Finally, the Switch release of Tokyo Xanadu eX+ might give the game its moment again! Almost 10 years after its original release, Aksys picked up the Switch version to release it worldwide. Considering how interesting it can be and all of the other elements making this particular release so valuable, I can’t help but hope it leads to more people giving it a chance.

Something isn’t right in Tokyo. Kou doesn’t initially realize it. He’s going to school and working part-time jobs as usual. But when he sees his classmate Asuka harassed when he’s leaving work at night, he gets drawn into assisting in fighting back against the Eclipse phenomenon. Using Soul Devices and eventually fighting alongside classmates who find themselves also able to fight back against the Greed monsters threatening innocent people. Yes, it is Persona-like, while still combining the Ys sort of action-RPG elements while in labyrinths. 

Now, right away, you’re probably wondering why you should even head into the Switch version of Tokyo Xanadu eX+. After all, Aksys’ release is the fourth version of the game to appear worldwide. However, there are a number of reasons to give it a chance again. Enough so that I think it’s worth playing now more than ever.

The big one, and the thing I love most about heading into Tokyo Xanadu eX+ again, is that this is the best portable version of the game. The Vita version is difficult to come by now, and it’s only the standard release that didn’t add the extra scenarios, bosses, and content in any of the eX+ releases. (All of that is perfectly implemented in such a way that if you are new to the game, you won’t realize it wasn’t originally a part of the experience.) If you have the Steam version, you could hypothetically play it on a Steam Deck. However, it isn’t fully ed. It’s only classified as “Playable” there. So the Switch release is completely ready to go and perfectly suited for the system. 

Aside from the definitive version of the game now being on the Switch, the other highlight for the Aksys release of Tokyo Xanadu eX+ is a fresh localization. It reads wonderfully. Everything is clear, concise, and perfectly gets the point across. Back in the day, I covered the Vita and PS4 releases. I enjoying them! It’s been a long time since I played, so I can’t 1:1 cite changes. But the new take is substantial enough that I could just tell as I went through it that it was handled a bit better.

There’s also the matter of this Tokyo Xanadu eX+ Switch release being the perfect preparation possibility. In March 2024, Nihon Falcom announced the Tokyo Xanadu 10th anniversary project. While it is going to be a new and original thing, playing the first game in this branch is invaluable. It gives you an idea of what to expect. You can see what sorts of encounters and gameplay you might experience. Also, who knows what sort of threads or Easter eggs could carry over. It’s invaluable. 

I’m so glad the Switch version of Tokyo Xanadu eX+ is here, as this is such a fun action-RPG. I always felt like it ended up being a bit overshadowed, due to the fact that it does feature some similarities to the Persona series and Nihon Falcom’s Trails line exploding in popularity. The combat is solid in dungeons. Its take on a modern adventure set in the real world is strong. The eX+ additions do feel valuable. Not to mention, the twist that comes up is good! It’s a JRPG worth playing.

Tokyo Xanadu eX+ is available on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC. The original game appeared on the Vita.

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We already knew Aksys would release the Nihon Falcom Persona-like Switch port of Tokyo Xanadu eX+, and now there’s a release date. It will launch on July 25, 2024, and the Aksys Store version includes a four CD soundtrack.

The Tokyo Xanadu eX+ Switch release date announcement was paired with a brief trailer for the game. It mainly focuses on the launch. It mainly shows some of the animations to start, but there are also brief gameplay clips for the RPG.

To compare, the original Tokyo Xanadu release trailer Aksys prepared was a much longer one. It showed the entire animated introduction to the game.

The bundle that includes the game and the soundtrack will be a bit more expensive than the game alone. The Aksys Store is already taking pre-orders for it. People get a physical Switch cartridge and the four CDs in a separate case for $69.99.

Here’s how the cover art for the soundtrack and game look:

The Tokyo Xanadu eX+ Switch release date outside Japan is July 25, 2024. The game is immediately available on the Switch in Japan and the PS4 and PC worldwide. It originally launched on the Vita in 2015.

