Demonschool’s hard to score, because most titles—including the AAA variety—don’t have the bold vision and intense style of Demonschool. We play indies to witness new ideas with a healthy degree of polish, though they also come with their issues. All in all a memorable and pleasurable experience, Demonschool is at times a slog, at others food for the soul. If you have the time to enjoy a novel jaunt through early adulthood, settle in for an otherworldly experience.

It might not be the longest RPG out there at around 10-15 hours, but Half-Minute Hero is a game that's worth experiencing, and most importantly, you'll have fun doing it.

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.

Detective noir has rarely felt so authentic in a video game; I can’t even think of a title that does it more genuinely. If that’s your bag, then this is an easy recommendation, but the journey can feel rocky, disjointed, and dissatisfying. Regardless of grievances, I fell in love, though briefly, with James and Sara. I wish they had a better go of it.

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.

Friends of Mineral Town has moments where certain features would have benefitted from further modern upgrades, but this is still a satisfying remake of the beloved classics.

Despite some aggravation with the game’s setup, I enjoyed playing Tyrant’s Blessing. The strategic gameplay does make you think carefully about the steps you take in combat. I played the game on my Nintendo Switch Lite and found it excellently designed for those wanting a short-yet-solid handheld experience. Tyrant’s Blessing is a different sort of SRPG than one might expect, but it’s precisely that uniqueness that helps it stand out despite its paper-thin plot. Those interested in turn-based SRPGs with roguelike elements may find the trip to the bleak landscape of Tyberia worth it.

Forspoken is a far better and more compelling game than I had feared, but it also doesn’t reach the heights I dreamt of. There is a lot of fun to be had exploring Athia and the main quest keeps things interesting even when you get bored with the open-world checklist. But at the same time I can’t help but be disappointed with how safe Forspoken plays the open world, and I am unlikely to go back to clear out all of those rote points of interest. And I also can’t deny there are some eyebrow-raising moments as to how the writers chose to portray a black woman like Frey, despite personally liking her quite a bit when viewed through the lens of having finished the game. There is a lot of diversity in the cast too, in a way we don’t usually get from big-budget RPGs. I am not sure how many steps forward versus how many steps back Forspoken takes, but there are steps taken forward. In the end, I recommend Forspoken to anyone who loves Final Fantasy XV or Ubisoft-style open worlds and especially anyone who has a thing for character mobility. Yet, the game has a certain charm that I believe makes it worth giving a try to anyone.

Fortunately for Granblue Fantasy: Versus, I think its accessible tutorials and easy-to-pick-up gameplay are going to appeal to a lot of existing Granblue fans, as well as people who have been anxious to get into the genre for a while. Fighting in this game is extremely fun and opening the doors to new players is only going to be a good thing in the long run. I appreciate the attempt at making a more varied single-player campaign too, and while I understand these games survive on their online play and longevity, I still think the game could have done better with its RPG mode. But as my first proper fighting game in around five years, it felt good to slip back into the fray, and this was the perfect game to help me do just that.

Stranger of Sword City is a competent dungeon crawler with teeth.

There’s no denying that Edge of Eternity certainly has a rough quality about it, and I could easily see people viewing its slow beginning as being too much of an obstacle to continue with it. But its robust, tactical-minded nexus battle system, wealth of content, and the eventual pick up of its story gradually warmed me to it. This was clearly a labor of love by the developers, even if it isn’t a perfect product. I enjoyed Edge of Eternity enough that I can only hope that there will be some kind of continuation to Daryon and Selene’s tale in the future… With plenty of Ysoris, of course!

Conquest is very lucky that its gameplay and localization are so excellent, because its tired story leaves much to be desired.

Rune Factory is a great portable action RPG/sim with a vast array of activities and a great addictive vibe.

Authentically unique take on the hack 'n' slash genre that demands a romp with friends.

