A sizable new adventure for Aloy in a frozen wilderness that gives Horizon fans more of what they love.

My immediate thought after playing Fighting Fantasy Legends is that I'd rather reread/replay my old, if dusty, Fighting Fantasy gamebooks. The books had haunting text and astonishing artwork that were captured beautifully in inkle's Sorcery! video games, but were sorely lacking in Fighting Fantasy Legends. This is largely because Fighting Fantasy Legends' repetitive and luck-dependent board game format made me feel completely disconnected from the adventure and did not engross me the way that Sorcery!'s "visual novel with RPG elements" format did. Fighting Fantasy Legends' menu option to increase font sizes pleased me and leveling up my dice was nifty, but I still found the game a disappointing waste of my time.

Golf Story is well worth the addition to every Switch owner's library. Its zany cast, easy-to-grasp gameplay, and wonderful art design make for an incredibly rewarding experience.

Monster Hunter Stories is a Monster Hunter game distilled down to a more simple level, but still retains what makes the games fun.

We're approaching our journey's end with Telltale's GotG series, and the stakes are higher than ever for the Guardians. Player choices bring with them increasingly severe repercussions, and relationships affected by them have strained to the point of breaking. If Episode Three was GotG's low point, Episode Four swoops in to resuscitate and revitalize the series as an entry I personally found the best of the bunch. Let's hope that Telltale comes through on a season finale stacked with great potential.

An honest insight into the tragedy of loss and growth in youth. I'm torn, because I want so much more of Chloe and Rachel — what a beautiful duo — but I know that all good things must end — some sooner than others. This one, as we all know, will be coming to an end too soon. I'm just not sure I'm emotionally ready for it.

Nights of Azure 2 was the chance to improve on its predecessors potential, but it completely drops the ball.

Path of Fire is a much better expansion than Heart of Thorns, and the best part about it is it will only set you back $30. The Guild Wars 2 base game is already free to play, and if you want both expansions, you can get them combined for $50. You are essentially getting years worth of content for the price of one game. If you have already played Guild Wars 2 before but have left for one reason or another and are on the fence about returning, I could not recommend a better time to come back. The Guild Wars 2 of 2017 is a very different game then you probably remember, and that's a good thing. Change in MMOs keeps them fresh and fun for years to come, and Guild Wars 2 embraces this better than any other MMO on the market. Praise Joko!

It was difficult for me to give a proper overall score for the game. Despite my many criticisms of the game, Fragments of Him definitely succeeded in leaving a lasting impression. At its core, Fragments of Him is a hopeful reminder that death and existence are not mutually exclusive — the fragments we leave behind transcend the border between worlds.

An excellent follow-up to 2014's The Stick of Truth, but with some positive gameplay changes and less consistent storytelling.

Although the porting issues affect the experience enough to bog it down a bit, they're not so extreme as to ruin it. PoE is that rare game where each of its components, from the story and writing to the audiovisual aesthetics, are individually exceptional yet manage to combine into something greater still. It presents a level of immersion that leaves a lasting impression, and you owe it to yourself to experience it firsthand.

A challenging yet accessible dungeon crawler that rewards thoughtful party construction and thorough exploration.

Bad Apple Wars' lean tale of passionate teenage love in purgatory is, in a word, fine. But fine doesn't leave a lasting impression.

Blue Reflection's combination of suggestive imagery with childish, performative femininity makes it difficult to ascertain just who its audience is meant to be; it reads like a game about women by someone who's never spoken to a woman before. In short, it's boring, unambitious, and in a year filled with outstanding RPGs, your time is best spent elsewhere.

In case I haven't said it enough already, the PC port of Trails of Cold Steel is quite simply the best version of the game you can get at the moment. It's also an excellent port on its own that brings many improvements and scales well between a dedicated gaming rig at max settings and an ultraportable laptop squeaking by on low. If you're a fan of the series, this is a no-brainer. If you've never played a Trails game before, this is an excellent place to start.

Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth is a beautiful conclusion to a 14-year long narrative. While it still has its flaws, it is a journey worth seeing through to the end.

With tons of difficulty options and a wonderful mod community, XCOM 2 War of the Chosen is the perfect game for just about any ambitious armchair general. You can tough it out in a super calculated ironman campaign on legendary or, should you choose, tone down the difficulty a bit and save scum as you learn the ebb and flow of war. XCOM 2 may have gotten off to a rough start back in 2016, but between Firaxis' dedication and this amazing expansion we now have one of the best strategy RPGs around.

Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony is a wild ride which will leave you feeling both hope and despair, and that's exactly what I was looking for

Whether you liked Muv-Luv or not, if you're a fan of visual novels you owe it to yourself to experience this absolute genre-defining crown jewel of a story.

Ubisoft treated this game with the respect that a franchise like Mario deserves. So while control issues plague what might have been an absolutely amazing experience, this is still a game that Switch owners should really consider picking up. This is not the game we asked for, but a game that more than deserves to exist.

That pervasive feeling of emptiness more or less encapsulates Egglia in a nutshell — er, eggshell. Lovely art and localization aside, it just feels like there isn't much game here. I have an aversion to mobile games precisely because so many are built around waiting for things to happen (or worse, paying money to make them happen faster). I hoped Egglia, backed by an experienced team of talented creators, might buck that trend. It doesn't. I was right to be wary.

I've got some hang-ups with Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana, but ultimately it's a beautiful and exhilarating little game that's worth your time. Falcom has managed to craft a lovely series out of excellent combat, endearing characters, and snippets of story; that formula has worked well in the past, but some of the risks haven't paid off in this entry. The Vita version is sadly missing all of the PS4 and PC additions, such as the extra forms for Dana, but what you do get is a beautiful adventure in the palm of your hands. Everyone should try at least one Ys game, and this is yet another entry in the series I recommend — just expect something a bit different this time.

I really couldn't be happier with what we've been given. Deck Nine gets Life is Strange, but more than that, it capitalizes on the material to make it even better. By the end of this first episode, I was not only awe-struck, but a little misty. Completely blown away by the sheer quantity (four hours!) and quality of this first episode, I absolutely cannot wait for the next two installments in this three-episode series. I may know what's going to happen, but it's all about the details. This is more than a love letter — it's a brewing tempest of adolescent insight.

Despite my issues with the game, I did ultimately enjoy Cat Quest. Its brevity actually works in its favor, making the issues outlined above feel less egregious than they would if the game were longer. I still wish the story wasn't quite so bland and the gameplay wasn't as repetitive, but I also find myself wanting to jump back in to finish the handful of side quests I have left, so the game definitely does something right. If you just want to kill monsters as an adorable cat and experience as many cat puns as possible, Cat Quest may be the game for you!

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.

If I had to come up with an example of a simply good visual novel, Symphonic Rain would be it. While its dabbling in the rhythm game sections does it more harm than good, it takes just enough risks and twists in its writing to keep you engaged throughout the five-to-seven odd hours it takes to finish a route. Symphonic Rain hits a little too close to the monotony of life at times with its gameplay, but the great quality of the writing certainly makes it a visual novel worth checking out.

Visual novel fans have enjoyed a feast of quality titles this year, but The Last Birdling needs to be on your list of games to try. I have not been this emotionally affected by a game in years and cannot express how powerful the storytelling was to me. If my review doesn't convince you to check this game out, there is an available demo on the InvertMouse website you can sample. Truth be told, playing the demo months ago is what sold me on this game. As soon as the demo ended on its tense cliffhanger, I simply had to know what happens next. I had a feeling the full version would be a good game, but did not expect it to be something this special.

I admit my expectations were perhaps a little high for Ys VIII, particularly because I'm such a fan of this series and this developer. Its weak writing is a grievous misstep, one that stunts the emotional impact of its narrative and characterization by imparting a generic, been-there-done-that tone that is uncharacteristically underwhelming for this series. Those frustrations are mitigated by the joy of discovery, in combing Seiren Isle's nooks and crannies for gorgeous vistas and missing castaways; it's when the action grinds to a halt in service of tedious dialogue that I feel my most keen frustration with Ys VIII.

I was happy to have the chance to revisit Ys SEVEN with fresh eyes. Falcom and XSEED have pulled off an excellent port that runs like a dream even on my (far-)below spec laptop. As far as Ys titles available on PC, we're spoiled for choice, and this is an especially fine one to revisit.

