A much larger roster of characters build on the gorgeous lore and setting established in the first, and solidify Nights of Azure as one of the most distinctive and original JRPG franchises going around. Keep building on this, Gust. It's going well.
Yomawari: Midnight Shadows looks like a game that would be easy to make. But telling a horror story this effectively with so few words takes a mastery of the genre that very, very few possess.
It's not an original game by any means, though it also doesn't do anything wrong. I'd be surprised if this game was still finding new fans at this stage, but it's not a bad one to have on the Nintendo Switch for playing on the go either.
I never managed to actually get someone to play this with me. They took one look at the single player game, with all its misfiring attempts at nostalgic glory, and begged me to play something else instead.
I don't actively dislike Don't Knock Twice. I just find it painfully bland and generic... and really, it's harder to forgive that in the horror genre than almost any other.
There's quite a few levels to work through in Jydge, so you'll get your money's worth.
The whole experience feels so utterly soulless it's hard to really care about any of it.
Fire Emblem Warriors is, for my mind, the best of the licensed Warriors titles. It was Arslan previously, and I really love Arslan still, but the respect that Fire Emblem Warriors has for its roots, and the way that it's cleverly melded the tactical atmosphere of that series while keeping the pacey action of the Warriors formula, is truly impressive stuff.
Echo is a resounding win.
The social commentary in this game is pretty spot on and I got more than my own fair share of laughs, even at my own expense at times as some jokes hit close to home. The fact that this is an RPG that plays really well and has a solid and surprisingly deep battle system is just the icing on the cake.
Chaos;Child is a smart crime fiction/ science fiction mix that might be a little too subtle for its own good. It's a demanding game, not because it's difficult or has gamey elements, but rather because it asks for complete focus and imagination from its players. Thankfully, with a core theme that is both poignant and fundamentally interesting, this is a game that I've been more than willing to make that commitment to.
Red Lantern have proved themselves to be masters of both narrative and game design, and nothing would make me happier than for the whole world to come and appreciate the unique Taiwanese flavour that Detention brings to the indie game scene.
Sadly it does miss the mark on this one.
It lacks the charm and wit of Danganronpa, but Zero Time Dilemma, like its prequels, is still valuable, smart, and stimulating. Its presentation really badly hurts it, but once you push past that distaste, what you're left with is an intense, engaging and intelligent narrative with some thoughtful and well-designed puzzle rooms to sort through.
Deemo is a very gentle game. Its minimalist aesthetic aims to connect with players emotionally rather than intellectually or physically, and the end effect is akin to sitting down at a piano and playing a favourite song; but not for the benefit of an audience, and not as an examination or other test of musical skill.
For silly, ridiculous, self-deprecating humour, backed by gorgeous character and environment art, and a fast, fluid, and genuinely entertaining combat system, I've had such a good time with Cyberdimension Neptunia that I can't help but love it.
Culdcept Saga is, with or without dice, absolutely brilliant, and the kind of game I can see myself playing for a very long time into the future. It successfully takes a couple of different approaches to traditional board and card games, and fuses them into something that you can spend a lot of time learning to master, and feeling really good about yourself as you do.
Pokken Tournament isn't really my kind of fighting game, but I do recognise that it's a quality game, and it deserves the fans that it has.
The story at the heart of it all is one of the most moving and heartfelt tales I've ever seen in a game, and that's a huge achievement. The best part is that Mel Kishida is just getting started—if this is his directorial debut, I can't wait to see what the future has in store.
Keep me guessing, Spike Chunsoft, and I'll forever love you for it.