Japanese or not, these JRPG-inspired titles are absolutely not to be missed.
I grew up on a steady diet of JRPGs during the golden age of the PlayStation 1 and 2, so it’s no surprise that I’m deeply attached to this genre; it shaped my entire approach to role-playing games. I’d love to list some of the titles that meant the most to me, but honestly, the wave of nostalgia might hit too hard. Just know this: I loved almost every turn-based JRPG on the PlayStation. Those countless hours? I wouldn’t trade them for anything, and I genuinely miss them.
But let’s set aside that slightly bittersweet note and look ahead with optimism and excitement. The genre has never felt more alive, thanks especially to indie developers who continue to push it forward with bold vision and flashes of originality.
Needless to say, the massive success of Clair Obscur is bound to echo throughout the genre and inspire future projects, opening the door for a wave of new titles. With that in mind, I recently had the pleasure of tuning in to the Indie Quest hosted by The Gaming Shelf: a channel I’ve followed for a long time and one of my main sources for keeping up with Japanese or Japanese-inspired RPGs.
A number of games popped up that I had either never heard of before or had sitting dormant in my wishlist due to a lack of updates, so I figured now was the perfect time for a recap of some of the most promising ones you should definitely have on your radar.
One usual disclaimer before diving in: when I say JRPG, I’m referring to the genre itself, not necessarily the country of origin. Many of these games aren’t from Japan, but they absolutely fit the mold of what you’d expect when you hear the term JRPG. So please, let’s not get hung up on geography.
One of the titles that completely blew me away, and one I had never even heard of before, is Infinite Alliance. First off, it’s going to be a free-to-play game, but don’t worry, there are no gacha mechanics or shady monetization schemes here. It’s free-to-play simply because it also serves as a showcase for the many developers contributing to the project, bringing together heroes and villains from a wide range of indie JRPGs.
And that’s the real hook: Infinite Alliance brings together protagonists from other RPGs like Jack Move, Quartet, My Familiar, Chained Echoes, and many more. It’s a brilliantly ambitious concept that sees indie developers uniting under Critical Games to bring this original crossover title to life. As far as I’m concerned, they’ve already won.
Another title I was really happy to see in action was Kingdoms of the Dump. This original JRPG casts you as a literal trash can on a mission. I’ve been following it for years but had lost track of its development, until a new trailer dropped recently, packed with fresh footage that really impressed me. The tone, style, and mechanics all hit the mark.
One game I hadn’t heard of at all before, and that genuinely looks like a solid AA production, but it’s pure indie, is Runa. It’s a fantasy JRPG with a striking visual style and a classic turn-based combat system that lets you switch party members during battles. It definitely deserves a spot on your radar and on your wishlist.
And I can’t not mention Tactics Returners, a title I’ve been following on Twitter for a while. It’s a tactical RPG with an impressive pixel-art aesthetic and what looks like a mature, story-driven experience.
Among the titles I hadn’t come across before was The Backworld, with a visual style that immediately evokes Earthbound. Then there’s CyberThreat, a JRPG that leans into social mechanics à la Persona, and Spaceman Memories, a retro-inspired project that clearly taps into classic genre vibes. And that’s just scratching the surface.
Below, you’ll find my full list of 15 must-follow JRPGs. If you’re into the genre, these are absolutely worth keeping an eye on, and don’t forget: adding them to your wishlist doesn’t just keep you updated, it actively supports the devs behind these passion projects. So, let’s get into it.
Infinite Alliance
- Developer: Critical Games
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch 1-2, Xbox
- Release Date: 2026
- Steam Page
In a rare, large-scale collaboration between indie RPG developers, Infinite Alliance brings together characters from more than a dozen beloved titles for one free, crossover adventure. Characters from titles like Chained Echoes, Jack Move, 8-Bit Adventures 2, Quartet, and many more find themselves stranded on a crumbling world, forced to work together to unravel a cosmic threat. With no prior knowledge required, the game serves as both a standalone adventure and a showcase of the creative energy behind the modern indie JRPG scene.
Battles unfold with a nine-member party, blending familiar combat mechanics with new strategic layers, all wrapped in a narrative that emphasizes redemption, shared purpose, and multidimensional conflict. Infinite Alliance is designed as an accessible entry point for newcomers, a celebration of indie talent wrapped in a lovingly crafted, pixel-art experience.
