A refreshing re-imagining of the beginning of Final Fantasy VII, Remake is at times wonderful but at others audacious, and I'm here for the ride.

A game as jam-packed as Rune Factory 5 runs the risk of being overwhelming, but each facet works in tandem with the others so seamlessly that it blurs the lines between where one element ends and another begins. It spaces out the infinite gameplay loop of farming sims with simple but enjoyable dungeon crawling and tosses in an endearing cast of characters for good measure. Despite how full the game is, it’s likely you won’t be able to get enough of it, as its enrapturing nature always leads into something else for you to do. Once you’ve settled into Rune Factory 5, you’re in it for the long haul.

In my review of Chapter Two, I praised the developers for learning from what wasn't great in Chapter One, and I'm happy to see that they followed through in the final chapter. It took a long time for this story to finally see its conclusion, but I'm really glad that it did. Now that it's complete, I can definitely recommend this series to fans of point & click adventure games. If you haven't played Chapters One and Two, make sure to do so before you play Chapter Three; as of this writing, you can get all three for just $30, and that feels pretty fair to me.

Between the fun gameplay, charming writing, retro presentation, and banging soundtrack, River City Girls 2 feels like it takes everything from the first game and does a little bit more and a little bit better. More moves, more characters, online co-op, and better gameplay variety are just a few of the major improvements in this sequel. If you liked the first River City Girls, you’ll love the sequel, and if you didn’t, I would recommend River City Girls 2 to anyone who enjoys beat ‘em ups or just wants a delightfully charming game with lots of laughs.

There are fumbles present which hint at a larger scope that may have been compromised during development, but the core essence of player choice and flexibility stands true. The sense of reward for each thoughtful approach and calculation brought a smile to my face and made me feel like a complete badass. Just like the original, Human Revolution is at its best when it shuts up and lets you decide how to accomplish your goals.

It’s hard to find much to fault Lil’ Guardsman with. It’s clear a lot of care and heart went into the title, and for those with whom the humor resonates, this is a fantasy tale worth playing through and laughing over. I immensely enjoyed my time with the game and found the end of Lil’s journey highly satisfying. Lil’ Guardsman is one duty I wouldn’t mind repeating, even if putting such lofty decisions in the hands of a twelve-year-old doesn’t seem like the most rational of choices!

A polished cyberpunk graphic adventure with themes other developers rarely handle with this much finesse.

OPUS: Echo of Starsong was a complete surprise to me in several ways. The gameplay was enjoyable without ever becoming too frustrating or boring, the visual presentation was beautiful, and the focus on audio was implemented well. But what ultimately stood out to me most was the creativity and care put into the story. This was an absolutely touching and memorable sci-fi tale with an endearing cast of characters, and it left quite the impression after I finished the game. Much like the echoes of ephemeral sound that the characters follow throughout the stars, OPUS: Echo of Starsong might just leave you with a lasting impression.

After a rocky start, Tales of the Abyss proved to be a truly enjoyable game; possibly the best in the series so far, and a contender in my book for game of the year.

Funny, sad, and with the sharpest teeth, Doki Doki Literature Club is one of the most pleasant surprises of 2017.

Mana Khemia is an incredibly fun game with a fairly large scope, that takes a minimum of 40 hours to complete. And, with a simple New Game Plus feature, serious fans can get all of the character-specific endings without doing much work.

The game can be completed rather quickly (in less than 20 hours), but there are tons of unlockables to keep you playing well past 40 hours, such as secret characters, a Hard Mode, and the option to start a new game with your cleared save data.

If you missed this treasure last time, now is the perfect time to don your travelling gear and let this game's prose take you on a global adventure.

A game that will resonate with you and make you nostalgic for something that you might not even remember forgetting.

The Walking Clementine has been a memorable journey thus far. Having the opportunity to see this young lady grow from Season 1 to the middle of Season 2 has been an absolute joy.

While the gaming world has become fixed on looking for innovation, AP tosses those expectations aside, and builds on what has worked.

Final Fantasy IV: The After Years is not only a very respectful treatment of the original, it also makes me want to dust off my SNES and relive my innocent childhood love of games.

The combination of engrossing story, fabulous music, expansive world, and complex yet rewarding battle system make XC2 one hell of a grand adventure.

If you're invested in this series already, this episode is absolutely going to deliver. If you're not a fan of Back to the Future or the previous episodes, it's not going to change your mind.

