This pixel JRPG with monster-taming and turn-based combat looks like Pokemon meets Persona

Pixel JRPG Bloomtown showed face at this summer's Future Games Show, with publisher Twin Sails Interactive finally giving it a release window.

Set in a picturesque 1960s Americana world, Bloomtown: A Different Story will make its way to PC and console platforms in Q4 2024. The announcement trailer was just one of three Twin-Sail games showcased during an extended line-up reel, but for any fan of games like Persona 5 or upcoming Persona 3 Reload, Bloomtown: A Different Story is the clear standout.

Wishlist Bloomtown: A Different Story on Steam now

Half social RPG, half strategy and tactics game, Bloomtown looks set to combine the cutesy pixelated graphics of games like Stardew Valley with the rich narrative depth and turn-based combat of the best JRPGs out there. The result is a dual-world universe, pitting the demonic entities of the Underside against Bloomtown itself. The game sees us tasked with taking down the monsters plaguing this sleepy community, and by the looks of it, there's a lot more to Bloomtown's charming environs than meets the eye.

The trailer seen at Future Games Show depicts combat gameplay, starting with a child getting grabbed by some disembodied hands and pulled into the Underside through the trunk of a car. Here is where we see the grim truth of Bloomtown seeping through the otherwise wholesome-looking cracks, with protagonist Emily and her cohort of friends going head-to-head against their own demons.

Combat in Bloomtown looks to be party-based. Each character carries out a set number of moves per turn in order to take down the shadows, defeating the monsters before they can wreak more havoc. Monsters can be weakened in battle before being captured and added to your party, much like a Pokemon – although, in this case, Bloomtown's monsters are quite a lot bigger.

Bloomtown: A Different Story is coming to PC and consoles when it launches next year. Be sure to wishlist it on Steam and keep an eye out for new updates from the developers!

If you’re looking for more excellent games from today's Future Games Show, have a look at our official Steam page.

Jasmine is a Senior Staff Writer at GamesRadar+. Raised in Hong Kong and having graduated with an English Literature degree from Queen Mary, University of London, she began her journalism career as a freelancer with TheGamer and TechRadar Gaming before joining GR+ full-time in 2023. She now focuses predominantly on features content for GamesRadar+, attending game previews, and key international conferences such as Gamescom and Digital Dragons in between regular interviews, opinion pieces, and the occasional stint with the news or guides teams. In her spare time, you'll likely find Jasmine challenging her friends to a Resident Evil 2 speedrun, purchasing another book she's unlikely to read, or complaining about the weather.