RPGs Coming This Week, 10/13/24

9 R.I.P. – October 15th (Switch)

9 R.I.P. is an otome visual novel boasting some horror elements and a focus on the supernatural. Protagonist Misa Isshiki is trying to figure out her purpose in life after high school when she’s frighteningly embroiled in ghostly tales and urban legends come to life. Can she manage to hold on to both her sanity and her life with these sudden paranormal happenings? Can she maybe even repair bonds with loved ones and form new ones while figuring out her own path?

I recently played 9 R.I.P. for review and enjoyed my time with it. The game has a nice balance of romance and horror/suspense, complete with a gorgeous visual presentation and wonderful soundscape. I’m hoping others who play 9 R.I.P. will find something to enjoy within its various routes when it releases later this week, just in time for the upcoming Halloween holiday!

by Audra Bowling

Drova – Forsaken Kin – October 15th (PS5, XSX, PS4, XB1, Switch, Windows, macOS, Linux)

Drova – Forsaken Kin is a 2D top-down action CRPG and the debut title from developer Just2D. Taking strong influence from Morrowind and especially Gothic, Drova is dark, difficult, and reverent of its forebears. Starting your adventure with little more than rags and a stick, you must navigate a world where the sacred forces that rule nature are being harnessed and perverted by an iconoclastic empire with a thirst for absolute power.

Drova – Forsaken Kin looks to offer a satisfying journey, where players will have a strong sense of progression from a lowly peasant to a dangerous warrior capable of casting down the oppressive empire, or perhaps finding immeasurable power and influence by aligning with that same empire.

Ambitiously, Drova is launching on basically every non-mobile platform, including the Switch; it will be interesting to see how the experience translates to all these varied platforms. Hopefully, the team at Just2D has pulled off something really special and this becomes the first of many bold and exciting RPGs from a small studio.

by Claton Stevenson

New World: Aeternum – October 15th (PS5, XSX, Windows)

The upcoming Amazon Games MMO New World: Aeternum isn’t exactly new. It’s an enhanced console port of New World, though the same improvements and content additions are still coming to PC as a free update. It’s a flashy action RPG that’s been popular for a few years; Amazon wrote in 2021 that servers during the closed beta were overpopulated, and the launch drew over a million players.

So it isn’t surprising that the developers have lined up Aeternum, which they say will be the “definitive” version of the game. The fact that it will be cross-platform will certainly help. RPGFan got some hands-on time with Aeternum at Summer Game Fest; follow that link if you’re interested in our early impressions.

by Gio Castillo

Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition – October 15th (PS5, XSX)

Darksiders II has to be up there as one of the most ported games ever, though maybe not quite to the same extent as Resident Evil 4… yet. The Deathinitive Edition of this Zelda-like is now coming to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, with improvements such as 4K resolution, raytracing, faster load times, and haptic feedback (on the Sony console). If you own the PS4 version, expect a free upgrade to the PS5 version.

by Gio Castillo

8-Bit Adventures 2 – October 16th (PS5, XSX, PS4, XB1, Switch)

The throwback indie RPG 8-Bit Adventures 2 is coming this week to consoles. Last year, its retro charm and clear love for the genre’s early days certainly struck a chord with Neal Chandran, one of our resident oldheads. (If you’re reading this, Neal, I mean that affectionately!)

by Gio Castillo

ASTLIBRA Gaiden: The Cave of Phantom Mist – October 17th (Switch)

ASTLIBRA Gaiden: The Cave of Phantom Mist was originally DLC for ASTLIBRA Revision, a side-scrolling action RPG that’s almost certainly destined for cult classic status. It’s coming to Switch now as a standalone release, and publisher WhisperGames emphasizes that you don’t need to have played the original to enjoy it.

by Gio Castillo