In this edition of RPGs Coming This Week, we stand at a crossroads. One path leads to the magical, politically dense world of Ivalice, while the other disappears into the concrete jungle that is Tokyo. And then there is yet another road, one likely far less trodden, that leads to the castle of a count who vants to suck your blahhd. So without further ado, let’s get into the RPGs coming this week!
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles – September 30th (PS5, PS4, XSX, Switch 2, Switch, Windows)
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles has players returning to the war-drenched lands of the medieval fantasy realm of Ivalice in an enhanced remaster of the classic strategy RPG. Featuring enhanced graphics, updated menus, voiced dialogue, and some quality-of-life adjustments to make FFT more friendly to SRPG newcomers, The Ivalice Chronicles promises to be the title’s definitive edition (even if it’s sadly lacking some PSP port additions). Players wanting even more nostalgia can play through the classic PS1 version of the game if they so choose.
Final Fantasy Tactics holds a special place in my heart and is easily my favorite FF spin-off, if not one of my personal favorite FFs in general. The SRPG gameplay is both challenging and rewarding in equal measure, featuring a robust job class system. The soundtrack is phenomenal, capturing the game’s emotional tension perfectly. The story is rife with political maneuvering, social commentary, and far too human characters in a tale that’s, even now, extremely relatable. Delita is one of my all-time favorite RPG antagonists due to his depth and moral complexity, and you can’t help but feel for Ramza’s efforts to do good in a world that’s written him off for trying to do so time and time again.
As a child, I played the game when it first came out and vehemently hated the impactful ending to the point where I was sorely tempted to throw my controller at a wall, but its one of the rare games I’ve played multiple times since, and each subsequent playthrough adds new layers and depth to the plot, leading me to become enamored with the game, tragic ending and all. With the release of Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles this week, it looks like I’ve yet another excellent excuse to dive into Ramza’s moving tale!
Our very own illustrious Jerry Williams has given it quite high praise, which makes me all the more eager to try it myself!
by Audra Bowling
Byte – October 1st (Windows, macOS)
Byte is a tactics RPG/visual novel created by solo developer James Martini, who has previously released several games on itch.io and is now publishing his very first title on Steam!
Inspired by Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Byte is set in Detroit, Oregon, in 1990 and offers a reimagined take on the classic horror story, exploring themes such as technology, queerness, and desire. The game thrives on the tension between 19th-century gothic horror and late 20th-century technology. From its very first page to its last, Dracula is infused with queer undertones, and Byte aims to reexamine this identity through a contemporary lens on gender, sexuality, and longing.
In Byte, you play as Jonathan Harker, who, as in the original story, is tasked to assist Count Dracula in purchasing a collection of properties, this time in New York. You’re a modern man, which is why you can help Dracula navigate technologies like fax machines, telephones, and even the early internet. As Jonathan settles into the Count’s castle, players may begin to sense something sinister lurking beneath the surface…
by Adem Yilmaz
Digimon Story: Time Stranger – October 3rd (PS5, XSX, Windows)
Digimon Story: Time Stranger is a turn-based monster-taming RPG that sees players stepping into an interactive episode of the Digimon franchise. You play as a secret agent trying to protect the human world from all sorts of mysterious anomalies, eventually coming into contact with the Digital World and its sentient “Digimon” lifeforms as they seep into our reality. With a tale that spans time and realities, can you help prevent disaster from befalling both realms?
I’ve a pretty big nostalgic fondness for many of the Digimon anime series (Digimon Tamers is especially my jam! [Editor’s Note: Same!]) , and the idea of playing through a game reminiscent of those titles with a rather mature twist to reflect a fanbase that’s evolved and aged over the years is intriguing. Digimon Story: Time Stranger will be my first foray into Digimon RPGs since the overall plot and what seems to be a rather robust monster-taming system has piqued my curiosity. The journey to the Digital World could be truly fascinating when Digimon Story: Time Stranger releases later this week!
by Audra Bowling
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