Salal Awan
Dragon Quest Treasures is a pleasantly decent take on the conventional Dragon Quest formula, featuring hours of gameplay and a likable cast of characters.
As a remaster, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy Reunion is a fan's dream come true. It has highly refined visuals, enhanced gameplay, and some quality-of-life improvements, but it suffers from antiquated gameplay design.
The Callisto Protocol is a perfect example of a game that is well-polished yet suffers from several design faults that highlight its weaknesses. In this case, the melee and dodge system can be a thorn in the game's side, but don't let that stop you from enjoying this otherwise fantastic experience.
In the current market, there is nothing quite like Tactics Ogre: Reborn, and this new release appears to check all the right boxes to bring this classic to modern platforms. It is a once-in-a-generation game that should be played even if you are not a fan of the SRPG genre.
Shadows of Rose is a solid continuation of the Resident Evil Village story, with minor flaws in its survival horror focus but some tense moments. The other new additions in the Winters' Expansion make an already terrific game even better, with a completely new third-person camera providing a distinct perspective on Resident Evil Village's scary story mode.
Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope is a thrilling adventure with some intense strategic battles. It's an excellent sequel that fixes many of the flaws of its predecessor and provides a spectacular journey with hours of entertainment.
No More Heroes 3 promises and delivers a good time for fans of the series as well as people who have never played any prior games.
Valkyrie Elysium has an excellent battle system and exciting exploration options, but the plot never takes off, resulting in a lackluster conclusion.
Pac-Man World Re-Pac won't set the platforming genre on fire, but it checks all the appropriate boxes for fans of the yellow ghost-eating hero.
Soul Hackers 2 is a fun budget JRPG that has a repetitive design, but the developers tried their best to deliver an experience that should please fans of the Shin Megami Tensei and Persona series.
Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series is a dream come true for those who appreciate its value, but it lacks enough content to create a compelling purpose for someone to play through the games again.
Capcom Fighting Collection is a satisfying bundle that includes 10 classic games with a variety of options as well as online multiplayer.
Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition, while far from a flawless remaster, delivers one of the most adored games to current platforms, but it is at best a monkey paw type of wish fulfillment. Even the game's poor performance cannot disguise this brilliance.
With Elden Ring, From Software has once again demonstrated why they are the masters of creating a brand new world with complex lore, engaging combat, and satisfying progression.
Sifu is a must-have game for anyone who enjoys martial arts. It has a solid combat system, but its main disadvantage is a steep learning curve.
Rune Factory 4 Special was my first introduction to this series, which combines the farming simulation elements of Harvest Moon with a traditional action RPG, and suffice it to say, I greatly like it, despite its flaws.
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker condenses the charm and specialization of the series DNA into a single expansion that will be regarded as one of the finest Final Fantasy storylines.
Shin Megami Tensei V is a finely built JRPG with a flawless game design that stumbles in its story execution but makes up for it with its gameplay brilliance.
Fatal Frame was once a one-of-a-kind option in the realm of survival horror games, but that has long since gone. Maiden of Black Water is a modernized version that prioritizes graphics above quality and suffers as a result. It takes a lot more than a basic clean-up to make it work, but there's no denying it can be entertaining under the proper conditions.
House of Ashes is the best entry in the Dark Pictures Anthology. It has taken its predecessor's weaknesses and offered an overall balanced experience this time around.