Assassin's Creed Valhalla is a great-looking open-world game with impressive landscapes and cinematography. However, the checklist collectible open-world still needs some work to feel truly engaging, and combat is too tedious and too frequent to be compelling. As a lapsed fan of Assassin's Creed trying to see if I can click with the series once again, Valhalla didn't quite hook me as I was hoping it would.

Even if the battles can sometimes feel tedious, The Banner Saga 3 is largely a fantastic resolution to the trilogy. It’s bleak, it’s desperate, and you’ll finally see the end of the stories for these characters you’ve followed for three games. Whether it’s a happy ending or not, though, you’ll have to see for yourself.

It might be down-to-earth, and it may feel a lot simpler than the types of stories that the other SciADV entries are trying to tell, but perhaps it's that very contrast that makes the story feel all the more genuine, and land as well as it does. It can be cheesy at times, and you might have to suspend your disbelief, but Robotics;Notes is a story about overcoming your own personal failings, and to succeed even where others would expect you to fail. I didn't know I wanted something so wholesome from SciADV, but now that I have it I can't find myself seeing the series the same way without it. Warts and all, Robotics;Notes is a VN that you don't want to miss.

Lunacid felt like a revalation of what sort of games we could receive if developers opted to borrow from more than just Dark Souls, by looking back at some of From Software's earlier titles. It's proof that games like King's Field can and should be lauded just as much as the games that came after; and, indeed, that these esoteric experiences still have a place in today's gaming landscape. Lunacid was one of my best surprises of the year, and it gives me hope that others might follow in its footsteps. While not without its faults, Lunacid is an RPG well worth setting aside time for.

XCOM Enemy Unknown Plus is rife with little problems that come as a result of porting such a large and CPU-heavy PC game to a pocket system like the Vita, but even in the same breath as acknowledging that it's hard to say that if you've no other way to play XCOM it isn't worth it: the game is that good. This definitely comes recommended behind the PC and console versions of this classic game and has a lower score as a result, but if the Vita is your main or preferred way of experiencing games, this port is still easy to recommend.

Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo is definitely one of the biggest surprises for me this year. I wasn’t sure what to expect out of its very brief announcement, and I’m glad I didn’t look too deeply into what was shared. I urge people to go into this knowing as little as possible, though I guess if you’ve read this far, I did ruin a tiny bit of its surprises in order to review it. Hey, I did repeatedly give you a spoiler warning before laying everything out...If you bear the slightest bit of interest in what you just read or what you’ve seen from this game, I heavily recommend playing through it. Luckily, it isn’t a full-priced title either and I think it’s absolutely worth the asking price.

Episode 4 sets up Life is Strange 2 for a strong landing. Sean and Daniel will finally be reaching the end of their tale, whether it leads to a happy ending or not. Faith is the best episode in Life is Strange 2 since the first and holds the promise of a memorable final episode.

NEO: The World Ends With You does a wonderful job recapturing what made this formula work so well on the DS, but in a more approachable way. If there’s one game in this duology I’ll ever find myself revisiting, it’ll definitely be this one. Few other games come close to conveying this kind of rebellious style in every aspect of its design, and NEO completely lived up to what I wanted from a TWEWY sequel.

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.

Trails of Cold Steel III is an absolutely massive game, as even with utilizing turbo a large portion of my playthrough, I still sunk over 90 hours into the game by the time the credits rolled. There's so much more I could talk about. Side activities like the new card game, Vantage Masters, which is absolutely a Gwent styled game on its own - with dozens of characters throughout the adventure willing to play a set with you - and more. At the end of the day, however, I'm just happy to see that the series appears to be in good hands with NIS America.

I greatly enjoyed my time with Monster Hunter Stories 2, but if this review reads more restrained than the score might make you feel - it's because as much as I enjoyed the game, it still has its fair share of flaws, and I'm unsure if players with less of a history with the franchise might be willing to overlook them. Your mileage may vary, but one thing's for sure - it's great to see that Monster Hunter: Stories isn't dead, and hopefully this is just one of many more sequels to come.

In this Advance Wars starved world, Wargroove is the sustenance that keeps fans going. It’s a charming and difficult game, and while Wargroove is not perfect, it’s a great strategy title that strategy and SRPG fans will get a lot of fun out of.

I jive a lot of what Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin sets out to achieve conceptually as it juggles between tight fast-paced action RPG combat and thorough rice farming mechanics. Edelweiss unfortunately fumbles on key areas to an otherwise charming title. Platforming is a hassle most of the time, especially in later areas. Every system feels a step too steep into resource micromanagement, and it made me feel as if I was always playing on a tight schedule rather than being able to progress at my leisure. I wish I loved this game more, because there is a lot of heart, but sadly I came away merely lukewarm from the experience.

Gnosia is outstanding. Its unconventional structure is definitely not for everyone though. Petit Depotto somehow crafted a social deduction RPG that smartly integrates a time travel mechanic almost flawlessly. The execution is inherently shaky due to its repetition, but it drives home the crestfallen feeling of being a time traveler for an extended amount of time so perfectly. By the time I finished the true ending, I felt so satisfied with what I accomplished along the way to get to that point.

