I like to think of myself as a JRPG enthusiast, a purveyor of the greatest, most emotional games in the genre, and a fanatic for anything sorely underrated or unappreciated. Every now and then, I seek out titles that have perhaps flown under the radar or aren’t garnering the attention they deserve and do my best to spotlight them in the only way I know how: exposit using grandiloquent prose until I’ve thumbed through my thesaurus so much it gives me paper cuts. Fortunately, many of these games end up getting a wave of support thanks to the power of the internet and Steam’s relatively useful algorithmic recommendation tools.
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However, some are simply overlooked, missed by even the most ardent of fans. This is especially true of the remarkable and utterly unique Artis Impact, a JRPG unlike anything that has come before it that shines in almost every aspect of its design. It accomplishes so much in its relatively short runtime that I’m amazed more people haven’t played it. Indeed, it felt like 2025’s best indie games completely overshadowed it, and I’m not convinced deservingly so. This plucky indie title from 2025 is so exceptionally good that I haven’t stopped thinking about it ever since I rolled credits.
Artis Impact Is One Of The Greatest JRPGs Ever Made
I don’t think I’ve ever played anything quite like Artis Impact. Part life sim, part melancholic existential drama, part action-packed turn-based adventure, part goofy road trip, Artis Impact manages to combine the very best aspects of the JRPG genre into one immensely inspired experience that will sit with you long after you’ve beaten any one of its multiple endings. Few games have made me chuckle and cry as loudly and profusely as Artis Impact did, a game of many extremes that impeccably balances it all while delivering a rewarding and satisfying gameplay loop.
I won’t sugarcoat it entirely. For all its many, many, many strengths, Artis Impact is a relatively easy game, with its fluidly animated and strikingly scored battles showcasing its most streamlined aspects. This is, largely intentional, as the game’s narrative was always meant to take centre stage while combat and the occasional life sim element support it enthusiastically from the sidelines. That’s not to say these aspects aren’t fun; indeed, they are the most enjoyable parts at times, but rather that anyone expecting a truly challenging affair will be left a tad disappointed.
Still, once you settle into the rhythm of its gorgeous post-apocalyptic world, its consistently entertaining sense of humor, its dark themes and sombre moments of reflection, its simple yet expertly animated combat, and the plethora of cozy life sim elements that help immerse you further, the few minor flaws, most of which have largely been fixed since launch, seem to melt into the background. It helps too that Artis Impact’s narrative is engrossing the entire way through, the nuanced complexities of its protagonist, Akane, and her journey throughout, providing a phenomenal foundation on which the game’s thoughtful lore can thrive.
Even if you do not gel with the story, although I struggle to see how that would be possible, Artis Impact’s breathtakingly stunning aesthetic and moments of joyful quietude are worth the price of admission alone. Wandering through each environment is a genuine joy, in large part thanks to the game’s unique art style that now serves as my favorite form of pixel art ever. However, it is what you can do in those environments, such as get a part-time job, converse with locals, customize your house, ride a train, and more, which makes it so worthwhile. Artis Impact makes even the most banal of tasks feel cozy and welcoming, its beautiful score elevating every action you take. If you don’t believe me, you can try it all out for yourself in the game’s free demo, which is a standalone adventure that encapsulates everything Artis Impact does so perfectly in a concise and enjoyable package.
Indie JRPGs Deserve More Love
When playing through Artis Impact, it occurred to me that, for the most part, indie JRPGs tend to go unrecognized as the true masterpieces that they are. Sure, every now and then, one will pop up and attempt to revitalize the JRPGs of yesteryear, the likes of Chained Echoes and Sea of Stars showcasing just how effective this can be, and fans and the media alike will praise them for a moment or two. However, for the most part, the indie JRPG scene largely goes overlooked, despite the sheer amount of passion and dedication that goes into each project and the impressive scale of the majority of them.
Only one JRPG has won Best Independent Game at the Game Awards, although crucially, in 10 years, only two have ever been nominated. It is a genre that, while steadily growing in popularity in the mainstream, simply hasn’t managed to have quite the same level of breakthrough when it comes to indie titles. This is despite the fact that games like Artis Impact, Wolfstride, Undertale, and CrossCode combine thought-provoking storytelling with engaging, nuanced gameplay, and titles like Crystal Project, Edge of Eternity, and Cassette Beasts offer some of the most engaging worlds to explore.
These games are all as every bit deserving of the recognition that titles like Balatro and Blue Prince get, yet they somehow fall to the wayside. It’s a shame, especially as Artis Impact, at least in my opinion, ranks amongst some of the very best JRPGs ever made, many of which have been nominated for Game of the Year. Perhaps it is time we started paying a little more attention to the indie JRPG scene, especially considering it is so full of remarkable hidden gems that would keep even the most discerning of gamers busy for a very long time. At the very least, play Artis Impact, as I assure you it will impact you in ways you’d never expect.
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