It’s hard not to be impressed with some of the things Midgar Studio achieved with Edge of Eternity. The stunning environments and soundtrack will greatly satisfy any JRPG fan. Combined with its engaging combat system, this should have been enough to make it a well held together experience, but the story’s lack of focus causes things to fall apart. The poor pacing, particularly at the beginning of the game, results in enough pointless running around enough so that it’s easy to look past some of the best features of the game. Edge of Eternity will scratch the itch of those looking for a classic JRPG with a modern touch, but past that, it doesn’t provide enough to create a truly great experience.

Stegosoft has made another excellent step towards capturing the nostalgia of SNES-era RPGs, while not clinging too heavily to the mechanics and constraints of yesteryear that no longer feel fun in an indie RPG. For those who jumped into Ara Fell Enhance Edition, Third Power feels like a natural progression forward, with improvements in every aspect of the game, while cutting out a chunk of the tedious bits. For those craving a JRPG that feels like it’s right at home on a Super Nintendo, while seamlessly melding in modern conveniences like adjustable difficulty level and crafting characters based on what makes the most interesting party for the player, Rise of the Third Power is a prime example of a true throwback gem, and I can’t wait to see what the team has in store next.

Melding real-time and turn-based mechanics cannot be easy, but Nova-111 does it deftly, with its gameplay being the top priority. Unfortunately, this interactive puzzle game has no story or substance to make it feel like more than a collection of mini-games. The game itself is a blast to play in handy bite sized chunks, and seeing the new ways puzzles, enemies, and mechanics all combine together can be quite fun. The game’s relatively short length also adds to its grab-and-go nature. With puzzles that don’t feel too punishing, it’s easy to jump in and feel rewarded for solving each well-crafted and thoughtful area.

ICLA had an opportunity to transform Pokémon Shining Pearl into a much more memorable experience. Having played the original, it’s disappointing to see that the Shining Pearl is the same game I played back in 2006, with nothing more than a pretty coat of paint. None of the balancing issues are fixed, the backtracking is still as much of a slog as ever, and the roaster of Pokémon is far from impressive. As much as I love Bidoof, even my favourite loaf of beaver bread couldn’t save the experience for me, and my hope is with the next remake is that it receives meaningful adjustments, instead of rehashing a mediocre Pokémon game that isn’t memorable in the slightest.

For those looking for an engaging historical RPG, Expeditions: Rome is an easy recommendation. The options for tailoring the difficulty allows players to focus on their preferred elements and make it challenging, welcoming, and rewarding depending on what players want. While the game’s interpretation of Rome may simplify the issues of the time, Expeditions: Rome successfully uses its setting to create a very enjoyable role-playing experience.

The combat mechanics, customization, and replayability make this a great option for those looking for a challenging tactical RPG. It’s an immersive mercenary sim that will have lovers of the genre hooked immediately with it’s low-power, medieval fantasy setting. Just know that this is not a casual gaming experience and newcomers will have a steep learning curve to contend with to really enjoy the game. Additionally, the game works much better on PC by design. Battle Brothers can be a great game, but only if the player is willing to push through its high barrier of entry.

Experience Inc. has refined its dungeon crawling offerings, and Undernauts: Labyrinth of Yomi is testament to that. The game does not explore new ground, despite having a premise that would be exciting to explore, but it does feature fun combat and smooth gameplay. This means that despite the shortcomings, the game is one that will be appreciated by dungeon-crawling fans as an accessible title with plenty of cool enemy designs and a labyrinth worth delving into.

Even more than 20 years after its original release, Moon: Remix RPG Adventure remains an eccentric and refreshing experience, but its oddities may not be for everyone. Some quality-of-life improvements, such as a turbo mode to make time transcur faster when needed or more save options, would have been a great addition. Recommendations for the game come with caveats, but if nothing else it’s worthwhile checking out to see how it influenced later beloved titles such as Undertale. Moon serves as a great reflection upon the genre and is ideal for those who want something different than a traditonal RPG.