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!

The entirety of Episode 5 pulls at the soul, using the series' history as a catalyst for existential query.

To speak of entrancing elements, head writer Jake Elliott has taken nearly ten years to spin the intoxicating yarn present in this game. He is frequently fussy in his prose (and obtuse in proximity to reality) throughout Kentucky Route Zero but nonetheless deserves a massive amount of praise. He runs with each environmental detail and every stray thought presented by the main characters, giving them ample space to breathe and worm their way into your thoughts. The excellent dialogue and theming are well-supported by Tamas Kemenczy’s polygonal vector art visuals, which suffuse each scene with a haunting beauty fit for this weary, broken world. The characters are blank-faced, but they require no expressions to communicate their state of being with clarity and appropriate gravitas.

There isn't really much that I can fault Chronicles of Tal'Dun: The Remainder for. It is an excellent VN for its intended audience.

FireRed and LeafGreen should appeal to those who wish to relive the original Red/Blue experience with updated graphics and conveniences.

This is really only the first half of Numina, with the second part being planned as paid DLC with carryover save data to be released in the future. Some might balk at this, but I felt that this Part 1 was a self-contained story, and that ending alone makes me yearn for the final half of the game already! Again, it is a testament to how strong a title Numina is that I want there to be even more after fifteen hours of playtime already. I’m already looking forward to where my journey with Shawn and the others will take us next, and I can’t praise the game enough, given that. Numina is a surprising gem of an RPG, and I hope it shines bright enough for others to see.

Minor blemishes aside, WitchSpring R is a wonderful little gem that I truly enjoyed every moment with. It’s cute and charming and I found myself laughing more times than I had with any other game in recent memory. It’s a cozy little game that ticks all the Atelier boxes yet forges its own path and identity. While the WitchSpring series has been running strong on mobile, I’m hopeful that WitchSpring R does well enough to warrant a sequel. It feels like a Gust game with the level of polish one would expect from a first-party Nintendo game. I don’t know how they pulled it off, but I am thoroughly impressed with Kiwiwalks and eagerly await their next work.

If you pick up this title, you'll get a face full of space opera, with decent combat and lots of character interaction, and if that's your thing, snatch up this game pronto!

Final Fantasy VII Remake is a game you don’t want to miss if you’re a fan of RPGs. If you don’t have a PlayStation 5, this port is an excellent way to experience the game.

It’s a testament to Birushana’s quality that one of the few gripes I have is that I want more of it. Although the game has a few hiccups, they’re safely surface-level, and don’t remarkably hinder the story or its compelling cast of characters. Although it’s appreciated when an otome title tries to add complexity to the progression through the use of stats or other features, the main reason why one plays otome games isn’t for their mechanics but for their love interests and the world they inhabit—and Birushana delivers both with flying colors. While it’s already a must-play for fans of historical fantasy and samurai warfare, Birushana will no doubt appeal to anyone interested in exciting battles, intriguing mysteries, memorable characters, and a few unique twists on the usual otome tropes.

You may find yourself occasionally frustrated with a design choice, but do yourself a favor and look past them, for the simple act of carefree exploration and discovery appears lost to most developers these days.

It's trite but true: if you liked earlier Disgaea games, you'll like this one, but if you didn't like the rest, this one won't change your mind. If, however, you've never played the series, Disgaea 4 is a great place to start.

Overall, I have to give Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth a strong recommendation. It’s on Steam in Early Access and well worth the price of admission. With content updates coming on the regular, expect that we’ll be revisiting this game again soon. For now, I recommend you enjoy the incredible visuals and addictive gameplay. It’s one of the best Metroidvanias I’ve played, and I hope it lands for you as well.

Persona 3 Portable is one of those experiences that I need to let go of, eventually, yet it sticks to me like a wound. Take the time to enjoy the social links, the Persona fusion, and the story because enduring games like this one don’t come along often. Between the different versions, Persona 3 is still begging for completion, though the Portable version is a sight better than nothing. If the rumors of a remake are true, then perhaps all of this will be moot. But until then, this is the only way to play Persona 3, and it’s a dark masterpiece that beckons you to get lost in its labyrinthine setting. Hee-Ho!

A must-have for any fans of cyberpunk, point and click, and/or great storytelling.

