Here are the best upcoming Japanese/JRPG games for Xbox

One of Xbox fans’ longest-running pet peeves of Xbox is the lack of JRPGs and Japan-styled games hitting the platform. With heavy hitters like Shin Megumi Tensei, Final Fantasy VII Remake, and Persona 5 skipping Xbox, many anime fans have been pushed to look to competing platforms like the PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC over the Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S to get their anime fix.

It’s a lamentable situation that Microsoft is working to fix, and the situation has improved in recent years. We got Dragon Quest XI on Xbox for the first time, as well as full support from the Yakuza franchise, as well as indie hit Octopath Traveler, all of which hit Xbox Game Pass.

As we look ahead, what other Japan-styled games are on the horizon? We cast our gaze to the future to see what’s out there. Many of these upcoming titles will no doubt join our existing list of best JRPGs for Xbox, too.

If there are any games you’re looking forward to missing from this list, drop them in the comments and we’ll be sure to add them!

Astria Ascending (Sept. 30, 2021)

Astria Ascending is a French-led JRPG with developers who worked on Final Fantasy and other major JRPGs among the team. With a “mature story” penned by Kazushige Nojima of Final Fantasy VII fame and compositions by Hitoshi Sakimoto of Final Fantasy XII fame, Astria Ascending is a 2D JRPG with rich and deep card-oriented combat mechanics, inspired by the likes of Final Fantasy VIII’s Triple Triad.

The game is gunning for a Sept. 30, 2021, launch on Xbox and other platforms, and will launch straight into Xbox Game Pass.

Lost Judgment (Sept. 24, 2021)

Lost Judgment is a crime thriller spin off from the Yakuza franchise, and a follow-up to the previous game, Judgment. Part brawler, part detective thriller, players investigate the red light district in the fictional town of Kamurocho, Tokyo, alongside a series of violent and bloody murders.

Tales of Arise (Sept. 10, 2021)

Tales of Arise is the first “Tales of” game to hit Xbox in a while, slated for a Sept. 10, 2021, launch. Tales of Arise is an action-oriented JRPG set in the medieval world of Dahna. A technologically superior nation of Rena takes advantage of the populace of Dahna, and Alphen and his friends rise up to liberate the abused Dahnan people.

Melty Blood: Type Lumina (Sept. 30, 2021)

Melty Blood: Type Lumina (not to be confused with Nokia Lumia) is an upcoming 2D fighting game based on the visual novel “Tsukihime.” The game is slated for Sept. 30, 2021, across all platforms.

Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water (Oct. 28, 2021)

Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water was originally a Wii-U game, but has been revived for modern consoles. Fatal Frame is a popular series of thrillers where players use camera equipment to hunt down ghosts and solve puzzles. Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water is story-heavy, taking place across several time periods, covering multiple characters, and could be well worth a look this Halloween.

Edge of Eternity (Q4, 2021)

Edge of Eternity is a JRPG that recently released on PC, and will hit consoles later this year in 2021. Edge of Eternity (often styled as EoE) is a turn-based, Final Fantasy-styled RPG, Kickstarted by a group of devs as a love letter to the genre.

You party up with Daryon and Selene and explore the fantastical world of Heryon, on a quest to contain a seeping sickness called the Corrosion, devastating the land and the population. As you hunt for a solution, a grander conspiracy begins to unravel, in a realm beset by war and strife.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes (2022)

Announced as part of Xbox’s big E3 2021 presentation, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is an upcoming 2.5D JRPG with classic turn-based mechanics, built by a team of industry veterans. Not a huge amount is known about the game besides its striking art and interesting-looking combat, but the game is slated for Xbox in 2022, and looks rather cool.

Lost Eidolons (2022+)

Lost Eidolons is a Korean-developed tactical RPG inspired by the likes of Final Fantasy Tactics and Fire Emblem. With a campaign gunning for 30+ hours of content with deep tactical play, Lost Eidolons is a low-fantasy warfare strategy game heading to Xbox and PC sometime in 2022 and beyond.

What are YOU looking forward to?

While there isn’t a huge amount of games on the horizon that follow the classic J-style, there are a few well worth looking forward to regardless. Tales of Arise looks especially promising, and has a demo up on Xbox you can try right now. Judgment from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio was an instant classic, and Lost Judgment looks as though it’ll come just as close to satisfying that Yakuza itch, and may even end up as one of the best Xbox games out there.

Again, if there are any Japanese-styled games on the horizon we may have missed from this list, do let us know. If you’re a developer and want to be included, drop me an email to jez at windowscentral.com, and we’ll get your content included!