Perhaps one day gamers outside Japan will be able to appreciate the full scope of this series, which takes time to develop pieces of its world in detail. Until then, at least the two Trails in the Sky games show how rewarding the series can be, and the upcoming Cold Steel shows that more is on the way for non-Japanese speakers.

For those who just want to spend plenty of hours going around showing other ships who's boss, Rebel Galaxy is an ideal proposition. However, those looking for anything particularly substantial in other aspects are unlikely to find much depth lying in wait. Considering the size of its development team, Double Damage Games has found a good, if nowhere near universal, amount of appeal.

While the game isn’t without flaws in terms of the level of recycling from the previous game, it still passes its charisma check without much effort.

Moco Moco Friends shines in a way that many games do not with its completely genuine approach to storytelling, and I loved it for that alone. While it may not be the most complex RPG I've played, it has a ton of heart, and sometimes that can go a long way.

At the end of the day, Legend of Legacy provides a satisfying experience, with plenty to explore, and lots of challenging combat to experience.

While not a revelatory experience that changed my life, the time spent with Stella Glow was fun most of the time.

The problem comes from the fact that this feels like more of the same, not a step forward. Fallout 4 doesn't break the same new ground Fallout 3 did with its jump to 3D, and its storytelling and intricacy of choice falls short of what New Vegas offered...Fallout 4 just feels safe, even when trying new things.

It's a shame that Tales of Zestiria didn't come together better, because the core of the game is easily the best the series has ever produced. Players looking for great combat won't be disappointed, but the disappointing story, tedious equipment system, and a number of other minor irritations all conspire to bring the whole experience down.

If I am being frank, I was expecting a fan-servicey mess from Dragon Quest Heroes. What I got instead was a game that borrowed the Dysnasty Warriors formula and transformed it into something that is distinctively Dragon Quest in so many ways.

LBX: Little Battlers eXperience is generally a fun game, but has a fair share of missed potential.

At first I was enraged when I started to get killed all the time. Then I figured out how to just grind, and the game became easy again until the final boss demanded further statistic embellishment to take down. Now that I have experienced the entirety of a Kemco title, I too understand why this constantly-reviled publisher gets so much flak. Maybe other games under the Kemco banner are better: it wouldn't be hard.

At the end of the day, Re: Hollow Fragment is lazy in every sense of the word, and just isn't worth the dollars that Bandai Namco is asking for.

Undertale is a delightful, heartfelt game.

Etrian Untold 2 delivers the same kind of experience the first Etrian Untold did, but with further refinement.

For all of its small charms on the screen, the play of the game is an exercise in bashing one's head on a wall of monsters in the hopes that the random number gods smile upon the player and allow passage. And the reward for that is only to repeat the process again until the shallow and unsatisfying conclusion is reached.

In the end, I had a great time with Grandia II. Though there are some issues, the gameplay is such that these are much more easily forgiven than they otherwise might've been. Those who have yet to check out the game have a prime opportunity to enjoy its excellent combat system with the Anniversary Edition.

Regardless of which starting boon is selected, and which quests are solved differently the second time around, replaying Artifact Adventure doesn't address the repetitive combat or flatness of the characters.

Evoland 2 came up with a good way of integrating its graphical changes into the narrative, and succeeds at being a full-fledged game that shifts between the eras of RPGs.

Gamers who appreciate DRAGON: A Game about a Dragon's visuals will probably appreciate its humorous writing and gentle exploration while forgiving its brevity and roughness.

At present, Celestian Tales: Old North is a bit of an odd bag, feeling more like a prologue to something bigger than a full title standing on its own.

This game is for those who love constant story beats, and don't mind a ton of it.

All in all, Lost Dimension is a fun and worthwhile experience. Despite the finale lacking punch, the story and premise are on the whole very interesting and ably supported by an engaging and enjoyable battle system. It's just a bit of a disappointment after the fascinating setup that the game doesn't quite seem to have enough behind it to get that one final push towards greatness.

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn will probably go down in history as one of the greatest comeback successes in video game history, so it's great to see it followed up with such an ambitious and exciting first expansion.

