Ray Gigant is an interesting mesh of dungeon crawling and visual novel elements. The combat is unique and the presentation is great for the genre, but the repetitive nature, lack of challenge, and disappointing conclusion prevent the game from reaching excellence.

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 is still a marked improvement over the original. Smoother gameplay, more options and a lessened focus on RNG really show the developers have learned a lot over the past two years. The new character additions help too, but it's clear Bandai Namco is on the right track to take the series even further going forward.

Fans of either series will find plenty to enjoy about Superdimension Neptune. Not only are there a ton of references to scratch that nostalgic itch, but the gameplay is more than satisfactory to help it stand up as its own entry, even if there's a fair amount of recycled content and concepts. Fans of the series probably know exactly what they're getting into here.

Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin is undoubtedly a fun chaotic romp that will delight number crunchers and action RPG aficionados. Even though I found the characters and some of the story lacking, I still had a really good time testing out new jobs, exploring the various levels, seeing all the easter eggs, and devising strategies to tackle the level bosses. I’m looking forward to grinding gear with friends and finding out what the future holds with this new spinoff series of Final Fantasy.

As a Dragon Quest fan, The Dark Prince feels like the first real RPG this franchise has seen since XI, and it has me hooked on this subseries. With this game officially being the third mainline entry in this series, what we got is nothing less than a triumphant return for this brand of monster-collecting RPGs. While the simplicity of the budget portable RPGs that preceded it lays dormant in Dark Prince’s DNA, this is a big step forward for the series.I had so much fun I grew to want more than what we got. I craved more to do by the end, and I wonder if that slight emptiness I feel with aspects of the game is a result of aspects being held back to make a Professional version down the road. Maybe that version could fix my qualms, or maybe being stuck on hypotheticals is pointless.

What Dream Daddy has to offer is pretty good, but ultimately it feels just a bit unfinished. It feels like this visual novel could have used a bit more time in the oven, fleshing out events and backstories, and providing proper epilogues for the Dads. For a visual novel subgenre that's underrepresented in the West, Dream Daddy is a decent title worth your time, but I can't shake the feeling that it could have easily been so much more.

Dark Devotion is a beautiful game that borrows from several of the best aspects of its inspirations, but it ends up sampling too many ideas at once to make for a cohesive experience. The quest design and incentives for exploring thoroughly are hindered by the one-way nature of progression from room to room. Too many benefits in terms of skills, blessings, and gear are given to the player as a leniency for dying, but they also end up trivializing many boss fights which would otherwise be spectacles. The bleak environments and low-density narrative are absolutely a perfect fit, but several of the roguelike and Metroidvania elements just stand at odds with each other too often. Dark Devotion is fine, but fails to stand out.

This new alternate storyline is one that long times fans will enjoy but still might leave new players on the out. If you’re looking for a solid brawler with a dramatic story that samples from perhaps one of the most iconic shounen manga you should definitely consider giving Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise a shot.

There’s too much unsatisfying combat, too many contrived moral choices, and too much corny writing they expect you to take deathly seriously. By the time the credits rolled, I was more than willing to pound a stake through Vampyr’s proverbial heart.

Greedfall is an ambitious game that punches above its weight, one that RPG fan owe it to themselves to try.

All told, Blades of Fire is a mixed bag. I by and large enjoyed my time with it, warts and all - but I'd be hard-pressed to recommend the game in its current state. Worse, without some heavy retooling of the map I don't know if I ever could recommend the game at all without significant caveats. On the bright side, the game's PC port is rather good with a notably good HDR implementation. It's even playable on Steam Deck, if you can bother to get the Epic Games Store running on yours. I definitely appreciate any game that doesn't have traversal or shader compilation stutters these days, and from a technical standpoint MercurySteam has delivered a very good experience.

These are games that anyone that has ever considered themselves a Pokemon fan deserves to play; but not today, and not in this state. One can only hope that a day will come when that recommendation can come easily; I’d like nothing more than to be able to do so.

