There are good design elements all over, from a menu option disabling licensed music for streaming to quests that completely change based on whether you choose to go in guns blazing or stay hidden and make sense both ways. The main and side quests are all packed full of great story, the characters are fun to get to know… and yet despite all of the effort that went into this game, we also see the bad design choices I discussed above and an unplayable console version. If you can take the places where it’s a bad example and remember to do better in your own life, and maybe wait until it’s been patched into working, there’s an amazing game here that you can be glad you experienced.

Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo offers some fun in drawing up a horror story from Japanese superstitions. Unfortunately, it leans too heavily on the comedy, even though the jokes are appreciated. When the game dangles the possibility or even the appearance of some agency for the player, it would have been more exciting to make the player feel as though they’re really making choices or feel invested in the horror elements. If there’s anything to take away from this experience, it’s that murder is typically wrong, but a chicken dressed as a greaser is way cool.

By far the largest issue Fable has is its length. Completing at least 50% of the sidequests, marrying, slaughtering an entire village, and buying three houses, I still only ended the game at slightly over eight hours.

Fans of The Case of the Golden Idol will find their itch for more demented mad libs scratched but not sated by The Rise of the Golden Idol. Despite my issues with the game, existing devotees of the Golden Idol will find something to like here. Everyone else should start with the first game and its two expansions, which are better and provide vital context for fully enjoying the sequel.

If you are a big fan, then I can't see you being disappointed with the game unless you really hate the graphical style or the voices.

Planescape: Torment will continue to be a classic — a titan standing tall in the history of RPGs. However, the Enhanced Edition has only really enhanced the price and little else. Though I have to say, Planescape itself is okay. I know I may aggravate or annoy some fans who remember this title fondly or have even experienced it again and enjoyed the trip down memory plane, but if we’re being honest with ourselves, Planescape: Torment has not aged well. The writing is as engrossing as ever, yes, but even in that regard, so much more has been done with games like Pillars of Eternity. Certainly, the gameplay and controls could be better. I’m not here to give praise for the history and importance of Planescape, but to judge it as it stands today amongst whippersnappers, like Tyranny, who likely owe a great deal to what this title has done for RPGs.

I have very mixed feelings about Fuga: Melodies of Steel. On the one hand, I’m glad to see that the Little Tail Bronx series still has life in it. On the other hand, this latest entry is largely unimpressive and doesn’t hold a candle to the rollicking good times that Tail Concerto and Solatorobo were. If you are already a Little Tail Bronx die-hard, then you’ve already decided to buy Fuga: Melodies of Steel. If you’re a newcomer, I think you’d have a more enjoyable time with Tail Concerto or Solatorobo.

The balancing act RGG plays with its titles is a tricky tightrope to walk, and they usually knock it out of the park. That they failed to do so here is just disappointing. Nonetheless, the fact that this game came to Steam might—might—mean we can see more titles in the future, and there’s a lot of potential here. If they can build a more compelling mystery, be more thoughtful about the serious issues they want to address, and fix the detective elements, they might be onto something special here. Most people seem to think they already are. Maybe next time, I can too.

Spiritfarer is a perfect example of a game where one has to keep their expectations in check. I honestly feel the trailers have misrepresented what the majority of the game is, and I wish the developers had actually cut the content in half or found a way to speed up the entire process. What’s here hints at the depth of quality that could have been, but the designers seemed more concerned with giving their audience their money’s worth rather than packing ten hours with high-quality content. Or maybe I should have engaged in more meditation over the 25-hour experience. Regardless, Spiritfarer has moments of beauty that will resonate with many players, while others, like myself, will be left wondering what could have been.

Detention has something important to say, but using a game as a medium seems inappropriate in this instance. While the subject matter is definitely worth discussing and I'd personally love to see more of this in games moving forward, the way in which it's been executed here left me groaning by the end of the three hours. Predictable in terms of story and unimaginative in terms of game design, Detention doesn't work as a game.

