With a unique RPG game-based approach, this game is a fascinating way to learn Japanese for those who are starting from the very beginning.

Freshly released from JBO Media via Angel Star Studios, Japanese Romaji Adventure is a tile-based RPG set in late-1800’s Japan. As one of Japan’s first foreign visitors after the Meiji Restoration, your mission is to visit the cities throughout Japan and develop your language skills as you go.

GRAPHICS 8/10

Overall, the graphics are incredibly well-done in a sprite-based pixel art style that is very reminiscent of Final Fantasies 6 and 7. Given this game is developed in RPG Maker MV, the style isn’t original and doesn’t need to be for those that like that tried and true aesthetic. The sprites and textures are detailed and sharp, and despite a relatively low standard resolution at 816 by 624 pixels, it doesn’t feel like it needs to be any higher for an immersive gaming experience.

SOUND QUALITY 8/10

The music is extremely apposite to the different maps found throughout the game and gives a very immersive Meiji-era feel to the game: the towns feel light-hearted and peaceful, and the towers and overworld are more urgent and intense. However, the game’s sound effects are often louder than the music and I had to turn the FX level down a couple of notches to compensate.

GAMEPLAY 7/10

Overall, the game is relatively straight-forward in its RPG-style gameplay and is simple enough to understand. The first couple of towns in the game are set up as a tutorial to introduce the player to basic Japanese concepts, and the tasks are very understandable. After that, there is a series of quests involving an interesting battle mechanic that requires the player to practice what they learn in the right way. Although the information about the Japanese language is technically sound, there is a considerable amount of grammatical mistakes throughout the game that take away from the language-learning experience to some extent, in my opinion.

CHARACTERS 6/10

The characters of this game are, unfortunately, its weakest aspect. You start the game with three other members of your party apart from the main character but without any origin story or further explanation for why they have joined you on your quest, leaving the player wondering why they are there in the first place. On the bright side, however, the NPCs seem to have a reason for their rhyme, and I often found myself associating with the names and characteristics of them much more than the members of my party.

STORY 7/10

Despite a relatively simple premise, this game has a reasonably substantial story to build an expansive world. However, some basics of Japanese language learning seem a bit shoehorned, such as explaining why “tsu” is included in spelling words with double consonants. The inclusion doesn’t detract too much from the story overall, so it’s still very much a strong point.

OVERALL 7/10

Japanese Romaji Adventure offers a unique approach to learning the Japanese language basics that I appreciate as a Japanese speaker myself. As a result, I would recommend this game to anyone looking to start learning the language.