Which are the best upcoming JRPGs?
I cannot believe we are past halfway in 2022 already! So many impressive games, especially JRPGs, have come out in the past six to seven months. It is crazy that there will be more amazing games coming out until 2023 that have already been revealed or announced.
We have provided a list of JRPGs that we have to look forward to in the upcoming months as there is a plethora of games coming out real soon.
15. Granblue Fantasy: Relink (PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC)
Granblue Fantasy: Relink is a JRPG that is currently being developed by Cygames. It was initially revealed back in 2016 where it was supposed to be developed by Cygames in collaboration with PlatinumGames. However Cygames announced in 2019 that they will be solely developing the game as PlatinumGames left the project.
The release date was also supposed to be this year, 2022, but Cygames decided to move it to 2023. It is fine to move release dates rather than releasing a game full of bugs, so props to Cygames for keeping us updated.
If you watch the teaser trailer, you can see a glimpse of the visuals, the world design, and gameplay. Honestly, it looks great, and the combat seems to be very fluid as you play with characters that have different weapons and skill sets.
14. Star Ocean The Divine Force (PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
Star Ocean The Divine Force is an upcoming main title and the sixth installment for the Star Ocean series. After receiving mixed reviews for the last main title, Star Ocean:
Integrity and Faithlessness, fans seemingly thought the series might be done for good, so it is nice to finally have a light when they will release Star Ocean The Divine Force.
The gameplay as seen on the trailer seems to be much action oriented compared to the previous entries in the series, and it also shows plenty of story snippets, characters, and cutscenes on what is in store for us.
Square Enix finally revealed the release date, which is on October 27, 2022. Star Ocean fans are hyped for it, and we also hope that this will finally redeem the series to its former glory as one of the greatest JRPGs to play.
13. Soul Hackers 2 (PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S)
Soul Hackers 2 is an upcoming game and the sequel for Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers that was released back in 1997. A brief summary of the premise is that there is a war between two Devil Summoner factions, Yatagarasu and the Phantom Society.
You play as Ringo, an agent of Aion, who is tasked to prevent the world from ending. Aion is a sentient mind hive that detected Earth’s demise after it analyzed the data and patterns. They created Ringo and Figue (another agent) to intervene as a last resort to save Earth from its destruction. As for the gameplay, it is a traditional turn-based combat system, and with a neat feature of utilizing demons and fusing them to create a more powerful one.
I believe the story would follow Ringo as she becomes increasingly human the more she interacts with other Devil Summoners and creates a bond with them. It is set to be released on August 26, 2022.
Fun fact: Soul Hackers 2 is part of the Devil Summoner series, which is also part of the Megami Tensei franchise as a subseries, similar to Persona series.
12. The Diofield Chronicle (PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch)
The Diofield Chronicle is something I really am eyeing on ever since its announcement because I am a huge fan of Strategy RPG.
It is with a twist though as it is a real-time tactical RPG as you are not going to wait each turn. Instead, your units will move as you play so there is pressure on how you decide to play the battle. It reminds me of Crusader Kings III for its battle system, but on a smaller scale.
The story seems to be highly immersive considering it is about invading countries, and defending your kingdom from invaders, so it has the right recipes to become an iconic game in the genre.
The game is set to be released on September 22, 2022.
11. Valkyrie Elysium (PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC)
Valkyrie Elysium is another Square Enix game that is coming out this year.
You play as Maria, a Valkyrie that is ordered by All-Father Odin to prevent Ragnarök. Valkyrie Elysium is a full-pledged action RPG where you can control Maria as you fight enemies. Although, you can summon a companion, but it is mostly an AI that you can command.
Although it is quite different from its predecessor, Valkyrie Elysium is heading in the right direction for its franchise, and the game looks really good based on the latest trailer. It is coming out on November 11, 2022.
10. Forspoken (PlayStation 5, PC)
Forspoken is honestly one of the best-looking new IPs for next year, and that is based on the gameplay trailer showcase. It is an action JRPG that seems to focus on exploring an open world and traveling it with seamless traversal speed.
You are Frey Holland, a young woman who is transferred to a fantasy world of Athia from New York city. She must find her way back to her home. However, there will be a lot of obstacles against you as the world of Athia is under the tyrannical rule of the Tantas.
Players will be able to use Frey’s magical spells with the help of a sentient bracelet that is bound with her. You can also upgrade her equipment, and craft new items. There is also a chance that they may encounter an event where a swarm of enemies attack Frey until you defeat the boss of the swarm.
If there would be no delay, it is expected to be out on January 24, 2023.
9. Sea of Stars (PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Nintendo Switch)
From the developers of the beloved The Messenger indie game, Sea of Stars is the upcoming new game of Sabotage Studio, and for a JRPG, it looks definitely fun as it is inspired from classic JRPG such as Chrono Trigger.
It features an immersive turn-based combat system where you can deal more damage against enemies or reduce incoming damage for your characters by syncing the action button with the game’s animation. The visuals look amazing, exploring pixel art games are always captivating, especially if it has good lighting and amazing sceneries. Additionally, you can do a lot of activities in this game such as fishing and cooking.
Unfortunately, the game is delayed to 2023 without a specific release date, so we have to wait a little more until Sabotage Studio announces the release date.
8. SacriFire (PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch)
Here comes another pixel art game on this list, SacriFire!