Star Trek: Resurgence goes boldly, but the refit Resolute’s shakedown cruise can be a bumpy one. Yet, for all the game's faults, Jara Rydek and Carter Diaz won me over in full, and I bet they’ll win you over, too.

Overall, World of Final Fantasy: Maxima has a handful of new features to differentiate it from the base game, however outside of the ability to carry an additional two monsters in your party their inclusion is fairly minimal. Maxima doesn’t offer anything of any real substance beyond this as an expansion - as the inclusion of Noctis generally feels like fanservice for fans of Final Fantasy XV and the colosseum challenges are fairly easy with a properly leveled party. However, those who enjoyed the story and gameplay of World of Final Fantasy may find value in this expansion.

SaGa Frontier Remastered is almost an impossible game for me to recommend to anyone with the expectation that it'll click. I can tell you it's a very unorthodox RPG, compelling in its unconventionality, and a delight to figure out. There's not much else like it at all, and it's even somewhat of an oddball within its own series. SaGa offers a certain flavor of RPG not seen often elsewhere, and maybe it's one you'll like, though it's a bit of an acquired taste.

When I hit the credits of Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree, I felt a little bit bummed out. I don't regret my 25 hours spent playing the game, but it never elevated beyond just being an acceptable action roguelike. Many of the game's unique components in the combat & structure feel either inconsequential or insignificant. The overall presentation is stellar, and the Shinju Village NPC stories are endearing. However, stale combat, underbaked sub-systems, and a mediocre overall narrative bring down a game that I wish left more of an impression on me.

The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is an exceptional game in almost every way. I want to sing the praises of this game far and wide, yet its “gameplay” sections largely hold it back from being an absolute masterpiece. The story it presents is gripping and tragic. Its cast is marvelous in delivering their performances, even when faced with the monumental task to play entirely separate characters in different time periods. Everything about its music is stunning. There are so many amazing aspects to this high-budget FMV mystery adventure, but its execution on what it has players do to solve its various mysteries is truly its biggest Achilles’ heel.

The story is enjoyable, the characters are likeable, and the new mechanics that have been introduced work together to create a far more engaging experience from a gameplay perspective. While it may not go far enough to appease those on the other side, people sitting on the fence may do well to give it a purchase.

The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep has a satisfyingly deep and flexible battle system, surrounded by heavy puzzle exploration and a narrative that doesn't manage to stay interesting. There are some really neat systems at play here for those looking for intricate combat, but performance issues and a lacking storyline make it a hard sell to a larger audience.

For anyone who prefers pure farming and enjoys the Story of Seasons franchise, this can still be a game for you. Everything that the series is well-known for is present in this game. However, it doesn't seem like the series has really taken any real steps forward since I last played a Story of Seasons game back in 2007. For now, I think I'll stick to Rune Factory.

These are games that anyone that has ever considered themselves a Pokemon fan deserves to play; but not today, and not in this state. One can only hope that a day will come when that recommendation can come easily; I’d like nothing more than to be able to do so.

I’d recommend Momodora for anyone that’s looking for an old-school experience with a coat of new-school paint. It’s a beautiful and unforgiving game, but with patience and practice, you’ll be able to see this Metroidvania’s end and dive in for another playthrough to find all the stuff you missed. It’s a well-crafted title that fits in perfectly with the Switch’s library.

As a whole, I’d feel bad not saying this: Nioh 2 is one of the best games you could play this year, and a weak narrative in its trilogy of DLC won’t change that. The First Samurai might disappoint but this is still Nioh 2 and, in a way, that’s enough.

Asterigos: Curse of the Stars is a better experience than I expected it to be. Despite its shortcomings, such as excessive dialogue, translation oddities, quest issues, and some awkward area design, for those looking for a comfortable action RPG with a satisfying story & competent combat, Asterigos deserves a chance.

With the 3DS port of the remake coming out soon, there is no reason to pick up the Steam version of Corpse Party unless you're a hardcore fan of the series. There are simply better ways to play this title.

