Overall, the main draw of Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher for me was the refinement of Monster Rancher 2’s systems. It’s great to see the series return and build off the foundation set by Monster Rancher 2 for a modern audience. While I miss the classic monsters, the Ultraman crossover is successful and gives Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher a unique identity compared to the rest of the series. Most of the kinks of the classic games have been ironed out, distilling the core gameplay into a smooth and welcoming experience for newcomers and experienced ranchers alike.

Deathbulge: Battle of the Bands is a good game whose small development team has big talent. The music alone is worth the price of admission. Deathbulge: Battle of the Bands is an enjoyable, if challenging, 12-15 hour (closer to 20 if you do all the sidequests) romp for those willing to invest in thoroughly learning and experimenting with the play mechanics. Deathbulge: Battle of the Bands is not for everyone, but if it sounds like your jam, you will love it.

At the end of the day, Lords of the Fallen is a fun but oftentimes frustrating experience. The level design and combat adjustments are spot on, but extremely haphazard enemy placement and poor variety mar the experience. The game is beautiful yet dull to look at, with very few standouts in its grimdark landscape. It never quite manages to become more than the sum of its parts, but those parts had their fun moments all the same. I hope Hexworks can take everything they did right this time around and iterate further with their next release to make a truly stand-out soulslike title because the pieces for a home run are here in Lords of the Fallen.

Robotherapy not only falls short of even the most basic of my expectations, it’s completely unremarkable in almost every regard. It fails to capitalize on its premise in any meaningful way, and the story that it does choose to develop struggles with the prohibitively short overall runtime. If you’re looking for a simple pick-me-up, Robotherapy might provide an hour of decent entertainment. But anyone looking for a more substantial experience, this is not it.

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

World of Horror remains dependent on its writing, visuals, and quantity of randomized events. Once the well runs dry on new encounters, World of Horror loses its luster. Clicking quickly through repeat events reminds oneself that this is a game and not a cursed town in 1980s Japan. That said, completionists and horror enthusiasts will find much replay value as several missions create an air of variability, each with two, three—sometimes four—unique endings. This is a competently made game with much to appreciate, though repeat material and a bogged-down user interface stymie the otherwise delicious mood.

Hammerwatch II is stuck in the past, which is a shame, because with some added niceties or more thoughtful design, it has the potential to be as impactful as its predecessor. An unoriginal premise doesn’t have to kill a game’s narrative, but with text walls and inconsequential, filler phrasing, caring about this world is nearly impossible. Being a fan of Hammerwatch, I found this review hard to write. For the first time I can ever remember, I actually put off writing a review, because the idea of hammering (heh) this out brought discomfort. I take no joy in the negativity of this review, but I feel like would-be consumers need the information to make wise purchasing decisions and the developers need the feedback.

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

Long Gone Days is the type of game that can be hard to recommend because the subject material will be too much for some. At the same time, for those its storytelling resonates with, it is a phenomenal RPG with some well-developed gameplay elements. I enjoyed playing the game even though I sometimes had to step away. I genuinely appreciate the all-too-important messages it contains, becoming invested in Rourke’s journey despite myself. Long Gone Days is a genuinely haunting, emotional game that stays with you well after you finish it. I hope many will give it a chance.

The Expanse: A Telltale Series is a fun sci-fi jaunt that both fans and non-fans of the TV series can enjoy. It could expand the horizons for some people who came into the IP fresh, or be one last excursion for those who already love it. Prequels often feel unnecessary it takes something special to come up with a good one, and that’s something Telltale has succeeded at. Exhuming a series that’s already finished isn’t always a good idea, but when you have the capable hands of the Telltale crew, you’re in for an enjoyable ride. So, strap in because you might not survive the Gs if you don’t. Fingers crossed that this won’t be the last we hear of The Expanse: A Telltale Series.

Mon-Yu sets out to make the first-person dungeon-crawling genre more approachable and friendly for new players. It does achieve this at some level , but in doing so it removes a lot of what makes the genre appealing in the first place. I can’t recommend this game to someone who wants to get into DRPGs, simply because there isn’t anything noteworthy here that will get its hooks into you. For fans of the genre, stick to Experience, Inc.’s other titles and stay far away from the land of Tir Na Balc.