I expect Dark Souls will sell more copies than its predecessor, but I'm sure many won't know what to make of this curious title. It harkens back to the days when our parents bought us a game and we played it all summer.

Maybe the most important thing a developer can do when remastering a game is choosing not to fix what isn’t broken. For the most part, that’s exactly what GungHo did here; they kept the remaster simple, but not because this is a cheap port. Adding a bunch of fancy bells and whistles would diminish the purity of these games. Simple is the point. And if simple is what you need right now, then spin up the Lunar Remastered Collection. You’ll be in for a good time.

The Crimson Diamond is a remarkable game, not just in terms of the experience it offers, but in the fact that it exists at all. The game not only successfully evokes text parser adventure games of decades past but improves on them in dozens of little ways. Julia Minamata deserves a massive amount of credit for evoking the feel, look, and style of the era in a way that doesn’t feel dated or like a relic of a forgotten past. Whether her next project is a text parser game, a verb-wheel-based point-and-click, or a completely different genre, I expect she will make it with the same level of care and imagination that she shows here. The Crimson Diamond is clearly a labor of love, and I loved it just as much in return!

Ever 17 is weird. It’s a conventional survival story told in a very unconventional way. Its tone can turn from laid-back to dire on a dime and its traditional gal game structure gives way to some of the most shocking rug pulls you’re likely to find in any piece of fiction. If you can sit through some repetitive text and a lot of typos, you’ll find a truly special experience from one of gaming’s most under-appreciated talents.

Lunacid is the new gold standard for an indie homage. Kira shows how intimately familiar they are with the RPG legacy of FromSoftware by picking out what worked best in their classic dungeon crawlers and incorporating the strongest elements of their modern action RPGs. Despite how referential the game feels at times, it still manages to establish its own identity through the metanarrative and inclusion of horror elements. If you’ve never experienced FromSoftware’s first-person RPGs, Lunacid is a great starting point.

Not only are the two games in The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles remarkable examples of what this series can do, but they deliver a massive amount of content for the price. When played back-to-back, you’re looking at around 70 hours of playtime in total, and that isn’t including all the extra content. I’m delighted that I can now go from desperately wanting Capcom to localize the games to desperately wanting Capcom to announce The Great Ace Attorney 3! These games are full of the same over-the-top craziness and heartbreaking melodrama that makes the series so memorable, and I highly recommend it to both long-time fans and those who are simply looking for a fantastic story. Absolutely no objections here.

Trails beyond the Horizon is truly a massive game with an impressive amount of content and a thought-provoking storyline replete with memorable characters and powerful moments. It’s a true delight to play so long as you’re not a series newcomer.

The game can be completed rather quickly (in less than 20 hours), but there are tons of unlockables to keep you playing well past 40 hours, such as secret characters, a Hard Mode, and the option to start a new game with your cleared save data.

Though there are a few rough edges, Cthulhu Saves Christmas is a delight from beginning to end for JRPG fans. It's hysterically funny, plays well, and best of all, genuinely works as a sort of Lovecraftian holiday special, like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer or How the Grinch Stole Christmas. In fact, why not make this a holiday tradition? Cthulhu Saves Halloween, anyone?

There’s nothing like Actraiser Renaissance‘s seamless genre-blending, and the surprising depth in each facet makes the game all the more timeless. The extensive main campaign is followed by newly added post-game content that keeps the surprises coming, including an additional area to develop and a score mode. The ways to approach Actraiser Renaissance are as boundless as the content it provides, making it a revival that is well worth experiencing.

Broken Sword – Shadow of The Templars: Reforged takes a game that has always deserved its status as a treasure and polishes its jeweled facets, making it ready to go on display once more. In a developing medium, we need to take the time to revisit our most important titles, so we can better know how our history informs our future.

Hatoful Boyfriend isn't just quirky and bizarre, it's also the smartest visual novel you've never played.

Steam Prison is an extremely enjoyable visual novel in several respects, especially if you don’t mind romantic undertones in well-crafted fantasy stories. The Switch port includes the Fin Route DLC that was sold separately on PC and some general upgrades to music and art. This probably makes it the “ultimate” version of the title. If you haven’t yet played the game and are an otome fan, it is easy enough to recommend even at its hefty price for the sheer amount of content and replayability you get. However, I’d be hard-pressed to say if it is a sure-fire purchase if you’ve already played another version of the title since you’ve probably seen most of the content before. That said, as far as VNs go, Steam Prison is another solid addition to the Nintendo Switch lineup.

