Rise of the Ronin is defined by that divide. Its combat system and historical setting give it a strong foundation, with occasional moments that genuinely stand out. At the same time, its formulaic open-world design and weak character development fail to build on those strengths. RPGamers should expect a game that offers rewarding combat and an engaging setting, weighed down by a predictable structure, pacing issues, and an incoherent story.

Adol Christin embodies adventure, and even with amnesia, there’s a fun cast of characters and enjoyable combat surrounding him to carry through its thirty-hour length. Pacing issues do slow things down at the beginning, but once the story starts hitting that next gear, everything ramps up to match that enjoyably brisk pace. There are nitpicks that drag it down from being something truly special, but there’s a perfectly serviceable action adventure in Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta. The story of Adol continues, and this outing will keep players interested in seeing where the winds take him next.

Aether & Iron is the sort of game I like to see exist. It populates a novel setting with an interesting cast of characters and uses them to build upon a solid gameplay structure, while trying out plenty of its own ideas. There are definitely flaws within, but despite these, it’s ultimately a very enjoyable game to play through, and I would be very happy to continue Gia Randazzo’s story in the future.

Etrange Overlord has a lot of qualities to enjoy. The narrative is fun if a bit nonsensical and predictable, the characters are a blast, and the musical numbers are a nice touch that distinguishes it from its contemporaries. Unfortunately, the lack of a great combat core combined with monotonous gameplay makes the game ultimately difficult to recommend.

I haven’t played an Obsidian game in a long while, and I have to say that in terms of characters, storytelling, and worldbuilding, I felt right at home with everything that was happening throughout Avowed‘s modest runtime. Even with the uninspired combat and the performance issues, I found myself constantly wanting to explore the Living Lands, make potentially life-altering decisions that could affect the world, and steal Marius’ snacks for good measure. Avowed does a fabulous job of keeping players on their toes while also weaving stories that make players want to see everything through to the end. While Avowed has some blemishes, there is a lot to love in this world, and I want to see more of it.

Thysiastery is a simple title at heart. The roguelike dungeon crawling always has a sense of random luck in mind that can cause a lingering frustration due to how easily a party can be defeated. This frustration can give way to a pleasant surprise when weak party members strive farther than expected, or when that next treasure chest or merchant visit changes everything for the better. The quick-paced combat is always fun to dive into, and the amount of skills gives plenty of viable variety to tinker with in party composition. Charging blindly is not a usual feeling for the typical first-person turn-based dungeon crawler, but the easy replayability found here makes it exciting to explore all the possibilities, and despite a decent amount of trial and error it is a worthwhile chance to take for fans of roguelikes and dungeon crawlers alike.

WiZman’s World premiered sixteen years ago as a mid-tier DS title with a simple plot and dense monster fusion system, and not much has changed in the interim. This remastered edition is an improvement in most metrics of graphics and sound, but the core of the game remains the same. It is crunchy and combat-driven, with narrative as an afterthought, and it makes no apologies about that. It is, was, and shall remain a mid-tier JRPG, but sometimes that’s just what an RPGamer needs. To anyone looking for a game that lets them tune out and wreck monsters without high drama attached, it’s certainly worth a look-see.

As a full tome, Ariana and the Elder Codex has quite a lot of potential, but among its genre and the RPG landscape as a whole, it doesn’t stand out too starkly on the shelf. While it has some charming visuals, lore, and some good voice acting, its gameplay and story are only ever serviceably engaging, and predictable twists and excessive endgame lore dumping dull the adventure. While I found myself thoroughly charmed by the characters and having a decent time, the uneven exploration and easy moment-to-moment combat left the game feeling devoid of the substance it’s obviously capable of. If players are looking for a short, fifteen-hour light adventure with some nice charm, Ariana is not a bad pickup at all, but it doesn’t do enough to warrant a top spot on RPGamer’s reading lists.

Compared to the original release, the Sandras now also boasts a faster travel speed while on the high seas. Apart from that and the new island of Öland, there is also the new post-game Muspelheim dungeon for players to tackle. All previously released cosmetic DLC, namely costumes for Adol and Karja and decorations for the Sandras, are included, as are some tweaks to specific game mechanics like naval combat and mini-games, and some graphical and performance upticks. All told, this package is certainly worthy of being deemed the game’s definitive edition. The Ys formula, while certainly evolved over time, has always been focused on more action-oriented mechanics, and there are enough bells and whistles here to keep it generally engaging, if a bit repetitive, while the storytelling has taken on a more and more prominent role over time. It may not be up the alley of those looking for deeply engrossing gameplay, but for players with a passing interest in the franchise who have not yet committed to this installment, now’s the perfect time to dive in and get their feet wet.

