If you liked previous Disgaea games — grinding your levels up to max, performing increasingly higher damaging attacks, and seeing a mass of numbers fill your screen — Disgaea 7 continues that trend and amplifies it further. Combined with genuinely funny dialogue, a pretty good story, and a customization ocean that is as deep as it is wide, you have a game that can hoover up no small amount of time out of your day. More of the same isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and Disgaea 7 proves that axiom easily.

With Cyberpunk 2077 version 2.0 and Phantom Liberty combined, the result is undeniable: this game is excellent. The original game is drastically improved, if not transformed, by the combination of the free 2.0 and paid Phantom Liberty additions. Meanwhile, Phantom Liberty itself is an all-time great expansion, taking all of the best elements of Cyberpunk 2077 and cranking them all up to eleven into an excellent stand-alone narrative in its own right. If Cyberpunk 2077 had released in this state, it might’ve been lauded as an instant classic, an all-time great - but the fact that this has arrived two years late shouldn’t detract too much from the strength of the experience.

Rune Factory 3 Special is mostly just an HD mask thrown onto a beloved entry in the series, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's been over a decade since Rune Factory 3 hit store shelves on the DS. Returning fans of the series will be delighted to play the game on upgraded hardware, and it does make a good entry point for anyone looking to experience this series for the first time. Longtime fans will likely prefer the Switch version for its original control scheme as the PC version has a couple of buttons swapped from the DS controls. For fans of farming sims or those looking for a relaxing RPG, Rune Factory 3 Special has you covered.

The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails invokes a feeling of an earlier era of Falcom in some of the best ways. With a charming presentation and commendable gameplay, this is a satisfying game and an easy recommendation to anyone looking for a light-hearted action RPG romp.

Despite its unique weapon system and generally friendlier structuring, Lies of P hews a little too closely to its inspirations to rise above feeling like something of an also-ran. But even also-rans can be polished, attractive, and exciting experiences in their own right. Every time I left a successful fight with my heart rate up and a sense of actual accomplishment brimming, that felt I experienced a bit of bit of Lies of P’s own truth.

It leans on the past without being shackled to it, taking elements from the classics while adding technical flourishes to liven up the proceedings. It doesn't simply try to copy the classics or provide a facsimile of a retro experience. Instead, it recreates the experience of feeling those games, allowing us to revisit what it felt like to perceive the spectacle and grandeur for the first time. By those measures, Sea of Stars might be inspired by the classics, but it feels in league with them, too.

When I booted up Fae Farm, I wasn’t expecting it to become one of my favorite relaxing games of the year. It’s one of those games that I can see myself keeping on my Switch for a good long while when I just need to detach for a bit and go on autopilot. It’s an added bonus that it’s also a game I can play along with my wife after putting our baby down before turning in for the night. Phoenix Lab has brought a serious contender into the crowded farming sim and cozy game space with Fae Farm, and while there may be some issues I’d like to see addressed in a future patch or sequel, I still found it to be an incredibly solid first entry of a new IP. Now, if you excuse me, those queen bees won’t catch themselves.

Anonymous;Code managed to grab my attention in a way that other SciADV games following Steins;Gate weren’t able to, due to how absolutely absurd but compelling the lore was, and how each situation escalates. Anonymous;Code does feel a tad bit shorter compared to other entries in the SciADV series, but the captivating story and excellent pacing kept me engaged through the true ending.

Starfield slowly unfurls from the familiar into something wider, wilder, and more ambitious than I expected - even while in some areas it’s quite happy to gently iterate on its predecessors. Todd Howard and his team picked their battles wisely, showing a masterful understanding of a needed balance between vast expansion and restraint. The result is their best game yet.

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.

It’s almost ridiculous, then, what’s been achieved here. Baldur’s Gate 3 isn’t without its technical wrinkles, but it’s a full-fledged, fully fleshed-out, absolutely massive title with lofty production values across the board. That Larian Studios has intentionally willed something like this into the world at a time when AAA projects in this vein are so scarce only helps it shine, and serves as a fine reminder that the genre doesn’t need to transform, no matter what some publishers may believe - it just needs to adapt, to evolve, and to boldly present a compelling and cohesive vision all its own. And be thought-provoking. And have witty banter. And look really pretty. And let us get told off by territorial squirrels...No pressure on your next project, Larian.