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During the February 2024 All Aksys event, the company revealed details about the Tokyo Xanadu eX+ Switch versions and four otome games. Despera Drops and Tengoku Struggle: Strayside are new original titles, while Radiant Tale: Fanfare and Virche Evermore Epic: Lycoris are fan discs. There’s a Spirit Hunter: Death Mark II Switch, PS5, and PC February 15, 2024 release date confirmed as well.

As a reminder, Tokyo Xanadu eX+ is a Persona-like RPG from Nihon Falcom. Like the other title, people follow high schoolers with special Soul Devise abilities that allow them to protect the real world by heading into the Other World. The eX+ version adds additional content like insight into the character White Shroud. Tokyo Xanadu eX+ showed up on the Switch in Japan in June 2023, and is heading westward in June 2024. Aksys will also sell its four-CD soundtrack.

Tengoku Struggle: Strayside is one of the Aksys Switch otome games we already knew about. For this event, we got a release date. People will hepp the princess of the Underworld hunt down escapees on April 4, 2024. The standard version launch copies come with character cards, while the limited edition will include a soundtrack.

Despera Drops is the other entirely new otome game. It will be on the Switch in 2025. It follows a young college student named Mika Amamine who is held as a suspect in a murder, but then escapes with six criminals. All seven are pursued by the police and people who are after her specifically.

As for the two otome fan discs, they’ll both be out in 2024. Radiant Tale: Fanfare, the follow-up to the supernatural story about a circus gathering a certain sort of energy to save a prince, will be out in Summer 2024. That has five new epilogues for the existing love interests and two new routes with people you couldn’t pursue before. Meanwhile Virche Evermore Epic: Lycoris will appear in Fall 2024 and involves five new side stories that follow the original game.

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Falcom’s action RPG Tokyo Xanadu first released in September 2015 for PS Vita in Japan, where it got an enhanced version on PS4 a year later, and company president Toshihiro Kondo is thinking about making it a franchise. [Thanks, Games Talk.]   The information comes from Falcom’s 2nd-quarter financial results briefing, where president Kondo shared that Tokyo Xanadu originally launched as a title of a brand-new IP during these recent years where there’s been a trend in the games industry of making sequels for successful titles.   Up until now there’s only been one Tokyo Xanadu title, which been received exceptionally well, and Kondo says that it’s a title that he’s thinking about franchising to make it one of the company’s mainstay titles.   Tokyo Xanadu released for PlayStation Vita in Japan in September 2015, followed by a worldwide release on June 30, 2017. It released as an enhanced version called Tokyo Xanadu eX+ in Japan on September 2016 for PS4, followed by a worldwide release on PS4 and PC in December 2017.

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When it comes to games that allow people to enjoy a rather strong story while connecting with other characters and going through a day-to-day high school life, sometimes it can feel like the focus is on the interactions with other people. While the dungeon-crawling in Persona is enjoyable, especially in Persona 5, I found myself rushing through such segments so I could get back to the “mundane” life of a high schooler. With Tokyo Xanadu, it feels like there is this stark difference. While getting to know all of these unique students and associates is absolutely entertaining, I couldn’t help but find also looking forward to trips into Eclipse.

It wasn’t because the Eclipse areas were especially intricate. There isn’t the same depth to these dungeons as there are in the Persona series. They’re more similar to the places you would explore in The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel and Ys. They’re interesting for a trip or two and never have areas that leave you especially stumped. Rather, it is the whole way they are structured that makes Tokyo Xanadu stand out. Even when struck with a relatively simple structure, the combat system and handling of the affair makes things more interesting than I imagined.