Although the latest episode doesn't pull the series down in any significant way, there's been little to no improvement in GotG's gameplay, and it has become clear that this is of no concern to Telltale. Beyond the inclusion of what appears to be a critical plot point and player decision, More Than a Feeling displays all the symptoms of a mid-series lull. Poor pacing, lack of interactivity, and only the slightest advancement of the overarching story lead to the least impressive installment of the series to date.

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.

If I were to offer a film critic style soundbite, I would say that Collar X Malice is a slick, stylish, and sexy thriller. The story and characters held my interest and the sense of danger kept me on the edge of my seat. It had its tropey "because anime" moments, but no more so than your garden variety summer blockbuster. If you enjoy visual novels, definitely check out Collar X Malice.

What I'd forgotten since first experiencing the game back in 2015 was that Undertale is more than just internet jokes, amazing music, and crazy boss battles — it's a heartwarming, beautiful, and tearful romp. I said at the beginning there was nothing like Undertale at the time, and there still is nothing else like it. It's hard to explain what makes Undertale so special without spoiling a lot of it, but all you need to know is that this is a modern classic at its most accessible, and it's worthy of your time, whether you're new to the game or returning for another adventure. This review should fill you with determination to play Undertale.

Though short, Tacoma is a great narrative adventure, especially for fans of sci-fi.

This is your starter's RPG, a taste for anyone who is unfamiliar with the genre. For those that are familiar, this is a very standard RPG that is neither good nor bad.

Much like vanilla ice cream, MidBoss suffers from a severe case of creative bankruptcy. From its aesthetics that seem like straight asset rips, to its extremely shallow gameplay that tries to impress with numbers only, the final product is a meager roguelike that desperately clings onto a single gimmick to stand out from the rest of the crowd. While that might make for a passable game that you can kill time with every now and then, it doesn't make for a very memorable one that you'll think about playing again just for old time's sake. With this in mind, unless you're a diehard fan of roguelikes, you can safely keep MidBoss out of your Steam library.

By sanitizing the romantic aspects inherent to queer dating, Dream Daddy succeeds in being a feel-good story but not a feel-good story, if you catch my drift. It is, at the very least, wonderfully inclusive, with avatar customization options that allow for significant flexibility in defining your dad's identity. The entirely hunky cast of supporting dads is also quite diverse, though some of their sound bites are unusually low-quality and compressed. Maybe that's something the developers can address down the line. As it stands, Dream Daddy is still a worthwhile endeavor thanks to the quality of its moment-to-moment writing. It's just a shame the romance feels so sterile.

As a visual (kinetic) novel, Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception is quite good. It does take a long time to start, but once the story gets going, it is quite compelling. The music is fantastic, the voice acting is good, there’s a fun cast of characters, and the visuals are there. Unfortunately, as a game, it doesn’t do nearly as well. The tactical RPG part of the game lacks complexity and difficulty. The game doesn’t properly explain how the battle system works, and you will be left to fend for yourself to learn how to properly fight. If you can get over the 20 hour hump for the story to pick up, and can sit through the uninspired fights, then you can enjoy a story full of political intrigue that makes you realize how much you actually care for the characters and what they go through. However, if you are an impatient soul, and/or would prefer your games with good gameplay, stay far away. In short, this is a good visual novel, but a mediocre game.

I enjoyed my time with Pyre; I'm glad I played it. The world inspires thought and curiosity, and I'm left with something to mentally chew on for a while. I already miss my new friends. Due to the "check box" nature of getting to know characters and building relationships, I have considered giving it another go with vastly different decisions, but I think I got what I needed out of this. I also wish the history wasn't delivered through chronologically discordant segments of text. Initially, the game feels like a lore dump and there's a lot to know if you want to dive in. I had difficulty wrapping my head around the world's history, and it seemed relevant. The sports matches are fun, but lack the depth or intensity I think the developers were trying to accomplish. I could easily see this being the type of game some people will adore and obsess over, while others will struggle to finish.

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.

Accel World VS Sword Art Online is a fun game that will provide enjoyment for established fans of Accel World and Sword Art Online, and they're the only ones I would recommend this game to. The interesting controls and varied battle mechanics make for dynamic boss battles, but exploration is ponderous, keeping the vast number of characters adequately leveled is a chore, and following the plot is wholly dependent on prior knowledge of both series. Still, I have to give credit to the game for having some well thought-out aspects to it, saving it from being a complete throwaway as games based on popular licenses are wont to be.

