Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a classic through and through. Not many games have such unique systems and concepts and choose to stick by them after all of these years. This is a remake done with the utmost respect to the original, featuring modern accommodations that increase the ease of play while not diminishing the experience. Battles are strategic and fast-paced, with many variables to consider, from formations to character customization. The freedom of SaGa is on full blast with the classic decision-making from the original, which determines the outcomes of quests, what allies you'll gain, and how the Imperial Dynasty will continue. This remake ties it all together with a variety of helpful menus that communicate integral details such as tech point requirements and quest tracking.
Visions of Mana is a wonderful continuation of the series that completely understands the strengths and appeal of the series while knowing what to modernize and what to keep classic. The themes, structure, mechanics, and art all feel explicitly Mana to the point you could swear new main entries never stopped coming out for over a decade. While there are some technical issues, it's nothing that affected my enjoyment of the game. With the closure of Ouka Studio, the basis for what could have been an even greater sequel or the hope of patches to smooth the few remaining rough edges is nothing more but leaves scattered on the wind...
Princess Maker 2 Regeneration is a solid remastering of the second game in Gainax’s child-rearing simulation series. It’s still the same charming experience that was released in 1993. All of the depth is retained, and the remastered art is handled by the original director and artist, ensuring that PM2’s legacy is preserved 30 years later. Decision-making is the name of the game. The stats your daughter works so hard to gain mean nothing if she doesn’t have the proper guidance. Your scheduling and management are what will determine the future that awaits her. With over 70 endings, there are plenty of outcomes you can strive for.
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin accomplishes exactly what a solid sequel should. Everything from the graphics to the game mechanics has been upgraded or tuned in various ways to create a smoother yet new experience. Improved fidelity, stronger ease-of-play, more cohesive maps, and battle adjustments make Monster Hunter Stories 2 a more modern feeling game while unabashedly still being a proper Monster Hunter AND RPG experience.
Monster Hunter Stories is a fun spinoff that holds its roots close ot its heart. Dozens of new ideas were thrown in together to create a fun new take on the Monster Hunter series. With new content, voice acting, and higher framerates, the rerelease of Monster Hunter Stories is one worth your time.
The remake of Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord is great. It revives one of the most historically important games of all time with dignity. These old bones may creak at times, but the foundation of all of your favorite RPGs can be found here. There’s a good amount of exploration and party-building to keep you busy. The no-holds-barred combat will be sure to test your mettle, as well. There is room for experimentation, and learning how to be efficient creates plenty of replay value. Be forewarned: even with tons of quality-of-life toggles, this game is unforgiving. The autosave feature and balancing that lean towards ‘brutal’ ensures that the age-old adventure still has teeth. There are even settings that allow players to experience the game balancing as it was in its original format and its slightly altered console ports from back in the day. I don’t recommend coming to Wizardry 1 for a deep storyline. Its premise is nothing more than mildly interesting. I’m also not a fan of the DnD style balancing, I much prefer how later RPGs handle their calculations.
SaGa: Emerald Beyond is the most easily accessible SaGa game while still having nigh impenetrable barriers surrounding its appeal. There are many prospective players who won't dig the presentation or take the time to understand the beauty found in the design. Those who give Emerald Beyond the time of day and devote themselves to understanding the game will most certainly walk away with something truly special. The Free-Form Scenario system urges players to progress the main plot in any way they so choose. Your choices will alter your progression path. Even your mid-battle decisions matter. The battle system relies on turn order and manipulation of said turns. Arranging your party to create combos while breaking your enemies apart is addictive. Enjoyment of this game hinges on whether or not you enjoy the battle system and multi-world conceit.
Freedom Planet 2 is a very high-effort game with great art and ideas, however, the execution of said ideas often causes the game to trip and fall flat on its face. The speed and combat can be thrilling independent of one another, but they don't mesh well at all. This creates a disjointed feeling akin to shifting gears. This feeling is also recreated by the level design. Levels can joyfully breeze by or be filled with obstacles that kindle a feeling of annoyance. The game has a unique identity due to its blending of several different classic elements found in gaming greats but this "highlight reel" fails to capture the same charm, I fear. The story scenes act as an additional kick to the shins by being quite adept at ripping the player out of the action with irritating characters. Freedom Planet 2 is an alright, yet jumbled, copycat. The constant back and forth the disjointed creates is disappointing. If you happen to like the first game, then you'll surely enjoy what this game has to offer.
Unicorn Overlord provides hours of gorgeous, meaty Strategy RPG. Prospective players can be guaranteed strong core gameplay with gorgeous artwork. The beauty and tactics bleed through the parchment and spread through every facet of the game effortlessly and intentionally. Planning out your units, customizing skills, experimenting with squad formations, and proper execution of your machinations only scratch the surface of what's possible. On top of all this, the story and characters polish archetypes and tropes to a mirror sheen that should leave any genre lovers more than satisfied.
Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island is the best Mystery Dungeon game. It's absolutely heaping with mechanical depth and a breadth of content. The gameplay requires acute focus and a smart mind in order to progress. Items and enemies have a staggeringly high amount of interactivity that makes exploring even more engaging. Those who don't like roguelikes or strategic RPGs may not enjoy the randomness, as poor luck or focus can ruin a run in a flash. The game's story and characters aren't nearly as deep as the gameplay, but they offer some enjoyable respite from the challenging gameplay.
