Campaign Ends: August 14th
Platform: Windows. Stretch goals add console versions.
I first saw a trailer for today’s game on Indie Quest 2025 and immediately thought of Xenogears, so I knew I had to add it to my Steam wishlist (only to discover that it wasn’t on the site yet. Alas!). From the developers of Beloved Rapture comes Robot Rhapsody, a ’90s style JRPG inspired by sci-fi favorites like Neon Genesis Evangelion, Final Fantasy VII, and of course Xenogears, with an all-too timely story about resistance against powerful tech corporations.
Set in a dystopic cyberpunk world run by AI companies (and no, it’s not actually modern-day America), you’ll recruit over six playable characters and meet a colorful cast of both humans and robots. This includes your main girl Selva, a mercenary with a past of tracking down rogue robots and disrupting harmful data centers; Jiro, a boy raised in the AI-run Aether Hives for the mega rich; and Misaki, an elderly woman who nurtures plants grown from still-healthy seeds found in the world’s toxic wastelands. It’s certainly nice to see older female characters in a JRPG!
The crux of the game takes place in the immense city of Zoxxo, a refuge from harmful technology where luddites, artists, rebels, and criminals make their home. Apparently there’s even a legally-suspect Robo Carnival somewhere underground, but don’t tell anyone I said this! Explore large, interconnected areas in an open environment similar to classic Zelda overworlds, where you can walk, climb, swim, and even fly through unique post-apocalyptic biomes filled with secrets. The game also features a day and night cycle; depending on the time, different quests, shops, and characters will be available. Be sure to check out Zoxxo’s bustling nightlife and hit all the shady bars!
Combat is turn-based, and you won’t see any random battles in Robot Rhapsody. Unfortunately, you may end up getting ambushed by drones depending on your reputation and other details; causing trouble attracts even more trouble! Fight against a variety of robots and hack their systems to make them join your party, then upgrade your new pals with random trash you find throughout your journeys. It’s a bit like Pokémon, but with less fur and more computer viruses.
Keeping in line with the retro aesthetic, Robot Rhapsody‘s soundtrack takes inspiration from PS1 classics and uses real instruments from the ’80s and ’90s. The bulk of the game’s 30-50 tracks are composed by Andreas “SnappleMan” Kotsamanidis of Beloved Rapture fame, with additional tracks from Tokyo composer Mushra (Seed of Nostalgia). Definitely worth turning the volume up for; be sure to check out the trailer for some PS1-style excitement!
Robot Rhapsody hit its campaign target in just two days, and since then has hit several stretch goals, including a cat sanctuary side quest, a secret character, additional dungeons, and a cyberpunk casino. Remaining stretch goals include console ports and guest appearances by Beloved Rapture characters. The game is expected to release in late 2027; until then, if you’re already caught up with the classics, there’s plenty of time to acquaint yourself with Beloved Rapture (and read Audra’s review) and even Cosmic Star Heroine, a 2017 indie JRPG by Zeboyd that shares some clear parallels with Robot Rhapsody.
If ’90s sci-fi anime and JRPGs are relevant to your interests, you’ll definitely want to keep an eye on this game. Personally, I think it’s great to see more sci-fi and mecha-themed JRPGs (not to mention a cast that isn’t just young people; high five to the 40+ crowd!) and the story speaks to my concerns about AI and big tech. Robot Rhapsody can’t come soon enough!
Disclaimer: While it’s possible some of us at RPGFan may be backers of the games mentioned in these articles, this does not influence our coverage or our featured game choices. We make our selections simply based on the active campaigns we feel our readers might find interesting, and we are not given special access or perks by the developers.
tl;dr: We think these games show potential and want to share them with you.
