My opinion of Soul Hackers 2 was in constant flux during my playthrough. I never especially disliked the game, but I often flipped between enjoyment and disappointment within mere minutes. That feeling of disappointment is what remains in the end. I am not sure if Soul Hackers 2 is exciting enough to hold new fans through to the end, and it isn’t mechanically competent enough to fully grab the attention of a series veteran like myself. But there is still the visual flair, musical swagger, plethora of rad demons, and bonds of friendship you forge along the way to make it an enticing package.

Newbies to soulslikes may want to look elsewhere, as boss fights can feel extremely punishing, and even with all of the experience I have with these games, I found a few bosses absolutely brutal and ridiculous in their attack patterns. Another way of looking at Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is this: if a Souls game never existed and this hit store shelves, we’d all be clamoring about what a marvel and game-changer this is. Although extremely paint-by-numbers, fun is fun.

Winter’s Wish: Spirits of Edo is another enjoyable alternate Japanese history otome VN. Those still yearning for that particular subgenre will undoubtedly appreciate the plot and characters! I enjoyed my time with the game and was surprised to find something to like about every character route I saw since that isn’t usually the case when I play otome titles. Suzuno’s entertaining tale of romance and finding herself is rather satisfying. A winter trip to Edo might do the heart wonders!

It’s clear there’s a devoted team that set out knowing the cozy little game it wanted to make, and what they’ve created is a pleasure to play. So get out there and become a farming mogul or a titan of commerce or revel in the strategy of dancing — if you like nice things, then you’re sure to enjoy Ooblets.

Overall, Devil Summoner Soul Hackers is a solid entry in the SMT franchise.

If you're a SMT fan, are jonesing for a game that combines Pokémon with an action-RPG, or just are looking for some great characters and setting, then by all means, pick this game up ASAP. Otherwise, wait for it to come down in price or rent it, as it is relatively short.

Those really jonesing for a game centered around Japanese mythology or those just wanting a solid SRPG experience could very well find something to enjoy here.

Overall, the main draw of Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher for me was the refinement of Monster Rancher 2’s systems. It’s great to see the series return and build off the foundation set by Monster Rancher 2 for a modern audience. While I miss the classic monsters, the Ultraman crossover is successful and gives Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher a unique identity compared to the rest of the series. Most of the kinks of the classic games have been ironed out, distilling the core gameplay into a smooth and welcoming experience for newcomers and experienced ranchers alike.

The clumsiest Atelier title since Rorona, Atelier Firis lacks the heart, soul, and polish of its predecessors.

Star Ocean: First Departure is not for everyone. Newcomers to the RPG genre should find their fix elsewhere first, though veterans will find themselves right at home with this tri-Ace title.

Harvestella is ambitious as hell and punches way above what I suspect was a limited budget. Yes, I wish Quietus would feel like more of a threat during the game or that time management offered more of a sense of urgency than it does, but this game is going to linger in my mind. It is undoubtedly one of my favourite games of the year and gets bonus points for running perfectly on Steam Deck!

The marriage between the Warriors and Fire Emblem franchises has yielded one of the deepest and most engaging games the Warriors series has done to date.

In the end, I am happy with much of my time spent on Potion Permit, but I’m equally pleased to be done with it. Though there was no obvious ending, I can set it aside for now, feeling satisfaction at the good I did in Moonbury. Despite a pretty graphical veneer, a brief and lovely soundtrack, and solid sound design, it can’t compensate for the buggy, cumbersome gameplay and an average collection of stories. Still, if you’re patient and enough patches come, there’s a ton of charm and some unique ideas in Potion Permit to enjoy, and I hope MassHive refines their approach for future entries in this world.

With stellar combat, a nuanced story that keeps things interesting, stunning art design, and a killer soundtrack, The Alliance Alive HD Remastered is a worthy addition to the incredible line-up of Switch RPGs.

You may not like it as much as I did, but in the end, you will have enjoyed this game more than a lot of other PS2 games out there.

This 10-15 hour journey at $30 on release is riddled with bugs and housed in boring game design and even worse execution. Nothing excites me about playing The Ascent. If only this were an adventure game.

I adore so much about Arcade Spirits: The New Challengers. I love how choice-heavy it is, and the replayability it provides is phenomenal. It is an entertaining experience for fans of the visual novel genre, with a colorful cast you can’t help but root for and fall in love with. Playing it was a pleasure despite some occasional hiccups, and I’m going to be diving into my copy of the original game soon just to experience more of this zany and heartwarming series. That, to me, is the sign of a true winner!

The close left me wondering just how differently all of my actions could have guided the direction of the episode and finale.

The satisfying combat will appeal to the casual gamer while the Devil raising and rare drops will keep perfectionists entertained.

Episode 5 is part conclusion, part setting up for the climax.

As a big fan of The Outer Worlds, I found Peril on Gorgon to be another fulfilling dive into this fascinating universe, giving me more of what I loved about the original game. It doesn’t break any new ground, aside from the addition of some audio logs and some new weapons. But that’s okay. Great DLC isn’t a sequel, it’s a 10-hour expansion on what made the original game so good. In other words, if you loved The Outer Worlds and want to encounter more tough moral choices, crazy science weapons, and engaging characters, you should check out Peril on Gorgon. I certainly had a blast roleplaying a hard-boiled interstellar detective/starship captain, and it only made me excited for more DLC in the future!

D3 struck gold once, which is fantastic. Aside from the titans of the gaming industry, many developers have trouble creating a truly innovative title that's also good, old-fashioned fun. That was Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords. However, after two major mistakes with what's essentially the same design, one has to wonder if they should throw in the towel on this franchise.

If players invest the time in exploring the island thoroughly and figure out how to adequately manipulate the many gameplay systems, they will have a really fun and rewarding time.

A slow start to what will hopefully be a memorable series. Casual fans of Batman and/or the genre should be pleased.

A good clean fun, no nonsense, SRPG.

Drox Operative is something entirely different from its peers among whom I'd count Diablo, Torchlight, Path of Exile, and Titan Quest. It's something familiar and it's something bewilderingly new.

Overall, I have to give Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth a strong recommendation. It’s on Steam in Early Access and well worth the price of admission. With content updates coming on the regular, expect that we’ll be revisiting this game again soon. For now, I recommend you enjoy the incredible visuals and addictive gameplay. It’s one of the best Metroidvanias I’ve played, and I hope it lands for you as well.

Mystery fans and visual novel fans alike would be remiss not to check out this brilliant revival of a classic title, but they must be prepared with an extra set of thinking caps that otherwise shouldn’t be necessary.