We've known about the next entry in the Trails of Cold Steel saga for a while, but now we finally have some details on the game, a handful of beautiful-looking screenshots, and a release date! For Japan, at least. Taking place a year and a half after the end of the previous game, Trails of Cold Steel III once again puts players in the shoes of Rean Schwarzer as he journeys around Erebonia with friends both old and new. Needless to say, the Falcom fans on staff are very excited about this one, and the Trails fans in particular just about lost it when this baby was formally unveiled.
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They said it would never happen, but they were wrong. The final chapter of the Trails in the Sky trilogy will finally be seen in English this year, courtesy of the fine folks at XSEED. The 3rd shifts the focus away from Estelle and Joshua to church agents Kevin and Ries as they chase down the remaining members of Ouroboros and end up stuck in a space-time rift. Though it may be a little more self-contained than its prequels, The 3rd promises all the twists, turns and rockin' tunes that Trails fans adore.
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It's always an event when a new mainline Zelda title is released. We've been waiting on Breath of the Wild for years, and it's finally on the horizon. This newest entry brings Link into an open world, with tons and tons of land to explore. There are a multitude of new mechanics being introduced, from survival elements like warmth and food to the crafting of items and weapons. And the cutscenes we've seen so far look to be emotionally gripping, with voice acting being introduced into the series for the first time (!?). Everything we've seen so far of Breath of the Wild leaves us wanting more, and we can't wait to get our hands on it, along with the newest system coming from Nintendo.
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Regardless of your feelings on how the original Mass Effect trilogy ended, there's no denying that BioWare created something truly special with the franchise. With Mass Effect: Andromeda, they are telling a new story with a new cast in an entirely new galaxy. If all that new isn't enough, this will also be the first Mass Effect game to feature open world environments, and various other changes and tweaks to the formula have us at RPGFan hoping that Andromeda will deliver a fresh take on the beloved series.
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If there's anything that the decade-long development process for Final Fantasy XV taught us, it's that you should never underestimate how impactful hugely ambitious goals can be on release date estimates. Mount and Blade II Bannerlord, the follow-up and prequel to 2010's Mount and Blade: Warband, is not the only title on our list with a moving target of a release date, but it's certainly one of the most exciting. With a brand new game engine and plethora of new features, Turkish developer TaleWorlds is taking their time to ensure their medieval RTS/RPG hybrid is as complete and polished as possible before its release. What a novel concept, eh?
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The original Ni no Kuni was hailed as something of a savior for the JRPG genre back in its heyday. While it's debatable as to whether the end result lived up to the unbelievable hype, there's no denying that Level-5 and Studio Ghibli's collaborative effort was a gorgeous and charming adventure, with production value that other RPGs only dream of. It's exciting to see Ni no Kuni II based on that pedigree alone, so here's hoping this PS4 follow-up realizes the original's potential.
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The contrast between the hype and marketing between NieR Automata and the original NieR is quite stark, with NieR being quietly released back in 2010 to little fanfare. Those of us lucky enough to have stumbled upon that little gem were both surprised and excited that Square Enix decided to bring the franchise back to life with the announcement of NieR Automata. The demo certainly reflects the larger budget and increased publisher backing, but will it retain the same heart and charm that made the original so uniquely fun? We'll see soon. In the meantime, be sure to check out that demo.
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This subversive adventure game slipped from its 2016 release date, but its absence has only made our hearts grow fonder. When slacker kitty Mae drops out of college and goes home to Possum Springs, she soon learns you can never go home again. Night in the Woods boasts a striking visual style that sees its sleepy Rust Belt setting rendered as a side-scrolling zinester-esque collage. Now more relevant than ever, Night in the Woods belongs on the radar of disaffected youth and angsty punks worldwide.
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From Software's Souls series has spawned countless imitators, but Team Ninja's samurai-themed take on the formula is among the more high-profile cases of the sincerest form of flattery. Despite a rough alpha demo, the developers have been responsive to fan feedback, releasing updated demo versions, leading to Nioh's delay to 2017. Here's hoping that Team Ninja can deliver on the final product, as the idea of exploring a supernatural version of Sengoku-era Japan sounds tantalizing indeed.
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How excited are we for Persona 5? Well, our resident Head of Reviews nominated it as her most anticipated RPG two years in a row. Persona games are known for their entertaining combat, relatable characters, and fantastic music. Persona 5 looks to have all three of these things in spades. The game just oozes style, bursting with color and confidence. Even the menu screens are a joy to look at. Barring any more delays, we'll soon finally get to experience the game we were supposed to get three years ago.
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Supergiant Games are known for achieving that perfect blend of engaging gameplay, fantastic art, and amazing music. Pyre is shaping up to have that blend as much as Supergiant's last two games, while offering an experience entirely different from those last two. Combining RPG elements with the esports gameplay of something like DOTA or Rocket League, you play a Reader that leads three souls through Purgatory, attempting to cleanse their souls. If nothing else, we know we can expect a polished, unforgettable experience with Pyre.
