This year’s E3 has been filled with some incredible games from all over, but if you happen to be a fan of games from the land of the rising sun, then you’re in luck. Here is every Japanese game showed off during the press conferences at E3 2019.
Elden Ring
While we all kind of knew that Elden Ring was a thing before it was announced during Microsoft’s Xbox E3 conference, it was still somewhat of a shock for fans to see that the legendary creator of the Dark Souls series, Hidetaka Miyazaki, working with the incredibly talented George R.R. Martin (writer and creator of A Song of Ice and Fire) on a new title.
This new game by FromSoftware will be pairing both of their brilliant minds together to create a new mysterious world, retaining the heavy emphasis on RPG elements of previous games such as Demon’s Souls, Dark Souls 1-3, and Bloodborne.
If you want to know 10 fast facts about Elden Ring, you can check out a recent detailing of the game here.
Fans of FromSoftware who weren’t particularly too fond of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice can rest assured that this looks like a true successor to the Dark Souls series of games, but now we can look forward to some awe-inspiring writing and lore from George R.R. Martin to bring the game to the next level.
If you happened to miss the official reveal and trailer for the game, we got you covered.
Ghostwire Tokyo
Ghostwire Tokyo is the new horror/mystery game by legendary game creator Shinji Mikami, known for his work on games such as Resident Evil 4, Vanquish, God Hand, and The Evil Within 1 and 2.
The game will be developed by his studio Tango Gameworks and published by Bethesda.
While we don’t know too many details about the game just yet, we do know that Mikami has a knack for creating extremely spooky worlds.
In the first trailer shown during Bethesda’s conference at E3, we see people in Tokyo suddenly vanishing from thin air as some mysterious looking figures loom over the city with some beautifully smooth scene transitions to amplify the suspense.
We’re excited to see more of what Mikami and the team over at Tango Gameworks have in store for this new creepy looking thriller.
Final Fantasy VII Remake
After many years of waiting, we finally got a big blowout of footage and information for Final Fantasy VII Remake during Square Enix’s E3 presentation.
Fans of the classic RPG have been waiting for this moment for so long and Square Enix showed off a lengthy trailer and then showed off gameplay from an early mission in the game.
From the looks of it, this game is looking to be a dream come true, bringing together the nostalgia of the original game with the modern look and feel of games today.
Between the color palette, the incredible visuals, bombastic gameplay, and attention to detail, Final Fantasy VII Remake is looking like one of the best games of 2020.
No More Heroes 3
I think it’s safe to say that No More Heroes 3 came as a bit of a surprise to most people.
Unless you are a fan of the series and noticed creator Suda 51 tweet hints about the game’s existence before Nintendo’s E3 direct, you normally wouldn’t have thought this game would be shown off this soon.
Thankfully, I’m here to report that the game did indeed get revealed and boy does it look really damn cool.
From what we know about the game so far is that it’s currently early in development and in a prototype phase.
The game will see the return of Travis Touchdown and this will be considered to be a mainline game in the numbered series with the classic gameplay from the first two games returning.
I’m super excited, as are others to finally have Travis return in a more traditional game style that retains the stylishness and panache of the originals. Here’s to hoping the open world of the first game also makes a return, but this time bigger and badder!
If you happened to miss the reveal and teaser trailer for the game, please feel free to check out our coverage of it here.
Also, you can check out the newly released “F*ckhead” version of the trailer released for more mature audiences and also new information on how Travis will be fighting “Thanos-Level dudes” in his next grand adventure.
Astral Chain
During Nintendo’s E3 Direct, a new trailer was showcased for Astral Chain in which we got to see new snippets of gameplay and cinematics showing the characters interact with each other.
The game is the next big title from PlatinumGames and will their first game on the Nintendo Switch that isn’t a port from a previous console. Fans of stylish action games will find a lot to love with this title.
During Nintendo’s Treehouse Live event on Tuesday, the director of the game, Takahisa Taura explained how the game would mix plenty of different gameplay styles (such as the incredibly awesome opening motorbike chase sequence) while still sticking to the core combat and exploration seen in other previous PlatinumGames titles.
Astral Chain is looking like it may be my favorite game on the Nintendo Switch platform once it’s released on Aug. 30 of this year.
If you want to see more about the game feel free to check out some new screenshots and character artwork or check out our coverage on the latest trailer originally showcased during E3.