Under the Island does the job it sets out to do: provide players with an enjoyable adventure with plenty of puzzle-solving along the way. The puzzle-solving elements — including the boss fights — are easily where the game is its strongest, but it never really steps out from the traditional top-down adventure template, and the lack of any substantial narrative and mediocre overall combat prevent it from distinguishing itself from the crowd. While it certainly has enough to satisfy players who pick it up, it doesn’t quite take the next step to fully stand out.

Escape From Ever After is a gem of a game, offering clever layers that are engaging throughout its playtime, as the narrative and the game’s combat truly carry the experience. While I wish the puzzles and platforming were more refined, I can also see the follow-through and how others may not have had the same issues as I did. What I won’t deny is that Sleep Castle Studio has created a genuinely fun game that has brought new life into fairy-tale properties and given them an original spin. Escape from Ever After offers so much joy in such a small package, and those who love stories will find much to adore here.

I am struggling to fully reconcile my feelings about Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties. I have nostalgia for the original game, even if it’s not rated highly within the series. However, while I enjoyed some of the changes made, such as the side content with the Morning Glory Orphans and the silly Okinawa Girl Gang, those rose coloured glasses come off when I realized that the story feels quite messy, content from the original has been removed for questionable reasons, and everything in the game feels bloated. Coupled with following some of the worst characters in the series, it’s hard for me to say with confidence that this is the definitive version of the game, because it’s honestly a substantial step backwards.

While Jimmy and the Pulsating Mass has its share of problems, I cannot deny how intrigued I was by the game’s characters, story, and world. Kasey Ozymy has crafted such an intriguing, yet sinister world that makes you want to follow the game’s mysteries to the very end. While the combat is serviceable and the puzzles are passable, these are not the elements that will attract players to pick up the game; rather, it is the absurdity, humour, and sharp writing that will keep them exploring. While the PlayStation 5 port has a few crashes, Starseed has done a decent job of porting the game to modern consoles. While Jimmy and the Pulsating Mass is an imaginative experience filled with nightmares, its combat and grindiness hold it back from being a truly exceptional experience.

Nioh 3 feels weighed down by its own scope. There’s a lot of space, and not quite enough content to fill it all adequately. If Nioh as a series was going to move towards an open world, there definitely could have been a better balance between scope and content. This is a game that could have benefited had it traded at least one of the time periods for more unique yokai and more missions. If it had to be this big, the performance issues and eventual repetition indicate it needed a bit more heat and time in the crucible. That said, it does maintain ferocious, ruthless, fast-paced action combat, punctuated by blood-pumping compositions, and it has a generally competent story and world built around it. Just don’t expect it to excel in every dimension.

For RPGamers who like cuteness and low-stakes adventure, there is much to enjoy here. Each of the main areas of the game provides its own puzzles and mysteries to figure out, and discovering how best to approach the various creatures provides for fun adventures. The characters and story are strong points, and the decoration aspect is not to be ignored. Little Witch in the Woods is a game that knows its niche and fills it well.

While it wasn’t the game I had thought to spend much of my winter holiday pursuing, Pokémon Legends Z-A turned out to be a pleasant romp, a delightful return to a part of the game world I hadn’t seen in over a decade, and the chance to learn many new and interesting words in French. I shan’t be delving too deep into the post-game or DLC, so others may touch on those as they wish. All I may say is that this was, in the end, a very welcome Christmas present.

While it wasn’t the game I had thought to spend much of my winter holiday pursuing, Pokémon Legends Z-A turned out to be a pleasant romp, a delightful return to a part of the game world I hadn’t seen in over a decade, and the chance to learn many new and interesting words in French. I shan’t be delving too deep into the post-game or DLC, so others may touch on those as they wish. All I may say is that this was, in the end, a very welcome Christmas present.

Kingdoms of the Dump displays plenty of effort and ideas stemming from a unique premise. Combat tries something new, but ultimately feels like a complicated way of doing something routine, and the platforming bugs can irritate quickly. However, the heartwarming and remarkably designed party members and its world, with something new to see around every corner, make that irritation disappear quickly. Tone shifts between jokes that don’t always land and serious stakes of world altering proportions make the story feel too disjointed to be a win, but the passion is clear and there is still enough quaint charm to give this quirky title a worthwhile look.

