It's a good time to be a JRPG fan. Past the recent success of RPG throwback with modern polish Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, we've built up a solid offering of HD-2D JRPGs that freshen up classics like Dragon Quest and Live-A-Live, while other 16-bit inspired games like Sea of Stars give newer developers the chance to emulate the games of their childhood. If you're looking for more of the latter, you need not look further than the sci-fi and fantasy blend of SacriFire.
As seen in a new trailer shown at the Future Games Show Summer Showcase, the JRPG inspirations are easy to see. You've got the HD-2D graphics, dynamic scraps that merge real-time and turn-based, and a battle between two sides where faith is questioned.
As per developer PixelatedMilk, the goal is both to respect and subvert the standard RPG tropes from all the games they've played since the 90s. Here's the story blurb:
"SacriFire tells the story of Ezekiel Ridan, a young soldier training to join an elite sect of the Church of Sheol. Ezekiel longs to do his part keeping the underground city of Antioch safe from the demons which roam the surface above, but little suspects the role he is soon to play in a more profound struggle – a struggle thousands of years in the making, waged between entities far beyond his understanding."
Naturally, Ezekiel's adventure will lead him to places he's never imagined and he uncovers secrets that cause him to question everything he believes. On that journey, you'll travel between the sprawling city of Antich and the "idyllic spirit paradise" of Erebus, where neon-soaked sci-fi inspirations clash with the classic fantasy trappings of the JRPG genre.
It's not all about the views, though, as you'll adopt combat disciplines and craft weapons while traveling to mix up your fighting style between solving puzzles to get through dungeons.
SacriFire is currently set for a Q1 2026 release on PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
If you’re looking for more excellent games from today's Future Games Show, have a look at our official Steam page.