Pillars is a title that should make old-schoolers happy while still offering a solid core game, story, and a rich setting for new-schoolers.

I had paid no attention to Swords and Darkness prior to downloading it and starting the adventure. By the time I was done, all the repetitive thumping of the Y button I had done was starting to take a toll of my hand, and the anticlimax at the conclusion was a relief because it meant the game was over.

Xenoblade Chronicles is a phenomenal RPG that hasn't been given the most extensive port that one would hope for, but is still impressive for being scaled down to a handheld.

I felt no real desire to spend any more time in Lord of Magna, and will likely forget most of what I experienced in a few months. While it's not quite at the level to warrant George Carlin's famous comparison to the act of viewing a golf game, getting anywhere near that area is not an accomplishment a developer should ever want.

The Awakened Fate Ultimatum draws heavily on tired anime humor and noodling about transcending one's fate. Perhaps a smack with a cake pan or a high-intensity training montage would have fuelled its own will to power.

It's difficult to recommend this particular title to newcomers in the series — they would be best served jumping in with an earlier entry — but easy to recommend the series as a whole.

Last Word is a game I would recommend to try out even just for novelty purposes; it's certainly an interesting enough experience to while away an afternoon or evening.

This is not the sort of game that can easily be recommended to a mass audience, but for a certain group of players it definitely delivers an experience worth having.

At the ten dollar price tag, Excave II is highway robbery. There's just nothing here for RPGamers that they haven't seen and/or experienced in a better form.

WFF is not particularly long, but a comedy beat'em up that's asset, as it doesn't have time to outwear its welcome.

Chroma Squad is a very enjoyable love-letter to tokusatsu series. Things are by no means perfect; it's easy to see the gameplay falling a bit flat when taken on its own without the oodles of fun that comes in the story, premise, visuals, and audio. However, those who grew up watching Power Rangers and its ilk will greatly appreciate this opportunity to relive the memories and have a small hand in the creation their own version.

Neptunia U is an oddball — it's a solid game that excels in some aspects, but is equally forgettable.

Sunless Sea is a unique experience that few fans of careful planning and literary cannibalism should ignore. Proponents of Fallen London's dark sensibilities and chilling, lore-rich writing will more than forgive its few mechanical trespasses; however, even less patient gamers may want to peek in to experience the sights and sounds of the zee.

Story of Seasons is a great game to relax with, and ultimately I adored my time with it. For fans of the series, this installment will not disappoint, and for newcomers, it offers aa terrific entry point with a ton of ease. There's so much to discover, create and customize in Story of Seasons that it's easy to lose track of time. It really is just that much fun.

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Surivor 2 Record Breaker is a worthy follow-up to the original and is a terrific example of a well-made enhanced port, something Atlus has shown time and again that they are experts at.

The difficulty scales well, so it works both as a single-serving distraction and as an extended campaign to unlock all of the secrets.

Ys fans have probably already investigated this rendition, but newcomers to the series might find it an appealing entry point since its controls are more like those of other action RPGs.

By bringing in a new cast with Inazuma Eleven GO, Level-5 gave the series a much needed freshness, with Chrono Stones carrying on well despite its slow start.

By bringing in a new cast with Inazuma Eleven GO, Level-5 gave the series a much needed freshness, with Chrono Stones carrying on well despite its slow start.

Bloodborne is complete, distinct, and excellent.

As said at the start, Omega Quintet is a game with appeal to fans of previous Compile Heart games, but is highly unlikely to get many more on board. The battles and exploration are decent, but are completely overshadowed by familiar issues with the rest of the game. There are other titles from the company with more widespread appeal and less aggravating design decisions.

The battles are addictively fun with deep tactics, challenging gameplay, and imaginative maps and objects. S.T.E.A.M. does lack somewhat with its story and characterization, but its strong combat makes up for it, and the game's aesthetics suit its decidedly absurd premise.

A strategy RPG seems like a perfect fit for the Neptunia series, and this largely ends up being true. A fun battle system combined with a large and diverse set of characters to choose from makes for a good deal of fun.

Bastion is an enticing experience, and one worthy of every accolade that it has received.

