Sovereign Syndicate is a game of highs and lows. If there is to be more to the story, the gameplay portion would need some rethinking to make it work. But on the positive side, I loved the world and characters, and I’d be excited to see more of them. If you’re in it for those elements, then Sovereign Syndicate shouldn’t disappoint. After all, everyone loves a sharp-dressed minotaur.

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.

DYSCHRONIA: Chronos Alternate is an entertainingly thought-provoking sci-fi mystery graphic adventure. I enjoyed playing it despite some of its weaknesses, specifically its transition to non-VR mechanics. I’m curious about when its two predecessors make their way onto the Switch. I hope there are more games of its ilk in development for the future. If you haven’t yet played any version of the game, Nintendo Switch’s Definitive Edition of DYSCHRONIA: Chronos Alternate is well worth the non-VR dive.

Minor blemishes aside, WitchSpring R is a wonderful little gem that I truly enjoyed every moment with. It’s cute and charming and I found myself laughing more times than I had with any other game in recent memory. It’s a cozy little game that ticks all the Atelier boxes yet forges its own path and identity. While the WitchSpring series has been running strong on mobile, I’m hopeful that WitchSpring R does well enough to warrant a sequel. It feels like a Gust game with the level of polish one would expect from a first-party Nintendo game. I don’t know how they pulled it off, but I am thoroughly impressed with Kiwiwalks and eagerly await their next work.

Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is an enjoyable monster-collecting spin-off to a heartfelt traditional RPG. It captures much of the DQ series’ charm and appeal while serving as a fascinating alternate telling of a classic DQ title. I’m very fond of this game, given its DQIV connection, despite feeling stuck in a grinding loop while playing. Psaro’s journey goes in some truly unexpected ways, showcasing that The Dark Prince is a welcome addition to the DQ lineup for returning fans and potential newcomers curious about DQIV: a game worthy of sharing the throne with its predecessors.

Born of Bread adds another entry to my ever-growing list of games that I wanted to love but left me with mixed feelings. It’s clear that a lot of heart went into Born of Bread. I loved the bevy of unique characters inhabiting the game’s world, and the second half of the story was quite engaging. However, Born of Bread‘s confluence of minor flaws, including a lack of convenience features, marred my enjoyment. Born of Bread is not a bad game, but those seeking that magical Paper Mario experience might be better off waiting for the upcoming Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door remaster.

There is so much meat in Dave the Diver that no number of shark bites can truly size it down. Even when the button prompts fail to properly load during a cooking competition, said competition is followed by a scene providing additional character lore and growth, ensuring you don’t stay disappointed for long. It’s very, very hard to overlook such a major, literally gamebreaking factor as crashes, but there’s just so much more to see instead: a music concert mini-game in a literal fever dream; minor characters with major emotional beats in their sidequests; plentiful boss battles against epic deep sea creatures; and still so much more. Just as we haven’t mapped even a fourth of the earth’s seafloor, there is so much more to Dave the Diver than first meets the eye. It’s surprising, it’s expansive, and each of its many segments is equally memorable. Dave the Diver is a game that shines brilliantly, even brighter than the most elusive pearls.

While I by no means think Slay the Princess is for everyone—this is a distinctly indie game—the thoughtful, curious, and those hungry for an imaginative experience will be more than satisfied with what it has to offer. With some tweaks, improvements, or inclusion of quality-of-life features, Slay the Princess rises to the ranks of legendary indie status. As for me, I am going to keep my eye on Black Tabby Games, because it has another game in the works (Scarlet Hollow) that could be just as good, if not better than what’s been gifted to us here.

The lack of ability to choose specific affection levels through the flowchart is a small price to pay for reaching the Salvation endings. Virche Evermore perfectly encapsulates feelings of despair and hope not only through its dark subject matter, but through its phenomenal foreshadowing and focus on bad endings before the good endings become available. While death reminds us of the life that preceded it, the endings of Virche Evermore -ErroR: Salvation- always harken back to content in the routes, the many twists and turns required to reach its endings, and it makes the anguish felt along the way worth it.

