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.

All-in-all, though, Phoenix Wright ends up winning my heart with its charm and overall presentation. The characters are certainly lovable and the stories are far from boring.

If you've enjoyed the Mario & Luigi series in the past, buying this entry is a no-brainer, and if you've never played the series, now's a great time to start.

Everhood wears its inspirations proudly on its sleeve, but it’s a different beast entirely. With hidden secrets, harder difficulties, and an absurd world that I’ve grown fond of, I think I’ll be back more than a few times to get on the dance floor with some old friends.

I love the main cast of characters and many of their allies, with every new scene featuring a particular character making me want to know them just a little more. The fact that the routes themselves skew more towards heartwarming, non-problematic stories is also a nice touch. Temirana: The Lucky Princess and the Tragic Knights is a sentimental romantasy VN I can easily recommend to fans of the genre!

A worthy finale to Professor Layton's adventures, whether you've played the previous games or not.

Although Episode 2 struggles in terms of pacing, a strong Act 2 to this brief entry makes for a worthwhile venture.

Tales from the Borderlands still provides worthwhile entertainment, but the comedic edge is losing its grip.

Rune Factory 4 Special is a fairly underrated game from the 3DS library that I'm glad got another chance on Switch. If you were ever curious about the Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons games but perhaps farming wasn't your thing, you should check out Rune Factory 4 Special. It's the most polished game of the Rune Factory series, and if they can improve on Rune Factory 4's formula going forward, I'm looking forward to the future of this series.

Reckoning provides many hours of good, solid fun based around character development and skill progression. Those looking for a deeply immersive experience should probably look elsewhere, but don't be surprised if your Civic runs nice and smooth while the other guy is busy patching the crap out of his Ferrari.

Finding Paradise is a memorable experience that may last me a lifetime, like a good book or film. The care placed into each scene is one of the reasons why Finding Paradise is such a masterpiece. Each string of dialogue, each reference to other games, every joke, and every pixel — they all feel deliberate and labored over, yet also so smoothly executed, as if effortless.

There are some minor elements of Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar that feel like remnants from its outdated DS counterpart. But there’s so much more that is lovingly updated, elevating the experience to one that stands out among its predecessors. Grand Bazaar is a grand remake that’s easy to recommend to fans of the series and fans of farming sims in general. Just like the winds of change brought it richer character stories, an emphasized overarching narrative, and voice acting, hopefully Grand Bazaar’s eastward winds carry these new features and concepts into future Story of Seasons games.

Overall, I spent well over one hundred twenty hours playing the Switch port of Trails of Cold Steel IV. While I certainly felt that the game dragged at times, it was ultimately still a solid JRPG experience. At times, “the end of saga” might have felt like it was going out with more of a whimper than a roar, but the conclusion of the True Ending more than makes up for the game’s pacing struggles. I’m glad I got the opportunity to experience the ending of the Erebonian story arc, and even with some Switch-specific flaws, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV is yet another truly solid addition to the console’s JRPG lineup. If you picked up the Switch’s port of Trails of Cold Steel III, then the fourth game is certainly worth playing on that system as well.

There is so much to love about Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma, from its improvements to farming to its lovable cast and how its story calls back to previous Rune Factory plot elements. The game clearly loves its heritage just as much as it loves Japan, so it’s easy to love it back. Guardians of Azuma is by far the greatest Rune Factory game yet, thanks to its forward strides in farming and player expression. And while there are still some minor limitations to overcome, Rune Factory 6 has some massive shoes to fill. The best simulation games keep you coming back to maintain your personalized worlds, and Guardians of Azuma does just that, with flying colors of all the seasons.

Darkest Dungeon 2 isn’t a perfect game by any means, and as someone who isn’t a fan of difficult games or games that I feel intentionally aim to cause me grief, I cannot say I wasn’t annoyed or even lashed out at the game. But the design behind Darkest Dungeon II, the care put into exploring this world, telling this tale, and making a game that you’d want to play repeatedly is absolutely brilliant. As it was the first time around. Iteratively, Darkest Dungeon II is a must-play for anyone who found anything enjoyable about the first game. Newcomers be warned: Darkest Dungeon II is an incredible experience.

