This edition of RPGs Coming This Week solidifies 2024 as an exceptionally strong year for RPGs. I mean, we knew that before the year even started, but it kind of hits differently when you lay it out week after week. And this week, seven solid titles grace storefronts for the first time. Not all of them are huge, but all of them are at least worth talking about. Let’s dive in!
The New Denpa Men – July 22nd (Switch)
Rejoice, for 3DS-core is alive and well in 2024. The New Denpa Men is a free-to-play RPG with roots in Nintendo’s last dedicated handheld to date, and I’m just surprised it even exists. The Denpa Men is a series of 3DS RPGs developed by Genius Sonority, a small Japanese studio behind many Pokémon games. These games are about assembling a party of the titular Denpa Men and using them to explore dungeons. This latest release has four-player local co-op for catching the little freaks, as well as a fairly robust-looking island decoration feature, Animal Crossing style.
Fun fact: there was even a Japan-exclusive mobile game called The New Denpa Men that is distinct from the Nintendo Switch timed exclusive coming this week. That’s right, The New Denpa Men is “timed,” so it may well come to PC or even PlayStation in the future. Exciting!
by Gio Castillo
Veritus – July 22nd (Windows)
Throwback and retro-style games are ever-growing in popularity, making it essential for new titles to differentiate themselves. Veritus, coming this week from Colorgrave, has just that potential. On the surface, it looks and somewhat feels like The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX, but with a stronger RPGness. I played the demo last month and was impressed with the presentation and controls, and creative gameplay on offer. The diverse cast of people, werewolves, and more who accompany you are interesting, and the items and tools that you can find and craft (along with food) open up new avenues. Be on the lookout for our upcoming review, and in the meantime, you can try the demo on Steam for yourself!
by Mike Salbato
CrossOver: Roll For Initiative – July 23rd (PS5, XSX, Switch, Windows)
CrossOver: Roll For Initiative is one of those games that do a little bit of everything. At first glance, it looks like your typical tabletop RPG, but it quickly morphs into this “match-3” puzzle/tower defense hybrid with action and tactical elements. All the while, your character develops along a classic progression system while fighting random encounters and recruiting mercenaries. CrossOver even has a co-op mode where one player rolls the dice while the other does battle. It’s fascinating, and I suspect it’ll find an audience by casting such a wide net.
by Gio Castillo
The Star Named EOS – July 23rd (PS5, XSX, Switch, Windows)
The Star Named EOS shines bright as an immersive point-and-click narrative with captivating photographic visuals and superb voice-acting performances by renowned industry talents. The English dub by Suzie Yeung from Final Fantasy VII Remake & Rebirth is easily recognizable. The Japanese dub, meanwhile, is led by Aoi Yūki, who did voices for Persona 5 and Genshin Impact, while Shandy Ma is responsible for the Chinese dub.
With the help of his mother’s voice ringing in his heart and memories, players will play as Dei and decipher a mystery through beautiful hand-drawn art photographs sent by his mother. See the panoramic world for yourself if you’d like by downloading the free demo on PC via Steam. I also highly recommend listening to this little preview of the official theme song (above).
by Tin Manuel
Tachyon Dreams Anthology – July 23rd (Windows)
Tachyon Dreams Anthology is a compilation of three free 80s-style graphic adventure titles from developer and publisher Cosmic Void. Tachyon Dreams features the unabashedly retro feel of classic graphic adventure titles like Maniac Mansion or Space Quest, mixed with the sarcastic irreverent humour of British sci-fi classics Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy or my personal favourite, Red Dwarf.
In Tachyon Dreams you play as an unwitting and rather unexpected hero of time: Dodger, the “dishwasher dude” of Penrose Space Station. Using a tried and true text parser, players will uncover items, discover secrets, and navigate interactions with all manner of humans, aliens, and automatons alike.
I’ve got a lot of respect for these types of pure modern-retro titles. I think it takes a lot of guts and passion to produce something so apart from the modern gaming ethos of high fidelity, high frame rates and high prices, instead paying strict homage to the foundational games of the 80s and 90s.
>check out Tachyon Dreams Anthology_
by Claton Stevenson
Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Purgatory – July 23rd (PS5, XSX, Switch, Windows, iOS)
Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Purgatory is a choice-driven, narrative RPG based on a TTRPG from the broader World of Darkness RPG universe, alongside the more well-known cult-classic Vampire the Masquerade – Bloodlines. Players take the role of Samira Rahmani, a refugee, and werewolf moving through Poland, against the backdrop of a “border crisis”.
The game uses a rather simple but effective UI that features a 50:50 split between the scrolling narrative—with action choices, skill use info, and choice outcomes—and detailed stills depicting the related scenes. Various meters at the top of the screen show the progression of key traits and variables such as rage and Harano, a unique negative emotional state linked to gloom and fear of loss.
Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Purgatory appears on its surface to cover mature and potentially politically charged content, utilizing the lycanthropic myth as allegory for the othering and discrimination faced by refugees in the fraught environment of central and eastern Europe. Can you lead Samira to a life of peace, or will rage and animalistic violence be her doom?
by Claton Stevenson
Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure – July 25th (PS5, Switch, Windows)
Once in a while, there are smaller indie games that effortlessly grab more of my attention than AAA games do during game showcases. One of these indies is Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure.
Arranger isn’t just any other puzzle game; the unique grid and Rubik’s Cube-like gameplay designed by indie developer Furniture & Mattress provides twists on the traditional formula and room for more imagination and creativity. I think having the world move with the player as he or she moves is such a clever concept.
A single campaign will run for eight to ten hours, which might take longer for someone like me who usually takes their time solving puzzles. This RPG doesn’t have the typical hallmarks of a traditional RPG; like managing an inventory or gaining experience points for leveling.
by Tin Manuel
Also Coming This Week
Tokyo Xanadu eX+ – July 25th (Switch)
It’s easy to forget, but Falcom has other franchises not named Trails or Ys. Tokyo Xanadu eX+ is coming this week to Switch after releasing long ago on PlayStation 4 and PC. Timely, considering that the company is now working on a follow-up.
by Gio Castillo
One Piece Odyssey: Deluxe Edition – July 26th (Switch)
The colorful One Piece Odyssey is coming this week to Switch as a “Deluxe” edition, featuring a new post-game scenario and new outfits. If you’re part of the legions of One Piece fans out there, this should be on your radar.
by Gio Castillo
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