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.

Ys Origin is a great gateway into the Ys series, as well as another high-quality entry for those who are already sold on the series. Its streamlined approach offers a perfect combination of being able to showcase what Ys is all about without demanding too much of time commitment. Those looking for an engaging experience of combat and exploration should check it out.

Rain-Slick 3 is a terrific little indie RPG, and hopefully the launching point for something much bigger from Zeboyd in the future.

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

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.

Not since Tales of Symphonia have I played a Tales game that's felt as whole as Tales of Graces f. It is an engaging, enjoyable, and lengthy game, easily lasting as long as sixty hours. The "Legacies and Lineage" post-game story can add even more time. Tales of Graces f unquestionably stands apart as one of the best games in the series, and as one of the best JRPGs to grace modern consoles yet.

Harvest Moon: Sunshine Islands can take anywhere between forty to one hundred hours to complete, and the difficulty of the game depends on the pace players take. In this particular title, with the right requirements and criteria while performing tasks, Sunshine Islands can be a very rewarding game to fans of the series.

For those who missed The World Ends with You originally, the Nintendo Switch version is a great way to see what all the fuss was about. Its gameplay, style, characters, and story are still perfectly fresh even ten years following its original release. Meanwhile, those wanting to try it again will find plenty to like about its adjusted gameplay and particularly some of the new ideas brought about in A New Day. The new conclusion doesn’t offer the answers to story questions that existing fans will have, but if Final Remix provides the success the game deserves, perhaps those answers will come.

Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2 is great, not just for fans of catch-em-all games, but also for anyone enamored with the Dragon Quest series.

Despite a few places where the retro chic gets a bit too retro, 3D Dot Game Heroes is a terrific example of how to make old new again.

Of the three games so far in the series, Bravely Default II quickly became my favourite. Despite the sharp disparity in boss difficulty compared to random encounters, it was easy to get into a rhythm of moving from area to area, conquering foes and acquiring new jobs, then grinding to unlock all the new abilities available. The story, while predictable, is still solid with an excellent feeling for both irreverent and serious moments. I often hummed along to the game’s many songs, and I can clearly picture the game’s various regions and the little ditties that went along with each biome. With an all-new cast, it’s also the most approachable, and comes highly recommended. Though the game can be completed at a much faster pace than I managed, my nearly 80 hours with the game are ones I have no regrets spending. For those looking for a throwback JRPG with heart and an addictive combat system with the ability to blend together job combinations, there’s nowhere else to turn.

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.

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.

There’s plenty to enjoy from balancing the equipment of Backpack Hero. Like fitting everything into a suitcase, figuring out where everything slots in can be very satisfying. However, there are plenty of rough edges. The story mode falls flat fast and the presentation fades quickly into the background. The gameplay loop is so richly varied that finding new ways to break the game with a build is always entertaining, it is just a shame that the presentation surrounding this gameplay is so lackluster.

Demonschool has a methodical pacing to it from story to combat that largely works in its favour. There are moments where the story drags out simply to match its established weekly formula, but the charming characters and thoughtful combat more than make up for that shortcoming. It is easy to appreciate the impressive amount of ways that its innovative combat system uses something as novel as strategic positioning. The level of thought and care put into the presentation and gameplay experience in this ambitious title is rewarded in spades for anyone that enjoys an entertaining romp into a strategic campy horror experience.

While I loved Dragon Quest Heroes back in 2015, Dragon Quest Heroes II is a very safe sequel that doesn't add much to a stale formula. While this is a good sequel, it definitely has its moments where it could have ended much earlier than it did. Musou and Dragon Quest enthusiasts, of which I am both, will be easily sold on this game. Still, part of me feels that if this game had been a tad shorter and more cohesive, I would have loved it as much as the first.

Where you fall on Souldiers probably depends on whether you were an early adopter. Technical issues appearing at launch were considerable, but have now largely been addressed. Those just coming to the game now, or those willing to return for a second attempt, will find a title as superbly high-quality as it is challenging. However, with great challenge comes great satisfaction, and the journey along the way is just so memorable; there were times I could literally not put the controller down, even after hours of playing. The ending does promise a sequel, and I, for one, am extremely excited about what this talented team can provide in a sophomore outing with the lessons learned here.

Overall, Black Myth: Wukong is a good game. Developer Game Science delivered on its promise of high-quality graphics, though some of its greatness was lost on the PlayStation 5. The action gameplay is entertaining and easy to learn, but despite its clever attempts to innovate, it still feels repetitive after dozens of hours. Crafty players can alternate builds to modulate and refresh their battle experience, but it’s only a temporary solution.

Trials of Mana is colorful, quirky, familiar, and a lot of fun. It is a blueprint for how an older RPG can be remade in a way that keeps the charm and working parts of the original but upgrades it so that it is graphically appealing to a modern audience. The game is unapologetically retro in its story and progression. This works as its best quality and greatest detriment. The handholding for the first eight-or-so hours makes for a less interesting experience, especially considering that makes for roughly a third of the entire game. However, even with that early dip in excitement, Trials of Mana is a thoroughly worthwhile game.

So while Half-Minute Hero Super Mega Neo Climax offers some new features, they don't make for a brand new experience. That said, the Hero 30 mode, which is the heart of the game, is still in place and as great as ever.

Both fans of Star Wars and RPGamers will find many likable features in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, from the way each character feels fleshed out to how the dialogue choices impact the destiny of the galaxy. However, in its current state, the game is barely recommendable since crashes will be present constantly. Some polish would greatly benefit the game, and with the announcement of a remake of the first entry, it is inevitable to wonder if this one will get the same treatment. I hope it does because most of the issues with the game can be addressed and the outcome could be an outstanding game instead of an average one.

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.

Whether you're a fan of the series or not, you will very likely enjoy the story of Suikoden Tierkreis and have a blast playing it, if you can get past its flaws. This is the type of game that could have been so much better had Konami put more effort into it, but that doesn't stop it from being a great DS RPG.

The story may take awhile to get truly interesting, but the early portion is not unappealing, and the rest of the game is quite worthwhile.

Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg offers a refined version of a twenty-five-year-old item-crafting simulator RPG. The game is short and sweet, finishing in around 10 hours with an endless mode option allowing for an expanded runtime with Marie and her companions, ending when the player decides. The game does not attempt to retrofit the title with features from more recent entries; rather, it focuses on presenting a version of the game that matches modern sensibilities while still retaining the core gameplay from 1997. The end result is a short and charmingly dated experience. This refresher course on the game that started a decades-long series may not be sitting at the top of the class, but it still earns high marks. For a student like Marie, that’s a perfect recipe.

Knights is something completely unique and as such has a learning curve. But, once the game is understood, it only gets better and better.

Mortal Shell may be a modest product, but it surprised at nearly every turn with regularity. The lack of variety in the environments, weapons, and classes are more than made up by never overstaying its welcome. Whenever it feels as though its about to become stale, players will stumble across something new to try out. The lack of depth isn’t too much of a detriment as the game is short enough to ever feel tired. Better yet, what is there is good, a foundation with easy room to be expanded upon and a strong demonstration of Cold Symmetry’s understanding of core concepts that are the strength of the genre. Mortal Shell is a exemplary use of limited resources to make a tight, fun game, even if it only takes a weekend to beat.

The game has a high degree of armor customization. The player could have a giant fish weapon, or even have a pair of devil horns and a bright red suit. Being able to fly and attack at the same time is unique and very entertaining in Aion. Those who do not like PvP should steer clear since a large part of the story is protecting your land from the opposing faction, but PvP lovers owe it to themselves to check this game out.