Unlike the Neptunia series, where the whole game has the luxury of playing with anime tropes and parodies, Death Re;Quest tries to rely on the merits of Idea Factory's own strength of mixing in Neptunia like gameplay and a more serious Visual Novel story, but sadly I think the game would have worked out much better as a standalone visual novel than a JRPG.

If you can manage the noticeable gameplay design flaws and the eyesore that is the user interface, Romancing SaGa 2 is still an excellent experience culminating in a highly eccentric entry for the series. Thanks to its sheer density of content, I would still recommend giving this one a try, regardless of the platform you go with.

In the end, I don’t think God Eater 3 will leave much of a mark in the genre now that Monster Hunter World seems to completely dominate it, but my time with it was fun nonetheless. Thanks to its engaging and interconnected systems, it’s ever-present anime aesthetic, and its lovable although underdeveloped characters, the game ends up overcoming many of its flaws. In all honesty, I never thought eating gods would be such nice comfort food.

If Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising had to stand on its own, it would probably only be a forgettable, average RPG at best. Fortunately it doesn't have to, nor was it designed to, as it explicitly places itself as merely an introduction to a hopefully more fully-fledged adventure - one that a certain group of RPG fans has been waiting for for a long time. Considering Rising's more glaring flaws are with its gameplay and not with its characters or writing, I find it still ultimately works well enough as a respectable introduction it set itself to be. Hundred Heroes can't get here soon enough.

If you’re willing to put up with the rather uninspiring combat and a few frustrating design decisions, Cyberdimension Neptunia is an achievement for the franchise. Thanks to its fast-paced combat and eye-pleasing splendor, this is one niche JRPG fans will love. For the rest, it may take more convincing from the developers.

I like a lot of what Death’s Gambit has to offer, but controlling it is vexatious. The game does a decent job establishing a small, captivating story wrapped in a melancholically exquisite world. I wish Death’s Gambit found more of its own voice, since it truly does shine in the moments it tries something new and refreshing. Although it doesn’t necessarily take the concept of adapting the 2D Souls formula to the next level, Death’s Gambit is another solid shot at it.

Andromeda has a spirit that I don’t want to see squashed by technical failures and a few questionable design decisions. Andromeda is ambitious and above all else it has heart - the deeper I got into the game, the more glued to it I became. Had it been anything less I would’ve sat my controller down and given up, but the journey most certainly made the struggle worth it.

It’s pound for pound the best the series has been, illuminating all of its strong points in a more robust and better-looking package. While a few of these changes won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, fans will appreciate the added interactivity and quality of life improvements. I just have a hard time recommending this if you already beat the original Megadimension VII.

Summon Night 6: Lost Borders is a good enough SRPG that misses the opportunity to really stand out from the crowd. It doesn't excel in any particular facet, but it provides an interesting look for fans of the genre. If you can't get enough of SRPGs, give Summon Night a shot, but it's not going to click for everyone

For the fans of that series and its comedic tone, you will find the same style of comfort here. For newcomers, if you can put up with how contrived the story can be, it may be worth a shot thanks to the exclusive content.

If you’ve played the original recently, I wouldn't suggest playing this port straight away, but for newcomers it is absolutely the best version, that I can definitely recommend it as a beginner friendly RPG. As a fan of the original I’m glad I got to play it again with much better visuals and fun new features, but they failed to tune some of the annoyances to make my jaunt more jolly.

Atlas Fallen is an average action RPG with some interesting Momentum combat mechanics, a respectable open-world design, subpar presentation, and a disappointing narrative. In some ways, it feels like a step down from The Surge titles, and I'll always look forward to what Deck13 works on next, but Atlas Fallen didn't land as strongly for me as I hoped it would.

God Eater Resurrection provides a wealthy amount of content for fans to delve into. The weapon count has doubled, the . Whether this is your second go-around or your first time with the franchise, it’s hard not to ignore how impressive the game can be. I am far enough removed from my review of Gods Eater Burst that I found a lot to appreciate.

