The focus on masquerades and pushing it to a legitimate political centerpiece, as well as infusing it with otherworldly magical properties, is both refreshing and interesting take on the "detective's tale". That is why it is all too unfortunate that Masquerada's potential is marred by poor, repetitive combat and meaningless character progression – which would not be an issue at all if it weren't billed as an RPG in the first place.
This alchemical adventure may lack the polish and depth of some of its contemporaries, but it is an enjoyable life simulation RPG nonetheless.
While the validity of this labyrinth’s "infinite" realms is questionable, the deep character customization and handcrafted dungeons are anything but.
A wonderful throwback to the Igarashi-directed Castlevania titles that is only held back by questionable performance.
River City Girls feels like a genuine return to an experience that, three decades prior, played an integral role in kick-starting my love for the RPG genre.
On narrative ambition alone, Romancing SaGa 3 deserves a spot alongside the coveted RPGs of the Super Nintendo era.
One More Dungeon succeeds not by creating something brand-new, but rather from embracing older design concepts in a refreshing way.
Toejam & Earl: Back in the Groove has reminded me, once again, to be weary of random presents, and that many of us looked (and acted like) goobers towards the end of the millennium.
While not mind-blowing in any way, Goblin Sword is as good as a budget-tiered Metroidvania can get – with the added appeal of light RPG elements.
Rune Factory 4 Special will have you praising its variety of content and consistent rewards, but also cursing some of its more finicky components.
While the debut Dusk title shows little advancement from the Arland trilogy, it holds promise for future entries while remaining a solid Atelier experience.
The second entry in the Atelier Dusk trilogy is an improvement overall compared to its predecessor, but does struggle a bit in certain areas.
The latest retro JRPG from Hit-Point, published under KEMCO, is one of the better budget-friendly experiences they currently offer.
Will Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy prove to be as successful as its 2019 predecessor?
While Citizens of Earth and Space are solid experiences in their own right, most of the new, overarching Unite! content is questionable at best.
While Bravely Default II lacks vital components necessary to make it a must-have experience, it still provides an engaging loop for fans of traditional JRPGs.
SaGa Frontier Remastered is the new gold standard for remasters and is proof that the return of any RPG – no matter how quirky, old, or niche – is possible.
Atelier Sophie continues the trend of providing a solid, unique JRPG experience, though it is by no means the best of the Atelier bunch.
The ambitious open world approach found in the middle ‘Mysterious’ entry, Atelier Firis, brings out both the best and worst the game has to offer.
The conclusion of the Mysterious trilogy is a reminder that while it may not be the best Atelier subseries, it is still a journey worth taking.