You saw this verdict coming; Phoenix Wright's latest adventure is every bit as brilliant as his earlier escapades, with phenomenal writing, satisfying gameplay, and tons of irresistibly clever courtroom drama. The high-altitude Himalayan setting is fresh and fun, and much more than just window dressing; the thrilling Divination Séances are a wonderful on-theme addition, the new characters are as memorable as any in the series, and Khura'in's customs makes for both enjoyable virtual tourism and a constant source of plot-twisting courtroom culture-shock. Whether you're a longtime fan or a first-time offender, no further deliberation is required — this is a court date you won't want to miss.
A perfectly passable, prototypical roguelike RPG, Adventure Labyrinth Story is a decently diverting game that's happy to entertain without leaving a lasting impression. It takes tried and true gameplay elements and wraps them up in a plain presentation, resulting in a dependable experience that does what it says on the tin. That's not a problem in and of itself, of course, and if you're just looking to do some randomized exploring with all the trappings (and traps!) of the genre, this will definitely scratch that itch — it's comfort gaming, and on the cheap, too. But it's severely lacking in soul, and if you've got a few more gold to spare, we'd recommend Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity or Etrian Mystery Dungeon as far more memorable experiences in the same vein.
Zero Time Dilemma is an impressively polished, unsettling ride, but whether it's worth playing is entirely dependent on your previous experience with the series. If you've played and enjoyed the first two games in the trilogy you'll absolutely love Zero's last stand. You'll find the same twisting, twisted narrative, the same satisfyingly tricky puzzles, and plenty more of Uchikoshi's signature style, and watching the story's climax unfold after three games is a real rush. If you haven't played the first two games but you're interested in the series, this isn't the best place to start — to really enjoy it, you'll want to have both Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors (on DS and iOS) and Virtue's Last Reward (on 3DS and Vita) under your belt before jumping in here.However you arrive at Zero Time Dilemma, if you're into the series' mix of horror and Hegel you're in for a treat — and you may never look at a snail the same way again.
With sluggish gameplay, off-putting presentation and bafflingly poor design decisions at every turn, Langrisser Re:Incarnation Tensei is an entirely underwhelming revival of a once-beloved series, and a subpar SRPG besides. It's clunky and charmless, and suffers all the more from its considerable company; on a system with multiple Fire Emblems, stylish standouts like Stella Glow, and cheap-as-chips eShop options like Mercenaries Saga 2, it's hard to think of a place for Langrisser. Maybe someday Masaya's storied series will rise again, but for now, this is one SRPG best kept sheathed.
Infinite Dunamis gives players exactly what it promises: a turn-based, nostalgia-heavy JRPG that hearkens back to the 16-bit era. It suffers from many of the same presentational pitfalls as its fellow mobile ports, including jittery movement, generic-looking backgrounds and a pervading lack of polish, but it also introduces some genuinely interesting ideas, like the timing-based power ups of its 'Gaia Icons', and boasts competent, characterful writing. There are far better role-playing experiences on the 3DS, but for turn-based world-saving on the cheap, Infinite Dunamis is a fine option.
With top-class character customization, a delightfully different combat system and a slick nature-futuristic style, 7th Dragon III Code: VFD is a fantastic addition to the 3DS' JRPG library.
Like most RPGs in the Kemco stables, Justice Chronicles does just what it sets out to: recreate the glory days of console JRPGs filtered through a modern, mobile-inspired lens. And while there's no masterful writing or great innovation at play here, an interesting battle system and tried-and-true gameplay loop means that Justice Chronicles succeeds as a slice of low-priced comfort gaming. It doesn't do much to stand out in the 3DS' library of JRPGs — already flooded with some of the finest examples of the genre in recent history — but if you've played the best and are still left with the need to save the world in a turn-based fashion, this is a thoroughly decent choice.
Alphadia definitely does what it says on the tin, serving up an old-school JRPG with turn-based combat, a familiar story and a SNES-era aesthetic. Unfortunately, it does so without ever really aspiring to any sort of excellence, and with a few telltale trappings of a mobile port, including jittery movement, noticeably compressed sound and a lack of stereoscopic 3D. Alphadia isn't a bad game — and players looking for pure comfort-food gaming will certainly find some old-fashioned fun here — but on a system with what is hands down the best library of JRPGs in recent memory, 'not bad' isn't enough to stand out.
A fun action RPG with an infernal/feudal Japanese aesthetic and some great ideas, Sadame is a welcome eShop surprise. The core combat can get repetitive, and it lacks the fluid finesse of the best beat-'em-ups, but there's a lot here to love, including a particularly thoughtful implementation of its four-character hook. If you're in the mood for a hack-and-slash alt-history lesson, Sadame can definitely cut it.
