PoPoLoCrois is, at its core, a vanilla, mediocre, bland, been-there-done-that Japanese RPG that probably should have stayed in Japan.

In the end, The Crystal Bearers manages to be a somewhat simple but entertaining adventure, but one that is polished and put together with care, for the sole purpose of entertaining the player.

Despite its issues in just about every department, the core of Ragnarok Odyssey is a competent Monster Hunter-style adventure. For the right audience, the fast-paced combat counterbalances any issues with repetition and awkwardness.

The game is absolutely gorgeous to look at, but an absolute slog to experience.

Unless you find JRPGs absolutely repugnant, there's little to dislike about Atelier Meruru. It's a delightfully addictive game that provides a great sense of player achievement. A wealth of content ensures that players are never without a goal to work towards, and ten possible endings give the game tremendous replay value.

Period: Cube ~Shackles of Amadeus~ is a hard game to recommend. I’ve played better VN/RPG hybrids and feel that there are stronger otome titles available on the Vita. I also think there are stronger “main character stuck in a different world” plots out there. However, I can recognize that a lot of care went into it, and there were elements of it I truly enjoyed. I’d probably only recommend giving the game a shot once you’ve exhausted your better otome options.

If you love Supermassive Games’ work, you’ll feel right at home with The Casting of Frank Stone, technical issues aside. For the uninitiated, expect to run around areas finding nick-nacks to read or look at and the occasional binary dialogue choice. Creepy at times, but fascinating throughout, I enjoyed my foray into Frank Stone’s debut. All I gotta do now is play Until Dawn’s remaster.

The Novelist is made with heart and good intentions, but its general clumsiness makes it imperfect, if not unrecommendable.

If you’re looking for a simple, fun, family-friendly Pokémon spin-off game, Detective Pikachu Returns is a fair option. However, among all Pokémon games available on the Nintendo Switch, I would recommend virtually any other game in the Switch library over this one for any player desiring for some level of challenge.

VED deserves credit for its gorgeous graphics, workable combat, and underlying lore, but there are significant caveats. Although it proposes to take you on a journey between two worlds and at every point in between, the game makes staying on any path difficult, and trying to find the links between them takes more work than it should. You can find a dozen or so hours of playtime with VED, and many more to explore every possible route or action of consequence. (And if you’re on the fence, there is a free prologue, VED: Purification, available on Steam.) Perhaps with a few patches targeting the script and the wonkier translation, this could be something quite pleasant in the genre. But much like Cyrus, you just might find yourself struggling to understand what’s going on in either of its worlds.

Monark isn’t a great game. I am not even sure I would call it a good one, but if it weren’t for the transphobia and atrocious pacing, I would likely be enthusiastically recommending it to the right sort of player. There is an earnest quality to its themes, characters and stories paired with an inventiveness to its combat. These qualities build a solid foundation a follow-up title could improve into something truly special. As is, if you have read my review, watched the trailers, played the demo, and still have interest in playing Monark, there is probably a good chance you would find some joy in playing it. For anyone else, you are likely best off waiting for the next Persona or a Monark 2.

Fallen Legion has some innovative ideas that shake up the action RPG formula a bit, but the lackluster execution fails to capitalize on its promise.

More of an experience than a game.

This season's diamond-in-the-rough. Players with the skill and a great deal of patience will see the adventure through to the end and appreciate the creator's grand vision, despite the shortcomings.

The bottom line regarding Monster Kingdom: Jewel Summoner is that the game is a colossal disappointment.

If you’re looking for a bite to tide you over until Bloodlines 2 is released, or if you just want a good narrative game where you get to play as vampires, then Swansong might just be worth sinking your fangs into.

Dark Fear is an intriguing yet frustrating horror adventure that delivers on the aesthetics but needs work on its substance.

Hammerwatch II is stuck in the past, which is a shame, because with some added niceties or more thoughtful design, it has the potential to be as impactful as its predecessor. An unoriginal premise doesn’t have to kill a game’s narrative, but with text walls and inconsequential, filler phrasing, caring about this world is nearly impossible. Being a fan of Hammerwatch, I found this review hard to write. For the first time I can ever remember, I actually put off writing a review, because the idea of hammering (heh) this out brought discomfort. I take no joy in the negativity of this review, but I feel like would-be consumers need the information to make wise purchasing decisions and the developers need the feedback.

Switch is definitely not the best platform for it, but the gameplay is still good and the Obsidian writing team is still top-notch.

Nothing more than a short and simple game that provides a thoroughly unsatisfying experience. While the localization is excellent, not only is there not enough of it, what's already there is lost in the torrent of monstrous difficulty, subpar aesthetics, and an overly simplified game system.

Do yourself a favor and wait until this game hits a major price drop. Honestly, I've never felt so let down by a Kingdom Hearts game. As fans of the series, we all deserve better than this.

Let this game serve as a warning to Square Enix: we don't want an RTS for the Mana series. And even if we did, we would only want it if the game wasn't broken from start to finish.

Satirical humor, thematic citizens, neat puzzles.

Overall, Ever Crisis is an easy recommendation for fans of Final Fantasy VII — in any form — if you go into it knowing what to expect with its mobile caveats. So long as you aren’t vulnerable to excessive spending to your detriment, it brings three Final Fantasy VII IPs to modern audiences while giving them a consistent aesthetic that helps them all feel truly connected. Applibot’s other Square Enix mobile project, NieR Re[in]carnation, has been running for over two years now, so that helps establish some faith that Ever Crisis won’t close down when we blink. Games like this are best enjoyed as a slow grind over a long period of time — months and even years — so bear this in mind when deciding how much you want to commit to it. Enjoy the game for what it is, progression walls ‘n’ all, and perhaps come back to it every few months to see what’s new.

There’s nothing wrong with developing the game you want and knowing what you have while hiding the limitations. Empyreal is all about the combat and loot, and it shows in the solid combat and in tinkering with your loadout. That’s clearly where the effort went. If this game is trying to be part Destiny and part Souls-like with a nod to old-school games, then it doesn’t fail, but it doesn’t succeed either. The only problem with eschewing story and other elements is that it comes off as cold and bland. I think those who dig the combat will love Empyreal, but others who want more out of their experience may find it less than sublime.

Too Human is repetitive, unbalanced, and frustrating, made complete with an uninteresting story.

Ultimately, The Caligula Effect 2 is not a game for everyone. This is something the developers are keenly aware of. It’s not a flashy, high-budget, big-name, auteur-laden, AAA RPG that’s gone through the gauntlet of playtesters and focus groups. It’s a scrappy, low-budget underdog that’s full of heart and empathy, and it has a message to share. Though the game is a sequel, those interested can certainly start with this version, as its predecessor is vaguely recapped. For the few like myself who enjoyed the original game despite its numerous flaws, this follow-up is a dramatic glow up that deserves to be played. It is easily one of my favorite games this year.

Best Month Ever! has an important, unique story to tell that charts the course of a dying mother and her beautiful young boy. Like the road trip itself, however, bumps occur along the way that detract from the experience. While checkered with flaws, the story hits home and meets a satisfying, albeit sad, conclusion. Some folks won’t be able to see past the jankiness, while others will appreciate the experience for what it is.