It's the fall season, and that means games, games, and more games! There are plenty of upcoming turn-based JRPGs to look forward to, like Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake and Pokemon Legends: Z-A, along with Western action RPGs like The Outer Worlds 2 and Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2.
Upcoming RPGs That Could Be The New Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Can these upcoming games usurp Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's rule over the 2025 RPG scene, and maybe even challenge it for Game of the Year?
Action JRPG fans have a few games to look forward to in 2025 as well, and a few more that are just beyond the horizon in 2026. 2026 may even prove to be the year Kingdom Hearts 4 and the next Final Fantasy 7 remake project launch, although the chances of that are slimmer than the following games. These upcoming action JRPGs all promise to offer hours of great gameplay, but what has stood out from their trailers so far is their intense combat systems.
Trails In The Sky 1st Chapter
Twenty Years In The Making
Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter
- Developer(s)
- Nihon Falcom
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Planned Release Date: 9/19/25
- Planned Systems: PC, PS5, Switch, and Switch 2
Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is a remake of The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky, which was released in 2004 in Japan for PC. Most JRPG fans in the West probably played the PSP version from 2011, though. There’s a demo for the remake out now, and players can get acquainted with the unique combat system that is quite similar to Final Fantasy 7’s Materia system.
Battles will commence in real time in dungeons or the overworld, but if players want, they can switch things to a turn-based system instead. Also, there are battle combos, so it’s deeper than it looks on the surface as an anime-inspired JRPG.
Tales Of Xillia Remastered
One Of The Best In The Series Returns
Tales of Xillia Remastered
- Released
- October 31, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- Planned Release Date: 10/31/25
- Planned Systems: PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S
Tales of Xillia is one of the best entries in the Tales of series, and it's urrently a PS3 exclusive. However, soon JRPG fans can play it on every current-gen system imaginable, as there is a remaster in the works.
Exciting Upcoming Games With 4-Player Co-Op
From Borderlands 4 to Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, 2025 has some amazing 4-player co-op games on the horizon.
Like most entries in the series, players will commence combat after engaging an enemy in the field. Combat is fought in real time, and players can switch between their four party members, along with executing combos via Linked Artes. On top of that, players can choose to play the game from Jude’s or Milla’s perspective, but both characters will be involved in the story no matter what.
Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road
A Long-Awaited Soccer RPG
Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road
- Released
- November 13, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- Planned Release Date: 11/13/25
- Planned Systems: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Switch 2, and Xbox Series X/S
Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road has been in development for a long time. Level-5, the developer, initially called it Inazuma Eleven Ares, but it was renamed and delayed so many times after that that it has faded from the conversation somewhat. Hopefully, it won’t get delayed again , as Inazuma Eleven fans have been eagerly awaiting their JRPG soccer fix for a while.
Players will engage in soccer matches that are largely similar to the EA FC games, but there are abilities and tactics to be aware of as well, which place the game firmly in the JRPG genre. It’s probably the most intense game on this list, but that’s a good thing to help it stand out from other soccer games.
Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Imprisonment
Another Hyrulian Musou
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment
- Released
- November 6, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Koei Tecmo
- Genre(s)
- Action, Hack and Slash
- Planned Release Date: 2025
- Planned Systems: Switch 2
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is a prequel to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom that details Zelda’s time with the ancient ones. That means Link probably won’t play a large role in the game, although Musou games by Omega Force tend to like out-of-this-world events and surprises.
There’s still no release date yet, or major details, but Switch 2 fans can expect more of the same from this third installment in the Hyrule Warriors spin-off series. Players will face hundreds of enemies at once and pull off special abilities or combos with others nearby, in true Musou fashion.
Stray Children
A Hodgepodge Of Gameplay
- Developer: Onion Games
- Publisher: Onion Games
- Planned Release Date: 2025
- Planned Systems: PC, Switch
Stray Children looks like one of the weirdest upcoming JRPGs on the calendar, on a similar scale as EarthBound or Undertale. Even the art style is strange, like a pixel game that was made with watercolors, which makes it look unique.
Players, as a young dog boy, will get sucked into another world isekai-style, and face many challenges as shown in the screenshots and trailers that Onion Games has released. There are shooter segments in a submarine, a mini-game where players need to stay inside a picture frame, and even an homage to the classic arcade game Frogger. It’s safe to say this indie JRPG will keep players on their toes.
Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement
A New Metroidvania Classic?
Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement
- Released
- 2026
WHERE TO PLAY
- Planned Release Date: 2026
- Planned Systems: PC, PS5, Switch 2, and Xbox Series X/S
Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement is the sequel to Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, which was itself a spiritual successor to Castlevania. Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement looks like it may play a lot like Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin, as players get to switch between two characters, Leonard and Alexander, both in combat and for puzzle-solving.
Upcoming Soulslike Games That Could Be The Next Bloodborne
Grin and bear it, Bloodborne isn’t returning anytime soon, but these games will be here shortly.
As a true Metroidvania, players can expect to level up and get powers as they fight monsters and explore, plus there is supposed to be a crafting system in the game as well. While a 2D Metroidvania with JRPG elements may not seem complex, the original game's combat could get very hectic, so the same will likely be true of this sequel.
Beast Of Reincarnation
Game Freak Goes Off-Book
Beast of Reincarnation
- Released
- 2026
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Game Freak
- Planned Release Date: 2026
- Planned Systems: PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S
Beast of Reincarnation is not the first wild departure that Pokemon developer Game Freak has ever taken. Set in post-apocalyptic Japan, players will control Emma, who is accompanied by her wolf Koo.
Based on the footage shown, it seems like Emma has some ability that's tied to the wilderness, which will likely come into play during combat. Gameplay looks a lot like an intense Soulslike, and those are never games anyone should scoff at. It’s definitely the most ambitious JRPG Game Freak has ever attempted, and it will be fun to see if they can somehow surpass Pokemon in any way.
Upcoming Games Like Zelda
Nintendo hasn’t announced a new mainline Zelda yet, but these similar upcoming action-adventure games should help fans get by.