There’s this sense of intensity and pressure. Tokyo Xanadu knows it is about putting people in an instance that can be cleared in a reasonable amount of time, rather than over the course of a few hours. It even ties growth of Kou’s Courage stat to the ratings you are able to achieve when going through a dungeon, encouraging you to dispatch enemies as efficiently and quickly as possible. (You also end up getting equipment like phone parts and clothing as rewards, driving you forward.) The satisfaction that comes from heading into Eclipse with the right partner to exploit the weaknesses of the creatures within is incredible, and very possible since the game makes sure to alert you to the kinds of Greed creatures that will be inside, their elements, and their numbers.

I guess I felt like Tokyo Xanadu wanted me to succeed. Combat flows so well. There’s no confusion about what to do and when. You can attack with X, chaining them together for perform combos or with a jump for aerial and chain attacks. There are dodges and double jumps available to avoid altercations and take advantages of weaknesses. Skills are easy to use, and since they recover over time or when you land standard physical attacks, it isn’t like there’s this fear that you should save these specials up for when you’ll really need them. Even X-Strikes, the powerful special you’ll need to accrue Strike Points for and use to defeat bosses, feel like something you don’t have to hold back. Just like the skills, you are always gradually earning Strike Points for your attacks, so it feels feasible to occasionally splurge and use this all-powerful attack that can attack all of the enemies within range, instead of saving it up to finish a weakened boss.

But what’s best about it is how often these Eclipse areas appear in Tokyo Xanadu. In addition to story Eclipses, of which there are usually two per chapter, you can sometimes use Eclipse Search to find an optional dungeon to traverse. Since sometimes these can give amazing rewards like the affinity fragments you need to increase the number of relationship events you could see. Between the rewards you get, ranks that lead to increased courage, and varying arrays of enemies to defeat, each area feels like a place you can’t wait to get to.

When I play Persona, there are times when I dread dungeons. Especially since the story will then make it so you are forced to sacrifice free time to focus entirely on this major event. In Tokyo Xanadu, they’re something to anticipate. A good player who picks the proper partners will find themselves speeding through these situations, perhaps regretting it since the battle system and fights are so entertaining. There’s this sense of balance, since these interactions don’t take you away from the more social elements for hours. Instead, you’re able to more equally enjoy every element and feature.

Tokyo Xanadu is available for the PlayStation Vita.

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Tokyo Xanadu is a game that may seem like a mystery to potential players. There haven’t been a lot of announcements for it since Aksys revealed it was bringing it to the west. It’s part of the Xanadu line, of which many installments haven’t appeared overseas. ( Xanadu Next for the Ngage and PC?) It makes me feel like there should be more explanations of what it is and why people should be playing it.

Basically, Tokyo Xanadu is what you get when Nihon Falcom decides to make a Persona game with an active battle system. It is a modern-day game set in a city based on Tachikawa City. (Books Orion is a bookstore found in both the game’s Morimiya City and the real Tachikawa City.) Players follow a group of Wielders who head into otherworldly dungeons with special weapons to defeat monsters there and rescue people who inadvertently find themselves inside. During the day, Kou and his friends go to school and sometimes enjoy free time segments where he can befriend various people.

It really feels like Nihon Falcom is trying to expand on Persona’s social links, building on an idea to make it unique. In fact, it’s also like a good version of The Caligula Effect. In addition to the people important enough to get an introduction where the camera pans and we get to see their name and voice actor, a substantial number of other students and teachers also get to interact with Kou. Each one has unique dialogue and their own look. As you get to know them, you’ll learn more about who they are and feel like you are actually developing a bond and relationship with them.

There’s also the whole personal stat system. While Persona has five attributes to boost, Kou has three: courage, virtue, and wisdom. You become more courageous by getting high clear ranks in dungeons. Virtue is boosted by taking NiAR quests from your phone and completing them. You become wiser when you make good decisions in the storyline or read books from Books Orion. It feels a bit more practical here, since there are actual stat-benefits from dungeon-crawling and quest completion, especially since Kou’s grandfather, Sousuke, will give him rewards for ranking up these attributes.