This is more than just the original with a facelift; this is truly a different experience. Even if you didn't take to the initial release, the inclusion of the job system and overall enhancements warrant you giving this game a second chance. Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is more than just a fun game; it's an achievement for the RPG genre as a whole.

With a great amount of variety and choice, Last Dream: World Unknown is an RPG Maker game that deserves to be celebrated. The game is here to remind us that old school RPGs can still be fun, but it also brings back memories that we don't always want to admit — that some parts are best left in the past. Regardless, if you love the NES and early SNES days of turn-based combat, I highly recommend this game. Otherwise, the archaic dungeons, awkward world map navigation, and the basic plot might put you off.

Stardew Valley is without a doubt the best game in the Harvest Moon genre in many years. It has a subtle message about what it means to live a good life and to flourish through a combination of hard work and human connection. The Harvest Moon games all basically boil down to managing a mix of time, tasks, and metrics, and recent entries in the series have relied heavily on exploiting a new gameplay gimmick with each iteration: in one it's crafting structures for the town, in another it's trading with foreign economies. The problem with this approach is that once these gimmicks are exhausted — all the houses built or all the goods traded — the games feel hollow. Stardew Valley succeeds by delivering a robust experience that does not merely rely on watching a meter go up. It has something to say and says it well, while never abandoning the core gameplay that attracted players in the first place.

Echoes of the Fey: The Fox's Trail is a cool little game with lush graphics, composed sound design, and intriguing characters. Although I would have liked more insight into some of the characters and their backstories, I suppose that is what the supplemental materials are there for. I plan to check those out while waiting for the next episode, because it looks like a whole new heap of trouble will land on Sofya's doorstep.

Ever Oasis is a competent blend of simulation and action RPG that revels in its celebration of nature's bounty.

In ways both positive and negative, Under Pressure is more of the same for Telltale's Guardians of the Galaxy. The relationship-focused decision trees continue to be interesting yet opaque, while the interactive aspects leave much to be desired in terms of quality and player engagement. I've knocked down the gameplay score (and thus the overall score) a tad to reflect both its stagnation and lack of creativity, but there's still room and time for improvement.

I spent a lot of time comparing Telltale's interpretation of GotG to its MCU forebears with good reason. The two are inextricably linked for most fans, and Telltale has done a fantastic job of using that to their advantage in the game's design and presentation. It captures all of the charm of the movies while allowing enough wiggle room to chart its own path. There's certainly room for improvement, but Tangled Up in Blue is a promising start for Telltale's latest adventure.

Overall, Echoes of Aetheria is enjoyable but rarely engrossing. Combat can become rather tedious once the player figures out an optimal strategy, and the story is just not the underdog epic to which it aspires. However, the characters will keep many players coming back for more, just to see how everything plays out for them. This is essentially the perfect game for a night in while binge watching your favorite Netflix series. Not every game needs to be Persona 5; sometimes it is enough to do a few things really well and deliver a couple dozen hours of solid gameplay. That is what Echoes of Aetheria has to offer.

Being a budget eShop title, Knights of Justice clocks in between 3-6 hours, but I'd had more than enough of it long before I completed its (incredibly frustrating) final battle. And that's a shame: I adore River City's cartoonish sprites and unique action RPG spin on the beat 'em up genre, and I genuinely enjoyed much of Knights of Justice's combat when I wasn't battling its inventory system or making up for lost time from unfair deaths. What could've been a breezy send-up is instead hampered by multiple terrible systems. Skip this one and wait for River City: Rival Showdown instead.

RPG Maker Fes got on my nerves at times, but I was still completely enamored by it. The touch screen controls work perfectly and the game even has a predictive keyboard to help as you're typing up dialogue. Between being able to make your RPG in chunks on the go and having such a wonderfully user-friendly UI, Fes makes the creation process easy—it's the process of executing these creations that it doesn't make simple. If you're prepared to dedicate yourself to your RPG and have the patience to learn Fes's intimidating mechanics, you'll find that it's a fun piece of software that will help you bring your creations to life.

Rakuen is the kind of game that makes me want to be a better person. It reminds us that we are all part of a community in some form, and each person in that community has their tale to tell, challenges they struggle to overcome, and a need for some form of companionship. Deeply human, Rakuen visits all sorts of worlds that give insight into what it means to be alive, face loss, and take advantage of the now. I won't soon forget the gift Shigihara has given us, and I have enough here to think about and reflect on for years to come. Thank you.

