I had high hopes for a lot of the new ideas being introduced, but sadly Atelier Firis breaks my heart in a lot of ways. As someone who loves to get lost in big open worlds, I struggled to enjoy this installment with the same intensity that I've had for the Atelier series over the years. Firis feels like a larger step backwards than Sophie did, and I can only hope that the third game in the Mysterious subseries will fix the blemishes, because there are some great ideas here that just needed smarter execution and more polish.

Although it won't go down as an especially memorable title, there's a lot of fun to be had with Fire Emblem Warriors. The interesting usage of all the aspects from the tactical RPG series certainly added to some freshness to the standard Musou formula, and it was great to see a lot of the characters given the high-definition treatment and the interactions between them are sure to please a lot of fans.

Potion Permit is the kind of game that could be fantastic, if it wasn’t currently plagued with numerous bugs. For those willing to commit the fifteen to twenty hours to enjoy the content despite the mountain of technical issues, or those willing to wait for a few patches to iron out the current issues, there’s a quaint title waiting to be explored. Underneath the teleportation issues, combat problems, dialog flubs, incorrect quest text, and soft locks is a game that has managed to capture the ephemeral fun factor of a slice-of-life game, with enough RPG mechanics to keep it interesting while not overstaying its welcome.

Considering the multitude of Dynasty Warriors-type games out there, Fate/EXTELLA LINK manages to stand out from the crowd with its refined and addicting gameplay and combat. Fan of Musou titles or the Fate series should find plenty of satisfaction with this. Completing every stage of the game’s main story takes about fifteen hours, yet players can spend much more time completing the side missions, unlocking the costumes, and increasing their bond levels with Servants. The game does get repetitive fast, but the fast-paced action and short missions are enough to keep players thoroughly entertained, especially in short bursts.

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.

Most RPGs are meant to be played steadily, but Puzzle Quest 2 is most assuredly not the sort of game to be played at length. In short bursts separated from each other by lengthy periods spent doing something else, the mechanics remain entertaining.

The repetitive gameplay cycle, taken to its extreme by asking the player to clear the game a total of five times before the true ending is even unlocked, won’t win everybody over. But fans of the genre should find the game more than worth checking out, provided they know what they’re getting into.

Ultimately, the success of Dungeon Defenders: Awakened can’t be fully determined at this point in time, and there’s a feeling that the console releases may be where the game gets an opportunity to shine, away from the ready comparisons to its predecessors. It’s certainly highly enjoyable and there’s an excellent base for it to build upon, but it remains to be seen how well it manages to build upon its current content and keep players coming back for more.

It's possible to complete version 1.3-chili of The Real Texas in just under 20 hours--longer for fans of classical music and optional quests.

Ultimately, Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth emphasizes gameplay at the expense of story and bows out a touch too early. An abundance of weapons, abilities, and playstyles combine with a dazzling audio and visual presentation, producing a challenging, fair, yet brief experience that is sure to please both Record of Lodoss War and Metroidvania fans alike.

For those who were disappointed by the previous Harvest Moon offerings on the PlayStation Portable, this one is sure to delight, though it's not without a few flaws.

For those looking for an investigative adventure, The Council is worth checking out. It makes good use of its setting to create the initial intrigue, even if it veers away from it a bit too much at the end. The use of RPG and skill elements gives players a sense of progress as Louis learns more about the situation and becomes more adept at dealing with the other characters. While not all-powerful, The Council certainly has some interesting things to say.

Silent Hope is an adorable romp through some dungeons. There are some detractions with the Princess trying her hardest to chat the player’s ear off as they try to navigate the frustrating menus in the base camp. But, each dive into the Abyss feels fun. Customizing the characters, obtaining more loot and punishing the too cute enemies is addicting. Many players should be happy to dive in to the Abyss and hit those adorable critters even if they might want to leave the Princess on mute.

While Harvestella’s combat is certainly not the strongest, its supporting elements provide such a strong base and structure that the game still readily rises up above the large crowd of titles released this year. Harvestella somehow manages to pull off some highly ambitious storytelling, accompanying with it a highly satisfying gameplay loop that is hard to put down. The game has a much stronger and widespread appeal than many may have been lead to believe heading into its release, and is an easy recommendation.

One Piece Odyssey is a blatantly predictable and run-of-the-mill experience. While it may seem obvious that an anime game is targeted to an audience familiar with it, one may wonder why to waste an opportunity to make it more democratic and attract new fans. The tweaks to the classic turn-based battle structure are welcome but fall short due to the game’s unchallenging difficulty and easy-to-break equipment system. Die-hard One Piece fans will be able to appreciate the game as an interactive reminiscence of its arcs with minor redesigns. Yet, those looking for a bold and unique game may need to look elsewhere.