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.

With limited role-playing components, a so-so narrative, dialogue choices that don't seem to have significant impact, and a lack of replayability, Strays Gods: The Roleplaying Musical doesn't quite come together as well as it could. Still, this unique blend of styles will scratch those with an itch for an urban fantasy musical with entertaining songs.

Aside from several gameplay design decisions that irked me and a mediocre story didn’t do anything for me, my time with Arcadian Atlas was pleasant and admittedly insignificant. I don’t have any strong feelings for what I played. It took me roughly 12 hours to finish with all the sidequests done. The music had a nice jazz-infused flavor that made it more memorable than I expected. If you’re looking for a new strategy RPG and are willing to give a new independent studio’s first shot a genuine chance, this one is alright.

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.

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.

The simplicity of the Atelier series in its base form requires you to manage your time and discover things for yourself. Like the original, Atelier Marie Remake has a pretty small scope, with a playthrough easily taking less than ten hours and most players aren’t likely to do more than two playthroughs. The changes to this game make it a joy to look at and smooth to play with very few issues. Some people might enjoy the shorter run time, but pairing it with the price, I don’t think it should be a nearly full-priced game. However, it is a mostly relaxing experience that still keeps the essence of why people enjoy Atelier games.

As someone who is a bit of a lapsed fan of the Trails series and greatly enjoyed the recently localized Trails from Zero and Trails to Azure, I was partially hoping to have Reverie be the game to reignite that spark I used to have for this series. Instead, after completing Trails into Reverie, I find myself mostly grateful to move onto brighter pastures after Reverie ended up spending most of its run-time spinning its wheels, while its few contributions to the overall series largely fell flat.

Master Detective Archives: Rain Code is a wild ride from start to finish. There were some twists in the mystery I wasn’t expecting and some that I saw coming. Despite a short lull in the middle section of the game, it still results in an excellent story told with a colorful cast of characters. Kanai Ward itself is such a beautiful place too. Like how the rain never lets up in the city, the suspense never lets up in Rain Code.

Though some players might be turned off by its one-and-done nature, I would prefer to describe Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective as "singular". It's an experience that, once cleared, feels complete from any angle, with nothing needing to be added or cut to be unforgettable.

Not everything comes together in an ideal way, but this is a journey I won’t soon forget. FF16 was able to excel in many of the most important aspects of what video games mean to me - and because of that I found it hard not to love in spite of its shortcomings and foibles.

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.

Loop8 is a game full of great ideas that never come together. The most fascinating hooks in the premise fall flat upon execution, and I can imagine how much better of a game this would have been if it didn’t even try to be a time loop game at all. I can see a hypothetical RPG in this setting that hones in hard on the vibes, but that is not what we got here. There are few things I like less than a boring game with no substance and a lack of respect for the player's time. Loop8 is the epitome of this.

Etrian Odyssey is an excellent dungeon-crawling RPG series, and the Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection is commendable. Besides an eyebrow-raising pricepoint, some minor font weirdness, and getting used to a single-screen interface, this collection is an impressive remaster that the series deserves. Now let's hope the wait for Etrian Odyssey VI isn't too long.

For all its ambition, Forspoken doesn't bring much new to the genre, and instead falls into various pitfalls common with open-world games. While the combat is serviceable and fun in spurts, the game's narrative, characters, and exploration all come up short. It's too bad it seems like Forspoken won't get a second chance, because I think there is some potential sitting dormant underneath all the imperfections, but it looks like Frey's journey will remain a missed opportunity.

I greatly enjoyed my time with Fuga 2, much as I had with the first game. That being said, my only hope is that Fuga 3 is a more meaningful evolution of the franchise; while I adored this entry, it’s undeniable that without a larger shakeup in the mechanics and gameplay loop it would be very easy for what is looking to be a bombastic conclusion to the story to fall flat if players were simply met with more of the same. Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2 is a great follow-up, and well worth playing, but I also can’t deny feeling anxious to see what Fuga: Melodies of Steel 3 will have in store for us in the future.

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.

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.