RPGamer's Reviews
Even though Black Legend uses a lot of common features, they are blended in an original way. With the addition of alchemy, battling never gets boring, even when it takes hours of gameplay to be proficient in it.
Those looking to spend more time with the goddesses will at least enjoy more of their humour, and VTuber fans will likely get a kick out of their cameos. However, gameplay is very much lacking, with everything being done considerably better elsewhere, and ultimately, as an overall experience, Neptunia Virtual Stars remains a disappointment.
The game begins with its best foot forward, an under-explained puzzle that’s fun to parse out. But once the puzzle pieces fall into place, the drive to see it to the end starts to fall away too.
Everhood manages to not only distinguish itself from its influences, but also to turn the expectations that come with them upside-down, all to provide an experience that can’t be found anywhere else. Whether or not the game will achieve a cult status remains to be seen, but players itching for something out of the ordinary better not let Everhood slip under their radar.
Reinventing a series can be a difficult task, one which the first installment did with great success. However, Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy is a great example of fixing something that was never broken to begin with.
Dragon Quest XI S is not only a great JRPG, but is the perfect entry point for hesitant veteran RPGamers and newcomers alike.
It’s nice to see a game trying new things, and Fallen Legion Revenants certainly does that, but the game’s actively hostile balancing takes away all of that goodwill.
Kowloon High-School Chronicle, a story about hunting for lost relics, is a relic in its own right. The comparisons to both older and modern Persona games are inevitable, but there is much more here under the surface. Kowloon High-School Chronicle is certainly a historical oddity, but its zany storytelling and confluence of disparate genres makes this trip back to high school worth it.
Ys has always had some of the most entertaining combat married with some of the best soundtracks in the RPG genre. However, Monstrum Nox manages to improve upon that already solid base with the titular Monstrum powers that elevate the exploration and boss battles thereby making both the moment-to-moment gameplay as well as the crowning encounters all the more entertaining.
Even though this roguelike RPG isn’t above average, it does a great and welcome job in how it normalises the relationship between its main characters.
Its setting comes with plenty of interesting ideas, but they necessitate a strong execution. Unfortunately, that execution is sadly lacking here, as those ideas fall down due to a lack of support from the rest of the game and they simply aren’t strong enough to carry things on their own.
Atlus and Omega Force have ensured that as much as possible of what made Persona 5 so beloved has been transported here and put into an appreciably tight package. Spending extra time with the Phantom Thieves and travelling with them across Japan is a much needed positive experience and well worth it.
Translating mouse-driven games to a controller experience brings with it a variety of challenges, including expectations of the users. Thankfully Hero-U: Rogue to Redemption manages to make the jump with an excellent agility stat and climbing skill.
Osteoblasts starts with the right ideas and manages to keep up a good pace for a while, but stumbles a bit before the finish line.
Earthblood unfortunately never raises itself above average, ending up as a thoroughly competent beat-’em-up bogged down in less stellar stealth gameplay and rough RPG elements.
While the two previous entries took some daring and engaging steps into the RPG genre, it’s Assassin’s Creed Valhalla that truly stands out as not just the most refined of the trio, but as a top-drawer RPG in its own right.
Jumping in to the game to sail the seas searching for the next upgrade and for clues to what happened to Tilia’s family is an interconnected and wholesome endeavor, leaving the player plenty to enjoy and experience.
Featuring a good story with the incorporation of interesting new characters and a mystery to solve, Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- The Prophecy of the Throne has the components for an enjoyable game. However, the gaming elements are greatly lacking, and though some may be fine with just reading their way through it, those hoping for a more interactive experience will be sadly let down.
This is definitely not a game for newcomers, but die-hard fans of the Fire Emblem series may find enjoyment, along with gaming historians who simply want to experience a time piece of how the whole tactical RPG franchise started.
Fans of the weird and fans of the rogue-lite should all take note.