Before the HD era, there were no free games other than getting demos on discs from magazines or other promotions. The idea of a free game in the early HD era was good, but most of those games came with a certain stigma. Even though they were technically “free”, players were expected to pay in some way to enjoy them.
Years later, free-to-play games are now some of the most popular in the industry, and many of the best are from Chinese and South Korean developers. Some examples include Genshin Impact, Zenless Zone Zeroand Stormy waves. Are there any free-to-play RPGs from Japan that once ruled the industry? For Steam fans, the answer is yes and these are the best ones to try.
Persona 5: Phantom X
Another side story in Tokyo
Persona 5: Phantom X it's somewhere between a sequel and a “what if” scenario. Players are a new character codenamed Wonder who gains abilities similar to The Phantom Thieves. Corruption is once again exploding in Japan, and players must explore these new palaces to help lighten the hearts of the villains.
The gameplay is similar in the Palace and in the real world, plus the return of turn-based battles. The party can consist of story characters or those won through gacha-based draws. It may be a hoot, but it definitely feels real Person 5 experience. It came out in early 2025 on mobile and Steam, and even works pretty well on the Steam Deck.
Final Fantasy 7: Eternal Crisis
Redo the whole thing
Final Fantasy 7: Eternal Crisis is another remake project for Final Fantasy VIIbut on a smaller scale than Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth. Also, the games inside are more faithful to the original stories. Released in 2023 for mobile and Steam, Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisis's the goal is to remake everyone Final Fantasy VII game in a compilation, albeit through multiple pieces.
Since 2023, the game has added many scenarios through its chapter-based settings. Although some of these games used to be action like Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7everyone is now a mover to keep things uniform. Characters in battle can also have some wild costumes, which is a nice customization option. In conclusion, the game works well on Steam Deck.
Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis
An ongoing MMO
Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis is the latest title based on a somewhat recent patch that modernizes the game. It started simply as Fantasy star online 2 in Japan in 2012 when it was released on PC. North America had to wait until 2020 to play it, which is wild considering the first game was very popular on the Dreamcast and other systems it graced.
For the West, Online series may be the most famous items in the Fantasy star series overall. Regardless, this action RPG has great co-op options on Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox. Players can gather a party and then hunt large monsters for loot in short missions. Unfortunately, it doesn't run well on Steam Deck because it's just too powerful a game.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Links to the duel
Release the kite
Players who have played at least one Yu-Gi-Oh! they probably know what they're in for before the game. Yu-Gi-Oh! Links to the duel released in 2017 in North America, a year after Japan. Players can purchase it on mobile devices, Steam, and it even works on Steam Deck.
It is a collectible card game that follows the rules set years ago. The goal is to deplete your opponent's HP through wildly fantastic cards. What's great about the game is the crossover appeal between the various anime adaptations, but in order to get the best cards, players will have to fork over the sweet dough or pay Konami.
Bleach: Brave Souls
Play as your favorite soul reapers
Bleach: Brave Souls first released on mobile devices in North America in 2016, a year after the game's release in Japan. It was played by PC gamers in 2020 and since then there have also been console ports to play it on Switch, PlayStation and Xbox. While it can run on a normal Switch, it's strangely not accessible on the Steam Deck.
Port history aside, Bleach: Brave Souls it plays a lot like a mobile game, with missions lasting no more than five minutes. Players can unlock a plethora of heroes and villains to play as and level up Bleach's the star, Ichigo, to the more hideous Kenpachi. It's a hack-and-slash game without much depth, but it will be fun for anime fans.
Tribe Nine
Play before it's gone
Tribe Nine it has a time window attached to it as it was released on Steam and Mobile devices on February 20, 2025. It runs on Steam Deck and players only have until November 27, 2025 before the service ends. Fortunately, many of the painful gacha-based mechanics aren't so distracting anymore thanks to the final campaign, which is meant to make players enjoy it more.
Based on the 2022 anime, Tribe Nine is based on the characters being trapped in a game that resembles a more extreme version of baseball. Players can explore the world using detailed pixel sprites, but the combat features more detailed models in the action game. Fans Danganronpa will enjoy the art and story as part of the team behind the series helped develop Tribe Nine. It's one of the most hidden gems of 2025, even as a free-to-play game.
