Hope of Elements Combines Turn-Based Strategy With Extraction Loop
The genre blend came from the publisher, not the developer, showing how Harrison World's bidirectional Japan-China publishing model shapes game design.
Reporting from 1 source: 4Gamer.net.
At ChinaJoy 2026, 4Gamer.net tried Hope of Elements - The Witch and the Dragon's Journey, a turn-based strategy RPG with extraction elements developed by China's Yujin Studio and published by Tokyo-based Harrison World. A demo has been on Steam since July 15, 2026. The publisher proposed the extraction mechanics, which were added to an originally turn-based simulation RPG.
The demo on Steam since July 15, 2026 casts the player as Iris, a witch controlling five elements, traveling with a young dragon named Pipi. Elemental reactions chain from a single spell, burning stages or causing explosions. Stages are cleared in small sections, and players choose between heading straight for the exit or risking defeat to grab rare items.
Defeat costs most of your equipment, so the loop is to craft retreat potions, escape before dying, and use brought-back treasures to expand your base and prepare better gear. Over 200 treasure types support numerous builds. Story moments appear in villages, where the protagonist keeps distance from others, and a knight-like man who appeared was knocked flying before a photo could be taken.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.