Return to PopoloCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale tells a beautiful tale, but its magic isn't in the plot points, and won't come through in a simple summary of events. Instead, it's in the little details, the kindness of the characters, the gentle music, the journey. Like a storybook that just so happens to come on a 3DS cartridge, Return to PopoloCrois is sweet, heartwarming, and absolutely worth diving into. If you have a soft spot for golden-era JRPGs — or just classically charming games in general — we can't recommend it enough.
As a sequel, Bravely Second: End Layer does everything right. It improves on its predecessor in nearly every way, shakes things up enough to still be exciting for players who may have recently poured sixty hours into the first game, and offers a meaningful chance to reconnect with beloved characters. Even better, it's a nearly-perfect JRPG in its own right. Beautiful, well-written, and endlessly engaging in gameplay and story, this is a wonderful example of why people fall in love with the genre. Simply put, Bravely Second is a must-play for JRPG fans, and one of the 3DS' finest games to date.
A fitting swan song for imageepoch and another gem in the 3DS' legendary RPG lineup, Stella Glow is smart, stylish, and seriously satisfying. Fans of SRPGs will get a kick out of the combat, characters, and strategy, the fun, fast-paced story will keep you entertained to the end, and the musical motif works wonderfully, winding its way through the gameplay and presentation with ease. A few interface wobbles keep it from being a totally perfect show, but they're minor concerns in an otherwise spellbinding performance. Stella Glow is absolutely worth singing about.
Both a wonderful upgrade to the original Etrian Odyssey 2 and an impressive improvement on Etrian Odyssey Untold, Untold 2: The Fafnir Knight is a dungeon-crawling delight. With satisfying combat, endless customization, and beautiful labyrinths that are as fun to map out as they are to explore, this is a joyously engrossing adventure - and a truly accessible difficulty setting and user-friendly interface make it the easiest Etrian to dive into yet. If you've played other Etrian Odysseys and are looking for more, you'll have a blast here, and if this is your first time journeying into Yggdrasil, prepare to be hooked - just make sure to leave some breadcrumbs to find your way back.
With fun, strategic battles, a roller-coaster narrative that never lets up, and a fantastic sense of upbeat, apocalyptic style, Devil Survivor 2 is a full-on blast from start to finish. If you missed out on the original release, you're in for a treat, and if you've already played the DS cart to death the Triangulum scenario adds another immediately accessible full-length adventure to the experience - more than enough reason to return. Whether you're a longtime MegaTen fan or just enjoy deep, strategic RPGs, you'll have a great time with Record Breaker, so summon up your courage and sign in to Nicaea; you won't regret it.
Wrapping Mystery Dungeon' time-tested gameplay in an evergreen Etrian aesthetic, Etrian Mystery Dungeon is another excellent RPG in the 3DS' already impressive lineup. It's not always a perfect mashup - the randomly generated Mystery dungeons aren't a patch on Etrian Odyssey's memorable mazes, and the elaborate skillsets feel better suited to menus than button mappings - but the masterful mix of addictive exploration, strategic combat, extensive customization, and a real sense of adventure remains engrossing throughout. Fans of either series - or anyone up for a challenging dungeon-crawl in a idyllic setting - will have a great time combing through these charming catacombs.
Lego Batman 3 may not be the greatest adventure — or even the greatest LEGO adventure — on the Wii U, but it's certainly still well worth a look for series fans. Repetitive gameplay elements and some occasionally awkward controls bring down the Dark Knight's latest, and the lack of an explorable open world feels like a step back from its predecessor, but fun writing, excellent co-op, and lots of LEGO charm are more than enough to seal the deal for DC devotees.
Persona Q has something for everyone. If you're a Persona fan, you'll get a huge kick out of seeing your old Gekkoukan and Yasogami classmates in an all-new adventure, and Etrian Odyssey fans open to a change will love it — this is the story-driven experiment of Etrian Odyssey Untold taken to the next level, with a stylistic overhaul to match. And if you haven't played either of its inspirations, you're still in luck — this isn't just a great crossover, it's a fantastically fun RPG in its own right, with colourful characters, engaging gameplay, and a whole heap of style. Persona fans will undoubtedly get the most out of the fan-service, but even if you can't tell Junpei from Junes, you'll still have a blast exploring Persona Q.
Trap Team continues the Skylanders legacy in style, serving up an excellent adventure with fun gameplay, lots of variety and top-notch production values both on-screen and off. It's kid-friendly in every sense of the word, though grown-up gamers will find plenty to enjoy here as well.
Unlimited World Red is a good example of a licensed game done well. If you're a One Piece fan, you'll be in high-seas heaven; the gang's all here, they look and sound great, and the gameplay — while it has its issues — provides a solid foundation for the adventure. Poor camera controls and some repetitive design dampen the experience, and will be harder to swallow for non-fans, but even players who can't tell a Straw Hat from a straw hat can enjoy the the bright, high-energy action and colourful characters.
World Party is well worth a try for anyone looking to add a fun dose of fitness to their Wii U routine.