Maneater is not a perfect game. It can be just a bit unbalanced, and you can start to see the gameplay seams on extended play sessions, but that doesn’t stop it from being a hell of a lot of fun. Maneater is simply worth your time, blemishes and all.

As it is, it’s hard for Code Vein to stand out in a group of games that have attempted to be more than just a Soulslike. With good ideas in terms of gameplay that are poorly executed and interesting themes that go completely unexplored, Code Vein ends up being unfortunately just another average Dark Souls clone with a slightly different flavor that it doesn’t even try to offer in spades.

Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is an approachable action RPG with satisfying combat but a narrative that unfortunately left little impression on me. While combat itself is enjoyable, battle variety is somewhat lacking, quests feel typical, and the narrative is forgettable.

If you're able to put those narrative shortcomings aside, there's a fair bit to like about Darksiders III. When compared to some of the most critically and commercially acclaimed video games of all time, it seems to fall well short, but perhaps that bar was never in reach. Judged on its own merits, Darksiders III combines interesting combat, clever map design, and engaging progression, though you may have to look past a lot of bland environments and go in with expectations in check in order to fully appreciate it.

I found my time with Regalia to be mostly enjoyable, despite some glaring issues that presented themselves to me in what felt like an oversight on the developer’s part. However, knowing this game was kickstarted, it’s an impressive title that gave me hours of enjoyment and things to do. If you’re looking for a game that rings similar to the titles Regalia has drawn inspiration from, or are looking for a hammy homage to the JRPG Regalia might just be for you.

Beast of Winter has a lot of beautiful locations alongisde great artwork, and expands on interesting lore threads that had previously been relegated to text dumps and exposition, as well as a couple interesting boss encounters -- It's a solid afternoon's worth of more Deadfire, but it feels piecemeal and diversionary.

Enotria: The Last Song, is ultimately another serviceable entry in the genre that can be embraced by Soulslike fans with a colorful aesthetic and original storyline. The clunky combat should annoy me more, but the game’s commitment to the bit won me over by the end. It may not always sing, but Enotria: The Last Song deserves credit for at least being able to carry a tune.

While individually Card-en-Ciel's decks offer a fun and engaging time as you learn to play around them, if anything Grand Battle dungeons seem emblematic of the game's own worst flaws. Inti-Creates had a great idea for a gameplay system, and it's charming to see them use their own IPs as fodder for the cards to populate these systems - but at the end of the day, it feels like they simply didn't know how to design a full game around the system they'd envisioned. Card-en-Ciel isn't a bad game by any means, but you can very much feel the limits of what the team could deliver; maybe the gameplay will be enough to make it worth your while, but it's hard to give a strong recommendation when so much of the experience feels disjointed and threadbare.

Starbites is a simple, yet solid turn-based RPG. Though its first few hours did not leave a strong impression on me, the game got much better the more I played. Despite a few bugs, frequent backtracking, and the disparity over its 2D and 3D visuals, I can certainly tell that Ikinagames tried their best with this game as a small studio with ambitious goals. They succeeded in providing a satisfying gameplay loop, because Starbites is at its best when it comes to customizing party synergies to push through tougher fights. If you’re willing to give Starbites some time to blossom, I think you will walk away with a satisfying RPG experience.

Experience has the dungeon crawler formula down, and their gradual incline in quality is a promise of great potential for reinvigorating the genre.

As of right now, Kingdoms of Amalur is a good introduction to a universe that doesn't have any other entries. The fluid combat is brought down a bit by overstuffed quest design and repetitive dungeon areas, and the front-to-back storyline is a little basic, but it offers a solid foundation to a world whose fate is once again uncertain.

While Warriors All-Stars won’t convert anyone who isn’t already into the Dynasty Warriors formula, it’s a wonderful love letter to fans. Whether it was the appearance of some of my most-beloved franchises or the smattering of familiar references, I found a lot to appreciate during my time in this world.

