So in the end, Laxius Force III provides a satisfying conclusion to this epic trilogy, and fans of Aldorlea's grand-daddy series will certainly be hooked for days, weeks, maybe even months.

Vagrant Hearts is like the average person's first home. It's a fixer-upper with a bunch of imperfections, but it still manages to work its magic on you.

I always like to support indie developers and stand up for the little guy, but I can't when a product is as unsatisfying as The Curse of Slate Rock Manor. The one silver lining in this unsatisfying haunted house trip is the professional quality voice acting from non-professionals. But seriously, 125% completion in a mere two hours? Shallow plot and characters? Mismatched visual styles? No skin-crawling creeps or jump-out-of-your-seat startles? Sorry, I'm not buying it.

As a freeware title, Sylia may be worth playing if you're bored and are in the later stages of Mercury poisoning, but buying Sylia at $20 is, well, silly.

Overall, Record of Agarest War Zero is a lackluster title that does not bring much to the table for gamers who are not devoted followers of the series.

The decision to make a season-specific game deserves recognition, even if the gameplay and script might lack the imagination required by my favorite holiday.

I know it sounds like I've bagged on Alpha Kimori here and there, but it's got it where it counts, and every complaint I have can be remedied. I enjoyed the 5 hours I spent with this game and look forward to Episode 2, which should reportedly drop in early 2012.

At the end of the day, Freedom Cry is a terrible game.

If you're a fan of classic 2D RPGs, then you shouldn't hesitate in picking up Sweet Lily Dreams. It has just the right mix of traditional gameplay and new ideas that make it a joy to play.

Hack, Slash, Loot is not a good game, and I couldn't even recommend it to the most hardcore roguelike enthusiasts. It's dull, it's frustrating, it's entirely dependent on luck and, most significantly, it's not even remotely fun to play. The graphics and sound are appalling, and a little variation in dungeon types isn't enough to save this horrid title. Go spend your money elsewhere.

The Book of Legends is a good RPG Maker game worthy of Aldorlea's pedigree, but it has the potential to be more. I'm left feeling as if the limitations of RPG Maker prevent the game from realizing its full potential.

All things said and done, I still enjoyed my time with Alpha Kimori Episode 2 despite my gameplay grievances. As with episode 1, I enjoyed it more than my critique would indicate. Despite having design traits that I normally dislike in RPGs, the atmosphere, story, and characters still have me invested.

It may be short, but Cherry Tree High Comedy Club is a nice change of pace from other games and offers something unique.

Wanderlust has few redeeming moments and is ultimately hard to recommend.

With excellent writing, engaging storytelling, interesting characters, perplexing decisions, incredible visual style, and great music, Cinders is everything you could ever want from a visual novel and every fan of the genre should try it.

While both games feature a rather banal save-the-world plot, there's an underlying sense of mythology that remains just clouded enough to suggest a grander scheme. Although the characters are somewhat lifeless, the games themselves bear a strong sense of personality heightened by the music, the frenetic action, and the very sound of their name.

3 Stars of Destiny is an enjoyable RPG, but its enjoyment is definitely proportional to how much the player enjoys old-school.

The game's sound isn't going to knock your socks off, but it takes care of business, at least for a while.

Dragon Fantasy is an unimaginative and dull adventure from days when we only imagine games were better. Even fans of retro JRPGs should put Dragon Fantasy pretty low on their to-play lists.

For players who have been on hiatus from the game for the last few years (like me), Seekers of Adoulin is a fantastic re-entry point to Final Fantasy XI. It marries convenient travel to fun new gameplay systems that provide equipment varying in potency from good to outrageous. I was intimidated when I started playing again, but before long, I settled into a groove and have come to enjoy the pioneer's life. You don't need a shovel or a machete to brave these wilds.

If you're looking for something new in your RPGs, then give 99 Spirits a shot. The puzzle-style battles are fun and interesting and allow you to forgive the less interesting aspects of the game.

It's not a terrible game per se, but it regrettably uses the veneer of 16-bit nostalgia as a license to simply not care.

Sweet Fuse is not the most emotionally arresting visual novel I've played, but it executes on everything it promises to deliver.

