Steam Autumn Sale: Forgotten N-Gage ARPG Xanadu Next Shines on Deck

Ever scrolled through a Steam sale and stumbled on a game so weird you just had to buy it? That's exactly what happened with Xanadu Next, a Diablo-esque JRPG originally developed by Nihon Falcom for the Nokia N-Gage. It's currently 70% off in the Steam Autumn Sale, and after six hours, it's a cosy, meditative grind that's perfect for the Deck.

Some background: Xanadu Next is a belated spin-off to the 1985 PC-88 game Xanadu: Dragon Slayer 2, sometimes credited as one of the first action RPGs. Nihon Falcom didn't follow it up until 2005, and when they did, it was a Japan-only affair. A PC version released a few months later, also only in Japan. That PC version reportedly played much better than the N-Gage one, but the fact that the game's design was conceived to work across both platforms is part of its charm. Many fans claim the PC version—the one on Steam—is up there with Falcom's best, like Ys and Trails.

After spending around six hours with the 2016 English re-release, I can see why. This isometric slash 'n' grind isn't brilliant, but it has a lot of cosy charm and a fun metroidvania structure. Like Diablo, there's a central village where your knight can rest, upgrade, and trade. Outside, the world unfurls via light puzzle-solving, rudimentary but satisfying combat, and unlocking doors with keys bought in town that get more expensive. Yep, it's a grind—but a peaceful, even meditative one. The pleasure of pressing further into the labyrinthine, blocky world is ample incentive.

Discovering how the world interconnects is also a joy. While Dark Souls hardly invented overlapping game worlds, Xanadu Next has moments that give the same thrill of recognition. It's also richly atmospheric, blending cheerful JRPG first-village trappings with something mistier and more melancholy.

Now, it has a few quirks. This being a rare PC-only JRPG, it doesn't have thorough controller support. There's a decent community controller profile, but you'll still need the mouse at times to equip items. Definitely load the separate config executable and set up graphics before heading into the game—it won't automatically adjust to your display. The Steam page says it's unsupported by Steam Deck, but ignore that: boot the config first, use a community controller profile, and you'll be good to go.

Playing it made me want to revisit other Nihon Falcom games—I've only played a couple of Ys instalments. Turns out heaps of them are on sale right now. So if you're looking for a hidden gem that's a bit different, Xanadu Next might just be your next Deck obsession. Will you be picking it up?