RPG Fan's Scores

  • Games
For 2,282 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 70% higher than the average critic
  • 8% same as the average critic
  • 22% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 5.2 points higher than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 80
Highest review score: 100 Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition
Lowest review score: 25 Arcania: The Complete Tale
Score distribution:
2296 game reviews
    • 91 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    I’ve played many impressive games over the years, but I don’t think I’ve ever been quite as impressed by a game as I have with Chained Echoes. The sheer quality and quantity of content is honestly kind of insane for a solo developer, and while there are some bugs here and there, it all runs pretty damn smoothly too! Whether you’re looking for a nostalgic adventure or just want to play a fresh, new indie RPG, Chained Echoes is a gem that should not be missed.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    A no-brainer upgrade for PS3 players and a great option for those looking to get into the excellent A Realm Reborn experience with no hassle.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Take an idea from someone who's designed multiple amazing games, add in a team who makes games they'd want to play and loves what they do, avoid the red tape of the retail distribution process, and what do you get? A great game like Deathspank, which provides a $60 experience for just $15.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Ys X: Proud Nordics is an odd duck: though it’s most certainly the definitive edition of the tenth Ys game, it’s a tall order to get someone to pay full price for a game that could’ve easily been a cheaper DLC expansion, especially if they’ve already played Ys X: Nordics. I greatly enjoyed this game myself and was thoroughly entertained by this new installment of Adol the Red’s adventures, but I’m in the position of not having had a chance to try the original beforehand. I think any newcomers to Ys X should certainly add Proud Nordics to their collection, but those who’ve already crossed these waters might want to wait for a price reduction before doing so again.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Visual novel fans have enjoyed a feast of quality titles this year, but The Last Birdling needs to be on your list of games to try. I have not been this emotionally affected by a game in years and cannot express how powerful the storytelling was to me. If my review doesn't convince you to check this game out, there is an available demo on the InvertMouse website you can sample. Truth be told, playing the demo months ago is what sold me on this game. As soon as the demo ended on its tense cliffhanger, I simply had to know what happens next. I had a feeling the full version would be a good game, but did not expect it to be something this special.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    As far as faults, there were occasionally times when a song might halt before looping again at specific points during a scene, and if you use the auto-skip feature, you might find it hard to figure out the exact text before a decision point pops up. But, honestly? There isn’t much to critique when it comes to Trouble Comes Twice. It does what it sets out to do admirably! At its core, this is a successful, feel-good VN with a romantic edge. VN fans who don’t mind the slice-of-life genre would do well to give the game a chance, as Trouble Comes Twice is soothingly comforting and the game equivalent of a warm hug.
    • 91 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Bioware has crafted a truly remarkable game, but don’t be surprised if you have to pour over an FAQ to find the right combination for your party.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Calling Persona 5 Strikers “just another Musou game” would be a disservice. I definitely recommend giving it a shot if it was on your radar at all, since it provides an experience so removed from regular Musou games and reuniting with the Phantom Thieves for more adventures seems to guarantee a fun time. Just one more spin-off to go before Persona 5 matches Persona 4‘s record. Will we see more of the Phantom Thieves in the future? All I know for sure is that I’m on board.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    It’s clear there’s a devoted team that set out knowing the cozy little game it wanted to make, and what they’ve created is a pleasure to play. So get out there and become a farming mogul or a titan of commerce or revel in the strategy of dancing — if you like nice things, then you’re sure to enjoy Ooblets.
