Do yourself a favor and wait until this game hits a major price drop. Honestly, I've never felt so let down by a Kingdom Hearts game. As fans of the series, we all deserve better than this.

Let this game serve as a warning to Square Enix: we don't want an RTS for the Mana series. And even if we did, we would only want it if the game wasn't broken from start to finish.

Satirical humor, thematic citizens, neat puzzles.

Overall, Ever Crisis is an easy recommendation for fans of Final Fantasy VII — in any form — if you go into it knowing what to expect with its mobile caveats. So long as you aren’t vulnerable to excessive spending to your detriment, it brings three Final Fantasy VII IPs to modern audiences while giving them a consistent aesthetic that helps them all feel truly connected. Applibot’s other Square Enix mobile project, NieR Re[in]carnation, has been running for over two years now, so that helps establish some faith that Ever Crisis won’t close down when we blink. Games like this are best enjoyed as a slow grind over a long period of time — months and even years — so bear this in mind when deciding how much you want to commit to it. Enjoy the game for what it is, progression walls ‘n’ all, and perhaps come back to it every few months to see what’s new.

There’s nothing wrong with developing the game you want and knowing what you have while hiding the limitations. Empyreal is all about the combat and loot, and it shows in the solid combat and in tinkering with your loadout. That’s clearly where the effort went. If this game is trying to be part Destiny and part Souls-like with a nod to old-school games, then it doesn’t fail, but it doesn’t succeed either. The only problem with eschewing story and other elements is that it comes off as cold and bland. I think those who dig the combat will love Empyreal, but others who want more out of their experience may find it less than sublime.

Too Human is repetitive, unbalanced, and frustrating, made complete with an uninteresting story.

Ultimately, The Caligula Effect 2 is not a game for everyone. This is something the developers are keenly aware of. It’s not a flashy, high-budget, big-name, auteur-laden, AAA RPG that’s gone through the gauntlet of playtesters and focus groups. It’s a scrappy, low-budget underdog that’s full of heart and empathy, and it has a message to share. Though the game is a sequel, those interested can certainly start with this version, as its predecessor is vaguely recapped. For the few like myself who enjoyed the original game despite its numerous flaws, this follow-up is a dramatic glow up that deserves to be played. It is easily one of my favorite games this year.

Best Month Ever! has an important, unique story to tell that charts the course of a dying mother and her beautiful young boy. Like the road trip itself, however, bumps occur along the way that detract from the experience. While checkered with flaws, the story hits home and meets a satisfying, albeit sad, conclusion. Some folks won’t be able to see past the jankiness, while others will appreciate the experience for what it is.

Dragon Quest Swords was originally intended to be a launch game for the Nintendo Wii system and it definitely shows.

Another nail in the coffin of the Seiken Densetsu series.

Heroland has charming character art, hilarious dialogue, and a unique premise. Unfortunately, its style can't make up for its repetitive, monotonous gameplay and unwieldy length.

Great mysteries are hard to write, and there are many more failures in the genre than there are successes. Despite some stumbles in the final chapter, I still consider The Raven to be a success.

I doubt I will look back on Sorcery Saga: Curse Of The Great Curry God fondly, if I remember it at all. If you cornered me and forced me to give it a compliment, the best I could come up with is that it is mercifully short.

Based on what The Teal Mask does well, it should have been a great piece of DLC expansion. Unfortunately, it is unsurprisingly held back by the same issues that detracted from the base game. While The Teal Mask certainly manages to provide more of what made Scarlet & Violet fun, it also includes more of what held it back from greatness, resulting in an experience whose enjoyment is even more fleeting than the base game’s. The Teal Mask’s story cliffhanger has got me looking forward to The Indigo Disc, but the gameplay leaves me anticipating it in a less positive way.

I know that while I definitely enjoyed this game, it was difficult to work within the time constraints. There was more I wanted to enjoy, but I wouldn't be able to; not without repeating a lot of the same stuff in a second or third play through the game.

