Cold Steel II is the latest game of the overarching Kiseki series of games that been localized for western audiences so the future from here on is a little bit murky. We know that the first two games are getting PS4 re-releases in Japan in the coming months, but details concerning the future of the series for the west are sparse at best. We’re hopeful this isn’t the last time we’ll be able to write about the series for the western audience and that fans who invest into the games, on any platform, will be able to see the story continued someday soon.

Middle-earth: Shadow of War resoundingly beats to the sound of its own war drum to result in an experience that is iterative rather than revolutionary. Bold and resolute, its strength in character stirs when leading the charge into battle to create sweepingly epic moments that thrill in their dark and violent chaos. It’s a promising return to Tolkien’s world, even if the journey isn’t without its meandering fumbles.

Persona Q2 is a solid entry to close out Nintendo's dual-screen handheld. It doesn't shake up any established formulas, but with a satisfying gameplay loop and charming presentation, this dungeon crawler fills that hole for those looking to get their Persona fix.

Despite everything, I enjoyed my time with Borderlands 3. Not to say that the game as a whole isn't good – but rather despite all of the game’s numerous technical troubles, I do believe that once everything is said and done, Borderlands 3 will be a game that most series’ fans will be more than happy with, and a title that is more than worthy of recommendation. I just don’t think that day is today.

Final Fantasy XV brings back some of what made FF special to begin with - it's bold and brave, throwing caution to the wind to try to make a statement about what big budget Japanese RPGs can be going forwards. It's rough around the edges, but that's okay: where it counts, it's got plenty of heart.

I was, if not confident, hopeful that the lingering issues that I found myself grappling with in Cold Steel I and II had been mitigated when I played through Cold Steel III. However, now that I've seen the whole story, I can only say that those issues never went away. Even if they appeared fixed for Cold Steel III, they were always there, just below the surface. At this point, if I wasn't already in too deep, I'm not sure if I would even want to continue playing the Trails series. I have very little confidence that Falcom will learn their lesson with how to pace their games, and with the scope of both the world and the series as a whole constantly growing I have no confidence that future games won't run into these self-same issues, but to an even greater degree.

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.

Assassin’s Creed: Origins offers an engrossing and deeply satisfying open world in the lands of Egypt. Gorgeous visuals make it a lovely place to explore with rich environments. Still, the excessive amount of bugs at launch are devastating and hampered my experience significantly. Add to that a poorly paced narrative devoid of substantial character development and a battle system that fails to meet its full potential and I can't help but feel something important is missing, Regardless, Assassin's Creed: Origins has a lot to offer new and old fans alike - though the state of its technical performance at launch is highly questionable.

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.

The gameplay is honestly perfect, the story is touching, and the soundtrack still hasn’t been topped by an Atelier game since. The entire Dusk series felt like GUST flexing their talent for three whole years, and I hope these ports coming out means the release of a fourth game in this trilogy like with Atelier Lulua and the Arland Trilogy.

For any fans of the original game, or anyone who wants to experience The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword for the first time, should pick up this remaster. Given its high price point for a remaster, anyone on the fence should either wait, or ignore the game altogether. The quality of life changes are greatly appreciated, but they are not going to change anyone's long standing opinions on the game, besides perhaps criticisms about the motion controls.

The Outer Worlds 2 is much like its predecessor in that it is a witty, smart, and energetic adventure. Its highs threaten to touch the stratosphere as easily as the protagonist's spaceship - but its lows mine as deep as some of those poor, slaving Auntie's Choice workers. From this site's more specific angle of interest, its role-playing feels more meaningful and satisfying than in its predecessor or Avowed, Obsidian's other recent action RPG. In a vacuum, it's an enjoyable romp - but no entertainment or art exists in a true vacuum, really. Just as The Outer Worlds 2's scathing commentary on consumerism and blind faith reflects on our real world, so too does our real world reflect on it at the time of its release. Like the game's moral quandaries, it's all about player choice - but in the real world, the consequences are real.

Moonlighter is a refreshing take on the rogue-like that not only adds to the genre with the use of its shopkeeping mechanic but makes use of its rich environments and items to tell a truly interesting story. Despite some performance issues my experience with Moonlighter was extremely positive, and I can’t wait to return to Rynoka and revisit the story of Will and Moonlighter once again.

Ultimately, Atelier Yumia is a great game with a combat system that leaves a lot to be desired. While the exploration is a highlight, with the game drawing clear inspiration from modern open-world games, those familiar with the open-world genre might not find much innovation here. Despite that, Atelier Yumia is a fantastic starting point for newcomers to the Atelier franchise.