Episode 4 leaves behind intense mixed feelings. It’s the second episode in a row where the series brings everything that belongs in a classic Telltale game. This installment explores Camina’s past in a much cooler way than a standard flashback. And The Expanse now adds new dimensions to the TV series, especially Camina’s character. Yet, it also feels like the developers had been holding out, not bringing out the most compelling elements of the series until it’s almost over. It gives them momentum for the ending, but why did they wait so long, knowing there’s limited space for this story? I’m still interested to see how it ends and whether there will be some sort teaser for another season. I sure hope so, because I need more of Toussaint in my life, oh captain, my captain!

2023 was a year filled with hotly anticipated RPGs that largely delivered. Over the past five months alone, we’ve had The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Final Fantasy XVI, Baldur’s Gate 3, and Starfield, all of which left remarkable impressions on their respective reviewers here. It’s no surprise that any one of these hyper-expensive, lovingly crafted generational touchstones would be some RPG fan’s exact cup of tea. Phantom Liberty happens to be mine. It has the cinematic panache of FFXVI but incorporates the player more fully into its events. It has the world-building chops of Starfield but has a more kinetic and vibrant energy in its quest structure and character interactions. Most importantly, it’s a proof of concept for less-is-more AAA RPG design that I hope more developers make note of for potential standalone products.

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.

Silent Hope is a charming, adorable game with pitch-perfect sound design, from its limited voice work (the Princess and the King), suitably adventurous and mysterious music, and dopamine-inducing sound effects. It gets repetitive but has a well-oiled gameplay loop that keeps you on the rails. The limited character builds result in a lack of depth, but the fun of combining the right weapons, runestones, and skills to make huge numbers appear and enemies disappear is always present. Silent Hope is simple in almost all respects, and yet it brings me joy to play it and likely would do even more so for the children in your life.

The Legend of Nayuta is an incredibly polished experience.

Crimson Tactics wants to be a sweeping epic but is instead a cumbersome slog. Even the most patient and forgiving gamers who can look past slow pacing, terribly written dialogue, and myriad other issues will not see much potential. Crimson Tactics is an unbearably dull, poorly designed, and unfinished game that fails to deliver on any of its promises. I’m glad to be done with this game and have no intention of looking at its sequels, DLC, or any subsequent content.

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.”

At the end of the day, Elderand feels more like a game you play in between big releases or to scratch a certain itch, more than a title you might get excited to play. The individual flaws of the game might not be absolute dealbreakers, but they undoubtedly muddy the waters and noticeably drag down the experience. A sale is the only time I would recommend people try out Elderand, but with genre giants like Hollow Knight and Ori and The Will of the Wisps all at a similar price point, Elderand remains a hard sell.

Lies of P certainly evokes the likenesses of the game we all know it is trying to emulate — that’s right, Nightmare Creatures 2 (j/k, it’s Dark Souls). However, it is polarizing to me; it marks a step backward in several ways from the design of its inspiration. However, it also offers a few alternative modes of stepping forward from those designs, such as robust weapon adjustments, streamlined cosmetic options, and a fun new skill tree in Quartz upgrades. It also offers a more obvious central story, one that does a good job of recognizing its ancestry while gracefully appropriating it for the present cultural moment. It is just a bummer that, from a gameplay standpoint, Lies of P fails to remember where it came from.

With this secondary universe within the universe of The Expanse, it feels as though there’s too much happening to wrap up with two short episodes to go. Though it’s still way too early to predict, it’s possible what’s here and absent currently could be pointing to a second season. If that’s where the series is headed, it should eventually make for a more substantial experience than if Episode 5 is the full-stop end. The show won’t bend around to connect back to the game, as it’s over. Or is it? In any case, hopefully two more episodes will bring clarity to the limbo where The Expanse currently resides. After the cliffhanger ending of Episode 3, I’m excited to see how Camina gets out of this one and how the rest of her story will play out.

