Austin Conrad

“Despite its slow start, Quartet is a JRPG with strong gameplay concepts and a mature narrative. It'll appeal to genre afficionados, but is a hard sell if you don't like old-school vibes or lack the time to slog through the early game. To my mind, the game's undeniable strengths struggle to lift Quartet from a tedious early game. Once aloft, Quartet is elegant and enticing—the kind of flawed jewel which may well attain "niche classic" status in 10-20 years.”

“For me, it's a brilliant weekend RPG—a laid-back game that will keep you playing "just one more day" for hours. If Zelda plus Stardew Valley sounds fun, I recommend Guardians of Azuma. If that combo doesn't excite you, give it a pass.”

“Super Mario Party Jamboree is an excellent party game, and compares well with previous titles in the franchise. While remaining true to the nostalgic formula, minor tweaks, improvements, and new game modes help it rise above the series' modern releases to shine as a Super Star. Even if you have either of the previous Mario Party games for Switch, Jamboree is worth considering.”

“Romance of the Three Kingdoms 8 Remake very much feels like a 2000s game, which has been respectfully updated with improved presentation. Unfortunately, its gameplay has not withstood the test of time. Built upon an engaging turn-based gameplay loop, this game quickly becomes repetitive—even tedious—because it plays the same scenes over and over. Compared to the variety of events in modern grand strategy games, it's difficult to recommend this one. However, if you're a history enthusiast or a Dynasty Warriors fan curious about the strategy genre, this game may be for you.”

“Drawing on decades of inspiration, Beyond Galaxyland is a heartfelt love-letter to the JRPG genre. Although the game can't quite escape its predecessors' long shadow, it shines more brightly than many of its peers. The synthesis of gameplay elements from Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy to Paper Mario and Pokémon makes this a must-play for genre enthusiasts, and worthy of consideration by other gamers. Increased difficulty in New Game Plus adds to Beyond Galaxyland's replayability, while an interesting story helps it stand out from among other JRPGs.”