Final Fantasy and Tactics Ogre veterans unite for a new JRPG with 8 "highly customizable" characters and gorgeous hand-drawn landscapes

Lost Hellden
(Image credit: Artisan Studios)

Several Final Fantasy veterans are re-teaming for a brand new JRPG that features "highly customizable" characters and gorgeous hand-painted worlds.

On February 7, Artisan Studios announced Lost Hellden, a brand-new RPG. You can see the game's announcement trailer just below, in which 2D and 3D technology combines to create stunning weather effects across an incredibly detailed world.

"Welcome to Era. Where every life comes with a price," reads the game's description (thanks, IGN). "Every Eran is bound to one of the Seven Sins before their first birthday. All their lives, people fight against their urges. A place in the Sacred Land of Hellden is promised to their immortal souls if they succeed. But if they fail and succumb to their sin. A fate worse than death awaits them..."

The crux of the new game is that two twins are born, but one is bound to all of the Seven Sins, while the other gets none. They're swiftly taken to the city of Avilah, and locked inside the palace walls within. One day, Leht, the twin bound to the Seven Sins, manages to escape, so his twin Cyphel is sent to venture out into the world and bring him back.

You might know Canadian developer Artisan Studios from games like Astria Ascending and Super Neptunia RPG. This time though, the studio is recruiting Final Fantasy 14 and Gravity Rush artist Takeshi Oga to handle in-game illustrations, and Final Fantasy 12 and Tactics Ogre composer Hitoshi Sakimoto to handle music and sound design.

There are eight "highly customizable" characters on offer in Lost Hellden, and it sounds like the twins' journey will be one of self-discovery, where they learn more about themselves and the dark world surrounding them. Lost Hellden is slated to launch next year in 2025, across both PC and consoles. 

Take a look at our best JRPG games list to see what Lost Hellden has got to compete with. 

Hirun Cryer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.