If you’re just here for the gameplay, then you’ll get a lot out of Torchlight III. But the balance is askew if you’re wanting a substantial story and cast to support the wending journey from point A to B with no deviations in between. Perhaps future updates will refine the weaker points in the game, but at the moment, Torchlight III is far from the definitive entry in the series.

Biomotor Unitron does a more than admirable job of living up to my childhood dreams. The game is pure fun, unique in the face of its inspirations, easy on the eyes, and surprisingly snappy. After finishing the game, despite accomplishing everything and developing every part I could, I immediately started a new game with a different character. This was partially to check out the other Unitron designs, but mostly because I had such a good time. Biomotor Unitron might seem daunting at first, but keep in mind the port is packaged with a virtual manual that is useful for deciphering its intricacies. If any part of this game draws your curiosity, I highly recommend giving it a shot. At its low price point, you are unlikely to be disappointed.

As much as I wanted to love Syberia, I was never fully grabbed and, in fact, was repelled by its straightforward and slow puzzles and the story that goes nowhere (and not even fast, at that!). If Amerzone was pure pulpy fun, Syberia is one of those disappointing magazines with an amazing cover illustration.

When all is said and done, your satisfaction with the DS version of MUA 2 will rely in large measure on what you expect going in. The game is relatively short, but you're supposed to play it more than once.

The mystery of what FFXIII holds is far more pleasing than the experience itself.

There is the seed of an interesting, enjoyable, funny, and simple SRPG in Grotesque Tactics: Evil Heroes, but it's buried in fertilizer.

If you must eat, you can eat a Big Mac. And if you must play a traditional RPG, you can play Galaxy of Pen and Paper. In both cases you are also likely to get your money's worth. What you are less likely to get is something truly memorable.

If you happen to fit into that selective pool of gamers who played the original Collar X Malice and liked it, you’ll undoubtedly find something to enjoy here! Collar X Malice -Unlimited- is probably my favorite experience with an otome fandisc thus far. Despite some of its noticeable hiccups, I can’t recommend Collar X Malice -Unlimited- enough for players who enjoyed the original title.

Though the beautiful anime-style art may entice fans of traditional JRPGs, the game has more in common with management sims. The meat of the game is in managing resources and building up your fleet, while the story and characters leave much to be desired. If intricate systems and pouring over market predictions are your cup of tea, then climb up on deck. Otherwise, I recommend keeping your feet planted on solid ground.

Opoona is yet another example of a game where very little is actually broken, but very little is noticeably good, either.

Darkspore may touch the imagination in ways Diablo doesn't, but the gameplay cannot move beyond the mechanical and the meaningless.

Risen 3 is enjoyable most of the time, and I was only truly frustrated once or twice, but after twenty hours I felt I had seen all the game has to offer.

Those who want a good strategy RPG will appreciate the battle system, but may find themselves growing weary of the lengthy story scenes. Still, fans of both genres will find something to like in this game. Maybe they'll even grow to appreciate a genre they weren't looking for.

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.

For many, Valkyrie Elysium may be average at best. However, what ticks it up a notch for me are the themes, elements, and pieces of the Valkyrie franchise that I know and love. Many games have tried to copy the series, only to fall short and become little more than superficial knock-offs that take the combat and little else. Developer SoleiL has managed to take the soul of the Valkyrie games and put it into a new vessel. It may look and play differently, but it certainly has the heart of the series in it. Though Valkyrie Elysium is much better than I’d expected, I’m hopeful the next entry in the series will be less restrained and “safe,” opting for crazier and flashier instead. In the meantime, I’ll continue trying to will Valkyrie Profile 3: Hrist into existence. Maybe this time, it’ll work.

The simulation and visual novel elements are great, but the RPG elements are not.

I guess if I had to summarize my experience with Izuna 2: The Unemployed Ninja Returns, it would be this: do not buy this game. Do not rent this game. Do not borrow this game from a friend.

