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The world of anime has mesmerized fans young and old as it introduced a plethora of well-loved characters that are now a part of pop culture. It is so popular that game developers have gone on to produce titles based on a specific anime franchise or inspired by it. Most are role-playing offerings where players take on the role of well-known anime characters, which makes it more appealing to both fans and casual gamers. These feature great gameplay, character designs, and compelling storylines.
Haven’t played one of these yet? There are numerous of these that are already in the wild and here are just five amazing suggestions.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's views.
5 Anime-based RPGs worth playing in 2023: Scarlet Nexus, Kingdom Hearts 3, and more
1) Scarlet Nexus
BANDAI NAMCO Studios’ Scarlet Nexus was released in June 2021 and is a great pitch for an anime-based RPG to play. It’s a third-person title as players take on the role of either Kasane Randall or Yuito Sumeragi, who are members of the collective known as the Other Suppression Force (OSF).
The group was sworn in to defend the country of New Himuka from beings known as the Others. The protagonists – aside from equipping themselves with melee weapons – have psychokinetic powers. Such an ability comes in handy while duplicating material, teleporting, and even hurling objects towards enemies.
Another thing worth noting about this anime-based game is that each of the main characters have different stories leading them to take a different route.
2) Kingdom Hearts 3
The third main installment (12th in the entire series) in Square Enix’s popular franchise was officially rolled out in 2019 after years of development and fan speculation. It has been deemed as the conclusion to the Dark Seeker Saga arc, which kicked off when the first title was released back in 2002.
Its main character, Sora, is joined by Disney’s Goofy and Donald Duck, and continues his journey to different worlds to regain his ability to restore hearts that were lost. This comes after he was almost possessed by the main antagonist – Xehanort.
The game has a hack-and-slash combat style that has remained true from its predecessors. As mentioned, the protagonist bands up with two of Disney’s well-loved characters with the addition of a couple more, making it a five-player party. This is a level-up from previous titles where there are only two characters assisting Sora in the game.
3) Hades
This rogue-like dungeon crawler from Supergiant Games is another good anime-based RPG suggestion. Hades was first released for Windows, Nintendo Switch, and macOS in 2020, and was eventually rolled out in August the following year for PlayStation and Xbox.
Its main protagonist, Zagreus, is the son of Hades. Players must make their way out of the clutches of the Underworld and reach the world of the mortals to reach his mother, Persephone. Similar to Kingdom Hearts, this too has a hack-and-slash combat style.
Zagreus will be delving into a series of random rooms that are filled with enemies and rewards. His quest for freedom is also supported by the gods as he is rewarded by buffs known as boons.
Hades was well-received by the gaming community when it was released. The game has received numerous awards, including Best Indie and Best Action from The Game Awards and Best Game from The British Academy Games Awards.
4) Persona 5 Royal
Persona 5 Royal, from game developer P-Studio, is an enhanced iteration of the original title that was released in 2017. This anime-based RPG is the sixth offering within the Persona series and is a part of a larger franchise – Shin Megami Tensei.
Players take control of a high school student who goes by the codename Joker, and was accused of a crime he didn’t commit. He later comes across other teens as they discover that they have this talent of forcing adults to admit their wrongdoings.
Aside from amazing fight scenes, the anime-based RPG also depicts teenage life and the things they go through.
Persona 5 Royal was critically acclaimed just like its 2017 version. In line with this, it was also deemed one of the best-selling games at the time.
5) Genshin Impact
Genshin Impact is probably one of the most popular anime-based RPGs as of late, due to its open-world elements and character designs. Developer miHoYo released the game in 2020 for Windows, PlayStation 4, and on mobile devices. The following year, it was made available for PlayStation 5.
The game’s protagonists, Aether and Lumine, are travelers from another world who get separated at the start in the world of Teyvat. Players will have to make a choice as to which twin they wish to play. The chosen character is then tasked with finding the other twin in the vast world of Teyvat.
Genshin Impact features an action-based battle system where players can interchange their four characters within a party. Switching during battle is quick and allows for different attacks and skills.
The best thing about it is that it is free-to-play, though it has gacha mechanics embedded in it for players who are willing to break the bank.