Dragon Quest Builders is an excellent game. It smartly fuses the crafting elements of Minecraft with the engaging JRPG design of Dragon Quest. Even the aesthetics are beautifully combined to create an appealing world to interact with. The PC version is also the best way to experience Dragon Quest Builders, with customizable graphics options that allow the game to achieve higher spec graphics than its preceding versions and can run the game well even on low-powered systems. Not to mention, the DLC and useful features from the sequel have been included to create the ultimate package at a low price to boot! The few quibbles I have can be ironed out through patches, and all of the pros make me forget about my minuscule nitpicks.
Another Code: Recollection is a smartly made remake that’s beautiful to look at and heartwarming to play. This collection combines both games with a unified art style and presentation while smoothing out the plot to create a cohesive whole. This game is very different from its original versions, so if you are a fan of those, don’t expect the same presentation or puzzles. I do find the puzzles weak overall, and the story enjoyment will hinge entirely on what you want out of Adventure games.
Echoes of the Fallen is a solid DLC that offers prospective players what is essentially a "Lost Chapter" to the main game of Final Fantasy XVI. Interesting new lore about the Fallen, an additional dungeon, and one of the best boss fights in the game. You get a nice chunk of game! However, $10 as a standalone price or a $25 bundle with a DLC that isn't out is a slightly steep ask.
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince displays and waves the banner of its pedigree proudly. It offers the same wonderful tone and gameplay as Dragon Quest with some nice twists. The game also gives fans of Dragon Quest IV, especially some lovely fanservice that ties in properly to the melancholic, yet hopeful, story. The loop of finding new monsters, training them, and synthesizing them is very addicting and streamlined. Making new teams and refining your strategy over time is super engaging. The only things that sully the charm of the series and the satisfying gameplay loop are its rigid structure and incredibly inconsistent performance.
I really liked Super Mario RPG! It's a fun time through and through. Seeing all the zany characters in a gorgeous art style, accompanied by a beautifully rearranged soundtrack really took me back. The combat is engaging and smooth, especially with the updates provided by ArtePiazza. It takes everything that was beloved about the original and keeps it intact while adding minor tweaks to sandpaper down some rough edges. Some may complain that some of the mechanical additions make combat too easy, but I find that they further push the idea of a "beginner's RPG". Super Mario RPG is a beautiful, funny, and diverse experience for any RPG player, mind you.
Cuisineer is an adorable game. If aesthetics, side content, and difficulty were deterrents to you in other roguelikes then Cuisineer is a perfect game for you! Half of the draw of the game is running a restaurant while interacting with cute townsfolk. The roguelike elements are designed to be more forgiving and less brutal than many of its contemporaries while keeping an incredibly solid and polished combat experience. Many of these elements Cuisineer don't wholly appeal to me beyond a different flavor of this genre. However, I believe this game can attract a new audience to the Rogelike genre. Even roguelike fans should enjoy the more laid-back tone and additional sim elements. In short, Cuisineer is very 'to taste'.
Star Ocean: The Second Story R is a masterfully done remake. The goal envisioned by the creators was to bring a classic game up to modern sensibilities, and they have truly outdone themselves. Star Ocean: The Second Story R takes the masterfully crafted systems of the original game, combines them with the updates from Star Ocean: Second Evolution, and wraps them up in a gorgeous and smooth package. Any qualms that can be found lie within things like the story and characters, which remain true to the original game. However, the ease of play, deep RPG elements, strong story theming, and revamped battle system more than makeup for any issues I have. Please, I implore you, to check out this absolutely astounding game.
Silent Hope is a great time. The premise is interesting despite not always delivering on it 100%. However, the gameplay loop is engaging with a good amount of depth and planning. Deliberating on how to prepare best and proceed is rewarding. Skill isn't thrown to the wayside for an over-reliance on RNG elements, which is welcome. What you end up getting a neat and fun title to enjoy at your own pace. Although, I do see some getting burned out on the gameplay loop. This game offers a solid foundation for what hopefully branches into a nice Rune Factory side series. Also, you can pet the Story of Seasons cow!
Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg is a really cute and simple game. Simply cute! The art, music, and neat characters warm my heart with the essence of the good 'ol days of interestingly fresh RPGs. The game's strengths come from the interweaving of simple mechanics and ideas, while the cracks begin to show when said simplicities are individually scrutinized. This remake is a splendid time if it meets your expectations of a simple and quaint time, but can leave those looking for a richer experience yearning for more.
Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life is an amazing game. It has the mechanical soundness you’d expect from a long-running series while offering S-Rank quality updates to a classic title. What really makes this game sing and come together is the union of the time-proven gameplay and some truly heartfelt themes. Themes of life echo throughout this game. You must nurture your crops, your relationships, your child, and your own self as you journey down the tumultuous yet rewarding road of life. Everything changes. Sometimes those changes are bittersweet. However, if you work hard and open your heart, everything will be alright.