The game presents a unique mix of visual novel and puzzle gaming, with a distinctive puzzling setup supported by a fair learning curve.

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

It's plain to see I adored my time with Timespinner. Its little niggles couldn't prevent me from going back to New Game Plus, or even experimenting with the level cap mode or higher difficulties. I stopped everything for Timespinner and in return I was rewarded with tight gameplay, a rich, beautiful world and all the queer representation I've ever wanted.

With a fresh combat system and a lovable cast, Final Fantasy XV excels at its goal of being a title for both fans and newcomers alike.


Genshin Impact might not be the most original game in a lot of respects, but it certainly has a wealth of things to offer players should they still be willing to give it a chance. Overall, I greatly enjoyed my time with it, and I plan to continue playing once future updates are implemented. The fact that it can be played for free is also quite impressive given just how much time you can invest in the game, especially with people perhaps staying at home more and being on a budget. All in all, Genshin Impact is a surprisingly solid action RPG adventure!

A great first expansion for an already robust and fun MMO.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV has been a long time coming. Not just because of the cliffhanger Cold Steel III ended on, but because it’s the conclusion to the Cold Steel arc and a convergence point for all three arcs. The game is truly at its best when it’s resolving long-standing plot threads and nodding to previous events and characters in the series. Unfortunately, it spends a lot of time spinning its wheels, and this can be frustrating given how long we’ve waited for this conclusion. It’s not a bad experience, though — just an unnecessarily long one. If you’ve come this far and want to know how it all ends, then settle yourself in for the long haul and keep going forward, relentlessly.

Bravely Second redeems the worst sins of Bravely Default and is an entertaining homage to the classic turn-based RPGs of yesteryear.

As it stands, I had a blast stepping into the role of the Hunter and getting to hang out and battle with a colorful assortment of Marvel heroes in a supernatural-tinged adventure. I’m already eagerly awaiting the future DLC for Marvel’s Midnight Suns. Sometimes, you do draw a winning hand.

Overall, Jagged Alliance 3 is an impressive and endlessly entertaining production that not only revives an old series but does it justice in a more modern style. The story and characters make for another compelling entry in the series. Grand Chien is wholly believable as a vibrant nation, even though it’s non-existent. Combat is expertly converted to a 3-D environment, and there are so many strategic layers that it’s good to the last drop for the 50-ish hours it should take to complete. It’s easy to see how players could return time and again to check out all of the mercs and challenge themselves to level up the weaker ones. Haemimont Games wrung all the fun they could out of this system and served it up on a diamond-crusted platter. Jagged Alliance 3 gets the job done and even throws in a little extra. I love it when a plan comes together.

Assassin's Creed: Origins is the best game in the series, but it's a mediocre action RPG at its core. In this sense, it both succeeds and fails at being a much-needed franchise shakeup.

For the amount of fun, hilarity, and challenge it provides, I would say it's well worth it. But don't get this game if you're unwilling to do plenty of reading. To play this game, you need a computer with a mouse, and a fairly ranged knowledge of English vocabulary.

While Revenant Wings may be little more than a handheld equivalent to Final Fantasy X-2, it does what it was meant to do quite well.

Gaming enthusiasts whose time is too limited to sample every hot Nintendo classic might want to move along. However, those among us who can still devote ample hours to our favorite franchises (and can tolerate a few terribly repetitive angles) will find a lot to love here. That’s the most I could hope for from Skyward Sword HD, and indeed, it has delivered.

Muramasa is a fun game, but it's not for everyone. If you are bothered by minimal story, repetitive fighting, and a fairly short length, then it's not for you. For all other action RPG fans, Muramasa succeeds in delivering pure fun factor that's addicting and highly accessible with excellent aesthetics to complement it.

Needless to say, Reckoning is a repetitive experience. If you've played the first five hours, you've seen everything the game has to offer except a few bosses and superficially different environments.

Where this game really shines, though, is in the fun gameplay and excellent music and voice acting.

Despite my gripes with the narrative and framerate, Monster Hunter Stories 2 is an exhilarating ride from start to finish. I had a blast getting lost in its addictive combat, collection, and customization systems and appreciating its wondrous visual style. Whether you want to collect Monsties or battle them, or if this is your first or fifth foray into Monster Hunter, you’d be remiss to overlook Monster Hunter Stories 2. Regardless of whether it dethrones Pokémon as the king of monster collecting games, you’ll find it injects welcome innovation into the subgenre and stands on its own merits as an RPG well worth your time.