Kingdoms of the Dump
- Developer: Roach Games, Dream Sloth Games
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: Sometimes in 2025
- Steam Page
Few games embrace absurdity as sincerely as Kingdoms of the Dump, a JRPG where trash is treasure and satire meets heart. Inspired by the 16-bit classics and created by a duo of real-life janitors, the game follows Dustin Binsley, the Trash Can Knight, on a bizarre and surprisingly heartfelt quest through the Five and a Half Kingdoms.
Beneath its comedic surface lies a detailed turn-based combat system that incorporates grid-based tactics, timed button inputs, and an exploration layer that emphasizes verticality and environmental interaction.
There are no random encounters here, and players will navigate hand-crafted dungeons, engage in structured battles, and swap between characters with specialized field abilities to overcome puzzles and obstacles. As I mentioned at the start, it’s one of the most intriguing titles I’m really looking forward to trying out.
Runa
- Developer: Fennec Studio
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: TBA
- Steam Page
Don’t tell me Runa looks like your typical indie RPG, at least not when it comes to the visual style, which I think is genuinely impressive. As for the gameplay, it’s a story-driven indie RPG that blends classic JRPG structure with social mechanics and sci-fi worldbuilding.
Set in a vibrant universe shaped by ancient technology known as runas, the game follows a group of adepts, individuals capable of unlocking the true potential of these relics, as they journey through a world where magic, machinery, and mystery collide. At the heart of the experience is a battle system built around elemental strengths and team synergy, allowing players to swap between up to seven characters in and out of combat without wasting turns.
Beyond combat, Runa invites players to dive into relationship-building, romance, and world exploration. A robust social system offers over 15 romance options, including same-gender pairings, while city-building features allow players to shape their base of operations by unlocking structures through story progression and character recruitment. I have no idea how I missed its announcement and Kickstarter campaign, where it far surpassed all its original funding goals.
Zerra’s Adventure
- Developer: Foca Studios
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: Q2 2026
- Steam Page
Next is Zerra’s Adventure, a lighthearted, fast-paced RPG that channels the spirit of retro classics while trimming the excess. With a focus on exploration, the game ditches random encounters in favor of clearly visible enemies, letting players chart their own pace through a colorful world full of personality.
Across forests, deserts, and dungeons, you’ll gather treasure, take on mini-puzzles, and battle everything from fireball-spewing spiders to gym-obsessed bosses in short skirmishes.
Combat is built around six distinct characters, each with their own skill trees and special attacks, and a flexible customization system that lets players prioritize offense, defense, or support through collectible accessories.
The Backworld
- Developer: Numor Games
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: Q1 2026
- Steam Page
A fractured multiverse where fantasy, sci-fi, and cosmic horror collide, this is what to expect in
The Backworld. With reality breaking apart at the seams, you’ll explore a series of surreal environments, from crumbling hometown streets to alien cyberspace, encountering corrupted creatures, shifting dimensions, and narrative crossroads at every turn. The experience leans into nonlinear storytelling, letting players decide how to approach challenges: engage in turn-based combat, negotiate with enemies, or slip past threats entirely.
Character progression weaves together both exploration and battle. Alongside standard RPG skills, players gain access to movement-based abilities, like hoverboarding across voids or dodging through collapsing terrain, and can recruit companions with distinct mechanics and combat roles. Every choice impacts your path through the chaos, and customizable difficulty settings allow for either pure RPG progression or a hardcore survival-horror twist with hunger, sanity, and permadeath mechanics. For sure, one to watch.
Tactics Returners
- Developer: Triple Tech Arts
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: TBA
- Steam Page
One of my very personal favorites on this list. Tactics Returners channels the spirit of classic tactical RPGs while incorporating a modern edge in both design and gameplay systems. Set in the war-torn land of Aldin, players step into the shoes of rebel leaders determined to break the grip of an oppressive regime. Every battle unfolds on grid-based maps where terrain, positioning, and timing can turn the tide, with Burst Techs adding a layer of momentum-shifting power.
Beyond its battlefield depth, the game features a flexible class system with over 40 job types and countless skill combinations, offering rich customization for building synergistic squads. Between missions, players explore a free-roaming overworld, and honestly, it is one of the aspects I’m most curious about: trade with NPCs, accept side quests, and manage their rebellion from a customizable encampment. Adding it to your wishlist is a must.
