Ultimately, Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi is fine for what it is. Though exploration and combat primarily define dungeon crawlers, the fighting in this game isn’t interesting enough to justify the grinding necessary to progress. While I was curious to see the conclusion, both story and combat would have been more effective in a game about 40-50 hours shorter. Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi buries its treasures in deep depths, and some won’t find them worth digging for.

Crippled by poor gameplay, redeemed at times by enjoyable dialogue and decent aesthetic qualities, Arc the Lad: End of Darkness ends up being a mediocre game.

Ni no Kuni II is still an excellent game. In most respects, I find it superior to the original, with fewer barriers between the player and the game itself. It’s packed with quality-of-life features, cool subsystems, and interesting side content to conquer. Unfortunately, the Switch version is the worst way to experience a fantastic game. For most players, the original will provide the best experience. There’s no new content to speak of here, and the visual setbacks make taking advantage of the Switch’s form factor a dicey prospect. You should absolutely play Ni no Kuni II. But you probably shouldn’t play it on the Switch.

I’m normally not into kinetic visual novels, but I liked The Mysteries of Ranko Togawa: Murder on the Marine Express. Being able to check Ranko’s phone gave the game enough interactivity that I didn’t feel disconnected from it. The English language script is rough, but the story remained engaging, and the characters still displayed delightfully colorful personalities. The Mysteries of Ranko Togawa: Murder on the Marine Express is a cool little game that would be even better with a proper localization. That would further entice me to check out hypothetical future installments of Ranko’s adventures.

Despite developer Bunnyhug getting so much right in terms of the presentation and some of the gameplay, the multitude of bugs and questionable design choices cast a heavy shadow that is impossible to ignore. Since its October release, there have been two patches to address some of the bugs, but the game still remains a messy experience overall. If you can look past the technical issues currently plaguing the game then Moonglow Bay could be a worthwhile time-sink, but it otherwise remains a difficult sell for all but the most diehard Harvest Moon fans.

It's better than the original Atelier Rorona, but I'd still rather be playing any other Atelier game.

A fun strategy RPG that offers something for everyone but lacks an enjoyable story, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics assumes players are fans of the original movie, which is absolutely required viewing to get the most out of this game.

Rhapsody III is a fun and breezy musical RPG that is both cute, simplistic, and amusing. While it’s not the best of the trilogy, it serves as a solid capstone to the Marl Kingdom trilogy. It gives a peek at the often unnecessary and over-the-top mechanical insanity that Nippon Ichi Software later became synonymous with. I can only hope the recent remasters are a teaser for a new entry in the Rhapsody series.

As a visual (kinetic) novel, Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception is quite good. It does take a long time to start, but once the story gets going, it is quite compelling. The music is fantastic, the voice acting is good, there’s a fun cast of characters, and the visuals are there. Unfortunately, as a game, it doesn’t do nearly as well. The tactical RPG part of the game lacks complexity and difficulty. The game doesn’t properly explain how the battle system works, and you will be left to fend for yourself to learn how to properly fight. If you can get over the 20 hour hump for the story to pick up, and can sit through the uninspired fights, then you can enjoy a story full of political intrigue that makes you realize how much you actually care for the characters and what they go through. However, if you are an impatient soul, and/or would prefer your games with good gameplay, stay far away. In short, this is a good visual novel, but a mediocre game.

There is an audience for One Piece Odyssey. Sometimes, in the middle of an exciting battle or while revisiting some of my favorite locations from the original series, I think I could be part of that audience. I’ve been a fan of the property for over 20 years and still read the manga every week. I’m not the world’s biggest One Piece fan, but I’m certainly an enduring one. But the repetition made the game a struggle to complete. As amazing as the game feels to start, it trudges across the finish line. A more patient player, or one whose love for One Piece is far more enthusiastic than mine, might be able to see past the repetition for the loving nostalgia underneath. For non-fans, or those of us looking for something meatier, One Piece Odyssey is more filler than killer.

Hotel Sowls is undeniably charming. The cast is easily lovable and the world as quirky as one could hope. Still, it’s also undeniably simple. I would suggest Hotel Sowls as a sleepy afternoon game to relax with if you are at all drawn to its art and atmosphere, but I would keep in mind the limitations of a two person team making their first game. If you aren’t bothered by a small soundtrack, occasional bugs, and a hotel with many rooms where there isn’t any room for questions, then you may just spend more than one span of five days in Hotel Sowls.

Lost Sphear is Tokyo RPG Factory's latest attempt to capture that golden age nostalgia, but its lackluster story and bloated systems aren't quite up to the task.

Dungeons of Dredmor isn't without problems, but the good humour and addictive gameplay make it an amiable purchase. It might not be to everyone's tastes, and the random generation can be frustrating, but for only a few dollars it's pretty easy to recommend.

