Austin King
The only real issue with Trails From Zero is one that most other games in the series have, too - sometimes, exposition dumps can feel a bit tedious and some scenes overstay their welcome. Even with a story and characters as great as these, some parts just feel longer than they should be. Regardless, The Legend of Heroes: Trails From Zero is fantastic and continues Trails' trend of setting the bar incredibly high for character-driven narratives. It's also a wonderful feeling to finally have the Crossbell arc localized, but it was worth the wait.
Even people new to D&D or card-based RPGs like SteamWorld Quest should have no problem learning the ropes quickly. While it could've benefited from more character interactions and a stronger story, the combat and core gameplay loop are so engaging that many players probably won't even notice. Gordian Quest is a rare gem of an RPG that somehow manages to blend multiple genres into one game without making anything feel unwieldy.
Despite having some problems, Moo Lander is a ton of fun that delivers on its premise of being the first "Mootroidvania." The humor is hit or miss, but there are plenty of times players will find themselves smiling as they navigate the various biomes and try to solve puzzles to move the story forward. The story may not be that great, but the gameplay is - and it definitely makes Moo Lander worth checking out.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising was initially a Kickstarter reward, and as a reward, it's pretty great. Despite the combat and gameplay loop not being as great as the town-building and characters, it's still a really enjoyable game. Regardless of its flaws with repetition, Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising is a lot of fun and should have plenty of people excited for Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes in 2023.
There's plenty of laughter and tears along the way, and Endwalker manages to send off the Zodiark and Hydaelyn saga on an incredibly high note. Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker is a real crowdpleaser, and it should also leave everyone hopeful for what the future has in store for the MMORPG, even if this expansion is going to be incredibly difficult to top.