At the end of the day, Rhythmic Adventure Pack more or less succeeds at what it sets out to do - but the complete lack of ambition from the package is hard to ignore. It's still probably worth picking up if you're a fan of rhythm games on Switch, especially if you want to try out the RPG modes, but it's difficult to say that it's a stand out rhythm game on the platform when titles like Project Diva Mega-Mix, Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, and even Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum 'n' Fun are already there for players to enjoy.

Depending on your perspective, Soul Hackers 2 can be seen as a happy medium between dungeon crawler, RPG, and social simulation. Or it can be seen as being in a sort of no man's land, where it incorporates elements of each while not quite excelling at anything. I come away feeling more toward the latter here, where no singular element of the game really managed to excite me beyond base satisfaction. Soul Hackers 2 is an adequate, experimental Megaten entry with some bright spots, but it doesn't quite all come together as well as I hoped it would.

For a game that places so much weight on its cast and writing , Digimon Survive struggles to engage with poor characterization and weak storytelling.

Tokyo Dark isn’t necessarily breaking new ground for adventure games, but it’s one worth checking out. Its spin via S.P.I.N presents an intriguing approach to depict a psychological thriller. Instead of leaning heavily on environmental puzzles, Tokyo Dark focuses more on multiple solutions to character interactions. The uneven pacing and inconsistent artstyle hold Tokyo Dark back from being great, though it’s certainly an impressive first game from Cherrymochi.

While the combat system is enjoyable as you have the ability to change your classes, upgrade and discover new abilities, arm yourself with new gear or craft new ones, there is an ultimate feeling of emptiness to the game.

Despite these technical issues and occasional let-downs with the choice mechanic, Man of Medan represents a bright start for the Dark Pictures Anthology. It delivers almost exactly the same great stuff that Until Dawn did, although it does suffer from sticking to the formula a bit too much. With some polish and further innovation, the rest of the Dark Picture Anthology could be even better than what it follows on from.

Chocobo’s Mystery Dungeon: Every Buddy is a solid Mystery Dungeon game with a good amount of content. It, unfortunately, sticks to a somewhat repetitive gameplay loop and, even with a few challenge dungeons with unique rulesets, can get a little stale. I still enjoyed my time with Chocobo, and Mystery Dungeon fans will find something to enjoy here, but the appeal to a broader Final Fantasy fanbase might be a bit more narrow.

Wastelanders won't convince anyone who thought Fallout 76 was irredeemable to begin to believe otherwise, it's simply not enough of a marked improvement to wholesale change many people's minds. For those that left a sliver of a chance for redemption, however, it's one small, wobbly step in the right direction.

Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization is easily the best SAO game made by far. Not only is there plenty of things to do, but the combat, gameplay mechanics, and production is far better than the prior entries. It is clear a lot of work went into making this game, and they continue to add content with nearly every patch they've released so far. Unfortunately, it's weighed down by a low-stakes plot; awful party intelligence; and one too many systems at play. They've an ample amount of potential here, but unless you're a fan of the series or at least have a passing interest, it's difficult to recommend.

Front Mission 1st: Remake is a good time, if not quite a great one. For all its bumps in the road, and in a strange way, perhaps in part because of them, there is immense satisfaction in clearing each stage. Regardless, I’m glad the series is getting some love again, and I’m pretty pleased with Forever Entertainment’s crack at things overall. If their quality of work is maintained going forward, I suspect we’re in for some real treats with the second and third installments.

It is far superior to its original PSP version, but it only takes a small step as a sequel. The series needs to take a leap if it wants to compete. Fans should definitely pick this up, but newcomers would be better off testing the waters with God Eater Resurrection first.

Star Ocean: The Divine Force impressed me far more than I was expecting it to. I was hoping for an experience that wasn’t as dull as the previous game, and I came away with fond memories and hope for the series again. It doesn’t quite reach the highs of the first few Star Ocean games, but it easily is my favorite of the more modern entries of the franchise. I once again look forward to sailing through the ocean of stars.