Toukiden Kiwami is easily a superior product to its predecessor. The new content is more than substantial enough for fans of the first game to find the new release worthwhile, although it won't change the minds of those who weren't sold originally.

Roguelike mechanics are not a turn-on for me in most instances, and after finishing this I fervently hope not to deal with trap-laden dungeons again for a very long time. It's some kind of testament to Etrian Mystery that I was able to finish it, but not without many irrational bursts of rage at its mechanics.

I adored my time with Atelier Shallie, though I feel a bit let down that the story didn't have as much closure as I was hoping. Still it's easy to get swept up in the world, characters, systems, and combat.

While Final Fantasy Type-0 has a lot of problems, the game's focus on gameplay really works as that's its biggest strength.

It provides a very enjoyable, if short, experience and offers the potential base for a good series if Arc System Works wants to take it to the next level.

While Adventure Bar Story does have some rather large shortcomings, I cannot deny the amount of hours I sunk into the game, and the enjoyment it gave me.

As the basic framework of a game, it serves adequately, but that's about the most praise possible.

However, this is a game that will have great appeal to those who appreciate a decent, unimposing visual-novel style story and enjoy seeing new takes on tactical gameplay. Those looking for a series of entertaining tales and a different type of strategy to that commonly seen in RPGs will do well to check the game out.

Veterans will still find the Terminian challenge they know and love, but new players should no longer feel daunted by the game's expectations.

At the end of the day, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is a brilliant experience that no fan of RPGs should pass up.

I had fun for a little while with Excave, but frustration at its many unpleasant aspects was a constant feeling later on.

While this feels considerably inferior to the PlayStation 3 version, and it's still worth checking out if you missed it the first time around.

Criminal Girls quite ably eats up a good few hours early on, but simply fails to provide enough of a lasting experience to recommend. There are some interesting aspects, and it helps cater to a niche, but it's hard to find any area in the gameplay where things haven't been done considerably better elsewhere.

Far Cry 4 takes the best bits of Far Cry 3, puts a new spin on them and drops its troubling racial politics and constrained mission design. The story and characters a bit more lightweight, but the core remains the same. Overall, this is a leaner, meaner Ubi-style open world experience and the best iteration on the franchise.

Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth2: Sisters Generation proves to be a solid port on the Vita, one that may even be technically superior to the PS3 rendition.

This re-release is simple, but it works. The gameplay is straightforward and that makes for an easy transition to iOS.

The most painful aspect of Pocket RPG is the fact that the developers were clearly onto something with this game's design.

Citizens of Earth could have been a modern classic, but a few questionable design choices sadly hold it back.

LISA is grotesque in the classical sense: revelling in humanity's warts, viscera, and puffing orifices to better explore its failings. People are a collection of blood-filled sacks and floppy limbs, one second away from being stretched out and twisted like so much skin-taffy. In other words, viewer discretion is advised. This is an uncomfortable game, but worth the chance.

This game will not appeal to everyone, but those who wants a different take on a simulator game that strays into RPG territory may wish to start their own Life in Reveria.

If forced to choose between Seasons Of The Wolf and its predecessor, then Loren The Amazon Princess would get the nod purely for its more rewarding overall storyline and larger set of intriguing characters. However, Seasons Of The Wolf provides a decent follow-up, and those who have enjoyed Winter Wolves' previous excursions or other visual novels should find it well worth the fifteen to twenty hours it takes to get through.

It still has all the charm of Adventure Time, and borrows the best aspects of A Link to the Past to make for a great homage. It definitely has its problems, and the game varies in quality in some parts, but it attempts to be a love letter to a game that many cherish, and it succeeds in that accomplishment.

Aside from dropping the popular Friend Safari, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire bring all the improvements and features from X/Y to the world of Ruby/Sapphire as expected. The presentation has minor issues, mechanics retained from Ruby/Sapphire are still not fun, and the diminished difficulty and lack of any draw for newcomers make this a less appealing game than X/Y for those who are picky about which Pokémon titles they play.

Strategy RPGs and visual novels seem like a suitable match given the history of great stories in this sub-genre. A fine union may still be possible, but Tears to Tiara II is certainly not it, and not because of a lackluster story.