Shenmue III
Shenmue III has somewhat been shrouded in mystery before E3. While we would occasionally get small details about the game peppered throughout the year, a lot of fans were becoming worried about the game’s status.
Numerous delays and questionable footage of the game had fans wondering if this would truly be the sequel they’ve been clamoring for.
Thankfully at the PC Gamer conference during E3, we got a new trailer and even later some new gameplay footage (courtesy of IGN Japan).
This was reassuring to fans who have had their eye on the game or even backed the Kickstarter campaign all the way back in 2017.
I think it’s safe to say that Shenmue III is shaping up nicely, and while it may be lacking a bit in the visuals and animation department, it is being developed by a smaller dev team.
Given that fact, I believe that it will be something that fans of the series will enjoy regardless.
Phantasy Star Online 2
Phantasy Star Online 2 came as a shock to a lot of people when it was announced during Xbox’s E3 press conference. Even more shocked when we all discovered the game would be coming exclusively to Xbox One and PC.
Many people have fond memories playing both Phantasy Star Online on the Dreamcast and Phantasy Star Zero on the Nintendo DS.
The game brought friends and strangers together to take on mythical beasts and continuously level up to fight stronger enemies and bosses.
The game will allow you to create your own character and explore vast and lush worlds and many fans of the series are hungry for more information about what the game will entail and how it will differ from previous entries.
Phantasy Star Online 2 will be coming as a free-to-play MMORPG in the Spring of 2020 for Xbox One and Windows PC.
Dragon Ball Z Kakarot
Dragon Ball Z Kakarot is the new entry in the Dragon Ball series of games by Bandai Namco. The game was shown off during Xbox’s E3 conference and a new trailer showed off what we can expect from it.
During this trailer, we saw elements from the story and various battles players can expect to fight such as the Z fighters’ confrontations with the Saiyans.
The game will feature beautifully crafted animation and art that will make fans feel like they are watching an episode of the popular anime, in addition to massive explosions and hit sparks splashing across the screen in typical Dragon Ball fashion.
Dragon Ball Z Kakarot has a release window of early 2020 and if you happened to miss the latest trailer for the game, we got you covered.
Tales of Arise
Bandai Namco also officially announced during Xbox’s E3 conference the new entry in the popular Tales of series.
The Tales games are very sought after among JRPG fans and this next game looks to continue that tradition. The game is set in a new world where the planet Dahna is being controlled by another planet named Rena.
The protagonists in the game are born on either planet and will fight for freedom as each character’s motives will unfold as the player progresses.
The game is being developed on Unreal Engine 4 and will release on PS4, Xbox One, and PC sometime in 2020.
Code Vein
Bandai Namco’s Code Vein has been a game that has had a bit of development trouble over the years.
Originally meant to release in September of last year, the game was delayed in order to hit the drawing board again as fans of the public beta expressed their concern with many elements of the game.
Code Vein is an action-RPG in the vein of the Dark Souls series of games but differs in having a distinct anime aesthetic versus a more realistic one present in the Dark Souls.
Code Vein will also feature a unique leveling system that will scale with the player’s progress and gamers can expect many brutal battles that will await them in this new gothic fantasy world.
Thankfully, we won’t have to wait much longer for Code Vein as the title will finally be releasing on Sept. 27, 2019.
Trials of Mana
During this year’s Nintendo’s E3 Direct, Secret of Mana fans were surprised and delighted to hear that a remake of Secret of Mana 3 would be coming to Nintendo Switch, PS4 and PC in late 2020.
Featuring gorgeous and colorful 3D graphics, the new game plans on reiterating on the formula from last year’s PS4 remake of the original Secret of Mana.
The cool part about this announcement is the fact that the original Secret of Mana 3 released on the Super Famicom (the Super Nintendo in Japan) never got a western release, so it’s neat to see a game like this get the spotlight it deserves.
If you’d like to see more from the game and how the original RPG looks in a new era, please feel free to check out some gameplay footage of the game courtesy of Nintendo’s E3 Treehouse live stream footage.
Panzer Dragoon
While we knew about two new Panzer Dragoon remakes in the works back in December of last year, I still think we all were quite thrilled to finally see some action of the cult favorite on-rails shooter.
Revealed during Nintendo’s E3 Direct, we can see some of the high-speed, flying and shooting action the game is known for in the trailer they showed off.