    • 90 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    The title Trails from Zero is particularly apt because the Special Support Section literally starts from nothing and has to work hard to rise to prominence in a city where police are seen as incompetent and corrupt. They face many barriers as they struggle to justify their existence, and in true Trails fashion, the road is long and slow at first. But if there’s one thing Lloyd and his friends are good at, it’s overcoming the seemingly impossible odds stacked against them. They even managed to beat the incredibly low chances that the Crossbell games would ever come out in the West. It’s been a long time coming, but to answer the question I posed at the start of this review, the wait has definitely been worth it.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    It's plain to see I adored my time with Timespinner. Its little niggles couldn't prevent me from going back to New Game Plus, or even experimenting with the level cap mode or higher difficulties. I stopped everything for Timespinner and in return I was rewarded with tight gameplay, a rich, beautiful world and all the queer representation I've ever wanted.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Wayward Strand is a heartfelt, touching story that grows on you the more you play it. I found myself caring a lot about Casey and the people she encountered at the hospital, and I started thinking about what I might uncover the next time I played the game the second I completed my first playthrough. That, to me, makes the title a success! I love the messages the story conveys, and the amount of care and thought that was clearly put into it. Wayward Strand is a feels-inducing, gentle sort of tale. For those looking for that type of story, Wayward Strand should not be missed!
    • 68 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    An unexpected treat. I'm terribly grateful to Ubisoft for bringing it to the US and Europe in such a timely manner.
    • 94 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    It's not a perfect game (but I've yet to see a game that is), but if this is the direction next generation RPGs are headed in, then fans of the genre should rejoice.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Combine the combat enmeshed with the story and the sense of place – this world feels like it exists in a history book somewhere – and Banner Saga 2 deftly carries on the sigil of the first title.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    With a successful transition to a fully realized open world, Atelier Yumia is a strong start to a new series while serving as a fantastic follow-up to the Atelier Ryza games. The world is large and rewarding with something around every corner, and the cast is unique and lovable while having a whole lot of heart. Battles are active and intense, ensuring the player is always engaged. While the synthesis system may initially seem unintuitive, the payoff for learning the system’s intricacies far outweighs the few hours of confusion. A stellar soundtrack and gorgeous visuals complete the package, ensuring Atelier Yumia punches far above its weight while competing with contemporaries whose budgets are multiple times its size.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    You may not like it as much as I did, but in the end, you will have enjoyed this game more than a lot of other PS2 games out there.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    The game is fantastically playable, and utterly addictive.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    In terms of living up to lofty promises based on Kingdom Come: Deliverance, Warhorse Studios absolutely nailed it for Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. The bonkers story, fantastic characters, and the right improvements to combat carry the day, but the more mundane tasks like smithing and alchemy make for an impressive and fascinating representation of what daily life may have been like during a specific point in history. There are endless adventures here to dig into, and even though it requires a significant investment of time, for those bold enough to brave it, it’s time well spent. Long live Warhorse Studios!
    • 84 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Valkyria Chronicles Remastered polishes up one of the best strategy games in recent memory and brings it to a new console.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    I could go on and on about all of the other bells and whistles, like the importance of spending multitools wisely at upgrade terminals, the incredible procedural generation of the levels and enemies, the more than a dozen modes to play, all of the in-game achievements to earn, and the plentiful secrets, but those are best discovered when you buy this game. If you’ve got a strategic bone in your body, you have to buy this. Go, buy it now. It’s $25 at full price, which might as well be an act of charity considering the quantity and quality of what you’re getting.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    In the end, however, what you have is a game full of ambition and beauty; one that can draw you in for hours as you plumb the depths of the world searching for clues and your own solutions to problems. It's not without some technical issues, and it's pretty clear that there were some areas of the game that were glossed over in order to make the release date. However, that can all be set aside for the excellent, engrossing narrative, stellar gameplay, and utter style that oozes from every inch of the game.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Get through the boring intro, and then enjoy 30 solid hours of what is easily Falcom's most ambitious title to date. Cheers to XSEED for the solid localization and for taking a chance on the series.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    In the end, however, what you have is a game full of ambition and beauty; one that can draw you in for hours as you plumb the depths of the world searching for clues and your own solutions to problems. It's not without some technical issues, and it's pretty clear that there were some areas of the game that were glossed over in order to make the release date. However, that can all be set aside for the excellent, engrossing narrative, stellar gameplay, and utter style that oozes from every inch of the game.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    When we hear the word masquerade, we usually think of a social gathering where people wear masks and other fancy attire. But this word is much more than a mere event. As a noun, a masquerade can also signify a false pretense or show. And as a verb, a person who masquerades is a person who pretends to be something they are not. With definitions like these, masquerada is a truly fitting title for this game. Underneath its guise of political machinations, Masquerada: Songs and Shadows is a mirror depicting the ever-present shadows in society while also reflecting the societal masquerade that humanity subconsciously participates in.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    West of Loathing is a rare treat of a video game — one that compels you to restart it immediately after you finish. With some of the best comedic writing ever found in an RPG and a truly unique and timeless visual style, you're going to have a hard time forgetting this one, pardner!
