Every year, Indie Quest brings together a selection of incredible indie games in a must-see showcase for every JRPG fan! 2026 was no different with a treasure chest full of upcoming titles; from a mecha-action fan’s wet dream to a JRPG tag-team fighter, there was plenty to see!
Here are our top five picks from the showcase.
Edge of Memories
Show me an action RPG with a vibrant anime art-style and I’ll show you my money. Edge of Memories follows Soul Whisperer Eline on her quest to stop a mutating corrosion from destroying her planet. Eline herself is corrupted, and as you slog it out with grotesque abominations her rage grows, allowing her to transform into a formidable berserker.
That all sounds cool and all, but the REAL reason I want this game is to ride around the semi-open world on a Nekaroo, a giant fuzzball of a cat. So cute! Developers Midgar Studio are promising a compelling and focused adventure, with no filler or endless grinding… A lofty goal for a JRPG, but one I like the sound of!
Edge of Memories is the type of game I’ll be opening my wallet for when it launches later this year on PlayStation 5, PC, and XBOX Series X|S. You can try your hand at the first chapter of the game when the demo drops on June 15th.
A Fighter’s Nova: Mindara
I love a mashup of genres, especially one that makes you go, “Why isn’t this already a thing!?“. A Fighter’s Nova: Mindara takes the fantastical characters and story of a JRPG and blends it with a tag-team fighting game! Attacking an enemy launches a side-on punch-up battle, with the game doing its best Tekken Tag Tournament impression.
The companions you meet around the world each have their own combat styles, abilities, and synergies that grow and evolve as your relationships deepen. You can switch between characters at any time during a fight; chaining combos and unleashing joint attacks. You can even play with a mate in local co-op for a TRUE tag-team experience.
Fighter’s Nova: Mindara is likely a ways off yet; its Kickstarter campaign launches next week, which will likely determine what platforms it eventually comes to in addition to Steam.
Alarial’s Blessing
With stunning character art, solid voice acting, and some fantastic enemy design, Alarial’s Blessing is my pick of the showcase. The game follows a small band of mercenaries wandering the world, exploring uncharted locations, and slaying troublesome monsters. It’s being made for a mature audience, with bloody violence, nudity and sexual content.
There’s a more organic approach to questing, with no direct tracking, instead relying on notes and analysis of information to progress. Acquiring maps and gossiping with NPCs can uncover new leads on undiscovered treasures. It all reminds me of a D&D campaign in JRPG form!
While it may look simple, there’s something special about its gridded turn-based combat that really drew my interest. Different terrain and map sizes affect how you’ll approach each skirmish, while player placement brings another layer of strategy — do you tank the attack or try to avoid the blow entirely? There’ll also be no random battles; each encounter will be hand-crafted and meaningful.
Alarial’s Blessing is being developed for PC first, and then consoles. It’s currently in the middle of a Kickstarter campaign, where it has already been fully funded!
Ironwing Valiant: Record of Astera
Mecha fans will be frothing over Ironwing Valiant: Record of Astera, which fuses adrenaline-inducing giant-robot fights with a JRPG narrative based on the Romance of The Three Kingdoms novel.
As young mecha pilot Reinhardt, you’ll have to fight to protect your small kingdom’s independence against a mighty expanding empire. The setting and art style are both very reminiscent of the Valkyria Chronicles games which, in my eyes, is only a good thing.
You can even customise various parts of your mech and create loadouts from the weapons in your arsenal: like cannons, missiles, swords, and shields. The action of both the giant-mech melees and thrilling aerial combat looks suitably epic.
Ironwing Valiant: Record of Astera doesn’t have a release date, but will come to PC.
Gravastar
Sci-Fi fantasy Gravastar tells the tale of an unassuming young orphan, who inexplicably unlocks a rare power tied to the stars, and is thrust into an adventure to save the world… Classic JRPG ground.
Combat looks to be a mix of turn-based and active battle elements, utilizing well-timed prompts and specific button combos to execute powerful spells and chains of attacks.
With a cast of five playable characters, five continents to explore, and around 15 – 20 hours of playtime; developers Studio Atma are bringing classic JRPG gameplay on a smaller scale… And as a busy dad, I’m here for it.
Gravastar is in development for PC and consoles.
On a quest for more games? Check out the Indie Quest showcase in its entirety below:
READ MORE: Thinky Direct 2026 | Our Top Picks
