Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the mountaintop of the Like a Dragon series and a spectacular title that manages to impress from start to finish. This is a grand, momentous adventure that sees players control both of the series protagonists in a story that ultimately shapes the future of Like a Dragon. It's a masterpiece that improves gameplay systems from Yakuza: Like a Dragon while driving ambition in many other aspects.
Persona 5 Tactica is a really fun RPG that brings interesting new characters, addicting gameplay, and a story that delivers lighthearted and dark themes alike. Although the game doesn't exactly move the Persona series forward in a substantial way, Persona 5 Tactica brings an intriguing twist to the gameplay systems that fans come to know and love in a well-rounded RPG that respects the player's time.
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name delivers an impactful story through the perspective of Kazuma Kiryu, the beloved protagonist of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series. In preparation for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Gaiden bridges an important gap in the timeline while providing additional context with new characters that enter the fold. Meanwhile, Gaiden introduces various improvements to the signature combat system and many hours of compelling content as a can't-miss entry in the series.
CRYMACHINA is an intriguing action RPG with mechanical girls that attempt to become human again in a very distant future. Although such a future is bleak, these androids make CRYMACHINA feel wholesome and hopeful. CRYMACHINA's smooth combat system, stellar Japanese voice acting, and well-rounded offering of single-player content make it a solid game.
The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails brings a vastly different experience compared to other Trails games, but it's a true Falcom title that will captivate players all the same. From an otherworldly setting with dozens of levels to a simple gameplay system that evolves with progression, Falcom presents a very fun action RPG with high replay value, and intriguing story/lore, and a pleasant cast of characters.
ANONYMOUS;CODE is a brilliant visual novel by MAGES. and Chiyomaru Studio that blends the wonders of reality and science fiction for a truly memorable experience. The stellar writing, stunning artwork and CGs, and incredible cast of characters make ANONYMOUS;CODE a standout title in 2023. This is a must-buy visual novel for Steins;Gate fans, and newcomers will be pleasantly surprised, too.
Affogato combines elements of visual novels, popular Japanese RPGs, and anime to create a compelling title. The beautifully drawn illustrations and superb Japanese voice cast make Affogato feel like a high-quality anime or visual novel production. Affogato's Persona-inspired life management systems also allow players to dive deeper into the game's colorful cast of characters as well.
Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening is a well-rounded RTS game that brings players into the Sengoku period to lead clans into victory. The game's rewarding management system and compelling mechanics are very enjoyable, but the controller button layout and menus may feel obtuse to some players.
Exoprimal is a very fun third-person action game where players may enjoy destroying waves of dinosaurs to progress a story across time. Exosuits offer a compelling arsenal that may suit different combat scenarios, and various upgrades and cosmetics let players add a personal touch. However, Exoprimal's opening hours leave a lot to be desired, so commitment and time are needed to get to the game's best features and modes. The game's use of a Season Pass and microtransactions may also be a point of contention for some Capcom fans.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie is an exceptional turn-based RPG that beautifully ties up loose ends from previous Trails games while hinting toward the franchise's future. Players are greeted by a memorable cast of characters that are playable across three main story paths. These story paths converge into an excellent experience with a slew of side content and much more to discover. This is an absolute must-buy for Trails fans.
Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE is an incredible detective-mystery game that blends elements and the appeal of Danganronpa with refreshingly new ideas. Investigation and Mystery Labyrinth sequences always hold surprising twists and turns, and the game is bolstered by a diverse cast of bizarre and endearing characters. This title is a must buy for fans of mystery games and the Danganronpa franchise.
Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is an awesome strategy RPG that faithfully adapts Advance Wars and Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising into one delightful remake. The remake provides a lot of compelling content with addicting gameplay that will keep players busy for tens of hours. Although online functionality is somewhat limited, the single-player content makes Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp a hidden gem on Nintendo Switch in 2023.
GrimGrimoire OnceMore is a great remaster that brings players back into a magical world crafted by Nippon Ichi Software and Vanillaware. This real-time strategy game features a vibrant artstyle, unique gameplay, and a compelling cast of characters.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure is a beautiful turn-based RPG that encapsulates what makes Falcom's Trails series so great. The Special Support Section proves to be one of the most memorable casts of characters in gaming today. Addicting gameplay, an enormous offering of content, and a host of new features make this one of the best entries in the whole series.
Like a Dragon: Ishin! is another incredible action game produced by SEGA and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio. Sakamoto Ryoma's journey is emotional and action-packed, hitting all of the right chords for an excellent Yakuza / Like a Dragon title. This game is welcoming to newcomers while rewarding longtime fans for their continued support of the long-running series.
Persona 4 Golden is a superb JRPG that stands the test of time with a brilliant cast of characters, fulfilling main story, and addicting gameplay. This excellent JRPG is finally portable again on Nintendo Switch, providing one of the best ways to play Persona 4 Golden with its new quality of life improvements and features. This is a must-buy for JRPG veterans and newcomers alike.
Persona 3 Portable ages like fine wine as an excellent JRPG that caters to handheld play sessions on Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck. The game's iconic style, incredible story, humorous cast, and emotional moments are beautifully remastered for modern platforms. The remaster's new features and quality of life improvements make this version the best way to play Persona 3 right away.
Samurai Maiden is a really fun girls sword-fighting action game that focuses more on characters and combat than a strong narrative experience. The fully voiced dialogue, frantic combat, and endearing cast of characters make for a solid action game experience from D3 Publisher and SHADE. Nintendo Switch performance is lacking with its frame rate stutters and dips, however.
Persona 5 Royal is a wonderful experience on Nintendo Switch with its beautiful visuals and fun turn-based combat holding up quite well. Players can experience a captivating story on the go or at home with tons of new features unavailable in the original Persona 5. This is a must-buy for RPG fans who have yet to experience the tale of the Phantom Thieves or for those who want to relive the journey on a portable device.
The Chaos;Head Noah / Chaos;Child Double Pack provides many hours of thrilling stories and unnerving twists. Although the English release of Chaos;Head Noah is not ideal, it's worth experiencing for fans of visual novels such as Steins;Gate. Chaos;Child is another great entry for the Switch and a worthy sequel with investigation elements. The games would greatly benefit from patches and fixes.