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

Biomutant certainly took a while to get out of the gate as far as its development went. While it can still be rough around the edges at times, overall, it’s clear that a lot of heart and effort went into the project. I never knew I needed Kung-Fu Panda to be tossed into a post-apocalyptic setting with mutants as a video game experience, but I’m thrilled someone saw that need and ran with it! The game wears its Kung-Fu inspirations on its sleeve, but with a fun and innovative element of quirky creativeness that had me just enjoying my time with it. I was smiling so much by the ending, and I can’t ask for more from my games. Biomutant’s “unusual story with an unusual end” made for quite an unexpected and memorable journey indeed.

Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes comes highly recommended, whether or not you've played any other games in the M&M franchise. This is not a bastardization of the series. If anything, Clash of Heroes may become the catalyst to resurrect a franchise that was once on its last legs.

This game brings both style and content to the table. It doesn't pretend to be anything greater than it is: it's a very straightforward Strategy RPG.

To say that Recettear came out of nowhere and completely blindsided me, in a good way, is an understatement, and others who've played the game feel the same as I do.

Trails in the Sky is not a game in which the gameplay shines, but rather the story and characters. It isn't deep nor compelling by any stretch of the imagination, but it is fun and extremely charming.

It is abundantly clear that the creative team behind Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands are massive RPG fans who have crafted a joyous blend of Borderlands mayhem with RPG epic-ness. I loved the story, characters, gameplay, and production values of this game. I should also mention that while I primarily played this game single-player, multiplayer co-op is supported because looter-shooters and tabletop RPGs are more fun with friends. First-person shooter games are not my preferred genre, but after playing Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, I would be game to try out a mainline Borderlands game and Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep. For making me a new fan of something outside my wheelhouse, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands wholeheartedly earns a spot as one of my favorite games of 2022.

The latest Elder Scrolls has such confidence in the allure of its open-world structure that it shirks the need to compete. And, it largely succeeds in being better than the sum of its parts.

The premise may be simple, but the plot is surprisingly good, especially for a Mario game. Part of it is thanks to the excellent localization and likeable characters.

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.

If the writing in this episode is any indication of what's to come, they will have another hit alongside their previous masterpieces.

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

All of this said, is this a $60 experience? I loved it. I intend to come back to it. But I also got this game for free for review, and that matters. I might have felt burned at a $60 price point because it is pretty short if you only have one go at it, and movie tickets aren’t $60 here in the US (not yet, anyway). If someone isn’t as into the game as me, that’s going to feel like a high entry price. That said, this is a phenomenal-looking game with fantastic acting. If price is no object, then I definitely recommend The Quarry, as it’s worth the ten hours of your life, but for those who have to make discerning decisions with their wallets, maybe wait until this one’s on sale.

Minor gripes aside, Crown Trick surpassed my expectations and taught me much about what two of my favorite genres can achieve. Though the game is undoubtedly derivative of Hades and other recent roguelites, it establishes a character, charm, and gameplay style all its own that are genuinely standout. Its combat and progression systems are among the deepest and most satisfying I’ve encountered all year, and its turn-based mechanics instill its gameplay with a thoughtfulness I wish other roguelites would emulate. For delivering dozens of hours of the most engaging dungeon-crawling you may find this year, this game truly earns its crown.

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.

Virgo is a great game, plain and simple. While every aspect of the game is worthy of praise, the ace in the hole is easily its sound. Any game where the music makes me immediately drop my controller, grab my bass guitar, and play along to learn my favorite pieces is something special. Delightfully, it marches to the beat of its own drummer and I loved every second of the 14 or so hours I spent with it. If you are into unique turn-based JRPG style games with twitch elements to keep battles interesting, you simply must play Virgo Versus the Zodiac.

An excellent addition to the Souls series and a huge improvement on Dark Souls II.

UNSIGHTED deserves recognition and exposure not only for the crisp design, beautiful world, hypnotic tunes, and abundant secrets, but for the unique concepts it introduces to great effect, namely the NPC death timers. The stakes in games often lie in winning or losing a fight and having to expend more personal time on a fight that bruised our egos. Here, we have the added layer of humble automaton friends’ lives hanging by a thread. Even though I found several secrets throughout my initial trek, I am absolutely certain more can be uncovered; I just might take a rare plunge into New Game+.

While Rune Factory Frontier is not without its flaws, it's definitely a solid step in the right direction for the series.

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.

I’ve often marveled at an idea as familiar as “books transport you to other worlds” transforming into narrative game experiences where you rarely encounter another soul, but a rich tapestry of actions, consequences, and interactions unfolds through your exploration. Yet, Riven has always accomplished this. I’ve been fortunate to replay most of the series with a newcomer, and that sense of wonder absolutely survives as the games age; this new version is worthwhile and definitely the most beautiful way to experience it.

Despite (or because of) Attentat 1942's short duration, there's nary a slow moment. A small thread quickly expands to a tapestry of narratives that weaves around the protagonist's grandfather. For those who love exploring history or simply resolving an investigation, Attentat 1942 provides a fascinating intersection between history and gameplay. Given that there's still plenty of room for more games like this to emerge, I look forward to seeing what else the Czech Academy of Sciences concocts in the future.

Overall, Battlefield Waltz is a delightful visual novel to immerse yourself in, especially if you’re looking for character-driven romantic fantasies. It doesn’t do anything inherently wrong, save for having a far too-lengthy common route. The robust story map makes for easier replayability, which is fantastic since one route’s progression might make you want to see how another route will affect characters differently. Battlefield Waltz is an otome that fans of the genre should appreciate we finally have localized.

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.

If you don't enjoy experimental games or those that refuse to handhold, or if you simply have no interest in the tabletop roots of RPGs, forget about it. Crimson Shroud's unique concept and esoteric execution make it a perfect match for my RPG desires, however, and one of my favorites of 2012.

A challenging yet accessible dungeon crawler that rewards thoughtful party construction and thorough exploration.

Dragon Age II is streamlined, not simplified. It's a great game within its own rights, but issues with the overall story, repetitive environments, and control scheme keep it from being truly fantastic.

Dragon Age II is streamlined, not simplified. It's a great game within its own rights, but issues with the overall story, repetitive environments, and control scheme keep it from being truly fantastic.