It's not a great game, but Eternal Poison is a game that I have no major complaints about.

It's a relatively inoffensive JRPG.

Re: Hollow Fragment is an appropriate title for yet another shallow licensed game.

I wish I liked The Outbound Ghost more than I do, but I am glad games like it exist. There will always be genres and ideas that big publishers and developers don’t see as viable, and the indie space is a perfect place to explore them. I don’t recommend The Outbound Ghost at this time, but I hope the developers continue to improve it with patches and continue to make games in genres they care about. While there is a lot of promise here, The Outbound Ghost just doesn’t reach its potential.

Maliki: Poison of the Past feels to me like a bouquet of flowers, with the occasional thorn hidden within its attractive exterior. With the air full of the enticing aroma of blooming petals, you easily forget the one or two moments of discomfort you suffer to appreciate its best qualities. Load it up, take a deep breath, and enjoy.

You get a whole lot of game for the humble price tag, and I’m very interested to see what projects we see from Brownies in the future. EGGLIA Rebirth would be a very easy recommendation with some tweaking and a few overhauls to its weaker systems, but even in its current form there’s still plenty to enjoy.

Jake Hunter Detective Story: Ghost of the Dusk is heading in the right direction in terms of improvement but it still has a ways to go.

If the developers put as much effort into the rest of the game as they did catering to player choice, then this title would successfully tread new territory for its ilk.

Those who like the genre or who love artistic games will enjoy it despite its flaws.

In other words, for those still interested, Alpha Protocol should be low on the to-play list.

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.

If you've got a PSP, this is a quality game, something the system hasn't seen much of lately.

Tokyo Twilight Ghost Hunters is pretty, but it's not the next Steins;Gate.

It’s disappointing to say that Neon Blood is dripping with unrealized potential. Clearly, the developers put effort into the impressive visuals and the quicktime events, but equal effort was not extended to the writing in a game that so heavily depends on its narrative. It’s not like there’s so much cyberpunk-style media that there isn’t room for more, so it’s too bad this one doesn’t come together. Maybe someday, someone will flesh out Neon Blood to make it as human as it is machine.

YIIK is an impressive piece of art despite its ludological deficiencies.

You better be a hardcore fan of the series, or you won't find much to like in Sword Art Online Fatal Bullet.

It was fun to play, had some great production values, and sported a contemporary anime vibe.

At the end of the day, no matter how many glossy coats of paint you put on it, this is a game from another time. It feels old, outdated, outmoded. However, within this game is an amazing history lesson or two about game design and excellent storytelling, something that Brian Fargo and his inXile team have been offering up time and again for all of us to enjoy. Does war never change? Wasteland Remastered doesn’t use the trademarked phrase explicitly, but there is certainly something timeless about this game. It may only be valuable to hardcore Fallout fans or gaming history nerds like myself, but the journey is still worth it. Good luck, rangers!

Minecraft: Story Mode continues to make strides toward a respectable gaming experience for its targeted audience.

The Silver Case's uncanny brand of Erotic Grotesque Nonsense absolutely isn't for everyone, but those willing to penetrate its deliberately obtuse shell will find a deeply thoughtful mystery.

Atlas Fallen isn’t a terrible game by any stretch of the imagination, nor an exceedingly memorable one. Still, I did enjoy the time I spent playing it and think it serves as a decent diversion, if nothing else. I don’t recommend buying at full price, but I could see it being a game one might purchase at a discount later and have fun with. With the shifting of sands and the passage of time, Atlas Fallen can become a pleasant surprise for those who might eventually unearth it.

You have to put a lot of work into the game (and the WiFi settings) to get a good experience out of it.

It definitely has problems, but Borderlands 2 is still mighty fun on Vita.

