Steam is currently holding the 2026 Made in Japan Collection, an annual third-party event hosted by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). Overseen by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, JETRO is an organization that aids domestic businesses in going global, and as part of their activities in the entertainment field, they support domestic game developers.
The 2026 Made in Japan Collection is likewise an initiative aimed at promoting popular and upcoming Japanese games to a global audience. While the collection includes big franchises such as Persona and Ninja Gaiden, we’d like to take the time to showcase some interesting, lesser-known titles (all of which are on sale for the duration of the event).
The End of History
Developed by Tatamibeya and published by WorldMap and WhisperGames in 2025 for Windows, The End of History is a top-down RPG-slash-life simulator set in a fictional medieval world. As a blank slate protagonist who leaves the care of their foster parent, you are free to explore the world and do as you wish, be it saving the world from the brink of collapse (which is your initial main goal) or watching it fall to ruin.
One of the game’s most prominent features is its NPCs, which have lives and personalities of their own. Though your interactions with them change the course of the story, some characters will act regardless of your meddling. A noble woman whose husband was murdered, for instance, will vow revenge and be more likely to commit actions that further her cause. While there is combat and trading, much of the game’s focus is on its characters and the choices you make. A free demo of the game is also available.
Raging Loop
Raging Loop is a 2017 horror visual novel that tells the story of Haruaki Fusaishi, a newcomer to the fictional Japanese village of Yasumizu. After a dark mist prevents anyone from leaving, Haruaki finds himself participating in an event known as The Feast, where a werewolf hiding amongst the villagers takes its revenge by murdering everyone.
While Haruaki can easily be killed, he has an ace up his sleeve. Using his ability to loop through time, he can make different choices based on his previous deaths. Dying also provides him with a Key, which grants access to new branching paths and brings you closer to the identity of the killer. Only by uncovering this secret will Haruaki be able to escape the time loop and (hopefully) the cursed village.
Completing the game once unlocks Revelation Mode, which lets you read the thoughts of your companions. Though you would have already solved the mystery by then, the mode allows you to see the characters in an unfiltered light. Developed and published by KEMCO, Raging loop is available for Windows.
Fantasy Maiden Wars – DREAM OF THE STRAY DREAMER –
Set in the world of Gensokyo, Fantasy Maiden Wars – Fantasy Maiden Wars – DREAM OF THE STRAY DREAMER –is a tactical JRPG where you control up to 70 iconic heroines from the Touhou Project series. While the first entry in the canon series was released in 1997, the developers of this derivative title made it a good starting point for both newcomers and returning fans by interweaving reinterpreted storylines from different mainline Touhou Project titles (there’s also a massive in-game encyclopedia for lore buffs to sink their teeth into).
Similar to Square Enix’s Final Fantasy Tactics, Fantasy Maiden Wars – DREAM OF THE STRAY DREAMER – features missions that your party can undertake. You’ll deploy your units across a grid-based map and use turn-based tactics to defeat enemies. Each character has unique traits and abilities, giving you multiple ways to play and experiment with different builds. While your choice of protagonist affects parts of the story (you can choose between longtime favorites Reimu Hakurei and Marisa Kirisame), your main goal remains the same: to seek out the source of the supernatural incidents that are plaguing Gensokyo.
Fantasy Maiden Wars – DREAM OF THE STRAY DREAMER – is developed by Sanbondō and published by Phoenixx. It is available for Windows.
The Strongest Tofu
Taking a break from the serious titles, The Strongest Tofu is a simple action platformer that lets you play as a healthy piece of fermented soy milk. Using only one button, you must make it to the owan (Japanese bowl) at the end of each level before you expire.
Standing in your way are various obstacles and animals that would love nothing more than to tear your blocky body to pieces. Thankfully, the game has three kinds of tofu to choose from, each with its own difficulty level. Featuring a Tofu Factory mini-game that lets you create your own tofu as well as several bits of tofu trivia, playing The Strongest Tofu for extended periods of time will likely have you hankering for some Asian cuisine.
Developed by Zounoashi Games and published by Phoenixx, The Strongest Tofu is available for Windows.
MOMIBOSU
MOMIBOSU stars a boy (Ash) and a girl (Inger) as they leave the confines of their small underground village in search of adventure. Don’t let the cute pixel graphics throw you off, though, as this 2D platformer rewards precision and punishes careless actions.
