Square Enix Summer RPG Channels Octopath and Zelda

And if you love Japanese games, there’s a nice bonus here, because this is exactly the sort of title that makes genre words like rpg, action, and adventure feel worth learning in context. Pretty brilliant.

Square Enix Summer RPG has that rare wow factor

Did you know that Square Enix has been using its summer game showcases to test how far HD-2D can go? This new RPG, the game first highlighted by Game Rant, looks like one of the most interesting examples yet. It doesn't just copy the Octopath Traveler look, it mixes that style with a more direct, top-down adventure energy that instantly recalls classic Zelda.

The project in question is OCTOPATH TRAVELER: Champions of the Continent spin-off territory in spirit, but not in structure. This time, the focus is on a fresh action-adventure RPG called Adventure of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, shown by Square Enix at its July 2025 summer presentation. The studio behind the HD-2D look, Team Asano, helped define this visual language with Octopath Traveler in 2018, and that history matters here. There's more to it than that.

HD-2D since Octopath Traveler still looks expensive and new

Here's the thing: HD-2D isn't just pixel art with a filter. The style blends 2D character sprites, detailed 3D environments, lighting effects, depth of field, and camera movement, so the whole scene feels like a living diorama. Square Enix made this style famous with Octopath Traveler in 2018, then carried it into Triangle Strategy in 2022, Live A Live in 2022, and Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake in 2024. Wild, isn't it?

What I especially like is that the style isn't being used as a nostalgia sticker. It creates clarity. You can read enemy placement, terrain changes, and pathing very quickly, which matters a lot in an action RPG where timing and movement are part of the fun. My tip: if you want to train game-related Japanese, keep an eye on terms like 改良 (kairyo, improvement) for improvement, 箪笥 (tansu, chest of drawers) for a chest, and 冒険 (bouken, adventure) for adventure, because these words show up constantly in game menus and trailers. See what I mean?

Why the Zelda comparison actually makes sense

Picture this: you boot up a Square Enix game, see the glowing HD-2D terrain, then notice the overworld framing, puzzle-like movement, and immediate sense of exploration. That's where the classic Zelda feeling kicks in. Not the 3D action of modern entries, but the earlier spirit of The Legend of Zelda on NES and A Link to the Past on Super Famicom, where every screen felt like a compact challenge. But let's stick with the comparison for now.

A great example: the new game seems to lean into swordplay, dungeon-style progression, and environmental interaction, which is a big shift from the menu-heavy turn-based structure most people associate with Square Enix RPGs. The result is a genre mix that feels specific enough to get excited about. You're not just getting another retro-looking RPG, you're getting something that borrows the readability of Zelda, the charm of HD-2D, and the publisher's long history of polished world design. And it gets better: this kind of blend is exactly what keeps Japanese game design so fun to follow. There's more to it than that.

Why Japan fans and language learners should keep an eye on it

Know that feeling when a trailer gives you a whole vocabulary lesson in 90 seconds? That's what this kind of reveal does for Japanese learners. Trailer text, item names, combat labels, and character dialogue often use simple but useful words like 強い (tsuyoi, strong) for strong, 速い (hayai, fast) for fast, and 友達 (tomodachi, friend) for friend, and those are easier to remember when they come attached to a game you're actually excited about.

By the way, Square Enix's summer lineup has been leaning hard into reviving older styles without making them feel dusty. That matters because many Japan fans come to games through aesthetics first, then stay for the language, the culture, and the way Japanese RPGs build emotional worlds. The classic Zelda comparison helps here too, because it gives English-speaking players a clear entry point while still leaving room for discovery. Seriously though, when a game can spark both nostalgia and curiosity at once, that's a strong sign it has real staying power. My verdict:

I'm not calling it a guaranteed masterpiece before playing it, but I am saying this is one of the most promising Square Enix reveals in a while. The HD-2D presentation alone would be enough to get attention. Add the Zelda-like adventure feel, and you've got a summer RPG that actually feels different. Pretty brilliant.

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In pictures

Sources

1. Game Rant: Square Enix RPG Like Octopath Traveler And Zelda