Though the primary plot would have benefitted from the energy placed in it’s characters, the adventures of Sam and John is still worth playing through. Many are likely to be drawn in by the music and visuals alone but the gameplay ensures its more than style. If you’re interested in a Zelda-like with a heavy story and character focus, then you can’t go wrong heading East. Given how great Eastward is for a debut game, I’m willing to patiently await many years for another.

Despite being woefully ignorant of most things about League of Legends going in, I found myself at no real disadvantage when it came to enjoying most aspects of Ruined King. A distinct and deep combat system with a unique mechanical hook, interesting puzzles and stylish art, and a well-defined cast of characters and setting were enough to get me invested in an IP I had largely ignored up until this point. Despite some issues with a lack of polish, Ruined King deserves a look-in for any fan of RPGs, independent of how familiar they are with the source material.

Digital Sun continues to prove that they are rockstars when it comes to making 2D action games with beautiful art direction. The Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story is an impressive offering that action RPG fans should check out.

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.

Monster Hunter Wilds may very well end up the best game in the franchise once all is said and done, and I definitely hope that ends up being the case. For now, however, Monster Hunter Wilds is merely a solid entry in the series that will only grow better over time. Exactly how far it will grow is anyone's guess; but I wouldn't dream of discounting how Capcom can take the game from here.

Although Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory might not be the story-focused experience many expect from the series, it arguably does something much more special. Not only does it set up the next chapter nicely, but it celebrates everything that came before it with some fantastic rhythm gameplay and abundant content that makes it feel like a loving send-off to the past 18 years of the franchise.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity isn’t revolutionary, but I can’t deny that the Breath of the Wild touches to the formula leads it to be one of the better musou games on the Switch. Writing this review has been a bit challenging, because a good musou game is pretty self-explanatory. Most of the time, it even tends to be a great one with a staggeringly large amount of content. Outside of performance issues, the design is overall very tight and enjoyable, but the cast of characters and the gameplay truly shine for this genre. I’m hoping that the rumored Switch Pro is real, because I’d love to see how this looks and runs with better hardware. If you enjoyed Breath of the Wild’s story and characters, and like musou games, this is a great combination of the two that’s worth checking out.

While CrossCode doesn't always hit the mark in terms of pacing and mechanic cohesiveness, I found a lot of satisfaction from exploring this amazing sprite-based world filled with colorful characters, smart puzzle structures, and enjoyable combat encounters. That long development cycle appears to have worked out in the end - based on sheer content alone and the low price tag, you are sure to get more than your money's worth.

At its best, Final Fantasy VII Remake is a loving, painstakingly meticulous reimagining of the original. While not every new facet is equally inspired, it remains an exuberant reminder of why it originally captivated so many.

I don’t think I’ll ever forget the bone-chilling reaction I had in the opening moments of Yomawari: Night Alone. It was the perfect way to grab someone’s attention and immerse them into the tone of the game. If it wasn’t for the hindrance of the mechanics and the length of the game, we’d be looking at one of the best games of the year. However, I would still highly recommend it for anyone looking for a fascinating experience deserving of a sequel.

Jagged Alliance 3 is an excellent game, merging squad-based tactics and classic computer-style roleplaying in an entertaining veneer of cheesy action movies. There's a little bit of a learning curve to get acclimated to this style of game if you are new to it, but once you get the hang of managing your mercs, money, and ammo, there's a lot of fun to be had in the tropics.

All in all, Shiren The Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate is an exceptional and mechanically dense roguelike filled with many small pieces that fit together especially well.

Technical issues aside, Stories: The Path of Destinies is a fantastic outing for Spearhead Games. Whether it’s the exciting combat, beautiful visuals, or branching narrative, there is plenty of value to be had in this low-priced title. It has fun betraying the player’s expectations, and that’s the biggest compliment I can give this gem of a game.

Despite the noise, I think Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is a remarkable RPG that offers a role-playing style not often seen. It does everything that a sequel should do, polishing up the rough edges of the original game and improving the scope while making smart adjustments to the gameplay. Combining dense RPG systems with immersive style and immersive cinematic aptitude, it's a strong showing for Warhorse.

Whether you are a fan of Dragon Quest, a connoisseur of building games, or someone that is new to both; it is hard to resist the charm of Dragon Quest Builders.

