The game pays a fair homage to several of its influences such as some Atlus entries and also brings some good new ideas to the table. Learning Japanese is optional, but even for casual players vaguely interested in learning, some words will linger on their minds, and the didactic approach is a great idea.
The balance between combat, exploring, quests, and deepening bonds is excellent and the story, world-building, and presentation providing superb support to make Metaphor: ReFantazio a game contending to be among Atlus's greatest titles.
Visions of Mana is a strong entry that effectively revitalizes the lore of the series and keeps it more alive than ever. With dancing merchants, the ring system, and cute creatures such as Sproutlings, the game includes many staples of the series at their best, with Elemental Vessels being a magnificent addition.
The game as a whole is enchanting, but some mechanics could have been polished to make it even better.
While many may miss the inclusion of the female protagonist available in Portable, Persona 3 Reload is undoubtedly the definitive edition of the game and a phenomenal chance for veterans to relive its fascinating story and reconnect with its characters or for newcomers to get into the series.
Super Mario RPG Remake is extremely faithful to the original game, with the biggest changes in the form of reworked graphics and a rearranged soundtrack. Featuring fun mini-games and a lovely story full of adorable characters, the game will surely captivate more fans while allowing returning players to enjoy the story of the seven stars once more.
Persona 5 Tactica offers a captivating tale in a really cute world. The game is solid in every aspect, but the battle system and the soundscape are undoubtedly where the game shines brightest. The simpler mechanics may be initially dismaying for veterans of the series, but they fit the game nicely once the player gets used to them.
Monochrome Mobius: Rights and Wrongs Forgotten is an attractive first entry for newcomers while being an opportunity for fans to get to know the origins of some characters of the series. Using a classic RPG formula, the game has everything it should need to satisfy genre fans, yet it lacks a voice of its own as it takes no real risks.
Its spellbinding story, emotive soundtrack, spectacular visuals, and fast-paced action combat make Final Fantasy XVI a must-play action RPG.
Fairy Fencer F: Refrain Chord’s humorous script and diverting tactical battle system make it a promising entry for a young series. The game lacks depth in its story and variety in its gameplay, but this nearly 40-hour experience is still worth the time of those who are looking for a casually enjoyable game.
With an amazing story, great characters to bond with, and an extraordinary turn-based battle system, Persona 3 not only created fertile ground for the subsequent releases, but is back to captivate newcomers.
The game in its core is short and simple, with a massive amount of side content that isn’t very inviting to complete, but the effort put in the remastered version managed to make it a good addition to the series.
While it is hard to figure out a balanced path in its open world, it will also bring hours and hours of fun to those who want to fully explore it. Despite adding some fresh ideas, the story isn’t memorable, but the great variety of Pokémon, the art, and the turn-based battle system will surely please fans and newcomers alike.
Indie developer Wolfsden managed to incorporate several entertaining mini-games to create a charming fifteen-hour adventure. Manafinder is a cute pixel-art turn-based RPG that will appeal to many players with its sidequests and interesting battle system/
The nearly ten-hour adventure is fun and enoyable, with attractive artwork, but the game doesn’t reach that next level as it ultimately brings very little new to the table.
Digimon Survive is still recommended to fans of the franchise and those who enjoy a good story, with the warning that there’s scarce engagment with exploration and a repetitive battle system that tempers enjoyment.
Soul Hackers 2 has obvious similarities and the same high standards as the parent series. Including most of Shin Megami Tensei’s staples, it undoubtedly welcomes newcomers to the franchise in a friendly way.
Both fans of Star Wars and RPGamers will find many likable features in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords. However, in its current state, the game is barely recommendable since crashes will be present constantly.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a gem with fully justified award wins in 2020, and the Nintendo Switch port is a very welcome opportunity for more players to dive into its fantastic sci-fi story. While it’s light on the action, it’s a wholehearted recommendation for those who enjoy narrative adventures and RPGs in general.
Freedom Games and TRAGsoft’s monster-taming RPG features a pixel world, turn-based battle system, charming puzzles, and a vast array of monsters to catch. It’s a great homage to a subgenre and a whole era of video games, yet it sadly lacks meaningful, innovative ideas.