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.

Simplicity is great, but if there had been more variety and a challenge, I do think Return to PopoloCrois could have been a real winner.

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.

Gamedec certainly doesn’t lack ambition. Its setting is well thought-out and provides a rich tapestry to fall back on when the player’s actual interactions with the world come up a little wanting. While its aesthetics are great, a bit more attention was needed in the audio department, as music is generally only adequate and there are entire sections devoid of music altogether. Voice-overs are likewise notably absent. The all-important investigations struggle to gel during the game’s first half, and while the narrative eventually picks up a bit more, it’s clear there were some missed opportunities here. Overall, Gamedec presents a rich world that would be worth revisiting again, though perhaps with an extra layer of polish needed for its narrative.

I was addicted to Boyfriend Dungeon for the two days I played it. While the game is not without flaws, I do wish that it had been longer. While having multiple flings in Verona Beach was a delightful romp, it always felt like there should have been more content than there was. However, I had so much fun playing this game, even when it became uncomfortable I still felt compelled to see where the story would go and how the characters would develop. Boyfriend Dungeon is the right kind of weird that keeps you wanting just one more dungeon run, even when it stalls out on you way too early.

The constant gratification of loot and bite-size gameplay chunks of Book of Demons make it inherently easy and gratifying to pick up and play — a good first step for this ambitious undertaking. But the game, though having a clean and perfectly adequate presentation, doesn’t do very much to put its best foot forward to wow the player presentation-wise, and the finger-numbing clicky gameplay might be just a bit too underwhelming for some to ride this train all the way to its final stop.

Despite some gripes, Born of Bread feels like a team of creative and talented designers were given free rein to design a world the way they wanted, even infusing it with genuinely hilarious comedic writing throughout. However, the limitations enacted by the combat system upon itself, i.e. being beholden to ally and enemy affinities without any way of adjusting them to fit the situation at hand, actively hamstring the game’s positive aspects. The QTE-style attacks make the whole thing a needlessly repetitive chore that undermines the joy found in the game’s world design and writing. Those with a love for all things Paper Mario surely won’t mind it, but everyone else will want to go into the experience prepared for what’s to come.

Capes starts off with an interesting superhero premise of a dystopian city that is controlled by the villains. At the start, the gameplay can be rewarding and engaging, while the characters are well voice-acted, and the game has some nice tactical gameplay until the mid-game. However, things don’t manage to carry through and the latter parts of the game leave much to be desired. Those looking for a new superhero strategy game will get some enjoyment out of Capes, but could easily find themselves hoping there was more to it.

Sunday Gold has a story that is set in an interesting world, but its focus on a singular plot point, while entertaining, makes other content feel disjointed. As a point-and-click adventure the game lacks stakes as everything can be completed with enough attempts. As a turn-based RPG the characters don’t get a lot of customization, and the most interesting parts of combat are how to avoid spending too much time in it, or dealing with an inventive negative state. However, the balance between both of these average experiences combine into an enjoyable experience that fills its fifteen to twenty hour runtime, but likely only for those actively looking to see the results of such an experiment.

Ultimately, GreedFall is another step forward for Spiders and is its strongest entry to date. Its previous releases may elicit some skepticism, but GreedFall, while not perfect, is a welcome addition to the gaming canon. It is a fine example of what smaller developers like Spiders can offer to complement the other experiences out there. Even with its faults, RPGamers should welcome GreedFall into their personal collections.

Inazuma Eleven 3 feels like a fitting end for this set of always absurd but highly entertaining footballing adventures. There still lots of fun, but it's a second case of more of the same without the same level of amusing craziness that the story of the second game compensated with, and it's hard to see where the series can build any further without some substantial overhaul.

Despite all of the areas that The Outer Worlds could do better, it is still an enjoyable experience. Companions and the relative density of the game make the day-to-day quests by and large engaging, while the inclusion of the DLC goes a long way to raising up the interest in the setting. However, outside of it there is little to recommend Halcyon as a place to explore, particularly as players get assaulted by familiar foes more than necessary. The Outer Worlds sets a solid, if unspectacular, base that has plenty of room to improve.

