Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance makes a litany of adjustments and additions to improve an RPG that I was already quite fond of. It doesn't fundamentally change what Shin Megami Tensei V is, and those disappointed in the direction Atlus took with the original game may not be swayed by this new version either, but Vengeance gives Shin Megami V the revamp it deserves.

Your enjoyment of Mahoyo will heavily rely on its narrative and characters. Despite lacking multiple routes found in later Nasu works, such as Tsukihime and Fate, Mahoyo's story remains highly engaging and is truly worth the long wait in English. If you're into the Nasuverse, do yourself a favor and give this game a read.

Cryptmaster was a game I had hoped I would enjoy more. In the end, it's a solid proof of concept with a few hints of what it could be in the future. Cryptmaster is a game with a lot to say, but much like with the game's undead protagonists - it feels like its a bit confused on how to say it.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is a good re-release of a good game, and adjustments made only improve upon it in small but substantial ways. It's an easy recommendation for general audiences and RPG fans. Now, where's my Luigi in Waffle Kingdom RPG?

Dread Delusion succeeds where it counts, even if bits and pieces still have some polishing left to do. For a crowded year for RPGs, Dread Delusion can still stand out from the crowd.

Megaton Musashi W: Wired is unexpectedly, and surprisingly, one of the best action RPGs in 2024. It offers a lengthy main storyline filled with amusing characters, a plethora of rich in-depth customization mechanics to supplement its compelling gameplay, multiple modes that all serve to enhance what makes it fun, and a ton of smartly designed navigation functions that lead to a smooth experience in moving around its dozens upon dozens of menus. While the narrative stumbles at the finish line, it is undeniable that Megaton Musashi W: Wired is one of the most fully-featured video games in the modern era that is filled to the brim with stuff to do and it is all fun as hell.

Soul Covenant is one of those games that is frustratingly close to delivering what I wanted it to. RPG progression, while basic, would be engaging if the game had enough content outside of the main story to compliment it through its runtime; the story could've been so much more with more scenes to sell it. Despite it all, Soul Covenant managed to recapture at least some of the feelings I remembered from Soul Sacrifice - but in a way that makes the whole package all the more disappointing. I believe the team had the capabilities to deliver something truly special here. It's just a shame that what they ultimately released is such a mixed bag.

I was excited to see my country represented properly in a video game, and that did happen. Sadly the game itself isn’t worth a damn, it’s a classic style RPG but none of my choices matter and I can hardly make any of them. Many systems and choices are just odd and make it unfun to play. They have a roadmap to change some issues I had, and some minor odd design decisions have already been fixed, but we’ll have to wait and see if that really fixes the poor story. The only real redeeming quality this game has is the art.

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.

I feel that's a tough ask for the average RPG fan; and it makes recommending Emerald Beyond to those unversed in Kawazu's picture of the RPG a difficult proposition. For anyone that's already a fan of SaGa, however, it was never really a question if Emerald Beyond would be for you. This is a SaGa for SaGa fans, and in truth I couldn't be happier any other way.

I cannot overstate how glad I am that Eiyuden Chronicle exists, and I adore its excellent presentation & nostalgic charm. Not everything landed for me as well as I hoped it would, but there's room to grow, and I truly hope Rabbit & Bear Studios gets the opportunity to continue with these characters in this world.

If you're looking to take Neptunia Sisters vs Sisters on the go with you, this isn't a bad port. Compromises have been made to the game from its original versions on PlayStation 4 and 5, but the game itself still functions adequately. I'm not sure if the next Neptunia game will happen to run any better on Switch after the lessons learned here, but one can hope that the games will improve for the remainder of the Switch's lifecycle.

In the end I’m not really sure how to feel about The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered. There were points where I enjoyed myself, but I’m also not sure I’d beat it if I didn’t have to for this review. I don’t really mind the game's minimalist approach to narrative, but the dungeon design, repetitive battles, and difficulty walls I hit made it hard to press on. If the skill progression system sounds fun to you, The Alliance Alive HD Remastered is a much better option if you have yet to play it. But, if you’re looking for a game that gives you turn-based combat without much fluff, this would be still a fine choice.

Rise of the Ronin is a solid action RPG that provides a thorough look into the Bakumatsu era of Japan. I enjoy stories about that historical period, so I think a lot of my enjoyment of this game’s narrative stems from that foundation. It is relatively much more grounded than Team Ninja’s previous action RPGs as it contains no mythical, supernatural, or fantastical elements; Rise of the Ronin is a story about humans all the way through. While this title retains the awesome action combat that Team Ninja is known for, its open-world activities lack variety, and much of what it has to offer in that regard has been done before, and even better, in other open-world titles.

Dragon's Dogma 2 is an absolute triumph in nearly every sense of the word. It's a bold and brave leap forward for RPGs, inviting you to come along for an unforgettable journey that will be uniquely yours.

Developer Fool’s Theory has crafted a pretty solid turn-based RPG with The Thaumaturge. Its setting in 1905 Warsaw is fairly novel in games and at times, can feel like an intriguing, immersive documentary that educates its players on the harsh conditions during this time in history. The supernatural powers at protagonist Wiktor Szulski’s disposal pave the way to a satisfying battle system that carves out its own identity, despite looking like something out of Shin Megami Tensei or Persona upon first glance. There are technical rough edges here and there, but I firmly believe that RPG fans should definitely check out The Thaumaturge whenever they find time in this busy year of RPGs in 2024.