With an incredible orchestral score and pretty graphics, it was a joy to see how this remake would hold up against the original. I think it looks great so far and really a true love letter to the series as a whole. We here at Twinfinite can’t wait to see more about this game in the coming months.
Dragon Quest Builders 2
Dragon Quest Builders 2 is the sequel to the very popular original game, which is Square Enix’s take on Minecraft meets RPG.
While we already knew of this game’s existence before E3, Square Enix showed off some more gameplay of the game during their E3 press conference.
In this title, you will be able to build and explore lands in order to craft the world around you.
Building bases, planting and growing crops for the people in your town and generally just being a good person to others will be all apart of the gameplay loop in Dragon Quest Builders 2.
Of course, there still will be RPG elements and battles for you to conquer. The game will launch on July 12 of this year, but eager fans can get an early glimpse of what to expect by playing the free demo launching on June 27.
Dragon Quest XI S
Now if building and Minecraft elements are not your cup of tea, then fans of traditional RPGs and of Dragon Quest can look forward to Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age on Switch.
The new entry in the beloved Dragon Quest line of games will be the next grand adventure of these heroes and retains the classic look and feel of previous titles in the series.
Fancy limited edition consoles by chance? Well if you do and you love Dragon Quest, you’re in luck as this very cool special edition Switch will be coming to Japan around the game’s release.
If you want to see more about the game you can check out our gameplay coverage which was shown during Nintendo’s Treehouse event.
Luigi’s Mansion 3
Luigi’s Mansion 3 is the next entry in the quirky franchise starring Luigi, in which he is looking for his brother Mario. Luigi must explore a creepy mansion that is filled with horrors and shrouded in mystery.
It was cool to see how the series has evolved in the footage that was shown during Nintendo’s Direct and their Treehouse live stream.
Luigi can now swing ghosts around like ragdolls with his vacuum cleaner and a lot of the gameplay we saw seemed like a unique blend of exploration and action (not seen as the focus of previous titles).
Luigi’s Mansion 3 will also feature unique multiplayer modes and they look like a really fun time.
The game was shown heavily during E3 with a lengthy trailer, and big blowout of extensive gameplay. We’re excited to see more about Luigi’s spooky adventure in the coming months knowing now that it will release sometime in 2019.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is a re-imagining of the original game released way back in 1993 on the Nintendo Game Boy.
What’s cool about this game is how it’s taking a game with incredibly simplistic graphics and revitalizing it for the modern era, while still keeping that simplicity and cheerfulness intact.
During Nintendo’s Direct, they showed off a new trailer showcasing various gameplay elements and how the world will be a living and breathing place for Link to explore. We see Link do things such as fight enemies, fish in a pond, and even explore dungeons.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is expected to release this year and if you want to know more about it, you can check out our hands-on preview here.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Sequel
Well, we’re not gonna say we were completely shocked by this one, but we kind of were.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will be getting a sequel and it looks to retain the feel and vibe of the first game while adding improvements.
While we don’t have many details about it at the moment, it looks to be using the same engine and graphical style as the previous game, but I’m sure we can expect to see the team pushing the Switch to new technical heights with this title.
In the short teaser trailer, we see Link and Zelda in some kind of cave with some magical aura surrounding the area as we get a silhouette of an evil looking creature with the main castle looking like it was beginning to crumble into the ground.
The excitement for a new Breath of the Wild sequel is high, and we can’t wait to see more about it in the future.
Pokemon Sword & Shield
Pokemon Sword & Shield is the next entry in the incredibly popular Pokemon series of games. This also will be the first mainline Pokemon game in quite a bit of time.
Fans of the series have been wanting a Pokemon game that brings things to a new level and I think they will be getting that with Pokemon Sword & Shield.
What’s nice about this title this time around is the fact that a core Pokemon game will finally be playable in both a handheld and big screen experience and we can’t wait to get our hands on the game when it releases on Nov. 15 of this year.
If you’d like to check out of the latest footage from the game, we got you covered or you may go here if you’d like to see some recent screenshots and the official gameplay trailer.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Fire Emblem: Three Houses is the next entry in the well-loved series of strategy RPGs by Nintendo and Intelligent Systems.
During Nintendo’s E3 Direct and their Treehouse event, the company showed off new footage of the game and also explained various story elements fans of the series can expect to dive into in this new iteration on a classic franchise.
Fire Emblem has been known to be a strategy RPG fan’s dream, combining beautiful graphics and a rich story with deep and thoughtful gameplay.
