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.

If you're looking for a Persona spin-off, Persona Q is a much better use of your time and money. Meanwhile, if you're looking for a rhythm game first and foremost, there are much better options for you to pursue. Persona 3 and 5 Dancing aren't bad, but in today's rhythm games climate - they needed to offer a lot more to stand out from the crowd.

If you're looking for a Persona spin-off, Persona Q is a much better use of your time and money. Meanwhile, if you're looking for a rhythm game first and foremost, there are much better options for you to pursue. Persona 3 and 5 Dancing aren't bad, but in today's rhythm games climate - they needed to offer a lot more to stand out from the crowd.

Pokemon Let's Go might not be what I wanted next from the series, but I can't say I was left disappointed with it. Gamefreak's latest adventure manages to cut a lot of the franchise's fat while injecting something new into the formula. While I definitely don't want to see everything it changes brought over to Generation VIII, Let's Go acts as a refreshing change of pace for bother newcomers and longtime fans of the series.

Pokemon Let's Go might not be what I wanted next from the series, but I can't say I was left disappointed with it. Gamefreak's latest adventure manages to cut a lot of the franchise's fat while injecting something new into the formula. While I definitely don't want to see everything it changes brought over to Generation VIII, Let's Go acts as a refreshing change of pace for bother newcomers and longtime fans of the series.

There’s not much to engage the player here--almost everything about the game is completely average. I wouldn’t say Mercenaries Wings is a bad game, it’s simply difficult to recommend spending your time playing it when there other, more polished games. If you’re an SRPG nut that’s starved for new games then Mercenaries Wings might be the game you’re looking for, but otherwise, I’d spend your time elsewhere.

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.

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.

Some of the core mechanics like the new perk system and pure gameplay loop are actually an okay foundation to build from, but they're mired in questionable design decisions made worse with several technical shortcomings that could take a significant amount of time to fix. Until that happens though, Fallout 76 is a difficult game to recommend to anyone except for maybe the most ardent fans of post-apocalyptic playgrounds.

Bungie might've lost a portion of their player base for good, but for anyone that wishes to continue playing - or hop in now - Forsaken does a lot to fix Destiny 2, while forging its own identity.

All in all The Witch’s House MV is an okay indie horror experience but nothing spectacular, especially given other similar games with more compelling narrative that have since then been released to better effect. However, those familiar with The Witch’s House’s original release may enjoy the slight graphic upgrades and those looking for a short, quick scare might also enjoy this re-release.

The Switch Port isn't the cheapest solution to enjoying the original Valkyria Chronicles right now, but since it is for Switch, it is pretty much the definitive way to experience the game on a handheld. If you don't really care about portability, I would say the most ideal way to experience this game is to get the PS4 version or the PC port, as they're both cheaper and a more fluid way to play the game. But if you want to play the game on the go, then this the version for you.

I would recommend Final Remix not because of the new content, but for enjoying an older RPG in a more accessible format. The World Ends With You making it to the Switch means that a wider audience gets to enjoy this unique title, and the game is worth revisiting even for those that have already completed the DS version of the title. TWEWY is by no means a perfect game, but it has a lot of charm, and sometimes that can be what matters most.

Interesting companions, a unique framework, and a strong story were all enough to force me to keep going, to hope that I could somehow navigate the bugs, ignore the failed questlines I wanted to finish, and persevere through wonky balancing in an attempt to reach the game's conclusion, only to be stonewalled on the last lap. In 6 months or so, once the many numerous issues are dealt with both on a performance front as well as balance, this game could be amazing. But right now it's not, and sadly, it's not close.

I’m cautiously optimistic for the rest of the season--far too many episodic adventures have strong starts and mediocre finishes--but this first episode promises a solid and tense story for the season. Let’s just hope that Dontnod can keep this momentum for the other four episodes.

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.

Odyssey suffers in the same way Origins did as it searches for an identity within both the stealth and RPG genres. We obviously deeply appreciate the addition of such RPG mechanics and Odyssey often fines a nice middle ground between the two, but it ultimately isn't consistent enough on either spectrum to fully flesh out what the game could potentially be. If you enjoyed Assassin’s Creed Origins or want a game you easily sink over eighty hours in through exploration alone you will probably enjoy Odyssey, but if you’ve grown tired of the general monotony of the series you might want to wait until Ubisoft does something more innovative with this IP.

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.

While some of the tank building and character class systems in Metal Max Xeno are moderately interesting, nothing else in this RPG is remarkable enough to stand out, which makes this a difficult game to recommend. At least the game's relatively short run-time and budget price means it's not a tremendous investment for those curious enough to check it out.

Whether it's the little details, the amount of trust it has in the player to make their own choices - even the wrong ones - as well as the respect to let players deduce its secrets on their own, Coven undoubtedly has become one of my favorite DRPGs of all time. Cryptic requirements for the true ending, some user interfaces quibbles, and other minor nitpicks aside - Coven might not be a perfect game, but for anyone starving for a hardcore DRPG experience with substance behind it won't find themselves disappointed with its journey.

While many of its gameplay systems remain the same, Monolith Soft did a tremendous job tweaking battles to make them a bit faster-paced and more digestible all at once. Even though the expansion has its share of problems, like gating progress with forced sidequest thresholds, I still found it a lot of fun and people who loved the world of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 will have an absolute blast with this new perspective of the stories they’ve heard before.

As a modern take on a fantastic formula, Valkyria Chronicles 4 is an easy title to recommend for strategy RPG fans everywhere.

It recieves such a score and such praise because of how confidently it tackles its premise. There's nothing else quite like it, and if you’re a fan of visual novels and creative storytelling in video games you definitely shouldn't miss 428: Shibuya Scramble.

Not only is the story welcoming to both returning fans and newcomers to the franchise, but the various difficulty settings, specifically Story Mode, give an accessible option for beginners to experience this style of gameplay with minimal frustration.

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 cannot recommend Dragon Quest XI enough. It has the best story for the series in ages, giving new players and veterans a reason to engage with the game world and connect with the characters that live in it. The RPG manages to walk the fine line between old-school style and modern upgrades, creating gameplay that is both familiar and refreshing. Dragon Quest XI is not only the best game of the long-running series, it’s one of the best JRPGs in recent years that I’ve played. Whether this is your first Dragon Quest game or you’re a series veteran, you owe yourself to play this game.

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.

Lucah: Born of a Dream is a breathtaking adventure filled with well-crafted characterization that doesn't pull any punches in what is otherwise a linear experience. In delivering a very haunting atmosphere with an oftentimes depressing narrative that features multiple endings to unlock. Thanks to its esoteric world design and a satisfying combat system that gives you plenty of room to customize to your liking, this is one game I would highly recommend checking out.