Far Cry 3 reaches for greatness, but falls short at merely being really fun. It has a few hiccups here and there and the story is very thin, but the exploration and combat really shine. It's a worthy addition to any collection.

At the end of the day, Dark Souls II uses more subtle changes to find its own flavor and place in the series as a whole, rather than reinventing the wheel.

Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age is the perfect starting point for those who are new to the series. Many small quality-of-life changes help streamline the experience for players, additional content and costumes create more flavor to the story, and the addition of the orchestral soundtrack bolsters the experience. It’s a shame that the Switch port wasn’t re-rendered to give S the same graphic prowess as the original game, but even with its noticeable downgrades, Dragon Quest XI S is well worth the time.

In the end, the game was great, and though there isn't much replayability, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story makes you want to play it over from the beginning again, just for the laughs alone.

If you've never had an opportunity to experience The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, now is the best chance to do so.

Shujinkou is a great cover letter in the history of Rice Games, putting the developer on the radar of RPGamers. The game pays a fair homage to several of its influences such as some Atlus entries and also brings some good new ideas to the table. Learning Japanese is optional, but even for casual players vaguely interested in learning, some words will linger on their minds, and the didactic approach is a great idea. Shujinkou has some flaws that can dismay some players, but the overall experience is great and makes one look forward to the next release of Rice Games.

While fans of Persona 3 can rest assured that they will find a thoroughly enjoyable experience in Persona 4, in many ways it feels like a move sideways for the series rather than a step forward.

Monster Hunter: World absolutely stands out as an astonishing, deep, compelling hunting experience that can keep most gamers entertained for dozens, if not hundreds, of hours. The aforementioned loop of "hunt, upgrade, repeat," works here better than ever before. Capcom has fine-tuned this series for over a decade, and their hard work pays off with this release. Some may have worried that with the recent release of Monster Hunter clones that others may have discovered ways to improve on this formula and take over the genre. Yet, Monster Hunter: World proves that Capcom is still king of this jungle. Long live the king!

Despite not everything going off without a hitch, and some systems sure to appeal more to certain kinds of gamers, Chicory’s emotional core is so strong, so impactful that it eclipses all other shortcomings and just leaves the player with an overwhelming feeling of pathos.

Overall, Sekiro is defined by its riveting, challenging, and ultimately highly rewarding gameplay. Stemming from simplicity but giving a wide variety of different combat options, few games come close to matching the exhilarating rush that Sekiro’s best moments provide. Exploring its atmospherically engrossing levels is a treat, from a visual, musical, and atmospheric standpoint. Even if exploration and character storylines are sometimes hampered by Dragonrot, repeatedly severing the immortality of bosses with brutal “Shinobi Executions” and discovering the ritual secrets of eternal life offers a captivating experience that stands out as one of FromSoftware’s best and most distinctive titles.

While not perfect, especially when it comes to combat in Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect Legendary Edition is still a gem. Most of the changes were put into Mass Effect 1, and the effort made it far more replayable than the original. Mass Effect 3 holds up the best of the three, proving that regardless of the controversial ending, it is still one of the best gaming experiences BioWare has made to date. Mass Effect 2 could’ve done with some more tweaking to bring it up to 3’s combat. Legendary Edition gives hope for the future of the franchise.

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn and all that has come after is one of the greatest success stories in the history of gaming, so much so that said success has become one of its greatest challenges. Though there is still much more to come from Final Fantasy XIV in the future, Endwalker is a magnificent cap on everything leading up to it and a fitting end to the story of Hydaelyn and Zodiark. The passion of the Final Fantasy XIV team and its desire to do the best that it can for the fanbase is clear, and it deserves every one of the plaudits that has come its way.

With its numerous mechanical improvements, ridiculous amount of content additions, and of course the simple ability to carry the game around with you, Persona 3, RPGamer's RPG of the Decade, is at its greatest in Persona 3 Portable.

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

While this expansion will certainly frustrate new hunters learning the ropes, it gives veterans nearly everything they craved for after finishing the original experience. Capcom continues to do what it does best in this series, improving upon prior efforts to refine these games for an even finer sheen. When it comes to games about hunting monsters, Monster Hunter World: Iceborne proves that this series is the apex predator.

If this is to be the last of the classic Dark Souls titles, then Dark Souls III is a great way to finish the trilogy.

The game is very hard, but not unfairly so; each time you die, you'll learn a bit more about the level, and you'll be able to progress a bit further. I was very surprised with what I found in Demon's Souls.

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.

Ultimately, Final Fantasy VII Remake can be considered a rousing success and sets up the Remake trilogy to great effect. There’s a huge amount to enjoy about the game, be it the exciting combat, impressive presentation, highly endearing cast, fascinating adjustments to the original tale, or detailed realisation of Midgar. If one hasn’t already dove into Final Fantasy VII Remake, the fine Nintendo Switch 2 release is an excellent opportunity to.

Perhaps the most affirming praise to offer Slay the Spire is that instead of writing about it, I would prefer to be playing it instead. The game has an addictive quality where all the little choices made can pay off in big ways down the road. The combat is straightforward enough for anyone to grasp while also offering incredible depth, and the simple act of deck-building is entertaining in and of itself. Where the game needs to exceed it does so by multiple degrees, more than enough to outweigh the minor quibbles it garners after hours of play. Any opportunity to even try the game should be greeted with enthusiastic expediency.

Already one of the prime RPG properties out there, Nintendo and Monolith Soft have somehow contrived to take Xenoblade Chronicles even higher. It’s clear that the studio has taken on board what has worked and what hasn’t from the previous titles, while still looking to inject fresh ideas. The great ambition of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is backed up with superb execution across the board as all of the elements work together to put players at the centre of another stunning experience.

Pokémon Pokopia is a worthy spin-off that breathes new life into the series. With a refreshing narrative and an incredibly engaging world, the game flourishes with its bold direction and diligent execution. It’s hard to believe that this is the series’ first foray into life simulation games because of how snugly the game fits. Between making sure my Pokémon residents are as happy as they can be and stopping to smell the roses, I have been too busy living my best Poké life to miss Pokémon battles.

Despite being an all-around improvement over the original Borderlands, Borderlands 2's biggest flaw is that it plays it safe.

While Fire Emblem: Three Houses isn’t a perfect game, it comes incredibly close to it. It quickly became my favourite Fire Emblem entry and is quite possibly my favourite TRPG of all time. After finishing the game, all I wanted to do was dive back in and take a different route. Coming from someone who doesn’t replay games, that by itself is a truly telling statement of how excellent the game is. With lovable characters, a deep combat system with great improvements, an interesting story and a beautiful presentation, there’s very little not to adore about this Switch title.

While my time with Stormblood started off slow, once I got into Doma and met the characters there, things really took hold for me. What initially seemed like a dull liberation story quickly grew into a full-on, worldwide revolution with characters worth caring about. While the party interactions never match up to what was offered in Heavensward, the world building, villain motivations, and general sense of purpose for the heroes quickly took center stage and never let up. The build-up was worth the trip, especially the final boss, and all of it left me excited to see what's next.

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

After sinking over fifty hours into Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth to get to the story’s end, the game is an easy recommendation. The story is over-the-top bananas in the best way possible, and the twists and turns are definitely gasp-worthy. The fresh faces do a great job cementing themselves as new favourites, and the addition of Hawaii makes for a great setting change. While there is some recycling of assets and the collision issues are still present, it doesn’t detract from the overall experience. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is addictive, campy, and a game to easily lose oneself in.

Child of Light's artistic appeal not only holds up, but it has the gameplay to back it up, making the world of Lemuria an unforgettable one.