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.

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.

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.

I’m pleasantly surprised by 9 R.I.P., especially considering I was initially somewhat wary of it due to my horror aversion. Yet I found it to be, at its core, an excellent tale of self-discovery and romance with a supernatural element that helps make it a perfect Halloween treat. Given some of its subject material, it might not be for everyone, but those to whom it does appeal should find a compelling game to play with the lights either on or off!

ENDER LILLIES manages to mitigate my issues with the Metroidvania subgenre while surpassing any expectations I had thanks to its story, art, and gameplay. My time with it was so overwhelmingly positive that I found myself struggling to pinpoint things I didn’t like. To those (like myself) who found themselves enamored with Valkyrie Profile’s theater-of-tragedy style of storytelling, I highly recommend giving Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights a look. To all others, I’d highly recommend it as an incredibly strong action RPG platformer with breathtaking art, engaging gameplay, powerful writing, and an emotive soundtrack that is bound to leave its mark upon you.

Those who enjoy the Tales series or action RPGs won't be doing themselves a disservice by buying Vesperia, but those desiring a more groundbreaking title should look elsewhere.

Don't let the game's lengthy localization period deter you from experiencing the latest chapter in the Tales universe. Xillia's likeable cast, frenetic combat, and enjoyable storyline make this one of the best entries in the franchise, though its emaciated side content leaves something to be desired.

Speedrunners will likely delight in ripping through this game, while others will enjoy a leisurely adventure as they poke into every inch of the world plumbing for secrets. A magical adventure tinged with nostalgia can be hard to find these days, but Ocean’s Heart delivers a stellar, fun experience that may leave you craving more.

All in all, if you've followed the series, there's no point in stopping now. Capcom has the formula down by this point, and they will only improve upon it as time passes.

It's impossible to deny that Rune Factory 3 is the best entry in the series. It has improved in just about every area it possibly could: the battles are more dynamic, the farming isn't monotonous, the characters are deeper and more intriguing, and the dialogue is full of variety.

Not just another Diablo clone.

Exceptional entries in the series that include some great new mechanics.

Exceptional entries in the series that include some great new mechanics.

At the end of the day, Café Enchanté is a charming and, dare I say, enchanting take on the otome genre. Much like a delicious cup of coffee, I immensely enjoyed my time with the game and its quirky cast of characters. The tonal shifts in the plot at times could be surprising, but ultimately made the story stand out all the more. This is definitely the type of refreshing visual novel I wouldn’t mind having a refill of.

I had a great time playing Xuan Yuan Sword 7 and can only hope that Western gamers will get the chance to experience more games in the series at some point. We’ve clearly been missing out on a compelling series if this entry is any indication! It might not have reinvented the action RPG wheel, but Xuan Yuan Sword 7 is a well-rounded and incredibly solid take on the genre with a phenomenal story at its core.

Etrian Odyssey II: Heroes of Lagaard is everything you loved about the original, except even better.

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy’s celebratory nature may draw attention to the second trilogy’s flaws, but it also showcases its assets, from the visual to the auditory and, yes, even the narrative. For all its pros and cons, Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy is the best way to play these great, albeit sometimes incohesive, games.

This episode flew by at the swiftness of a baseball bat or bullet. While I hesitate to say that this was worth the wait because I do not want to encourage Telltale's practice of delayed releases, the fact of the matter is that I love this new season as much as I have seasons 1 and 2, albeit in slightly different ways. The series has matured nicely alongside Clementine — I just wish Telltale's release schedule would do the same.

The second half doesn't quite live up to the first, but Broken Age is still a journey worth taking.

This final episode makes the long trip worthwhile. Newcomers should take the plunge with confidence.

Personally, I feel as if this is one of the best titles I've played in a long time, despite some of its gratuitous flaws. Movies are sometimes judged on their ability to make people forget their problems for a couple of hours – the immersion. LoG definitely has that going for it, and even when stumped and dying repeatedly, I couldn't pull myself away. This is a sleeper hit that everyone should at least try, and let's hope its success encourages the developers to work on another game, improving on an already-polished title.

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 — Record Breaker is more of the same with a bit of polish.

Theatrhythm Final Bar Line is an easy grab if you’re a Final Fantasy music fan. There are more songs than ever before, and the features are cleaned up. Less is more, I think. While I enjoyed Curtain Call’s overworld map, all of the items and fussing with routes distracted from the core of what Theatrhythm should be about: the music. Having this arguably simple-looking game on a home console brings the atmosphere to life with its charming, cute art, though some may not enjoy the look and feel of the characters. Pricing might irritate some, especially those who already went all-in on previous titles, but the amount of replayability warrants the price of admission. Still, $100 for everything now and in the future can feel like a hard sell, especially if not all of the announced releases whet the palate. I have no doubt that the streamlined online experience, pair mode, and sheer quantity of music will keep me entertained for years. Also, the name suggests that this may be the last Theatrhythm, but…you know.

A Space for the Unbound is a pleasant surprise to me in many ways. I started out with a preconceived notion of what it would be about, only to have that turned on its head in a rather alarming way. The tale it tells instead is genuinely haunting and upsetting, but one with a powerful and altogether touching ending. I felt so many things by the time I saw the end credits, and I came out thinking about what an ultimately beautiful and moving adventure this title ends up being. If it strikes a chord with you, it may even help you see things from a different perspective; A Space for the Unbound is a truly memorable gaming experience.

While I encountered few serious technical problems during my playthrough, I did have one instance where I loaded into a cutscene before I was supposed to with Yuma sitting suspended in a void until the game caught up to me. This didn’t impact my experience but seems worth mentioning. After a pre-launch update, I also noticed a few lines of dialogue seemed to be missing audio, although it was a sporadic occurrence. All in all, I greatly enjoyed my time with Master Detective Archives: Rain Code. As mentioned earlier, it feels like a lost relic of the PlayStation Vita in the best possible way. While the egregious fanservice may be a turn-off to some, for Danganronpa veterans and fans of other narrative adventure titles like the Zero Escape series, I highly recommend taking a trip to Kanai Ward. Just be sure to pack a raincoat.

Amnesia: Memories achieved so well. But Amnesia: Crowd picks up the slack with ease, making the combination Later x Crowd a worthy follow-up for any fan of the original.

Despite my gripes (including a few frivolous ones I didn't mention), Pokémon Sun and Moon are great games that take X/Y's base and create a vivid new world with its own special culture and unique features.

If you can deal with the kiddie atmosphere and lackluster graphics, Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon provides an enjoyable gameplay experience.