KEMCO is putting four more RPGs on a single PS5 disc

KEMCO has announced "KEMCO RPG Selection Vol. 15" for the PlayStation 5. The bundle launches on July 30 for 4,980 yen. The physical release packs four retro-style role-playing games onto a single disc. All four titles were previously released as standalone digital downloads.

The mobile to console pipeline

KEMCO has been operating in the gaming industry since the 1980s. Older players might remember them from the Nintendo Entertainment System era. They were responsible for porting MacVenture point-and-click adventure games like Shadowgate and Deja Vu to consoles. Today, the company is basically a factory for retro-styled role-playing games.

They initially focused on the mobile market during the smartphone boom. They partnered with small development studios to release dozens of premium RPGs for iOS and Android. As dedicated gaming handhelds and consoles became more friendly to indie-sized games, KEMCO started porting their massive mobile back catalog to the PlayStation Vita, Nintendo 3DS, and eventually modern platforms like the PS5.

I have to admit I admire their sheer persistence. They operate exactly like a pulp paperback publisher. They churn out budget-friendly adventures at a relentless pace. I have played a handful of these over the years. They are rarely innovative, but they hit a very specific comfort-food craving when I just want to grind levels and read text boxes.

Grid battles and 3D dungeons

This specific collection focuses entirely on titles developed by WorldWideSoftware. They are one of KEMCO's regular partner studios alongside EXE-CREATE and Hit-Point. The four included games cover a few different subgenres instead of just sticking to the standard Dragon Quest formula.

Chronicles of Ixtona is a quarter-view strategy RPG. It leans heavily into character customization and lets players build a custom roster with different classes and abilities. You navigate grid-based tactical battles in a world where a fragile peace is starting to unravel. It is a clear nod to games like Final Fantasy Tactics, though obviously built on a much smaller budget.

Tears Revolude takes a completely different approach. It is a first-person 3D dungeon crawler with traditional command-based battles. The plot follows two characters searching for the final work of a famous deceased artist. This search naturally leads to a world-saving quest after they meet a girl with amnesia.

Two traditional fantasy adventures

The remaining two games in the bundle are standard top-down, turn-based affairs. Silver Nornir takes place in a world that has been destroyed and recreated three times by a chaotic entity. The characters have to figure out how to break the cycle of destruction.

Fortuna Magus follows a group of persecuted magic users on the run. The main character's father goes missing. This prompts a journey to find him while dodging the authorities. It uses a skill-leveling system where using spells repeatedly makes them stronger.

A physical backup for digital libraries

KEMCO's physical compilation discs have become surprisingly popular with collectors over the last few years. The digital storefronts for older consoles like the 3DS and Wii U are already gone. PlayStation and Xbox stores will eventually follow suit. Having four complete, fully playable RPGs on a single Blu-ray disc guarantees you can actually play them twenty years from now.

The publisher has been steadily working through their massive catalog with these physical volumes. Volume 15 is just the latest in a long line of multi-game packs. This specific physical edition is currently only announced for Japan. However, KEMCO's track record suggests it will likely include English language options on the disc. All four of these games already have full English localizations on the western PlayStation Store.

Even if you do not speak Japanese, the PS5 is region-free.