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn and all that has come after is one of the greatest success stories in the history of gaming, so much so that said success has become one of its greatest challenges. Though there is still much more to come from Final Fantasy XIV in the future, Endwalker is a magnificent cap on everything leading up to it and a fitting end to the story of Hydaelyn and Zodiark. The passion of the Final Fantasy XIV team and its desire to do the best that it can for the fanbase is clear, and it deserves every one of the plaudits that has come its way.

As a huge River King fan, trying to find a fishing RPG that gave me a boatload of mellow emotions has been challenging over the years. Moonglow Bay really feels like a lot of thought and care went into every aspect of the game. While not everything is perfect, it’s hard to deny the comfort that comes from chilling in your boat, catching some crazy species of fish, and sailing around to take the blues away. Moonglow Bay is the comfort food that you didn’t know you needed, and a game that constantly reminds you that you’re never alone, and even when you are, you can sail away to a better place and time.

Monster Rancher 1 & 2 DX are a good example of useful preservation of video games. Without these remasters, it would be very difficult for gamers to properly experience the CD-summoning gambit. Not only are these titles carefully ported over with a clever fix for the primary gimmick, but they also feature substantial quality-of-life improvements which streamline the experience and improves the general presentation for a new generation of monster lovers. While some may find the graphics and sound too outdated to enjoy, players looking for a trip to the farm will find their plates very full.

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.

Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars is an entertaining and creative diversion while it lasts. It certainly sets itself apart with relative ease but it does suffer a bit from diminishing returns. It’s by no means lacking in merit and feels like much could be built around its robust framework in the future. But it is an experience limited by its own arbitrary boundaries, like the negligible challenge and the disproportionate amount of time one will needlessly spend in repetitive battles for few worthwhile rewards, particularly once all skills have been learned and levels are maxed out. Still, there are many lovely ideas at work here, and the package in which they’re presented is even lovelier, leaving me eagerly looking forward to further tales of this style that can be told down the road.

There’s an audience that will be very appreciative of what Arcadia Fallen achieves. It gives players a pleasing opportunity to play themselves as they see it in another world and characters that welcome them for who they are. The game won’t be for those who like to be involved in their character’s actions, but for those wanting a relaxing visual novel, it certainly fits the bill.

It’s pleasing to see how strongly Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic has held up and how well it fits on the Nintendo Switch, making one wonder just how many other classic RPGs will see new life on it. For those who haven’t played it before, the Switch port is an ideal time to find out why BioWare’s 2000s output is so highly regarded. For those who have, it’s a great opportunity to recover those fond memories on an incredibly convenient platform.

Somehow, despite the game’s flaws and technical hiccups, something manages to pull me back towards just one more run; if there’s any sign of success a roguelike can aspire to, that’s certainly a good one. There’s no fancy math that calculates the ephemeral fun factor some games manage to capture that makes them better than the sum of their parts. Curious Expedition 2 won’t be for everyone; there are problems not all RPGamers are going to tolerate. But for those willing to try their luck on this engaging adventure, there are treasures aplenty on those islands to uncover, just consider adventuring with the sound off.

Skyward Sword HD should be commended for its attempt to improve on the original. Having a new control scheme and making a good deal of Fi’s advice optional make it a more palatable experience. However, the game still suffers from pacing issues that made the original feel too bloated as well as a disappointing deemphasis on exploration. This remaster could have realistically improved upon a lot, yet it would still fall short compared to the series’ strongest entries. There is still enough for those looking for a more traditional 3D Zelda experience on the Switch provided they keep their expectations in check.

Blue Reflection: Second Light is a solid second step for a new series. It is visually charming throughout and turns out to have an intriguing story with engaging exploration and a simple yet fun battle system. Aside from the fact that the girls are over-sexualized, with odd interactions and some improper looks for their age, the game is surely recommendable. The series looks promising, and surely many players will be looking forward to a third entry.

Presenting players with a beefy, challenging, and ultimately rewarding experience, Shin Megami Tensei V is a game that pulls newcomers into a polarizing experience. It is common to feel motivated to play the game for multiple hours, only to have that motivation knocked out once the current party lineup can’t stand against the next boss fight. However, it is also common to return to the game after a break and feel a strong sense of achievement after beating a particularly difficult foe. It’s an excellent entry point for those unfamiliar with SMT, should provide great joy for returning players, and should not be missed.

