RPGs Coming This Week, 10/6/24

Beloved Rapture – October 7th (Windows)

Beloved Rapture is a homage to classic turn-based RPGs with gorgeous sprites for amazingly detailed character designs and locales. You can tailor difficulty as you see fit between classic and story play modes, although there are no random encounters to be found in either. Still, as you explore you’ll come across an assortment of challenges, optional and otherwise, awaiting your varied party of main characters.

I played through a demo of Beloved Rapture earlier this year, and I was mightily impressed by its engaging scope and content even at the narrative’s early stages. I’m hopeful the complete game can deliver on the storyline’s promising start, and I’m also excited to be introduced to even more memorable characters and plot twists. Truth be told, I’ve been anticipating this game for a really long time, and I have a feeling my attention will be wholly absorbed in Beloved Rapture with it coming this week!

by Audra Bowling

Necro Story – October 7th (PS5, XSX, Switch, Windows)

Necro Story is one of those games you might be getting ads for on social media (Instagram, in my case), and honestly? I’m fine with it. The children’s-book cuteness helps the game stand out, and the painterly style too! It’s definitely spoopy as well, which is perfect for folks that want to play something seasonal but without the scares.

Necro Story is a monster collector RPG where you’ll spend time recruiting various creepy creatures, including werewolves, skeletons, and… sentient mushrooms. Huh. The interesting thing about the combat is that your monsters are programmable; you can set them up to use certain moves at the start of a battle or if their health is low. Surprisingly, there’s a lot in the way of party customization, so experienced players may get something out of this too.

A demo is up now on PC via Steam.

by Gio Castillo

Phoenix Springs – October 7th (Windows, macOS, Linux)

We’re so far three for three in terms of games with top-tier aesthetics. Phoenix Springs is a mystery game from developer/art collective Calligram Studio, and by god is it a looker. I was practically sold the second it debuted around Summer Game Fest. The visuals look hand-drawn on paper or canvas, with striking colors and strokes reminiscent of the old Tintin comics (at least for me; I’ve never seen anything quite like this).

But where Phoenix Springs has a retro look, the point-and-click gameplay is more modern. The interface is as minimal as it gets (classy black sans-serif text on white), and you focus more on gathering clues to use in the environment or in conversations. With the game finally coming this week after a small delay, I’m super interested to see how this story unfolds.

by Gio Castillo

Guild Saga: Vanished Worlds (Entering Early Access) – October 10th (Windows)

Knowing absolutely nothing about Guild Saga: Vanished Worlds, my preconcieved notions had me thinking this was a WRPG, or maybe a Guild Wars-style MMO. Turn-based tactical RPG with pixel-art aesthetics wasn’t what I was expecting, but that’s what we’re getting, and damn does it look good. According to developer Ocelot on Steam, the game’s systems and engine are largely done, so the priority in the next year or so will be refining the gameplay and finishing up the content. As always with Early Access releases, if this game’s on your radar, you might consider buying it at a discount now rather than later.

by Gio Castillo

Sky Oceans: Wings For Hire – October 10th (PS5, XSX, Switch, Windows)

Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire is a visually stunning tribute to classic JRPGs, particularly those with an emphasis on airships and sky pirates!

Players take on the role of Glenn Windwalker as he travels across diverse locales and assembles a colorful crew of pirates of the sky variety. With gorgeous visuals inspired by the designs of Studio Ghibli, the areas you traverse in Sky Oceans certainly seem vibrant and colorful. The game’s aeronautical combat appears to be sharp and fluid while boasting an impressive level of customization for your growing fleet of airships. You can also bond with your crewmates and help local populations with their issues to bolster your support, all while immersing players in a tale about finding your purpose in life.

Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire appears to be an enjoyable adventure of discovery, and I’m curious to see how it unfolds with it coming this week!

by Audra Bowling

Spear Song (Entering Early Access) – October 10th (Windows)

Hey, another SRPG coming this week to Early Access! Spear Song is pretty standard fare gameplay-wise; judging by what’s available, you’ll need to exploit synergies between different characters to succeed. The campaign (expected to be four to six hours long) appears to be randomly generated, which means replays. Permadeath’s also a thing, which is always a welcome feature in my book. Spear Song is themed around Slavic folklore, which sounds awesome.

by Gio Castillo

Metaphor: ReFantazio – October 11th (PS5, XSX, Windows)

I’ve been following this game since it was revealed as Project Re Fantasy eight years ago, and I learned that this was the ambitious new title from the creators of Persona 3, 4, and 5. It wouldn’t be until 2023 when Studio Zero eventually unveiled it as Metaphor: ReFantazio.

In case this slipped under your radar, Metaphor: ReFantazio is Atlus’ new high-fantasy RPG. [Editor’s Note: I strongly doubt the existence of even a single reader that’s never heard of this, but stranger things have happened.] It takes place in the United Kingdom of Euchronia, where a fight for the throne is underway after the king’s assassination. It adopts the fluid Press Turn combat system from the mainline Shin Megami Tensei games, while the archetypes and calendar system appear to be influenced by Persona. On top of the game’s glitzy and glamourous aesthetic, I’m pumped for composer Shoji Meguro’s take on grand, vaguely religious-sounding fantasy music.

God, I’ve waited for this for so long. My seven-hour experience with the prologue raised my expectations, and I’m hoping it sticks its landing even after 100 hours. This is the last lengthy turn-based RPG of the year, and I’m certain I’ll still be playing through the holidays.

by Tin Manuel

RPG Maker With – October 11th (Switch)

Coming this week is the latest in the venerable RPG Maker series. RPG Maker With hits Nintendo Switch first, with PlayStation 5 and 4 arriving sometime in 2025. It’s looking like the sleekest, most streamlined iteration to date, with plenty of sharp new stock assets available. There’s also a new Asset Sharing feature that lets you download what other people have cooked up. As someone with vague ambitions to make an RPG, this might finally be the one I pull the trigger on.

As an aside, I strongly recommend that you visit the official website; it’s absurdly well-designed and I am so inspired every time I visit.

by Gio Castillo

To the Moon – October 8th (PS5, XSX)

To the Moon coming to more platforms means that even more people can be brought to tears, and that’s a good thing. Er, what I mean is, To the Moon is one of the most emotional gaming experiences I’ve ever had. It’s touching and heartfelt in a way rarely seen, and something I always recommend to others. And if you’re at all interested in the recent Just a To the Moon Series Beach Episode, the first game is a must-play for that reason too!

by Mike Salbato