PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo is an excellent visual novel game that blends Japanese mythology and fiction to create a compelling story, with a unique art style and fascinating lore, making it worth the price for fans of the genre.
Octopath Traveler 2 is a fantastic sequel that retains its distinct features while enhancing its overall coherence. It's a top-tier JRPG from Square Enix and a strong contender for 2023's GOTY. Although pacing issues persist, the game's narrative rewards perseverance, resulting in a memorable experience. Whether new or returning, players will find plenty of entertainment and engagement in this title.
Like a Dragon: Ishin is a Yakuza franchise spin-off set in 19th-century Japan with a lively open-world experience, four unique combat styles, and plenty of substories to complete. The addition of Trooper Cards might not be appealing to everyone, and the game's visual presentation is dated with some minor bugs, but it's still a decent remake of a 9-year-old game.
Persona 3 Portable is a game with a darker tone and philosophical themes, with enjoyable gameplay but a repetitive tower of Tartarus. The main cast of characters is likable and social links provide interesting side stories. It may not have the same level of quality content as its successors, but it is still worth playing for fans of the series, but newcomers may prefer to start with a more recent entry.
Persona 4 Golden has cemented its place in the pantheon of great JRPGs, and revisiting the game on a big screen only serves to reinforce that reputation. From its charming young cast to its twisting and turning story, this game has everything that makes a great RPG.
One Piece Odyssey might not establish a new standard in the JRPG genre, but it is still an entertaining experience, especially if you are a fan of the franchise.
Valkyrie Profile Lenneth is one of those obscure but famous JRPG titles that deserved a revival, and while the new game was less than fantastic, its predecessor has been remastered for current platforms with the respect it deserves.
If you are a fan of the series, Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered is a worthy release, but for newbies to the JRPG genre, this might be a challenging first step. It's still a lot of fun if you give it the time it needs to understand the many gameplay mechanics.
The Devil In Me is an intriguing concept on paper, and the developers have attempted to implement several interesting gameplay changes, but the game suffers from abrupt pacing and inadequate character development, which limit its potential.
Doraemon: Story of Seasons: Friends of the Great Kingdom is an enjoyable sequel with some great improvements, but it falls short of the franchise's full potential.
Harvestella is a Frankenstein creature of several genres with a golden heart. It's one of the year's most soothing games, with an addicting gameplay cycle and some intriguing quests.
Star Ocean: The Divine Force has a terrific battle system, a variety of unique exploration possibilities with a lot of vertical mobility, and a solid cast of characters, but the game's pacing can be a problem, and the writing is somewhat weak.
The Diofield Chronicle has all of the components for an intriguing game, but it lacks a few key ingredients that may help it stand out.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R's main foundation is good, with a fun battle system that doesn't seem difficult, but the mediocre online multiplayer dampens some of its promises.
Rabbids: Party of Legends is enjoyable with friends, and there are several minigames to play, but its main weaknesses are the lack of online multiplayer and a poor adventure mode.
There haven't been many games that have effectively emulated the success of the classic Resident Evil, but Tormented Souls does exactly that, although with some flaws.
Evil Dead: The Game succeeds with its multiplayer component, which is still enjoyable with friends, but if you're looking for a single-player experience, you'll be disappointed.
Baldo: The Guardian Owls falls short of the heights set by its inspiration, but it is still a respectable action RPG.
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is the ultimate fanservice fantasy realised as a video game for fans of the previous Persona games.
Rune Factory 5 is an excellent addition to the series, with plenty of wonderful stuff to enjoy, but its lack of polish limits its potential.