A top-notch strategy RPG that should definitely appeal to genre fans who've enjoyed games like Final Fantasy Tactics, Fire Emblem, or Summon Night.

While the game is available on mobile devices and the Sony family of handhelds, I feel confident that the Switch is the definitive system to play this title on the go, especially since it allows you to seamlessly throw it up on the big screen at will. Whether you are a returning fan or someone new to Final Fantasy IX, this port is the best way to play a classic from a beloved RPG series.

Story problems aside, I really enjoyed Wild Arms 4. It is one of my favorite games in the series, just for the gameplay alone.

Ultimately ASTLIBRA Revision is a resounding success. KEIZO should be incredibly proud of what they’ve achieved after 15 years of work, designing such intricate gameplay systems and plotting an engaging narrative that rivals the work done by large teams with big budgets behind them. If you can look past the somewhat amateurish presentation there is a glittering diamond in the rough here, one that transcends its humble freeware beginnings into one of the best gaming experiences I’ve had all year.

A warm and nostalgic reboot that isn't afraid to build its own identity.

All told, for a game that wasn’t even on my radar until recently, Blue Prince is a truly wonderful surprise, serving as a new benchmark for both adventure games and roguelikes moving forward. It can be equal parts rewarding as it can be frustrating, depending on how you approach it and how the dice may roll. Yet, despite those frustrations, there’s still just so much to love about Blue Prince that I can’t ever stay mad at it.

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.

I’ve played Final Fantasy VI more than almost any other RPG. With its comfy story and lovable characters, a soundtrack that speaks to my soul, and an intimidating amount of secrets to uncover, it’s an experience time won’t soon forget. I still get a little wet in the eyes during the ending. Its quality is indisputable. The Pixel Remaster doesn’t meaningfully detract from the original’s inherent prowess, and its arranged soundtrack and added features are welcomed niceties. Whether you’re a young’un or a curmudgeon like me, this is one of the best ways to experience a classic. Now, if only they included the post-game dungeon…

Overall, I really enjoyed my time with This Way Madness Lies, so much so that I could cry, “good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow.” Fans of William Shakespeare, Sailor Moon, or Zeboyd’s other titles will have an absolutely delightful time with this one, as will those who enjoy tinkering with skill systems in their RPGs. If you’re in the mood for a short JRPG with a great sense of humor, look no further.

When I finally beat the superboss, when I finally finished doing everything I wanted to in Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, I hesitated to turn it off. I walked around. I grinded. I tried to picture my grandparents playing through it, tried to replicate how they’d play it. I couldn’t, of course. They are gone. But what a treasure it is to remember them with this lovingly crafted, faithful, and pure remake of a game in a series we cherish so much. Square Enix got it right, and I’m excited for the families who get to share this experience for the first time.

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.

Like a great album, People of Note is all killer, no filler. It’s an excellent antidote for RPGFans who may be tired of repetitive, overly long experiences. Don’t be fooled by its puns and Disney-ish charms—People of Note is thoroughly challenging and thought-provoking with its gameplay. I truly hope that when talk comes about for great turn-based combat, this game is in heavy rotation.

FireRed and LeafGreen should appeal to those who wish to relive the original Red/Blue experience with updated graphics and conveniences.

Cultist Simulator is a posthumanist spiral that, like its endless card combinations, is greater than the sum of its parts.

Hades is a game for almost everyone. The only people I could see not getting struck by Aphrodite are those who can’t stand procedural generation or action games at all. If you’ve got even a cursory interest in roguelikes or action RPGs, you absolutely cannot pass this game up. Its only real shortcoming is the less-than-stellar story, which is a first for Supergiant Games. Rest assured, the gameplay, characters, secrets, and customization more than make up for a lack of a gripping narrative.

Afternoon of Darkness was great on both the PSP and the DS, and the elements that were added to Dark Hero Days make it even better.

Gamers expecting a truly memorable narrative may be slightly disappointed with Mass Effect 2. The game is far too much setup and not enough payoff to be considered anything more than an opening act to the (hopefully) epic finale.

