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.

As long as you don't judge the game on its beginning, Final Fantasy XIII is a game worthy of the series, and a terrific game in its own right.

Chrono Trigger DS truly stands the test of time. From the distinct 2D visuals, to the wonderful score, to the singular characters, to the unique take on a well-known battle system, everything was done exquisitely in the 90s, and it is all there and just as fun today.

While those looking for a deep, story-heavy RPG might find Octopath Traveler lacking, the game is a hugely enjoyable modern take on traditional turn-based games of yesteryear with a collection of short story, rather than novel-length, narratives. The graphics represent the pinnacle of pixel art and the score is amazing. This game was pretty much a system-seller for me and well worth every penny and hour spent with it.

I was blindsided by how much I enjoyed Disco Elysium. Developer ZA/UM succeeded in making a game where progress isn’t tied to the defeat of, say, four hundred rats in a sewer, but to thoughtfully engaging with the world and characters it has to offer. It presents a reactive and messy world, occupied by people with needs, desires, and prejudices rather than NPCs with repetitive sage advice. There is a certain emptiness to the game, a sense that despite all efforts there is no fixing the underlying problems that plague the inhabitants of Revachol. The poor are still poor, union leaders fight for better pay, scabs take their jobs, and the rich businessman on top takes advantage of all of them. But dig deep enough and you’ll find some hope there, too.

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.

Xenoblade Chronicles is a phenomenal RPG that hasn't been given the most extensive port that one would hope for, but is still impressive for being scaled down to a handheld.

Monster Hunter Wilds is a truly extraordinary game and a masterpiece of presentation. With its compelling monster designs, riveting fights, and amazingly lush world, it’s bound to thrill and fill players with intrigue and wonder as they smoothly and effortlessly traverse beautifully crafted environments on their Seikret mount. The environmental systems and interactions between monsters are truly something to behold, and even though their integration leaves more to be desired, the rest of the package soars tremendously high in every other element for what ultimately amounts to a monstrously mouthwatering RPG.

Clocking in at over fifty-five hours of gameplay, Tactics Ogre: Reborn is a worthy remake. While there is not an insane amount of improvements compared to the PlayStation Portable version of Let Us Cling Together, this is by far the definitive edition, and it does a great job of welcoming new players while also offering an intense gameplay challenge for veterans. I knew Tactics Ogre was special the moment I had to make those tough decisions at the beginning, and I found myself thinking about it even when not playing. Every battle made me want to proceed to the next because I needed to know Denam’s story. That alone is a testament to how powerful the narrative is, how addictive the gameplay. If you love tactical RPGs and somehow missed this classic, you owe it to yourself to check out Tactics Ogre: Reborn and dive into what is arguably one of the best tactical RPGs ever made.

Skyrim is one of the finest embodiments of an open world RPG, as there is never a dearth of places to go or quests to complete. What Skyrim lacks in tough role-playing choices, it more than compensates for with interesting things to do.

The Surge 2 is like a juicy, metal-plated bone that gamers looking for a well-crafted yet brutal combat experience can really sink their teeth into: it will push them to their limits, hurt and punish in all the right ways, but offers that sweet, sweet payoff when you finally emerge victorious.

There’s a lot packed into Ys X: Nordics, making for a thrilling ride. Quick-paced features make sure something exciting is always happening during gameplay, but the cast is given an appreciated chance to breathe and stand out in their own way. Combat gives players many different ways to tackle enemies, with the vast array of skills available making every fight enjoyable. The action choreography during boss fights is breathtaking, making it easy to get fully wrapped up in the battle. Ys has always been about adventure and this injection of added character work just adds a new layer of finesse to this grand stage.

In the end, Disgaea 4 is simply the finest expression of everything that the Disgaea series is.

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.

Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier succeeds in trying something new and making it work.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a gem with fully justified award wins in 2020, and the Nintendo Switch port is a very welcome opportunity for more players to dive into its fantastic sci-fi story. While it’s light on the action, it’s a wholehearted recommendation for those who enjoy narrative adventures and RPGs in general.

