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.

As its first major release, Kena: Bridge of Spirits must be considered a success for Ember Lab. There are areas where significant improvement can be made, especially its combat, but the game provides a strong base to build upon. The overall gameplay will be very familiar to 3D adventure fans, but the visuals and charm help to make it feel like a fresh experience in the genre. More adventures for Kena and the Rot would be very welcome.

Overall, Nexomon is just a good, solid monster-collecting RPG very reminiscent of many turn-of-century titles. It pays homage to the inception of the genre, though sometimes it clings a little too heavily to those roots. Players looking for a short romp that doesn’t overstay its welcome will want to pick up this title before tackling the sequel, which has many gameplay improvements that would be sorely missed when returning to the original.

For veteran Actraiser players, Renaissance brings to the table more of everything great about the original, and the new content creates an engaging gameplay cycle that, while not perfect, still recaptures the ephemeral fun of the original release in a way no other god-sim hybrid has done since. There’s a little something for everyone, including adjustable difficulty, improved RPG elements, a deeper storyline, and competent combat. It’s great to see a beloved classic recaptured with much-needed modern updates while ensuring the charm of the original never loses its place.

Dragon Star Varnir is exactly what it wanted to be: a safe game. Most of the ambition went into the combat system, where it succeeded. There are moments where players can lose themselves in the story, only for the presentation to bring the excitement to a screeching halt. Most annoying is how it feels like it punishes the player for spending too long exploring through the frustrating little sister system that creates some tension, but is much more tedious than it’s worth. These time constraints make the playable cast feel much smaller due to an inability to use them all consistently. Dragon Star Varnir has it’s positives: witches are all heartwarming and interesting in their own way, while combat is also fun, with devouring dragons for cores a notable perk. It is just not enough to take this game higher than being adequate.

I’d like to be able to say that aside from the bugs, Monster Harvest is a great game, but that’s just not true at this point. The game is just missing too many staples that other farming sims feature. There is little main story, no NPC interaction, a near featureless battle-system, no side quests, and barely any small intermediary goals throughout the game. Even beating the final boss is greeted with a single line of dialogue and zero fanfare. Publisher Merge Games has repeatedly claimed additional content will release when debugging is complete. It would be worth RPGamer’s time to wait for both of those events to occur.

Tales of Arise includes the trademarks of the franchise and shows that twenty-five years of experience help to strive for perfection. Just like a good wine, the franchise has managed to get better with age. The battle system, anime-inspired visuals, and a story full of lovely characters are the stars of the show, which ultimately make a game that shouldn’t be overlooked. Tales of Arise is an entry that will satisfy die-hard fans and convert newcomers to the series with its awesome experience.

This year has already been a strong one for RPGs, and NEO: The World Ends with You just adds to that case. The opportunity to return to Square Enix’s take on Shibuya has been far too long coming, but now that it’s here, it’s immensely pleasing to say that NEO: The Worlds Ends with You does everything I was hoping. Despite some repetitive combat, the rest of the experience more than makes up for it, with the narrative, audio, and visuals combining excellently to make the game enthralling for the length of its forty-plus-hour runtime.

On the whole, Black Book is a fun adventure that does enough to stand out from the crowd. The combat and card play are different enough from its contemporaries that those looking for a more traditional entry point into deck-building can give it a shot, even if the game begins to wear out its welcome by the end of its thirty or so hours. The real reason to stick with it is the great attention to detail regarding Slavic folklore and how it weaves into the gameplay in ways that can make the player feel clever. It won’t be the flashiest game anyone plays this year, but there is a good time to be had.

Disgaea 6 ticks many worthwhile boxes for series veterans looking to chase that next stat fix; however, newcomers may find the sweet relief when the final boss is at last vanquished by the auto-battle system to be the only high worth noting, and for all the wrong reasons.

Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is a solid game all around, with a fun and always evolving combat system, a well-crafted world with tons of secrets to find, and a sober soundtrack accompanying its traversal acting as the title’s highlights. A word of caution should be given regarding the difficulty, since both regular enemies and bosses can prove to be quite hard to beat, especially during the final act. The story doesn’t shine for its originality but still manages to be well worth uncovering thanks to its characters and setting, making this bleak but ultimately endearing Metroidvania a strong recommendation for anyone that is up for the challenge.

Dodgeball Academia breaks off at an appropriate point and leaves a good feeling behind; there’s enough about the game to enjoy its content. It successfully evokes the feelings that come from watching fun cartoons, though on the gameplay side it feels like it would benefit from having more standout and extended matches as regular encounters towards the end because it felt like they were mostly making up the numbers. There’s definitely scope available for Pocket Trap to build on what it has created here, and I’d be very happy to see it do so.