A Fumble in the Dark may have lost sight of what made the first iteration great in some respects, but for those who want more of the charismatic duo and excellent observational humor, this is an admirable sequel. More is on the way, as well, so for those who worry we’ll be waiting another three or four years for Francis and Dooley to return, fear not. As for me, I’m okay with the break if it means an assurance of quality in the future.

In spite of its imperfections, I enjoyed playing Summon Night 6 because it displayed traits that reaffirm why I'm into this series. I'm not the biggest SRPG fan, but I've enjoyed playing Summon Night 5 and 6 enough to venture calling Summon Night my favorite SRPG series. Unfortunately, the charm that initially won me over couldn't completely save Summon Night 6's storyline from its dependence on nostalgia for something largely unfamiliar to Western gamers. That being said, spending time with Summon Night 6 makes me want to play the Summon Night games we did not get in the West more than ever before.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 shares all of the same strengths with the first game, but it's the little additions and tweaks that make it an easy recommendation over its predecessor. I think fans are going to have an absolute blast messing around with the new materials and tools, but the game is still rough around the edges and has too much combat. I just want to build, guilt-free and uninterrupted, and you do get that reward when you beat the game, but it takes a long time to get there.

On its own, Neverwinter is a very solid and very enjoyable MMO — with its free price point, there's no reason that you shouldn't be giving it a chance.

Unfortunately, the truth remains that because of its lack of remarkable or memorable gameplay and aesthetics, combined with mostly lukewarm humor, there are many more games that players will spend $15 on before even considering Deathspank.

Vagrant Hearts is like the average person's first home. It's a fixer-upper with a bunch of imperfections, but it still manages to work its magic on you.

Unfortunately, the truth remains that because of its lack of remarkable or memorable gameplay and aesthetics, combined with mostly lukewarm humor, there are many more games that players will spend $15 on before even considering Deathspank.

I initially came into Tales of Aravorn: An Elven Marriage unsure what to expect. What I discovered is a worthy successor to Loren the Amazon Princess that sets the stage for even more fascinating and harrowing events set in the world of Aravorn. VN/RPG hybrid fans who enjoy both choice-heavy narratives and solid gameplay will find much to enjoy in this title, especially those with prior knowledge of the Aravorn game universe as a whole. Tales of Aravorn: An Elven Marriage is an engaging and largely self-contained tale, and thanks to it, I’m now eagerly anticipating what’s to come next!

A great combat system alongside an abysmal translation make this one very mileage-may-vary.

Overall, Cassette Beasts is charming, fun, and creative. Despite being a monster-collecting RPG inspired by Pokémon, it feels unique thanks to its aesthetic, design, and, most importantly, its heart. The development team has a clear passion, and the game drips with personality on every front. Cassette Beasts is a game I’d recommend to any Pokémon fan looking for a new take on monster-collecting games, as well as a game I’d suggest for anyone in the mood for a fun and breezy little RPG. It’s short, it’s sweet, and most importantly: it’s fun.

Given a little time to handle the learning curve, I found the greatest enjoyment in actually playing the game instead of pondering the prose, and isn’t that the point of a handheld title?

Despite my gripes with the game, AI LIMIT ultimately was an enjoyable experience. Its faults only peeved me as much as they did because I was having a genuinely good time for most of my 20-hour playthrough. However, the cracks in its gameplay run deep, with aspects like encounter design being persistent issues to the very end. If these aren’t dealbreakers for you, AI LIMIT is a worthwhile time sink; otherwise, it remains a cautious recommendation for anyone else.

On the surface, The Stanley Parable can be enjoyed for its personality, jokes, and references. If this rambling review has whetted your interest, then this brief game is worth the experience, but not at full price.

We're approaching our journey's end with Telltale's GotG series, and the stakes are higher than ever for the Guardians. Player choices bring with them increasingly severe repercussions, and relationships affected by them have strained to the point of breaking. If Episode Three was GotG's low point, Episode Four swoops in to resuscitate and revitalize the series as an entry I personally found the best of the bunch. Let's hope that Telltale comes through on a season finale stacked with great potential.