All in all, I don’t think I can recommend Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin. Maybe if you have a dedicated gaming PC and don’t care about lackluster narrative presentation, you’ll enjoy it. As it is, I can only shake my head and go back to Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Reunion.
If you’re in the mood for biting social commentary and atmospheric dystopian cyberpunk, play Mato Anomalies. Otherwise, you can safely skip this title. It will make a certain kind of gamer very happy. I certainly had fun in the city of Mato.
Credit where credit is due, this is a charming game with a lot of love poured into it. When I got into the flow, it gave me a unique experience I’ve never quite found anywhere else. But I don’t recommend it to anyone who isn’t already a fan of the Atelier franchise. At least, not until people start putting their item crafting spreadsheets online.
If you love fantasy worldbuilding, sidequests, and worlds you can get lost in, you will love this game. If not, you probably won’t get the appeal. Either way, play Trails from Zero first and then come back. Trails to Azure will be waiting.
If you love JRPGs, you owe it to yourself to play Tales of Symphonia, and Tales of Symphonia Remastered is an easy way to do that. I’d even recommend this game to fans of retro gaming in general. I really wish I could recommend it to everyone. Unfortunately, the slightly clunky design and aged graphics make it hard for me to do that.
All in all, Souls of Chronos is a fun ride. It combines polished action with an unpolished translation, but the bones of the story are still engaging. It explores the cycle of poverty, betrayal, and desperation. I don’t think it will be anyone’s game of the year. But if you’re a fan of nice action and RPGs, you should check this title out.
Persona 4 Golden is not a perfect game. Some of the choices made during social links come off as a little questionable for international audiences. And the graphics are nearly as dated as Persona 3 Portable’s. However, it’s still an iconic game that brought the JRPG formula firmly into the modern day. It’s not my favorite Persona game, but I can firmly recommend it to just about anyone. If you have a Switch, now’s your excuse to play Persona 4 Golden.
However, this is a double-edged blade. A game about depression, starring depressed characters, is an acquired taste compared to other titles in the series. At the same time, Persona 3 Portable has more bite than either of its successors. All in all, I would recommend Persona 3 Portable to anyone interested in an old and troubled classic. But Atlus, please add the animated cutscenes back for the next remake.
Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Reunion is equal parts cheesy, satirical, thought-provoking, and nostalgic.
I would only recommend this game to forgiving action JRPG fans and series veterans. This sucks because I adore the story and the flight mechanics. Unfortunately, the game’s iffy presentation ruins a lot.
At its core, Triangle Strategy is a tale about the dangers of extremism. It paints a grisly picture of greed, selfishness, and horrors committed in the name of Unity, Morality, and Liberty. However, it also offers up the hope that the cycle of violence can be ended. Bringing true peace and understanding to Norzelia won’t be easy, but it is possible.
All in all, Signalis is an unforgettable and eerie experience. It makes retro survival horror feel new and unique again. Just be prepared for a story with lots of room for interpretation. And the art is still very anime.
The real question here isn’t ‘is Persona 5 Royal’s switch version worth playing?’ It’s ‘is this a good place to pick up Persona 5 for the first time?’ The answer is a solid ‘yes.’ If you’ve never had a chance to play Persona 5 before, this is a great place to start.
All in all, Prinny Presents NIS Classics Vol 3 is a pretty solid purchase for fans of retro SRPGs, but I wouldn’t recommend it for casual gamers. However, if you want your young sister or daughter to get into RPGs, this might be a good starter package. She can begin with the easy difficulty and charming story of Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure. Once she has her bearings and is ready for something more complex, she can try La Pucelle: Ragnarok.
All in all, The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero is a unique experience. If you love worldbuilding, modernizing fantasy worlds, and urban fantasy, you should check it out. If you’re allergic to long cutscenes and extraneous infodumps, you should avoid it. Love it or hate it, Trails from Zero clearly knows what it is and what it’s doing. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go buy all of Trails of Cold Steel so I can find out what happens in Zemuria next.
Sucker for Love: First Date may be a niche title with a weird premise, but it does that premise incredibly well. If you’re a fan of Lovecraftian horror and anime, or if you think dark romantic comedies are great, this game is for you. Akabaka’s weird creation definitely isn’t for everyone, but if it’s for you, you’re gonna love it. I know I did.
While the game does a good job of establishing the agents of Aion as emerging AI, Soul Hackers 2 tells a deeply human story. This isn’t a shock to me, as Shin Megami Tensei spin-offs have always been more character-focused than the mainline games. I like Soul Hackers 2’s anime noir approach to character building. I recommend it to anyone who likes RPGs or cyberpunk.
All in all, Digimon Survive knows exactly what it’s trying to be and does it well. Unfortunately, this means it’s not a very interesting strategy RPG. If you’re a Digimon fan, you’ll either love or hate it. And if you’re looking for a fun, story-heavy title, I definitely recommend checking it out. But strategy RPG fans may want to find something else with fewer cutscenes.
Does Klonoa’s age show? Yes. Do these games still have a lot of charm after twenty years? Also yes. If you enjoy retro platformers, you really have no excuse for not playing Klonoa: Phantasy Reverie Series.
If you’re just here to play Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny on a platform you actually own, by all means, go for it. The game is a delight that series fans shouldn’t miss. But if you own a PlayStation, buy Disgaea 6: Complete on that and not PC. Your eyes and fingers will thank you for it