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is a worthy entry to the series, and it helps bring attention to one of the series’ oft-forgotten games. It might not have the impact of its two 3DS predecessors because its old Famicom roots still show through, but this is still a Fire Emblem game worthy of your time, especially if you want a glimpse into the history of the series. This is an old-school Fire Emblem, for better and worse, but mostly for the better.

Bugs aside, I had a killer time with 2064. Although series like Phoenix Wright and Danganronpa have successfully reinvented the Japanese-style adventure game for the 21st century, there's a certain allure to the mysterious world of menu-driven microcomputer adventures of decades past. 2064 not only successfully simulates that feeling, it welcomes players of all backgrounds and orientations with open arms. 2064's future is one that belongs to all of us.

Ultimately, to say that I didn't enjoy The Caligula Effect would be an understatement. I actively disliked this game the longer I played it. Its uninteresting cast, repetitive music, poor dungeon design, and tedious battle system created an experience that I sincerely detested. There's no doubt that some will enjoy the game, but I doubt most will. The Caligula Effect may not be unplayable, but that doesn't mean that it should be played. The dozens and dozens of hours that I sunk into the game weren't enjoyable at all. After reading this review, you may fall victim to the titular Caligula Effect and want to see just how bad it is for yourself—just don't say that I didn't warn you.

The Surge doesn't always fight fair and sometimes betrays the very best parts of what it's trying to do, but I can't deny how much fun it was when I really got into the groove and found myself tearing off limbs left and right. In his best moments, Warren hits hard and the enemies make you feel that power in a satisfying way. Regrettably, there's little reason to come back to the game once the final boss falls. You get the standard New Game+ mode, but with no multiplayer and only further upgrades to find, it really comes down to how long you enjoy the combat before it becomes dull. I finished The Surge in about fifteen hours, and that proved to be enough slicing and dicing for me. This is a solid step forward for Deck13, and I hope they continue this upward trend in the future.

The close left me wondering just how differently all of my actions could have guided the direction of the episode and finale.

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.

Thimbleweed Park isn't perfect, but it hits all the right nostalgic chords. Though, at times, the humor can be crude and a little too fourth wall breaking for my taste, the game achieves everything it set out to do and more. Filled with plenty of jokes and more references than I can wrap my head around, Thimbleweed Park is an enjoyable trip to the past that I've been looking for. It's not a short romp either, as you're probably looking at 10 or more hours of play. I hope Mr. Gilbert and company don't stop here, and continue to bring us more adventures in the future.

Disgaea 5 Complete shines on Nintendo's new console by virtue of its convenient features and sheer volume of content. Its bright and colorful presentation pops on the Switch, opening a window to its nigh-infinite depth. Even in an unusually heavy season of strategy RPG releases, it's still worth picking up, though Disgaea 5 veterans won't find much new in this re-release. As a lapsed fan of the series, I'm glad I had the opportunity to reconnect with its off-the-wall gameplay, but I'm even more glad that there's an option to skip its blithering story segments.

While the 16-bit-RPG-throwback genre is certainly not lacking for participants, Cosmic Star Heroine stands near the head of the class in terms of accurately capturing the audiovisual essence of the era. It falls short on invoking the character and captivating allure of the worlds imagined by the forebearers it aims to honor, however. It's a solid game in its own right, but going in understanding it's more homage than classic will temper expectations and enable you to appreciate it for what it is rather than what it is not. After all, even the best cover bands aren't able to completely emulate the enduring magic of their source material.

Prey is satisfying for anyone looking for a deeply immersive gaming experience, and it might just make you think a bit more than the surface-level tension would lead you to believe. Prey is not only smart enough to let you figure out how to get into a locked room, but it also lets you decide what the point of that locked room is. That may frustrate some, but Prey is a very special game with guts to treat you like an intelligent human being.

I loved Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds. I already adored the game's previous iteration as Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom on the PSP in 2012, but Kyoto Winds brings it to the next level. I simply cannot say no to a hard-boiled, politically charged epic with visceral and bloody katana-wielding action, along with romances that feel robust, deep, and meaningful. Hakuoki: Kyoto Winds is my benchmark by which all otome games shall be judged and I recommend that you leave any and all pretenses behind and give this game a look.

