While Calico‘s current state is vastly improved from its initial release thanks to these patches, its initial launch state can’t just be swept under the rug. But the continued effort to improve the game, combined with its welcoming, comforting, and charming nature shining through these unpleasant mats of fur, makes it clear that Peachy Keen Games is a developer with a lot of potential — and I can’t wait to see what they can do in the future with more experience.

Calling Persona 5 Strikers “just another Musou game” would be a disservice. I definitely recommend giving it a shot if it was on your radar at all, since it provides an experience so removed from regular Musou games and reuniting with the Phantom Thieves for more adventures seems to guarantee a fun time. Just one more spin-off to go before Persona 5 matches Persona 4‘s record. Will we see more of the Phantom Thieves in the future? All I know for sure is that I’m on board.

While its queer twist on a usually heteronormative story deserves to be recognised, the game is let down by not letting the new ideas come to fruition. It feels like I received a bouquet of violets, but instead of them being fresh and in-bloom, they are already wilting. With just a few tweaks, the bouquet could revitalise into a fun roguelike, and while it’s overall a serviceable experience, there’s really no reason to go back once you have the true ending, if you don’t feel tired out before then.

Collection of SaGa Final Fantasy Legend didn’t have the same impact on me this time around, about that there is no doubt. Once again, my nostalgia deceived me. I’d find myself getting distracted and annoyed at various turns through all three games. Nonetheless, with the clarity of time, the sheer ambition of these games is all the more obvious. For that, this package should be celebrated. Add to that the ability to speed up all three games, and Collection of SaGa Final Fantasy Legend is a package worth picking up for those who have an interest in the history of the SaGa series, or just want to harken back to a (sometimes) simpler time.

I ultimately found Ys IX: Monstrum Nox a satisfying Japanese RPG, but I wish the journey getting there was a little less conversation, a little more action, please.

Equal parts guesswork and context-driven logic, piecing together the meanings of these [Ancient] messages creates a rewarding loop.

The story concept isn’t the most original, but the way it’s handled in this case is refreshingly charming, and it offers up some profound observations on humanity. The plot feels as if it could be tailored for the pandemic world we find ourselves in, but it would be strong in more “normal” times too. I was interested to see where the story of Nu Terra would go throughout my entire playthrough. If the last year has made you want to escape Earth, you might want to check out Woodsalt; it isn’t a literal ticket for a journey across the stars, but it does at least give you a virtual one.

Longtime fans of the Atelier series will find a lot to love in Atelier Ryza 2. New fans who started with its predecessor also will be pleased to know that the sequel more than lives up to expectations. My initial impressions of the game were quite positive and full of hope, and I’m happy to say that Ryza 2 delivers on nearly every front. A wonderful art style, a touching story, a fantastic combat system, an intuitive alchemy system, a stunningly gorgeous soundtrack, and a bevy of new systems go a long way in making this not only one of the best Atelier games in the series, but one of Gust’s best games.

Autumn’s Journey is a cute game with a lot of heart and charming fluff. Much like an entertaining seasonal film, it isn’t a title with a lasting impact after it’s done, but those looking for a short distraction that will have you feeling light and airy for a while will certainly find it here. I enjoyed playing it during the brief story, and that’s personally what matters most to me.

To speak of entrancing elements, head writer Jake Elliott has taken nearly ten years to spin the intoxicating yarn present in this game. He is frequently fussy in his prose (and obtuse in proximity to reality) throughout Kentucky Route Zero but nonetheless deserves a massive amount of praise. He runs with each environmental detail and every stray thought presented by the main characters, giving them ample space to breathe and worm their way into your thoughts. The excellent dialogue and theming are well-supported by Tamas Kemenczy’s polygonal vector art visuals, which suffuse each scene with a haunting beauty fit for this weary, broken world. The characters are blank-faced, but they require no expressions to communicate their state of being with clarity and appropriate gravitas.

