Rune Factory 4 Special delivers a wealth of content in a charming and engaging package that should keep newcomers and long-time fans happy for dozens upon dozens of hours.
Thanks to the choppy framerate, horrible combat, and forgettable characters and story, Arc of Alchemist fails to elicit anything more than a shrug and a sigh. Unless you're a hardcore Idea Factory and Compile Heart fan, stay far, far away from this one.
Outside of some technical hiccups and some boring fetch quests, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot's colorful presentation and over-the-top battles should appeal to hardcore fans and baby-faced newcomers alike.
Darksiders Genesis provides a short burst of demon-crunching carnage for hardcore fans of the franchise, but the overall experience is easily eclipsed by other, deeper, more engaging action-RPGs.
Shenmue IIII pushes its epic story forward while holding firmly onto dated concepts, game design, and narrative presentation, but it will likely please die-hard fans of the series. Everyone else, meanwhile, might wonder what all the fuss is about.
Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness and the Secret Hideout feels like a massive step backward, both in terms of gameplay and story. Although GUST attempted to inject some real-world themes into this tale, it's unfortunately just more of the same.
Nihon Falcom has delivered yet another stellar entry in the Trails of Cold Steel series. If you're a newcomer, you'll need to start at the beginning to genuinely appreciate the whole package. However, if you're a long-time fan of the franchise, then you'll love every thrilling second of it.
As gorgeous to behold at as it is a blast to play, Concrete Genie offers up one of the best, most heartfelt video game experiences of 2019.
Although it attempts to try some new things to set it apart from other Soulslike games, Code Vein ultimately feels like just another wannabe in an increasingly crowded genre. But anime fans who love attractive, moody vampires will adore it.
The remastered version of this delightful and heartwarming JRPG packs a colorful and heartfelt punch, one that's sure to charm even the most jaded of JRPG fans.
Despite some technical problems that ultimately sour the experience, The Surge 2 delivers a solid action-RPG adventure that's powered by its dystopian setting and unique combat system.
Save for the issues with RNG and the procedurally generated environments, Children of Morta delivers an exceptional experience with superior gameplay and a surprising amount of heart.
Rad delivers a superbly addictive and frequently harsh roguelike experience that stands among the best of them, though you'll sometimes curse the game's randomness for ruining your run.
With the addition of Season 3 story content, new playable characters, new weapons, and a mode that allows you to reclaim the world from those pesky titans, Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle offers up enough extra stuff to warrant a double-dip.
Unresponsive and loaded with framerate issues, Super Neptunia RPG isn't for anyone other than hardcore Hyperdimension fans who desperately need something to play until the next mainline installment comes jiggling downline the assembly line.
There's so much to love about My Friend Pedro that it's often hard to find something to complain about, so I'll just end this gushing little review on an extremely high note: Out of all the Nintendo Switch games I've played so far this year, I think I've found my favorite. I have plenty more banana-related adventures to pursue -- and bullets to waste.
Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland doesn't stray too far from the formula it created many, many installments ago, but that's not necessarily a bad thing when it comes to this series. This is a fun, light-hearted adventure that doesn't overstay its welcome.
Although it attempts to combine a number of different gameplay mechanics, Zanki Zero: Last Beginning ultimately fails to bring these together in a compelling fashion. That said, it's a great visual novel, assuming you can handle the discomfort.
Days Gone overcomes loose controls, familiar mechanics and gameplay loops, and a well-worn setting to tell a very relatable story featuring one of my favorite characters in recent years.
Although it borrows heavily from other games in the crafting/resource management genre, My Time at Portia offers just enough unique gameplay, not to mention a rich world to explore, to separate it from its brethren.