Polygon confirmed it this week: Tales of Eternia, the 2000 PS1 JRPG that most Western players never got to touch, is getting a 25-year-late remaster. The catch, as always with Bandai Namco’s classic Tales entries, is that the initial announcement is a Switch and PlayStation affair. There is no PC release date. If you’re on Windows, macOS, or Linux and want the mid-2000s JRPG feel right now, the Tales of Eternia alternatives on desktop below already exist on Steam, run great, and cost less than a takeout meal on sale.
Why players are looking for a PC replacement
The Tales series has a spotty history with PC releases. Symphonia arrived a decade late. Vesperia sat on Xbox 360 for eleven years. Berseria and Arise did land on Steam near launch, and the recent Berseria Remastered announcement makes it likely Eternia will get there eventually. Until then, the closest experience on desktop comes from:
- Other classic Tales entries already on Steam
- PS1/PS2-era remasters from Square Enix and Sega
- Series that share Eternia’s linear pacing, party-based combat, and world-map traversal
Quick comparison
| Game | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition | Direct Tales series analog | No | $39.99 | Full voice cast, four new characters |
| Tales of Arise | Modern Tales combat | No | $59.99 | Highest-rated Tales on desktop |
| Trials of Mana | SNES action-RPG remake | No | $49.99 | Full 3D remake of a 1995 classic |
| Star Ocean Second Story R | PS1 JRPG faithful remake | No | $49.99 | 2.5D remake using original sprites |
| Chrono Cross Radical Dreamers Edition | Closest PS1-era analog | No | $19.99 | Chrono Trigger’s PS1 sequel |
| Trails in the Sky FC | Deep world classic JRPG | No | $19.99 | Series that started the Legend of Heroes arc |
| Suikoden I and II HD Remaster | PS1 party-recruiting JRPG | No | $44.99 | Two full remakes in one package |
The 7 best Tales of Eternia alternatives on desktop
Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition, best direct Tales analog
Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition is the closest thing to Eternia already on Steam. It ships the original Xbox 360 script with the full Japanese PS3 additions: four extra playable characters (Patty, Flynn, and two extended events), full voice acting for the previously text-only sections, and modern resolution support. The Linear Motion Battle System is a direct descendant of Eternia’s real-time combat.
Where it falls short: The pacing sags in the third act. The mid-game story detour around the empire is where a lot of players stop.
Pricing:
- Base game: $39.99. Regularly under $10 on Steam summer and winter sales.
Platforms: Windows.
Where to buy: Tales of Vesperia on Steam | GOG
Bottom line: The single easiest recommendation for anyone who liked Eternia’s cast dynamics. Same publisher, same series conventions, same combat DNA.
Tales of Arise, best modern Tales entry
Tales of Arise is the highest-rated Tales entry in a decade and the studio’s clean-slate reboot of the combat system. The Boost Attack layer and the interactive skit system make it feel meaningfully different from a mid-2000s Tales game, but the party-of-six structure and the world-hopping story hit the same beats Eternia did.
Where it falls short: The tone is heavier than Eternia’s. Cliché fantasy oppression setup for the first ten hours before it opens up.
Pricing:
- Base game: $59.99. Beyond the Dawn expansion: $29.99.
Platforms: Windows.
Where to buy: Tales of Arise on Steam
Bottom line: Pick this if you want the newest Tales combat feel. Not the closest to Eternia stylistically, but the same publisher’s current best.
Trials of Mana, best 1990s remake
Trials of Mana is the full 3D remake of the 1995 Seiken Densetsu 3 SNES action-RPG that shipped in the West for the first time in 2020. Three party members drawn from a roster of six, class change progression, and real-time combat that stays close to the source. It plays like a bridge between SNES action-RPGs and PS1-era Tales games.
Where it falls short: The remake softened some of the original’s tuning. Anyone who played the SNES fan-translation will notice the difficulty drop.
Pricing:
- Base game: $49.99. Frequently under $20 on sale.
Platforms: Windows.
Where to buy: Trials of Mana on Steam
Bottom line: Best pick if you want the SNES action-RPG texture in a modern package. Runs on any hardware from the last decade.
Star Ocean Second Story R, best PS1 JRPG remake
Star Ocean Second Story R is a 2023 2.5D remake of Star Ocean The Second Story (1998), a PS1 JRPG that shared publishing DNA with Eternia. Original sprites over new 3D environments, revamped combat, and full voice acting across all 86 different endings. This is the shape a Tales of Eternia remake will probably take.
Where it falls short: The interface still shows PS1 lineage in some menus. The item-crafting system is deliberately obtuse.
Pricing:
- Base game: $49.99. On sale under $30.
