Having too many great RPGs to play is a pleasant problem, but it can leave some worthy contenders lost in the dust. Having powered through the shadow-drop launch of Oblivion Remastered, Clair Obscur Expedition 33 has risen to the top of the charts as the current best-rated game of 2025. But once your adventure through its stunning surrealist world comes to a close, developer Sandfall's creative director Guillaume Broche has another recommendation for you – The Hundred Line Last Defense Academy.
"There's too many good turn-based RPG that was also released last week and made with love by an awesome team."
The Hundred Line Last Defense Academy, to give it its full title, comes from the powerhouse tag team of Danganronpa creator Kazutaka Kodaka and Zero Escape director Kotaro Uchikoshi. Blending a stylish anime art style with grid-based tactical combat, it's a flashy halfway house between Persona, Fire Emblem, and XCOM, as you take charge of a group of plucky students fighting to defend their school for 100 days.
Half your time is spent exploring the school that acts as your last bastion, hanging out with your teammates to deepen your bonds, and crafting gifts to further your relationships. The other half requires you to hold off hordes of invading horrors, making use of each student's unique skill set to stop the troublemakers in their tracks.
As you might expect given the previous works of its two creative leads, the decisions you make in The Hundred Line can have serious ramifications, with the promise of "extreme, despair-filled endings." If you've been touched by Expedition 33's masterful blend of rewarding tactical combat and its resonant, emotional narrative beats, The Hundred Line promises to be a natural addition to your wishlist (so far, Steam reviews already place it at 92% positive) and Broche is certainly eager to make sure it shines through the crowd.
The Hundred Line Last Defense Academy is out now on Steam, priced at $59.99 / £49.99. There's also a demo that you can right now for free if you want to give it a try before you buy. It's always good to see devs using their success to uplift other games they love. I'm certainly eager to delve into The Hundred Line for myself.
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