Capcom's done right by Ace Attorney in recent years, bringing it to modern platforms with a few convenient enhancements and in the doing, adding dozens of hours more of some of gaming's best storytelling to enjoy.

Fell Seal: Arbiter's Mark is an easy game to recommend for those that are nostalgic for the Final Fantasy Tactics games but also want to try something new over simply revisiting that series. A competent game in its own right, I enjoyed my time with Fell Seal, though it's not likely one I would revisit over many of its contemporaries simply due to how derivative it can feel at times. Still, its a solid experience that strategy RPG fans should be able to find some enjoyment out of for the same reasons that left many of us wanting more games of this style in the first place.

It sounds like a lot - it is - but in the best way possible. There is no shortage of additional things to do: titles to hunt, library books to track down, post-game story content, and dungeons, all of which occur with a cast we've seen go through so much together. It's endearing to watch these childhood friends reunite under the shakiest of terms as adults only to eventually re-discover their shared bonds and affections that made them close in the first place. Watching them heal their literal childhood trauma is, for some reason, significantly more satisfying this time around.

A Plague Tale: Innocence doesn’t nail everything, but it still manages to pull off the things it absolutely needed to succeed. For every clunky stealth section or awkward animation, there’s a heartfelt interaction between Amicia and Hugo. It’s a story about the inevitable end of all things and how tragedy makes people long for a time before innocence is stripped away. Amicia didn’t ask to become Hugo’s guardian--that’s just the way life panned out. Much as she would like to shield him from the brutality of their circumstances, it’s not possible if they want to survive. Innocence is akin to fire; neither lasts forever and, eventually, every flame fizzles out. However, if we stick with the people we love, it’ll burn for as long as we need it to.

The Switch version of Dragon Quest Builders feels like the definitive version of the game. It blends the better graphics and performance of the PlayStation 4 version of the title with the portability of the Vita version, offering players the ability to play how they want, when they want. Most games on Switch I prefer mostly playing in Handheld instead of TV mode, but for Builders I enjoyed playing in both modes. Dragon Quest Builders is a great spin-off to the iconic series… if you haven't given this game a chance, the Switch is the best way to do so.

While its ability to match the cult classic status of Planescape: Torment has yet to be seen, the high quality writing, unique questlines, interesting characters, and plenty of bizarre moments make Tide of Numenera defintely worth making time for.

I’d recommend this trilogy for anyone that really enjoys laid-back, slice of life titles. Rarely are you going to go out there and save the world, but you’ll enjoy a happy life creating items and making people happy… and sometimes, that’s all you can ask for.

In every way, Intermission is simply more of the same - just with an exciting new character to get to grips with.

If you own the PS4 version of Disgaea 5, there isn't a strong reason to get the Switch version unless you want to play it on a handheld device. Now if you haven't picked it up yet and need a dose of an amazing strategy game, I would highly recommend picking up this version over the original release. Disgaea 5 Complete also doubles as the best portable experience of any Disgaea game to date. Unlike the Vita version of its predecessor where certain things had to be removed to fit in the cartridge, nothing has been cut. You get the full experience wherever you decide to play it.

Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony is destined to be a title the fans are going to be split over. The game has a very clear message it wants to rub off on the player, and it’s the sort of thing you’re going to have to mull over for a while to determine whether or not it earns its thesis. For me, it all just felt like desperation laced with fatigue. When the game wasn’t dragging me through incredibly long-winded exposition and plot bits, it was disappointing me with the direction the story took. If Spike Chunsoft wanted me to get a sense of closure from the series, they may have succeeded, because I’m not sure I’m up for another one.

The game didn’t wear out its welcome with my playthrough, taking me about 23 hours to get all the endings. Live A Live brings with it some of the best qualities a game can have, a sense of discovery and adventure. With the option to play some chapters completely differently, or tackle on extra hard enemies, this is definitely a game I’ll replay, sooner than later.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser’s Minions a weird game to review. It’s a safe and fine remake of a good game that didn’t really need a remake - although new features like fast-forward are still certainly appreciated. It adds a new mode that isn’t very interesting and doesn’t offer much. Superstar Saga is still a fun game and I enjoyed reliving a little nostalgia, but I can’t help but feel the whole thing was unnecessary.

In the end, I believe Tokyo Mirage Session is a wonderful game and anyone that is into JRPGs should give it a try. Players that have already played and beaten the original Wii U version might find that there isn't much reason to get this game other than that you can play on your Switch. If you haven't played this before, it's a great addition to your library, especially for fans of Fire Emblem and the Shin Megami Tensei series, although I do feel that it’s quite the missed opportunity for not restoring some of the deleted content from the original Japanese version.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza is difficult for me to evaluate. The aspects of the main narrative it chooses to dwell on seems unevenly paced, and strangely misguided at times. Its combat system is slick, especially with all the tools that the brand-new Sea Dog style brings to the table - yet the balance of power feels lopsided in Majima’s favor to the point that enemy AI can’t keep up. A lot of its pirate-oriented systems feel like a jack-of-all-trades; they’re all competent and serviceable, though only provide a surface-level layer of satisfaction. I like a lot of what Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is putting down, but I can’t ignore the numerous significant misfires either.