For the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, Tokyo Game Show was held physically this year. Unfortunately, nobody from DDNet was able to attend, but that doesn’t mean we haven’t been keeping a close eye on the action! Open-world RPGs seems to be the theme this year, with many games able to be described as such. Here, I’m going to share the trailers from games you don’t want to miss.
Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key
Have I talked about this game already twice this week? Yes (it was in the Nintendo Direct, then a seven-minute trailer was released). Will that stop me from talking about it again? No chance! This trailer focuses on Bos Brunnen. Bos was beloved in Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy, but unfortunately he wasn’t a party member. That changes in Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key, where he will finally join Ryza’s party. The game will be released for PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch on February 22 in Japan and February 24 everywhere else.
Forspoken
Launching for PC and PlayStation 5 on January 24, 2023, Forspoken is an open-world action RPG about Frey Holland. She’s mysteriously transported from New York City to Athia, where she finds herself trapped. She now has a magical, sentient bracelet that is wrapped around her arm. She nicknames it “Cuff,” and discovers that she can now cast powerful spells and use magic to help her across the land to find a way home. Forspoken has something that other open-world actions RPGs don’t: parkour! Not just any parkour, either, as this is magic-enhanced parkour. Scale walls, vault over canyons, leap from terrific heights, and run through vast landscapes with ease.
Hakoniwa Bokujou Hitsuji Mura
Farm life sim Hakoniwa Bokujou Hitsuji Mura is being released for Nintendo Switch on November 10 in Japan. Since farm/life sims are basically my real life right now, I’m very intrigued, and there are plans to add English via a post-launch update so fingers crossed! It’s a remaster of another title in the series, Youkoso Hitsuji Mura Portable (it was released for PSP in 2009). New features include a “Farm Zoom-Out Display Mode” (though traditional magnified display is also supported), high-resolution graphics (well, kind off… 1280×720), more item slots, a selection cursor, and an item target marker. And no, you’re not going crazy – DDNet did already publish a story about this game, but quite frankly I’m too interested to leave it off this list!
One Piece Odyssey
An RPG with unique elements from One Piece, One Piece Odyssey will be released for PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Xbox Series on January 12, 2023 in Japan and January 13, 2023 in the rest of the world. It was originally supposed to release this year, but two weeks into 2023 isn’t too far off. Different editions of the game were announced at TGS. There’s the standard edition, which is just the game. The Digital Deluxe Edition includes the base game, a deluxe pack containing two petite jewelries and a travelling outfit (Sniper King), an adventure pack containing upcoming scenario DLC and 100,000 berry (the in-game currency), and pre-order bonuses of a travelling outfit set, 10 energy apples, 10 excite apples, and three golden jelly. In North America, the Limited Edition includes a copy of the game, a Luffy and Lim figurine, and pre-order bonuses. In Europe, the Collector’s Edition includes a copy of the game, a collector’s box, a Luffy and Lim figurine, a SteelCase, three postcards, and the deluxe pack, adventure expansion pack, and pre-order bonuses.
Romancing SaGa: Minstrel Song Remastered
Launching for PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, smartphones (iOS/Android), and Nintendo Switch on December 1, Romancing SaGa: Minstrel song got two new trailers for TGS. One is a game overview, while the other focuses on the game’s characters. This is a remastered version of the game with the same title. In the game, a thousand years have passed since a massive battle against three malicious deities: Death, Schirach, and Saruin. The battle ended when all three were trapped through the power of the Fatestones. Now, though, the stones lay scattered across the world and the Gods are regaining their strength.
Game overview trailer:
Characters trailer:
Samurai Maiden
Samurai Maiden now has a release date! It will be released for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch in Japan on December 1; it will be released for PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch on December 8 in the rest of the world. In Japan, it will be available both physically and digitally, while elsewhere it’s only a digital release. A woman from the 21st century finds herself transported to the Sengoku periods, where a war is being raged and Nobunaga Oda is waiting. She’ll be helped with a trio of ninja friends as they fights through enraged corpses. The best part? When things get difficult, players can activate the Devoted Heart technique and have two ninjas kiss to enhance their abilities.
Star Ocean: The Divine Force
Set to release on PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series, and Xbox One on October 27, a newly-announced demo for Star Ocean: The Divine Force will be released for the previously mentioned consoles on September 20. The demo contains about two hours of gameplay. The game features dual protagonists: Raymond, a captain of a space trading ship, and Laeticia, the princess-knight of a kingdom on a underdeveloped planet. The demo is the beginning of Raymond’s story. Battles have evolved from past series titles, as characters can use super high-speed movement attacks, vanish for a brief moment, and skill that kills with a single hit. The developer promises a gripping story that combines science fiction and fantasy elements, and that can be enjoyed by fans of the series and newcomers alike.
Tales of Symphonia Remastered
Okay, so I admit that this one isn’t really a trailer; it’s actually part of a special presentation. But it’s still something you’ll want to see! I’ve queued up the prevention to the PlayStation 4 footage, which is followed by footage from Nintendo Switch. This is the first live gameplay we’ve seen from the game. Tales of Symphonia was originally released in 2003 for the GameCube (good times) and is the fifth game in the mainline Tales series. Follow Lloyd and his childhood friend Colette as they go on a journey to save the world. As it turns out, there’s a world parallel to their own… which will be destroyed if their world is saved. Basically, things get really complicated.
The Tower: To the Bottom
Coming to PC next year, The Tower: To the Bottom is a roguelike that has players leading a group of children that live at the top of a tower to the, well, bottom. The tower is past the world’s end, and the children must get out to search for food, answers, and a rumoured paradise. Battles and other incidents involve choosing cards from a deck. The cards are the interesting part, here, as they work similar to tarot cards – the effects depend on the way its facing. For example, a healing herb can also be a poisonous root.
Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher
Coming to Nintendo Switch on October 20 in Japan and sometime hopefully soon in the west, Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher is a collaboration between Ultraman and Monster Rancher. It is a Kaiju-raising sim game that adopts the base systems of the first two Monster Rancher games. Players raise Ultra Kaiju like Alien Baltan, Zetton, and Gamora. Weekly activities include feeding, training, studying, and adventuring. The goal is to raise to strongest Kaiju, one that’s able to win tournaments. Early purchases of the physical game and pre-orders of the digital edition include Sevenger Giant Light of Skin and Science Special Search Party Mocchi, two trainable Kaiju.
Wuthering Waves
Coming to smartphones, Wuthering Waves is an open-world action RPG. It is set in what’s described as the age of struggle, but also an age of hope. The Calament happened one century ago, and since then mysterious beings have taken root in the world, creating discord and destruction. Civilization is on the brink of collapse. When it comes to the hope part, survivors have made peace with their enemies and have started to rebuild. They find hope in the past, and use it as a blueprint moving forward by building cities and factories.
Great Article! There was some stuff I missed too given all of the games there were this year. Great TGS!
It really was. For a show that’s not usually focused on reveals, this TGS had an unusual amount to offer.