It’s very pleasing to see Inazuma Eleven make its return in strong form. Level-5 has translated its gameplay onto PC and consoles well, while keeping the series’ nature and enduring charm intact, as well as ensuring that fans will have plenty to keep them occupied ahead of any potential sequel. There are still plenty of areas for improvement: the non-story modes struggle to find a gameplay loop that is particularly engaging, and there are times where more of a challenge would be welcomed. However, with a solid revival to build upon, here’s hoping it’s a much shorter wait before the next entry.

Tales of Xillia Remastered is another successful feather in the cap of the series’ 30th anniversary Remastered Project. While the game itself has some wrinkles in the story department, and visually the game shows its age, it is still filled with fun combat, wonderful characters, and one of the best antagonists in the whole series.

Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is a very solid first foray into the Metroidvania/action RPG space for developer Primal Game Studio. Combat is enjoyable and provides many options to tailor the experience to one’s personal taste, even offering some replayability for those wanting to try a wholly different character build. Combat is generally challenging, with a noticeable increase in difficulty coming from some late-game bosses, so this one is not for the casual crowd. A handful of drawbacks must be taken into account, such as a tendency for too many bosses to make palette-swapped repeat appearances, and the Switch port did exhibit some occasional lagginess when transitioning into menus as well as lengthy loading times between areas. But the quality of the gameplay, in addition to a considerable layer of polish in its presentation, easily make up for the occasional technical hiccup, producing a fine overall package that is well worthy of a place in its crowded niche.

Cairn: Mathair’s Curse is a game that’s well worth the time invested in it. While its gameplay might not push the boat out very far, it provides a solid foundation for an engaging storyline and entertaining setting. Heartfelt events, a good balance of zaniness and challenge, and a strong soundtrack ensure that those looking for another strong retro-styled RPG, or even just a fun RPG in general, are well catered for.

Cladun X3 has so many customization options that it is easy to get lost and difficult to find ways to get the full extent of their capabilities. This creates a lack of balance between dungeons, as players are forced to either flee to survive or too overpowered to matter. There’s more strategy and balance in the exciting boss fights, but they are too infrequent to save the fluctuating difficulty. As it is, loot hounds will be happy with the constantly evolving magic circles and equipment, but the unbalanced progression and uneven presentation will not do this quirky dungeon crawler any favours in finding more than a niche audience.

I found myself truly struggling with how I felt overall while playing The Lonesome Guild. On one hand, it’s a game with adorable characters who build their own bonds to push back a very real threat in the form of loneliness. It wears its heart on its sleeve, and while a lot of what happens in the story is fairly cliché, there’s also a warmth and kindness that cannot be understated and is truly the focal point of the game. On the other hand, the combat is uninspired, the dodge mechanic is fussy, the puzzles are often so poorly explained, and the rewards offered to the player have no real value in the grand scheme of things. The Lonesome Guild is a game that will find its audience through its visual appeal, but those wanting much deeper gameplay and story may be disappointed.

If there is anything that should be praised, it’s that Wander Stars is a great reminder that episodic RPGs are a fantastic, if rare, thing. At no point does the game outstay its welcome across its ten episodes, and the writing and characters do a wonderful job of bringing players back. The battle system is interesting, though it ultimately plays a bit too safe, which is a shame given how playful the idea of using one’s words is. There is a lot to enjoy in this tiny package, but the Switch’s performance issues hold it back from being excellent. That being said, Wander Stars is a very joyful game that, if a sequel were made and its issues ironed out, I would be on board to play in an instant.

Ultimately, Digimon Story: Time Stranger is a mixed bag. An excellent Digimon raising and customization system is held back by a shaky combat core, and the game’s interesting yet linear plotline is severely hampered by awkward voice acting and dialogue. There’s parts of the game that are enjoyable, but its flaws hold it back from being truly memorable.

The Great Villainess: Strategy of Lily can be rough going at times, and especially in the final act of the “Happy Ever After” path, but it’s also an entertaining adventure with plenty of strategic twists all the way through. It’s colorful in more than one sense, as well as modern in its themes and mechanics, and the overall package is cuter than the wrapping on a birthday pipe-bomb. It’s still just as explosive, though. RPGamers interested in giving more strategy-oriented titles a try will have some fun with this one.

Dungeons & Dragons Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition is an easy way to get into the franchise. Sadly, this version has few noteworthy new features and several bugs, making it not as good as one could have wished for. Nonetheless, it is great news that an iconic PC franchise is getting an enhanced version to reach more RPGamers. Neverwinter Nights 2: Enhanced Edition is a recommendation for those who love D&D, but they should expect some bumps along the ride.