The world takes on a Metroidvania-like structure, with rewards hiding in most corners. There’s combat too, with the protagonists being able to push enemies into hazards or each other. The latter option creates unique effects based on which types of enemies collide, making for unique puzzle-solving in the middle of battle. In addition to standard foes, MOMIBOSU’s bosses will test your platforming and combat skills.
MOMIBOSU is developed and published by PenGames for Windows. A free demo is also available.
NeverAwake
NeverAwake (that’s one word) is a 2022 twin-stick shooter starring Rem, a girl stuck in a coma. Unbeknownst to those around her, she is constantly fighting nightmarish versions of things she dislikes in her dreams. Be they vegetables, angry dogs, or her schoolmates, nothing is safe as she attempts to cleanse her subconscious of everything she loathes.
With a multitude of weapons and accessories, as well as several enemies and bosses to use them on, the game will keep you hooked. It also features over 80 hand-drawn levels and animations, with the narrative changing depending on your dedication to completing all of them. NeverAwake’s story and gameplay were so well-received that a spin-off, the roguelite shooter NeverAwake FLASHBACK, was released in 2025.
Developed by Neotro and published by Phoenixx, NeverAwake is available for Windows.
Raindrop Sprinters
A callback to retro arcade games, 2023’s Raindrop Sprinters features a three-button layout and has you making it from one end of the screen to the next while avoiding the falling rain. Pressing left or right moves you in the corresponding direction, while the slow motion button draws from your Power Gauge to bring time down to a crawl.
Aiding in your quest to stay dry are several types of power-ups and badges. Some of these can be purchased between levels (like an umbrella) while others must be earned by completing secret challenges (one can be found by sprinting headlong into the other side of the screen without stopping). With four game modes and online leaderboard support, Raindrop Sprinters can be as relaxing or competitive as you want it to be.
Developed by room_909 and published by Mediascape, the game is available for Windows.
Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution
A spin-off of the Hyperdimension Neptunia series, Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution is an action JRPG starring an adult Neptune as she aims to bring a defunct gaming studio to success, eventually leading it to become the studio of the year. While most studios would start by creating solid games, Neptune would rather grow her squad of developers and eliminate the competition.
Except for eradicating other studios, almost all the elements of game-making have been, for lack of a better word, game-ified. Increasing your party’s stats requires you to create games, which can be delivered and sold to customers using Neptune’s motorcycle. Given that the world of Gamindustri (a pun on “game industry”) is rife with conflict, you want to make sure your party is ready to take on enemies in real-time combat if you want to be the best studio out there.
Developed by Idea Factory and Compile Heart, Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution is available for Windows.
Earth’s Dawn
A 2D hack-and-slash game, 2016’s Earth’s Dawn lets you create a unique superhuman soldier and take the fight to an alien race known as the Extraterrestrial Biological Entities (E.B.E.). Armed with stolen alien technology, you hack, shoot, dodge, and parry your way through several missions, with the story changing depending on which ones you choose to accept.
In addition to crafting weapons and equipment using harvested enemy materials, you can also spend experience points to unlock abilities down an extensive skill tree. You’ll need as much help as you can get, because in addition to normal enemies, Earth’s Dawn has some hardcore bosses for you to defeat.
Developed by One or Eight and Team Earthwars, Earth’s Dawn is available for Windows.
The Use of Life
The Use of Life is a turn-based RPG that follows an anthropomorphic rabbit known as Goshe. Featuring turn-based battles mixed with QTE events for avoiding and dealing damage, you can choose whether Goshe uses his powers for good or evil.
Death is not the end in The Use of Life. Similar to FromSoftware’s Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Goshe can come back stronger after being defeated, and can gain unique buffs based on the choices he makes while downed. While the story is narrated like an adventure book, there are certain parts where you are required to make choices or engage in Dungeons & Dragons-esque dice rolls to move things along.
Developed by Daraneko Games and published by Playism, The Use of Life is available for Windows.
Those are ten Japanese-developed titles to get you started, but there are many more unique games featured in this year’s Made in Japan Collection. If these don’t tickle your fancy, perhaps something else on the list will.
