Better than its capable predecessor, with further room to grow, beautiful Horizon Forbidden West is the rare game that compels me to think my deepest thoughts not for what it is, but for what its franchise can become. The qualitative gap between this pair is enough to make me wonder if a third installment — let’s label it Horizon the Third for now and be thankful for something smarter when it's inevitably announced a few years down the road — can deliver the masterpiece this setting so richly deserves.

Despite these flaws, Pokemon Legends: Arceus is the best Pokemon game in years. It’s highly possible to breeze through the story in 15-20 hours before rolling credits. Instead, I chose to spend nearly 30 hours meandering about the different areas catching Pokemon before deciding to "finish" the game. Big emphasis on finish, considering the postgame content. Even at the 30-hour mark, it still feels like hours of content can be spent on grinding for evolution items, completing sidequests, and wrapping up your research notes.

Expeditions: Rome is an easy recommendation for any fan of turn-based tactical RPGs. The variety of gameplay environments, the depth of the combat system, and a surprisingly compelling story with unexpectedly strong characters all carry the experience above the few shortcomings of clumsy UI and underwhelming strategy elements. Even if you have no attachment to the setting of ancient Rome (I sure didn't), the overall scope and level of ambition are worth experiencing first-hand.

I really wish The Good Life wasn’t a constant tug of war match. A series of steps forward, and equal steps back. I frequently would find myself loving the richness and detail of the setting, only to be taken out of it by an annoying gameplay mechanic. It overstays its welcome, and rides what it does well out thin. If you can get it on sale or on Game Pass, I’d say you might as well give it a shot. It’s not devoid of positives, but it ends up being painfully average at best. While I hope Swery’s supposed collaboration with Suda51 will be good, I don’t think I will be returning to Rainy Woods.

Due to the difficulty, or mostly lack thereof, and simplified concepts I could recommend Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars as a beginner or more laid-back RPG. More experienced gamers might bemoan the straightforward gameplay or lack of difficulty, but those who are interested in the charm and humour only need bring their cards to the table. At the very least you should give the demo a try.

Reflecting back on the series' now ten-year history in the West, Tamsoft has made the best Neptunia spin-offs. Much like the other Tamsoft spin-offs, Neptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars is nothing special, but it's also not a poor game outright. It's a decent action game without a lot of depth, but its simplicity allows it to be fun in small bursts. Neptunia and Senran Kagura fans will most likely find this game an enjoyable addition to the family of both series. I played on PlayStation 4, but the game is also coming to Nintendo Switch and PC next year, so even more fans will be able to check the game out.

SRW 30 is a great starting point for newcomers to the series; it is also a milestone for veteran SRW players due to how it has revamped its narrative structure to be more open-ended and non-linear. If there is one common thread throughout every single SRW game, it has always been to form your giant robot dream team and have fun breaking the game in half with them. SRW 30 is no different.

It becomes frustrating that every single time you’ll be forced to stop and select a Door Flower, or a Ladder Flower, manually. There must’ve been a better way to handle this. Maybe I’m blowing this out of proportion. Perhaps it’s a bit of a nitpick – it certainly doesn’t erase everything that the game does so well. I’d still give Undernauts a hearty recommendation to anyone already familiar with the genre, and I’d likely do the same for anyone looking to get into DRPGs as a whole. In the end, it didn’t hamper my enjoyment of the game much at all; it’s just incredibly frustrating that problems that feel like they should be easy enough to fix are holding back what would otherwise be the perfect game to introduce players to my favorite genre of RPGs. It still more than earns my recommendation, I just hope that Experience can polish out these few remaining rough edges down the line.

Wildermyth is trying something very few other RPGs do, and it's cool to see how well it all comes together. I find it to be technically impressive and remarkably novel, but unfortunately, the end result is not as interesting as I hoped it would be. Still, with a great aesthetic and a solid enough combat system, it is an earnestly made game unlike much anything else.

I'm glad Dungeon Encounters exists. It falters in a few ways and it is definitely not for everyone, but overall it offers a satisfying dungeon crawler with simple rules, subtle depth, and just enough teeth to remain engaging.

Despite being woefully ignorant of most things about League of Legends going in, I found myself at no real disadvantage when it came to enjoying most aspects of Ruined King. A distinct and deep combat system with a unique mechanical hook, interesting puzzles and stylish art, and a well-defined cast of characters and setting were enough to get me invested in an IP I had largely ignored up until this point. Despite some issues with a lack of polish, Ruined King deserves a look-in for any fan of RPGs, independent of how familiar they are with the source material.

At the end of the day, I can't help but feel that Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl offer a bit of a disjointed experience - and while some parts make sense (I'm sure the buggy nature of the release comes due to the double-whammy of this both being ILCA's first attempt at a Pokemon release, as well as a direct result of the pandemic), I'm still left wondering why they chose to keep things so rigidly close to the originals. A more liberal reinterpretation of the game's map would've done wonders for the game feel on its own, for example. Were the games held back in scope to not step on Arceus: Legends' toes? I don't know, and I doubt we ever truly will. It's a shame either way - when it's firing on all cylinders, ILCA's first outing shows loads of promise and offers one of the most engaging Pokemon releases in years. I just wish the game itself didn't feel like it was constantly running up against limitations of its own design. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are good, but they could've been so much more.