The tough thing about Front Mission 2: Remake is that it doesn’t present itself well upfront. Ultimately, those who push through will be rewarded, but it takes a lot of patience to get there. In the end, despite my complaints, I enjoyed my time with this game. Much like Front Mission 2: Remake’s global release, in the areas that matter, it eventually comes around, even if it takes a long time to get there.

Biomutant certainly took a while to get out of the gate as far as its development went. While it can still be rough around the edges at times, overall, it’s clear that a lot of heart and effort went into the project. I never knew I needed Kung-Fu Panda to be tossed into a post-apocalyptic setting with mutants as a video game experience, but I’m thrilled someone saw that need and ran with it! The game wears its Kung-Fu inspirations on its sleeve, but with a fun and innovative element of quirky creativeness that had me just enjoying my time with it. I was smiling so much by the ending, and I can’t ask for more from my games. Biomutant’s “unusual story with an unusual end” made for quite an unexpected and memorable journey indeed.

While not the worst game I've played, the combination of a dumb story, repetitive gameplay, and those damn in-battle voice clips made me have to relegate it to the scrap pile.

I came away from Adore extremely disappointed. While I still believe that combining monster-collecting mechanics in an action roguelike framework could be effective, this title has too many missteps that prevent it from being enjoyable after a couple hours. Furthermore, the control and presentation issues on Nintendo Switch exacerbate these core design flaws, making for an overall frustrating gameplay experience.

A lot of people bashed on this game when it was released for 360, and it has seen similar mediocrity in sales performance on the PlayStation 3. However, I stand firm in my opinion that the game is a decent, semi-epic RPG that's worth playing, if only to have such a grandiose tale to play on a next-gen before Final Fantasy XIII.

Overall, this is a pretty nice Phantom of the Opera presentation that digs deeper into the characters and story than other versions. If you’re looking for intricate gameplay, your princess is in another opera house. But if you’re interested in a different spin on an old story, or if you just hate reading books, this is a lovely but creepy multisensory production you can curl up with as if you’re diving into a familiar classic novel and biting your fingernails over the drama.

Death by Scrolling is a functional game. It controls well, is feature complete, and is mostly bug-free, but it lacks the spark needed to make it truly compelling. Recent updates have added new content and breathed some life into the experience, but the core remaining so bare still makes it a difficult game to recommend, unless you’re specifically looking for a stripped-down, low-commitment take on the genre.

At $5.00, Serious Sam: The Random Encounter is a steal.

Varlet could’ve been another pleasant surprise by FuRyu, similar to The Caligula Effect 2, but sadly, it doesn’t reach that level. There’s some mild enjoyment here if you can temper expectations and be patient, but that isn’t something everyone can or should have to do. I think there’s potential here, should FuRyu decide to explore Varlet further in future game projects, but as it stands now? I’d advise waiting to get Varlet on a discount, even if you think you’re the target audience for it.

Much like Psycho-Pass: The Movie, Mandatory Happiness is a slightly disposable, yet ultimately enjoyable look at another facet of the Psycho-Pass universe.

Wild Arms XF may not be the ultimate or defining strategy RPG experience, but it was definitely one of the most fun strategy RPG experiences I have had in a long time.

Monochrome Mobius may not be a game for everyone — or even many people. It is clearly written for Utawarerumono fans, and in changing its design philosophy from a visual novel with occasional tactical combat to a full-fledged RPG, it likely loses many of those fans as well. It also has glaring flaws in its pacing and writing and could use a graphical upgrade. But it is a solid proof of concept for what an Utawarerumono RPG could be, and I see a lot of potential in Aquaplus’ future as an RPG developer if they wish to pursue it.

Lord of the Rings: Tactics is a solid, albeit totally ordinary strategy RPG released in the first six months of the PSP life cycle.

The fact that its target demographic is undeniably the players of the first game, coupled with the slower pace of the gameplay, and Musashi winds up in the exact same boat as it's predecessor.

