The huge effort and perceived budget that went into this game shows, and Sakura Wars makes a triumphant return after a 14-year retirement.

Contact is a classic case of A for effort, C for execution. It is easy to tell that a lot of love was put into this game and it had the potential to be a classic of Earthbound proportions. Unfortunately, despite the game's merits, I ultimately found it too mundane, boring, repetitive, monotonous, and dull to recommend.

There's a lot I really like about Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth — Hacker's Memory. The core game is still as solid as the previous entry, and the extra Digimon sometimes make all the extra grinding worth it, but this is another 60 hours of what is essentially the same game. Die-hard fans will love it, and it's still way better than most other Digimon games out there, but as a sequel it only just hits the mark, and that's mostly down to the great foundations laid by the first game. Hacker's Memory is more of a remix than a brand new release, and there's nothing wrong than that.

As the cold nights draw in, playing Ikenfell is like huddling round a little cauldron of warmth. It makes important steps in queer representation that I wish more games would do, and discusses mental health in worthwhile ways. It does all of this under a pleasant, charming veneer with fun combat and cute visuals, and while the game never does anything spectacular, the tone and addictive gameplay will definitely cast a spell on you.

During my time with Crimson Alliance, I was left with a hollow feeling - the game never did anything to capture me.

All in all, House of Ashes is a solid new entry in The Dark Pictures Anthology. While I ultimately found it to be a less engaging and frightening experience than its immediate predecessor, it’s still an enjoyable adventure title with some impressive animation work on display. And while I wasn’t in love with some of the changes, I respect that Supermassive Games is listening to fan feedback and attempting to innovate with each successive title. We’re due for at least one more of these games, so I’ll be very curious to see what the Curator has in store for us next time.

With games like Ghost of Tsushima and Final Fantasy VII Remake becoming the standard, few people are going to look at a title like this and jump at the chance to play it. Mundaun will attract its targeted, tiny demographic: those who can see past the dated visuals and lackluster controls. Fortunately, the hand-drawn textures might rope in a few people, and the sepia-esque colors stand out compared to other first-person adventure titles. Mundaun is technologically impotent but makes up for it with excellent atmosphere, sense of place, and storytelling. If you can see past its flaws, Mundaun is a wonderful, short adventure title.

Despite the gameplay not being the best, the game is charming enough with its music and music videos to still be a fun time.

A great Sierra-style mystery game. Very enjoyable despite the lack of some major point-and-click gameplay features.

Dragon Quest Treasures offers a cute story, beautiful lore, and a magnificent world to discover, and while that’s all lovely, the experience is marred by its weak combat. In ways both good and bad, this game put me in the mood to play other Dragon Quest games. The treasure is tarnished, but it’s still at least something shiny and new to do, making Dragon Quest Treasures a decent appetizer as we continue to await Dragon Quest XII.

Hatoful Boyfriend isn't just quirky and bizarre, it's also the smartest visual novel you've never played.

The Surge doesn't always fight fair and sometimes betrays the very best parts of what it's trying to do, but I can't deny how much fun it was when I really got into the groove and found myself tearing off limbs left and right. In his best moments, Warren hits hard and the enemies make you feel that power in a satisfying way. Regrettably, there's little reason to come back to the game once the final boss falls. You get the standard New Game+ mode, but with no multiplayer and only further upgrades to find, it really comes down to how long you enjoy the combat before it becomes dull. I finished The Surge in about fifteen hours, and that proved to be enough slicing and dicing for me. This is a solid step forward for Deck13, and I hope they continue this upward trend in the future.

It has a huge learning curve and might stymie even the most stalwart players early on, but once you climb that mountain, I promise you'll have a great time.

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.

Shin Megami Tensei for iOS not only serves as a virtual history lesson for this amazing series, but is still one of the more unique old-school JRPGs you will play. I definitely recommend checking this game out.

Recommended to those seeking an RPG that is light in all senses of the word.

Phoenix Springs is not for everyone, and I’d venture to say most people won’t care for it; that’s also the benefit of strong visuals, though. No one’s going to look at screenshots or videos of this game and complain that they got ripped off thinking this was Gears of War. If my rambling and the feeling you get looking at Phoenix Springs doesn’t get you licking your lips, then this might be a pass for you. Others: enjoy food for your artsy fartsy soul.

An excellent battle system and gorgeous soundtrack create an immersive entry that's a whole lot of fun, but Bandai Namco needs to polish their series a little more.

After just one chapter, I'm not sure I'd put The Journey Down in the realm of classics like Grim Fandango, or with the best of its episodic contemporaries like The Walking Dead and Back to the Future. But it's worth the purchase price, and I will definitely keep an eye out for the next episode's release.

I can appreciate developers wanting to add more realistic touches to games, but to me realism does not always equate to fun.

Ultimately, Cognition is a good start, and at its core, a quality adventure game.

I walked away from Backbone puzzled about the ending, and in truth, I was a little disappointed. The game kind of squandered the excellent setup it spent hours developing, but because the setup is so good, I don’t feel totally let down. I still enjoyed my time in this dystopian Vancouver populated by animals, and I would almost certainly play a sequel if one were ever developed. But there’s the rub. Backbone feels like it needs a sequel. The story just doesn’t feel complete right now, and given that the game is pretty short (you can probably beat it in about 5-7 hours), it’s hard for me to enthusiastically recommend it. If you’re still interested despite the issues I’ve outlined, make sure you’re prepared for an abrupt conclusion. If you’re on the fence, well… maybe wait for a sale.

There’s a lot in Gamedec that’s praiseworthy. I love how the game constantly evolves based on decisions made throughout it, and the story itself developed into something truly memorable as it progressed. Those who want to play an engaging cyberpunk sci-fi RPG with an emphasis on decision-making may very well want to try Gamedec out, especially now that it is updated and more polished.

Book of Demons certainly lacks in variability, and it's easy to fall into a habit. For those looking for a greater challenge, the roguelike mode can add spice as players enter a leaderboard on first death and can permanently die if they're short on funds, but this doesn't entirely solve the issue of repetition. The first of seven planned titles, Thing Trunk has a lifetime of work ahead of them, and I'm eager to see what other unique treasures they create.

If you like comic books and action RPGs, I can easily recommend that you purchase this game.

So while episode 2 is certainly an improvement, the series still has a little ways to go before I say, "Wow." Right now, I'm saying "not bad."

Born of Bread adds another entry to my ever-growing list of games that I wanted to love but left me with mixed feelings. It’s clear that a lot of heart went into Born of Bread. I loved the bevy of unique characters inhabiting the game’s world, and the second half of the story was quite engaging. However, Born of Bread‘s confluence of minor flaws, including a lack of convenience features, marred my enjoyment. Born of Bread is not a bad game, but those seeking that magical Paper Mario experience might be better off waiting for the upcoming Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door remaster.

Capes offers a fresh theme in the TRPG market, with a story of flawed superheroes fighting for justice in an oppressed city. The turn-based combat is sleek and well-balanced and the unique Team-Ups offer a bevy of approaches to address mission challenges. The UI is clear and concise, and the game does a great job of presenting key information to make effective tactical choices. It’s a pity that a few hindrances, both graphically and in the repetitive combat, hold the game back from being truly epic, but if you want a little bish, bash, and boff with your tactical, turn-based RPG, you could do a lot worse than playing superhero with Capes.