Tokyo Xanadu
An urban myth action RPG set in modern Tokyo.
Tokyo Xanadu is an action role-playing game developed by Nihon Falcom and released in 2015. The studio created it to explore a setting and gameplay style distinct from their established franchises, *The Legend of Heroes* and *Ys*. It first launched in Japan for the PlayStation Vita in September 2015, followed by a worldwide release in June 2017. An upgraded version, *Tokyo Xanadu eX+*, arrived on PlayStation 4 in Japan in September 2016 and globally in December 2017, alongside a Windows port. A Nintendo Switch version came out in Japan in June 2023 and worldwide in July 2024. A sequel, *Kyoto Xanadu*, is set for release on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Windows on July 16, 2026.
The gameplay is action-oriented and draws comparisons to Atlus’s *Persona* series, as well as Falcom’s own *Ys* and *Trails* games.
The story takes place in an alternate reality where a devastating earthquake struck Tokyo in 2005, requiring a decade of recovery. In 2015, high school student Kou Tokisaka lives in Morimiya. After work one night, he spots his classmate Asuka Hiiragi in trouble with dangerous people. Following her into an alley, he is pulled into a vortex and transported to a nightmare realm called Eclipse. Asuka, a member of the anti-Eclipse group Nemesis, explains the situation. They soon discover other students at their academy who can fight Eclipse’s inhabitants, the Greeds: martial artist Sora Ikushima, genius Yuuki Shinomiya, former gang leader Shio Takahata, and student council member Mitsuki Hokuto. During a weekend trip, the group learns that Eclipse began spreading after the Great War II and caused the earthquake known as the Tokyo Twilight Disaster.
They encounter Rem, a girl from Eclipse called the Child of Eclipse. To hide their activities, they form a school club, the Xanadu Research Club (X.R.C). They recruit idol Rion Kugayama and English teacher Gorou Saeki, a member of the Japan Self-Defense Force. After facing several Eclipse incidents and preventing another Twilight Disaster, the city is engulfed by Eclipse, separating the group. They then discover that Kou’s friend Jun Kohinata is a Seal Knight of the church, tasked with fighting Eclipse. Reuniting, the X.R.C and allies plan an assault on Eclipse’s source, finding Kou’s childhood friend Shiori Kurashiki there.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Tokyo Xanadu
- Developer
- Nihon Falcom
- Publisher
- Aksys GamesJP · Nihon Falcom
- Director
- Takayuki Kusano
- Producer
- Toshihiro Kondo
- Programmer
- Toru Endo / Nobuhiro Hioki
- Writer
- Hisayoshi Takeiri / Yoshihiro Konda / Syunsei Shikata
- Composer
- Hayato Sonoda / Takahiro Unisuga
- Platforms
- Tokyo Xanadu · PlayStation Vita · Tokyo Xanadu eX+ · PlayStation 4 · Windows · Nintendo Switch
- Genre
- Action role-playing
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Tokyo Xanadu is an action role-playing game with gameplay similar to the Persona series by Atlus, as well as Falcom's own Ys and Trails franchises. The story takes place in an alternate reality where Tokyo suffered a devastating earthquake in 2005, which took the city a decade to recover from. The narrative follows high school student Kou Tokisaka in Morimiya in 2015, who becomes involved with a group called Nemesis dedicated to closing vortexes to a nightmarish realm known as Eclipse. The group forms a school club called the Xanadu Research Club (X.R.C.) to mask their mission, recruiting classmates and allies to fight creatures called Greeds. The plot involves a childhood friend, Shiori Kurashiki, who died during the disaster but was brought back by a mythical Greed, and the X.R.C. ultimately defeats her. The enhanced version includes side stories and an After Story involving a younger version of Kou as the Twilight Apostle.
Reader's Guide
Tokyo Xanadu represents Nihon Falcom's attempt to create a modern urban setting distinct from their fantasy-based Ys and Trails series, while retaining action RPG mechanics. The game's development was announced in December 2014, with Falcom referring to it as an 'urban myth action RPG'. The fictional Morimiya City was based on actual locations near Falcom's head offices in Tachikawa, and promotional activities included a themed menu at a local bookstore cafe. The game's initial Japanese release was followed by uncertainty regarding an English localization, which was eventually handled by Aksys Games for the Vita version and Ghostlight for the Windows port of eX+. Famitsu gave the game a review score of 32/40. It sold 88,879 retail copies in its first week in Japan, topping the software sales charts, with over 112,000 sold within three weeks. A sequel, Kyoto Xanadu, was released on multiple platforms in July 2026.
Did You Know?
- Tokyo Xanadu was developed out of Nihon Falcom's desire to create a game of a different type and setting than The Legend of Heroes and Ys.
- A sequel, Kyoto Xanadu, was released on July 16, 2026.
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