Trails in the Sky the 3rd is one for the fans; it's for those of us who are in deep, who devour every morsel of lore and character development because we can't get enough of this world. It's also notably inaccessible, requiring easily upwards of 100 hours of investment in previous titles to fully appreciate. But isn't worrying about that sort of missing the point? The 3rd is a heartfelt goodbye to a trilogy that has become dear to my heart, and I am deeply grateful that more adventures exist in this world, because I don't know if I'll ever be ready for the Trails magic to end.

Persona 5 is not nearly as subversive nor as smart as it wishes it was, but it's stylish as hell and a gripping ride. Worth the wait, and worth your time.

Star Story: The Horizon Escape possesses an indescribable "cool factor," but I didn't love it as much as I wanted to. I felt like the variety of gameplay styles and creative ideas should have kept progression fresh, but instead the game was a more casually paced affair that I couldn't play for more than 5-7 minutes at a time. Perhaps it's just my personal taste, but when I'm playing a graphic adventure, I want to be engrossed to play a marathon session like I'd be engrossed in a book that keeps me up past my bedtime because it's such an incredible page-turner; unfortunately, the thin narrative of this game lacked the punch to keep me coming back for more. Star Story: The Horizon Escape is not a bad little game and it has some good ideas, but I want to see Evil Corporation's future projects take this game's concepts to the next level.

We should be enjoying multiple hour episodes capable of sustaining our attention, marrying a few possible paths. After earning our trust and business, I was hopeful Telltale would move on to legendary kinds of storytelling catered to player choices and capable of handling several outcomes. Unfortunately, Episode 4 feels like we're being coasted along.

Dragon Quest Heroes II is one of the most flexible Warriors games on the market, full of nods to its dual lineage for better and for worse.

In the end, The Silver Case oozes style yet completely fails to deliver in substance. It has the bones of an interesting story with an intriguing setting that's never fully explored, but it trips over itself through disjointed narrative that is more tell than show. It may be tempting to attribute this to some deliberate attempt at abstract absurdism, but in truth it's simply a poorly written and executed script. Fans of Suda51 may very well find something to love in The Silver Case's erratic weirdness, but those with a passing interest or who are in search of an engaging visual novel would be better served looking elsewhere.

I must say, I enjoyed MajorMinor far more than I thought I would. The game is an undoubtedly acquired taste and I can see some players potentially getting turned off before even completing the first couple of chapters. The game's pacing is deliberate and characters aren't immediately likable, but if you can get past that, the game definitely opens up and blooms. For those who have enough open-mindedness, patience, and suspension of disbelief to give MajorMinor a chance, hopefully the game will grow on you as it did on me.

What French developer Enigami has managed to achieve with Shiness is admirable considering its humble beginnings. It's clear that a lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into making this adventure a reality. It's also clear that the developers fell victim to the same bogeymen that typically hinder most ambitious indie projects: time and money. Albeit flawed, Shiness is an indie gem that doesn't quite live up to its potential, yet still puts many big budget games to shame.

Battle Brothers knows what it is and doesn't try to be more than it should be, and that makes it so much better than other titles that strive for an epic or storied feel. What's accomplished here is a solid, honest package of thrills and strategic depth, though not oppressively so. In truth, the world can get monotonous and drags at times, but I also found myself losing track of time on several occasions as I told myself, "Just one more job." I dabbled in Veteran a bit before writing this review and couldn't get back into it — I just couldn't find the heart to jump right back in after I had developed such an incredible group of fighters who I got to know by name. One day I will likely pick the banner back up and I may just fall on the battlefield twenty hours in. And that's okay.

Indecision and hasty writing is what ultimately brings down Angels with Scaly Wings. Although the game starts off promisingly enough, the quality of its opening is definitely not reflected in the rest of the writing, least of all the romance scenes, which mars the overall journey despite the very interactive nature of the story. The novelty of a setting can only carry a story so far, and without a solid cast of characters or a well-developed plot, Angels with Scaly Wings is, unfortunately, quite a mundane experience.

Ys Origin is a great place to start if you're new to the series like I am. It offers some replayability and the chance to explore the world of Ys, tempting you to delve into the rest of the series. If you already own the PC version, there's not really any reason to pick up this port, as there are hardly any changes. However, I can safely say this is the perfect time to get into Ys; with Ys VIII releasing sometime this year, and the easy accessibility of the rest of the series both on Steam and PSN, you'd be doing yourself a disservice passing up this solid series.

