Cladun Returns: This Is Sengoku! is out on Steam right now

Nippon Ichi Software, purveyors of whimsical-yet-often-complex Japanese RPGs, has just launched Cladun Returns: This is Sengoku! on Steam. The action RPG has a pleasant retro 8-bit aesthetic, which isn't a particularly novel characteristic but, given that it comes via the publisher of the Disgaea series, I'm interested.

"Set in Japan’s Sengoku Era, you wake up in the mysterious land of Arcanus Cella where the souls of the dead gather as they await reincarnation," so reads the synopsis. "However, some souls have unfinished business that needs to be settled before they can reincarnate. As the player, you will assist these souls by traveling to real-world locations in feudal Japan and fighting your way through dangerous dungeons filled with monsters and traps."

The game features full 8-bit character customisation, and can be played in coop. There's a Versus Mode as well, but judging by the below launch trailer it looks like the kind of thing you'll want for the single-player component. Check it out here.

Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years experience covering the games industry, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald, and more. Specific interests include indie games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time classic that will receive its due critical reappraisal one day.