I come away from Batora: Lost Haven greatly disappointed. With tedious dialogue, a mediocre narrative, and thin gameplay structure, Batora is only salvaged by its adequate combat, respectable art, and a mercifully short runtime.

For someone who isn’t a fan of the original Disgaea games, I was surprised at just how much I enjoyed my time with Prinny 1•2: Exploded and Reloaded. It’s not the best remaster I’ve seen and the challenge can be overly frustrating at times, but there’s still a lot of fun to be had in its simple-to-learn, hard-to-master mechanics and charming characters.

Shuten Order is a frustrating game to enjoy. The writing team at Too Kyo Games clearly has a lot of ambition, and I respect the kind of game Shuten wants to be. Every route felt hampered by something, held back by execution that didn’t match the full potential. Despite everything, it lands with such a tremendous note that I think it’s worth experiencing this at some point. Your mileage may vary on whether you find the core routes to be predictable, depending on how invested you are in ADV games, but I do respect what they were going for. What it lacks in cohesion, it makes up for in spirit. If you can get past the blemishes, and there are a lot to look past, I can see a certain kind of person really getting a lot out of Shuten Order.

It’s close to being greater than the sum of its parts, yet it falls apart in its execution.

Void Terrarium is a solid, simple roguelike with a neat style and endearing premise. It's doesn't do anything exceptional to stand at the peak of the genre, but it offers a satisfying experience and is generally a relaxing game. It stumbles a bit in gameplay variety and doesn't offer anything in terms of dense mechanics or an intricate storyline, but still manages to be a charming experience for those wanting something lighter in their roguelikes.

All in all, the game is serviceable for what it is, but the tone of the game throws me for a loop, and the dungeon-crawling aspects aren't that interesting to warrant bouncing back and forth from dungeon to school and back again for multiple sessions. While the game is retailing at $50, I still feel that this game is a little too expensive for what it offers. This feels like the perfect game to grab on sale, rather than rushing out to the store and getting it immediately on launch. That said, there's still enough here to satisfy people with a deep urge for dungeon crawling or anime slapstick, I suppose.

Dragon Marked for Death surprised me, even knowing I'd enjoy it after my time with it at Anime Expo last year. Quite a bit has changed since I last saw it, but that's not a bad thing. I'm not sure if I could recommend the game for anyone looking to play it without a group without a giant asterisk next to that recommendation, but there's really nothing else like it, and what it tries to accomplish it does so in spades. It's certainly not for everyone, but Dragon Marked for Death left its mark on me.

A lovely little RPG that rides on the wings of Valkyrie Profile despite noticeable flaws. Its narrative hooks are undeniably riveting as it presents an unconventional premise of a flimsy stalemate that’s ready to break down at a moment’s notice. With a fast-paced battle system accompanied by 2D platforming sections, this successor to Valkyrie Profile is a fairly good game barred down by a monotonous overall fetch quest that revisits reused dungeon designs for many hours.

With Automatron Bethesda has shrewdly managed to zero in on one already compelling point of Fallout 4's experience, dropping in a new twist that solidly expands on that point in an interesting new way. As such, it's a perfect add-on for those either experiencing the wasteland for the first time or returning for a new play-through. It's simplistic and short story component means that it arguably doesn't have enough content to actually draw you back in on its own, and that's a shame, but if more Fallout 4 is on the cards for you already and you love customization, there's a strong argument for playing it with Automatron attached.

Miasma Chronicles is a demanding but well-balanced tactical RPG that should scratch the itch of XCOM fans or anyone seeking a modest challenge. It's disappointing that the narrative elements don't hold up on their end, because they easily detract from an otherwise satisfying game.

Behind the game's accurate depiction of the Fairy Tail world, I am not quite sure if this game adaptation offers much to anyone besides diehard fans. If a player is already not into the anime or manga, the game doesn't do a great job introducing the Fairy Tail world, and the systems in play aren't especially interesting on their own as an RPG. Fans will get a kick out of the Fairy Tail game, but it's hard to recommend otherwise.