Though it comes with some bugs, ample load times when entering or leaving a dungeon, and an English localization that shows some evidence of the developer's Spanish roots, Moonlighter presents well. While some may shy away from the repetitive formula, I am certain fans of the roguelike genre will find a lot to play with in Moonlighter. That being said, the scant story is not so demanding that players need commit fully to it in one continuous playthrough. Thus, Digital Sun has developed Moonlighter into something that feels as timeless as its role models and will welcome back players delve after delve.

Every piece of the game is well-executed, and given the PSP's exclusive gameplay modes, it is easily the best version of the game for anyone who's not going to fault the PSP's inability to match the Xbox 360's graphical power.

Goodbye Volcano High doesn’t feel like it’s treading on new territory, but rather refining a genre that already exists. With every song played, character met, and story beat processed, I felt Goodbye Volcano High managed to exceed my expectations. I laughed and I cried, and that makes it hard not to recommend the game. I’ll leave a quote from Reed to end off on: “Meh, dunno. Hard to think of a good ending right now.”

A quirky and fun adventure that could go far with a few little tweaks.

Monster Sanctuary has been out a while, but if you missed out on its original release, it’s worth revisiting. The combination of light 2D platforming and turn-based combat is too good to ignore, and the vast number of monsters, skill combinations, and equipment options make it a strategist’s dream. The fact that the whole thing is presented in gorgeous spritework alongside a popping soundtrack only makes this an easier recommendation. Apart from a few minor quibbles around monster organisation and the endgame grind, there are very few weaknesses to the overall package. Do yourself a favor and make house with these cute guys for a while; they’ll give you an awful lot of enjoyment in return.

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

Dawntrail’s story itself is a bit of a letdown, but the foundation has been laid for future expansions, and I know Creative Studio III can make the most of it. Meanwhile, the gameplay is fantastic, the graphics update is lovely, and the music continues to impress. Dawntrail may not reach the bar set by Shadowbringers and Endwalker, but it’s still a lot of fun to play.

While SaGa Frontier 2 Remastered is a massive improvement over the original, and well worth playing, I remain cognizant of its flaws. The story is highly interesting and definitely fun to dive into, pondering to oneself, “What isn’t being told? What other dynamics are at play?” And yes, the new localization makes the plot far easier to comprehend. But there is a sparseness to the story’s presentation. Nearly 100 years pass and we’re just getting snapshots, vignettes for a handful of characters. That might be a little thin for players who prefer dialogue-heavy RPGs. This ain’t that.

I enjoyed playing the first Monster Hunter Stories on the Nintendo 3DS and found it a cute diversion. I expected similar from its successor, but Wings of Ruin‘s narrative surprised me with its hidden depth. It’s easy to lose yourself in Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin‘s monster-collecting world, and you can become invested in the plot more than you might initially expect. I’m glad I finally had the opportunity to play it! To channel my inner Navirou, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is pawsitively clawdacious!

Danganronpa fans should still love this entry, even with some subpar elements.

SteamWorld Heist II continually impressed me throughout my roughly 30-hour playthrough. Thunderful has done a wonderful job carrying over the immediacy of the engaging sidescrolling combat mechanics while expanding upon the design in meaningful ways. The addition of character classes adds a new dimension to building your crew, and the expanded approach to the world design had me exploring every nook and cranny for more secrets. Captain Leeway’s seafaring adventure is a must-play for any turn-based strategy fan.

With Phantom Brave, NIS was still getting into its SRPG stride and took some chances with both story and gameplay elements rather than milking the success of Disgaea. The more serious, less goofy attempt at narrative falls short, but the unique gameplay elements make this a fun and addicting SRPG in its own right. The PC port of this little gem is worth checking out even if you're not a hardcore NIS fan, particularly if you're looking for an SRPG that offers something just a little different.