Coromon is a vintage monster-catching game with a retro art style. It has no shame in making clear its source of inspiration, but at the cost of lacking relevant new ideas. Nevertheless, exploring this world as well as catching and training monsters is definitely worth the 30-hour journey. It’s an easy recommendation for those who are eager to play a traditional monster-taming RPG.

In the end, Luminous Arc 2 has a strong mechanical backing and some silly moments, but its story fails to deliver.

If it isn’t already clear enough by this point, Atelier Resleria is an excellent RPG. From battle system to alchemy to multiple other subsystems, everything seemed superbly planned and polished. No previous experience with the Atelier series is necessary to enjoy all this game has to offer, but returning fans will receive plenty of nostalgic dopamine hits. This is a game that shows how a familiar series can be both welcoming to newcomers and deeply rewarding for long-time fans. The developers have successfully crafted a title that honors its legacy while forging a new, promising path forward.

Provided the rest of the game keeps up with its strong opening, Phantom Doctrine is very well set up to be one of this year’s pleasant surprises and one that strategy fans be will happy to sink many hours into throughout multiple campaigns.

In two highly competitive genres, this crossbreed may go unnoticed, but its difficulty system should be taken into account. It’s advisable to embark on the campaign of this shooting RPG since Outriders offers tons of hours of fun, invites players to play with friends, and has appealing visuals. Fans of both RPGs and shooters can get a lot out of it, but they shouldn’t expect a revolutionary game, for it is a mixed bag of interesting features and cliches. Even though the journey is enjoyable, Outriders is neither a strong contender in the RPG elite nor in the shooting universe.

It's cast from a different mould than that of Xenoblade and The Last Story, and while it may not reach the same level as its contemporaries, those looking for a decent adventure should find plenty to like.

Death end re;Quest is one of those games wherein I wavered as I played through it. The story was engaging overall despite my issues with the game’s use of violence for shock value, the unnecessary fanservice, and a combat system that made parts of the game a chore to play. The Switch port is also probably not the ideal way to play the game due to the poor optimization though it is serviceable if players can’t access it on either the PS4 or PC. Despite the issues, I would have a hard time denying that I was compelled by the experience more often than not. If asked whether I like the game or not, my answer is yes…but not without some serious caveats.

Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered brings all the non-linearity of the franchise with some welcoming quality-of-life additions. The combat’s brutality will present a challenge even to hardened veterans and will be merciless to those who are just strolling by. The game isn’t for everyone; it requires both time and patience to learn how everything ticks. However, those willing to engage in the game, particularly across multiple playthroughs, can find a title packed with nuances and peculiarities that still stand the test of time.

Despite these technical flaws, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate stands out amongst the sea of TMNT games. Sure, it might at times seem like a Turtles-skinned Hades clone, but the roguelike aspect gels quite well with the franchise. The game doesn’t reinvent things, and its appeal may be limited to fans of the series or roguelikes. Yet for those who are drawn to the gameplay loop, there is an addictive experience here. The turtles might be stuck in a time loop, but Splintered Fate’s smooth combat, availability of multiple playstyles, and snappy presentation make sure it’s an entertaining, if somewhat bumpy, ride.

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.

The stars never fully aligned for Dread Delusion but it’s still an admirable effort. The world is intriguing, the dialogue surprisingly funny, and the sights something to behold. It’s also an adventurers dream, as the best parts of the game are seeing something new and bee-lining for it only to stumble across something else in the process. The game may end up a little too soft and mushy to wholly come together, but its ease can allow for a wider audience to come check out just how zany everything else is.

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.

At twenty-some hours to completion, Children of Zodiarcs can feel like a long row to hoe. The weight of the story drags it down a bit, as it increasingly becomes obvious that the only character who isn't fundamentally broken in some fashion is the weird foreign kid who only appears in the side story. Everyone else is a bundle of neurotic fears and psychotic motivations, shaken hard and unleashed on an unsuspecting narrative. But negatives for characters aren't always negatives for the game as a whole, and Zodiarcs puts it all together well. It's a good game, and I'm glad to have finished it, but I cannot stop wondering if certain points weren't actually branching paths or plot flags in disguise, if there weren't some way to eke out a happier ending from it all. That may be wishful thinking on my part, but it's a small hope nonetheles. In a city as messed up as Torus, we need all the hope we can get.