As for the Ys comparisons, Tokyo Xanadu can feel a lot like the more recent, 3D installments in the series. Kou and a partner traverse a dungeon filled with monsters, switches, treasures, and a boss. At the outset, you’ll be provided some information telling you the attributes of the enemies within, which allows you to pick who you want to accompany you. Different characters have different attributes. Your first two characters are Kou, a Fire type strong against Wind, and Asuka, a Spirit type strong against Fire. You’ll need to know when to switch between the two characters, use physical or ranged skill attacks, and use the right sorts of attacks to build up Strike Points for that X-Strike attack you’ll need to damage multiple enemies or finish off a boss.

With all the RPGs the PlayStation Vita gets, it can be easy to get caught up in waves of titles and not know which ones might be right for you. With Tokyo Xanadu, knowing the games it is similar to can make it easier to appreciate and understand what it is. It isn’t exactly like Persona or Ys, but it has similar systems and mechanics that fans of one or both series may enjoy.

Tokyo Xanadu will come to the PlayStation Vita on June 30, 2017.

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Publisher Aksys Games announced on their official Twitter that Falcom’s action RPG, Tokyo Xanadu, will release its PlayStation Vita version on June 30, 2017 in North America. Its PS4 version, Tokyo Xanadu ex+ will release in Q4 2017.   Here’s a look at some images that were shared as well:     The PS Vita version of Tokyo Xanadu is the standard version that released first, while Tokyo Xanadu eX+ was the one that released back in September for PS4 and will also release for PC, featuring a bunch of new side-stories about the main cast of characters, an after-story that takes place after the main story, and more.   Tokyo Xanadu releases in North America on June 30, 2017 for PlayStation Vita and in Q4 2017 for PlayStation 4 and PC.

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Last July, Aksys announced it would bring Nihon Falcom’s Tokyo Xanadu to the PlayStation Vita and PC in 2017. Now, it’s taken to the PlayStation Blog to confirm not only the handheld version of the game, but the PlayStation 4 version of Tokyo Xanadu eX+. Both games will arrive in North America and Europe this year. The PlayStation Vita version coming to both regions this summer. Meanwhile, the PlayStation 4 version will arrive in North America in the fall and Europe in the winter.

Aksys also announced Tokyo Xanadu and Tokyo Xanadu eX+ limited editions. People interested in the PlayStation Vita’s collector’s edition will get a copy of the game, 5” Morimaru plush, 60-page art book, Blade card game deck, and soundtrack CD. The PlayStation 4 collector’s edition comes with the game, 9” White Shroud deluxe statue, Blade card game deck, and soundtrack CD.

Tokyo Xanadu originally debuted on the PlayStation Vita in Japan in September 2015, with Tokyo Xanadu eX+ following on the PlayStation 4 in Japan in September 2016.

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At Aksys’ Anime Expo 2016 , the company announced it is localizing Nihon Falcom’s Tokyo Xanadu. The JRPG will be coming to the PlayStation Vita and Windows PCs. While the PC version will be limited to a Steam release, both physical and digital PlayStation Vita copies will be sold.

In Tokyo Xanadu, players follow the adventures of Koh and Asuka. It’s a more modern JRPG from Nihon Falcom, set in Morimiya City, a fictional Tokyo suburb. The two end up investigating the “Other World” every night, using “Soul Device” technology. Like Atlus’ Persona series, you can grow closer to of your party through Bonding Episodes.

Tokyo Xanadu will be released in North America on the PlayStation Vita and Windows PC in the first half of 2017. Aksys currently has no plans to localize Tokyo Xanadu Ex+, the updated PlayStation 4 version of the game.

