A.J. Maciejewski
I don't think I've ever played a game as full of childlike imagination as RPG Time: The Legend of Wright. With oodles of brilliant situations to work out and spectacular arts and crafts visuals that really come to life, this is one lovely adventure.
I absolutely recommend Andro Dunos 2 for any shoot 'em up fan. It may not be the most intricate or challenging example of the genre but its tight gameplay will push you to master the many enjoyable boss fights while taking in some impressive sights along the way.
To my delight, I had an impressive amount of fun with Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin. Thankfully, its awesome stage designs and intricate character customization component ended up shining brighter than the humdrum story and disappointing visuals.
Playing Kirby and the Forgotten Land made me realise that I've never seen any series transition smoother to 3D gameplay. Even with its new dimension, it's undeniably Kirby through-and-through and also one of the best games in the franchise.
Grand Mountain Adventure Wonderlands is one of those indies that's far better than you'd imagine. With an open-ended campaign that you'll relish exploring while finding the next suitable challenge, the hours will pass on by as your skills become better and better.
As someone who usually doesn't enjoy meditative gaming experiences, I must admit that FAR: Changing Tides completely captivated me.
When it comes to monstrous arcade action, few games are as fun as Dawn of the Monsters with its varied gameplay and tight controls.
The brutal challenge of Gunborg: Dark Matters matches its tight and intuitive gameplay beautifully to thoroughly test anyone's mettle.
Unique arcade-style games always stand out to me and Splash Cars is one of the best with its rewarding and unconventional gameplay.
You wouldn't think a game where you flip a cube around would be fully-featured and beautiful but The Last Cube surely is and it's great.
I ended up having a ton of fun with Royal Frontier and I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a simple roguelike RPG to master.
It may not be the deepest RPG but The Cruel King and the Great Hero is certainly one of the most heartwarming. In fact, I adored its story and cast of characters so much that I highly recommend it to anyone with a soft spot for unconventional lighthearted tales.
Chocobo GP made me realise how great of a game Chocobo Racing is. The new graphics and online component are indeed cool but 1999's racer is simply more fun with its challenging gameplay, unique tracks, and tighter controls. In fact, I think I'll boot it up now.
Legend of Ixtona is a solid SRPG that genre newcomers and nostalgic old farts like me can equally enjoy. From its simple yet satisfying battles to its interesting equipment acquisition mechanics, there's certainly a lot to keep you entertained.
Time Loader is a wonderful game that's set in a beautifully-presented miniature world. It may have some gameplay issues later in its campaign but the amount of fun that you'll have unraveling the story as you solve puzzles still makes for a good time overall.
I found Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden's story to be stronger than the first's yet when it comes to gameplay; it doesn't do much to make it feel fresh. It has me wondering how many of these titles there will be and how well future installments will hold up.
Triangle Strategy masterfully accomplishes its blend of rewarding SRPG gameplay and engaging choice-driven story. If you're a fan of narrative-heavy games and tactical grid-based battles then it's a must-have game.
I didn't expect to love GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon as much as I did. As a revival of an old game that not many folks are aware of, it does an excellent job of offering a modern and challenging roguelike experience. I hope to see many more games like this.
Moto Roader MC is one super-fun hidden gem from the TurboGrafx library and it's fantastic that more chums can enjoy this classic racer on modern consoles. Keep in mind, though, that it isn't quite as fun while playing solo as it is racing with friends.
Although I still find the original Dark Souls to be FromSoftware's magnum opus, Elden Ring is an undeniably amazing game. At the end of the day, it's sure to delight most Souls veterans but it probably won't convert many non-fans.