- Review
Wild ARMs 2
Once more, a western wind blows across the realm of Filgaia. Once more, developer Media.Vision has presented a flawed but brilliant gem of a JRPG title with Wild ARMs: 2nd Ignition (1999 in Japan), or, as we Westerners plainly know it, Wild ARMs 2. By the time of its English release in 2000, Wild Ar… Read More »- Review
Artis Impact
The democratization of game development tools over the last decade has ushered in a wave of single-developer titles that have influenced the industry, offering a uniquely cohesive perspective of a single artist in contrast to enormous AAA games made by teams of hundreds or thousands. There are advan… Read More »- Music Review
Last SQ
Square Enix concludes their “SQ” series with Last SQ, a two-disc compilation of tracks from the eleven previous “SQ” entries. Fortunately, it does contain some new tunes as well. Four new arrangements, to be exact! As I write this, I should acknowledge that Last SQ is eclipsed in concept and in comp… Read More »- Review
Mistonia’s Hope -The Lost Delight-
Vengeance is a central theme in many stories, with otome visual novel Mistonia’s Hope -The Lost Delight- adding another tale to an ever-growing collection. Will having her revenge fulfilled be everything protagonist Aprose Randolph wants, or will her vengeance ring hollow as truths come to light? Th… Read More »- Article
- Preview
Starbites Hands-Off Preview: An RPG That Won’t Leave you Feeling Deserted
Starbites is a science fiction game influenced by JRPGs of the past, and I’ve been eager to see more of it since it was announced for a Western release in August. Now I’ve done exactly that, thanks to an invitation from publisher NIS America and developers Ikina Games. In a fascinating sit-down with… Read More »- Review
Pokémon Legends: Z-A
Marketing tells us that personal travel is a time to relax, but one of its greatest benefits is getting to break out of our comfort zones. New places, people, and experiences push us to grow; on the other hand, absolutely no familiarity will leave you lost, with no way to make the most of your time.… Read More »- Article
- News
Coffee Talk Tokyo Opens the Café on March 5th, 2026
One of the indie titles whose release date was revealed during Sony’s State of Play Japan was Coffee Talk Tokyo. Developers Chorus Worldwide Games and Toge Productions have officially set the café’s opening day for March 5th, 2026. The cozy visual novel series returns in a new setting for the PlaySt… Read More »- Article
- News
Elden Ring Nightreign The Forsaken Hollows DLC Releases December 4th
In the recent State of Play Japan, publisher Bandai Namco and developer FromSoftware have revealed The Forsaken Hollows, a DLC expansion for Elden Ring Nightreign. New bosses await Nightfarers to challenge when it officially drops on December 4th for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, an… Read More »- Article
- News
Octopath Traveler 0 Spotlights Villainy, Villages & More in New Trailer; Demo Available Now
Square Enix has released a new trailer for Octopath Traveler 0, the latest in the Octopath Traveler series. Shown at the latest State of Play Japan, the trailer gives players a glimpse of the songful story, trio of dastardly villains, and extensive base-building mechanics that await them. Check it o… Read More »- Article
- Preview
Octopath Traveler 0 Hands-on Preview: Stories Renewed
Thanks to the wonderful team at Square Enix, I had the privilege of playing Octopath Traveler 0 ahead of release, and it didn’t take long to realize this is far more than a side story. Built on the foundation of Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent but crafted for fans craving a full tradit… Read More »- Article
- News
New Dragon Quest VII Reimagined Trailer Showcases Kiefer, Combat & More
Square Enix has released a new trailer for Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, their upcoming remake of the 2000-released island-hopping JRPG. The trailer was shown at the recent State of Play Japan, giving players a look at its diorama-like aesthetic as well as new content centred around an adult version… Read More »- Article
- Rhythm Encounter
- Podcast
Rhythm Encounter 169 – Electro-Bangers Galore!
