If you are on the hunt for a traditional adventure game, you may want to look elsewhere. But if you want one of the best live-action performances in video game history, a fabulous presentation, and an intriguing mystery to unravel, Her Story deserves your time!

All-in-all, Demon's Souls is a game every PS3 RPG fan should buy just to say that they own it, just to say that they've played it. It's up to you as the gamer to figure out if an incredibly difficult, incredibly unique game is the game for you.

Hush Hush – Only Your Love Can Save Them reminds me of the song “Coconuts” by Kim Petras. At first blush, both entities appear to be vapid, cringeworthy fanservice. But further glances reveal smart, self-aware subversion that’s more than meets the eye. Much like jamming the funky groove of “Coconuts” on my bass guitar, Hush Hush is fun to play yet surprisingly challenging to get just right. This game delivers everything I want in a “summer fling” with a little something extra that stayed with me. Hush Hush – Only Your Love Can Save Them won’t appeal to everyone’s tastes, but those to whom it does appeal will absolutely devour it as I did.

There are some minor elements of Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar that feel like remnants from its outdated DS counterpart.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, it is a solid cyberpunk adventure with a surprising amount of content that I can wholeheartedly recommend for those who enjoy the genre. ANNO: Mutationem was very much a blast to play from the very beginning through to the end credits. I certainly hope that we’ll get to see more of its fun world and characters in the future, as the game left me feeling like there should be more to come!

Undeniably enjoyable, Wo Long skates the line between tired, repetitive design and immersive action. Anyone with an itch to get away from the Dynasty Warriors series is going to fall in love with what Team Ninja has put together, but not without wondering if more could have been done. With three DLC planned this year, I cannot wait to get back into the saddle and hopefully get out of my comfort zone.

With such a compelling tale and well-crafted characters, it's easy to look past the fact that gameplay solely consists of absorbing information and choosing to pass certain things on. Though there are no random puzzles to solve, the main puzzle for the player is clear: are you willing to let a government do this to its citizens? Where are the boundaries of freedom of speech and privacy in such an interconnected world? Is it more important to guarantee the safety of all by being paranoid, or to ensure that everyone has the right to be innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt? If asking difficult questions and finding a way to your own answers sounds like a good time, Orwell is the game for you.

In spite of the harsh scrutiny I leveled at YU-NO throughout this review, I was thoroughly entranced by it. YU-NO's acclaim is well deserved and proves the adage that there is no expiration date on a good story. Whenever I was at work, my only thought all day was, "Man, I can't wait to get home and experience more YU-NO." That YU-NO finally made it to the West and even spawned an anime series (which the author of our original review wished for dearly) is something visual novel enthusiasts should celebrate.

It's not a direct sequel in terms of story, and it's not a simple dungeon crawler either. Instead, it's a sort of wayward, roundabout RPG that gets the job done well. Personally, I still prefer the first game to this one, but objectively, Swordcraft Story 2 makes serious strides to improve on the first, and I cannot overlook that.

Lufia: Curse of the Sinistrals may fall short in a few areas, but it more than makes up for it in its dynamic gameplay.

You could do better within the Ys series, but it's still near the top of the pack as far as retro-styled action RPGs go.

It took me roughly fifteen hours to play Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, but I could see it taking someone else either longer or shorter, depending on how they approach the game world, battles, and quests. I enjoyed every moment I played it and was astounded whenever I uncovered something new about one of its massive areas or thrilled when I came up with a winning strategy for a tough fight. Regardless of your thoughts on soulslite games, I think Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn succeeds at being an engaging action RPG. Nor and Enki are fantastic characters with whom I immensely enjoyed traveling. There’s more than enough black powder charge left in this pistol to make a spark happen if you decide to pull the trigger.

Majora's Mask 3D is a game worth experiencing, even just for its bizarre and unsettling themes. However, while enjoyable, it's not among the best the Zelda series has to offer.

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.

It's no secret that I thoroughly enjoyed Analogue: A Hate Story. The writing is stellar, the music and graphics are stylish, and the interactive gameplay elements are immersive. I also appreciate its unapologetic attitude toward mass appeal, instead opting to please a very specific kind of gamer. Those who want to see a fine example of elevated video game storytelling would do best to check this game out. It may not be a long ride (5-7 hours for a single playthrough), but it is a satisfying one.

What French developer Enigami has managed to achieve with Shiness is admirable considering its humble beginnings. It's clear that a lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into making this adventure a reality. It's also clear that the developers fell victim to the same bogeymen that typically hinder most ambitious indie projects: time and money. Albeit flawed, Shiness is an indie gem that doesn't quite live up to its potential, yet still puts many big budget games to shame.

An above-average action RPG, but not the best the Ys series has to offer.

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, I can only review what’s in front of me, and as it stands, this game shows promise that isn’t fully realized yet. Given the strength of its foundation, I’m excited to see where it’s headed in two years. If Capcom delivers, the expansion could very well be the best Monster Hunter yet.

While it may not be hailed as a classic, genre-defining game, Riven was a very strong sequel, a difficult thing to do considering the widespread popularity of Myst.

Fate/stay night Remastered holds onto several 2000s trappings that may not appeal to contemporary sensibilities, but playing it most certainly brought me back to my younger days. The moment I saw the slick anime intro following the lengthy prologue, I knew this was the kind of game I would have absolutely devoured twenty years ago. Fans laud Fate/stay night Remastered for good reason and I am glad I finally got to play it.

Neo Cab is a short but altogether engrossing and clever game that offers players a lot of replayability. Lina's journey in Los Ojos was ultimately very fulfilling once I reached one of the game's better endings, and I regretted none of my time behind the virtual wheel. Those who crave an original cyberpunk setting might find this creative, independent title worth playing.

Easily the best domestic RPG on the PSP to date. The game itself is incredibly unique and fun to play. The portability is both a blessing and a curse, allowing one of the PSOne classics to be played on the go, but limiting you to a four inch screen.

As for weaknesses, just like in its predecessor, there’s a relative lack of enemy variety in The Caligula Effect 2. I found myself fighting the same foes over and over. Also, sometimes, the game delivers several lengthy story scenes before finally letting you save your progress. If you’ve played a prior port, the PS5 port offers little incentive to replay. However, you will get the benefit of swift loading times. I’m hard-pressed to find much else to list as a weakness. The Caligula Effect 2 exceeded my expectations and is a much-improved sequel. I particularly enjoy the heartfelt exploration of its themes of empathy and understanding. I’m glad I gave this game a chance and hope others will do the same. The Caligula Effect 2 had quite a cathartic effect on me.

My final thought on The World Ends With You is that it's a grower. I was not initially sold on the game, but as I sunk more time into it, the more it grew on me.

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.

Chroma Squad, while not perfect, is, undeniably, the best Super Sentai-based game around.

Full Metal Furies is full of charm, life, expert design, and few missteps. The story won't revolutionize the industry and the controls could be crisper, but the sheer quality in gameplay sets a higher bar not only for the genre, but for puzzle design. Period. Given Cellar Door Games' work on Rogue Legacy and FMF, I cannot wait for the next title they come up with, as their excellent game design is something they not only offer to the gaming community, but to the industry as well.