Dark Souls III is supposed to be the last game in the series for quite some time, and it had an ending that left me very satisfied. So much so that I was apprehensive to play any DLC for fear it might leave an undesirable taste in my mouth. Thanks to The Ringed City that was not the case though. While it is less polished than its counterpart Ashes of Ariandel, it shows a willingness on From Software’s part to innovate until the very end. If you’re the sort of fan that gets lost in item descriptions trying to learn more about the world, then The Ringed City is something you can’t miss.

Neptunia: Sisters vs Sisters is the first Neptunia game in a long time that I really enjoyed playing. Like every other spin-off title, this entry in the series isn't going to convince anyone who hasn't played the series to jump in. However, I believe this game is on the right track for a return to a future mainline entry. It has the feel of one when it comes to its story and portrayal of the characters. Just like mk2, the CPU Candidates have revived my hope for the series once again. For any Neptunia fan, I believe this is a must-play entry in the series. For everyone else not invested in the series, this will likely not do anything for you.

It’s quite difficult to put a definitive score on Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind. The lack of Disney content makes it pretty clear that this is aimed at the most hardcore fans, but even as one of those I found some of the decisions here are a little bit clumsy. If you're in it for the superbosses, you'll have no problems whatsoever but the awkward delivery up until that point does put a slight damper on things. At the very least, the future of Kingdom Hearts is looking even more exciting than before and maybe that’s enough. For me, it certainly is.

As a Dragon Ball love letter, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is nearly perfect, featuring an amazing world and attention to detail. But as an RPG and action-adventure game, it’s only good. Its combat can be fun and some of the more in-depth elements are a good change of pace, but a lot of it feels pointless or time-consuming. Dragon Ball Z fans have a lot to love here, but RPG fans might find themselves wishing for something more.

The Outer Worlds - Murder on Eridanos is a sizable DLC offering that exhibits some fun murder-mystery hijinks with the same Outer Worlds flair you've come accustomed to in the rest of the game. With some niggling quest issues and an unsatisfying conclusion, I'm not sure if it is excellent enough to convince players to spend $15 and dust off a game they've already completed more than a year ago, but there's still fun to be had for those looking for more.

As much as I enjoyed Disgaea 7's original release last year, I hate that I'm conflicted about Disgaea 7 Complete. On the one hand, this is a great package for newcomers when it comes to value, but it also is annoying to see the free patch and DLC that were released in Japan not be made available at all to the existing base game owners in the West. It is a shame that a re-release of a great modern Disgaea game has a few too many caveats attached to it right now.

Ys VIII on Switch is a polarizing experience. It does some things so well, such as offering the full breadth of PS4 content on the go and a mostly solid framerate - but resolution woes, a translation that still leaves a lot to be desired despite seeing an overhaul, and more makes it somewhat hard to recommend this version of the game.

If you're new to the Monster Hunter series, it still stands that I wouldn't recommend starting with Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate. But even if you're a longtime fan, I don't feel comfortable giving a flat recommendation either way on whether you should pick the game up. For all intents and purposes, it's still a great game, but MHGU definitely magnifies the flaws of the original release just as much as it may polish some of them. It's more of the same, whether or not that makes it worth returning to will depend on your own personal preference.

I come away from Final Fantasy 1, 2, and 3 looking forward to the remaining games more than I did before. I appreciate the new features like the enhanced bestiary, the auto-combat feature, making grinding friendlier, and I LOVE the new soundtracks. But I hope they manage to address issues like the screen tearing and especially the font before the last three games release.

I come away from Final Fantasy 1, 2, and 3 looking forward to the remaining games more than I did before. I appreciate the new features like the enhanced bestiary, the auto-combat feature, making grinding friendlier, and I LOVE the new soundtracks. But I hope they manage to address issues like the screen tearing and especially the font before the last three games release.

Cris Tales is an enjoyable experience if you go into it with the right expectations. It's an easygoing ride through a colorful world that, while somewhat uneven & unpolished, is a comfy & familiar adventure. The interesting time mechanics that help the game stand out unfortunately never realize their full potential, and the storyline falls a bit rote, but my experience with Crisbell and company was still a pleasant one.

I come away from Final Fantasy 1, 2, and 3 looking forward to the remaining games more than I did before. I appreciate the new features like the enhanced bestiary, the auto-combat feature, making grinding friendlier, and I LOVE the new soundtracks. But I hope they manage to address issues like the screen tearing and especially the font before the last three games release.

