Although the 2023 lunar new year celebrations are winding down, the buzz created by this highly-rated JRPG doesn't seem to be.
We might have missed it on our list of upcoming indie games of 2023, and it's too early to say whether Depersonalization will soar to become one of the best JRPGs around, but the horror-tinged anime-style adventure has certainly made a good first impression. It currently has 2,058 reviews averaging "Very Positive" on Steam (opens in new tab), with 95% of the latest 700 reviews being positive. That's pretty impressive in general, and especially since the game has only been out for a month and comes from a pretty fresh studio.
Like with any roleplaying game, you'll be choosing your character from a selection of pre-made archetypes, complete with qualities and elements that will affect the choices you can make during your playthrough. But advancing the story through exploration is just the start. Depersonalization also features branching storylines, a dice-rolling mechanic said to out-roll even actual tabletop releases, and – of course – tentacled monsters. With tabletop RPG Call of Cthulhu seemingly being one of the game's key inspirations, it's no surprise that dice and ancient eldritch beasts come into play at some point.
Depersonalization is the debut title from developer MeowGames, and so far the feedback on it is impressive. Some commenters pointed out the shaky English translations from the original Chinese voice lines, but the positive reviews far outweigh the negative ones, praising its soundtrack, storyline, and game mechanics. "Call of Cthulu but anime" is how Steam user Yureiko describes it, recommending it to fans of tabletop games like Dungeons and Dragons, and they're in good company.
According to a recent message (opens in new tab) from the developers, Depersonalization has already sold over 50,000 copies. With so much hype in such a short space of time, this might be one to watch for fans of spooky indie gems, especially since it's still technically in Steam Early Access. You can try the free demo for yourself, too.
After you've given Depersonalization a try, check out some of the best Steam games to play next.