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX is going to end up surprising a lot of people. Once you get past the initial few hours, it becomes clear why the series has sustained such a fan-base over a long period of time. Although it has its share of annoying faults, the entertaining story, the huge amount of content to complete, and the fun, simplistic gameplay makes it a great choice for Pokemon fans and dungeon-crawler fans alike.

For all of its good and bad, Rune Factory 5 still manages to capture bits from the series that keep it enchanting. It’s rough around the edges in ways that are hard to ignore, but for those who can push through the occasional chugging, there’s a lot to love. Hakama’s latest vision for the series bodes well for future iterations, offering some much-needed change while remembering the pieces that make the series so beloved.

Thanks to its whimsical soundtrack, interesting script, enjoyable combat system (even if most of its copied from I Am Setsuna), there’s plenty of aspects found in Lost Sphear that I fell in love with. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran of the genre or a newcomer looking for something accessible, you should give this one a try. Just expect nothing mind-blowing.

Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception was a pleasant ride from beginning to end. While the pacing can be off with how infrequent the combat is, the story more than makes up for it. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments intermingled with the dramatic punches found within. Combined with the excellent voice acting and the charming art design, and fans of this genre will discover a lot to fall in love with.

I come away from Steelrising feeling satisfied but not enamored. It's an adequate foray into the Souls-like space, and it incorporates its own traversal gimmicks well enough, but lackluster quests, boss encounters, and level design hold it back from being an exceptional entry in the genre.

Right now, I don't recommend System Shock remake on Switch 2 if you want to play handheld. If you want to play docked, it is better than last month, but not as stable as it should be. This is definitely one to play on PS5 or Steam Deck if you have access to those platforms. I hope the Switch 2 version improves before the physical cartridge release because I was excited to buy that for my collection. I don't think I will bother if it ships with this current build though.

It can be good, simple fun when it wants to be and even in its most aggravating moments, it manages to be carried by a cast of entertaining characters in a bizarre, charming world.

Zwei: The Arges Adventure is sadly not a very interesting game, but I give XSEED huge props for their dedication in finally bringing the title over to English players. At less than 20 hours in length for the main story, it's a title that might be worth checking out as a sort of curious novelty, but it's probably not going to leave any lasting impression.

I went into Dark Envoy curious about the title, but I came away apathetic and annoyed. There are some interesting class & skill systems in place, but tedious encounter design, a sluggish narrative, forgettable characters, and a multitude of performance issues, all make this title a difficult RPG to recommend.

If you really enjoyed Tales of Arise's cast or combat, then you may come away from Beyond The Dawn satisfied, as there are certainly more battles and banter. But stale questing, trite plotting, and thin content overall mostly left me apathetic more than anything else.

Ultra Despair Girls may not be as great as the first two Danganronpa titles, but it's still a worthwhile experience for fans of the multimedia franchise. There is plenty to look forward to in this entry, especially since Another Episode takes a wider look at the world than its predecessors. Getting through some of the shooting bits may be a little rough, but overall Another Episode is a game worth playing through.

I was ready to be done with Crystar after its first 15 hours and leave somewhat satisfied, but the last chunk of the game really soured the rest of the experience. I was willing to give a pass to the stiff combat and the average writing precisely because it was building up to be a tighter, more entertaining experience. However, by artificially extending the length of a game that didn’t even make good use of its extra time, Crystar’s faults end up being impossible to tolerate and very easy to loathe. I really wanted to like Crystar, but I guess I couldn’t find much light in its darkness.

Unfortunately, boredom is the word that best describes Nelke. You can easily dump hours into the game, but never feel like you get anywhere. Nothing feels satisfying, and while Nelke doesn’t have much wrong with it that feels offensively bad, there’s just nothing that’s really outstanding about the game either. This Atelier spin-off is utterly mediocre.

While the plot and its characters did not necessarily engage me, the Servan system has a lot of untapped potential just waiting to be realized.