Corpse Factory is a great visual novel and an incredibly interesting piece of fiction. It’s descriptive, creative, bloody, and most importantly: fun to read. It’s a bit frayed on the edges and leaves a few too many questions unanswered, but it has a hell of a lot of heart. Personally, I can’t wait to see what River Crow Studio does next.

If you hate South Park, you won't like this. If you're in the middle or love the show, this is the RPG for you.

A most triumphant and excellent adventure.

Collection of Mana, heck even just Trials of Mana in the West, is a dream come true for me. If you decide to pick this up, you're getting three wonderful games that you can play anywhere. Some extra features, like a museum with the series' artwork, or a history lesson on the entire franchise, wouldn't have gone amiss, but we got something we never thought we'd get. If $40 for three excellent games isn't too much to ask, then do yourself a favour and pick this up if you're an RPG fan.

It’s still an amazingly stubborn classic, one that manages to feel individualistic even now. It doesn’t do everything right, but the remake proves the bones of the original game are still strong and relevant today. Like all of FromSoftware’s latest games, Demon’s Souls gets under your skin with a combination of abject aggravation followed by glorious elation. It’s currently the best reason to own a PlayStation 5, and will likely still be an easy recommendation when we start thinking about PlayStation 6.

I appreciate how the story so succinctly ties up its loose ends, and the epilogue makes the journey worth it. However, I did feel that the game’s pacing could drag on at specific points with several “fake out” endings, which are a storytelling mechanic I dislike. Honestly though? I forgot all about that minor frustration when I finally reached the proper conclusion because it was such an entertaining journey overall. Much heart and soul went into creating Path of the Midnight Sun, and that effort shows time and time again throughout the game. It’s worth tracking down and one I’ll fondly remember playing for a while yet.

Overall, in Vol. 1, you’re getting three games that each would be worth playing on their own, despite showing their age. This collection comes as a hit of nostalgia for handheld games in an odd time where, aside from smartphones, handheld video-game platforms are a thing of the past, with a quasi-exception for the Switch, which allows both home and handheld gaming. With such a deviation from Mega Man, devoted fans of that series won’t necessarily find Mega Man Battle Network to be essential playing. However, for those who wished Mega Man were more RPG-like, those who enjoy collecting a la Pokémon or those who enjoy an awesome, unique battle system, there’s never been a better time to jack in to Mega Man Battle Network.

It's certainly an acquired taste, but I can't think of a better experience I've had with a handheld in a long time. Shiren the Wanderer is an early contender for my overall game of the year, and it's going to take a lot to pull me out of the dungeon.

By no means a perfect game, Avowed is an easy recommendation for any RPG lover, especially those invested in Eora. Simplicity is the soup served by Obsidian, and, in doing so, Avowed shines pristinely and with outstanding design. A bit more spice wouldn’t hurt, but over-seasoning risks ruining any stew. That said, the plot and physical world are anything but simple, and that’s where Obsidian has invested its talent. After all, why else are you playing an Obsidian title?

The game may look like Chrono Trigger, but it is decidedly not a traditional RPG. It is definitely more adventure game than anything else, as the doctors need to find various "memory triggers" inside Johnny's memories in order to move backwards from his most recent memories to his earliest.

There's great gameplay, graphics, music, and heart here, and I have no reservations whatsoever in wholeheartedly recommending it to anyone that enjoys these kinds of games.

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

As someone generally more motivated to complete a playthrough than get caught up in a cycle of experimenting and restarting, I’m not sure I’m the main audience for Caves of Qud. This makes me even more impressed by what a good time I had with it. Whether you’re signing up for one playthrough or one hundred, it’s hard not to be captivated by its depth and imagination once you get a sense of how the world works. And if I were the type of player who liked to invest the bulk of my gaming time in one single-player experience, this would be a rabbit hole worth falling into.

Coffee Talk is a pleasingly creative game with a lot of heart and hidden depth. During my playthrough, I felt like I was curling up with a good book under a blanket, sipping a warm beverage. Every once in a while, we could all do with that relaxing way to pass the time. While I was regrettably late in playing this delightful title, I’m eager to give Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly an earlier try! After all, if it is anything like its predecessor, it’ll be a title to talk about with a warm cup of coffee close at hand.

The most refined and fun Yakuza experience to date, though you may feel a bit left out if you skipped the original.

