David McNamara
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince's significant performance issues unfortunately sap a lot of the joy out of the game's core loop of exploration and grinding, detracting from an otherwise solid monster-collecting experience. However, if you're able to overlook its painful opening hours and sloppy storytelling, there's a decent, comforting game lurking under the surface. Hardcore Dragon Quest lovers will find hours of grindy RPG goodness to enjoy and a colourful, varied world to get lost in – though certainly one far less polished than fans of the series would usually expect.
A witty, vicious, and charming-as-heck romp through a Victorian steampunk city, Sovereign Syndicate wraps its tight, character-driven story in layers of deliciously decadent prose. Delving through the seedy underbelly of this alternate-universe East London is compelling on its own, made all the more intriguing by the different perspectives of its trio of protagonists. Despite a few glitches at launch and some slightly rushed final moments, Sovereign Syndicate is a deeply satisfying narrative RPG and an absolute pleasure to play through.
Despite boldly declaring "the JRPG is back" and then doing absolutely nothing new with the genre, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is a decent, traditional JRPG that will tickle anyone who adored the classic PlayStation titles of the late nineties. Its modern affordances in visual design and voice acting bring this nostalgic adventure into the present day, but it is let down by sluggish, repetitive combat and some missed opportunities when it comes to utilising its massive roster of characters. Fans of Suikoden will likely already have this pre-ordered - for everyone else, check this out if you're looking for a nostalgic romp and don't mind a few speed bumps along the way.
A lo-fi ocean adventure for those in need of calm, monotonous focus, Endless Ocean: Luminous provides an experience that is entirely low stakes, low risk, and low reward. It's incredibly soothing to dive in and chase down a huge variety of aquatic creatures through the game's diverse, atmospheric marine environments, but anyone looking for a deeper narrative will be left high and dry. Check this out if you've got the funds and don't mind fumbling through a bit of jank to reach your zen state of mind.
For game preservation reasons, it's important that Luigi's Mansion 2 HD is available to play on current-gen hardware. However, this remake does little to address the original title's core gameplay issues, which have only grown more egregious with time. Its janky controls, lackluster visual updates, and frustratingly repetitive busywork detract from an otherwise charming Halloween adventure. There's a quirky, silly little game somewhere in here that has unfortunately not been given the attention it needs to be very much fun. Ever the forgotten brother, Luigi isn't likely to win any fans with this spooky escapade.
A wonderfully silly little quest, Leximan feels like a love letter to anyone who's ever played an RPG. Killer writing brings humour and warmth to its simple adventure gameplay, while a whirlwind tour of genre-spanning minigames provide constant variety that surprises and delights. Despite some occasional wonky controls and slightly under-utilised Lexicon mechanics, its iconic encounters and clever use of wordplay make this magical journey a pleasure to experience.