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Falcom recently announced Tokyo Xanadu eX+, a “complete version” of the PS Vita RPG for PlayStation 4. Famitsu’s first set of screenshots for the game give us a look at what’s new.   Tokyo Xanadu eX+ adds a new playable character, known as “The One in White” who appeared in the original game. He’s of “Light” attribute which works well against others except Shadow. He’s also able to explore dungeons on his own, and also has exceptionally high parameters and excels at most skill types.     The game will also add side-stories for characters other than the protagonist Kou. Falcom decided to do so when fans voiced their request of wishing they could learn more about the other characters.   Also new to the PlayStation 4 title is an after-story that takes place several months after the conclusion of the original game’s story.   Tokyo Xanadu eX+ will release in Japan on September 8, 2016 for PlayStation 4. You can read more details on the game in our earlier report.

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Falcom announced that Tokyo Xanadu is headed to PlayStation 4 as Tokyo Xanadu eX+, a “complete version” of the RPG featuring an after-story, a new playable character and more. [Thanks, Hachima.]   The after story takes place a few months after the conclusion of the first game. A young man wearing a dark fox (kitsune) mask appears in the midst of a Halloween event…   Many fans wanted to learn more about the characters in Tokyo Xanadu, so Falcom made sure to add new scenarios that focus on characters other than the protagonist.   As for a new playable character, they’re adding the mysterious “One in White” as a new ally.   The One in White (CV: ???) Age: ??? A mysterious unknown character in white that appears in the story will now be playable.   As a special characteristic, he’s able to explore dungeons by himself. He has exceptionally high parameters and excels at most skill types. His attack element is “Light” and it works well against all other attributes except Shadow.   And finally, there’s a new Time Attack Mode that lets you select bosses and aim to defeat them as quick as possible, there’s also a Bosh Rush mode that lets you fight against all bosses. A new difficulty called “Calamity” has also been added. This is the fifth most difficult mode after Beginner, Normal, Advanced, and Elite.   Tokyo Xanadu eX+ will release in Japan on September 8, 2016 for PlayStation 4.

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Tokyo Xanadu is releasing in Japan in just a couple more days, and we got a sneak peek at the game’s first boss fight in the latest footage. [Thanks, Game Jouhou.]   Tokyo Xanadu will release in Japan on September 30, 2015 for PlayStation Vita.

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After giving out the rest of the Japan Game Awards at the start of Tokyo Game Show 2015, the Computer Entertainment Suppliers Association has now revealed the “Future Division” awards (thanks DualShockers).

These awards were given out on Sunday, September 20th and celebrate the games announced and exhibited during Tokyo Game Show. They are chosen by collecting votes from the show’s visitors between September 17th and 19th and then giving the Japan Game Awards Selection Committee a screening of the most popular ones.

In total, 10 games are selected for a “Future Division” award. You can see the ones awarded this year below:

• Ace Attorney 6 – 3DS
• Star Wars: Battlefront – PS4／Xbox One／PC
• Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness – PS4／PS3
• Tokyo Xanadu – PS Vita
• Dragon Quest Builders – PS4／PS3／PS Vita
• The Last Guardian – PS4
• Final Fantasy XV – PS4／Xbox One
• Fallout 4 – PS4／Xbox One／PC
• Persona 5 – PS4／PS3
• Monster Hunter X – 3DS

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Now that Tokyo Xanadu is nearing its release, Falcom have been sharing plenty of gameplay footage for the action RPG, and those of you looking forward to seeing more of its battles won’t be disappointed in the latest one.   The video shows several of its main characters in the order of Shio, Kou, Asuka, Sora, Yuuki, Mitsuki, and back to some more Shio action. We get to see various skills and abilities that the characters use, which you can read more about here and here.   Tokyo Xanadu will release in Japan on September 30, 2015 for PlayStation Vita.

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We previously got a look at a couple videos for Tokyo Xanadu with some town and dungeon exploring. Falcom shared a look at their Tokyo Game Show demo video that shows off more of the game’s battle and party system.     Tokyo Xanadu will release in Japan on September 30, 2015 for PlayStation Vita

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