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island accomplished the impossible. It's a strong contender for the best in the series, and I don't say that lightly. If you've ever been interested in giving the series a try - I can't think of a better place to start. Shiren the Wanderer is back, and better than ever.

Nitpicks and minor annoyances aside, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a grand expansion of the sense of possibility birthed by Final Fantasy VII Remake. Not only does it builds on that earlier promise of Remake as a narrative grappling with Final Fantasy VII's greater impact, but as a game it is a singular, lovingly-crafted synthesis of design philosophies both past and present, augmenting modern scale with a deep and long-lived appreciation for its characters.

At first, my time with Bandle Tale felt like a slow drudge, especially as I got blockaded by skill requirements and hit many “I can’t do anything with this yet” spots. Once I could zoom through the Bandle City center and knew how to best unlock skills, I enjoyed my time a bit more but I’m not entirely sure if that’s just because I knew I was reaching the end, or if progression was actually enjoyable. Bandle Tale: A League of Legends gameplay and story can feel pretty mediocre, reminding me of childhood favorites but never as entertaining.

I come away from Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden endeared to its characters and storytelling, but disappointed in the game's world structure and combat. Antea and Red are captivating characters, and I applaud the game's narrative style & direction, but mundane world exploration, tedious combat, and average questing pull down a game that I had higher hopes for.

As a Dragon Quest fan, The Dark Prince feels like the first real RPG this franchise has seen since XI, and it has me hooked on this subseries. With this game officially being the third mainline entry in this series, what we got is nothing less than a triumphant return for this brand of monster-collecting RPGs. While the simplicity of the budget portable RPGs that preceded it lays dormant in Dark Prince’s DNA, this is a big step forward for the series.I had so much fun I grew to want more than what we got. I craved more to do by the end, and I wonder if that slight emptiness I feel with aspects of the game is a result of aspects being held back to make a Professional version down the road. Maybe that version could fix my qualms, or maybe being stuck on hypotheticals is pointless.

Eastward Octopia is a fun little distraction, that doesn't stray too far from the usual farming sim formula. Changes to certain important side jobs like fishing and mining help to elevate it, but the lack of constant progress mid-way really drags the experience down. I’d really not rather wait around for a game to let me play it, and in my sixteen hour playthrough (which you can continue after the credits roll), at least a couple hours were spent heading straight to bed each day until something changed. On it’s own as a farming game Octopia isn’t really comparable to the major hitters, even if it does get most systems right, it’s still not competing with them on the same level. If you’re a fan of Eastward who also happens to enjoy farming games, this is a light recommendation. For anyone else, you should definitely try Eastward first.

Atlus should be applauded, and I can’t think of another remake that has walked that fine line so well between keeping true to the source material and adding just enough to bring it more in line with modern games. Persona 3 Reload is a spectacular example of a remake done right - and hopefully if we get an enhanced version of Reload one day, we will finally get a definitive version of the Persona 3 experience that includes both the female protagonist and The Answer epilogue.

The main story quest is appetizing and gives way to a robust, whimsical, and flashy multiplayer component that can entertain for hours. After a delayed development, Granblue Fantasy: Relink finally arrives, and it simply sings.

Enshrouded is undeniably a game to play with friends, as I struggled a bit playing by myself, but the way the world is crafted, and the way the expansive environments are filled with interesting points of interest is wonderful. The crafting and building system could use some work, but they are minute changes and quality-of-life fixes that only detract from the experience a little bit. Despite this, the detail put into the world and environments was enough to convince me that there's something magical going on here, and I could personally see myself losing days of my life to exploring Enshrouded's wilds. [Early Access Provisional Score = 80]

Though the new games are in many ways lesser than the original trilogy (only Spirit of Justice feels like it's not constantly chasing the coattails of the first trilogy), they're still well worth playing. Further, the high quality of the ports and their improved convenience make them the definitive editions of those games. If anything, I retroactively ended up wishing some of these changes had been added to the original trilogy ports as well, the better to make for a genuinely smooth beginning-to-end progression through all of the mainline Ace Attorney titles.

World of Demons deserved better. Any game would have deserved better, but the fact that a title clearly crafted with love from one of the most beloved action game developers in the industry can just vanish into the ether should give anyone pause. Unless there's assurances of a port down the line, the same could happen to any game stuck on Apple Arcade; and just because the platform isn't given the same attention as others in the industry doesn't mean that the games are any less important. The same could happen to Fantasian, Sonic Dream Team, or even Pocket Card Jockey. At the end of the day, our industry thrives on building off of past successes; and with the loss of games like World of Demons, we might never know what games it might have inspired in the future.

Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth is a spectacular experience from start to finish. Myriad improvements to combat, utterly compelling side activities, and a plotline-enriching dual protagonist setup make this a brilliant and beefy package. A thorough first playthrough took me over 80 hours to finish. Infinite Wealth is incredible, and stands as one of if not the best game RGG Studio has ever made.