If you weren’t a huge fan of Final Fantasy XVI, Echoes of the Fallen isn’t going to change your mind. While it introduces some new things, it doesn’t address most people’s concerns with the base game. Even I was slightly disappointed with the story; I hope the next DLC, The Rising Tide, delivers more on that front. But if you love FFXVI‘s combat and want to fully engage with it while partaking in some of the best boss fights the game has to offer, you’ve come to the right place. I can’t wait to run through it again in Final Fantasy mode. It’s going to be an absolute blast.

Saltsea Chronicles was a bizarre experience for me. I admired the quality of the writing, maturity in language, and world the developers sought to craft, but I was frequently bored and eager for something to happen. I couldn’t even call this game slice-of-life, which one could argue is a genre where nothing ever happens by definition, but at least slice-of-life stories are poignant and heartfelt. Saltsea Chronicles just felt flat to me, but I am certain this game will hit some beautiful notes for folks who are tired of melodrama and intensity.

All in all, Super Mario RPG is a great remake that nearly perfectly replicates the experience of playing the SNES original. From the story and the world to the battles and music, the game will make you feel like a kid again. I do wish the combat was a little harder, and some players may be a tad disappointed by the lack of meaningful new content, but the game is so charming and fun that it’s easy to overlook issues like this and have a good time with it. After almost three decades, we finally have a modern version of the game that introduced many players to RPGs, and with luck it may introduce many more to come.

With its cyberpunk setting, emotionally charged storylines, and a relaxed pace that is far from comforting, Solace State: Emotional Cyberpunk Stories really lives up to its name. It also has a compelling soundtrack and a cinematic visual presentation I want to see more often in visual novels. I know 2023 has been a stacked year for video games, but Solace State is something that visual novel fans should check out.

I initially came into Tales of Aravorn: An Elven Marriage unsure what to expect. What I discovered is a worthy successor to Loren the Amazon Princess that sets the stage for even more fascinating and harrowing events set in the world of Aravorn. VN/RPG hybrid fans who enjoy both choice-heavy narratives and solid gameplay will find much to enjoy in this title, especially those with prior knowledge of the Aravorn game universe as a whole. Tales of Aravorn: An Elven Marriage is an engaging and largely self-contained tale, and thanks to it, I’m now eagerly anticipating what’s to come next!

The romance is decadent, the horror is seriously scary, it’s a richly immersive atmosphere and a fun tribute to classic anime, so what’s not to love about Little Goody Two Shoes? If you enjoy narrative games and have the nerve to overcome the fear, this is one to check out. Astral Shift is a wickedly creative group, and they’ve put a ton of love into this game. So, light the lantern and venture out into the dark.

Pathfinder: Gallowspire Survivors is not only a bad game: it’s a test of patience. Repetition is fine—several successful games lean heavily on gameplay loops—but the loop has to have mental chew and a true sense of customization. I felt like I was spinning my wheels, especially as upgrade points became rarer and upgrades became more expensive for a negligible improvement. Under no circumstances should anyone invest time or money into this game, as it takes a hundred times more than it gives.

Ultimately ASTLIBRA Revision is a resounding success. KEIZO should be incredibly proud of what they’ve achieved after 15 years of work, designing such intricate gameplay systems and plotting an engaging narrative that rivals the work done by large teams with big budgets behind them. If you can look past the somewhat amateurish presentation there is a glittering diamond in the rough here, one that transcends its humble freeware beginnings into one of the best gaming experiences I’ve had all year.

In Stars and Time might drag on a little longer and get repetitive more often than I would like, but its ambition and adherence to its themes are commendable, and are made even more impressive by the fact that the game was developed in RPG Maker. This game is a must-play for fans of quirky indie games, but even if you are tired of that style, there is loads here to love.

