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Sheltered 2 is not perfect. A game with the potential to be a very good survival management sim. Albeit not completely turn-based, it possesses the right blend of features and activities to make it a WORTHWHILE play, but needs more QoL and balancing. It remains playable but under-developed in certain areas, missing features that were present in the first game. There are game breaking bugs but not as many as when first released.
Gears Tactics is the one for both the fans of the classic Gears lore and of the X-COM style tactical gameplay. While some may not enjoy the fast-paced nature of the game, others will find it to be a breath of fresh air. For those that enjoy both - well, they are in for a treat as it is the best of both worlds, which'll leave you craving for more in the future.
Decisive Campaigns Ardennes Offensive is a monster of a game! While it's somewhat of an acquired taste, for some players it'll be exactly what they've been looking for. So grab your helmet, put on Band of Brothers in the background, load your M1 Garand (or K98K) and get ready to hold the frontline.
Reverie Knights Tactics gets 2022 off to a wonderful start. Between its fun dialogue, great gameplay, and stunning visuals, this is a game that’s not to be missed. If this is what 40 Giants serves up with their first title, the future looks bright indeed.
Vagrus carves its own path in the crowded genre of open-world RPGs. Extremely difficult, but rewarding in its own right with a unique mix of strategy, management and turn-based combat. This is the one for those seekers of the unique, who can overcome some of its shortcomings and enjoy the great work done by the developers.
Encased is a love letter to the late 90s RPG and, despite some jagged edges, it's quite an exquisite post-apocalyptic irradiated meal for players, looking for a huge amount of freedom in building their own characters and stories.
Brutal Orchestra is a "meaty" fine roguelite turn-based strategy game which makes great use of a peculiar pixelated art style and an exquisite soundtrack. While the brutal difficulty might turn some people away, the funny writing and good selection of unlockables will make sure the fans will gobble this one up.
Echo Generation is what I would have liked to see from the games based on Stranger Things. But don't let its inspiration for Stranger Things fool you because it is also capable of standing on its two feet alone that I only hope to see more of in the future.
Jupiter Hell is fine for what it offers: a nostalgic 90s violent shooter with turn based design. Unfortunately, the limited amount of content and the generic overall experience, both in graphics and sounds, end up making it feel quite repetitive.
So, for all those jRPG fans, as well as people who are new to the jRPG genre, I would sincerely recommend Final Fantasy V Pixel Remaster. It is not the height of the Final Fantasy series, yet. But it’s still a fun game with a solid story, memorable characters, and (mostly) engaging gameplay. Even almost 30 years past, it is still worth playing.
I Am Setsuna is RPG made by RPG fans in Tokyo RPG Factory. The battles are good, the music is good, the characters are well designed, decently developed, and the setting is very melancholic. There may be some balance issues for some as the rift between normal battles and special/ boss battles is larger than some but that is to be expected in most games in my opinion. It has been a few years since Tokyo RPG Factory, the company responsible for I Am Setsuna has released a game which is a sad thing for old-school RPG lovers. I Am Setsuna is a classic game in my opinion and should be checked out by classic RPG lovers if you haven't already. I kind of hoped there would have been a little more to the ending or even a sequel of sorts.
Regalia: Of Men and Monarchs Royal Edition is a kind of a mix of three genres— a strategic role-playing game, a simulation, and even enough text to be like a visual novel in some ways. The basic goals for the game are set early. There is plenty of humor in the theme of the story with almost all of it in full-voiced dialogue. The characters are nicely designed and despite there being no elevation difference, the battlefields are designed decent as well. The battles are somewhat different from your regular SRPG but still good. If you don't mind a SRPG with some simulation aspects delivered in a humorous way, then give Regalia: Of Men and Monarchs a try.
Wolfstride is a monochromatic, comical, visual RPG that definitely has been influenced by classic anime produced by the likes of Japanese animation companies such as Gainax and Sunrise. The black and white filter it has presents itself as almost wanting to have a gritty presentation which in my opinion does a good job of. Gameplay wise, you kind of spend more time preparing for battles than the actual battles themselves so think of it like training for a boxing match but instead it is a mecha tournament. The actual mecha battles are pretty fun, even when you are over-powered or they when they last a while. There are mini-games here and there with lots of places to explore. The world has a mix of western and eastern influences that makes up Rain City. There could be less backtracking but at least the overworld screen cuts it down somewhat.
It’s pretty clear that this is a DLC intended for experienced players. Gladius isn’t a game that’s forgiving of mistakes in general, and the Adeptus Mechanicus penalize misplays more than other factions. If you’re a Gladius veteran though, or at least have played a campaign with one or two of the starting factions, the Adeptus Mechanicus will make an exciting addition to your game.
Gloomhaven proved to be a very unique experience. At times difficult and frustrating. Yet built to be inviting through its accessibility and forgiving through its design, those interested in crawling through its immense amount of content are sure to enjoy what it brings to the table.
Although I have never played League of Legends personally, it is famous and well-known enough that pretty much anyone who plays games is aware of its existence. Granted I am not the biggest player of MOBA games, so when I heard there was a traditional turn-based RPG based on League of Legends, I knew I wanted to play it to experience some of the League of Legends universe. The battle system is well-designed, the cut-scenes and hand-drawn like cinematics add depth to the story, and the music is pretty good. If you were ever curious about League of Legends and don't play online too much, this is a great place to start.
The Super Robot Wars main franchise finally makes it to western shores via a PC release after 30 years being in existence. it features many famous robot series cameos like from Mobile Suit Gundam and Code Geass, and original characters all rolled into an original story, it also has enough strategic elements that should satisfy fans of mechs and strategy RPGs alike. With music from the Japanese super band JAM Project and animated cinematics, it definitely has that Super Robot Wars feel that has made it famous throughout the years. It is a fun game and don't worry if you don't know every single character that makes a crossover, you can and should enjoy the game without much added previous knowledge.
Yakuza Like a Dragon is another great addition to the Yakuza series. Trading real-time combat for turn-based combat is the change-up the series needed, making the once-great series, amazing.
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is a strong entry in the cRPG genre that stays mostly faithful to its tabletop source material. It offers a combination of solid gameplay mechanics, an engaging narrative, and a variety of character customizations that will appeal to character-building fans.
Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars is like an 8-bit RPG if the bits were made out of several cards themselves. It is very much a throwback to older classic RPG genres like Dragon Quest. The story presented is one that is not new but with the inclusion of a narrator reading pretty much anything that is written on cards, it gives the player a storybook feeling that gives a sense of immersion. It is a neat idea with plenty of well-drawn characters and places to explore. It is not a full-priced game so know it may not be as long as other games, but any classic RPG fan should give it a try.