The '90s were never this pretty.

One of the cooler E3 2021 announcements for JRPG fans came from today’s PC Gaming Show. Pixelated Milk—the developers of Regalia: Of Men and Monarchs and Warsaw—used that event to announce that SacriFire can now be backed at Kickstarter for a 2022 release on Nintendo Switch and other platforms.

Inspired by JRPGs of the ’90s, SacriFire offers a blend real-time and turn-based combat, music by Motoi Sakuraba (Golden Sun, Mario Tennis Aces, Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume, and many more), and a combination of gorgeous 2D and 3D artwork.

And just what’s going on in SacriFire? Well…

SacriFire tells the story of Ezekiel Ridan, a young soldier training to join an elite sect of holy warriors who keep the subterranean city of Antioch safe from demons roaming the surface above. The theft of a mysterious relic sets Ezekiel on an adventure which will lead to places he would never have imagined, where he’ll uncover secrets which cause him to question everything he believes. A struggle thousands of years in the making is about to unfold.

SacriFire will feature:

  • Dynamic battles – SacriFire’s combat engine blends real-time and turn-based styles to provide a fluid experience that is both challenging and satisfying. Fight alongside companions, choose from multiple weapons, target individual enemy body parts, and string attacks together to create elaborate combos.
  • High-quality presentation – Pixel art and 3D graphics create a unique combination of retro-style graphics and innovative digital effects wizardry. Hand-drawn and animated characters blend seamlessly with 3D-modeled environments.
  • Moral complexity – SacriFire’s original story aims to both respect and subvert the standard RPG tropes, so players will feel right at home with the cast of lovable characters, but will never know what to expect next!
  • A tale of two worlds – Travel between the sprawling subterranean city of Antioch and the idyllic spirit paradise of Erebus in a game universe which blends fantasy with science-fiction.
  • Elaborate gameplay systems – Adopt diverse combat disciplines, craft weapons, solve puzzles and tackle imaginative dungeons.
  • Original Music and professional voice acting – A brand new soundtrack composed by Game Audio Factory and Motoi Sakuraba. Sound Cadence Studios brings SacriFire’s memorable cast to life.

SacriFire has about 1,200 backers and is over halfway towards its $99,216 Kickstarter goal at press time. For more information or to back the project, visit kickstarter.com.