It's still a solid playthrough and unique enough to consider worth experiencing -- especially with a friend. The best case scenario is that Outward serves as a successful proof-of-concept that leads to an experience down the road that hits a bullseye where Outward just narrowly missed the mark.

For every part of Marvel's Avengers that you might love, there's another side to it that drags it down. There really is a lot to love here, like it's fantastic combat, loveable characters and fun multiplayer, but there's also plenty of glitches, unbalanced economies and poor missions that can make playing feel like a drag. Having some of my favourite Marvel characters decorating a pretty great third-person-action-brawler was enough for me to see it through and feel like I would be coming back for more, but at the moment it feels like one that only Marvel fans will really enjoy.

The Longest 5 Minutes isn’t really the most innovative RPG, despite its presentation, but it’s a short and fun game to play through. You may not be surprised by the plot or challenged by the gameplay, but for genre fans, it’s still worth the playthrough just to see how the unusual situation of a hero losing his memories at the end of the game (rather than the start) is handled.

While Shining Resonance Refrain may not be mind-blowing, it still has its own charm that I could appreciate.

Elex is a hard game to genuinely recommend, it does so many important things to only an acceptable level or worse. It's a game that's carried based on the strength of its quest design, or more pessimistically, one that's let down by a general lack of polish and uninteresting combat. It feels like a nice refreshing counterpart to some modern rpgs that treat their quest lists more like chores, but as a complete package, it falls disappointingly short.

When all is said and done, Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star is a game primarily targeted to fans of the series. I find it tough to recommend Extella to complete newcomers. If Extella is your first exposure to the Fate series, I won’t blame you for being completely lost. There are serious problems in terms of content from a slim amount of modes to a tiny amount of stage variety. Its intriguing story is roughly 20 hours long with each of the four story routes lasting 4-6 hours long. Despite its genre shift from its predecessors, Fate/Extella is an enjoyable experience. It’s akin to a love letter to fans of the series. The more you know about Fate, the more you’ll enjoy this game.

It’s not for everyone. The action can be overtly simplified at times especially compared to earlier entries in the series. The game also struggles at times with its pacing, controls, and framerate. Still, I applaud Koei Tecmo for doing an impressive job in delivering a competent strategy gaming experience on the console.

Shenmue III is a game of half-measures. It ultimately delivers on its promise of the continuation of the Shenmue story for fans that have been waiting on it for years, but that doesn’t mean it delivers on that promise well. Shenmue III could have been so much more, or at least tried to wrap up Ryo’s tale, but instead, we are left with another cliff-hanger. Deep Silver and Ys Net delivered a game that works but is as unambitious and dull as Ryo’s dialogue.

I’m conflicted about Dissidia Final Fantasy NT because I think it looks fantastic and makes good on its total makeover to a thrilling 3vs3 fighting game. Each character is different enough to make them all worth checking out. My problems with its netcode is a hard thing to overcome though; some characters that have strict timings on their mechanics are almost impossible to fully utilize online; these include Sephiroth’s dash cancels, Squall’s trigger on his bravery attacks, Jecht’s very brief window to parry attacks, and so forth. Plus, there’s just not much else to it if you’re not planning to play it online with others a lot. Offline NT fighters can go through its slim excuse for a story and then play Gauntlet endlessly to unlock more treasure and gil to buy more things from the shop I suppose.

All together, Bastard's Wound blends in with the rest of the game in a fashion where it's both possible to appreciate how well it is integrated into the core experience but also realize how absolutely unremarkable it is. This DLC pack fleshes out the game but generally just feels unnecessary.

Nights of Azure 2: Bride of the New Moon is a very disappointing follow-up to the first game. Its reliance on constant repetitive stage runs quickly become boring. Combat is marred by fickle AI partners on top of horrid framerate drops. Its characters are serviceable, but its unimpressive plot does little to make them memorable. If you’re curious about Gust’s ongoing forray into action RPGs, just play (or replay) the first Nights of Azure.