Caravan Stories could be your next chill free-to-play RPG on PS4

I’m just here for the walking fortresses

I don’t always need the latest and greatest in video games. Sometimes good enough is, well, good enough. That’s my first-glance, subject-to-change read on Caravan Stories, a free-to-play MMORPG about the usual concepts: quelling darkness, assembling a cast of characters and creatures alike, and – what’s this? – a customizable magical fortress that acts as your roaming base of operations. Neat.

Caravan Stories has seen success in Japan with some two million players, and soon enough it’ll be available over here in the West. The incoming free-to-play PlayStation 4 version is going to hold a trial run with an open beta scheduled for July 16. Then, just a week later, the full game releases on July 23.

If this trailer sparks your interest even a little bit, here’s 45 minutes of uncut, English-language footage. After scoping out the character creator, you can jump around at random to quickly figure out if this game stands a chance of being your sorta thing. Caravan Stories seems like the type of game you can enjoy while mentally distracted or even on autopilot, and there’s nothing with that, honest.

If you’re looking for more of a challenge outside of solo play, there’s boss raiding, too.

According to game director Masahiko Takeuchi, “Bringing Caravan Stories to PlayStation 4 in North America will mark the beginning of many new stories. The feedback, passion, and experiences of new adventurers will help us make and improve Caravan Stories for years to come.”

The PlayStation Store’s most active free-to-play games in April 2019 ranged from Apex Legends, Fortnite, and World of Warships: Legends up top to Warface, Realm Royale, and finally DC Universe Online claiming the tenth spot. I could see this worming its way onto that list over the breezy summer.