This episode flew by at the swiftness of a baseball bat or bullet. While I hesitate to say that this was worth the wait because I do not want to encourage Telltale's practice of delayed releases, the fact of the matter is that I love this new season as much as I have seasons 1 and 2, albeit in slightly different ways. The series has matured nicely alongside Clementine — I just wish Telltale's release schedule would do the same.

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

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

A new direction for the franchise that is as brilliantly successful as it is bold, Breath of the Wild raises the bar for a series that has already set a phenomenally high standard.

Lieve Oma won't be for everyone. Not a lot happens over its short duration, but not a lot needs to. It's a brief, relaxing moment in time for our protagonist, and ostensibly it is meant to be the same to the player. In that sense, Lieve Oma is a successful experience, and one that made me fondly remember the time I spent with my own grandmother.

Mass Effect: Andromeda presents plenty of great ideas, but these tend to be either aped too closely from its predecessors or buried under issues that are surmountable, yet frustrating all the same. It excels most keenly at crafting environments that drip with atmosphere, suffused with rich color and ambient, spacey sound. Though this new setting lacks the depth and texture of BioWare's Milky Way, would-be explorers and romantics will find their odyssey to Andromeda sufficiently enjoyable.

Even though it's not without its issues, Horizon is an excellent title and a must have for all PS4 owners. It offers a refreshing open world environment, a compelling and mysterious story, a fantastic main character, and innovative gameplay. Not only is it one of the best action RPGs I've played in a while, it's also one of the best games I've played in a while. Even now, after the credits have rolled, I'm still having a great time trying to fully complete the game. Horizon is a truly special experience, and it's one that even non-RPG lovers need to have.

Torment is a niche title for those who want to left click between pages of a book.

Dragon Quest VIII is a JRPG-lover's JRPG that holds up fantastically more than a decade after its original release on the PlayStation 2. It may do nothing to change your mind if you're not a fan of the genre's tried and true formula, but every JRPG fan owes it to themselves to check out this classic.

Shadows of Adam is clearly inspired by the classics but falls short of being a classic itself. The lovely gameplay, with its exceptional balance and enjoyable exploration, kept me engaged, despite the flaccid story and characters.

The clumsiest Atelier title since Rorona, Atelier Firis lacks the heart, soul, and polish of its predecessors.

I'd been looking forward to Night in the Woods since its announcement and crowdfunding campaign way back in 2013, and I still ended up being surprised at just how much it affected me. It's a bittersweet tribute to slackerdom: a tale of existential crisis and failure, and the odd sense of comfort that failure may result in. Even when your world is crumbling, there's solace in family taco night or the predictable evening talk show hosts, who spout the same catchphrases night after night. We've all had our own personal nights in the woods, but in the words of Possum Springs' welcome sign, "You're not lost, you're here."

It has all but perfected the farming mechanics, and its cast is colorful and cheerful; but ultimately, there's not enough innovation to make it stand out against recent entries in the series.

NieR: Automata is everything I could have wanted from a sequel to NieR, to the point that I almost feel spoiled here. It keeps the same off-the-wall plot and well-written characters from the original while discarding the clunky combat and movement for a system that has the sheen of any one of Platinum's greatest titles. It really is the best of both worlds. If you've been a fan of NieR since day one, but have been burnt by its clumsiness before, you're in for a fantastic treat. And if you're new to the craziness that is a Yoko Taro game, know that this is the absolute best time to jump in.

A dense and impenetrable creature-management simulation that relishes in gut-punching the player every time they make progress.

Fire Emblem Heroes succeeds by relying on tried and tested formulas, but it's held back by the money-hungry nature of its underlying mechanics.

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.

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.

Nioh may not be the instant classic many were hoping for, but it's a far better game than I was expecting and easily my favorite Team Ninja game to date.

With the best story since Abyss and the best cast of characters since Vesperia, Tales of Berseria is the best entry in Bandai Namco's flagship franchise for years.

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.

Final Chapter Prologue is a great game for series veterans, but it's severely lacking in content compared to previous collections.

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.

A technically inferior version of the original Atelier Shallie, but its narrative additions are worth seeking out for hardcore fans.