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South Park: The Stick of Truth managed a feat that few licensed IP games ever pull off: it was remarkably faithful to its source material while also being a fantastic game in its own right. Originally scheduled for a December 2016 release, South Park: The Fractured But Whole teams "the mysterious New Kid and his magical butthole" with South Park's self-proclaimed super heroes to save the town from the clutches of evil. With a revamped battle system and Matt Stone and Trey Parker once again writing the scenario, this one looks to be just as hilariously fun as its predecessor.
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Fullbright wowed audiences in 2013 with Gone Home, a poignant piece of interactive narrative that unfolded as the player explored an empty suburban home. Since then, they've been hard at work on Tacoma, a title that shares Gone Home's emphasis on exploration, investigation and environmental storytelling... but set on an empty space station. Not a great deal is known about Tacoma's plot, but perhaps it's best left for players to uncover when it finally releases later this year.
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A new Tales game is always a big event in the RPG world. The series is the quintessential JRPG that many RPG fans originally fell in love with. Recent outings have been hit or miss, but its iterative development process may have finally stumbled upon a gem. Tales of Berseria has an updated combat system that allows for fast-paced, free-flowing use of special abilities called artes. It is set in a world beset by daemons, humans turned into monsters by a mysterious disease. Early impressions have been good, and the game just recently came out in the west.
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Set in the titular "small town with a dark secret," retro-styled adventure game Thimbleweed Park has quite a bit of buzz surrounding it. It's a little X-Filesy, a little Twin Peaksy, and a lot of old-school LucasArtsy. And that's no coincidence; Thimbleweed Park sees the reunion of Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnick, creators of the beloved Maniac Mansion. Set mechanically within an homage to LucasArts' famous SCUMM engine, Thimbleweed Park will see players switch between the POV of a pair of federal agents, a cursed clown, and a very confused ghost. Sure to be a riotous laugh, there's a lot to be excited for here.
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Tokyo Xanadu is both an RPG of recent trends and a callback to Nihon Falcom's legacy. The original 1985 Xanadu was a fantasy action RPG sequel to Dragon Slayer, and the new Tokyo Xanadu is about a group of high schoolers awakening to strange superpowers and saving Tokyo from extra-dimensional beings. Tokyo Xanadu looks and sounds like a number of modern RPGs, but its Falcom-forged action and audio look like a blast. Aksys is releasing Tokyo Xanadu on Vita, PS4, and PC later this year.
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If one were to graph lack of popularity of RPG against quality on an x/y-axis, Planescape: Torment would likely fall way off the chart. Although Torment: Tides of Numenera's predecessor has been highlighted in a few of our features for its top-notch design, inXile Entertainment's latest title boasts much of what made Planescape popular in the first place: a polished experience in a novel universe. If this horror-immersed sci-fi-fantasy environment doesn't do it for you, then how about yet more dialogue choices based on one's preferred playstyle? What about a deep combat system and character customization with an emphasis on equipment? Not into more of the same? Then how about a narrative that can be driven by actually dying in combat? In this age of rebirth of the Western isometric RPG, one knows what to expect, and that in itself is cause for hype.
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Valkyria Chronicles holds a special place in our hearts, and we've been begging for more of the tactical series since we first met Welkin and Alicia. Valkyria Revolution is not quite the answer we were hoping for — it is canonically separate from the Chronicles trilogy and looks more like a real-time action game with strategy elements mixed in — but it has still managed to pique our interest. We very much hope this game will breathe new life into the series (and maybe even convince Sega to finally send Valkyria Chronicles III to the West — hey, we can dream!).
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Vidar's unique narrative device aims to apply roguelike qualities to a game narrative: every night, a monster kills one villager in the town of Vidar at random, and the presence and absence of different villagers on specific days determines what tasks and quests are available to the player. With this gimmick in place, every playthrough of Vidar is a unique experience. Vidar entered public early access on January 31st, and should have a full release on PC later in 2017.
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The name "Ys" may not have the same star power as "Zelda" or "Final Fantasy," but you can rest assured that games from the series have the same level of quality and polish. The latest entry in the series is a tightly-paced, lightning-fast action RPG with fantastic music like any of the others, but it's the first to come to the PlayStation 4. It also looks to be the most in-depth entry in the series in terms of plot. Regardless, Ys games are comfortable experiences that never miss their mark, and we expect Lacrimosa of Dana to be no different.
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We've known about the next entry in the Trails of Cold Steel saga for a while, but now we finally have some details on the game, a handful of beautiful-looking screenshots, and a release date! For Japan, at least. Taking place a year and a half after the end of the previous game, Trails of Cold Steel III once again puts players in the shoes of Rean Schwarzer as he journeys around Erebonia with friends both old and new. Needless to say, the Falcom fans on staff are very excited about this one, and the Trails fans in particular just about lost it when this baby was formally unveiled.