This is still a huge, fun to play, absolutely sprawling game in the tradition of classic RPGs of yesteryear, and is really only one of a very few of its kind available on the iPad.

RPGs as indistinct and shallow as Fable are rare, and for good reason.

Disgaea 7 is a mixed bag: while it addresses many of the issues present in its predecessor, it also fails to match the sereis’ best games it is trying to emulate. I enjoyed my time with the game, but I’m left wondering where the series can go from here. Disgaea 7 does what it needs to, but I feel the series has exhausted the concept and taken it about as far as possible without a significant shakeup.

Filled with quirkiness, wonder, and exploration, Burly Men at Sea is certainly a niche game targeted more towards children and adults who want to be kids again. Not everyone will find it a pleasant journey, but I suspect more will be surprised by its charm than not — even if it does not last.

Archvale’s big claim to fame is the meshing of RPG (items/loot) and bullet hell mechanics. Aside from that, this is an average title at best. We had fun with this one, but probably only because it is cooperative. As a single-player experience, I’m not sure I would have enjoyed it as much. With little substance in the writing, awkward design decisions (crafting is largely pointless aside from armor and weapon drops are rarely tempting), and a cache of bugs, I would only recommend this title to bullet hell enthusiasts or those hungry for a decent cooperative jaunt.

My stance on Escape from Ever After is clear. The characters, music, and writing are tons of fun and exude plenty of charm. Unfortunately, the gameplay, especially the mushy controls, sharp difficulty spikes, and maddening puzzles, left me feeling cold. So, despite its potential, Escape from Ever After was a middle-of-the-road Paper Mario-style experience for me.

All-in-all, Botanicula is a competent adventure game. What it lacks in story and characters, it does its best to make up for in scenery and puzzle variety. It may be rather short, but it's still an enjoyable experience I recommend to adventure gamers looking for something a little different. If point and click adventures are not usually your thing, or you're only interested in this because of your experience with Machinarium, then I'd definitely advise you to at least wait for a Steam sale.

A decent RPG that could have been great.

Saltsea Chronicles was a bizarre experience for me. I admired the quality of the writing, maturity in language, and world the developers sought to craft, but I was frequently bored and eager for something to happen. I couldn’t even call this game slice-of-life, which one could argue is a genre where nothing ever happens by definition, but at least slice-of-life stories are poignant and heartfelt. Saltsea Chronicles just felt flat to me, but I am certain this game will hit some beautiful notes for folks who are tired of melodrama and intensity.

Although expansive, sometimes beautiful, and occasionally fun, Darksiders II is mediocre at best, a rambling bore of a game and a shoddy sequel. You may have liked the original, and you may enjoy action RPGs, but you've played this game before, and not just once.

If I were to over-simplify and equate most video games to desserts, I'd put them in two camps: you have your rich chocolate mousse slice of cake and the super-sized bag of salty, greasy potato chips. Some games don't have a lot on the plate, but that labored over mousse screams quality. Other games are meant to make you mindlessly go from the top of that bag of chips to the bottom without even realizing it, relying heavily on quantity of good enough content. Borderlands 3 is certainly the latter, and just like eating that bag of chips, I feel awful afterwards, regretting what I'd done.

Ni no Kuni II is still an excellent game. In most respects, I find it superior to the original, with fewer barriers between the player and the game itself. It’s packed with quality-of-life features, cool subsystems, and interesting side content to conquer. Unfortunately, the Switch version is the worst way to experience a fantastic game. For most players, the original will provide the best experience. There’s no new content to speak of here, and the visual setbacks make taking advantage of the Switch’s form factor a dicey prospect. You should absolutely play Ni no Kuni II. But you probably shouldn’t play it on the Switch.

I feel incredibly conflicted about my time with Steins;Gate 0. Its plot raises some really fun questions, and during its very best moments it can be read as an allegory for the overzealous influence of American hegemony on post-war Japan. When it works, Steins;Gate 0 knocks it out of the park. But more often than not, it doesn't work, and is instead content to waste your time with shallow "slice of life" baloney that you've seen a million times before in other visual novels. There is value to be gleaned from Steins;Gate 0, I just wish it wasn't so well hidden.

