New Kingdom Hearts Meets Minecraft-Like JRPG Confirmed for November 11

JRPG fans may have plenty of major releases to look forward to, with Persona 6 and Final Fantasy Resonance on the way, but there are also indie developers striving to leave their mark on the genre. One such game is coming out on PC via Steam in November 2026, and it goes by the name Emery Hearts. It boasts a top-down camera perspective and speech bubbles that look right out of retro Final Fantasy games, not to mention plenty of upgrades to chase. However, its title hints at a much clearer inspiration: Kingdom Hearts.

Emery Hearts may be a JRPG, but it’s an Action JRPG, meaning that PC players can expect fast-paced combat with rapid combos and dodges as opposed to turn-based encounters where they wait their turn to strike. Players will be able to find and wield different weaponry and equip amulets to boost their stats, and they’ll encounter puzzles within the semi-linear world to test their mind as much as their body. With a “story of legacy, mystery, and heart” also promised, as well as a voxel art style with some major Minecraft vibes, this indie JRPG could be the ideal way to kill time until the next Kingdom Hearts game finally releases.

Wishlist Emery Hearts Now

• EXPERIENCE a story full of heart that focuses on a boy named Lug.
• FIGHT enemies with a range of weapons, skills, and magic.
• UPGRADE Lug’s arsenal with new items, amulets, and weaponry.
• EXPLORE a semi-linear world where new areas can be unlocked as powers are discovered.
• SOLVE classic RPG puzzles that demand cleverness.

Emery Hearts’ Title Doubling as a Kingdom Hearts Tribute Says It All

Emery Hearts’ name isn’t the only thing that will make players think of Kingdom Hearts, as its narrative focusing on a heroic boy will likely have many thinking of Sora’s earliest adventures. Like Sora, Emery Hearts protagonist Lug starts as a simple villager but essentially becomes a chosen one destined to save “a world on the brink of extinction.” While Lug gets his powers from some energy crystals and the Vital Thread that binds all life on the planet as opposed to a Keyblade choosing him during a Heartless attack, the similarities are apparent.

While a quick look at the gameplay of Emery Hearts may remind players more of Secret of Mana than Kingdom Hearts—the top-down camera perspective, visuals, and text displays all resemble that title—the all-important combat of this action RPG looks a whole lot like Kingdom Hearts. Players will carry out fast-paced combos that chain sword attacks, magic, and item usage together. Between those bouts of combat against hostile mechanoids, they’ll also encounter puzzles that test their cleverness, keeping gameplay varied and adding depth to the world.

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Speaking of Emery Hearts’ world, players will be met with a semi-linear approach made popular by Metroidvanias and FromSoftware’s Soulsborne titles. As Lug learns new abilities, access to previously blocked-off areas within the world will become possible, introducing more foes to fight, fresh puzzles, and more gear like amulets to further one’s build. All throughout, the uniquely beautiful voxel visual style is sure to grow on players, as the blocky, Minecraft-esque character models and environments have a distinct charm to them. Essentially, Emery Hearts feels like an old-school JRPG with modern combat and world design, as well as Minecraft aethestics, and that could turn out to be a killer combination.

Emery Hearts’ Launch Couldn’t Be Better Timed

Emery Hearts promises some hugely interesting choices that could encourage replayability, with one core dilemma driving the game: players will apparently have to choose between saving robots at the cost of organic life going extinct, or forging a fragile balance where “both can coexist.” With a Mass Effect-style challenge to tackle and good and bad paths seemingly available based on the description, two lengthy playthroughs of this Action JRPG could be worthwhile. That’s ideal, as the next entry in the series that Emery Hearts is clearly inspired by remains several months away.

Kingdom Hearts 4 has had plenty of showings, confirming the returns of Hades, Donald Duck, and Goofy while showing off new additions like the original location Quadratum and a long-requested Coco world. Despite the fairly consistent information dumps and trailers, though, it took a long time for a release window to appear. D23 2026 finally brought that announcement, with late 2027 being targeted by series creator Tetsuya Nomura. Still, an exact date hasn’t been unveiled, so a delay is surely possible. And, even if a delay isn’t in the cards, fans will still have a year of waiting to do, making an alternative essential. While there are other Kingdom Hearts-like Steam games coming up soon that players can keep an eye on, those intrigued by Emery Hearts can try its demo right now.