Despite some mechanics that didn't get the necessary fix they sorely needed, Yo-Kai Watch 2 definitely is stronger than its predecessor by leaps and bounds. While the recruitment system is still a sore spot, the wealth of content and freedom of exploration in Yo-Kai Watch 2 builds a much more solid foundation, making it a great sequel and a worthwhile purchase.

Star Ocean: The Last Hope's drawing power is really its battle system and little else. Despite a solid plot and strong item creation, the shoddy localization and terrible level design mar the experience beyond salvaging.

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.

Resonance of Fate probably won't be named game of the year or end up on a Greatest Hits list, but it is definitely one of the more enjoyable RPGs that I've played recently and should be taken into consideration the next time you need an RPG fix.

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.

The game is straightforward to get into and adds new aspects at an engaging pace without becoming bogged down in too much repetition. However, its lack of challenge will make it almost trivial and what depth is present likely won't be enough for dungeon-crawler veterans. Experience has them covered elsewhere though.

With Van Helsing's first set of adventures, Neocore Games seems to have hit its stride very quickly. These first steps are a strong start for a series of much promise, and RPGamers should find plenty of reasons to desire to return to Borgova in the near future and create yet more monster giblets.

Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin attempts to fuse the original’s sensibility into a fast-paced action RPG. For the most part, it is successful with intense action gameplay and beautiful music. Adjustable difficulty options and online co-op make the game accessible to a myriad of gamers without diminishing challenge or sacrificing replayability. It’s somewhat fitting that in this topsy-turvy action spin-off, the only thing that’s truly upside-down is the presentation of the original game’s story. Even as the narrative stumbles, the core gameplay is strong enough to motivate to see this story through to completion, no matter how chaotic.

Despite some of the game’s flaws, Bear and Breakfast is a game I didn’t know I needed in my life. It’s charming, funny, and an addictive experience. I struggled to pry myself away from it because I kept wanting to up the values of my properties and work through the quests. While some of the drawbacks are disappointing, there’s a lot to love about this game, as there are great rewards that will keep the player coming back. Bear and Breakfast is a wholesome game that will give you all the cozy vibes from start to finish.

The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet of Chaos has no fear of pointing out the absurdity within conventional fantastic stories while offering an enjoyable game with many possibilities that can invite players to have more than one playthrough. The battles and puzzles both offer a fun challenge, and the dungeon has plenty of rooms to explore. For those who enjoy constant satire, subverting expectations, and enchanting voice acting, there’s no better place to stop and use the toilet.

Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince offers a compelling return for the monster-collecting subseries. Deep monster mechanics, innovative fusion system, and engaging exploration with a seasonal twist offer a wealth of content for both newcomers and veterans alike. While the narrative slightly stumbles in its execution and the post-game content feels somewhat shallow, the core gameplay loop is undeniably fun and provides immense satisfaction for monster collectors. The Dark Prince serves as a welcome celebration of the Dragon Quest Monsters series’ 25th anniversary and is a strong recommendation for fans of the monster-collecting genre and any Dragon Quest fans.

It's a rough ride, but ultimately a fun one. FORCED is a twitchy thinker's punch-drunk romp that wears its scars with pride.

Those looking for a challenging experience with deliberate combat, engaging atmosphere and lore, and meaningful exploration full of rewards, will not be disappointed with this title.

For a first foray into a new type of action game, Steelrising is an okay attempt. The skeleton of a good game is there, but all of its aspects need various levels of tweaking to get the recipe just right. Some things like combat just need a fine tune to be more reactive and smoother. Others like the level design need a firmer foundation to allow for more engaging and palatable exploration. It’s far from the worst game and won’t eat up too much time, but it’s not the most solid entry into the genre.

For some it may be worth trying out, but there are many JRPGs on the DS right now that are more fun, more charming, more worth your time, and more likely to remind you of the good old days of being a young RPGamer.

There is fun to be had in Divinity II, especially in terms of exploration and customization. Unfortunately, the game's poorly plotted story and uneven difficulty will challenge the patience of most players, even those who enjoy parts of the game.