Probably best reserved for the most diehard fans, but even they should enter with caution.

Fun can definitely be had with Kiwami. I know there are people out there who are going to love roaming the streets of Kamurocho to beat up baddies, stopping to take a break only because they passed by an arcade and want a new prize from the claw machine. Unfortunately, from a mechanical perspective, everything about the game seemed completely shallow. In the end, Yakuza Kiwami felt more like a novelty experience than it did a rewarding one.

I certainly didn’t dislike my time with Old Skies, but I didn’t love it, either. What a wonderful ending that almost made me forget and forgive the longest fifteen hours I’ve experienced in a game recently. The last chapter is absolute chef’s kiss stuff. Somehow, though, a story with a mysterious organization with limitless resources, a thoughtful ruleset, and time manipulation didn’t excite.

I think part of the problem with Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2 is that the first game was so good and all they had to do was copy the same design. Maybe the same people didn't work on this title, but it's offensively difficult with few options. Difficult games are fine; in fact, I celebrate difficult games. Unfortunately, without giving tools or proper agency, CotM2 deserves as much respect as it gave me, the player. Unless you are the most die-hard classic gaming fan, I can't recommend this title. In fact, even then, buyer beware.

I could go on at greater length about NEO: The World Ends with You; it was an emotional rollercoaster for me, to be sure. Normally, I avoid having expectations going into a game so as not to cloud my judgment or set myself up for disappointment. I had reservations going into this because of the trailer. Still, I came out deflated in a huge way. As a fan, I admittedly enjoyed every cameo from the first game, but after the initial glee wore off, I realized that it honestly felt a little disrespectful to the source. Not everyone needs to show up, and if they do, put some meat into the occasion. If I were to point at one thing NEO did wrong, it’d be that it has too many characters and the writers didn’t know how to drill down and focus on quality relationships. That aside, I still don’t understand leaving most of the game a mystery until the very end and then just making up reasons or abilities with no prior justification. Can this game be enjoyed? Certainly. The combat alone will be fun for some, but TWEWY was so much more than its gameplay.

At the end of the day, The Last Story is a decent RPG, but nothing to be excited about. A dull story and uninteresting characters mar a unique combat system and solid gameplay.

A Telltale-esque title set in suburban America that hints at maturity.

Dicey Dungeons certainly offers a unique experience to turn-based, deck-building titles. Unfortunately, the inclusion of dice can both excite and frustrate, as no amount of planning can prepare one for each contingency one might encounter or a poor run of luck. The unique playstyles keep the game fresh, the sheer quantity of items one might accrue add to the customization. If I've got the itch to throw dice, I can see myself dusting off Dicey Dungeons before anything else, but I think my luck's run dry for the time being.

It's better than the original Atelier Rorona, but I'd still rather be playing any other Atelier game.

At the outset, I was raving about Potionomics. I had modest expectations going into this title, given its cartoony aesthetic and cliché plot, but I love fantasy-based shopkeep games like Recettear, so I gave it a go. Again, I could not believe just how complex and deep the varied systems flowed together. Building a deck based on relationships I made was always exciting, just as seeing the interest increase with each sale was. Unfortunately, the bag of tricks emptied halfway through this fifty-hour investment, leaving me eager to exit the whole affair.

Escape Academy is far from a stellar title, but it’s enjoyable if appreciated for what it is. The creators have released a “road map” for future updates and DLC, which is always nice to see. Would-be purchasers may take heart in knowing that there’s more life to be injected if escape room puzzle solving evokes an interest. As for me, I’ll quietly look forward to these updates, but I’m in no way chomping at the bit.

