Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a must-have RPG this holiday season. There is so much that Veilguard brings to the table that it's hard to find something to dislike. Veilguard is a complete package that gives you everything you could ever wish for in an action-RPG, and is without a doubt a return to form for BioWare.
There is a lot to enjoy about The Bridge Curse 2 The Extrication from its well written story and characters to the unique monster designs. Its just a shame those monster designs lead to a lot of boring run and hide sequences. Those who enjoyed the first game or even the movies of the same titles will surly find a lot of love here.
Blumhouse Games is off to a great start with Fear the Spotlight. A creepy PS1-era horror game with a great story, incredible atmosphere, and puzzles that will make you remember those fun times back in the day.
Beyond Galaxyland tells a fantastic tale full of colorful characters in a vast world full of surprise and wonder. It's a shame that its combat system is locked to an ability system that seems to hinder you more than help. Though its world is grand, the game's lighting gets in the way, making dark areas impossible to see and the light regions blinding the eye.
There is a lot to love about Bloomtown: A Different Story. Thanks to the game's fantastic writing and characters, I quickly fell in love with the town and its residents. Its soundtrack is brilliant, and the pixel art style really catches your eye. It's just a shame that some parts of its questing and combat hinder it from truly rising to greatness.
Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE Plus is an absolute blast. Each mystery kept me on the edge of my seat as I franticly tried to solve the case with my team of colorful, though sometimes insane, fellow detectives. There is a lot to love about Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE Plus, and fans of mysteries and the Danganronpa franchise will fall in love with it.
Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 follows a lot of the same beats as its predecessor but enhances all of its mechanics to suit the constant war in the 40K universe. Space Marine 2's combat is visceral and challenging, and taking on the Tyranid hordes with friends is a blast. It's just a shame the game suffers from some seriously long load times and slow progression. However, none of that should stop fans of the franchise from eating it up, while newcomers will find plenty to love as a space-traveling Marine blasting through alien hordes.
It's a shame that a game with so much potential couldn't find some great mechanics and focus on them. Instead, it focused more on a political statement that it shoves down your throat every chance it gets. Dustborn offers excellent visuals and voice work with some solid writing when it focuses on the story, but falls flat from janky and simple combat and noticeable bugs.
White Day 2: A Flower That Tells Lies tries hard to live up to its predecessor but doesn't reach the same heights. Repeating scares and infuriating pursuers keep it from standing out from a crowded genre. It's not all bad, though, as the game's puzzles and fantastic location and world-building will keep the most hardcore fans from sticking with it through its dozen endings, but for most, it will be a one-it-and-done-it affair.
Nobody Wants To Die was the game I didn't realize I needed to play this year until I played it. A fantastic narrative experience set in one of the most harrowing worlds. Though its gameplay is by the books, it didn't keep me from being thoroughly entertained from start to finish. For those looking for a cyberpunk murder mystery, you don't need to look further than Nobody Wants To Die.
The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak is one of the year's best RPGs. From its fantastic combat that looks to innovate and push the franchise, genre forward, and its storytelling. It may not be the best story in the series, but its character development is some of the best out there. After twenty years and almost eleven games, The Legend of Heroes franchises are finally poised to compete with the best of the best.
Monster Hunter Stories pays homage to the best in the franchise and keeps its spirit in its various mechanics. Because it's a turn-based RPG, it features a grand story and strategic combat. With plenty of monsters to collect and raise and lots of crafting and gathering. Monster Hunter Stories provides everything you need in an RPG.
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is a much-improved sequel. For the most part, it's everything you enjoyed in the first game, but with a plethora of updates, including improvements to combat and exploration. There is just something about collecting these legendary monsters and having them fight by your side that puts a smile on my face.
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is a brutal experience where every decision you make feels impactful. The world is brimming with personality, and the demons are fun to talk to and play with. Vengeance has a lot going for it, and the quality of life improvements make it one of the best JRPGs released on the PlayStation 5.
Eternal Threads presents a unique story with some of the best writing and character development I've experienced this year. Though it's a short and simple experience, I found myself glued to the screen to see what happens next. There isn't much else for you to do in Eternal Threads, making it the definition of a walking simulator, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Sometimes, having the most faithful remake doesn't mean it will be the best. I love Front Mission 2 and will always return to it, but this Remake may be hard for some people to accept and swallow with the lack of tutorials, hard-to-navigate menus, and a translation that could have used more time. It's still a fun game you must love to get through.
The GRANDIA HD Collection is the only way to experience these two great titles on modern platforms. Both Grandia and Grandia 2 stand the test of time with great writing and characters and a unique combat and skill upgrade system. It's just a shame that not enough was done to provide quality-of-life upgrades. The only real updates these games have received are game visuals and widescreen support.
With great art direction and fun, though infuriating, puzzles. The Last Case Of Benedict Fox is a fun Metroidvania with great brain teasers and entertaining combat. It just takes a while to experience the best parts of the game. Exploration is fun but suffers in places like the combat and puzzles. But it doesn't keep the game from being fun all the same.
A fantasy adventure for the ages. Dragon's Dogma 2 takes everything that made the first game good and expands on it in everyway. The combat is visceral and engaging l. With a massive world to explore you can loose yourself for days exploring and battling all your favorite fantasy monstrosities. Dragon's Dogma 2 is an incredible adventure no one should miss.
There was so much potential with Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League; for the most part, it's a fun game with a fun story. Unfortunately, it falls short with repetitive missions and gameplay. Its story holds it up until you reach the endgame, which rehashes the mission structure you've already experienced. Though Metropolis is a fun city to explore and with plenty of Easter eggs to find, there just isn't much here to keep going for a long period.