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.