Platforms: Windows.
Where to buy: Star Ocean Second Story R on Steam
Bottom line: The closest structural preview of what Eternia’s remaster will feel like. Buy now, not later.
Chrono Cross Radical Dreamers Edition, best PS1-era analog
Chrono Cross Radical Dreamers Edition is the 2022 remaster of the 1999 PS1 sequel to Chrono Trigger. Element-based combat, a 45-character recruitment system, and one of the branching-timeline plots that made Square’s PS1 output distinct. The remaster adds toggles for HD assets, a smooth character portrait pass, and a new orchestrated soundtrack option.
Where it falls short: The remaster has known frame-pacing issues that Square has patched but not fully solved. Some players report menu lag on lower-end machines.
Pricing:
- Base game: $19.99. On sale under $10.
Platforms: Windows.
Where to buy: Chrono Cross on Steam
Bottom line: The truest 1999-era feel on this list. Ships with the Radical Dreamers text adventure that fills in the Chrono Trigger to Chrono Cross gap.
Legend of Heroes Trails in the Sky FC, best deep-lore classic
Legend of Heroes Trails in the Sky FC is a 2004 Falcom JRPG that landed on Steam in 2014 and has since become the entry point to the 12-game Trails series. Turn-based tactical combat on a grid, one of the densest worlds in the genre, and a story about two junior bracers that pays off across three games. Note: a Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter remake lands in September 2026, so factor in whether to wait.
Where it falls short: The character portraits are 2004-era, and combat gets slow after 30 hours. Falcom fans will tell you the payoff justifies both.
Pricing:
- Base game: $19.99. Second Chapter $29.99, 3rd $29.99.
Platforms: Windows.
Where to buy: Trails in the Sky FC on Steam
Bottom line: Pick this if you want a 40-hour deep well, or wait a month for the 1st Chapter remake if you want modern polish.
Suikoden I and II HD Remaster, best classic party-recruiting JRPG
Suikoden I and II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars is the 2024 Konami package that finally brought two 1996/1998 PS1 party-based JRPGs to Steam. 108 recruitable characters across both games, army battles, and a story that a large minority of players call the best JRPG story ever written. Feels like it belongs on the same shelf as Eternia’s remaster.
Where it falls short: The remaster is faithful to a fault. If you wanted a full remake, this is not it. Sprite work is upscaled, not redrawn.
Pricing:
- Base game: $44.99. Includes both Suikoden I and Suikoden II.
Platforms: Windows.
Where to buy: Suikoden I and II HD Remaster on Steam
Bottom line: Highest-value classic JRPG package on the list. Two full games for the price of one modern release.
How to pick the right one
- If you want the same publisher and series feel: Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition. Same everything Eternia had, three console generations later.
- If you want the newest Tales combat: Tales of Arise.
- If you want a modern remake of a 1990s Square-adjacent JRPG: Star Ocean Second Story R. Second-closest thing to a Tales of Eternia remake before Bandai Namco ships one.
- If you want the raw PS1 remaster feel: Chrono Cross Radical Dreamers Edition. The compromises the remaster made are the compromises Eternia’s remaster will probably make too.
- If you want the biggest world: Trails in the Sky FC. Note the 1st Chapter remake lands September 17, 2026.
- If you want two full JRPGs for one price: Suikoden I and II HD Remaster.
- If you own a Switch: the Tales of Eternia remaster ships there first. That’s the actual answer for that platform.
FAQ
Is Tales of Eternia coming to PC?
Bandai Namco has announced the remaster for Switch and PlayStation only as of August 2026. A PC release is likely but has no confirmed date. Tales of Berseria Remastered followed a similar pattern before landing on Steam, so a delayed PC port is plausible.
What Tales games are on Steam?
Tales of Symphonia, Tales of Zestiria, Tales of Berseria, Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition, Tales of Arise, and Tales of Graces f Remastered are all on Steam as of August 2026. Berseria Remastered is coming.
Can I play Tales of Eternia on Steam Deck?
Not the remaster, since it does not have a PC release. The original PS1 version runs through PPSSPP or ePSXe emulation, both available for Steam Deck via Discover. This requires a legally sourced ROM.
What is the best classic JRPG on Steam right now?
Suikoden I and II HD Remaster and Star Ocean Second Story R are the two most highly-rated recent classic JRPG releases on Steam. Chrono Cross Radical Dreamers Edition rounds out the top three if you can tolerate its known frame-pacing quirks.
Do any of these have local co-op?
No. Classic-style JRPGs are single-player. Tales of Arise has a spectator “second controller” feature during Boost Attacks but no real co-op.