The game’s design is similar to Octopath Traveler, which is known for its 2D-HD visuals. Basically, it is a pixel art game with a highly detailed 3D environment.
The gameplay is no slouch either being mixed with turn-based and real-time where you can create your own combos, use different weapons, and target body parts to deal more damage. One of the selling points of the game is its soundtrack as it is composed by Motoi Sakuraba, who is best known for his video game music contributions such as on Mario Golf, Mario Tennis, and even the Dark Souls series.
Similar to Sea of Stars, SacriFire is unfortunately delayed to 2023 with no exact date for its release date.
7. Front Mission 1st: Remake (Nintendo Switch)
Front Mission 1st: Remake is an upcoming remake of a very beloved tactical RPG of the same name from 1995, which was only released exclusively in Japan. The Front Mission series fell from grace due to bad receptions of games, especially the last one named Left Alive.
Players will use wanzers, a walking tank, which is highly customizable with a variety of parts that you can interchange. The story is set in 2090 and takes place on the fictional place named Huffman Island. Conflict and war on this island have been happening due to tension as different countries want to take over the island.
Front Mission 1st: Remake is set to be released in Summer 2022. Sadly, no specific date has been announced yet.
6. Pokémon Scarlet & Violet (Nintendo Switch)
Ah yes, who does not want more Pokémon games, right? Pokémon Scarlet & Violet finally gets a release date, which is near the end of 2022.
It is built upon the foundation of Pokémon Legends: Arceus while retaining the gameplay mechanics of the mainline titles. It is also an open-world game that looks less linear than its predecessors. Of course, we are going to get new Pokémon, and it is going to be exciting to collect them all!
Multiplayer has been revamped as well considering you can explore the region with three of your friends online, so that is something new and I am excited to try it,
The game will be released on November 18, 2022.
5. Eiyuden Chronicle 100 Heroes (PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch)
Eiyuden Chronicle 100 Heroes is the game Suikoden fans are rooting for to be released in the past few years. It is being developed by key members of the Suikoden series, and this is essentially the spiritual successor of the Suikoden.
Being a spiritual successor, there are a lot of similarities such as being a turn-based combat system with having six individual units per party, and doing combos with the help of each other, which was a staple in the Suikoden series before. Visually, it looks amazing as it utilizes the same 2D-HD as seen on many modern pixel art games.
Eiyuden Chronicle 100 Heroes will be released in 2023. Hopefully, we can get a release date, especially for those who back the project on Kickstarter.
4. Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII REUNION (PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch)
Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII REUNION is a remastered version of a game with the same name that came out in 2007 for the PlayStation Portable (PSP). It is one of the best games on that platform, and it is amazing to see that this game is going to be released on all platforms with updated graphics.
You play as Zack Fair in this game, a Shinra SOLDIER, and as he became more involved with Shinra, the more he learned the corruption within it. As a remaster, it will tell the same story as the original, which probably has one of the best stories that I have witnessed.
As for the gameplay, it is an action RPG, which is really amusing to play, and it does not get stale even hours of playing it. There is also a slot machine-like mechanic called Digital Mind Wave. It features two slots, one with pictures of Zack’s friends, and one with numbers. The slot with the pictures will make Zack do a Limit Break attack when the slot machine hits three of the same pictures. On the other hand, the number slot is for boosting Zack and leveling him up if you manage to hit 777.
Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII REUNION will be out in late 2022, so it is expected to be around November or December 2022 if it is not going to be delayed.
3. Final Fantasy XVI (PlayStation 5)
I think 2023 is a perfect time to release a new mainline title for Final Fantasy, as Final Fantasy XV was released 6 years ago already.
Final Fantasy XVI is set in a fantasy medieval world of Valisthea, which is controlled by six factions. As for its plot, humans canhost Eikons or monsters by either summoning them or manifesting them. Based on the trailer, you can certainly see some of them already such as Phoenix and Ifrit, and this will play a huge role in the story. It actually reminds me of Attack on Titan’s story where a country has the power of titans, and it helps them dominate wars.
I love the fact that they went medieval for Final Fantasy XVI as I personally think it is the best way to convey Final Fantasy deep lore. I also cannot wait for the official soundtrack as well, as it is already a banger in the trailer.
The game is set to be released in Q2 or Q3 2023.
2. Kingdom Hearts IV (TBA)
Kingdom Hearts IV is the upcoming action JRPG of the Kingdom Hearts series. Not much is known yet as it is only revealed as a teaser.
What is known though is that it is already in development and there might be a chance to be released in late 2023. Additionally, we can see that it is a direct sequel of Kingdom Hearts III: Re Mind DLC where Sora ends up in Quadratum, a hyper realistic world.
I cannot wait to see which Disney or Pixar we will see in this game. Star Wars and Marvel will be a welcome addition in the worlds that we will be able to explore in the game.
1. Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth (PlayStation 5)
Finally, another Final Fantasy game in this list! Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth is the second part of the Final Fantasy VII: Remake trilogy, and it is something fans of Final Fantasy have been waiting for ever since they released the first part.
Cloud and the party will finally explore outside of Midgar, and we are going to see some more Sephiroth in this game as flashbacks regarding certain events in the game will be played out in Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth. I think it is smart to release the Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII REUNION one year before this game release as it will tie some of the plots in the Final Fantasy VII story lines.
The estimated date of release is in Winter 2023. It is crazy we are going to see three Final Fantasy games for the next two years.
