New Action JRPG on Steam Has Major Final Fantasy Meets ‘Tales Of’ Vibes

I’ve been a fan of Final Fantasy for almost thirty years, and I’m always looking for a new, engaging Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) to play. JRPGs can be unpredictable – some are amazing, others not so much – and for me, it usually comes down to how good the story and characters are. A game can have fantastic gameplay, but if the world and the people in it don’t feel alive and meaningful, it’s hard to really get hooked. Luckily, Final Fantasy has always been excellent at creating that immersive experience, and the Tales Of series – another JRPG I love – does the same. That’s why I’ve added Artisan Studios’ Lost Hellden to my Steam wishlist, especially after seeing the talented team of artists working on it.

Lost Hellden, an action JRPG planned for release on Steam in 2026, is drawing comparisons to classic games like Final Fantasy and Tales Of. It aims to capture the feel of the beloved PS1 JRPG era, immersing players in a beautiful world that looks like a living, animated oil painting. With contributions from renowned JRPG developers – including composers Hitoshi Sakimoto (known for Final Fantasy 12, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Valkyria Chronicles) and Takeshi Oga (Gravity Rush) – the game is already generating excitement. Even a brief look at its story and gameplay is enough to see why. As a long-time fan of Final Fantasy, Tales Of, and the JRPG genre in general, I’m already incredibly excited about it, and I suspect a lot of that is down to nostalgia!

Lost Hellden Feels Like a Love Letter to JRPGs like Final Fantasy and Tales Of

In the world of Era, the game Lost Hellden unfolds under the strict rule of the Unio religion. Everyone is born connected to one of the Seven Deadly Sins and believes suppressing these impulses will lead to eternal life in Hellden. However, succumbing to sin results in a terrible fate. This makes the birth of twins, Cyphel and Leht, a dangerous event, as the ritual meant to bind them to a sin fails. Cyphel is born without any sin, while Leht is burdened by all seven. To protect them, both boys are hidden away and raised as Arkhons – dedicated defenders of the Unio faith.

After years of hardship, Leht flees, hoping to escape a heavy responsibility. This forces his brother, Cyphel, to leave his home and search for him. What starts as a brotherly quest quickly expands into a larger struggle involving dangerous creatures, a rebellion, and a hidden plot involving the gods. Ultimately, Lost Hellden is a story about family, destiny, and the challenging journey of self-discovery – learning who you truly are, beyond the expectations of others.

Lost Hellden Sounds Like the JRPGs of Old

The story of Lost Hellden feels like a throwback to classic PlayStation JRPGs, especially games like Final Fantasy 7 and Chrono Cross. These older games often featured characters whose personal stories were deeply connected to the secrets of their world. For example, Final Fantasy 7 follows Cloud’s quest to uncover the truth about Sephiroth, a journey that ultimately challenges the idea of fate. Similarly, Chrono Cross centers on Serge discovering a parallel world where he didn’t survive childhood, leading him to investigate the reasons for the split and revealing a personal mystery with world-altering consequences.

Lost Hellden includes both English and Japanese voice acting, which could significantly enhance the game’s story if the delivery is strong.

Lost Hellden follows a similar pattern, where Cyphel’s quest to find Leht unexpectedly leads him into a much larger conflict than just a family matter. It’s a compelling and dramatic setup, and the game’s old-school PS1 aesthetic hints at a potentially unsettling truth about the world of Era. Beyond the story, I’m really excited to play Lost Hellden because the gameplay – particularly the combat and exploration – looks fantastic.

Lost Hellden’s Key Gameplay Features

EIGHT HEROES – A highly customizable party journeys through Era and beyond.
CHARACTER BUILDS – Jobs, skill trees, abilities, and equipment shape progression.
PHASED COMBAT – System that balances real-time and turn-based mechanics.
PARTY STRATEGY – Timing, positioning, elements, and team commands matter.
DYNAMIC WORLD – Weather affects combat, NPCs, and locations.
HEXAKEN MINIGAME – An in-world card activity adds optional side content.

Lost Hellden lets players create unique battle strategies with eight customizable characters. The game offers a deep system for character development – including job classes, skill trees, and lots of equipment – which feels more similar to the character building in Fire Emblem than in recent Final Fantasy games. Modern Final Fantasy titles have generally moved away from the extensive character customization seen in older games, but Lost Hellden brings that freedom back.

Lost Hellden’s Character Customization Goes Deep

Although we haven’t seen everything yet, the character customization in Lost Hellden appears to work similarly to the Sphere Grid from Final Fantasy 10. Players will unlock and equip abilities through a skill tree called the Ascension Tree. These include both active abilities and passive buffs (Support Abilities), which can then be assigned to buttons for use in battles.

In the game, each character can use one weapon, one piece of armor, and two accessories. These items all affect a character’s eight core stats, as well as their resistances to different elements and status effects. Characters in Lost Hellden also have a Base Job that unlocks initial abilities, and an Advanced Job for even more customization—but unlocking the Advanced Job requires completing specific tasks.

Lost Hellden’s Combat Balances Real-Time Action and Turn-Based Mechanics

All the character customization options come into play during combat in Lost Hellden. Battles happen in a dedicated arena where you can move freely, blending fast-paced action with strategic turn-based mechanics. This system is similar to the Linear Motion Battle System found in the Tales Of series, allowing players to actively dodge and position themselves during fights.

During combat, the Action Phase lets players move and switch characters, attack, and use abilities. Enemies will respond to what you do, but they won’t attack back during this phase. You can also pause to access the menu and play like a traditional turn-based game, or give your team instructions without needing to control everything directly.

A key part of Lost Hellden‘s battles involves finding and using enemy weaknesses to ‘Pressure’ them. This briefly stuns opponents and makes them more vulnerable, functioning in a similar way to the combat in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.

After players finish their turns in the Action Phase, the combat in Lost Hellden moves to the Reaction Phase. This is when enemies attack, but players still control how their characters defend themselves. They can’t take new actions, but they can react to enemy attacks by parrying, dodging, or countering. This system offers a good balance, appealing to fans of both fast-paced real-time combat and more strategic, turn-based gameplay.

Lost Hellden’s Dynamic Weather and Card-Based Mini-Game Are Added Bonuses

Lost Hellden includes a changing weather system that will affect gameplay in several ways. The Steam page notes that weather will influence battles, characters, and locations. Given the game’s combat system and the use of elemental powers, it’s likely that weather conditions – like rain – could impact attacks and abilities that use water or electricity.

In addition to its main gameplay, Lost Hellden includes a strategic card game called Hexaken. Players who enjoyed the Queen’s Blood mini-game in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth will likely find Hexaken engaging. While the exact rules are still unknown, it promises to be a fun diversion from battles and the game’s serious narrative.

Lost Hellden Is the JRPG to Keep an Eye On for Final Fantasy, Tales Of Fans

I don’t need Lost Hellden to revolutionize the JRPG genre to get me interested. What really appeals to me is that it seems to get what made classic JRPGs so good – a unique world, a compelling story, the ability to build your own team, and battles that require strategy, not just button-mashing.

While Lost Hellden might not completely reinvent the JRPG genre, it looks very promising. If the developers, Artisan Studios, can deliver on the impressive features they’ve shown, it’s likely to be one of the best JRPGs of 2026. Currently scheduled for release in 2026 on Steam, Lost Hellden is described as an action JRPG with beautiful hand-painted 3D graphics, a large world to explore, and a unique battle system that combines turn-based strategy with real-time action.

Lost Hellden launches on Steam in 2026.

2026-05-05 18:37