While Death of the Reprobate is not a perfect experience, this brief journey doesn’t overstay its welcome. I’m a Joe Richardson fan, and I can’t wait to see what he does next, even if it’s nothing like his previous works. Clearly, he’s a talented individual who deserves success. If unique experiences are your wheelhouse and you don’t mind some potty humor to go with your high-brow language, then please support this developer.

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

Ultimately, Necrobarista reminded me of another Roger Ebert essay about his thoughts on life and death. In it he wrote, “What I am grateful for is the gift of intelligence, and for life, love, wonder, and laughter.” Necrobarista brings all of these things, with incredible style and panache. Like a good movie, I felt a little different after I played it, and to me, that makes it worthy of being called art…whatever that means.

Playing Like a Dragon: Ishin! took me back to the feeling I had when I first played Yakuza 0, which is not a bad thing! Though it isn’t the pinnacle of the series, Ishin delivers a pure Yakuza experience that will delight both long-time and new fans. It’s an expertly told melodrama punctuated with moments of genuinely breathtaking absurdity. In other words, it’s a Yakuza game. And frankly, if this actually were a historical drama in the running for Best Picture at the Oscars, it would absolutely get my vote.

It ranks as my favorite installment in the trilogy. The gameplay brought nothing new to the table, but playing it for the plot and characters has left me more than satisfied.

Ultimately, Stellar Blade met most of my expectations, though it did fall short with the story and pacing. The combat, music, and world design are something special, and the monster design feels straight out of a cosmic horror game. While Stellar Blade is heavily influenced by NieR: Automata, it fails to take its crown. To end on a painfully unoriginal pun, Stellar Blade is ‘NieR enough‘ to tide fans over until Yoko Taro manages to extort more money out of Square Enix. It may feel unfair to constantly compare Stellar Blade to NieR: Automata, yet with such blatant influence, it would be a disservice to ignore the developer’s clear and beloved inspiration.

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.

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

SteamWorld Quest is a perfectly serviceable RPG, but a disappointment when compared to previous SteamWorld games.

I may have initially been disappointed by the focus on online play, but these fears quickly passed as I discovered what an enjoyable game Dungeon Defenders is. 13 maps with 15-20 hours of play is a considerable amount of initial content, but the extra challenges and loot-hunting are what will keep you coming back. Working out strategies and tower placement is a great fun, and finally succeeding in your strategy is immensely satisfying. Some of the online features are a little rough, but if you enjoy a good tower defence game, then you should not miss this one.

Overall, I’m glad that I decided to give Death’s Gambit: Afterlife a try. I’d most certainly recommend it to those who’ve already tried the initial game just to see the extensive overhaul it received. The level of challenge here is extremely high, but the sense of accomplishment from playing the game and overcoming it is real.

To be clear, Suikoden I & II shine even more brightly here than they have for over 25 years. Plus, building up your base is still a blast, and I got the same dopamine hit every time I added someone to my army. The characters and story are still working on a singular, elevated level. I love the look and the sound. But, even this superfan purist wanted a little more care and attention in addressing the legitimate complaints people have about these games.

If you have the slightest interest in Journey to the West, Asian philosophy, or want to broaden your horizons, then this is an easy recommendation. Aside from being an exceptional, accessible game to play, the references to works you may not be familiar with will instill an appetite to learn more. I know it has in me. All of this coming from a studio I had never heard of before (GameScience), though I hope it finds great success after their effort here. If this is an example of what they can achieve, I can’t wait to see the next project.

With a lengthy adventure full of memorable story moments, Dragon Quest VII deserves a spot in every 3DS owner's library.

Ultimately, Darksiders is a solid action-adventure title, the likes of which we don't see often nowadays. The Warmastered Edition, however, is a disappointingly lackluster re-release, with a number of bugs that weren't present in the original release that serve to hinder the experience. As a series fan, I hope that THQ Nordic eventually releases a patch to address these problems, because the tantalizing possibility of a Darksiders 3 involving all four Horsemen of the Apocalypse theoretically rests on the success of these remasters… but aside from all that, Darksiders is a good enough game to deserve the extra tender love and care.

With engaging and believable protagonists, whimsical landscapes, and delightful voice acting to complement the shrewd writing, there's little left to nitpick but the mediocre puzzles, predictable plot, and occasional graphical hiccups.

