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In case you haven't been keeping up with things, Bandai Namco has made a name for itself in the anime gaming niche. From large, sprawling role-playing titles all the way to straight-up hack 'n' slash spectacle fighters, Bandai Namco has it all. Today, however, we'd like to talk about their 2021 anime RPG games for PC.
There's been a huge number of exciting PC game releases over the course of the year, for sure, but the mainstream doesn't often take note of anime games, all things considered. To have Bandai Namco push out two stellar new RPGs - one of which is an entirely new intellectual property, mind - and a special little extra we'll talk about at the end... now that is quite the feat, we think.
For those of you who managed to miss the news when the games came out, now's the chance to jump right in! Namely, we're going to talk about Scarlet Nexus and Tales of Arise. Two of - arguably - the very best anime RPG games for PC in 2021.
Top Anime RPG Games for PC in 2021
Now, a full disclaimer - Bandai Namco has had oodles of awesome anime-themed RPGs and RPG-lites over the years. (See the Dragon Ball franchise, for example!) The difference with their 2021 releases, however, is that they seem to have reached new heights this time around. Both of the main featured games in this piece represent more or less the pinnacles of their respective niches. That's a hell of an accomplishment for an already accomplished publisher! So, congrats to them, and congrats to you too, if you're about to play through these games for the first time.
Scarlet Nexus
Scarlet Nexus is quite possibly one of Bandai Namco's most successful original IPs in a long time. The game features a unique Brainpunk approach to storytelling and visuals, which makes it stand out in all the right ways.
Even though Scarlet Nexus looked strangely similar to some previous Bandai Namco projects pre-release, the company quickly proved that they're thinking outside the box. This is, at its core, a cyberpunk game, though one where technology moved in a more psychosomatic direction than it usually does.
There are also two playable characters - Kasane and Yuito - and they both play a role in the story. Each is their own person, and each provides a unique outlook on the developing events. Not to mention vastly different combat/exploration gameplay between the two.
Really, SN takes its cues from the likes of Neon Genesis Evangelion. These inspirations are then put to good work not only when it comes to general design choices and visuals, but also in regard to characters, dialogue, and narrative progression. That's right - this game has genuinely compelling characters!
Bandai Namco is well aware of the fact that they have something special with Scarlet Nexus. The game's Season Pass content, for example, leans heavily into its strongest draws. So, there are plenty of opportunities to learn more about Scarlet Nexus' characters and adjacent topics.
Tales of Arise
In surprisingly many ways, Tales of Arise is the polar opposite of Scarlet Nexus. A sequel to a very long-lasting franchise, Tales of Arise essentially reinvented itself after the developers felt like the series fell into a bit of lull with the previous games, design-wise.
To that end, Tales of Arise ditched cooperative multiplayer and focused instead on delivering a well-developed single-player story with dozens of hours of content packed into it. It's not an open-world sandbox RPG, either, with the devs focusing instead on presenting the player with a number of somewhat limited mini-sandboxes that change as the narrative progresses.
Unlike Scarlet Nexus, too, Tales of Arise embraces standard anime game tropes. It's not that interested in dissolving expectations, but this is a major draw in and of itself, too. After all, not everyone wants to play something mold-breaking every single time. Far as franchise reinventions go, Arise developers made the right call by limiting the innovations to gameplay and/or progression.
The end result, then, is a magnificent - if really standard - anime ARPG. Fun gameplay is more than enough to carry the game in-between story beats, as it's less technical and more flashy. Something along the lines of Devil May Cry without aerial moves, and at an easier difficulty mode.
And if bog-standard stories only put you off, rest assured that the character development is excellent in Tales of Arise. Arguably more than good enough to push the narrative momentum forward at a great pace.
Super Robot Wars 30
Finally, the big extra on this list is Super Robot Wars 30! Because, really, what is this game if not a huge celebration of mecha anime? To be perfectly fair, it is more of a strategy game than it is an RPG, but not overly so. For mecha fans, specifically, SRW30 is a dream come true.
Not only will Super Robot Wars 30 run perfectly on almost every PC under the sun, but it's also the ultimate combination of almost all the popular mecha anime into one ridiculous TBS/RPG.
Now, to be perfectly fair, SRW30 can't really go toe-to-toe with either Scarlet Nexus or Tales of Arise. It's a lower-end and significantly less exciting game in comparison. If you're a fan of mecha, however, there's literally nothing else on the market like it. Further still, nobody but Bandai Namco's even trying to cater to this niche as of late.
We're not sure if that's going to change anytime soon, too. If you're into cheesy anime and over-the-top robot fights, then, Super Robot Wars 30 will fit right into your game library.
There's more where that came from!
We hope this article gave you some ideas on what to play this holiday season! Whether it's a fighting game, a bit of mecha, a third person shooter, a visual novel, or a stunning fantasy world you're after, we've got you covered! To say nothing of giving these games away to people who you know would enjoy them. Naturally, there's a bunch of other relevant content of that type available right here at 2Game, including Dragon Ball and Naruto to One Piece. Our holiday gamer gift guide, for one, should give you plenty of ideas on what to get for someone who's into gaming.
There's a sweet Xbox Game Pass promo running at the time of posting this piece, too! But, we've recently taken a look at all the best PC sim games available in 2021. Finally, speaking of Bandai Namco, we did recently discuss Golden Joystick's claim that Dark Souls is the Ultimate Game of All Time. A fun one, that.
So, plenty of fun to be had here at 2Game. A little birdie has also told us that we might have a massive giveaway coming up this December, so stay tuned!
Get in the Game ! 
