Misao may not be a filling portion, but sometimes all you need is a bite-sized parody.

Describing The House in Fata Morgana as "entertaining" isn't exactly accurate, as it's a much more introspective experience than its contemporaries. In that regard, more visual novels should take a page from Novectacle's book — The House in Fata Morgana eschews genre tropes in favor of a style of experimentation that is deeply literary, and the result is incredibly refreshing.

Eselmir and the Five Magical Gifts is a good start for graphic adventures in 2018. Perhaps if enough people check this game out, it may open the gates for the Pirin trilogy of novels to be localized. Familiarity with the books would have more viscerally connected me to the game's world, characters, and lore. Regardless, it is clear that much love was put into this project, and I'm sure players will pick up on that when they play Eselmir and the Five Magical Gifts.

Romancing SaGa 2 is equal parts fascinating and frustrating. I've barely scratched the surface with some of the novel features this game offers you, so if you're thinking of playing it for the first time, I really encourage you to do so as there's a lot to love about this SNES remaster. Yet I also want this review to act as a warning on the difficult journey ahead, and while I've enjoyed my time with it for the most part, the obtuse nature and tough gameplay weren't always for me. If you love this series, you know what to expect and you'll enjoy every second. If this is your first SaGa, please don't go in blind: I didn't, and I'm glad I took the time to do some research and go through the game prepared.

Though Farabel possesses quite a number of interesting ideas, the end product isn't as polished or complete as it could be. I enjoyed the short venture I had through its rewinding war, but I'm in no hurry to try again. Perhaps the developers will be able to take the refreshing concepts in Farabel and push it two steps further—I would love to play that game.

Labyrinth might slake the thirst of players coming straight from Fruit, but it ultimately fails to live up to the standards set by its predecessor.

In the wake of Labyrinth, The Eden of Grisaia is somehow able to end the series on a positive note, but it is still a disappointingly mixed experience in the grand scheme of things.

The amount of heart and soul Last BeNeVoLeNcE put into his entire Tales of the Elements project is readily apparent. There is simply no denying this game's eccentric vibe and excellent soundtrack. Unfortunately, clumsy controls and grindy gameplay marred my overall experience. Game aside, I wholeheartedly recommend lending an ear to Last BeNeVoLeNcE's soulful music on Bandcamp and taking in his evocative rhymes and lyrics. Tales of the Elements is a one-and-done game for me, but I totally see myself grooving to Last BeNeVoLeNcE's music over and over again.

Gone Fireflies is less of a game and more of an engrossing interactive movie that I gladly experienced multiple times, despite a few hiccups. With an engaging story, sharp visuals, stirring music, and price tag less than half of a movie ticket, Gone Fireflies is something that fans of plot-driven software should definitely check out. After such a compelling debut, I look forward to seeing what Quiet Bay Studio comes up with next.

The tired jokes, excessive grinding, high battle encounter rate, laborious progression, and unappealing graphics became unbearable after one weekend. I also have nothing to say about the utterly forgettable music and sound effects. A clever concept can only take a game so far, and unfortunately Healer's Quest lacks the accoutrements to rise beyond mediocrity.

An enjoyable romp that gets me interested in the past and future of this series.

If you enjoy horror and mystery in your visual novel, you are bound to enjoy Sound of Drop, but it is unlikely to become your favorite.

The Last Sacrament builds upon the prior material in the right ways by fleshing out the already intriguing worldbuilding, lore, and characters presented in the Echoes of the Fey mythos. With engaging characters, gripping storylines that contain hefty choices, evocative music, and challenging gameplay that goes above and beyond the visual novel norm, Echoes of the Fey is a visual novel series that genre fans should definitely check out.

I don't have too much more to say about this game: it's extremely short, with an incomprehensible plot and frustrating puzzles, but also has quite a bit of charm and a wonderfully gothic ambience. Because of this, I'd probably only recommend it to a hardcore fan of the Gothic Lolita style or Alice in Wonderland. I spent approximately $2 during a Steam sale to buy this title, as I generally enjoy the aesthetic; Alicemare was worth every penny, though not a whole lot more. Alas!

