A cozy 'League of Legends' spinoff, a Keri Russell drama and giant robots: Games preview roundup

“Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth” might be the year’s most-anticipated title, but we’re finally starting to see more tangible content from games big and small on the horizon. I got the chance to preview three promising titles and hear directly from their developers. Here’s what they shared with me on the upcoming “Bandle Tale,” “Open Roads” and “Mecha Break.”

Out Feb. 21

“League of Legends” is much more than one of the world’s premier eSports. It also spawned a multimedia empire with a virtual K-Pop group, a second season of Netflix’s acclaimed “Arcane” slated for this year and the upcoming indie game “Bandle Tale” — a party-planning and crafting sim featuring furry folk called Yordles.

Lithuanian developer Lazy Bear Games and Riot Forge’s creative director Rowan Parker sat me down for a hands-off presentation of the game. Unlike the majority of Riot’s catalog, it’s not about defeating enemies — “just good times and cozy vibes.” You’ll customize your pixelated Yordle and send them to solve the problems of 50-70 compatriots on the floating islands that make up Bandle City. Ultimately, your goal is to meet the specialized conditions to host swanky parties at your magic backpack/house, which you can roll up and carry wherever you go.

I enjoy this spin on “gathering your party” — not to venture forth, but to chill out to cool music and good company. At an estimated 40-60 hours, “Bandle Tale” is clearly courting cozy game diehards, but I’d only want to invest that much time if its writing proves to be as clever and sweet as what I found in “Stardew Valley” or “Spiritfarer.” I didn’t get a good sense of the game’s characters and dialogue, so I’m curious to see how that will unfold.

Out Feb. 22

I couldn’t help but think of “Gone Home” while watching developers guide a gaggle of journalists through “Open Roads.” Like that 2013 innovator, the game focuses on intimate family drama while you take your time exploring rooms in first-person. Instead of telling its story purely through environments, objects and disembodied voice-over, however, you’ve got a mom and daughter who’ll frequently break into animated dialogue.

What I saw looked sedate compared to the “decades-old burglaries,” “lost treasure” and “darker mystery” promised by the game’s promotional material, but I’m sure veteran performers like Keri Russell will have plenty of scenery to chew later on. At the very least, it’s a promising marriage of the so-called “walking simulator” and visual novel, even as I found the imposition of 2D characters in 3D space jarring.

Annapurna Interactive has a solid reputation with narrative-focused games — “Thirsty Suitors” being among my favorites from last year. While I didn’t feel particularly inspired by the story they’ve shared so far, I hope “Open Roads” really kicks into gear within its opening hour, otherwise it’d be a tiresome journey indeed.

Release Date TBD

Finally, the Chinese team behind “Mecha Break” talked to me about their ambitions for the giant robot battler. Teased at The Game Awards in December, it looks to have “Gundam”’s flashy style and “Armored Core’”s frenetic pace (though the developers caution against comparing it too closely to that FromSoftware series). But much remains unknown since the game doesn’t have a confirmed release date.

Here’s what we do know — the game will feature three different modes with opposing teams of up to six players. The most intriguing of these will also pit you against AI bosses, some of which can be absolutely huge. Erratic storms on this mode’s vast map will gradually force players together until only one team survives, battle-royale style.

The developers couldn’t confirm how the game would make money, be it through up-front sales or a free-to-play live service model. They also told me they were hoping to create an approachable mecha title — quite the feat given the genre’s notorious complexity. But if it can bring neophytes like me up to speed, it might be eye-catching enough to stand out in the crowded multiplayer market.