Everlove: Rose may have its issues, but my time with it left positive thoughts. It doesn't do anything clever or groundbreaking with the visual novel formula or its own storyline and lore, but I enjoyed my time with it. The different ways the story plays out held my interest as I explored the possibilities, and that is worthy praise as for any choice-driven visual novel.

Many who pick up Epic Quest for the 4 Crystals will have to put far more into the game than they’ll ever get back out of it.

Learning to Manage Chaos serves as an introduction to what should be a brilliant story. It introduces the main characters and the setting, but leaves out more in-depth explanations and details. It's backed by terrific art and an emotive soundtrack, but its short length holds it back. I look forward to playing episode two when it is released, but you may want to hold out on a purchase until Dysfunctional Systems is released in its entirety.

Worth checking out if you're a fan of darkly twisted JRPGs like Shadow Hearts.

For visual novel and turn-based RPG lovers.

If you like Jane Austen, purchase this immediately.

Despite its issues, still worth it for fans of the Wild West, but others may prefer to wait for Part Two.

Best for those who love a challenging, traditional turn-based RPG.

With a little more polishing, this ordinary rock could have been a gem.

A fantastic game bite-sized roguelike for those who can exercise a little bit of patience.

Good for a lighthearted, zany adventure.

Planetarian is not a bad game, but it does not tug the heartstrings quite like Freebird Games' To The Moon or hit the emotional notes of Key's other games like Kanon, Air, or Clannad. Planetarian's story is all too brief, and the game's interactivity is nonexistent. I would only recommend it to the most ardent fans of Key, and even then I would say to wait for Clannad's localization instead.

Great for strategy roguelite fans.

Wait to see what future episodes might bring, rather than spending time with the first episode on its own.

Funny, accessible but deep, awesome soundtrack.

An excellently written story with excitingly deep characters and themes.

My final thought is that Grace of Letoile is far from graceful. Effort was put into the story and gameplay mechanics, but execution could have been more refined.

Sadly, Belladonna proves to be less than the sum of it's parts, though fans of Gothic settings and short stories may be able to find that special something which evidently eludes me.

Yet another game to add to the pile of mediocre, free-engine made RPGs.

For fans of traditional RPGs with a twist.

Surprisingly immersive horror adventure that fails to amaze due to several annoyances, dated graphics, and lack of conclusion.

A disappointing and boring fantasy romance game that has potential but fails to fulfill the most basic expectations of a visual novel.

Another compelling visual novel from MoaCube.

A new direction for Aveyond that could divide fans.

Still, Part 3 contains all the elements that not only make Part 1 & 2 great, but also the essence of choose your own adventures, albeit twisted in further permutations. Fans of the genre should definitely proceed down this path.

If you ever wanted a partner who is willing to do everything to make you happy, ignoring their own happiness, this is a sob story for you.

Ara Fell is a solid example of what RPGMaker games can be, and while it never wows it's certainly a lot of fun.

The Eyes of Ara succeeds in providing just the right balance of difficulty in its puzzles while expertly weaving them into the environment.

It's hard not to be charmed by OZMAFIA!!'s out-there concept and larger-than-life characters. It's got a beauty contest in which you compete against a sunhat-clad duck, for goodness' sake.

Part 4 dismantles the player's reliance on rewinding and introduces a debatably better mechanic in its place. Without the revive feature, it would be difficult to complete the game by simply selective rewinding, and I'm glad they decided against it. With so many more creative puzzles and tricky events to resolve, Sorcery! Part 4 definitely provides a resounding finale to the series.

I feel a little cheated by the quick ending, which I suppose hints at a glimmer of enjoyment.

I wanted to like Tokyo Babel so much. I'll admit I haven't seen every ending, but while I really liked the concept and the ideas behind the narrative, I just couldn't bring myself to spend a few more hours trawling through pages of text with a group of characters I hardly cared about.

If Kokurase were a person, I would heartily say that senpai has noticed you. I had a great time with the first episode and want to experience more of the misadventures of Kokurase/Cupid's Helpers. If you enjoy wacky anime hijinks with a quirky cast of characters and lovely music, give this game a shot, especially since the first episode is free.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Despite some pacing issues early on, The Fruit of Grisaia is an unforgettable experience, and a hallmark of romance visual novels.