Throughout the planning for this episode, we jokingly used the term “Electro-Bangers,” with credit to panelist Rob White, knowing full well we wouldn’t use it in the end. But then we figured… why not? This episode is full of excellent electronic music and they are all bangers, so there you have it… Read More »- Article
- News
Dispatch Soars With Over 1 Million Copies Sold Worldwide
AdHoc Studios has announced that their superhero adventure game Dispatch has sold over 1 million copies since its initial release for console and PC on October 22nd. The announcement came via the company’s official Bluesky account, as seen below: https://bsky.app/profile/adhocstudio.com/post/3m4r2a5… Read More »- Article
- News
RPGs Coming This Week, 11/9/25
In this edition of RPGs Coming This Week, we tackle a small but heavy-hitting — and visually pleasing — lineup. A modern isometric CRPG, bright new otome title, and free-to-play action RPG with production values out the wazoo is a lot of audiences served. And if you don’t care for any of that, we’ve… Read More »- Article
- News
Tactical RPG Dark Deity 2 Brings the Battle to PS5 and Xbox Series X|S
Xbox and PlayStation fans of tactical RPGs will have reason to celebrate this week. Dark Deity 2 from developer Sword & Axe LLC made its way onto Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 yesterday, November 7th. Dark Deity 2 is the sequel to the 2021 indie gem, Dark Deity. The series draws heavy influe… Read More »- Article
- News
Persona Live 2026: Awakenings Concert Sets the Stage on January 24th
Good news, Persona music fans! SEGA and Atlus have announced that the Persona Live 2026: Awakenings Concert will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California, on January 24th, 2026. The event will feature live performances of iconic tracks from Persona 5 and Persona 3 Reload by various… Read More »- Article
- News
Prison Break RPG Back to the Dawn Coming to Switch, Switch 2, PS5
Back to the Dawn, a pixel-art prison escape, survival RPG, will make its way to Nintendo consoles early next year, on March 5th, 2026, and PlayStation 5 on an unspecified date. The game was released for PC and Xbox systems in July of this year. As far as RPGs go, it features a unique and intriguing… Read More »- Review
Syberia – Remastered
Earlier this year, I wrote glowingly about the overhauled remake of late director-designer Benoît Sokal’s Amerzone – The Explorer’s Legacy and how it surpassed the sum of its parts to epitomize the pulpy, Vernian adventure I’d always been seeking. Naturally, I was excited to embark on Sokal’s larger… Read More »- Feature
RPGFan Music of the Year 2023
If you were surprised when we published our Music of the Year 2024 feature in September 2025, then buckle up! Our Music of the Year 2023 feature was partially put together on time, but numerous other site projects kept us from being able to complete it. At the time, few team members were able to con… Read More »- Article
- Retro Encounter
- Podcast
Retro Encounter 472 – Final Fantasy Tactics Revisited
What we need is Retro Encounter and a way to listen. On this week’s episode of Retro Encounter, we revisit one of the host’s favorites: Final Fantasy Tactics. Three veterans and one newcomer discuss the job system, combat, death sounds, and that excellent story. How does the new version stack up to… Read More »- Article
- News
Persona 3 Reload Adds Eight Songs Via Free Update
Atlus has released a patch for Persona 3 Reload that adds music tracks from the original Persona 3 and Persona 3 FES. Eight tracks have been added in all, and feature vocal tracks from singer Yumi Kawamura. Kawamura is the original vocalist for Persona 3. Players can set any of the newly added… Read More »- Article
- News
Square Enix Releases New Amazon-Exclusive Dragon Quest & Final Fantasy Tactics Apparel
Square Enix has revealed a new line of gaming apparel for both Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake and Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles. In collaboration with Amazon and as part of the games’ recent releases, players can purchase the clothing line at the conglomerate’s digital storefro… Read More »- Article
- News
Raidou Remastered Demo is Out Today for PS5, Switch 2, and PC
Developer Atlus has announced that the free demo of Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is out today, November 5th, for PlayStation 5, Switch 2, and PC. The PC demo was released a day earlier via Steam. Players can experience the story of Devil Summoner Raidou Kuzunoha XIV up to Epis… Read More »- Review
Avernum 4: Greed and Glory
The modern CRPG revival shows no sign of slowing down, and Spiderweb Software’s latest remaster keeps the momentum going. To mark the 25th anniversary of Avernum 4, founder and lead developer Jeff Vogel is revisiting the classic with an updated edition packed with new features and a refreshed interf… Read More »- Review
Ys vs. Trails in the Sky: Alternative Saga
I can’t claim to have played them all, but out of those I played, there has yet to be a Falcom game I dislike. From excellent gameplay mechanics to likeable characters and heartfelt stories, there’s always some aspect of a Falcom game I enjoy. This hasn’t changed with my playthrough of Ys vs. Trails… Read More »- Article
- Random Encounter
