Heroes of Anirea, a tactical JRPG with roguelite elements from Crossbros, is now available for its first open playtest on Steam, offering players a hands-on look at its character-driven strategy and pixel art world ahead of its 2027 release
Heroes of Anirea, the upcoming turn-based tactical JRPG from Spanish indie studio Crossbros, has entered its first public playtest phase on Steam. This marks the first time players can experience the game directly, with the playtest designed to gather feedback ahead of its planned 2027 launch. Access is open to all Steam users via a Request Access button on the game's store page, with no additional requirements or restrictions currently in place.
Playtest Content and Structure
The playtest offers a focused slice of gameplay, featuring seven distinct playable heroes, each with their own mechanics and abilities. Players will progress through a single run set in the grasslands biome, which is expected to last around 30 minutes per session. The build includes 12 enemy types and two boss encounters, alongside unlockable equipment and fate options that allow for some customisation and replayability within the test environment.
Crossbros has stated that the primary aim of this open playtest is to collect player feedback on core systems, balance, and overall experience. The studio intends to use this input to refine the game in the months leading up to release. The playtest is time-limited, though the exact end date has not been specified, and represents an early look rather than a finished product.
Gameplay Features and Design
Heroes of Anirea positions itself as a modern take on the tactical JRPG, drawing inspiration from genre classics while introducing a faster-paced Active Time Battle (ATB) system. The game emphasises squad assembly from a roster of over 20 heroes in the full release, each with unique skills and narrative arcs. Elemental strengths and weaknesses, customisable equipment, and a roguelite progression structure are central to the design, aiming to encourage experimentation and adaptation between runs.
The visual presentation is built around handcrafted 2.5D pixel art, combining traditional sprite work with low-poly models and real-time lighting. This approach is intended to deliver a distinctive look that stands apart from both retro and fully modern JRPGs. The current playtest focuses on a single biome, but the final game is expected to expand on environments, hero options, and narrative content.
Development Roadmap and Platform Plans
Following the playtest, Crossbros plans to launch a Kickstarter campaign to secure additional funding for development. Interested players can sign up for updates on the campaign and ongoing development progress. The full release of Heroes of Anirea is scheduled for 2027 on Steam and Steam Deck, with subsequent launches planned for Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5. No pricing or edition details have been confirmed at this stage.
The studio, founded by brothers Jose and Manu in Jaén, Spain, is positioning Heroes of Anirea as its flagship project. The team is seeking to build a community around the game early, using the playtest and crowdfunding campaign to shape the final product. For those interested in other recent indie RPG launches, the release of Kill the Shadow on Steam earlier this year also highlighted the growing appetite for character-driven, tactical experiences in the genre-see the full story here.
Roguelite progression, as seen in Heroes of Anirea, refers to a structure where each playthrough is self-contained but persistent unlocks or upgrades carry over between runs. This design encourages repeated attempts, with players gradually expanding their options and strategies over time. Unlike traditional roguelikes, which often feature permanent loss of progress, roguelites typically offer a more forgiving approach, blending challenge with long-term progression and replay value.