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a delightful reworking of a 16-bit era game, bringing it to a modern generation while keeping true to the art of the original. The challenging combat and depth of the original are completely intact, with new features and many modern niceties to make things less obtuse without hurting challenge or depth. Game progression is wide open, encouraging a wonderful sense of exploration and experimentation. A variety of options allow players to make the game easier and harder as they prefer. This is easily the best game the SaGa series has produced thus far, and an experience any JRPG fan should not miss.

Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster brings the definitive version of a 28-year-old game to today’s audiences by looking at modern enhancements and embracing the past. The spirit of the beloved original is honored here, with love of the game showing in every wisp of smoke or hiss from a strike of thunder. Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster doesn’t play exactly like Final Fantasy VI did in 1994 when I first played it, but the experience of this Pixel Remaster certainly looks, sounds, and feels like it did all those years ago. Unlike that old sweatshirt from college, this always fits. That’s the best kind of nostalgia, isn’t it?

Revisiting Demon’s Souls in this fancy new package was some of the most fun I’ve had all year. The return to Boletaria was a pleasant reminder of just how good the game is, and the influx of new players makes it the current definitive choice for someone looking to get into the series. There’s a certain boldness to releasing the game relatively functionally the same so that a whole new generation of people can experience just how weird it is. While the facelift can cause some dissonance, most will experience a beautiful action RPG with some of the most tightly-designed levels and a bevy of different ways to approach the game. It may not be a brand new game, but even all these years later there still isn’t anything else quite like it.

Something Classic Games has done a great job identifying what it is that has made classic RPGs so beloved and not only emulating it, but also in adding enough of its own touches to make Quartet a memorable title. The game’s finely-paced and deep narrative, great soundtrack, and well-executed gameplay ensure that it easily keeps the player’s attention. It all amounts to a highly rewarding experience that is easily recommended to any RPGamer.

Sunless Skies is an excellent game that rewards commitment to its steady pace and steep learning curve. A web of plots and places suggest the infinity of the heavens, but even infinity must end; in this case, it stretches across a million words or so and easily forty hours. The story doesn’t explore every nuance introduced, but that’s a running problem when writers seek to explain the ways of the heavens to mortals. Like many powerful, unique titles, Sunless Skies leaves the player with the desire for more, not because it’s lacking but because it appeals to the mania to solve every mystery, plumb every depth.

Battle Chasers: Nightwar is an amazing effort, if anything made more impressive by virtue of being a Kickstarter-funded indie game, and is a testament to what a dedicated and talented team can accomplish. It may not lead the pack in gripping narrative, but presents its comic book license in such visually and aurally impressive ways that other games would do well to pay attention. However, its true star is its deep combat system, which offers so many ways to tinker with and improve party efficiency that it just doesn't get old, provided players are up for a traditional turn-based JRPG designed by a western team. It's a game that shouldn't be missed by any fan of the genre, and is sure to attract a whole new wave of attention to its underlying license.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 seems to take the best ingredients of Minecraft, The Sims, Harvest Moon, and The Legend of Zelda, and blend it all together with a sprinkle of the Dragon Quest flavour. And it works magnificently, because it allows Dragon Quest Builders 2 to step out of being a straight clone and become a standout title in its own right. It is a game for both veterans of the series and newcomers alike.

Shadowrun: Hong Kong offers a steady evolution of Harebrained Schemes' Shadowrun experience. It's such an enjoyable game that a director's cut wouldn't need to do much to boost it from an excellent, tactically engaging family conspiracy to a must-have.

Just because this is more accessible than most for newbies does not make it any less of a tactical game, hardly the best-selling genre in the gaming world. Awakening is nevertheless a genuine treat for anyone seeking a deeply rewarding tactical title on the 3DS, and a fine return of the series to the English-speaking world after the last game missed out.

Furthermore, Totori outdoes its predecessor in nearly every aspect, showing that Gust is always trying to one-up itself with each new release. Atelier Totori shines for its honesty, and has a lighthearted feel that the majority of RPGs don't match.

Horizon Forbidden West embraces everything about its predecessor and makes strides in producing an even more compelling world to explore, with intense combat and story moments, and shiny new robo-dinosaurs to punch in the face. I cannot wait to see where Aloy and her companions’ story goes next.

Square Enix has improved the battle system where its imitators have failed, while expanding on an already powerful story.