At the end of the day, Neversong is a game that lacks in creativity as much as it does in execution. Its incredibly short runtime clashes with the themes and emotions it tries to convey in its story, while the minimal gameplay and easy puzzles make for a decidedly unsatisfying gaming experience. With neither gameplay nor story fully covered, the end result is a game that can’t quite decide if it wants to be a point-and-click adventure or a puzzle-platformer, and quite frankly, it doesn’t try very hard to make you want to find out.

If you’re just here for the gameplay, then you’ll get a lot out of Torchlight III. But the balance is askew if you’re wanting a substantial story and cast to support the wending journey from point A to B with no deviations in between. Perhaps future updates will refine the weaker points in the game, but at the moment, Torchlight III is far from the definitive entry in the series.

After over 100 hours of play, I’ve completely fallen in love with this new take on Yakuza. With its robust character relationships, expansive job system, kinetic turn-based combat, and all of the usual Yakuza wackiness and heartbreak, this has rapidly become my current favorite in the series. For traditional RPG fans on the fence about Yakuza, this new JRPG-inspired entry is the perfect place to start! For those who prefer the classic beat-em-up combat, I implore you to give the new gameplay a try. If it doesn’t stick, don’t worry, because I suspect that Judgment will become the new home of this time-tested combat system. For me, Yakuza: Like a Dragon stands as one of the greatest RPGs of 2020 and (hopefully) the beginning of a brand-new era of Yakuza!

Whether you’re a series buff like me or a newcomer that wants to see what SaGa is all about, Romancing SaGa Re;univerSe is an encyclopedic phenomenon that’s so good, I cannot believe it’s free. And I will never stop being grateful that it actually got localized. Please, for the love of all that is good in JRPG-dom, check this game out.

There are good design elements all over, from a menu option disabling licensed music for streaming to quests that completely change based on whether you choose to go in guns blazing or stay hidden and make sense both ways. The main and side quests are all packed full of great story, the characters are fun to get to know… and yet despite all of the effort that went into this game, we also see the bad design choices I discussed above and an unplayable console version. If you can take the places where it’s a bad example and remember to do better in your own life, and maybe wait until it’s been patched into working, there’s an amazing game here that you can be glad you experienced.

I typically favor games that introduce something new to the gaming landscape, because I think trudging through old waters — even incredibly — doesn’t really push us forward as a culture or in terms of design. Dragon Quest XI is just too good, though. In fact, it’s one of the best games I’ve ever played. I laughed, I cried, and I’ve felt a part of this cast. I’m actually on hour 140 with no signs of stopping, and I couldn’t be happier. Without question, this is one of the best-designed games I’ve played to date, and I’ve had the beautiful opportunity to share it with my daughter who has adorably pointed at the screen, screaming, “It’s a monster octopus!”

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon & the Blade of Light shows how much and how little the series has changed over the past 30 years. It was fun experiencing Fire Emblem‘s origins for the first time in the original format. For a game released in 1990 on the Famicom, it indeed has a grand story with beats reminiscent of games from that era. However, I do know the third game of the series, Monshou no Nazou (Mystery of the Emblem), is a remake of this game and features a lot of improvements. It makes me wish we got that game instead; it would have been closer to how the series is today.

The Falconeer absolutely has its high points, and all of the elements of a great game are there. It’s just disappointing that they don’t gel enough to be wholly satisfying. Visually, the game is stunning, without caveat. The combat can be exhilarating … at its best. The story can be interesting, even fascinating … sometimes. The game’s heights are extreme, but so are its lulls.

Period: Cube ~Shackles of Amadeus~ is a hard game to recommend. I’ve played better VN/RPG hybrids and feel that there are stronger otome titles available on the Vita. I also think there are stronger “main character stuck in a different world” plots out there. However, I can recognize that a lot of care went into it, and there were elements of it I truly enjoyed. I’d probably only recommend giving the game a shot once you’ve exhausted your better otome options.