The game manages to do something different fusing rhythm mechanics with turn based battles, but the awkward controls made it difficult to completely enjoy. While the addition of multiplayer, a new character, and a brand new game mode might tempt some toward the console version, the game is clearly best suited to the PC. As all of the upgrades are coming to Steam as well, there's no real reason for existing fans to try out this new port. If you like RPGs, music, and rhythm gameplay, and prefer console or handheld gaming, I'd recommend Theatrythm: Final Fantasy any day.

The game looks pretty yet cheap in places, but the simple presentation is easy to digest, especially with the sometimes-deeper concepts addressed in the story. I may not be the right audience for this, but as I watch my daughter delight in playing, it is easy to take a page from the story and appreciate the title for what it is instead of what it is not. Despite all of its issues, it is oddly delightful to spend a day playing in the old LDC helping friends, cooking new recipes, or exploring with a dragon!

If you like that neo-Gothic, dark Victorian setting, contrasting grays and sepia with rich, saturated color, you will likely adore this "psychedelic" game. But given the choice, I would recommend checking out Ashen Hawk before Black Butterfly, as the other title doesn't rely on amnesia to weave a tale.

It certainly has its unique charm.

If you enjoy grinding to unlock classes, and the experience of playing as different classes is more important to you than random loot drops, you could very well have a lot of fun with this game.

Luminous Plume feels more like a tech demo than a fully realized game. The lion’s share of effort was put into the sumptuous battle engine, luscious visuals, and bold music to the detriment of the narrative, characters, writing, and non-battle gameplay. I admittedly had fun playing Luminous Plume, but I would have better appreciated its amazing battle system if it were in a more substantial and fully-realized RPG. If battle-rush games like this are your thing, then you’ll probably enjoy Luminous Plume more than I did.

If you're looking for a fun time, a happy time, or a smooth ride, this isn't your game. If you're looking for something to chew on and to learn about a person or people you might not be able to truly see in our real world, then Stillness is here. I wish more games tried to communicate these kinds of messages.

It's a fun game with some great mechanics and intriguing ideas going for it. If there was reduced experience gambling, less incessant grinding and a few additional songs, it could have been a far superior game.

As it stands, if you’re a FF series completionist like myself, this is easily the version of FFII I’d recommend given what it offers and the fact that it doesn’t potentially overstay its welcome since it doesn’t have the extra dungeons found in other ports, but I can’t say I’ll be replaying Final Fantasy II either.

I went into Best Friend Forever expecting to pet a bunch of dogs and date some cool humans, and in that respect, I was not disappointed. The dogs are good boys and girls who deserve all the love in the world, even when they poop. The humans are a fun and varied bunch whose stories may be on the short side but still have a lot of heart. Sadly, the gameplay did not live up to my expectations, but I would love to see what improvements could be made if Starcolt one day decides to create a sequel. If your love of dogs is stronger than the issues I’ve laid out in this review, then you might want to check out Best Friend Forever. Just do yourself a favor, though, and play it on PC.

Class of Heroes manages to complete the job of being an introductory RPG, and it does a couple of things right, but it wasn't much fun.

Despite occasionally feeling dated, Yakuza 3 still offers a fun experience for fans of the series.

Planescape: Torment will continue to be a classic — a titan standing tall in the history of RPGs. However, the Enhanced Edition has only really enhanced the price and little else. Though I have to say, Planescape itself is okay. I know I may aggravate or annoy some fans who remember this title fondly or have even experienced it again and enjoyed the trip down memory plane, but if we’re being honest with ourselves, Planescape: Torment has not aged well. The writing is as engrossing as ever, yes, but even in that regard, so much more has been done with games like Pillars of Eternity. Certainly, the gameplay and controls could be better. I’m not here to give praise for the history and importance of Planescape, but to judge it as it stands today amongst whippersnappers, like Tyranny, who likely owe a great deal to what this title has done for RPGs.

Salt and Sacrifice is a capable Soulslike for those who can’t get enough of the genre. I had a good time playing it and found the experience worthwhile, but I by no means think this cements itself as a flagbearer for games like it. Five years later, I still distinctly remember the personality and mystery of Salt and Sanctuary, but this title seems to lack that same sort of magic. Though, I will say, Soulslikes have a high standard given the sheer quality of titles available.

Despite its solid production values, Lost Echo is a bit of a lost cause. Playing it felt like going on a date with a reasonably attractive girl with a characterless personality and mundane attire. Conversation with her held potential, but there were too many awkward stumbles throughout the date. All in all, it was not a bad way to spend a weekend, but I certainly won't be calling her back for a second date.