Starbites Preview

TheThe game certainly has the elements needed to attract plenty of classic JRPG fans, while its setting and cast offer plenty of opportunity to engage players.

IKINAGAMES’s Starbites is a turn-based mech RPG that aims to evoke the feeling and build upon the popularity of classic JRPGs. Released in Japan last month, the game is set to arrive in North America and Europe in early 2026 on PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2, courtesy of publisher NIS America. RPGamer was given the opportunity to learn more about the game from NIS America and IKINAGAMES’s founder and president Junho Bae and see its gameplay in action.

Starbites is set on the war-torn planet of Bitter, which was previously known to be a prosperous refuge for wanderers, until it was caught up in an intergalactic war. The game’s story follows rookie scavenger Lukida, who is based in tower-shaped Delight City and seeks to escape the planet. Her life changes after encountering a being called the Oracle, with the story said to be themed around regrets of the past and hope for the future. Lukida and her allies, including friends Gwendoll and Badger, pilot their own unique individual mechs called Motorbots as they uncover the secrets of Bitter.

Players explore the world on mechs called Motorbots.

Players explore the world on their Motorbots, with plenty of items to find scattered around the map. Visible enemies chase the player when they are caught in their field of vision, starting combat when they make contact. The combat is command-based, with turn order determined by each individual character’s speed attribute. Beyond the usual array of options on their turn, each character has their own variety of unique skills. Starbites’ main differentiator is the Driver’s High system, which allows players to bypass the usual turn order. Whenever a character hits an enemy, or is hit by them, it charges the DH Gauge. When full, players can activate Driver’s High to take another turn immediately, as well as gain access to upgraded versions of their skills.

Starbites includes three difficulty options, which can be switched between at any time. The game’s combat focuses on finding enemy weaknesses and making use of the Driver’s High system, with depth coming when players fill out their party and are able to assign members into support roles that grant the party members different skills and roles in battle. While there wasn’t a huge amount of depth to see in the brief demonstration, combat looks to be quickly paced, with players getting the option to speed it up if they wish. Bosses are also said to offer variety, each bringing their own distinct element to the combat system.

The demonstration showed an early unwinnable scripted fight, which introduces one part of the world’s setting called the Phoenix Service. It rescues those in danger, but provides a hefty bill for that service. Each character has their own talent tree to upgrade through the game, and players can equip their Motorbots with weapons, armour, engines, and cores to upgrade their stats. The game also contains crafting, though there isn’t the wholesale customisation seen in more tactical and action-focused mech titles. Starbites will also include a variety of mini-games and plenty of side quests for players to discover, some of which will unlock new mini-games.

The turn-based combat is designed to evoke the nostalgia of classic JRPGs.

The game’s visual style certainly evokes the mid-to-late 2000s era with the use of environments and general colourfulness, with added levels of fidelity, particularly on the character expressions and animations. Delight City offers an interesting blend of being both technologically advanced with various bright lights and screenshots, while also clearly being past its prime. While the game is set in a desert, IKINAGAMES stated that it aimed to give each region its own distinct atmosphere, and the game will feature some other biomes as well. The game will come with English and Japanese voice over options, though the demonstration didn’t allow the opportunity to witness any of it.

The test for Starbites will be whether its combat and story offer enough to hold interest for its full length. The game certainly has the elements needed to attract plenty of classic JRPG fans, while its setting and cast offer plenty of opportunity to engage players. RPGamers in North America and Europe will get the opportunity to find out for themselves when the game arrives early next year.