Kniv Studio has released a new trailer for Stardust: Wish of Witch, their upcoming strategy RPG set to launch on May 28th for PC via Steam. The footage gives players a brief look at the mechanics, in which turn-based gameplay centres on isometric unit positioning and card-based strategy, infused with a delightful chibi-esque pixel aesthetic.… Read More »

It’s finally time for Mina! But it’s also a pretty full week in general around RPGs Coming This Week, with a brand new SRPG, a conclusion to a small but long-running series, a promising new creature collector, and more. The one thing all of this week’s games have in common, though, is that they are… Read More »

Traysia is a little-known 1992 Sega Genesis/Mega Drive RPG that I did not expect to be revived in 2026. I knew about Phantasy Star, Shining Force, and even Shining in the Darkness growing up, but I never even heard of Traysia. I don’t even remember seeing Traysia’s cover art (with the cool dragon) on the… Read More »

Remember Maya, from Shell 2? All of twenty-five years ago?! Starbites wears its lineage on its sleeve, drawing direct inspiration from cult classics like Septerra Core while navigating two decades of JRPG evolution. It delivers a distilled concentrate of everything that makes the genre beloved and occasionally frustrating. Turn-based skills, with a dedicated ‘limit break’… Read More »

It’s that time of the year again! Time for some summer time fun in the sun! But sometimes summer isn’t just about having fun; sometimes, summer is about that first summer job you had in order to pay for those video games of yesteryear. But work sucks, I know, and no one wants to work… Read More »

When Disco Elysium was released in 2019, it was immediately regarded as a genre-defining work of RPG narrative design. From the way it recontextualized player agency and decision-making, how it represented the various mental faculties and barely-restrained impulses of protagonist Harry Dubois as anthropomorphised residents of his own mind, or its uncanny ability to immerse… Read More »

…Whatever. This week on Retro Encounter, the panel is back to offer their thoughts on all the (beautiful?) nonsense that happens in the second half of Final Fantasy VIII. Which one of us prefers Triple Triad over the entire rest of the game? Did our positive impressions crumble under the weight of the many, many… Read More »

Secret of Mana is a controversial game. While it is often remembered for its beautiful design and gorgeous pixel art, gamers also deride its confusing combat system, poor pacing, and overall lackluster gameplay. Lying underneath these sometimes divisive elements is a key component of the game’s overall experience that never fails to pull me in:… Read More »

Mechs and anime share a bond as inseparable as Saturday mornings and sugary cereal. Developer DESTINYbit leans heavily into this classic synergy with Nitro Gen Omega, a turn-based roguelike RPG oozing a specific brand of weekend magic. The game thrives on its visual flair, utilizing fluid, stylish animations to breathe life into a timeline-based combat… Read More »

Hey! Listen! Scarlet Moon Records’ prolific jazz duo GENTLE LOVE is back with their first-ever all-Zelda album, Prescription for Sleep: Ocarina of Time. GENTLE LOVE is saxophonist Norihiko Hibino (composer on much of the Metal Gear Solid series) and pianist AYAKI (who has performed on series like Etrian Odyssey, Persona Q, and Streets of Rage),… Read More »

HD-2D style games since the original Octopath Traveler have changed how we view retro-style titles from bigger publishers such as Square Enix. HD-2D not only looks great, but also scratches the old school sprite JRPG itch many of us have had since the end of the SNES and PS1 era. And since its debut, it appears in… Read More »

As part of our The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales preview, I also had the opportunity to send in some questions to producer Naofumi Matsushita. As always, I would like to thank him for his time in answering our questions, as well as the Square Enix staff who translated the Q&A. RPGFan: When talking… Read More »