I'm glad I played Seeker, Slayer, Survivor. This is an adequate DLC for an already phenomenal game. At the current $10 price point, I have a hard time recommending it for anyone but the most devoted Pillars fans, but chances are if you've bought and enjoyed Pillars II, as well as the Beast of Winter DLC, you're probably going to buy and enjoy this one as well. Perhaps waiting for a sale would be most appropriate, as it's certainly not going anywhere.

Disgaea Infinite is one of those rare games. It plays like a visual novel, but it will also appeal to fans of the Disgaea RPG series.

Mercenaries Wings: The False Phoenix is a serviceable SRPG that brings little new to the table but might satisfy an old-school itch.

The gameplay hasn't really changed, but it's more than serviceable and will keep you entertained as you make your way from punchline to punchline. If you're in the market for some cheap laughs, this game is an easy recommendation.

Chaos Wars is not a great game, but it is fun. I felt let down by O~3's low-budget localization, and the last few hours of gameplay really felt dragged out, but otherwise I enjoyed the experience.

Forspoken is a far better and more compelling game than I had feared, but it also doesn’t reach the heights I dreamt of. There is a lot of fun to be had exploring Athia and the main quest keeps things interesting even when you get bored with the open-world checklist. But at the same time I can’t help but be disappointed with how safe Forspoken plays the open world, and I am unlikely to go back to clear out all of those rote points of interest. And I also can’t deny there are some eyebrow-raising moments as to how the writers chose to portray a black woman like Frey, despite personally liking her quite a bit when viewed through the lens of having finished the game. There is a lot of diversity in the cast too, in a way we don’t usually get from big-budget RPGs. I am not sure how many steps forward versus how many steps back Forspoken takes, but there are steps taken forward. In the end, I recommend Forspoken to anyone who loves Final Fantasy XV or Ubisoft-style open worlds and especially anyone who has a thing for character mobility. Yet, the game has a certain charm that I believe makes it worth giving a try to anyone.

An uninspired sequel that feels like it was rushed out the door.

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.

Flawed? Sure. Is Arc Rise Fantasia the best RPG I've played? Far from it. However, Arc Rise Fantasia captures the heart and soul of the JRPG so wonderfully that it will be easy enough to overlook the flaws.

Overall, Atelier Lydie & Suelle is a great entry in the Atelier series, and it’s easily one of the stronger Mysterious entries. It competes with Atelier Sophie for my favorite in the trilogy, though the general bloat of Atelier Lydie & Suelle gives Atelier Sophie the slight edge. That said, it’s a great follow-up. Though it may take a while to reach its conclusion, it serves as a nice way to tie up as much of the Mysterious storyline as possible while also offering new worlds to explore, exciting new battle mechanics, and a refinement of an already excellent synthesis system. Of course, with the recent announcement of Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream, I’m eagerly looking forward to more Atelier.

Despite being an imperfect experience, there’s much to love about Summer in Mara. Each aspect of the game gives you something to do and a lot of control over how you want to approach it. While it can be easy to get sucked into the game’s progression through the quest system, you can still go at a slower pace should you desire. And this is definitely the recommended way to approach the game. Take it easy in Mara and enjoy this endless summer. Get excited with each new discovery and enjoy the trek! Even kids find the simple, consistently adorable adventure incredibly welcoming, so even if it’s not for you, Chibig has made something special for all ages! This indie team has lovingly crafted a big, heartwarming tale that can hopefully lead to more adventures in this world, or even the universe beyond.

To see a series falter so badly after years of doing everything right is distressing. One can only hope that Konami returns to the drawing board before undertaking a fifth installment in the series.

I think those looking for a great RPG will find one in Tales of Symphonia. However, for those looking to play it via Tales of Symphonia Remastered, I just cannot recommend it in its current state on Nintendo Switch. For fans of the original, or Tales fans in general, this “remaster” will likely be a stack of disappointment, from framerate inadequacies to performance issues to audiovisual hiccups. Newcomers may find value in this “remaster” on PS4 or Xbox because the original Tales of Symphonia has heart, and Tales of Symphonia Remastered is its most readily available version. However, it is the unfortunate truth that they will still be playing a compromised version. This “remaster” does not cut it by modern standards, especially when it looks worse, sounds worse, and plays worse than a game 20 years its senior.

