After several weeks off, RPGs Coming This Week is back! It’s not so much that we were taking a holiday break so much as it was most publishers were doing so. But that changes this week, with a varied lineup featuring an otome visual novel with wild character names, a perspective-shifting, retro-styled adventure, a classic-styled and something in a series about Trails? Maybe you’ve heard of it?
It may be a lighter release schedule than many weeks over the fall season, but honestly, if you’re a Trails fan, you’ll be busy for a while anyway! Reviews of all of this week’s releases are in the works, so keep an eye on RPGFan for those in the near future!
Intro by Mike Salbato
Temirana: The Lucky Princess and the Tragic Knights – January 13th (Switch, iOS, Android)
Temirana: The Lucky Princess and the Tragic Knights is an otome visual novel starring Cecilia, the third princess of the Temirana kingdom who is known by the disparaging moniker of “the cursed princess.” Following her coming-of-age ceremony, Cecilia decides to form a knight order of her own, only to discover that many of her knight candidates don’t fall under the traditional trappings of those aspiring to knighthood. Can she mold them into a capable team before an upcoming calamitous event?
Temirana is a romantic fantasy featuring a small cast of colorful characters and is reminiscent of older otome titles and shoujo anime/manga story trappings, with its surprisingly lengthy routes promising to give you even more time in its vibrant fantasy world. I’ve been curious about this otome since its initial localization announcement, and we will be posting a review for Temirana: The Lucky Princess and the Tragic Knights soon!
by Audra Bowling
Philna Fantasy – January 14th (PC)
Don’t look now, but it’s another indie RPG from publisher… AnotherIndie and first-time devs Sailike Game. Philna Fantasy features lovely pixel graphics and action-based combat that seems a bit reminiscent of a classic Zelda if it had stronger RPG elements. Alongside familiar RPG trappings like dungeons, puzzle solving, crafting, and pet collecting, the multiple class types and skill trees will hopefully offer nice variety and flexibility in how you approach combat. And the Magic Belt allows you to slot in a variety of cards to further augment your character with different effects. There is also a demo available for Philna Fantasy on Steam if you want to try it out.
by Mike Salbato
Cassette Boy – January 14th (PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, XB1, XBX)
Play with perspective and the power of green when Cassette Boy releases this week. Cassette Boy is an innovative indie game focused on perspective-shifting mechanics. The game’s action RPG elements have drawn several comparisons to The Legend of Zelda. The interesting mechanics allow for creative puzzle-solving as you rotate the environment to uncover secrets or block foes, reminiscent of indie hit Fez. Cassette Boy has the potential to appeal to wide audience in the gaming space. Fans of puzzle games, Zelda, pixel graphics, or indie games will be right at home. Others might find a hidden treasure if they shift their perspective.
by Jimmy Turner
The Legend of Heroes: Trails beyond the Horizon – January 15th (PC, Switch, Switch 2, PS4, PS5)
The Legend of Heroes: Trails beyond the Horizon is touted as the beginning of the final story arc for Falcom’s incredible The Legend of Heroes: Trails series. Featuring different story routes focused around returning Trails characters Van, Kevin, and Rean and many of their various allies, will their divergent trails come together to protect Zemuria as events in the Calvard Republic prepare to go beyond the very sky itself?
I’m a huge Trails fan, so to say I’ve been anticipating Trails beyond the Horizon is an understatement. I love the characters and world Falcom has created, and I’m eager to see just where the final story arc ultimately takes us. I know that The Legend of Heroes: Trails beyond the Horizon will be a massive timesink, but it’s one I’m happy to dive into! A trip to Zemuria is always a cause for celebration in my book, so I’m sure I am not alone in my excitement about this one. Look for my review soon!
by Audra Bowling
Also Coming This Week
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance – January 8th (Switch 2/Nintendo Classics)
Okay, this was last week, but Nintendo dropped Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance on the Switch 2’s Nintendo Classics service just three days ago, so we’re including it here anyway. This is one of the more notable releases for the GameCube library (exclusive to Switch 2), as it’s the first new release of the game since its 2005 GameCube debut. Until now, the only way to obtain it was by dropping hundreds of dollars for a used copy, so to say it’s a desirable Fire Emblem game is accurate. And if you’re curious where Path of Radiance fits into the series and a good place to jump in, hey, we’ve got a primer for that.
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