The biggest tell of how much of an improvement The Caligula Effect 2 is over its predecessor is how little of the game feels like a chore. Although it may lack those standout moments that top-drawer RPGs provide, it’s easy to find time whizzing by with catchy music and speedy combat and exploration. With characters and a story that keep things ticking along nicely, The Caligula Effect 2 makes for a satisfying use of one’s time.

The Good Life has a name behind it in SWERY, and as such, the story brings all the insanity and the confusion one has come to expect from his previous titles. There is scope for the humour to work, but factoring in fighting with the camera and struggling with the controls the whole experience is just not worthwhile. In a self-fulling prophecy, Naomi points out a lot of faults in games that The Good Life just blithely repeats itself. Throwing a crazy ad-lib together and keeping fingers crossed the game works may have worked in the past, but this game has none of the fun or the charm to be successful nowadays.

Overall, Solasta faithfully recreates much of the experience of a fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons adventure with a focus on satisfying combat. It also takes a fresh approach to some of the common tropes, though most of them clearly needed more time and focus to reach their full potential. The game provides an excellent introduction to not only its pen-and-paper counterpart but computer-style role-playing games as well. In the end, Solasta provides a fun, if somewhat short, ride that most will enjoy.

If there is one thing I missed these last two summers, it is going on road trips with my friends. However, Get in the Car, Loser! gave me the full experience of driving down a demon-infested highway and spouting utter hilarity and nonsense with a new group of friends. The immersion of this feeling throughout the game is what entirely sells the experience, and the characters and their conflicts are both charming and relatable. While it is not a perfect experience, it’s certainly a memorable one in both narrative and presentation. With the base game being entirely free, there is no reason not to give the game a shot. Get in the Car, Loser! is the big queer road trip story you didn’t know you needed, with all the messy drama that entails.

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 came into Xuan Yuan Sword 7 as a complete newcomer to the series, as many likely will. What I walked away from after a 20-hour campaign was a solidly enjoyable, if not amazing, addition to the stable of action RPGs I have had the pleasure to experience. While early hours charmed me with an unusual setting, beautiful production values, and a fun combat system, some small cracks became apparent before long. However, this is a case of criticism coming not from a place of discontent but rather from a strong desire to see small kinks ironed out in an otherwise promising “new” IP. It’s got the potential to be a major contender, with some room left to grow into something even more impressive in the next installment.

Gloomhaven offers hours of mental challenges with a sophisticated battle system. It is based on a board game but tries to go beyond that. Those already attracted to the idea of Gloomhaven can have it here for less assembly and with an additional Guildmaster mode. Since this digital version becomes tiresome after a while because the vast number of missions ultimately feel repetitive, it’s better to play in small doses. The game is recommendable, but probably playing it online with friends in co-op mode is closer to the original’s experience.

Making it to the big top is a mechanically sound journey with a lot of great characters to choose and varied enemies making each combat fun. Unfortunately, the journey to each combat is fraught with graphical gaffes, sound repetition, and story doled out in odd intervals. Good old Uncle Jack can’t save this from falling out of the spotlight making The Amazing American Circus worth a look only for those that enjoy circus acts or deeper than expected card battlers. Everyone else can pull away from this mediocre performance.

While I enjoyed the experience of Lost Judgment overall, I finished the game with a lot of nagging feelings. The game was definitely rushed in some areas, and some more tender love and care were definitely needed in terms of refining the newer gameplay elements. It’s clear that Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio had a lot of new detective elements it wanted to explore, it’s just a shame most of them don’t work without either killing the game’s pacing or are just plain boring. The story, however, is very powerful and has a lot of presence, but makes some uncomfortable missteps. The combat is fast and frantic but can be glitchy at times. Everything points to this game being rushed, and it definitely shows in so many areas. Lost Judgment is a great game plagued by lots of little mistakes that sadly are too much to ignore. While it’s not as strong as the first installment, it’s worth playing to see how Yagami’s story comes to an end.