The game manages to do something different fusing rhythm mechanics with turn based battles, but the awkward controls made it difficult to completely enjoy. While the addition of multiplayer, a new character, and a brand new game mode might tempt some toward the console version, the game is clearly best suited to the PC. As all of the upgrades are coming to Steam as well, there's no real reason for existing fans to try out this new port. If you like RPGs, music, and rhythm gameplay, and prefer console or handheld gaming, I'd recommend Theatrythm: Final Fantasy any day.

Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin offers only minor tweaks to serious gameplay issues of the original game. Nonetheless, it still remains a wholly enjoyable online experience, just don't expect much from the singleplayer experience.

Dungeons of Dredmor isn't without problems, but the good humour and addictive gameplay make it an amiable purchase. It might not be to everyone's tastes, and the random generation can be frustrating, but for only a few dollars it's pretty easy to recommend.

Play this if you love the setting and are prepared to sift through repetition for what looks like a diamond. But I’ll warn you now: when you finally dig it up, you’ll realize it’s just a rock. That’s the feeling this game leaves you with. The Outer Worlds 2 is not Obsidian at their best; it might be the worst Obsidian game I’ve ever played. For now, it is a sprawling failure of focus and pacing, a game that is often interesting by accident rather than by design.

It's difficult to know whether to recommend it or not. The core mechanics of the game are all there, and they are fantastic — good enough that if I didn't have to grind the same darn dungeons over and over again just to get enough gold to use my experience points, this would be Editor's Choice stuff. But the design decision to cater to In-App Purchases simply has to be taken into account, and it hurts this game — hurts it badly, in my opinion.

This review may come across as more negative than intended, simply because there’s such a strong baseline to compare it to. No Sleep For Kaname Date has pros than cons for me because I have a preexisting investment in the aspects it carries over the most elegantly from the rest of the series. The cast, puzzles, and humor are undoubtedly its best parts, and the story’s issues are thankfully not so severe as to drag those parts down. I at least recommend it to fans of the series, just with a few asterisks.

Metal Slug Tactics tends to play it safe while simultaneously encouraging players to not play it safe. With few bells and whistles, everything just feels slightly different, rather than a mind-blowing change in gameplay. Even in an old-school SRPG like Shining Force, characters feel starkly different from each other—except the centaurs—though in this title, everything just kinda runs together. It feels like Metal Slug because it looks like Metal Slug, and the sound effects help in that respect, but in no way does this game evoke frenetic joy like its forebears.

Thankfully, with Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name behind us, RGG is set to forge ahead, blending new gameplay and characters with the distinct sense of humor and flair that made Yakuza so popular in the first place. Sadly, if you’re looking for one last enjoyable adventure with Kazuma Kiryu, I suggest playing Yakuza Kiwami 2 again. You’re going to get almost the same experience but with a much better plot, more intriguing characters, bigger stakes, and, most importantly, an awesome cabaret minigame.

A sad but moving piece that will make you think for far longer than the time it takes to experience it.

This is my dilemma with Haven, then: as a chill-out RPG with a beautiful world to explore, it’s a pleasant experience that really helped me relax in the evenings after a rough day. But it has a story, a story with a real threat that is swept aside, and a central couple that, while sweet and believable, never grow beyond their typical “hot-headed girl” and “meticulous research boy” characteristics. Even as I was rebuilding my ship and growing plants, I didn’t feel like I’d gained anything or learnt anything new about the characters. If I were to return to Source, it would be to give my pet lizard Oink a little scratch on the chin, or to see the breeze blow through the grass and experience a brief moment of calm in this currently chaotic world.

The Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story is a harrowing combination of unimaginative, tired game design and stale writing. I hate tearing the game down because I believe the developers worked hard on it, but this is a League of Legends game that is going to attract fans of the Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA). While this $30, 15-hour game feels like 45 hours to complete, that’s $2 per hour of pain. I couldn’t wait for the game to be over, and if I weren’t reviewing it, I would have quit by the fifth hour. I don’t care how much of a League of Legends fan you are, attractive pixel art and decent boss battles aren’t enough to justify this investment.

