Arrived on the market on April 10th, Final Fantasy VII Remake has certainly already entered the hearts of many players who have had the opportunity to relive the first part of the fantastic adventure of Cloud and his companions in a modern format. Among the various merits of the work we can find one more external to the gameplay itself, more linked to the connection between its genre and the great clamor it has generated within the videogame medium. In fact, it is an excellent opportunity for JRPGs to show themselves more than ever and to reach an audience that is perhaps not usually so easy to reach. The Square Enix title, together, why not, also with the recent Persona 5 Royal, is however only the beginning of all this, thanks to a really promising 2020 in terms of Japanese role-playing games. Without beating around the bush, let's go and see some of the JRPG to keep an eye on in the coming months and beyond, also giving space to some very interesting indies.
Trials of Mana
To begin with, let's stay on the Square Enix theme and talk about an awaited remake coming in a few days. Trials of Mana it will arrive on PlayStation 4, Switch and PC on April 24th and will bring to our screens a complete reinterpretation of Seiken Densetsu 3, released in 1995 on Super Nintendo.
As with Final Fantasy VII, this is also a great way to (re) discover a classic of the JRPG, thanks to a remake very faithful to the original. In addition to the updated graphics and the pleasant cel-shaded style, we find the action gameplay of the SNES title, with a fast and immediate combat system that sees the use of standard attacks, dodges, skills and other interesting strategies. In case you are interested, we remind you that a demo version is available on the various platforms that allows you to get your hands on the early stages of the adventure.
Bravely Default II
Expected for a generic 2020 on Nintendo Switch, Bravely Default II represents the new beginning of a saga born on 3DS from the hands of Silicon Studio and which has achieved great success in a short time. The series takes a lot from old school JRPGs, and this new episode obviously continues on the same wavelength, while introducing some interesting new features compared to its predecessors.
In addition, of course, to the four unpublished characters and a whole new game world, we find a revised overworld with the absence of random combat and therefore the presence of visible enemies that, once hit, start the battle. For the rest, little is known about the work, which in any case remains faithful to its origins as regards the mechanics of the clashes and the splendid artistic style. Again, one is available demo on eShop, which we tested and analyzed in this article last month.
Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition
Perhaps one of the most anticipated games for this year's Switch, Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition repeats the masterpiece from Wii on the hybrid console; however it is not a simple port or remastered but something more. In fact, we find improved character models, which acquire a style halfway between that of the original and the anime present in Xenoblade Chronicles 2. We then have an entire graphic sector refined, with an even more accessible and modernized interface.
What is more important, however, is the presence of an unprecedented part of the adventure. We obviously refer to "Connected Future”, An epilogue that will even be accessible from the beginning, so as to allow those who have already devoured the title in recent years to discover the main novelties of this edition right away. Everything will arrive on May 29th both in standard version and in a full-bodied Collector's Edition.
Sea of Stars
Before returning to the discussion with other Triple A, it is right to name some really promising indies. The first is Sea of Stars, a JRPG made by Sabotage Studio, team already author of the particular metroidvania The Messenger. The game is in fact a sort of prequel of the latter, therefore set in that same universe.
However, the developers have decided to totally change the genre and focus on an RPG inspired by classics such as the immortal Chrono Trigger. In this regard, it is curious how among the composers of the title it is also present Yasunori Mitsuda, which saw in the aforementioned Super Nintendo title one of his most incredible works, as well as the one that brought him into the limelight. For the rest, trailers and images released seem to promise really well, so much so that the project reached funding on Kickstarter in a short time and managed to conquer many goals it had set for itself. The only "sore point", if we want to call it that, is the very distant release date, currently scheduled for 2022. A wait that we hope will meet the great expectations.
Cris Tales
Also influenced by historical JRPGs like Final Fantasy VI and more modern classics like Persona 5, Cris Tales offers a decidedly particular experience, all based on time. In this case, however, it is not, as one might imagine, actual time travel aimed at influencing the past, present and future, but something more bizarre.
The game allows you to see the three timelines at the same time, and then to decide where to act to influence the game world. What is most thrilling is how this system was used in combat system. In fact, it is possible to inflict a certain status, apparently useless, on the enemy in the present, to then bring the latter into the future and see the effects that this status has inflicted on him over time. It is an original mechanic that can lead to situations and strategies that are certainly interesting, although it remains to be seen how these great potentials will actually be exploited. In any case, the work certainly deserves a lot of attention.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Now let's go back to Triple A games and move on to one of Sega's most famous series. Yakuza: Like a Dragon, already released in Japan but still lacking a date in the West, offers an incredibly different experience compared to its predecessors, while retaining their soul.
Go from pure real-time action to turn-based role-playing game it is in fact a radical change to say the least as regards the more combative component of the work, however it is a certainly appreciable transformation. From what we have seen and also talked about in our preview, we find in fact an original and bizarre combat system, but which still does not seem to lack depth. This is thanks to interesting dynamics such as interaction with the environment, special abilities that can be activated with quick time events and more. The release of the first adventure of Ichiban Kasuga is scheduled for this year exclusively on PlayStation 4.
Tales of Arise
Let's move on now Bandai Namco, which this year is preparing to launch on the market Tales of Arise. The awaited new chapter of the famous series takes a leap forward with a decidedly improved graphic quality thanks to the Unreal Engine 4 and animations curated by the animation studio Ufotable. The combat system also seems to have been perfected, while maintaining the action style that has always characterized the Tales of. The story this time tells the story of Alphen and Shionne, protagonists belonging to two different lands and in conflict with each other.
The game seems to be a real game changer for the saga, so it's definitely worth keeping an eye on. Waiting for its arrival on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC, you can find more information on it in our preview.
Fairy tail
Expected on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC for next 25 June, Fairy tail is the new videogame adaptation in JRPG sauce inspired by the famous manga of Hiro Mashima. Although games related to opera have already been created in the past, this new project is the most important and ambitious.
The adventure will take its cue from the most beloved episodes of the series and will see an excellent number of playable characters, among which we find Natsu, Lucy, Gray, Elsa and many others. The combat system turn-based appears very classic, deepened by tactical dynamics that see the enemies arranged on a sort of grid and by different attacks that target only certain slots. For more information on mechanics and characters you can take a look at the official website of the title.