- Podcast
Random Encounter 334 – A Swing and a Hit, A Swing and a Miss
On this week’s Random Encounter, we are looking at sequels both past and present! First up, Zach is here with his thoughts about the Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake. While DQ I could have done with a few fewer “enhancements,” it sounds like the new expanded story and features have made DQ II in… Read More »- Article
- News
RPGs Coming This Week, 11/2/25
In this edition of RPGs Coming This Week: a balanced slate of remasters and brand-new games. This is a good week if you feel like checking out European classics or, as is usual, the latest JRPGs. If neither area is your bag… well, congrats on saving money! But stick around regardless because where… Read More »Music Review
SQ Swing
As one of the final entries in Square Enix’s “SQ” album series, SQ Swing is a swingin’ thing. As I dug into this album, I found some startlingly impressive tracks. I also found some weak arrangements and some frustrating repeats. I also noticed a lack of cohesion in the “swing” theme. Not every one… Read More »Article
Crusaders of Chaotic Kindness Extra Life 2025 Weekend Charity Marathon 10/30-11/2
If we have learned anything from RPGs, it’s that the kindness of strangers goes a long way to saving the world. And I can’t stress enough that this ideology also applies to real life as well. Extra Life has helped children’s hospitals all over the world since its inception in 2008, and this year RPG… Read More »- Article
- News
The Last Worlds: Crossed Souls Blends Action RPG and Big Adventure in Style
It is a personal pet peeve of mine when games are purely marketed as “it’s like [game you like] and [game you know of], with a touch of [game your friend keeps telling you to play],” since it does a disservice to the upcoming title. So, thankfully, while The Last Worlds: Crossed Souls developers, Lu… Read More »- Feature
Our Favorite Spooky RPG Settings
I don’t really like haunted houses or jump scares. But you know what I do love? A good spooky RPG setting. A lot of our staff feels the same, so we decided to put together a list of our favorite “spooky” settings in RPGs! You’ll see some you’ll expect, some you might not, and everything in between.… Read More »- Review
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake
“I’m going to try one more time, Bill,” my grandma says, undeterred by her bad RNG, walking into the dungeon once again and all the way to that chest that might have the Death Necklace. As my grandpa flips back a page in his thick, well-loved Dragon Warrior GameFAQs printed walkthrough, he smiles ba… Read More »- Article
- News
Action RPG Loulan: The Cursed Sand Revealed
Chinese indie developer ChillyRoom has unveiled the first look at Loulan: The Cursed Sand in a new action-packed trailer. This title is supported by PlayStation as part of the China Hero Project, and is set to release in the future for the PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. As… Read More »- Article
- News
Aeruta Opens the Bakery on November 5th
Developer FromDawn Games and publisher Gravity Game Arise have announced that Aeruta will be leaving early access and officially launching on November 5th for PC via Steam. The dungeon exploration and shop management RPG first opened its doors on May 15th, 2024. Check out the clip for a preview of t… Read More »- Article
- News
Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition for Nintendo Switch 2 Delayed to 2026
Bandai Namco and FromSoftware have announced that Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition for Nintendo Switch 2 has been delayed to 2026. According to the publisher, the team needs additional time to optimize the game’s performance on the new console, as this marks the first time Elden Ring will appear on a N… Read More »- Feature
Retro Encounter Final Thoughts – Star Ocean: The Second Story
Rob White Star Ocean: The Second Story is, at least in my opinion, up there as one of the PlayStation-era’s best RPGs. The game just has so many brilliant qualities—the action-oriented combat, the cast of unique and compelling party members which you have to chose between, the fascinating blend of f… Read More »- Review
Type-NOISE: Shonen Shojo
When a game opens with the statement, “Do not attempt to reenact extreme and/or depressing events or performances depicted,” you know you’re in for a conflicting experience. In good faith, this warning is entirely justified, but the choice of the word “depressing” as opposed to a word like “violent”… Read More »- Article
- News
RPGs Coming This Week, 10/26/25
In this edition of RPGs Coming This Week: more games than you can shake a stick at! Okay, I can finally cross that cliche off the bucket list. But really, it’s a crowded field this week; from the return of old standbys to the debut of potential new favorites, I wouldn’t be surprised if the titles he… Read More »- Article
- News
Rhythm RPG Away From Home Launches October 27th
Away From Home, a new rhythm-based RPG, is set for an upcoming release. Cameron Smith-Randick, owner of indie outfit Squishy, has announced the game will arrive on PC on October 27th. A trailer for the game dropped earlier this year, showcasing its visuals and gameplay. You can check it out below.… Read More »Article