Lulua is an exceptionally safe Atelier title that feels less like a return to form and more like an achromatic stroll down the rugged cobblestone of memory lane.

I walked away from Yakuza 4 having had a much more fulfilling experience than I did with its immediate predecessor. The new characters revitalized the old "Tojo clan is in trouble" plot, and the different combat styles brought new life to the never-ending street brawls. I do wish that the developers left Kiryu out, as his addition feels unnecessary. Yakuza 4 brings the series ever closer to its modern-day iterations, with enough polish to be playable for newer fans of the series. I look forward to seeing what the last part of the Yakuza Remastered Collection brings us!

Cladun: This is an RPG certainly has novelty, but the novelty is not enough to overcome the game's shortcomings.

If you like that neo-Gothic, dark Victorian setting, contrasting grays and sepia with rich, saturated color, you will likely adore this "psychedelic" game. But given the choice, I would recommend checking out Ashen Hawk before Black Butterfly, as the other title doesn't rely on amnesia to weave a tale.

When I had heard about Crossworlds after sleuthing about on 1C's website, I couldn't wait for September. Now that I've played the game, I'm horrified. Was Armored Princess luck? I'd like not to think so, but if Crossworlds is any indication of the kind of work we can expect from future installments, I'll be dusting my Sega Genesis off for another go at nostalgia.

So would I recommend Starfield? It depends on what you want out of it. If you’re chasing that perfect, seamless space fantasy, the kind where you lose yourself in the stars and never see the boundaries, this won’t get you there. If you’re here for the Bethesda loop, the busywork, the side quests that turn into five more, the slow creep of “one more thing” turning into another hour, this might help pass the time, though there are far better games for it. It barely gives me enough reason to keep going. It almost works, and then it crashes again.

Neither a very good Etrian game nor a very good Mystery Dungeon game.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership has you covered if—and only if—Mario RPG mechanics are your favorite thing and you want the largest mass of them yet. If they aren’t, you’re probably going to struggle to get over the initial five-hour hump before the game truly begins. While I didn’t outright hate most of my time with the game, would I have even seen it through to its conclusion if I weren’t reviewing it, even as a fan of Mario RPGs who wants to see Nintendo make more? Possibly not. Perhaps the best thing to do about Mario & Luigi: Brothership is to hope Nintendo realizes the missteps here and has the resolve to try their hand at the franchise once more instead of abandoning it again.

Despite all my complaints, I initially had fun with Dying Light 2. The first quarter of the game was engaging. I think if the rest of the game played like this, I would have way more positive things to say, but the fact is that it’s just not done. This is clearly an unfinished game mired in mismanagement. I don’t blame the developers at all; the leaders and executives behind this work are responsible. What works here is clean and well done, albeit with some boring AAA niceties. After the first quarter or so, though, the game absolutely falls apart in almost every respect. I’m sad for what was produced here, but if I’m being honest, I’m more sad that I invested nearly thirty hours of my own time into this. Don’t make the same mistake I did.

Opening the time capsule that is Baten Kaitos reveals a hodgepodge of gameplay ideas, story beats, and even visual styles from island to island that reaches for the stars but doesn’t land among the clouds. Instead, it crashes back into the earth with the rest of the mortals. Although it is more fallen angel than god, there are definitely parts that shine, such as Mizuti meeting with her family—but they would have shone even brighter if they weren’t lost amidst the game’s weaknesses.

Despite occasionally feeling dated, Yakuza 3 still offers a fun experience for fans of the series.

Might & Magic Heroes VI's entire experience is driven by repetitious, mechanical tactics; it should be reserved for those with masochistic tendencies. The average gamer should definitely pass this up.

At a final length of about six to eight hours, Penny Arcade Episode 3 is a decent value for the money, as long as you keep your expectations in check.

Magical Eyes isn't the worst visual novel on Steam by far, but there's plenty more out there that are more deserving of your time.

