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Without necessarily venturing into something fresh, Avowed gets the brief right in the other areas of an action RPG. A wonderfully constructed world, brilliant and engaging writing, and action that is just satisfying for the most part, it is definitely comfort food for those invested in the genre. Whether playing it safe is the right way to go depends on your wants, but for an enjoyable fantasy adventure, you really cannot go wrong with Avowed.
What Hazelight has done with Split Fiction is simply amazing, using their expertise to craft a co-op adventure that feels just right. There are all sorts of gameplay sequences that can appeal to different tastes, an engrossing story told through the characters and the worlds, and splendidly propped up by imaginative cooperative interactions that have none of the frustration and all of the charm. It might not be the best co-op game for everyone, but from a design perspective, there are no split opinions; this is Hazelight Studios’ best work yet.
In many ways, Two Point Museum is similar to the voyage of a museum visitor in Two Point County. There are new and amazing things to marvel at, familiar sights that are comforting, and the odd discovery here and there that might bring the mood down. But at the end of the day, you are getting a well-put-together management simulation experience that is worth the price of entry, even if you won’t like everything on show.
Capcom knows the importance of Monster Hunter Wilds and the franchise, and it shows. The seven-year gap between Worlds and Wilds has been put to excellent use, with the latter easily grabbing the crown as the best mainline game, no mean feat considering the storied origins it comes from. Whether it be the world-building or the visual quality, the monsters and the combat, or the chase for the next big hunt and improved gear, fans will have to prepare themselves for the hunt of a lifetime with Wilds, and there’s nothing better than that.
The attempt of Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap to change the formula with a roguelite twist is not perfect, but neither is it a disastrous failure. The game looks better than before, and the gameplay is still exciting and satisfying for the most part. There is always joy to be had at figuring things out, but whether you can keep up the momentum is the issue, and the longer you go, the more it feels like the game is actively working against you. The orcs still need slaying, but hopefully, the heroes trying to do so don’t get all ground up in the process.
As a spin-off that leaves us wanting more for the next mainline entry, Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii definitely checks a few boxes. Character development is once again stellar, with Majima deservedly being spotlighted, and the various nautical elements infused into combat, exploration, and the world help to breathe new life into Hawaii and its surroundings. Yet, there are still rough edges to this adventure, such is the pirate life, but the crests of the waves most certainly outshine the troughs.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II is yet another quality installment in the franchise. Not only is there a better look at more of Calvard, but we also learn more about old friends as the cast expands in this game. The plot line may not make a big leap forward, but it wraps up many lingering mysteries from the first game
Between the much-improved combat, the more in-depth and engaging storytelling, the interesting overworld, and plenty of replayability, Dynasty Warriors: Origins doesn’t feel like just the franchise’s next entry, but a magnificent reboot that breathes new life into the series. And that is before you even dive into the higher difficulties and enjoy the postgame content. While the outsider perspective of the Wanderer and his relative lack of emotions take some getting used to, everyone else is at the peak of their powers, and the result is a fantastic game made for newcomers and a glorious benchmark for veterans to measure upcoming games against.
While Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero echoes Disgaea down to its core, players who don’t like that series might have more reason to love this one. From the fun little story to interesting combat mechanics, it treads its own ground and revamps combat in a quite enjoyable way. It doesn’t run that long either, with my playthrough being only a bit over 40 hours, and that’s without the post-game stuff. A well-made tactical RPG can really suck you in, and Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero will do precisely that if you give it a chance, and that’s no mean feat.
Overall, Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is exactly what a video game inspired by a movie franchise should be. It does everything the source material does right while being sure not to rehash the same concepts and also properly accounting for significant differences between mediums. While combat and puzzles could undoubtedly be better, I'd recommend this title to anyone craving a fun adventure, regardless of whether you've seen the movies or not.
As an experience into the fabled IP’s universe, Alien: Rogue Incursion does a really good job in delivering the atmosphere and visuals. However, the biggest threat to its longevity is the repetitive gameplay that gets in the way of what should be its star attractions. The Xenomorph is to be fear, not overused, but there is still something inherently enjoyable about this ill-fated romp in space. What it needs is more time gestating in its cocoon and not sprouting out like an off-putting hybrid not ready for the limelight.
With so much history and frankly, baggage, Dragon Age: The Veilguard was always going to find it hard to please everyone. But what BioWare has done is put together an RPG that fits in well with the modern audience but still offers up many of the elements that make the studio such a stalwart in the genre. The exciting combat, a great cast of characters, excellent writing, and the visuals and audio combine to make this new entry almost unstoppable, like the Blight. There are no doubt still kinks to work out, but if this is the new Dragon Age, the future definitely looks brighter than ever before.
If you’re a massive FAIRY TAIL fan and want to experience one of the most climactic arcs in the series, FAIRY TAIL 2 will be right up your alley. I just don’t feel like there is enough here for the average RPG fan, especially considering the bland overall combat experience and it being the grand finale of a long story. It’s not the type of game you can power through because it will wear you down, and I liked it more after taking breaks, and that’s not always the best experience you would want for an RPG.
Uncle Chop’s Rocket Shop provides an interesting mechanic simulator and expects you to figure things out as you go. This is the perfect undertaking if you’re a fan of taking things apart to see how they tick and diagnosing issues. The difficulty can be a little offputting, especially when you think you’re doing well, but that’s all part of the job.
As awesome as it was back in the early 2000s, the many improvements made in Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake breathe new life into the franchise and help to make it a more enticing affair for fans of the genre and beyond. It still remains a deep and comprehensive experience, but the options to learn and tweak stuff boost the accessibility to a new level, making this trip back to ancient China one well worth taking.
With so many great RPGs competing for your time this year – especially on the Switch – Mario & Luigi: Brothership is a worthwhile return to one of Nintendo’s novel ideas for red and green plumbers. There are plenty of great Mario & Luigi games, but Brothership cements itself as one of the better ones thanks to an excellent battle system, an engaging story, and a joyous approach to the history of this series and Mario as a whole.
Life Is Strange: Double Exposure is the ultimate comfort food for fans of the 2015 title. It focuses on all the exciting and enjoyable things about the first game in the series while also adding a unique twist on gameplay that improves an already enticing storyline. Even if it is devoid of a certain foul-mouthed, blue-haired rocker girl, fans will certainly still find plenty to love in this sequel.
With a runtime of 8-12 hours, LEGO Horizon Adventures is an entertaining spinoff that should be seen as an evolution of the beloved LEGO formula but comes short when it comes to populating levels with meaningful things to do and see or alleviating the repetitiveness that becomes more apparent in a shorter adventure. There is value in this more approachable take on PlayStation’s first-party IPs, and is something I hope to see for other games like Ghost of Tsushima, God of War, and more, but only if the right balance can be found with these building blocks.
The biggest surprise of Ys X: Nordics is that it didn’t just give me the Ys game I was expecting, and I did love that. Sure, not everything it tried (ship-based traversal, multi-island exploration) quite worked, but it was a new experience. I’m exceedingly happy to see a series that has been going since 1987 continue to grow and change. If nothing else, picking this up gets you a solid action RPG, even if you might not jive with everything the game attempts.
One of the best parts of Vampire Hunters is that it can be enjoyed in small bursts. It uses the usual mechanic of getting harder over time, but in the early game, you’ll probably be making it under 10 minutes and then buying upgrades to improve future runs. The dual modes also make the game easy to pick up and play as you get two flavours of a fun game to progress. This game is perfect for Vampire Survivors fans, and I like seeing where the bullet heaven genre is heading.