In spite of its imperfections, I enjoyed playing Summon Night 6 because it displayed traits that reaffirm why I'm into this series. I'm not the biggest SRPG fan, but I've enjoyed playing Summon Night 5 and 6 enough to venture calling Summon Night my favorite SRPG series. Unfortunately, the charm that initially won me over couldn't completely save Summon Night 6's storyline from its dependence on nostalgia for something largely unfamiliar to Western gamers. That being said, spending time with Summon Night 6 makes me want to play the Summon Night games we did not get in the West more than ever before.

Abstraction Games have done a great job emulating Kemco's MacVenture ports, just know going in this is a package that knows its audience.

Misao may not be a filling portion, but sometimes all you need is a bite-sized parody.

Describing The House in Fata Morgana as "entertaining" isn't exactly accurate, as it's a much more introspective experience than its contemporaries. In that regard, more visual novels should take a page from Novectacle's book — The House in Fata Morgana eschews genre tropes in favor of a style of experimentation that is deeply literary, and the result is incredibly refreshing.

Eselmir and the Five Magical Gifts is a good start for graphic adventures in 2018. Perhaps if enough people check this game out, it may open the gates for the Pirin trilogy of novels to be localized. Familiarity with the books would have more viscerally connected me to the game's world, characters, and lore. Regardless, it is clear that much love was put into this project, and I'm sure players will pick up on that when they play Eselmir and the Five Magical Gifts.

Romancing SaGa 2 is equal parts fascinating and frustrating. I've barely scratched the surface with some of the novel features this game offers you, so if you're thinking of playing it for the first time, I really encourage you to do so as there's a lot to love about this SNES remaster. Yet I also want this review to act as a warning on the difficult journey ahead, and while I've enjoyed my time with it for the most part, the obtuse nature and tough gameplay weren't always for me. If you love this series, you know what to expect and you'll enjoy every second. If this is your first SaGa, please don't go in blind: I didn't, and I'm glad I took the time to do some research and go through the game prepared.

Though Farabel possesses quite a number of interesting ideas, the end product isn't as polished or complete as it could be. I enjoyed the short venture I had through its rewinding war, but I'm in no hurry to try again. Perhaps the developers will be able to take the refreshing concepts in Farabel and push it two steps further—I would love to play that game.

Labyrinth might slake the thirst of players coming straight from Fruit, but it ultimately fails to live up to the standards set by its predecessor.

In the wake of Labyrinth, The Eden of Grisaia is somehow able to end the series on a positive note, but it is still a disappointingly mixed experience in the grand scheme of things.

The amount of heart and soul Last BeNeVoLeNcE put into his entire Tales of the Elements project is readily apparent. There is simply no denying this game's eccentric vibe and excellent soundtrack. Unfortunately, clumsy controls and grindy gameplay marred my overall experience. Game aside, I wholeheartedly recommend lending an ear to Last BeNeVoLeNcE's soulful music on Bandcamp and taking in his evocative rhymes and lyrics. Tales of the Elements is a one-and-done game for me, but I totally see myself grooving to Last BeNeVoLeNcE's music over and over again.

Gone Fireflies is less of a game and more of an engrossing interactive movie that I gladly experienced multiple times, despite a few hiccups. With an engaging story, sharp visuals, stirring music, and price tag less than half of a movie ticket, Gone Fireflies is something that fans of plot-driven software should definitely check out. After such a compelling debut, I look forward to seeing what Quiet Bay Studio comes up with next.

The tired jokes, excessive grinding, high battle encounter rate, laborious progression, and unappealing graphics became unbearable after one weekend. I also have nothing to say about the utterly forgettable music and sound effects. A clever concept can only take a game so far, and unfortunately Healer's Quest lacks the accoutrements to rise beyond mediocrity.

An enjoyable romp that gets me interested in the past and future of this series.

If you enjoy horror and mystery in your visual novel, you are bound to enjoy Sound of Drop, but it is unlikely to become your favorite.

The Last Sacrament builds upon the prior material in the right ways by fleshing out the already intriguing worldbuilding, lore, and characters presented in the Echoes of the Fey mythos. With engaging characters, gripping storylines that contain hefty choices, evocative music, and challenging gameplay that goes above and beyond the visual novel norm, Echoes of the Fey is a visual novel series that genre fans should definitely check out.