Final Fantasy VIII Remastered is lacking a fair bit of polish in some areas, and it isn't the easiest Final Fantasy to recommend to everyone, but it's a piece of history in Square Enix's storied life. This is easily the best and most accessible version of the game you can get today, and I'm so glad it's finally getting a bit more love and attention. FFVIII embraces its weirdness and quirks to full effect, and it's definitely worth giving a shot if you're curious. With this release, I hope a lot more people realise this game is better than many made it out to be back in the day.

Cold Steel II is staunchly traditional in most ways but also exceptionally attentive to all of the details that make classic, story-driven RPGs so wonderful when they're done right.

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.

I found myself immensely enjoying the time I spent playing Dark Deity. It particularly reminded me of playing some of the more recent Fire Emblem titles like Awakening and Fates, but I arguably found myself becoming more invested in the plot and caring even more for its characters. The gameplay, while somewhat reminiscent of those Fire Emblem titles, also provides some key differences that help greatly emphasize the strategy component of the game’s campaign. To SRPG fans looking for another Fire Emblem-esque experience, I’d wholeheartedly recommend giving Dark Deity a chance. It is a truly enjoyable addition to the genre, and one I’m glad I got the chance to further peruse.

This is the Disgaea you know and love, but with a fresh coat of paint and enough new features to warrant another trip through the Netherworld, dood.

But I can say with confidence that Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen is a must-own for nearly all JRPG fans.

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.

They're still good games, but there's nothing overtly special about them that makes them stand out from the rest of the series or, more importantly, Black and White 1.

While lacking in the traditional gameplay department, if Tyranny is approached as an interactive adventure title with fascinating choices, it will surely satisfy. I'm eager to thrust myself back into the world, perhaps with a more magnanimous bent, if Obsidian will allow.

Fate/Samurai Remnant is an all-around great game, and I can only hope we see more fantastic collaborations like this from Type-Moon and Omega Force. My imagination is already running wild as I consider what this duo might achieve with a Fate game focused on heroes such as Jeanne d’Arc, and I can’t wait to see what’s next. Fans of Fate, action RPGs, samurai games, or Japanese history in general should give Fate/Samurai Remnant a look. It’s well worth the time and serves as a rewarding experience through and through.

While not a hardcore gaming experience, Dredge certainly sates the thirst for Lovecraftian vibes. Though the game can get a bit repetitive by the end, the majority of Dredge is enjoyable enough to warrant a purchase. I left a few mysteries unsolved in my playthrough, and I may jump back in to check those off in hopes that I can hit “snooze” on the elder gods’ alarm clock.

An experience I advise no one to miss.

It's hard to understand why Square Enix didn't put any effort into the story, which would have upped the greatness of this game significantly had it been good. Even after some disappointments, FFTA2 remains worth it for all the reasons that FFTA was: great presentation and solid gameplay.

Players will undoubtedly judge REANIMAL for its price versus gameplay hours, but the quality of storytelling, visuals, and sound design cannot be argued. The promise of DLC suggests to me that some degree of story clarity will be offered, which I’m not sure how I feel about, but I’m eager for more. Some will call this arthouse schlock, but I remain firm that there’s something here, and even if your last impressions of REANIMAL are slightly less enigmatic days and weeks later, the journey is worthwhile if you don’t fuss over the almighty Dollar.

It’s still an enjoyable romp: a world filled with brutal combat encounters, a slew of arcane mysteries, and diverse sights that can be achingly gorgeous, powerfully harrowing, and even bizarrely psychedelic. But in the course of my playthrough as Feivor, I feel that I’ve received Valhalla as it should have been. My previous praises are kept intact, and the experience is only enhanced by a narrative that subverts Norse mythology while slashing the tether that binds executive misogyny to a world where supposed viking culture has been adopted by an ahistorical, androcentric right-wing. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla can be great, but if you want an inferior experience, don’t worry: Ubisoft has you covered.

I ultimately found Ys IX: Monstrum Nox a satisfying Japanese RPG, but I wish the journey getting there was a little less conversation, a little more action, please.

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

Quite simply, while Eternal Sonata may be overlooked as a broken title, it is truly no such thing. Instead, it is a world that I was happy to play in, and may even dream about from time to time.

