Dragon Quest XI S easily earns its title as the definitive edition of an amazing traditional JRPG.
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux's challenging gameplay might not be for everyone, but those it does appeal to will find a well-crafted dungeon-crawling experience with a thought-provoking narrative.
Final Fantasy VI is an incredible classic RPG, and the pixel remaster is currently the definitive way to experience it.
Nightshade is an excellent shinobi-focused otome game with strong character development and growth.
With a team consisting of Hironobu Sakaguchi and Yuji Horii, of Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest fame respectively, perhaps it was no huge surprise that I’d end up enjoying Chrono Trigger. Given my appreciation and fondness for those series, I enjoyed what they created, even if it did take me a little longer to give the title a chance than most. It is obvious that a lot of care and effort was put forth by the entire accomplished development team, and that stemmed into quite a few fun hours of gameplay for me. Chrono Trigger is one of those rare titles that indeed lives up to its storied reputation, and I can certainly see why it is considered a timeless classic RPG. I can’t thank everyone who has recommended and hyped Chrono Trigger to me enough, as I found that it is a journey through time well worth taking for RPG enthusiasts!
Please Be Happy wears its heart on its sleeve, making for a truly moving VN experience.
Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical is an incredibly memorable visual novel boasting an amusing interactive musical experience.
Overall, an enjoyable port of a great game.
I found myself immensely enjoying the time I spent playing Dark Deity. It particularly reminded me of playing some of the more recent Fire Emblem titles like Awakening and Fates, but I arguably found myself becoming more invested in the plot and caring even more for its characters. The gameplay, while somewhat reminiscent of those Fire Emblem titles, also provides some key differences that help greatly emphasize the strategy component of the game’s campaign. To SRPG fans looking for another Fire Emblem-esque experience, I’d wholeheartedly recommend giving Dark Deity a chance. It is a truly enjoyable addition to the genre, and one I’m glad I got the chance to further peruse.
Even at almost twenty years old, the classic Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is an excellent RPG port for the Switch.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past remains a true gaming classic and a solid adventure.
SEASON: A letter to the future is an adventure game with a moving message at its core.
Numina Part II is an essential final story component for fans of the first.
Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly is a touching return to the video game equivalent of savoring a favorite warm beverage on a dreary day.
Jack Jeanne is a compellingly original otome visual novel experience with rhythm action sequences.
Long Gone Days is a gorgeously poignant game.
Even with its Requiem port-specific flaws, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is a gaming classic that stands the test of time.
Steam Prison is an extremely enjoyable visual novel in several respects, especially if you don’t mind romantic undertones in well-crafted fantasy stories. The Switch port includes the Fin Route DLC that was sold separately on PC and some general upgrades to music and art. This probably makes it the “ultimate” version of the title. If you haven’t yet played the game and are an otome fan, it is easy enough to recommend even at its hefty price for the sheer amount of content and replayability you get. However, I’d be hard-pressed to say if it is a sure-fire purchase if you’ve already played another version of the title since you’ve probably seen most of the content before. That said, as far as VNs go, Steam Prison is another solid addition to the Nintendo Switch lineup.
OPUS: Echo of Starsong was a complete surprise to me in several ways. The gameplay was enjoyable without ever becoming too frustrating or boring, the visual presentation was beautiful, and the focus on audio was implemented well. But what ultimately stood out to me most was the creativity and care put into the story. This was an absolutely touching and memorable sci-fi tale with an endearing cast of characters, and it left quite the impression after I finished the game. Much like the echoes of ephemeral sound that the characters follow throughout the stars, OPUS: Echo of Starsong might just leave you with a lasting impression.
Fourth wall-breaking Numina is a wonderfully enjoyable and refreshing RPG experience.