Marvelous has announced LOOP8, a new “juvenile RPG” set for release on consoles sometime later in 2022 for Japan.

LOOP8 is launching sometime this year in Japan across Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4. While the game is currently only confirmed for Japan, the announcement mentions the game is a first in their new focus on creating “original IP that can be used in the global market while applying cutting-edge technology.”

Here’s a new trailer and the bit from today’s Nintendo Direct:

Here’s a rundown on the game:

LOOP8″ is a completely new game developed by combining the talents of up-and-coming creators, and is an innovative RPG with a game system that applies a unique AI.

Set in a nostalgic and fantastical Japan, it is a “juvenile (youth) RPG” that depicts the daily lives of the main characters (high school students) and their summer battle for the survival of the human race, repeating the month of August.

The game system is equipped with a unique emotional AI system (Karel System), and the emotions and human relationships of the characters change depending on the player’s choices, so the story unfolds differently each time you play. The human relationships between the characters in the game will also bring about significant changes in the battles.

The game’s scenario and game design is by Yuri Shibamura, character design by Yen Morikura and Shingo Adachi, concept art by Kitsuneiro, and music by Tokuyuki Iwatar. The theme song, “Original Scenery,” will be released in the near future. The theme song “Original Scenery” is sung by Nanaho, a multi-talented artist, singer, actress and TV personality.

Marvelous will continue to strengthen its development capabilities in the consumer (home video game) business, starting with “LOOP8”, and will strive to create original IP that can be used in the global market while applying cutting-edge technology.

This is Niche Imports. In this column, we regularly cover games that haven’t been announced for western audiences yet. Please leave feedback and let us know if there’s something you want us to cover!