In no way would I ever recommend Hard West 2, but I have to be honest and say that I enjoyed myself. I just wish it didn’t come with a heaping bowl of curses. The developers should swallow their pride and listen intently to their customers, as I am sure I am not alone in my grievances. The team is clearly full of talented people who know how to create a good game, as long as they don’t get in their own way. As for me, I’m in need of some whiskey after this ordeal.

A portable dungeon in your pocket: innocuous, if not particularly inspiring.

While LISA: The Painful attempts to do something unique and bold, it misfires and instead tells a story that works against its own ends, ultimately feeling gratuitous and pointless.

Diehard DQ loyalists and tacticians will enjoy what this game has to offer, but those who want an experience – a game with heart and a story to tell – should spend their hard-earned medals elsewhere.

If you enjoy LucasArts' games, you should definitely play Full Throttle after so many years of not having the option to do so. If you haven't played their games but enjoy the genre in general, I'd still recommend it, as long as you're willing to accept occasional help from the internet when you can't find the right stupid rock to kick.

As it stands, if you’re a FF series completionist like myself, this is easily the version of FFII I’d recommend given what it offers and the fact that it doesn’t potentially overstay its welcome since it doesn’t have the extra dungeons found in other ports, but I can’t say I’ll be replaying Final Fantasy II either.

If your friends are getting it and you like multiplayer, it's worth playing.

For dystopian enthusiasts and those who don’t mind getting lost in repetitive minigames, Mind Scanners may be a suitable distraction. I’m sure some people are going to adore everything about this title, but I simply can’t recommend it for most people. It breaks my heart, because I had been keeping an eye on Mind Scanners for a while and had high hopes. After all, I’m a psychologist who loves stories about grim futures, but the execution here just didn’t make the landing. In fact, I might even need a mind scanner myself after binging this one.

Eldest Souls has a New Game+ mode where the bosses hit harder, players heal for less, and the enemies have significantly more health — as well as new moves — but who wants to go through that? If you’re hungry for a fresh Souls-like experience, this isn’t it. If you’re the type of player who craves a challenge and loves memorizing boss patterns, then this could be for you. Just don’t expect to have meaningful options.

Ultimately, that blend exemplifies the entire experience in Wolfstride. There are good ideas at work with the combat, style, and interesting story twists. But for everything it does right, it does two things wrong. Whether it’s aggravating attempts at comedy, tasks that feel like a chore, or a tone that just can’t decide what it wants to be, there is always something standing between you and the ideal experience. So really, your experience will be defined by how much you can enjoy, or at least tolerate, the worst parts. There’s gold in them thar hills, but you’ll have to dig through a ton of peepoo to get to it.

If not for the grating gameplay and clunky controls, Weird West would be another Devolver classic. I love Devolver’s games, and I was excited for this one. Weird West would be fantastic as a novella, actually–I loved the writing, atmosphere, and unique narrative. Chef’s kiss stuff right here. I’m sure some folks out there will find the gameplay good enough, but even knowing how fascinating the story is, I wouldn’t have put over twenty hours into this game if I knew at the outset what I know now.

Cat Quest II feels like the perfect game for a parent and child to play together. This is likely a growing market, so I applaud the publisher for being on top of this. The game hides enough potentially mature jokes to keep adults chuckling along, while the kiddo may fall in love with the adorable atmosphere. Although never too difficult, Cat Quest II seems to hit the sweet spot of demanding one's attention while never being too frustrating. I think anyone could actually enjoy this game, if one doesn't mind a chill, cozy excursion into the land of meows and ruffs.

If you're looking for a fun time, a happy time, or a smooth ride, this isn't your game. If you're looking for something to chew on and to learn about a person or people you might not be able to truly see in our real world, then Stillness is here. I wish more games tried to communicate these kinds of messages.

