XSX)
Harmony: The Fall of Reverie sees you taking on the role of Polly as she returns to her hometown following the mysterious disappearance of her estranged mother. Her life becomes even more complicated when she’s chosen as the Oracle, serving as the bridge between the human world (Brittle) and Reverie, the home of godlike beings known as Aspirations based upon various concepts of humanity. As the Oracle, the decisions Polly makes have lasting effects on both worlds. I was mightily impressed by the time I spent playing Harmony: The Fall of Reverie on PC and Switch, so I’m excited to see this VN make its way to other platforms for more gamers to experience.
by Audra Bowling
I’m curious; is anyone picking up something that isn’t Final Fantasy XVI this week? Are you abstaining from new releases, or waiting for a sale? I’d love to know your thoughts, so chime in here or on the social media platform you found this article on. Until next time, readers!
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