The new story is worth it for fans of the PS2 original as well, since players can jump right in without having to replay the whole main story again. Unless you’ve owned every version of Phantom Brave before this one (and maybe even if you do), Phantom Brave PC is worth picking up for any Nippon Ichi or strategy RPG fan.

Thanks to its incredible soundtrack and a wonderful dose of gameplay variety to help keep everything from becoming monotonous, Ys Origin is still and will forever remain a solid action RPG well worth your time no matter the platform it winds up on.

Going through Baldur's Gate for the first time is a reminder of what makes a classic RPG -- It’s hard to miss the ways it influenced the genre two decades years ago and how its impact can still be seen in games today, but as a modern experience, it does require a new player to meet in the middle a bit in terms of quality-of-life and the slightly-dated presentation. Despite that, this is the perfect game for a fan of the genre like me to finally play and having an updated version of the game available to a wide new audience is an opportunity for new fans to see exactly why it remains so highly regarded to this day.

Narrative nitpicks and shortfalls aside, Stellar Blade is an action RPG that excels where it matters most: Looking gorgeous and facilitating supremely satisfying combat interactions. Bolstered by the capable fusion of its inspirations, its weaknesses keep it from transcending them. But those willing to make their peace with those disappointments will find a nearly stellar experience.

A delightful RPG experience. Though there are problems around its edges with prolonged battles and a weak overall narrative, its ability to maintain a deck-building card game inside a RPG in inventive ways continually is nothing short of awesome. Once it clicks with you, it’s hard to not stop theorycrafting, experimenting, and optimizing your deck.

Etrian Odyssey Nexus embraces nearly everything that the series has established so far in one final farewell package. It doesn't do anything new or unexpected, but it's a nice nostalgic bow on what has been a standout series on the DS and 3DS, and the systems are as solid as ever.

The effort put forth by Konami pays off in dividends. The end result is a project that, like another Pixel Remaster project before it, has the best of both worlds. These are games that play and look just like you remembered them, but somehow even a bit better. Slight QOL changes complement, rather than complicate, the gameplay. Suikoden I&II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars might be a mouthful of a title, but it’s one that reaches for the stars - and knocks it out of the park.

A game with peaks and valleys like this is, as I've stated throughout the review, frustrating. I can see a 10/10 in this game somewhere, but multiple questionable-level design and game design choices combined with a hefty amount of performance issues and bugs unfortunately drag it down. Black Myth: Wukong is a beautiful, somber, fascinating tale to experience — you just have to muddle your way through a forest of problems to enjoy it.

Dragon Quest VII is a leisurely adventure full of memorable vignettes and and locations. While it is very much a classic turn-based RPG, the style and tone of the game's narrative is something not often seen within the genre, even 16 years after its original release. Despite a handful of problems, DQ7 is well worth a playthrough if you can set aside the time for it.

Even those more dubious might find something to love thanks to a frantic and fun battle system, incredible music and a masterfully crafted world setting. I for one am left eagerly waiting to see what this series has in store in the future.

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is a great piece of expanded lore for people who loved Fire Emblem: Three Houses. It has a new and interesting take on the story of Fire Emblem: Three Houses, and it expands on the relationships of these established characters. It also makes a number of improvements regarding performance and graphics, which is a promising sign as Koei Tecmo continues to improve how well their games run on the console. Whether it's just for reuniting with your favourite house for 40 hours or taking on the entire three-route adventure, Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes should satisfy your journey back to Fodlan.

Like a Dragon: Ishin is an excellent revitalization of an already solid entry in the Like a Dragon series. It has a compelling story that somewhat falls apart in the last stretch, but the journey that leads to it is captivating. Adding in new likenesses from recent Like a Dragon / Yakuza series from several iconic characters was a change I welcomed, because I loved so many of those characters. The gameplay feels refreshing thanks to Ryoma’s unique arsenal and there is just a sheer amount of optional side content to dive into that all feel fun, partially due to the Bakumatsu time period it’s set in. I ultimately finished my playthrough in 34 hours, but I still have a ton of optional content left that will easily consume dozens of more hours.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined still encapsulates much of what makes Dragon Quest VII resonant, but with every possible edge sanded off. It succeeds at streamlining a lengthy adventure at the expense of player discovery and friction. Besides being able to reach the credits more quickly, I find it difficult to declare this version as an improvement on what came before.

Fire Emblem Engage is a good tactical RPG with a paper-thin story, shallow characters, and a kitchen-sink approach to far too many subsystems that don't synergize well. If you come to Fire Emblem primarily for its tactical elements, you may have an absolute blast building your perfect team of colorful combatants and their Emblem counterparts. I come away from Fire Emblem Engage satisfied with its tried-and-true gameplay and unique Emblem twist, but I wish the narrative elements made more of an impact on me.