I loved every second of the 30+ hours I poured into Wandering Sword. In a year filled with so many critically acclaimed RPGs like Baldur’s Gate 3, Starfield, Final Fantasy XVI, and Sea of Stars, I could easily see a smaller, PC-only release like Wandering Sword getting lost in the shuffle. That would be an absolute tragedy, as Wandering Sword delivered one of the best gaming experiences I’ve had all year. Yuwen Yi’s journey opened my eyes to the wuxia genre and the wonderful world of Chinese RPGs.

There’s really little else to say about Final Fantasy V Pixel Remaster other than that it’s a solid, faithful, and accessible rendition of one of the more underrated Final Fantasy titles. While it kind of bites that we don’t get to see the extra content from the Game Boy Advance version in this remaster, that’s a negligible quibble in the grand scheme of things. If you’re a longtime Final Fantasy fan who has somehow missed out on the adventure of Bartz, Lenna, Galuf, Faris and company, then this is a perfect chance to redress that.

There are good games and great games, and then there are games that change the game entirely. Baldur’s Gate III is that rare case that charts its own route, building on the best of what came before it and breaking new ground. With how responsive the game is to the specifics of your created character, it could be explored virtually forever with endless new stuff to discover tucked into millions of little corners. The world is intricate and wonderous enough to want to live in it, and the characters are so intriguing that you cherish every conversation and want to save them all from themselves (and good luck doing that!). It’s an explosion of the imagination so powerful that it’s unthinkable that Larian was able to fit it all into one game, but they did. So, gather your party and venture forth!

Etrian Odyssey I and II HD are best enjoyed as a visually and aurally improved recreation of the DS originals, mechanical warts and all. It’s nice to see the originals preserved for a modern audience despite their flaws. However, the decision not to include the additions from the Untold remakes, even as an option, is disappointing and prevents this release from being truly definitive. While I prefer the music and aesthetics of these HD versions, for new players, there is ultimately less on offer here unless you really want to experience the series’ humble beginnings. Otherwise, the rigidity of the systems and the hamstrung cartography mechanics make these remasters hard to recommend over the 3DS remakes.

Etrian Odyssey I and II HD are best enjoyed as a visually and aurally improved recreation of the DS originals, mechanical warts and all. It’s nice to see the originals preserved for a modern audience despite their flaws. However, the decision not to include the additions from the Untold remakes, even as an option, is disappointing and prevents this release from being truly definitive. While I prefer the music and aesthetics of these HD versions, for new players, there is ultimately less on offer here unless you really want to experience the series’ humble beginnings. Otherwise, the rigidity of the systems and the hamstrung cartography mechanics make these remasters hard to recommend over the 3DS remakes.

Even with its flaws, I immensely enjoyed the time I spent playing Eternights, especially once I reached the game’s true ending. Hint: When you reach the end credits and if you’ve remained faithful to your chosen bonded partner, keep your phone’s camera on for an additional pleasant surprise! I had more fun with Eternights than several other games I’ve played this year. It’s a true delight if you fit the target audience for it, especially for those action RPG enthusiasts who don’t mind romance and dating sim elements. In some ways, it is more substantial than some of the games it will invariably draw comparisons to, and it shows that Studio Sai is an indie developer to watch out for in the future! Follow your heart and stay the course with this one, as Eternights shows that even a rocky path to true love can ultimately be worth it.

As it stands, Rune Factory 3 Special is a welcome addition to the series’ library mainly because it preserves the original and makes it the most accessible it’s ever been. Players interested in replaying the title or who strongly want to play each game in the series in some form can’t go wrong with Rune Factory 3 Special. But anyone not inclined to play them all is much better off with 4 Special, or even 5. Rune Factory 3 Special includes all the basics that make Rune Factory great, but has less content, fewer player options, and fewer quality-of-life features than the current series standard. It’s especially hard to recommend Rune Factory 3 Special over 4 Special when the only area 3 bests 4 in is graphics, yet 3 still retails for $10 more.