FF8 Remastered finally returns Squall and crew to the spotlight, and they're right at home on the Nintendo Switch as a mobile masterpiece.
Tokyo RPG Factory's Oninaki is a return to form for the relatively new studio, channeling the best parts of I Am Setsuna with some fresh JRPG form.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses is an inspired innovation of a time-tested franchise, providing the same tactics fans love in a much more inviting package.
Square Enix's third expansion for Final Fantasy XIV, Shadowbringers, raises the bar for MMORPGs into the night sky so high it's tough to see anymore.
Golem Gates attempts to port its PC prowess over to Nintendo Switch, but it's yet another example of why RTS games just don't belong on consoles.
The Division 2 in its entirety is a technical masterpiece, a game that's tactics shine the longer you stay without the usual genre contaminations.
Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn is the same mixture of platforming joy and aesthetic charm, with a few extra features knitted into its already great fabric.
Devil May Cry 5 is an entertaining romp through the underworld made even more exciting by its three protagonists.
Anthem has a few good ideas, but it struggles under the weight of its own gameplay mechanics and some truly baffling design decisions.
Those minor problems aside, Steins;Gate Elite is definitely the best way to get into this property. It has all the charm of the anime, all the narrative excellence of the original, and a refinement that hasn't existed in either up until this point. For new fans or veterans alike, Steins;Gate Elite is well worth the pick-up, and should represent a potential starting point for future visual novels looking to make a similar impact.
Mystic Vale makes the transition to a digital offering on Steam, but leaves its charm back on the tabletop.
Ultimately, the question for many will be if Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition is worth picking up even if players have experienced it before. The answer, at least in my eyes, is a resounding yes. The addition of characters and story content makes it a fresh experience for western fans, and it is a game that still manages to capture the imagination even now. Audio issues aside, this is the best version of Tales of Vesperia we've ever gotten—and, to be frank, that we will ever get—and newcomers and veterans alike owe it to themselves to experience the Definitive Edition of one of the best Tales of games ever created.
Mages of Mystralia is a bright, colorful, and engrossing take on adventure gaming with only a few stumbles.
Rain World finds a lovely little home on the Switch.
Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales is a worthy successor to both The Witcher games and the Gwent collectible card game.
All that said, though? The Last Remnant Remastered still gets my recommendation for JRPG fans. The game does something with its combat system that few had tried before or after, and it is a genuine joy once you've got the hang of it. When you strip away the below-average genre trappings, all that remains of The Last Remnant Remastered is a damn fine combat system that was clearly built before any other element of the game. Even after the hundredth time Rush yelled “let's kick some A!”, I still couldn't wait to figure out how best to pincer the enemy units and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Artifact is a game with a lot of good things going for it, but its complexity might be a problem.
Persona Dancing: Endless Night Collection is one of the best spin-offs I’ve ever played.
Nidhogg 2 maintains the bar of excellence it set for itself on other platforms, forming a dream team with the Switch.
Pokemon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! are triumphs of the modern age of Pokemon.