This Next French-made JRPG Is This! We Talk to the Developers About "Lost Hellden," Which Combines Hand-drawn Art and Turn-based and Real-time Gameplay [TGS2025]
Note: the original Japanese article can be found at:
https://www.4gamer.net/games/773/G077380/20250925108/
Writer: Katsutani Umi | 2025/09/26 10:04 (UTC)
At the Tokyo Game Show 2025 currently taking place at Makuhari Messe, we were able to view a live demo of Artisan Studios’ new JRPG, “Lost Hellden” (available on PC / PS5 / Xbox Series X|S / PS4 / Nintendo Switch), and spoke with the developers—so here’s what we learned.
Artisan Studios is a developer known for crafting JRPGs such as Neptunia: The World, the Universe, Take Notice!! Ultimate RPG Declaration!! (2018) and Astraea Ascending (2021). Based across four locations—Dubai, where CEO Mario Rizzo resides; southern France’s Montpellier, home to game director Julien Bourgeois and his art team; Quebec, Canada; and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia—the studio comprises around 30 members.
At the event, we met with Artisan Studios’ CEO Mario Rizzo (left) and Game Director Julien Bourgeois. Thumbnail image No.002 / Next French JRPG is this! Hand-drawn art style, turn-based and real-time fusion in “Lost Hellden” – Developer interview at TGS2025
As their latest project, Lost Hellden, announced in February 2024, continues the studio’s tradition of honoring classic JRPGs. The game features music composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto, renowned for works like Final Fantasy XII, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Valkyria Chronicles. Additionally, character design is handled by Takashi Oga, known for titles such as GRAVITY DAZE and Final Fantasy XI, making this a quintessentially traditional JRPG. With the success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33—a fellow Montpellier-based studio—as precedent, Lost Hellden is poised to attract significant attention.
A Heavy Fantasy Where One Rejects the Seven Deadly Sins
Lost Hellden is set on the planet Era, where all people are bound by one of the seven deadly sins under the religion known as Unio. The story unfolds in a high fantasy world defined by this oppressive doctrine.
Everyone undergoes a religious ceremony on their first birthday, determining which sin they will carry for life. From that moment forward, each individual must either resist constant temptation or succumb to it—turning into monstrous beings burdened with the sins they failed to overcome. Either path leads to an existence akin to hell.
But then, something unprecedented happens: twin brothers are born on this planet. During Unio’s ritual, the protagonist Cyphel is granted a state where all sins are purged, while his younger brother Leht receives all seven sins at once—an unheard-of event. As a result, both are imprisoned in a temple and raised as guardians of fate under the name “Arkhon.” Later, Leht vanishes after resisting his predetermined destiny, prompting Cyphel to embark on a perilous journey to find him—this is how Rizzo described the opening narrative.
Cyphel’s party grows to eight members, though only two are currently revealed: Gram, a stoic female swordsman serving as Arkhon’s martial arts instructor, and Enki, another teacher who is more casual in demeanor.
Revolutionary Art Style: “Deep 2D Technology”
This demo, the first public media showcase at TGS 2025, features visuals reminiscent of late-era PlayStation JRPGs such as Final Fantasy VIII and Final Fantasy IX. The game uses what is essentially a 2.5D graphical style—hand-drawn 2D background art with animated 3D characters.
However, Lost Hellden employs Artisan Studios’ newly developed “Deep 2D Technology.” This unique visual approach becomes most apparent in scenes where characters run straight down linear paths. By adjusting the camera zoom and pan according to movement direction, adding dynamic effects like swaying trees, shifting shadows across roads and rocks, and moving cloud patterns over buildings—this creates a compelling illusion of depth and 3D space.
Thumbnail image No.004 / Next French JRPG is this! Hand-drawn art style, turn-based and real-time fusion in “Lost Hellden” – Developer interview at TGS2025 Thumbnail image No.009 / Next French JRPG is this! Hand-drawn art style, turn-based and real-time fusion in “Lost Hellden” – Developer interview at TGS2025
The Fusion of Turn-Based and Real-Time: “Phase Battle System”
The battle system in Lost Hellden appears at first glance to be a standard turn-based setup with fixed camera angles, but it incorporates Artisan Studios’ own unique adjustments. Actions such as melee attacks, spells, defense, and item use are governed by Action Points, with characters taking turns performing actions.
Additionally, there’s a system where players can apply “pressure” to enemies by identifying and exploiting their weaknesses. During waiting periods, players aren’t idle—there’s a “Reaction” phase allowing them to dodge or reposition away from enemy attack ranges while switching control between party members. This enables strategic pressure on opponents even during non-action phases.
When an enemy accumulates enough pressure, it creates openings—giving the player two consecutive actions in succession. By coordinating characters effectively, players can turn battles decisively in their favor.
Character progression is based on “Jobs,” with seven base jobs such as Fencer, Paladin, and Mage. As characters level up, they gain access to an additional seven advanced jobs. According to Bourgeois, players can choose which job path to follow at each level—such as starting as a Fencer, then selecting Level 2 Mage abilities, and adding new Fencer skills at Level 3—allowing for highly complex character builds.
Since these Jobs aren’t exclusive to specific characters, players will enjoy extensive freedom in building their team: assigning different jobs and weapons to any character.
Moreover, while not visible in the current demo, Bourgeois mentioned that weather dynamically changes during gameplay. For example, rainy conditions alter enemy appearances and amplify water-element spells and weapon effects.
Thumbnail image No.007 / Next French JRPG is this! Hand-drawn art style, turn-based and real-time fusion in “Lost Hellden” – Developer interview at TGS2025 Thumbnail image No.008 / Next French JRPG is this! Hand-drawn art style, turn-based and real-time fusion in “Lost Hellden” – Developer interview at TGS2025
Mini-Games to Enjoy Within the Game
Lost Hellden includes three mini-games, one of which introduced at TGS 2025 is Hexaken, a board game. The gameplay resembles Othello—players compete for territory on a hexagonal grid—but each hex piece has either 1 or 2 points inscribed. A special edge marked “W” allows players to steal double the points from adjacent enemy pieces.
Though hard to explain in words, the rules are intuitive and easy to grasp upon playing.
In the game’s world, Hexaken is a wildly popular board game with 250 unique piece patterns—adding an exploration element as players travel across the world to collect them. Rizzo mentioned that while still under development, there’s even talk of releasing a physical version of this board game as part of a deluxe edition.
Lost Hellden is scheduled for release sometime in 2026. Artisan Studios will self-publish in regions like Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries, while UK-based publisher Kwalee will handle sales and promotion elsewhere. Though details remain limited, the fact that full English and Japanese voice acting are confirmed reflects the development team’s respect for the Japanese gaming market—making this a title we can genuinely look forward to as the next “French JRPG.”