I don't have too much more to say about this game: it's extremely short, with an incomprehensible plot and frustrating puzzles, but also has quite a bit of charm and a wonderfully gothic ambience. Because of this, I'd probably only recommend it to a hardcore fan of the Gothic Lolita style or Alice in Wonderland. I spent approximately $2 during a Steam sale to buy this title, as I generally enjoy the aesthetic; Alicemare was worth every penny, though not a whole lot more. Alas!

As far as throwback RPGs go, Towards the Pantheon may not reinvent the wheel, but it does offer its own distinct personality. I am glad I played this game because my 12 or so hours spent with it invoked the vibe of a turn-based Zelda. Towards the Pantheon might not be for everyone, since it requires players to put in the work to get the most out of the experience, but it is loads of fun for those willing to make the effort.

Frankly, this is not a great visual novel. There definitely are noticeable flaws, and overall, the script needs one or two solid overhauls. But the game contains some potential, and it managed to hold some of my interest. While I cannot recommend Part 1 as a stand-alone entry, Perseverance may be able to reach its missed potential in Part 2.

Heaven Will Be Mine is the no-bones-about-it queer Mobile Suit Gundam we've always wanted.

I could praise the team behind Fatal Twelve for passion and effort alone — and I do! — but to see their vision come to fruition with such great results is also a reward unto itself.

EnrightBeats certainly has the skill to create a competent game but played it too safe with The Greater Good. Given how supersaturated and cutthroat competitive the field of retro-inspired JRPGs is, EnrightBeats needs to step it up and take some risks for their next effort to even be worth a look. The Greater Good's balanced gameplay was lovely, but that's not enough to cut the mustard. An edgier plot with dynamic storytelling featuring boldly designed and engagingly deep characters would have elevated this merely serviceable game into something worth recommending.

Yes, the game was often cheap and unrefined, but it had a certain je ne sais quoi about it that made me want to keep playing in spite of its foibles. Sacred Earth's ending sets everything up for a series, so I hope future installments polish this diamond in the rough to a lovely shine.

I certainly had no objections to playing through Spirit of Justice, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to fans of the series. And to those who have never touched an Ace Attorney game before, I suggest that you start way back at the beginning. You won't regret it!

If you are looking for an entertaining, if somewhat brief, Xenogears and Xenosaga inspired JRPG, then check out Sanctus Mortem. This lovingly crafted and highly polished game made me want to enlist in Thrasik Prime's spacefaring program and join Captain Hector's crew aboard the Rhoube. On the other hand, it sometimes colored a little too neatly inside the lines and ended well before I was ready for it to end. I would love to see Kisareth Studios' future projects strive beyond the RPG Maker pale and incorporate more subversively unique content.

The interminable length of the game, the halting progression, and the deluge of in-game items and resources caused me fall to my knees and wail to the heavens, "Is this necessary!?" Ultimately, Langrisser for mobile is utterly and thoroughly unnecessary.

The Forgotten Sanctum is a must-play DLC for fans of the series. If you were left disappointed by the second DLC, I understand, but rest assured that lovers of lore and engaging combat will find a home here. Expect to invest about ten hours or so while enjoying most of it. While I can't complain about the healthy support Obsidian has provided the series as we close on the third announced DLC, I also can't help wanting more. Then again, why offer more DLC when we can just get a third Pillars of Eternity?

How to Sing to Open Your Heart is another entry in the massive pile of games I've played that don't do anything wrong, but don't really do anything right either. Localized otome games have become surprisingly ubiquitous within the past decade, and with several fantastic titles to choose from, there is no reason to waste your precious time and hard-earned money on uninspired fluff like How to Sing to Open Your Heart.

If you're looking for a clever, short RPG that does something a little different while being firmly entrenched in mechanics and storytelling inspired by 8-bit classics, Brave Hero Yuusha EX is an excellent choice.

Nightshade is a text-heavy otome visual novel with a whole lot of plot to uncover, and I enjoyed my time with it immensely! Enju's journey to find her true self and love is something both otome and ninja fans might find worthwhile if given a chance. Like Hakuoki, I'd even recommend Nightshade to those who aren't sure if otome is for them, as the plot has a lot more to offer than just the romance angle.

Tardy's uncomfortable sci-fi atmosphere and beautiful pixel visuals are the biggest successes for this otherwise by-the-numbers adventure game.