At the end of the day, I can't help but feel that Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl offer a bit of a disjointed experience - and while some parts make sense (I'm sure the buggy nature of the release comes due to the double-whammy of this both being ILCA's first attempt at a Pokemon release, as well as a direct result of the pandemic), I'm still left wondering why they chose to keep things so rigidly close to the originals. A more liberal reinterpretation of the game's map would've done wonders for the game feel on its own, for example. Were the games held back in scope to not step on Arceus: Legends' toes? I don't know, and I doubt we ever truly will. It's a shame either way - when it's firing on all cylinders, ILCA's first outing shows loads of promise and offers one of the most engaging Pokemon releases in years. I just wish the game itself didn't feel like it was constantly running up against limitations of its own design. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are good, but they could've been so much more.

Coming in at $14.99, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic on Switch is an easy recommendation. While certainly showing its age in the gameplay and visual department, the fantastic story, characters, and lore found within have stood the test of time and remain some of the best that the old Expanded Universe had to offer. Even in this age of NFTs, Dogecoin, season passes, and games-as-a-service, Knights of the Old Republic remains a WRPG classic that Switch owners should run out and experience. May the force be with you.

Blue Reflection Second Light is a great improvement over the original and a step in the right direction for the series. Almost every feature in the original has been refined. Although there are some interesting new ideas too, not all of them are implemented well, such as the new stealth system. Second Light is not a perfect game by any means, but it is a solid title to recommend for players that want something different from big-budget JRPGs and maybe prefer a game in a relaxed environment without trying to save the world all the time.

It's probably inevitable that Shin Megami Tensei V won't be exactly what everybody wanted from a new entry into the franchise. Although I had a few qualms with it overall, and there are definitely some growing pains with its direction in places, I came away mostly content with how Atlus handled this latest installment. While Shin Megami Tensei V's new direction may not suit everyone's expectations for the series, Atlus has returned to the franchise with an ambitious fifth entry.

All of these elements combine to create a game that is a jack of all trades, and master of none, but that’s a happy outcome considering how many different things it tries to do. A lot of what I’ve described so far probably sounds like a mashup of several different things that other games arguably do better, but Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy does everything with so much heart and charm that it overcomes some of the elements feeling a little empty and results in one of the best gaming adventures I’ve been on in 2021. Considering how much of a let-down the previous big Marvel game was, I am more than happy to shout how great this is without any conditions put on top.

Unsighted is a fun, quick little game, lasting me around ten hours on my first playthrough. Its combat and exploration are rewarding, the presentation is stylishly retro, and the narrative is good enough to round out the package. Some of the systems in place come across a little bit more tedious than they feel they should be, and the time-restriction mechanics don't do anything for me, but nitpicks aside, Unsighted is a solid pixel-art indie worth checking out.

Ender Lilies is an emotional sidescroller RPG with a well-told compelling story, beautiful music & art, and solid gameplay. Its hauntingly beautiful style and satisfying world more than makes up for some slight combat blemishes, leaving a lasting impression as one of the most remarkable games of its kind.

Astria Ascending is not a great JRPG. I would hesitate to label it a good one. In a year of winners, it's not a complete outlier but it's no contemporary classic. Despite a few flirtations with intrigue, the story is generally vacant of anything compelling enough to stick around until the credits. Poor writing compounds the problem and unlikable characters can't overcome it. Gameplay ranges from strong to stale, with just enough gumption and innovation to keep things lively. Pound for pound and for all its pedigree, this is a disappointing experience I'm not inclined to recommend.

Mary Skelter Finale provides a rather disappointing finale to the series. The previous games left off on a rather satisfying conclusion to the series, and Finale just feels like an overextended sequel. It's ultimately a really difficult game to recommend to players unless they're already heavily invested in the story of the first two games. Even veterans of this series will be a bit lost without giving its lore a reread to get a better grasp on it. Luckily the game provides one of the best recollection modes I have seen and if any players have never played the series, this can even be an option for those that just want to read any prior story of this title.

Though the primary plot would have benefitted from the energy placed in it’s characters, the adventures of Sam and John is still worth playing through. Many are likely to be drawn in by the music and visuals alone but the gameplay ensures its more than style. If you’re interested in a Zelda-like with a heavy story and character focus, then you can’t go wrong heading East. Given how great Eastward is for a debut game, I’m willing to patiently await many years for another.

If there was a category for most improved sequel this year, I strongly believe Lost Judgment might be in the running for winning it. The game offered so many new, cool things to do throughout my 45 hours with it and somehow striked a fine, delicate balance between the goofy Yakuza spin-off you know and love and a spectacular crime drama that tackles difficult themes not seen often enough in games.

Tales of Arise is an excellent introduction to the series for new players and a fantastic entry for old fans. If this is any indication, the franchise is in for a bright future. Hopefully, it won’t be another five years before the next one.

Fantasian is a fantastic RPG, and will probably be a strong contender for GOTY deliberations later this year. Though it might not hurt to wait for a few patches for lingering issues to be resolved, and to consider if you’re up for the challenge that the game will provide.

Dodgeball Academia is simply lovely with all the little touches it puts forth to celebrate both RPGs and the sport of dodgeball. Many clever mechanics make the marriage between the two a natural fit in this game. Some unsatisfying character progression, late-game repetitive battles, and a needlessly prolonged final stretch do set it back, but I think it is still a solid attempt at such a novel concept.

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.

For me, Fuga: Melodies of Steel is the most “feel-good” release of the year so far. I always hoped it would be great, and my impressions of the game two years ago at AnimeExpo made me sure that the game was on the right track – but you’ll never truly know how a game will land until you’ve had a chance to sit down and play the whole thing for yourself. I can only hope that Fuga is the start of a grand new chapter in CyberConnect2’s journey as a developer, as their team has showcased some serious chops when it comes to designing an RPG.