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is another excellent addition to the Ys series. Its darker tone and gloomier atmosphere help it to stand out from the rest of the series, but it somehow works in its favor. The character writing and narrative framing is a remarkable step-up from previous titles, yet still preserves the thrilling intense action that the Ys series is known for. Some of Monstrum Nox’s sidequests stand among the best in the entire series. I have a few qualms with its repetitive structure, though what truly stings is the frequent crashes I experienced on the PS5. I loved my time with Adol’s adventure throughout Balduq and look forward to his next big adventure.

Towerborne is a game that’s integrally different from Stoic’s previous work in nearly every way, but you can still feel the studio’s unique voice and personality come through in so much of the world-building and writing. It is a rock-solid beat ‘em up that can take you a long way, especially with friends, but ultimately, I hope the studio gets a chance to return to this world again, because there’s truly a spark of something even more special still hidden in the foundation.

Remnant II is an excellent sequel that smartly improves upon what Remnant: From the Ashes did best. Its story is lackluster, but its moment-to-moment gameplay is superb. There will inevitably be a sense of deja vu with repeated environmental layouts as players run into the same realms again and again the more time they put into it. Above else, it is easily one of the best action RPGs when it comes to in-depth character-building options and encouraging exploration this year.

Quartet might not find itself on the highest pedestal alongside its most obvious influences, but against contemporaries attempting similar throwback experiences, it holds its own thanks to a vibrant soundtrack, lush environments, and an immensely satisfying combat system. It might not be something classic, but it's absolutely something worth experiencing, especially if you have a fondness for the mid-'90s golden age of console RPGs.

When I think back on my experience in totality, what enraptured me so much about Visions is an innocent worldview in what it has to say and how it says it. There’s an underlying hope that humanity can live in harmony with the nature around them, to bask in the awe-inspiring world we exist in. In addition to that, it’s refreshing to play a game that is so excited to just be itself. Trials of Mana got me to give these games a chance, but Visions made me a fan. There’s so much more room for this series to grow, and I hope they continue to build from here.

Wildermyth is trying something very few other RPGs do, and it's cool to see how well it all comes together. I find it to be technically impressive and remarkably novel, but unfortunately, the end result is not as interesting as I hoped it would be. Still, with a great aesthetic and a solid enough combat system, it is an earnestly made game unlike much anything else.

Dragon Marked for Death is a game that I'm sure many people will have an easier time getting into now, than if they had attempted to at launch. It's in a much more playable state, and is undoubtedly all the better for it.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story is a highlight of its series; an addictive and snappy game with a lot of charm, but it is a bit difficult to say that the remake improves on it in a considerable manner. Still, it's a fine way to experience a great game nonetheless, but the art change might leave you cold, and the new Bowser Jr. mode doesn't add much value to the package.

If you're going to read Chaos;Child, which you should, despite my issues the Steam release is the best way to do so unless you're specifically pining for it on a portable platform. While I'm not sure if I'd recommend it as anyone's first Visual Novel - it's a long one, with particularly graphic content - if you're looking for a work with something powerful to say, Chaos;Child is more than worth your time.

The Tengu’s Disciple is only the first part of a trilogy of DLC and it definitely feels as such. People who are mainly looking for a narrative will probably end up disappointed by this first piece of content, but those who enjoy playing Nioh 2 and like to engage in its loot-based systems will find enough content to pull them back into the game. Whatever the case, it turns out that even five months later Nioh 2 still remains an extremely fun game to play. A DLC with a weaker story does not change that. In fact the content that is outside the story, that plays around with Nioh’s nature as a loot game, only makes it better.

With Trails Through Daybreak 2’s release, Western fans are now only one game behind Japan—a feat that seemed impossible just a few years ago. Even with its faults, Daybreak 2 left me full of questions, theories, and eager anticipation for the next title in the Calvard arc. I adore this series and can’t wait to see where this trail leads me next.

Unsighted is a fun, quick little game, lasting me around ten hours on my first playthrough. Its combat and exploration are rewarding, the presentation is stylishly retro, and the narrative is good enough to round out the package. Some of the systems in place come across a little bit more tedious than they feel they should be, and the time-restriction mechanics don't do anything for me, but nitpicks aside, Unsighted is a solid pixel-art indie worth checking out.

With both the introduction Class Halls and the revamped Honor System, as well as the inclusion of the new Demon Hunter hero class, there’s something for all end-game players to experience.