Entertaining for what it is, I don’t think Veritus is going to knock anyone over, but it doesn’t have to. The world was built for sevens, and if you want an old-school game that is reasonably fun, that’s what you get here. I love that the team made such an attempt to change up the formula from most games we see, but I wish more of it felt fun or engrossing. Storytelling’s tricky because going through the motions and delivering a ham-fisted story certainly feels tired, but if it lacks clarity, it’s going to be hard for earnest individuals to buy into your world. Still, Veritus charms, and those chasing nostalgia may actually be met with a tight, creative adventure.

A Telltale-esque title set in suburban America that hints at maturity.

Bandle Tale: A League of Legends Story has lovely visuals and some solid ideas, but felt like an overlong rough draft in need of editing before going to print. I needed to call upon all my patience and perseverance to get through Bandle Tale. There were even times when I had to step away from the game for a night or two and return to it with a fresh mind. Spurts of fun were flanked by lengthy stretches that dragged, making playtime feel artificially padded. If Bandle Tale were shorter and more tightly focused, it would have been a more pleasurable experience with fewer lulls and more cohesive storytelling. Bandle Tale may not be perfect, but Bandle City and the Yordles are a wellspring of good multimedia material, so I hope to see more Yordle-centered League of Legends material in the future.

It's not exactly Sticker Star, but the change isn't necessarily for the better. Still, despite its flaws, there is fun to be had here.

As it stands, Rune Factory 3 Special is a welcome addition to the series’ library mainly because it preserves the original and makes it the most accessible it’s ever been. Players interested in replaying the title or who strongly want to play each game in the series in some form can’t go wrong with Rune Factory 3 Special. But anyone not inclined to play them all is much better off with 4 Special, or even 5. Rune Factory 3 Special includes all the basics that make Rune Factory great, but has less content, fewer player options, and fewer quality-of-life features than the current series standard. It’s especially hard to recommend Rune Factory 3 Special over 4 Special when the only area 3 bests 4 in is graphics, yet 3 still retails for $10 more.

Layton Brothers: Mystery Room wants to be a point-and-click adventure game, but since you can never do anything incorrectly, it feels less like an adventure and more like a hidden object game.

Breathtaking graphics, beautiful soundtrack, poignant ending—unfortunately these are not enough to carry a game through to the end. Silence feels like an ambitious project that got cut short, and it's unfortunate considering the exponential room for growth in the game.

Aside from the above-average graphics and music, this game is as run-of-the-mill as it gets. I'm all in favor of seeing more localizations of otome/"girl's side" games, but not if they're mind-numbing swill like Norn9: Var Commons.

An enjoyable experience with a disappointing final act. There's still plenty of potential left, if Season 2 ever comes along.

Overall, I do like Wild Hearts S as a faster and flashier alternative to the games that inspired it. It may not be as newcomer-friendly as Monster Hunter Wilds seems to be, but it’s still a fun time, especially if you’re coming off of that game and looking for something slightly different. It’s a shame that this new Switch 2 version doesn’t offer quite enough to justify the purchase, but if you’re looking for a fun, yet flawed, Monster Hunter clone to play on the go, there’s enough here to scratch that itch.

I really like what Hero Must Die. Again is trying to do. The idea of playing as a character with endgame stats who gradually weakens over time is really interesting, and I think the game as a whole works, but my issue is that it really doesn't do much with that concept. There's no emotional weight to the story, and by the third or fourth playthrough, everything gets very repetitive. I think with a bit more polish, the ideas behind Hero Must Die. Again will make for a great video game, but this initial step just doesn't do enough to excite or interest me.

I don’t think any of the themes really landed, because there were just too many to tackle in a twelve-hour jaunt, and the song selection made the best part of the game a chore to embrace. The Tenzerk have bold, imaginative design, but after learning a Tenzerk, timing notes and falling into a pattern happens too quickly. For its novelty, I can recommend Steel Century Groove, but as a lasting, packaged deal, I am not sure I would suggest anyone grab this.

For those of you with strong attachments to the 80s, Crossing Souls is a sure cure for your nostalgia; for those without, Crossing Souls simply feels like a game that's trying too hard.

