Touken Ranbu Warriors doesn’t feel like a great showcase for either property. The characters are engaging enough, but it fails to make a case for diving deeper into the fight against a faceless HRA that seems to be causing havoc just because. Meanwhile, the simplified variation of Warriors gameplay doesn’t have enough depth or challenge to be at all compelling. The idea of getting the series together appeared to be a good one, but the execution simply cuts too much away.

Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World's biggest drawback is simply that it's a direct sequel to Tales of Symphonia. While this provides the game with a fairly large potential audience of fans, the story draws very heavily from the events of the first game, and while it's possible to pick up the pieces during the game, those who haven't played Tales of Symphonia will likely find themselves lost.

Overall, Hexyz Force is a safe effort, bringing barely anything new to the table, but it will be appealing for those who are not looking for something complicated, or those looking for a decent forty hour dual-story epic.

Eternights deserves some credit as it brings a lot of ideas to the table – perhaps too many. Players are tasked to manage party members, social relationships, a calendar, dungeon crawling, and more during the game’s short run time of less than a dozen hours. There’s a lot going on, most of it competently designed, but lacking that touch of finesse or technical flourish that oozes from the few series that serve as inspiration. The game wants to be a hot date, with some beautifully designed characters who are full of personality. Unfortunately, like those characters stuck on a train during the end of the world, Eternights is all dressed up with nowhere to go.

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.

Ultimately, Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia is a great follow-up to an already original blueprint.

Vandal Hearts is an affirmation that a small company without gobs of funds can take a game premise and turn it into a true treasure.

Featuring a good story with the incorporation of interesting new characters and a mystery to solve, Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- The Prophecy of the Throne has the components for an ejoyable game. However, the gaming elements are greatly lacking, and though some may be fine with just reading their way through it, those hoping for a more interactive experience will be sadly let down. Going through dialogues for hours without battling, solving mysteries, or having the freedom to explore just doesn’t live up to the billing as a tactical adventure. Fans of Re:ZERO and players who enjoy good stories and don’t mind having a passive role could give this game a chance, but shouldn’t get their hopes up too high.

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.

Citizens Unite! Earth and Space has largely been mentioned as two separate games. That is because both games are played entirely separate and, except for a bunch of side-quests added in with a few new characters and encounters, nothing has been changed to either game to make this content feel like it needs to be there. With no payoff to the game-hopping the release feels longer and is just a detriment to two otherwise average games. If neither game has been played before this is a handy collector’s pack but there is no real need to delve too deeply for returning players unless a collect everything attitude is undertaken. The games look nice, with vibrant character work and their own unique feel in combat and talents, but with minimal character growth to them beyond mere caricatures it feels more chore and bore, than bringing in an excite to unite.

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.

While notably simpler than The Ilvard Insurrection, Zwei: The Arges Adventure still manages to hold its own as a short, enjoyable RPG experience. Clocking in at just under twenty hours, the game is brief, but there are a number of optional dungeons for players who want to explore the world a bit further. Although its simpler story and combat keep it from matching last year's game, that's also what you would hope to expect from seven years of innovation and technology.

It's a shame that the battle system is as simplistic as it is, because the game has so much going for it, including a great plot twist, fantastic art direction and an ending that is a real tearjerker.

Lapis x Labyrinth is for those looking for some straightforward enjoyment. The swift progression through levels and missions, combined with a highly appreciable visual style and polish provides plenty of satisfaction. It won’t do much for those looking for a strong challenge or deep gameplay, but it succeeds in what it sets out to do.

With the game’s narrative failing to cash in on its dramatic tension, I just wanted to finally be freed from having to keep playing.

It hits all the right buttons that Grand Bazaar and Island of Happiness couldn't, and gives the player tons to do without ever feeling stale. Two Towns is polished, and shows that the Harvest Moon series can stay fresh when given a nice shell to work with. It provides endless hours of entertainment, and with there being so much content to explore, the time flies by.

One Way Heroics is not for everyone, but it's been one of the most accessible roguelikes I've played and that's because it's far from a traditional one. It's not a game where players are punished for dying, but one where it's a benefit to do so. Play sessions can be short, so even losses aren't a waste of time. It helps that on longer runs there are occasional save options mid-run, but even those are strategic in their use. It's a solid experience that might not be one people ever finish, but getting the first ending isn't too tough. The others will take learning and patience, but are doable over time. One Way Heroics is a good long-term experience, albeit one best played in sprints rather than as a single marathon.

Players who are in search for a satisfying first-person dungeon-crawling experience will find themselves at home with Vaporum: Lockdown. Surrounding a somewhat by-the-numbers story is an enjoyable combat system that keeps a constant sense of progression and multiple puzzles that will test anyone’s mettle, all immersed in a steampunk-inspired setting.

Undead Darlings: ~no cure for love~ tries to keep a lot of severed limbs in the air. The battle system shows promise but is compromised by balancing issues. The story indulges in tropes without necessarily elevating them. Fans of visual novels and zombie-anime moe comedies will be satisfied, while stricter dungeon-crawling enthusiasts may find much more satisfying treasure elsewhere.

Those who want to grow wiser and older should venture into this labyrinth filled with puzzles and varied enemies and face the dragon. With immersive visuals and a great battle system, an enjoyable journey is guaranteed. Though it may not reach the same atmospheric levels as Demon Souls or Bloodborne, action RPG fans would do well to give Chronos: Before the Ashes a chance to test their killing abilities.

At the end of the day, SaGa Emerald Beyond takes what worked in its predecessor and improves upon it, while bringing in touches of classic SaGa at the same time. The story provides a fun if surface-level romp through a variety of worlds. With many different main characters to choose from, there’s also a wealth of replayability. With one of the best and most engaging battle systems out there, even the most seasoned RPGamers will find their skills tested. SaGa Emerald Beyond is easily one of the best and most accessible SaGa games in series history.

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.

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.

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.

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

Vikings: Wolves of Midgard manages to provide some fun for those who know what they're getting into. Simple yet serviceable combat and a competent graphical presentation make for a game that is as easy to handle as it is to look at. Its multitude of extraneous features, however, fail to add much engaging and compelling to the mix; resource management and town-building, multiple skill trees, repeatable hunt maps, and a rage combat ability can all safely be ignored. Though it has a lengthy campaign and relatively low challenge, it never really manages to rise past the basic thrill of its combat, and will disappoint those looking for a deep, satisfying story or anything beyond the hack-and-slash loot-a-thon it is.

Crystar ends up as a bit of a mixed bag. The interesting ideas, story elements, and audio are let down by generally mediocre gameplay, which is particularly exacerbated when its most repetitive portion is forced upon players for very little story benefit. There’s enough about it that many will find plenty to enjoy, particularly on the narrative side of things, but there may not be too many streams of joyful tears.

While the online makes for a fun social outing, Dungeon Hunter: Alliance doesn't do enough to stand out in a crowd. With its uninspired gameplay, joke of a story, and its constant recycling of just about everything, it's barely worth the $13 price tag. There are better Diablo clones worth your buck, and this is simply not one of them.