Improving slightly upon the combat system from Super Mario RPG isn't enough to make Another Crusade worth playing, especially when the story and characters are flat.
Spike Chunsoft returns to their flagship series with must-play entry for any fan of roguelike RPGs, delivering one of the most mechanically deep games I've played in years.
Lunacid understands what made FromSoftware's first-person RPGs classics and avoids their worst pitfalls, successfully introducing modern design elements without detracting from the core experience of exploration and simple-yet-effective combat.
If you can look past the amateurish presentation there is a profound story and captivating gameplay experience unlike anything else waiting to be discovered.
Persona 5 Tactica crafts an engaging personal narrative but falters in conveying its themes and delivering satisfying turn-based tactical combat.
Ultra Kaiju Monster Rancher builds on Monster Rancher 2's best aspects and represents the Ultraman universe well for a satisfying monster raising simulation experience.
Wargroove 2 is a fantastic sequel to an already great strategy game, building off of the foundation of the original to reach new heights.
Anyone interested in Dai's story should just watch the anime instead.
Mon-Yu seeks to make first-person dungeon crawlers accessible for players who have been intimidated by the genre in the past, but loses sight of what makes the genre great in the first place.
Wandering Sword is an excellent debut game and has all the hallmarks of a classic RPG. Do not overlook this superb indie gem!
The HD versions of Etrian Odyssey and Etrian Odyssey II in the Origins Collection are faithful to a fault, but miss the mark on delivering a definitive experience for a pair of already revisited classics.
24 Killers manages to succeed in carrying on the legacy of Love-de-Lic by carving out a unique identity and improving upon the more frustrating aspects of its inspiration. A must-play for any fan of experimental RPGs and quirky adventure games.
The narrative and translation leave a lot to be desired, but the cute aesthetic and core gameplay are enough to make it worth trying out if you enjoy tactical RPGs.
A social sim without convincing relationship building, an adventure game with messy and disjointed storytelling, and an RPG with boring combat and repetitious stat grinding all rolled into one.
Despite the cartography being less enjoyable than on DS, this remaster is still the best way to experience once of the best Etrian Odyssey games...as long as you play in handheld mode!
Wayforward's missteps with the new art style don't dull what remains a shining masterpiece of the strategy genre, but the disappointing online features temper an otherwise whole-hearted recommendation.
Hunt the Night nails the aesthetics and world-building, but fails to deliver a truly satisfying combat system outside of boss encounters.
Sailing Era is a decent experience for players wanting intricate gameplay systems or craving high seas adventure, just don't expect an engaging story to go along with it.