    • 84 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Longtime fans of the Atelier series will find a lot to love in Atelier Ryza 2. New fans who started with its predecessor also will be pleased to know that the sequel more than lives up to expectations. My initial impressions of the game were quite positive and full of hope, and I’m happy to say that Ryza 2 delivers on nearly every front. A wonderful art style, a touching story, a fantastic combat system, an intuitive alchemy system, a stunningly gorgeous soundtrack, and a bevy of new systems go a long way in making this not only one of the best Atelier games in the series, but one of Gust’s best games.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Level-5 changed just enough in Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box to keep the sequel fresh while maintaining the highlights of The Curious Village: excellent puzzles, beautiful art, appropriate music, a fun story, and a sense of whimsy.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    A sweet, whimsical adventure in a faraway land you'll love getting lost in.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    With tons of difficulty options and a wonderful mod community, XCOM 2 War of the Chosen is the perfect game for just about any ambitious armchair general. You can tough it out in a super calculated ironman campaign on legendary or, should you choose, tone down the difficulty a bit and save scum as you learn the ebb and flow of war. XCOM 2 may have gotten off to a rough start back in 2016, but between Firaxis' dedication and this amazing expansion we now have one of the best strategy RPGs around.
This publication does not provide a score for their reviews.
This publication has not posted a final review score yet.
These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation.

In Progress & Unscored

?
    • 69 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    When The Isle of Armor is good, it's great. It takes the concept of the Wild Area and nearly perfects it, and I enjoyed running around and hunting down those Digletts. It doesn't fix many of the base game's main issues, and where it does make improvements, these are not available unless you have the Expansion Pass. There's also no way to buy The Isle of Armor separately, so you may want to wait until the second half of the pass is out before diving it. Still, iIt's a decent start for the series' first piece of DLC, and I'm excited to see how The Crown Tundra expands on the games more.
    • 79 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    I worry that the developers have run out of ideas. This is the second of three pieces of DLC, because someone in corporate said they needed three DLC expansions to squeeze money out of players. Yes, I enjoyed the DLC, but it felt like eating chips rather than an exquisite slice of cake that had been labored over. I would recommend it to anyone who feels any inclination to get all of the DLC, simply because, what, you’re going to buy the first and third DLC, but not the second? If you’re thinking about whether or not you can wait, though — yeah, you can wait.
    • tbd Metascore
    • Critic Score
    A New Home is the perfect name for this DLC, not only because of the new home that Lea gets within CrossWorlds, but because MMORPGs are precisely that to some people: a new, digital home away from home. It’s a coincidence that I happened to re-subscribe to FFXIV the same week I played through this DLC, but A New Home has helped ease any anxieties I may have about coming back and reminded me of the warmth that playing games online with friends can make you feel. The fact that it’s the same excellent CrossCode gameplay with more puzzles to grind my teeth over for hours, no matter how frustrating, is just a bonus.
    • 76 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    The Kaito Files is a first for RGG, but I honestly hope it isn’t the last. There are so many characters in this long-running series, and the field is ripe for exploration of other protagonists and events. Case in point: Kaito makes a fantastic lead. With the future of the Judgment series uncertain due to disagreements with the talent agency representing Yagami’s Japanese actor, Takuya Kimura, this DLC is almost like a proof of concept in a way. While I would hate for Yagami to no longer be involved in future games, Kaito could clearly take the main character role if need be, and that gives me hope that we haven’t seen the last of this spin-off series.