Luminous Plume feels more like a tech demo than a fully realized game. The lion’s share of effort was put into the sumptuous battle engine, luscious visuals, and bold music to the detriment of the narrative, characters, writing, and non-battle gameplay. I admittedly had fun playing Luminous Plume, but I would have better appreciated its amazing battle system if it were in a more substantial and fully-realized RPG. If battle-rush games like this are your thing, then you’ll probably enjoy Luminous Plume more than I did.

Minoria is a game I’d certainly recommend to anyone looking for a somewhat dark action platformer. The story, art, and music stand out the most in a sea of nearly endless Metroidvanias. It’s a melancholic journey that is sure to leave a lasting impression despite faults with the gameplay and design. The excellent story and atmosphere is a considerable feat for a genre where gameplay is the primary focus. As Bombservice continues to experiment and improve on their minute-to-minute gameplay, I’m very excited to see what the next project is.

Piofiore: Fated Memories deserves to be up there with the other otome greats such as Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom and Code: Realize ~Guardian of Rebirth~. I would even dare to say, with the unique storytelling structure, nature of its subject matter, and mechanic-related plot twist near the end, it begins encroaching upon Zero Escape territory. Sadly, the comparative lack of quality control holds it back. The fact that the game is fantastic despite these glaring issues is a testament to how strong it is, but it would be wrong to turn a blind eye to these errors all the same. Just as peace in the city of Burlone is tragically built upon mafia-inflicted violence, Piofiore’s errors are a bloody stain on an otherwise pristine experience.

It’s still an amazingly stubborn classic, one that manages to feel individualistic even now. It doesn’t do everything right, but the remake proves the bones of the original game are still strong and relevant today. Like all of FromSoftware’s latest games, Demon’s Souls gets under your skin with a combination of abject aggravation followed by glorious elation. It’s currently the best reason to own a PlayStation 5, and will likely still be an easy recommendation when we start thinking about PlayStation 6.

There are some circumstances where I wouldn’t hesitate at all to give Iron Danger a strong recommendation, and others where I would advise to wait for more in the series or another entry from the same team. For people who have a strong appreciation for SRPG gameplay and love to overthink challenging battles, this is your game. If you really need a game with the sparse, bleak feel of a Norse epic, you’ll find that here. And definitely, for anyone who knows the Kalevala or spends inordinate amounts of time discussing different representations of mythology or old folklore in games, this is especially your game, and I’ll be wanting to talk to you about how the game represents Lowhee and Ilmarinen.

Star Renegades guarantees hours of fun, accomplishing gameplay, with a lot to unlock and explore. At game’s end, it’s likely that one victory won’t be enough, and you’ll find yourself diving back in to take on MOTHER and its Imperium hoards once more.

Checking off the seemingly endless number of quests and challenges on the world map is just as satisfying as scrubbing out all the waves of red representing enemies on each level’s mini-map, and I found myself unwilling to set the game down even when the going got rough. Thankfully, all you really need going into Age of Calamity is a love of cleaving through armies and the patience to see its more monotonous segments through to their end. So long as you know what you’re getting into, it’s far more exhilarating than sluggish — and prior knowledge of Breath of the Wild isn’t among the necessities.

This is my dilemma with Haven, then: as a chill-out RPG with a beautiful world to explore, it’s a pleasant experience that really helped me relax in the evenings after a rough day. But it has a story, a story with a real threat that is swept aside, and a central couple that, while sweet and believable, never grow beyond their typical “hot-headed girl” and “meticulous research boy” characteristics. Even as I was rebuilding my ship and growing plants, I didn’t feel like I’d gained anything or learnt anything new about the characters. If I were to return to Source, it would be to give my pet lizard Oink a little scratch on the chin, or to see the breeze blow through the grass and experience a brief moment of calm in this currently chaotic world.

If I weren’t playing Robotics;Notes DaSH for review, I would have thrown in the towel on my relationship with the SciADV series about an hour in. The overstuffed run time mixed with the distasteful interactions with the cast leaves me leery of continuing the series. Of course, if Mages can get back to what they do well, with mind-bending plots and intriguing characters, they might get me back. Maybe.