CyberThreat
- Developer: Aphelios
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: TBA
- Steam Page
CyberThreat blends turn-based combat and life simulation in a modern setting where everyday routines collide with digital chaos. Does it ring a bell? Players take on the dual role of a high school senior navigating daily life in the tech-driven city of Edendale, while secretly fighting malicious programs in a surreal cyberspace battlefield.
With disappearances mounting and a classmate presumed lost, the stakes quickly escalate as you and your friends are pulled into a deeper mystery linking the real world and the virtual one.
Combat unfolds in structured, evolving encounters across eight digital Domains, where players can unlock new attacks, costumes, and systems like powerful Ultra-Hacks. Between battles, the game emphasizes relationship-building, exploration, and character customization, offering multiple party members, diverse romance options, and branching side stories tied to over 25 characters.
Spaceman Memories
- Developer: NerdyPunkDev
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: Sometimes in 2025
- Steam Page
How can you not be drawn to Spaceman Memories? A narrative-driven JRPG that blends retro design with themes of memory and mysticism. Set in a distant future shaped by both technology and ancient Japanese folklore, the game follows Ichiro 94, an astronaut who awakens from hypersleep to find his escape pod has landed in a transformed version of his homeland. As he ventures across haunting forests, futuristic cities, and sacred ruins, Ichiro must piece together the fragments of his past while confronting supernatural forces drawn from myth.
The game features a classic combat system, light puzzle-solving, and a world built with stylized 3D pixel art that evokes the feel of early console RPGs. Its structure leans into open-world exploration, allowing players to take on quests at their own pace, meet a cast of strange allies and spirits, and face off against challenging bosses.
Serial World
- Developer: SerialProject
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: Sometimes in 2025
- Steam Page
Serial World is a lighthearted yet thoughtfully crafted RPG that blends humor with strategic depth. You play as Milo, a curious boy drawn into a surreal mystery alongside Anima, a magical companion with the ability to evolve mid-battle. Together, they set out to unravel strange happenings in their city, venturing through a colorful world filled with eccentric characters, peculiar enemies, and unexpected challenges.
The game’s combat system revolves around summoning and managing a trio of Anima, each with their own unique abilities and personalities. Serial World welcomes both genre newcomers and seasoned players, especially those familiar with deck-building and roguelite elements.
Robot Rhapsody
- Developer: Rapturous Studio
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: 2026
- Steam Page
It’s impossible not to say that Robot Rhapsody brings Chained Echoes to mind, partly because of the visual style, and partly due to the involvement of robots in the storyline. The game is a retro-inspired JRPG set in a decaying future shaped by artificial intelligence, fading humanity, and the search for identity in a digital world. Drawing from sci-fi anime and classic RPG aesthetics, the game explores a society teetering between utopia and collapse, where androids, humans, and hybrids blur the line between organic and programmed life.
At the heart of the story are Selva, a disillusioned ex-mercenary, and Jiro, a boy raised under the emotional restraints of AI governance; two figures navigating a fractured reality where technology has become both savior and oppressor.
Combat features traditional combat mechanics enhanced with robot-specific debuffs like Short-Circuited or VIRUS, and offers the ability to reprogram robotic enemies into allies. A unique Bounty system tracks your choices, increasing the frequency of enemy encounters based on player behavior.
Alterium Shift
- Developer: Drattzy Games
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: In Early Access since 6 Jul 2023
- Steam Page
Now here’s a title that’s already available in Early Access. Alterium Shift, a retro-style JRPG that merges classic 2.5D pixel art with modern design choices, offering a multi-perspective story driven by player decisions.
Set in the vibrant and mystical world of Alteria, the game lets you choose between three protagonists, each with their own unique skills, backstories, and exploration abilities. Whether you favor Pyra’s precise strikes, Atlas’s ranged agility, or Sage’s powerful essence magic, your chosen character shapes both narrative direction and gameplay opportunities.