Honestly, if you want more Tales of Arise, just go play the base game again. It’s still fun to play and has better storytelling and characterization, along with the added bonus of being a full, complete game all on its own. The only people I can imagine enjoying this DLC are diehard fans who simply want “more” Tales of Arise and spend more time with the characters. If that’s what you’re looking for, you came to the right place, for better or worse.

Invincible Presents: Atom Eve is a successful licensed game for a broad audience. It doesn’t do anything wrong regarding its gameplay or presentation, and it’s welcoming enough to Invincible newcomers while still providing returning fans with a new perspective. Invincible Presents: Atom Eve is bare-bones in terms of extras and is on the short side, but those looking for a solid superhero journey of self-discovery could do much worse. It’s made me eager to explore more of the Invincible universe!

Persona 5 Tactica wasn’t the mechanically satisfying nor thematically engaging tactics game I hoped it might be. However, if you want to spend more time with the Phantom Thieves, you will find a fun diversion in the turn-based tactics and an emotionally affecting narrative during this 25-30 hour journey. I commend Atlus for trying something more serious and impactful with this Persona spin-off, even if it doesn’t quite stick the landing.

The tough thing about Front Mission 2: Remake is that it doesn’t present itself well upfront. Ultimately, those who push through will be rewarded, but it takes a lot of patience to get there. In the end, despite my complaints, I enjoyed my time with this game. Much like Front Mission 2: Remake’s global release, in the areas that matter, it eventually comes around, even if it takes a long time to get there.

Despite some minor quibbles, Emberfate: Tempest of Elements is a creative visual novel with a unique storytelling approach. Being that it’s also free-to-play, it’s worth a look for any VN fans who have a fondness for MMORPGs!

If anything about what I described here sounds intriguing and you’re not inherently opposed to a little jank, I implore you to check Fading Afternoon out. Despite some clear inspirations, there’s really nothing else out there like the games Yeo has put out—and this might be his most intricate and compelling work yet.

There’s not much negative I can say about Trials of Kokoro without falling into extreme nitpicking territory. It’s a very well-polished game that does what it sets out to do. Those who aren’t the biggest fans of RPGs with VN presentation might not be as keen to pick it up, but those who don’t mind VN/RPG hybrids will find much to appreciate. The game’s linear progression might also be off-putting, but I had so much fun with the combat, party management, and plot progression that I didn’t mind that aspect. For those that Trials of Kokoro will appeal to, this is an entertaining journey to Vitaria and a trial worth overcoming.

Thankfully, with Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name behind us, RGG is set to forge ahead, blending new gameplay and characters with the distinct sense of humor and flair that made Yakuza so popular in the first place. Sadly, if you’re looking for one last enjoyable adventure with Kazuma Kiryu, I suggest playing Yakuza Kiwami 2 again. You’re going to get almost the same experience but with a much better plot, more intriguing characters, bigger stakes, and, most importantly, an awesome cabaret minigame.

Developer Outerloop Games prides itself on the diversity of its team, and it shows with aplomb in one of the best games I’ve played all year. I completed a single playthrough of Thirsty Suitors in about 12 hours, yet felt like I had known Timber Hills and its inhabitants far longer than that. I genuinely related to Thirsty Suitors in ways I’ve never connected to a video game before and would love to revisit Jala and company in DLC or a sequel. Thirsty Suitors isn’t just a stock game with a Bollywood veneer; it’s an entity that showcases both obvious and subtle aspects of South Asian culture in the West. That, plus Thirsty Suitors’ diverse gameplay elements, harmonize to create something special that is truly more than the sum of its parts.

I feel no hesitation in calling Star Ocean: The Second Story R not only the definitive version of the second Star Ocean title but also one of the best games in the series and one of my favourite games of the year. I can only hope it speaks for the future of the Star Ocean franchise and the developer of this remake, Gemdrops.