Relayer has the building blocks of a promising new IP with a compelling ensemble of characters and an intriguing world to build off of. There are too many key flaws with its English localization, its design decisions, and its UI that holds it back from being truly great, but all of those can easily be improved upon in a sequel. I hope Relayer does well enough to encourage the development team to make more because I am so interested in where they take it next, especially with the way the main story ended.

At the end of the day, I find myself conflicted with Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord’s very existence. It’s not a bad game, it’s actually a solid TRPG - but it’s not the follow-up that I believe many Fairy Fencer F fans had been hoping for. Taken on its own merits I’d still give it a recommendation for fans truly looking for more out of the franchise, but it’s hard to not think about what could have been. Refrain Chord is a good Fairy Fencer F game, but perhaps not what the series needed right now.

To anyone that enjoys narrative games, Last Day of June is worth an afternoon playthrough. It's not perfect and those looking for more substantial gameplay may not be impressed, but those that can put up with a few gameplay hiccups will have an emotional story to work through.

I have done my best to avoid the inevitable comparisons to the genre-defining Diablo series, as, thanks to the developer staying true to the license, Warhammer: Chaosbane manages to stand apart and succeed in forging an identity of its own. Still, it's hard to ignore the regrettable fumbles and clear shortcomings that detract from the experience, even though I hope that the post-release updates will make some headway to address those in time.

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.

Sakura Wars (2019) is a fresh start for the long-dormant series and understands what made them great for the most part. It has its fair share of downfalls and still very much feels like a work-in-progress in de-rusting what aspects of the Sakura Wars franchise it wants to keep and let go. Despite my gripes with its leap to an action RPG for its small battle sections and how the overall story leaves off on an incomplete note, it manages to revitalize the incredible, comfortable atmosphere Sakura Wars games bring in their wake. There are refinements to be made around the edges, for sure, should a follow-up game ever come and I believe the foundation laid out in Sakura Wars (2019) is solid enough to pave the way for something truly special.

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 Disgaea series offers a slightly different flavor of strategy RPGs that you can't find anywhere else. The sheer flexibility available is staggering, and anybody interested in this genre should give these Disgaea ports a try, as long as you don't mind the cookie-cutter story and characters.

I'd wager that while I had fun with the game overall, part of what I'd hoped the game offered at the beginning was a mechanically-dense resource management sim where I have to carefully plan out my actions step-by-step, and while that's certainly how it looks like things will head at the start, in the end the game's actual gameplay mechanics feel like set dressing. It's essentially an excuse to get you out and about driving a Kei truck through a fictional Japanese town. There's nothing wrong with that, and we do cover games that veer towards narrative experiences, but I can't shake the feeling that Promise Mascot Agency wasn't quite what I'd signed up for - even if the end result was an enjoyable romp about reviving a town in its twilight years.

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.

Episode Prompto is a significant improvement over Episode Gladiolus, and fans of Final Fantasy XV will enjoy the additional light character development. It's still a bit awkward in places both narratively and mechanically, but it works well enough to fill a gap in Final Fantasy XV.

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.

Demon Gaze II deviates from its predecessor in ways that makes the game a little bit easier to get into if you not typically into dungeon crawlers. While some of the more frustrating elements of the original game have been eliminated, it also leads to a game that is somewhat more bland as a result. Still, Demon Gaze II is an otherwise effective dungeon crawler that is worth a look for both genre veterans and newcomers.

Virgo Vs The Zodiac is quite unique, and for the most part is better for it. Personally, I don’t see how a game that lets you ride an alpaca and purge heretics could’ve gone wrong. The morality system isn’t super complex but it does change what boss fights you can experience, as well as who lives and dies. Meaning the changes aren’t quite enough that I want to get right back into the game but I do plan on experiencing the perhaps more righteous paths myself in the future. The combat is a fun system that requires good timing but doesn’t force you to shake up your tactics on more than a few occasions. For fans of eccentric little rpgs or someone hoping to experience a story with a main character who is less personable than average, Virgo VS The Zodiac is a fun time.

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.

This is a bloody good RPG, but it's one that's been significantly watered down in an attempt to bring in new players. If you're trying to draw a friend into the world of strategy RPGs, Birthright is ideal. If you're a more experienced RPG fan this might well satisfy, but another version of Fire Emblem Fates might satisfy you more - this one is just a little too simple and easy, and in line with that is a touch lacking in depth.