If you’re looking for more about the game feel free to check out our coverage on the latest screenshots and artwork recently shown for the title.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses will be releasing on July 26 of this year exclusively on Nintendo Switch.
Daemon X Machina
Daemon X Machina is a new mech-action game with a heavy focus on intense action and customization with a stylish, cell-shaded graphical style.
While we’ve known about the game for a while and even had a chance to try out a public demo for the game months back on the Switch, the game was shown off to a much greater detail during this year’s E3 show.
During this time, developer Marvelous released a new trailer for the game showing off what players can expect and they also announced a limited edition set of Joy- Cons made by Hori that take shape of a more traditional style controller for the Nintendo Switch.
If you’d like to see more about Daemon X Machina, feel free to check out some new gameplay footage of the game, some of the things players can expect from the multiplayer co-op and battle modes, and you can view some new screenshots here as well.
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
Nintendo and Sega again will be collaborating on the next entry in their long-standing Olympic Games series, where Mario, Sonic and other famous characters will duel it out in some of the world’s most grueling Olympic events.
Shown in more detail during Nintendo’s E3 Direct, the game will feature many events players can participate and compete in.
If you missed the trailer from the event, then feel free to check out our coverage of it here. You may also check out some new footage of the boxing and hammer throw events that will be playable for players who end up purchasing the title.
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games will be launching sometime in November of this year.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
All of us here at Twinfinite have been clamoring for more information regarding the next, highly-anticipated sequel in the Animal Crossing series.
While we did get new information about the game during Nintendo’s Direct presentation, we unfortunately learned that the game would also be getting delayed until March 2020.
This news shouldn’t come as too much as a shock, though, as this next entry seems to be the biggest Animal Crossing game to date with a huge world to explore and plenty of new people to meet.
If you’re not incredibly familiar with Animal Crossing you may want to check out our “7 Facts You May Have Missed” piece about the game.
Contra: Rogue Corps
While it may not be quite the return to the classic run-and-gun gameplay fans expect from a new Contra game, Rogue Corps seems to still try and capture the ridiculous action that the series is known for.
Unlike the 2D side-scrolling in previous games, this new Contra game will be more of a top-down, twin-stick shooter many modern gamers have played in the past.
Debuted during Nintendo’s E3 Direct presentation, the trailer showcased the various characters you’ll be able to play as and how they will differ from each other.
While we originally thought that Contra: Rogue Corps was going to be a Nintendo Switch exclusive, it appears that the game will also be coming to PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Fans of the series excited to blast aliens back into space can plan on picking up the title on Sept. 24 of this year.
Trails of Cold Steel III
The next entry in the Trails series, titled Trails of Cold Steel III, will be a game that sticks to the series’ roots of narrative-driven RPG action.
NIS America does a fantastic job with localizations of various Japanese style RPG games such as the Ys series of titles and Trails of Cold Steel III seems to be continuing that tradition.
The game seems to be another massive RPG from the Nihon Falcom team with tons of content and probably will take you over 100 hours to play. JRPG fans can expect to get their hands on the game on Nov. 1, 2019.
Disgaea 4 Complete+
NIS America is also responsible for the Disgaea series of strategy RPG titles that have been increasing in popularity over the years.
Developed by Nippon Ichi Software, Disgaea 4 is known for its deep strategy gameplay and interesting characters.
Disgaea 4 Complete+ plans on upping the ante with the base title by adding a host of features and additions fans will be sure to love. An additional scenario, characters, and DLC never released for the title, as well as brand new tweaks and functionality all add up to make the ultimate Disgaea experience.
This expanded edition will also be getting a limited edition for both PS4 and Nintendo Switch called the “HL-Raising Edition.”
While the game currently does not have a firm release date, fans of the series can look out for Disgaea 4 Complete+ sometime this fall.
Final Fantasy VIII Remastered
While people’s minds were still fresh after the blowout of news regarding Final Fantasy VII during Square Enix’s E3 press conference, they also announced Final Fantasy VIII Remastered.
Final Fantasy VIII was the highly anticipated next entry in the storied RPG franchise released on the PlayStation back in 1999. Though Square Enix has mentioned in the past the difficulties of remastering the game, this announcement came as a nice surprise to fans who have fond memories of playing it all those years ago.
The re-release will be out in 2019 for PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC.
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