What a heart-wrenching disappointment. Dungeon Drafters opens strong, but fails to use what makes it great to create a fun experience for the player. This goes far beyond “git gud.” Dungeon Drafters provides an illusion of choice, and with this many options, that’s borderline cruel. Allowing this amount of customization but requiring players to play a certain way is like hanging a steak out in front of a dog and never letting them eat it.

Those who couldn't get enough of Tokyo Xanadu's combat will no doubt be pleased with the extra content here, especially a robust post-game that takes place during Halloween. Everyone else, however, is better off passing this one up. eX+'s additions are so flimsy and superfluous as to actively detract from the original game, dragging out an already thin premise to another 25 hours.

Slice-of-life games like Little Problems remind us that life’s little mysteries are story-worthy. I liked the brief snapshots of Little Problems’ setting and the characters in it. I just wish Little Problems were a longer game with a more cohesive storyline, a smoother narrative, deeper character development, less repetitive puzzles, and a stronger detective theme. McGurk, this is not. Hopefully, DLC or a sequel will expand on what Little Problems started.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage has a lot going for it—a compelling mystery, a strong cast of characters, and a nostalgic atmosphere that captures the era perfectly. But the technical issues are hard to ignore. From audio glitches to animation bugs, it feels like the game needed more time in the oven. I’m hopeful that Part 2 will smooth out these rough edges, because there is certainly some potential here. It’s just not quite there yet.

Coridden, while lacking polish, also shines like a diamond with its wealth of ideas, theming, and creative setting. Almost better as a proof-of-concept, my intention isn’t to steer the developers away from success, but to highlight that the hard part’s been done: good game design. All that’s needed is some QA. For you, reader, you may enjoy seeing what’s being chewed on here, but don’t go in expecting a crisp experience.

Capcom deserves credit for preserving these games in a complete package. All versions are here, faithfully presented. For longtime fans, that preservation alone may justify the collection. But I cannot, in good conscience, recommend it to newcomers. The games are intact, and with them come all of their limitations. Once, it felt like an ambitious handheld experiment; now it plays like a trilogy stuck between ideas. Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection is an honest time capsule, capturing a series that never found its footing.

A visually appealing but ultimately trite series of references to much better games.

Tokyo Xanadu is a good example of a developer pulling together the best parts of beloved franchises but not quite following through completely. I'd wager that Falcom pulled back a bit on the Persona-inspired mechanics to avoid a 100-hour saga that already struggles with a paper-thin story. As a result, we're left with a thoroughly enjoyable and engaging battle system wrapped in an uninspired package with little originality. To put it plainly, Tokyo Xanadu is a painfully average experience that still manages to be worth your time.

If the updated look and feel gets you to play this classic for the first time, it was a worthwhile endeavor.

The ideas that could have made this a great game are often undermined by the actual clicking feeling subpar.

Despite its terrific combat, The Alliance Alive is far from a spectacular experience. With the 3DS having such a vast catalogue of RPGs to choose from, it's not enough for Alliance to simply be passable. It's hard to truly recommend the game to anyone except those who have already exhausted their options on the system.

What the developer was trying to do here feels on the cusp of something grand. If different design decisions were made or the dialogue was fleshed out more – if the presentation was more powerful and aligned with the setting – then this could have easily been a positive commentary. Unfortunately, that's not what we got. The tragedy of the colony and its talented inhabitants could have been a story worth telling, but like the colonists that remain on the desolate planet, it's better left undiscovered.

At the end of the day, Neversong is a game that lacks in creativity as much as it does in execution. Its incredibly short runtime clashes with the themes and emotions it tries to convey in its story, while the minimal gameplay and easy puzzles make for a decidedly unsatisfying gaming experience. With neither gameplay nor story fully covered, the end result is a game that can’t quite decide if it wants to be a point-and-click adventure or a puzzle-platformer, and quite frankly, it doesn’t try very hard to make you want to find out.