    • 71 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Unfortunately, even these side quests feel lazy, with some occurring as what would be a “boss rush mode” in many other games. While such a mode isn’t necessarily unwelcome, for this to be the bulk of what’s offered is inappropriate. For those seeking a challenge, though, you will certainly find it here. For the completionists, or those who simply want to see the journey through, The First Samurai will sate, not “wow.” For all others, you are likely better off saving your $10. I can’t say I didn’t have fun, but I can say that as epic as Nioh 2 is, the material deserves better.
    • 64 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    I'm glad I played Seeker, Slayer, Survivor. This is an adequate DLC for an already phenomenal game. At the current $10 price point, I have a hard time recommending it for anyone but the most devoted Pillars fans, but chances are if you've bought and enjoyed Pillars II, as well as the Beast of Winter DLC, you're probably going to buy and enjoy this one as well. Perhaps waiting for a sale would be most appropriate, as it's certainly not going anywhere.
    • tbd Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Since I enjoyed GreedFall, I ended up rather liking this chance to return to Teer Fradee, even if it was only for a short excursion. Whether or not that’ll be the same for others depends on their overall fondness for the base game. If you’re new to GreedFall and playing through Gold Edition, I’d recommend playing through The De Vespe Conspiracy when the initial quest opens up, as it really does just expand upon the story. Those who are picking up the base game for the first time on last-gen consoles might want to wait until they’ve progressed a bit to see how they feel about GreedFall in general, given that the DLC on those platforms is around an additional seven dollars. Still, The De Vespe Conspiracy is a solid addition to GreedFall for those eager for a return trip and more of the same.
    • tbd Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Like the first (free) DLC, there’s plenty of challenge here if players wish to test their mettle. For anyone who enjoyed the original game and finds themselves interested in the DLC, I’d strongly recommend approaching it on New Game+. Despite the frustrating elements, there are flashes of greatness that I hope carry over to a sequel.
    • 76 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    As the final piece of The Outer World‘s DLC, Murder on Eridanos simply didn’t live up to my expectations for the series. If anything, it feels like a semi-memorable side quest inflated into a full-scale DLC. Maybe Obsidian ran out of things to say about the universe of The Outer Worlds! While the DLC’s inconsistent tone and lack of meaningful choices left me cold, there were a few interesting characters that did pull me in for a few hours. If you enjoyed the core game of The Outer Worlds, then Murder on Eridanos may give you another reason to visit the Halcyon system. Otherwise, it’s as dead as Halcyon Helen on the ballroom floor of the Grand Colonial.
    • tbd Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Fans of X-Men or those seeking more challenges from Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 will probably find some enjoyment in Rise of the Phoenix.
    • tbd Metascore
    • Critic Score
    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?
    • 74 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    As a big fan of The Outer Worlds, I found Peril on Gorgon to be another fulfilling dive into this fascinating universe, giving me more of what I loved about the original game. It doesn’t break any new ground, aside from the addition of some audio logs and some new weapons. But that’s okay. Great DLC isn’t a sequel, it’s a 10-hour expansion on what made the original game so good. In other words, if you loved The Outer Worlds and want to encounter more tough moral choices, crazy science weapons, and engaging characters, you should check out Peril on Gorgon. I certainly had a blast roleplaying a hard-boiled interstellar detective/starship captain, and it only made me excited for more DLC in the future!
    • 77 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    The Tengu’s Disciple offers enough fresh content to satisfy any fan of Nioh 2, but not so much to feel like a bargain. What is likely a bargain is the $20 season pass that will grant customers all three pieces of DLC when each is released. Of course, we don’t know if the future DLC will be worth the purchase, but if they’re anything like The Tengu’s Disciple, then fans can rest easy in the investment.
    • 75 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    The Crown Tundra is a worthy diadem sitting atop Sword & Shield‘s head, but the journey to earn that crown has been a rocky, and safe, one. While this DLC is not enough to fix the issues with the base game (and TCT introduces a few new frustrations of its own), it makes several much-needed improvements that make it worth checking out. We’re still far away from the series’ best efforts, but at the very least, the future looks far brighter for the series than it did a year ago.

Top Trailers