As far as throwback RPGs go, Towards the Pantheon may not reinvent the wheel, but it does offer its own distinct personality. I am glad I played this game because my 12 or so hours spent with it invoked the vibe of a turn-based Zelda. Towards the Pantheon might not be for everyone, since it requires players to put in the work to get the most out of the experience, but it is loads of fun for those willing to make the effort.

Frankly, this is not a great visual novel. There definitely are noticeable flaws, and overall, the script needs one or two solid overhauls. But the game contains some potential, and it managed to hold some of my interest. While I cannot recommend Part 1 as a stand-alone entry, Perseverance may be able to reach its missed potential in Part 2.

Heaven Will Be Mine is the no-bones-about-it queer Mobile Suit Gundam we've always wanted.

I could praise the team behind Fatal Twelve for passion and effort alone — and I do! — but to see their vision come to fruition with such great results is also a reward unto itself.

EnrightBeats certainly has the skill to create a competent game but played it too safe with The Greater Good. Given how supersaturated and cutthroat competitive the field of retro-inspired JRPGs is, EnrightBeats needs to step it up and take some risks for their next effort to even be worth a look. The Greater Good's balanced gameplay was lovely, but that's not enough to cut the mustard. An edgier plot with dynamic storytelling featuring boldly designed and engagingly deep characters would have elevated this merely serviceable game into something worth recommending.

Yes, the game was often cheap and unrefined, but it had a certain je ne sais quoi about it that made me want to keep playing in spite of its foibles. Sacred Earth's ending sets everything up for a series, so I hope future installments polish this diamond in the rough to a lovely shine.

I certainly had no objections to playing through Spirit of Justice, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to fans of the series. And to those who have never touched an Ace Attorney game before, I suggest that you start way back at the beginning. You won't regret it!

If you are looking for an entertaining, if somewhat brief, Xenogears and Xenosaga inspired JRPG, then check out Sanctus Mortem. This lovingly crafted and highly polished game made me want to enlist in Thrasik Prime's spacefaring program and join Captain Hector's crew aboard the Rhoube. On the other hand, it sometimes colored a little too neatly inside the lines and ended well before I was ready for it to end. I would love to see Kisareth Studios' future projects strive beyond the RPG Maker pale and incorporate more subversively unique content.

The interminable length of the game, the halting progression, and the deluge of in-game items and resources caused me fall to my knees and wail to the heavens, "Is this necessary!?" Ultimately, Langrisser for mobile is utterly and thoroughly unnecessary.

The Forgotten Sanctum is a must-play DLC for fans of the series. If you were left disappointed by the second DLC, I understand, but rest assured that lovers of lore and engaging combat will find a home here. Expect to invest about ten hours or so while enjoying most of it. While I can't complain about the healthy support Obsidian has provided the series as we close on the third announced DLC, I also can't help wanting more. Then again, why offer more DLC when we can just get a third Pillars of Eternity?

How to Sing to Open Your Heart is another entry in the massive pile of games I've played that don't do anything wrong, but don't really do anything right either. Localized otome games have become surprisingly ubiquitous within the past decade, and with several fantastic titles to choose from, there is no reason to waste your precious time and hard-earned money on uninspired fluff like How to Sing to Open Your Heart.

If you're looking for a clever, short RPG that does something a little different while being firmly entrenched in mechanics and storytelling inspired by 8-bit classics, Brave Hero Yuusha EX is an excellent choice.

Nightshade is a text-heavy otome visual novel with a whole lot of plot to uncover, and I enjoyed my time with it immensely! Enju's journey to find her true self and love is something both otome and ninja fans might find worthwhile if given a chance. Like Hakuoki, I'd even recommend Nightshade to those who aren't sure if otome is for them, as the plot has a lot more to offer than just the romance angle.

Tardy's uncomfortable sci-fi atmosphere and beautiful pixel visuals are the biggest successes for this otherwise by-the-numbers adventure game.