It may be short, but Cherry Tree High Comedy Club is a nice change of pace from other games and offers something unique.

Great mysteries are hard to write, and there are many more failures in the genre than there are successes. Despite some stumbles in the final chapter, I still consider The Raven to be a success.

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

Vultures – Scavengers of Death proves that strategy and horror can coexist and even thrive when paired together. The uncertainty derived from hit percentages and fog of war complements the tense exploration and foreboding atmosphere of the carefully crafted horror locations. I’d love to give a firm recommendation to survival horror fans and turn-based strategy veterans alike, but only under the condition that you wait for the technical issues to be ironed out. There is a real diamond in the rough here, but only if you wait for the cleanup crew to wipe away the blood and viscera first.

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

With stunning pixel-art graphics, solid combat, and a considerable amount of character customization, you can easily sink a few hours into Foregone, maybe more if you delve into more challenging difficulty levels. However, if you’re looking for a complex Metroidvania full of backtracking and deep lore, I would look elsewhere. Foregone may have left me feeling a bit cold, but if you’re looking for some straightforward side-scrolling action, I suspect it will nicely scratch that itch!

If you want something fast and full of action, this probably isn't the game for you. However, if you like turn-based games that reward you for putting a lot of thought into your skill choices and are willing to put up with a significant amount of (game-assisted) level grinding, it's likely that you'll appreciate Etrian Odyssey III.

It’s an accessibly short, easygoing title that newcomers might find challenging to enter because they lack prior knowledge of the ecosystem Roadwarden established, but it’s also perhaps too casual and different in atmosphere for die-hard Roadwarden fans. I enjoyed my time with it because it’s a well-written tale that could have used more meat, but a relaxed jaunt through the woods and farm life is sometimes what we need between adventures to save the world. If Roadwarden fans can compromise their need for a Roadwarden sequel and newcomers can accept they might not get all of the references, Windy Meadow may be the chill, rural escape some of us need.

Those who liked the first installment will enjoy this one as well, and will appreciate the improvements brought about by the second screen, but weighing in at only 30-40 hours of mediocrity, it's probably a better rental than purchase.

Fae Tactics definitely has its flaws, and the glitches I encountered were about as hard to overcome as the many daunting challenges it presents. However, the fact that I rated it so highly in spite of these limitations is a testament to just how nuanced its gameplay mechanics are and how absolutely thrilling the game can be when the right strategy comes together and everything falls into place. If the game can be successfully patched so that the glitches aren’t an issue anymore, then I would easily recommend this title to SRPG fans looking for an undeniable challenge, since Fae Tactics certainly delivers that.

If you're a fan of the genre and appreciate the ability to challenge others in battles, you'll do well with Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker. Otherwise, you'll just find a mediocre game with silly dialogue.

To say that Lost Odyssey is a bad game is to do it an injustice. It's not a fun game, though, and maybe that's the same thing.

I genuinely liked Covenant of Solitude, but have a hard time recommending it when other (arguably better) games like it exist that offer a better value for the money. That this 2025 re-release of Covenant of Solitude remains relatively unchanged from its 2013 iteration is disappointing. The potential for a good game is there, but it needs a remodel to compete in a supersaturated and highly competitive market. Regardless, Covenant of Solitude always has the wonderful Wicca; she absolutely makes the game.

Neon Hearts City is a tightly-designed adventure noir, with well-written dialogue and surprisingly heartfelt voice-overs. However, it struggles to make its voice heard in the vast continuum of cyberpunk futurism, and its systems are too familiar and simple to add any unique complexity to offset this. For those with a love of the subgenre, the honest graphics, thoughtful soundtrack, and nostalgic plot will grant a few sweet hours in a different reality. In the end, although all these moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain, it might be worth a visit to the City. Just remember to bring your raincoat, ramen noodles, and a healthy dash of cynicism.

A much more realistic take on the Elder Scrolls formula which will delight some fans of that series while frustrating others.

Overall, Rise of the Ronin is assuredly a case of the pros outweighing the cons, but the cons can be tough to brush aside when they arise. For its first major open-world action game, Team Ninja has done a fantastic job here, and the amount of quality-of-life additions present that many similar games add after launch with patches is truly commendable. Having an abundance of fast-travel points and the ability to sprint in and out of combat without draining your stamina, for instance, may seem trivial but they make all the difference.

While both games feature a rather banal save-the-world plot, there's an underlying sense of mythology that remains just clouded enough to suggest a grander scheme. Although the characters are somewhat lifeless, the games themselves bear a strong sense of personality heightened by the music, the frenetic action, and the very sound of their name.

Ys VIII's smooth combat, amazing music, and fun-to-explore environments make for a memorable and rewarding experience. Unfortunately, you may want to steer clear of a Switch port that mars that experience with technical and localization issues.

Worth it for Persona 4 fans, but misses the mark in regards to its rhythm gameplay.

Those who want a good strategy RPG will appreciate the battle system, but may find themselves growing weary of the lengthy story scenes. Still, fans of both genres will find something to like in this game. Maybe they'll even grow to appreciate a genre they weren't looking for.

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.

Fire Emblem Heroes succeeds by relying on tried and tested formulas, but it's held back by the money-hungry nature of its underlying mechanics.

Those who liked the first installment will enjoy this one as well, and will appreciate the improvements brought about by the second screen, but weighing in at only 30-40 hours of mediocrity, it's probably a better rental than purchase.

Not a bad game, just one that fails to grab you and keep your attention.

Evoland has to be appreciated for what it is, which is less "game" and more "journey traveled." Nostalgia's a hot selling piece these past few years.

Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord, despite being a different animal than Fairy Fencer F: Advent Dark Force, is not the standalone game it wants to be. Refrain Chord is for existing Fairy Fencer F fans only, because it does nothing to ease newcomers into the Fairy Fencer F universe. My overall feelings about Refrain Chord echo my thoughts about Advent Dark Force. The visual-novel-style cutscenes were great, but the game’s progression often dragged. Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord is worth a look, but only if you’re patient and already invested in the Fairy Fencer F mythos.

Digimon Survive should have a lot of depth, with partner Digimon evolving and devolving, free-roaming Digimon to recruit, and a vibrant cast of characters who, on the surface, are generally enjoyable. Looking at the game from afar, it truly captures a feeling of desolation and nostalgia. But it comes up just short when it comes to gameplay and story—the two most important things for an SRPG and visual novel hybrid. A “Truthful” path awaits as a New Game+ option, but the gameplay shortcomings, unfortunately, aren’t alleviated with repeat playthroughs. Digimon Survive‘s charms aren’t fleeting by any means, but neither are its disappointments.

A fairly brief game that's worth the time to play, but only if you can find answers for when you get stuck.