This was supposed to be the first entry into an episodic game, but there are currently no announced continuations, and it is doubtful any who played this game are eager for more.

Although Destiny isn't the brilliant start to a franchise that many had hoped for, it's a great game for those who can push through its flaws and enjoy the ride.

While not the best title in the 3DS RPG library, it's nevertheless quite good.

Dragon Age: Inquisition starts off as a good game and keeps getting better as it goes along. This doesn't mean the early parts are insufferable, but instead shows how the game continues to build and develop throughout its entirety.

If you're a fan of this style of game and have played the best recent releases, look behind you. Because that's where Wasteland 2 is going to be.

Despite having some areas that need improvement, Freedom Wars is very easy to sink many hours into and is a thoroughly engaging handheld experience all-round. Complaints that the Vita has very few great games of interest have rightfully been met with scorn, and Freedom Wars is a strong addition to the system's library.

While it isn't a monumental triumph like the last couple of main-series Tales games we've received, Tales of Hearts R is still an enjoyable, if somewhat unimpressive, entry to the Tales franchise, one that's more than welcome in the wake of the incredibly disappointing Tales of Xillia 2.

Ar Nosurge is an interesting game that suffers from a lack of tender love and care on the localizer's part.

Like Borderlands 2, The Pre-Sequel often feels like a fairly safe sequel, but the gimmicks Gearbox chose to use this time around actually worked surprisingly well, far better than I had originally anticipated.

Those with a more retro mindset will find some enjoyment, but are also likely to discover that not everything trying to evoke the best of a former era does it successfully.

Knights of Pen and Paper is a sweet little throwback to the days of pen and paper gaming, but its simple approach may not be enough to entice every RPGamer. Yes, the combat is simplistic, but it's fast and easy to roll with.

Dragonfall is worth any RPG fan's time and $15 unless, I don't know, they don't like cyberpunk, dragons, or exceptional tactical combat.

Even if you're desperate for a PC game to play with friends, it'll take a major content patch or expansion for this to be a worthy experience, much less live up to its name.

Fairy Fencer F is an enjoyable way to spend the roughly twenty-five hours it takes to complete.

As it stands though, it is a fascinating strategy RPG that anyone who loves strategy RPGs needs to play.

Perhaps in a different world, Tales of Xillia 2 could have been the proper sequel that Tales fans wanted, one that more thoroughly explored the Elympios half of the world which was mostly glossed over in the first game. Instead, we got a game in which players collect cats and pay off their medical bills.

This gets the job done for those who desperately need a new tactical experience and can't find anything else to play, but it's a hard recommendation to make even so.

I didn't love this game with every fiber of my being, but I certainly had a good time throughout, which is more than I can say for some titles.

Helen's Mysterious Castle is easy to recommend for those who love a challenge and are willing to work hard for their rewards, and with such a low price of admission, it's worth checking out.

While there's some good fun to be had from the gameplay, the localisation and narrative issues make Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment a difficult recommendation.

All in all, Demon Gaze is a decent experience. It streamlines Wizardry-likes and provides a much more palatable experience.

It looks, runs, and plays fine with the main downsides being the story and script and anything related to them. The problem is that everything Risen 3 does decently has already been done better. It's Assassin's Creed IV without the assassin mechanics or ship battles.

Rogue Legacy is triumphant in creating an accessible roguelike that anyone can pick up and play, and it does this almost effortlessly.

It's hard to find any reason to place Sacred 3 above the majority of action RPGs released recently. It doesn't do anything particularly well, with every aspect having been done considerably better elsewhere. Fans of the first two games in the series will likely prefer to pretend this never happened.

It's not as modern as Dragon Age: Origins, but it's worlds ahead of Baldur's Gate II.

Unrest aims high and doesn't quite live up to its hype.

Even as a compilation of the iOS content, Squids Odyssey ends with a 'to be continued' notification because the story is far from concluded, though developer The Game Bakers is unlikely to wait long for further updates. I feel like I got my fill of calamari with what I've already had though. Unless future installments receive a great deal of fine-tuning, my time with squid does not need extension.