Ultimately, Three Hopes takes the wonderful world built in Three Houses and delivers a more consistent, satisfying story while effortlessly merging Fire Emblem gameplay elements with Musou gameplay. For fans of the Three Houses, Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is a must-play. I’d recommend it to everyone else too, but you’ll get more out of it if you start with Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

So does Hades II live up to the original? Absolutely. It retains much of what made the first title great while offering a different kind of gameplay. With Hades II, Supergiant Games proves that even Zeus can’t claim a monopoly on lightning striking twice.

Final Fantasy XVI is phenomenal if you enjoy action RPGs, especially if you appreciate well-written stories that build upon themselves, teeming with memorable characters and poignantly emotional moments. I’m glad I finally got to play it in its entirety, even if it wasn’t remotely close to its recommended specs. The final boss fight and ending scenes left me with so many feelings, and those on the fence about Final Fantasy XVI for any reason should at least give the game a chance. Like me, they might find a hidden gem underneath.

One of the best visual novels available in English, despite some hiccups.

Following a god-statue just doesn't inspire me the way being hit in the face with an ever-present catastrophe that devastates families did. Yes, Deadfire has fascinating themes of imperialism, cultural preservation, and politics, but those are secondary to the godly pursuit the Watcher and friends engage in. Despite this weakness and the relatively lackluster combat, Obsidian's writers showcase why they're the best in the industry and help lift Deadfire above its lesser qualities.

Despite weaker writing than I’ve come to expect from the series, Fire Emblem Engage’s gameplay is so good that the game is a blast from start to finish, and I’m already thinking of ideas for my third playthrough. If you like Fire Emblem’s gameplay at all, Fire Emblem Engage is a can’t-miss game.

ENDER MAGNOLIA is one of the best Metroidvanias I’ve played in many years—rivaled only by its predecessor—and it’ll easily land itself upon my 2025 game of the year list.

Its sharp wit, cleverness, and enigmatic plot provide not only a top-tier visual novel experience, but some of the best entertainment I've had gaming.

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.

As a whole, Shadows Over Loathing provides a highly entertaining and intriguing experience. If you’re looking for a game that brings positive aspects of old-school, text-heavy games forward, this is a good bet. It has all the charm of those types of games while being far more accessible. There are even non-combat and arachnophobia options for accessibility, with some bonus options related to the latter that seem to serve as a reward for investigating the accessibility options. It may go some way toward filling the void left by earlier graphic adventures while eliminating some of the frustrating puzzle-solving and downtime. Or you could, you know, just close that void with your shadow pliers. Be sure to pick up this game and get those, by the way. Leaving a void around would probably be bad.

The definitive version of Disgaea 4. If you haven't played it before, do so on Vita.

A slow-paced but charismatic RPG with an incredibly well-crafted world and characters.

A perfect showcase for the power of indie developers; a deck building, roguelike, action RPG.

Blue Reflection: Second Light is a beautiful game in every way. It looks fantastic, plays great, and sounds incredible. It’s challenging, rewarding, and a unique experience through and through. It has a hopeful, positive message and the story is a fun and winding ride. The presentation is top-notch, and the game itself demonstrates what Gust has learned in the past four years from their Atelier games. For those looking for a magical girl JRPG to play, consider checking out the entire series. For fans of the original game and anime, I highly recommend Blue Reflection: Second Light. It is one of Gust’s best games to date and easily the best game in the magical girl media subgenre.

If you've never played Lunar before and you own a PSP, this is your chance to play a classic.

NieR: Automata holds a special place in my heart. It introduced me to so many new experiences while simultaneously tapping into my nostalgia for how games made me feel. It’s one of the few games where I sat on the floor, controller in hand, staring up at the TV as if I were playing Final Fantasy VII for the first time again. NieR: Automata is the kind of game with a strange magical power that’ll warp you back to your favorite childhood game, then imprint itself upon your memory so that whenever you see a metal trash can, you’ll swear you heard it say, “this cannot continue.”

A content-rich sci-fi adventure that diverges from its predecessor in unexpected but delightful ways.

Overall, this is an exceptional game that will grab hold of your senses while you play and put you in a state of immersion that few games can match, much like the very best of its spiritual predecessors. A few audio/visual foibles and a slow, methodical pace might drive some players away, but for anyone who is interested in quality adventure titles or relaxing, contemplative gameplay experiences, I couldn't recommend this game more.

Players looking for a colorful world, a lighthearted story, and deep gameplay need look no further than Atelier Totori.