SOULVARS is best described as a “tsundere” game. Its mechanics are tough and intimidating at first, but investing a little time and effort getting to know it opens its heart. You get out of it what you put into it. Beyond its 10–15 hour main campaign (depending on the difficulty level), there is post-game content. Sadly, the disappointing story and characters are a mountain of unrealized potential that could have been so much better. If you are the kind of RPG fan who favors gameplay over story and characters, then SOULVARS may be worth a look.

With this secondary universe within the universe of The Expanse, it feels as though there’s too much happening to wrap up with two short episodes to go. Though it’s still way too early to predict, it’s possible what’s here and absent currently could be pointing to a second season. If that’s where the series is headed, it should eventually make for a more substantial experience than if Episode 5 is the full-stop end. The show won’t bend around to connect back to the game, as it’s over. Or is it? In any case, hopefully two more episodes will bring clarity to the limbo where The Expanse currently resides. After the cliffhanger ending of Episode 3, I’m excited to see how Camina gets out of this one and how the rest of her story will play out.

Dustborn is a game with a lot going for it, especially if you’re a fan of choice-heavy narrative adventures with a core cast of likable characters who develop a genuine and touching found family dynamic as they travel. It isn’t a perfect game, especially with its limiting combat component, but its strengths make it compelling. I came to care about Pax and her merry band the more I played, and that’s reason enough for me to recommend the game to those interested in it. The power of language and words can be frightening, but the tales they sometimes tell can also be wondrous and moving. Admittedly, Dustborn might not be for everyone, but it provides an enjoyable ride for those it does resonate with.

Aksys gets a gold star for effort, but Idea Factory gets a thumbs down for artificially lengthening a game with an already-boring combat system and for letting the "interact with the ladies" aspect of the game fall to the wayside.

As a massive fan of Blade Runner, Studio Ghibli, and Monkey Island, I was let down by the derivative nature of Encodya. What’s most disappointing is that it’s obvious how much care and love went into its development. The visuals look spectacular, the central character relationship is touching, and the developers’ affection for the source material is evident. Unfortunately, the game not only fails to rise to its inspirations but seems to pull from them without an understanding of why they worked in the first place. That said, if you’re looking for a heartwarming story to scratch an old-school adventure game itch, then Encodya might be a good match! Just try not to expect anything overly original.

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

Open Roads is a brief, affecting tale that isn’t going to change lives or revolutionize gaming, but it is undeniably charming and comfortable despite its difficult themes. By this point, you’ll know if you’re the kind of gamer for this, but if you’re still on the fence about the quality, rest assured that Open Roads feels lovingly crafted and has a distinctly human story to tell. If you were at Tess’ age, like me, in 2003, you may get even more out of it, though your mileage may vary.

I found Legrand Legacy an exceedingly tough game to score. Although it clearly has its flaws, I enjoyed the roughly 40 hours I spent with it all the same. The small but immensely talented development team may simply have tried to do just a little too much here, possibly to the detriment of character development and script writing. There are things it does well, including its great audiovisual quality, but it doesn't truly stand out in any meaningful way. SEMISOFT wished to create a love letter to JRPGs, and perhaps it did that in a most unintentional way. Legrand Legacy manages to capture much of the indelible charm of the JRPGs to which it pays homage through its rough-around-the-edges execution.

An opaque, minimalist RPG that demands much but will strike the right chords with a particular audience.

There are a few promising things about Crystar, but they are overshadowed by its terrible combat and a story that thinks it's much more interesting and important than it actually is.

If Nelke & the Legendary Alchemists accomplished one thing, it was getting me into the series at last. I don't know how fast I'm going to move on to the main series, but I've had my first glimpse into the world of Atelier and I'm interested. Town building was fun in this game, and it made me feel like a real manager of an economic enterprise. I enjoyed my time in this world, and if you have been thinking about this one, give it a shot if you can.

It is absolutely, positively worth your attention if you are in any way an "RPG Fan." At least rent or borrow it. Give it a try, and see if you are capable of falling for this one like I did.

There's nothing special about Ash II. It has no glaring flaws – just a few foibles that are somewhat annoying – but by that same token, there is nothing really special about it, either.

It's difficult for me to recommend Criminal Girls 2: Party Favors for two reasons. One: as far as RPGs go, there are far more robust RPGs available that offer more satisfying questing experiences. Two: with regard to "sexytime" games, there are plenty of dedicated eroge (translated in English to boot) out there to more deeply fulfill any extreme fetish desires you may have. That being said, this sleazy game certainly had a visceral effect on me and actually had me contemplating the contradictory aspects of myself. However, this experience taught me that my inner monster decidedly prefers the taste of Cannibal Corpse to Criminal Girls.

Give this one a chance, especially if you're into this unique brand of games. If you were surprised by the quality of the new Pokémon games, or if you're a long-time Digimon fan, this might be a game worth playing.

It's an interesting start, but Dead Patient has a long way to go if it aims to impress fans internationally.

Rhapsody is one of the best "oldschool" experiences you can have these days.

While it starts off fun, Nights of Azure gets boring very quickly and never seems to fully utilize its array of other features.

All in all, there were elements of Marvel’s Avengers that I greatly enjoyed. I found that the single player campaign was largely entertaining, and I greatly enjoyed Kamala Khan in particular as a main character. Still, logging through the game’s multiplayer is currently a chore. Until further DLC and updates come along, the ten hours of single player content is arguably the strongest element of Marvel’s Avengers, which makes me hesitant to say it is a must-buy at full price. If you’re a Marvel fan—particularly if you’re a Ms. Marvel fan—then odds are good you’ll find at least a few elements to enjoy here. However, I’d probably advise waiting for a sale before diving in to Marvel’s Avengers completely.

It's not that Final Fantasy for the PSP is bad - far from it - it's just that it's nothing gamers haven't seen, and played, many times over.

Clocking in at a measly 20 hours, with very little replay value, this is not a game that will be worth hard-earned money.

The Longest Five Minutes does well with its unique premise, but falls short in providing a fun gameplay experience. Most of the gameplay is a waste of time and only serves as an obstacle to experiencing the story. Flash Back's adventure is only worth it for the good art and final revelation.

The Mystery Dungeon games are definitely different than most Pokémon games, and there's fun to be had with them, but there are still a lot of better games available on the GBA, which makes Red Rescue Team difficult to recommend.

Tight, strategic combat and a good variety of mission objectives keep battles feeling fresh, while the story holds surprising depth and well-written characters. Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time emerges from a bygone epoch no worse for the wear.

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.

The very definition of mediocre, Shining Resonance Refrain fails to stand out from the crowd in another packed year of RPGs.

It takes about two hours to beat Takeshi and Hiroshi, but players will likely think back on its charming story and return to its leisurely levels quite a bit. From its straightforward yet engaging gameplay to its lovable characters and delightful story, Takeshi and Hiroshi proves that a little can go a really long way.

If the game mechanics of Anniversary Edition don’t click with you right away, 2G is different enough and beginner-friendly enough to satisfy, and the reverse is true if you find the beginning hours of 2G lacking in tension or difficulty. Neither game is a masterpiece, but combining both games into one affordable package was a great idea and makes this collection a worthwhile purchase, especially since 2G had such a limited Western release. I appreciate PQube giving this oft-forgotten series a new lease on life and look forward to where they take the series next.