In the end, Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes HD is fantastic port of the original DS game. Featuring astounding 2D visuals, improved multiplayer, and a battle system that will provide an impressive amount of challenge to players, it is a tremendous downloadable value that will provide at the very least twenty hours of gameplay, if not many more. There are some hang-ups with the presentation, music, and story that prevent it from being a true classic. However this should not deter people from trying what is the best puzzle-RPG mash-up to date.

Ultimately, The Dragon Knight Saga is a game at odds with itself. Its solid writing and quest design has to contend with balance issues and a myriad of other minor problems such as a sporadic autosave function that feels more like an afterthought.

While it'll never be the most technically impressive or original game, its creators clearly understand what works and what doesn't. The excellent music and fun combat combine with the charming characters to create a game that has a certain intangible feel, a spirit that pervades it and makes it more than simply the collection of things seen before it may appear at first glance. As the PSP enters its twilight years, most RPGamers would find few better sendoffs than this.

Yakuza 4 is a triumph; for those who desire to take the plunge with this series, this may be the best place to start.

While Trinity: Souls of Zill O'll has a lot of potential in its varied battle system, decent story, and wonderful soundtrack, it falls flat in other unforgivable areas. The repetitive and pointless missions combine with the pointless text-only overflow of dialogue to pad the game two or three times longer than it needs to be. If only the fat had been cut and more variety was offered, the game might have been decent. As is, Trinity is drowning in missteps.

With a more balanced difficulty and stronger puzzle designs, Okamiden probably would have been able to beat The Legend of Zelda at its own game, but for now, Chibiterasu will have to settle for simply being on even ground with Link.

The 3rd Birthday is a difficult game to recommend. There are aspects of it that really shine and make it an enjoyable experience, but others features, particularly the game's tortuous story, will surely disappoint those who were expecting the game to be in the vein of the previous Parasite Eve titles.

While Phantom Brave: The Hermuda Triangle isn't a poor game, it fails to distinguish itself from the multitude of tactical RPGs already around.

What we get is a game that doesn't take itself too seriously and demands patience be destroyed in button mashing fury. Sometimes, a nice button mashing experience is exactly what you need after a tough day, and Jikandia delivers this in spades.

In the end, the real question is whether Pokémon Black offers enough spark to justify buying another Pokémon game. True believers have purchased it already, and the vocal haters will continue their hating despite this review's best efforts. For everyone who's left, the answer is a solid maybe.

Dissidia 012 is a frustrating game. The fundamental parts are quite solid, the graphics and music showcase Square Enix's usual excellent craftsmanship, and the fighting system remains fairly unique even if the game isn't exactly innovative compared to its predecessor. It bungles a lot of the ancillary features though, and some of the flaws seep back into the core of the gameplay.

As is, it is a fun timesink for WRPG fans, but don't try it if you aren't enthralled by the genre or if you don't have the time or money to play every WRPG that comes out. This one isn't worth the full price.

Torchlight is an awkward game to assess. On one hand, the gameplay is a major disappointment in that it's worse than Diablo II in every way, but on the other hand it has no major flaws and, even for a hater of easy games like me, gets addicting once the Shadow Vault, an unending postgame dungeon whose enemies are tied to your level, becomes available.

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

Ultimately, Lord of Arcana does not succeed as a viable Monster Hunter clone, both because of the broken battle system or the lack of variation in the missions available, there's enough to turn people off from the title.

In the end, it's difficult to recommend staying away from Hyperdimension Neptunia, because despite its flaws, it may just be the most humorous title NISA's ever released. If you do decide to brave the world of Gamindustri, at least now you'll know what you're getting into.

Its addictive nature will ensnare anyone with even a hint of fondness for the Dragon Quest series, and will work quite well as an introduction to the games for any who are curious.

Ar tonelico Qoga is a worthy finale to the series... providing you can find the true ending, of course. Its strengths are many, and NIS America has done its best to keep a polished localization.

For those who want to see how it all started, Ys I & II Chronicles is the way to experience it. Ys I lasts just over five hours and Ys II boasts a little longer playtime at around eight, but with the game's fast pace, it doesn't outstay its welcome.

So while Two Worlds II might be lacking in polish, it is pure and simple fun without the headache of over complication.

When even hunting for the solution to an idiot NPC's propensity to stay in an area that will soon be a battlefield is tantalizing enough to warrant going back in time, the game has clearly done a lot right.

Re:coded is ultimately a highly competent action RPG. While it isn't likely to light anyone's world on fire, the degree of quality in all areas is to be commended and those who want a breezy and quickly paced game in the Kingdom Hearts mold for their DS's aren't likely to find the game disappointing.

Venetica is a tough game to recommend. On one hand, there's a luscious and unique world to explore that is vibrant and astonishing. On the other hand, the story is muddled with poor dialogue and voice acting, and overly-simplistic combat that might not appeal to some.

While Deadly Sin 2 has its faults, they feel far more minor in comparison to what other RPG Maker games do, making it a treat to play, and providing a nice bite-sized RPG experience, with the exception of the final areas. For those who are weary of testing out an RPG Maker game, this one is definitely worth checking out and certainly should not be missed.

This game cuts right to the heart of the matter. Ys: The Oath in Felghana is a fun, albeit simple, ride from beginning to end.

Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light delivers an RPG that has far more in common with early iterations of the Final Fantasy series than anything after V, and slips in a fair number of direct references to them.

While Lufia II on the SNES might have been a rising star, this title is clearly cursed. The game's problems get in the way of enjoying almost everything.

This sweet experience is one that can be enjoyed by newcomers and veterans of the Harvest Moon series, as Rune Factory 3's positives definitely outweigh the negatives.