Combat unfolds through a traditional combat system enhanced by visible turn order, enemy weaknesses, and chargeable burst abilities. Outside of battle, players can engage in exploration-focused mechanics like on-map abilities, treasure hunting, and light mini-games such as fishing. With branching quests, replayable story paths, and a choice-based progression system, Alterium Shift is designed to capture the spirit of SNES-era RPGs, and in my opinion, it’s doing a fantastic job.
Legends of Starkadia
- Developer: Doom Turtle
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: TBA
- Steam Page
Another standout title, and one I’ve been following for a long time, is Legends of Starkadia, a sci-fi turn-based RPG that combines classic combat with a lighthearted, interstellar narrative.
The game begins with an ordinary teenager from Earth who is suddenly transported into the heart of an alien empire caught in a civil war. What follows is a galaxy-spanning adventure filled with eccentric characters, strange planets, and a resistance movement determined to stop a rogue general and his extra-dimensional forces.
Combat unfolds through combat enhanced with quick-time events for both attack and defense, adding timing-based elements to each encounter. With a party of 12 unique characters to recruit, each offering distinct skills and personalities, players will explore nine different planets and uncover optional missions that expand the story’s scope. I think you’d do well to keep an eye on this project.
Forge of the Fae
- Developer: Datadyne
- Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox
- Release Date: TBA
- Steam Page
I tried Forge of the Fae a few months ago, and it struck me as something really solid, with a well-built structure, especially when it comes to the exploration phase. At its core, we’re talking about a narrative-driven RPG set in a world where Celtic myth and steampunk invention collide.
You play as Fiora, a skilled inventor drawn into a deeper mystery as workers vanish amid rising conflict between a powerful mining company and a region on the edge of collapse. With tensions mounting and supernatural forces stirring, Fiora’s journey becomes a race to uncover the truth behind the disappearances and the hidden magic of the Fae.
Battles unfold using a unique Crystal System that lets players channel elemental powers through collected shards, offering flexible and evolving combat options. Accompanied by a customizable mechanical faerie companion, you’ll face off against dangerous spirits, explore a richly pixel-art world, and make branching decisions that shape the story’s direction.
Rising Spire
- Developer: LFB Studios
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: In Early Access since 14 Jul 2023
- Steam Page
Another title already available in Early Access and built on some intriguing foundations is Rising Spire. A character-driven RPG that blends classic genre roots with modern mechanics and storytelling.
Set in the crumbling world of Malus, players step into the role of Atlas, a Nephilim caught between humanity and divinity, navigating a land on the brink of collapse. As divine forces march toward destruction, Atlas must forge alliances, uncover buried truths, and master a dynamic weapon-based combat system that replaces traditional class roles.
Battles are shaped by a weapon-switching system that allows players to adapt their playstyle, unlock unique abilities, and build synergies across encounters. Outside combat, Rising Spire emphasizes narrative depth and relationship-building; every major character has their own arc, and choices influence the journey in meaningful ways. A full day-night cycle, environmental changes, and a soul-harvesting mechanic add layers of interactivity to exploration.
Artis Impact
- Developer: Mas
- Platforms: PC
- Release Date: 7 Aug, 2025
- Steam Page
One of the titles I’ve been following for a while, but that only recently received its official announcement, and even a playable demo. Artis Impact is a lighthearted RPG set in a quirky post-apocalyptic future where humans and AI live side by side.
You play as Akane, a young traveler exploring hand-drawn environments filled with colorful personalities, odd jobs, and cozy surprises. The world may be scarred by collapse, but it’s also full of warmth, humor, and the kind of quiet storytelling that rewards curiosity.
Combat is simple yet satisfying, designed to keep the focus on narrative and exploration rather than complex systems. Boss fights and training upgrades offer just enough bite to stay engaging, while the game’s slice-of-life elements, home customization, part-time work, and daily routines, add a charming layer of casual immersion.
With its retro pixel visuals blended with comic-style flair, Artis Impact offers a comforting, character-driven RPG experience for players who enjoy light mechanics and heartfelt worldbuilding. Launching August 7, 2025, it’s one to watch.
That’s it for this article. I know there are tons of other indie JRPGs out there that deserve attention, and with a bit of patience, I’ll do my best to shine a light on each and every one of them. In the meantime, I want to remind all the turn based lovers out there, and the developers working on turn-based titles, about the TBL subreddit, a space where you can talk games and showcase your projects without any restrictions. See you next time. Ciao
