Our low-key summer continues in this edition of RPGs Coming This Week with three games that, in different ways, encourage players to slow down and smell the roses. They aren’t necessarily slow-paced, but I think they exude late-summer vibes. I… don’t know where I’m going with that, but allow me to explain as we dive in!
Arco – August 16th (Switch, Windows, macOS)
Arco is a rare strategy RPG with combat that doesn’t fit the turn- and grid-based mold. The developers describe its battle system as “simultaneous turn-based,” which in practice means battles play out in real time but with regular pauses between “moves.” From what I can see, positioning matters, and you want your every action to have maximum value. The result is your character looks like a damn superhero, effortlessly dodging gunfire and sword slashes and totally destroying attackers.
Before we get to the player characters—there are four—here’s the gist of Arco. It’s a gritty, grounded yet fantastical tale set in a South American land, and the protagonists each have a score to settle with a group called Red Company. Along the way, there are colonizers and monsters to slay. It’s super cool, and I hope enough people give it a chance this week.
by Gio Castillo
Castaway – August 16th (PS5, XSX, PS4, XB1, Switch, Windows)
Are you feeling nostalgic for retro pixel-art games? Have you been itching to play something in the same vein as The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening but want something completely new? Well, you can get that kind of enjoyable experience from Castaway. Developed by Canari Games, this upcoming top-down action adventure pays tribute to Zelda titles from the Game Boy and Game Boy Advance era.
Whether the player is hungry for a challenge or wants to have a less stressful run, Castaway offers several modes and difficulty options. Canari has stated that it’s also welcome for younger players and newcomers to the genre. The best part? the bite-sized indie title only costs $7.99 USD on the Nintendo eShop. I’m all for supporting passionate indie developers, especially those who love to reference titles that I enjoyed in the past. This is exactly what I’m looking for before I return to Hyrule next month with Echoes of Wisdom.
by Tin Manuel
Elrentaros Wanderings – August 16th (Switch, Windows)
Elrentaros Wanderings is an action RPG in which the protagonist gets sent to another world after visiting the fantasy town of Elrentaros. Can they uncover the two worlds’ secrets while helping the town’s residents along the way?
You can strengthen your bonds with the townsfolk as you work towards completing your quest, including forming even deeper connections with ten characters in particular. Strengthening the bonds with these characters opens up a new battle feature called Alliance, which you can combine with equipment found throughout your journey to create your dungeon traversing ideal playstyle. To encourage subsequent replays, dungeons can be challenged in higher difficulties for stronger gear and items after completing them once.
Elrentaros Wanderings seems to have fallen under the radar in terms of game releases, but it promises to be an entertaining action RPG. We’ll be keeping an eye out for it when it releases later this week!
by Audra Bowling
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