In other words, for those still interested, Alpha Protocol should be low on the to-play list.

So Disney published an RPG with some innovative mini-games utilizing the DS to its full extent. Unfortunately, the rest of the game was garbage.

For undying JRPG fans, SoD might be another great experience, but overall, it is another meal for Mediocrity.

A fulfilling RPG experience that doesn’t require a 50+ hour time commitment is always welcome for those of us with busy schedules. The 13 or so hours I spent on a single playthrough Arcadian Atlas was time wonderfully spent. With its expressive sprites, fun gameplay, robust writing, and jazzy music, it is clear that Arcadian Atlas was crafted with lots of heart and is definitely worth a look.

Calamity Angels is most excited to direct you quickly to its unique combat, which the game supports by investing heavily in your fighters. When I say it’s experimental, I don’t mean it’s half-baked; in fact, it’s refined and confident in itself. There have been other games where your party members don’t do what you want them to, but I can’t recall any other case where that was this fun. Here, it’s so exciting that it feels like opening your eyes to something new and special. It’s frustrating to see how a little more here and there outside of combat could have built Calamity Angels up into a classic. You know the item was sold “as is,” but you get what you paid for. At least it delivers on its main draw.

Made in Abyss: Binary Star Falling into Darkness is a hot mess of a game. I respect that rules from Made in Abyss’s world and mythos translated into the game mechanics, but that made for a wholly unappealing play experience. While I wouldn’t recommend playing Made in Abyss: Binary Star Falling into Darkness, I would definitely recommend checking out the Made in Abyss anime or manga to see why it’s highly regarded.

Despite developer Bunnyhug getting so much right in terms of the presentation and some of the gameplay, the multitude of bugs and questionable design choices cast a heavy shadow that is impossible to ignore. Since its October release, there have been two patches to address some of the bugs, but the game still remains a messy experience overall. If you can look past the technical issues currently plaguing the game then Moonglow Bay could be a worthwhile time-sink, but it otherwise remains a difficult sell for all but the most diehard Harvest Moon fans.

For now, Chocobo GP is a fine time. It’s not doing much new with the formula, leaving the adorable, titular chocobo behind the pack of plumbers, hedgehogs, bandicoots, and their friends. Still, it does have the potential to get better and maybe toss a phoenix down on the long-dormant series for future entries.

If you enjoy a game that's easy to pick up but has challenging battles and allows you to customize your character with plenty of new duds, then Blue Dragon: Awakened Shadow will be worth your while.

If this game gets patched up enough to render it seamlessly playable, then I would give it another go. But as it currently stands, the game is a challenge for all the wrong reasons, stemming largely from it's crippling system failures.

Aura: Fate of the Ages promises many things, yet fails to deliver on almost all of them.

With SoM, Square Enix failed to leverage modern game design concepts and technology to improve on a treasured JRPG. Instead, they opted to do the bare minimum, and that's a damn shame.

Qora just isn't fun to play.

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light shows how much and how little the series has changed over the past 30 years. It was fun experiencing Fire Emblem‘s origins for the first time in the original format. For a game released in 1990 on the Famicom, it indeed has a grand story with beats reminiscent of games from that era. However, I do know the third game of the series, Monshou no Nazou (Mystery of the Emblem), is a remake of this game and features a lot of improvements. It makes me wish we got that game instead; it would have been closer to how the series is today.

Perhaps in the course of the nearly 30 hour romp I had through Final Fantasy II, I missed some mystical item that magically makes the game fun and so I was never able to actually appreciate the full worth of the game.

I didn't love this chapter quite as much as I loved the first, but I'd still happily recommend it to anyone who likes point 'n' click adventure games.