Endlessly light and easy to play with untold improvements over the first game, this is a simple and easy blast for any players looking for something a little mindless to put on their PC.

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.

Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux's challenging gameplay might not be for everyone, but those it does appeal to will find a well-crafted dungeon-crawling experience with a thought-provoking narrative.

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.

As I said before, The Millennium Girl offers a fantastic opportunity for new players to dip their toes into Etrian Odyssey, as it provides the familiar sorts of characters we have grown to love in JRPGs while keeping intact the extremely strong foundations of the original game.

Good port of an old favorite.

In the end, Sakuna left me aglow with a warm nostalgia reminiscent of PlayStation 2 favourites like Okami, Odin Sphere, or Dark Cloud. Sakuna is a solid title with a lot of fun to be had. It has ambition, charm, and a whole myriad of interlocking systems to dive into. Despite some tedium in the early game and a dearth of content in the late game, the overall package is strong. The rhythm of the gameplay loop never loses its ability to calm and easily leads to a state of video game zen. One part beat ’em up RPG and one part farming sim, Sakuna truly excels in how well it blends these two genres. As far as I am concerned, Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is worth playing not just for those interested in either genre, but for people who want a taste of what indie titles can be.

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.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is a blast for its entire run of 20-plus hours, and when it’s not entertaining you with goofy banter and situations, it’s aiming directly at your heart. The twitchy combat is like strapping a high-class hyperdrive engine to a well-worn ship held together with duct tape and bubblegum: it’s such a wild ride that you won’t even notice when it falls apart. Though the fighting has its issues, it’s decent enough to ferry you through the wonderfully dynamic story. For Guardians fans, this game is a no-brainer. But even if you’re not into the superhero thing, it’s also the grandest space opera game this side of Mass Effect. Between Guardians and Avengers, could we be headed for a Square Enix Cinematic Universe? If so, Guardians of the Galaxy may not be a final destination, but at least the spaceship knows which way to go. I’ll be hooked on a feeling for a while.

Perfect for anyone who prefers narrative over puzzles.

Idol enthusiasts will ascend to J-pop nirvana, while the rest of us will find TMS to be a perfect appetizer to tide us over until Persona 5.

It's very unfortunate that everything in Baten Kaitos did not come together to create a truly great gaming experience. The shallow battle system becomes boring quickly, and the voice acting's poor quality drops the game to a simply average level.

I loved Wanderstop in a way that I honestly wasn’t anticipating. I mean, I was sure I’d enjoy the story, music, and writing given the pedigree of Ivy Road’s founders. Yet, I was taken aback by how much I, a management sim skeptic, enjoyed the gardening and tea-brewing gameplay loop. Good thing too, since it’s most of what Wanderstop offers. Well, that and the aforementioned fantastic story, characters, and mature writing that is at times as genuinely laugh-out-loud funny as it is emotionally rich. Let’s also not fail to mention yet another wonderful, moving soundtrack by master composer C418.

Several times during my playthrough of Torna, I found myself thinking that, in some ways, it might actually be a better experience than Xenoblade Chronicles 2, which is perhaps a shocking thing for me to say because I very much enjoyed the original game. The more mature tone, focused cast, and refined gameplay are definite pluses, and even though the scope of both the world and the time you spend in it is far smaller, this can play to the game's strengths. Those who liked the original game will almost certainly like Torna.

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

Goodbye Deponia succeeds as the weakest entry in the franchise, with moments that rival the best. In many ways, this third entry has taken some tumbles, with neither puzzles nor characters as imaginative and challenging as the watermark left by its predecessor.

Writing a review for games like this feels bizarre to me, because synthesizing the work down to a number honestly feels wrong. It’s akin to going into an art gallery and scoring each painting or sculpture, and while that seems like I’m laying the praise on a bit thick, I genuinely feel this way. Whenever I’ve been in a slump or felt lost, a good book or movie with something to say has always been the best prescription. Impostor Factory can be that antidote for those who need it. Thank you, Kan, and thank you, Freebird Games. You’ve created an outstanding trilogy, and I absolutely, unequivocally, cannot wait to see what you do next. You have a supporter for life.

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

They're still good games, but there's nothing overtly special about them that makes them stand out from the rest of the series or, more importantly, Black and White 1.