George Yang

“The Legend of Heroes: Trails beyond the Horizon's compelling journey into space builds an exciting launchpad for what will come next.”

“Outside of the main battles, there’s also a Starfox-like mini-game where you can shoot down giant enemy bosses. These serve as fun distractions that help switch gameplay up every now and then. The game isn’t littered with them, so these sections don’t overstay their welcome.”

“Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero delivers a commendable 3D brawler experience even if some visual and performance issues persist. The immense roster is sure to please any Dragon Ball fan, no matter what age or era they entered the franchise. The branching narratives in Episode Battles and the online play are fun staples to the game, and it feels right at home on Switch 2.”

“Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake beautifully concludes this trilogy, recapturing the retro magic of the originals while giving them a modern facelift.”

“Digimon Story: Time Stranger has a few minor hiccups, but it builds on its predecessors to deliver one of the best Digimon RPGs to date.”

“The Claws of Awaji expansion offers plenty of new content for Assassin’s Creed Shadows and satisfyingly wraps up the cliffhanger in Naoe’s story that was hinted at the end of the base game. The expansion’s pacing with Yasuke is better, too, but it’s a shame that he didn’t get a new weapon while Naoe did. Still, Claws of Awaji is a worthy send off to two of the best Assassin’s Creed characters in recent memory.”

“Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion is a valiant attempt to build upon its predecessor’s successes and address the shortfalls. Its story is much more comprehensible this time around due to opting for an open-world instead of a mission-based structure.”

“Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is a solid soulslike game, but it takes a while to get used to its quirks.”

“No Sleep for Kaname is a good spin-off for existing AI: The Somnium Files fans. While the Somnium segments haven't evolved much since their introduction in the first game, the new escape puzzle games are a welcome addition to the series. Despite a new writer taking the helm for this entry, the writing is tonally consistent and the characters are as charming as ever.”

“The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy is a morbidly engrossing tactics RPG that takes the right notes from Danganronpa.”

“The First Berserker: Khazan has some of the most balanced defensive and offensive combat systems I’ve experienced in a Soulslike game, as well as some rich progression. However, some frustrating boss mechanics, braindead AI, and puzzling mission structure hold it back from reaching its full potential.”

“Xenoblade Chronicles X was already one of the Wii U’s best games, and this Definitive Edition does more than enough to justify another trip to planet Mira.”

“The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak 2 makes a few missteps with the pacing of its multiversal story, but it puts a focus on quality character moments and impressive worldbuilding.”

“Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake gives an NES classic the royal treatment it deserves.”

“Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven is a bit of an underwhelming RPG that has some unique gameplay mechanics. The open-ended world narrative structure feels freeing, but the characters are boring. The glimmer mechanic is fun, but the battle system lacks a strategic hook. Each of its gameplay systems is a double-edged sword, as we'd find a particular aspect enticing while another was baffling. It feels like a slight step back from the other recent SaGa games, but if you're a fan of the series, Revenge of the Seven might resonate with you more than it did with us.”

“Visions of Mana is like a snack that you eat in between your big meals. There’s enough here to satiate your hunger, like the fun combat and entertaining cast of characters, if you’re looking for another RPG to play in the meantime. It feels safe and familiar, so don’t come in expecting a novel experience.”

“Black Myth: Wukong is only a Soulslike in the way Stellar Blade is, and that’s to its credit. It lightly borrows elements from the subgenre but carves out a niche for itself by focusing on its key differences. Despite some performance issues and frustrating difficulty spikes, Black Myth: Wukong’s frenetic combat and emphasis on fluid movement make it feel unlike any of its other contemporaries.”

“The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak’s new cast of characters, revamped battle system, and engaging story is exactly what the series needed to reach new heights.”

“Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance makes one of the best open-world RPGs around even better.”

“As a Suikoden successor, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is faithful to a fault.”