(s) Archive
2022-02-26
The developers of 2019’s Tales of the Neon Sea have unveiled Mercury Abbey, a new sidescrolling narrative adventure set in a gorgeous pixel art world filled with dreadful conspiracies, gloomy architecture, and many, many furries.
2022-02-24
Yakuza: Like a Dragon deals with a multitude of real-world issues, all of which are particularly relevant to Japan but also easily understood by Western audiences. Homelessness, sex work, the tightrope illegal immigrants walk to survive without being deported — you’d almost be forgiven for forgetting that you’re playing a work of fiction. But there’s… Read More »
2022-02-18
RPGs are often a solitary activity. While some subcategories flourish with friends, your standard story-driven fare mostly caters to solo play. But it’s exciting to find an experience you can share with a friend, doubly so when you can do it in the same room. Some RPGs broadcast their multiplayer modes, but there are plenty… Read More »
Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance While Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance bears the name of the beloved series by BioWare, the PS2 classic has more in common with Diablo than anything in the infinity engine. Trading in conversations for action, Dark Alliance and its sequel have stayed in fans’ minds since the original release. With a recent… Read More »
2022-02-11
In May 2022, the Atelier series will celebrate its 25th anniversary. For 25 years, fans have been crafting bombs, bashing punis, and excitedly identifying barrels. Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream was revealed in early October 2021 as the 25th Anniversary title to celebrate this milestone. While the release is still a… Read More »
2022-02-06
Audra Bowling Skies of Arcadia was a title I’d heard a lot about over the years, but like some of those pesky discoveries you search for throughout the game, it always eluded me. That changed with an incredibly kind gesture from our very own Michael Sollosi. While it took me far longer than I care to… Read More »
2022-02-05
It’s no big secret that I’m an admirer of pretty anime art, even prettier anime men, and precious little kitty cats. Enter The Silent Kingdom, a blend of Otome visual novel and turn-based RPG by solo developer Lucky Cat.
2022-02-02
Welcome to the second entry in Dungeon Crawlers, a series of features all about RPG dungeon design. This time we’re taking a deep dive into the localized versions of Pokémon Red & Blue. While Yellow is also part of the first generation of Pokémon games, it does not add anything of substance where dungeon design… Read More »
2022-01-30
Ring of Red, a tactical mecha-themed RPG released in 2000, arguably trod similar territory more elegantly than its famous successor, if with less spectacle.
2022-01-22
Winner: Fantasian Fantasian quickly captured the attention of longtime RPG fans with its gorgeous diorama backgrounds and impressive developer pedigree. The game brings together Hironobu Sakaguchi, the father of Final Fantasy, and Nobuo Uematsu, whose iconic music has defined that same series over the past 35 years, for possibly their final project, and the end… Read More »
Winner: New Pokémon Snap Over twenty years ago, Pokémon Snap launched on the N64. For many of us kids, this was the first time we got to see many of these creatures in 3D. At the time, it was a sight to behold — Pokémon living in their natural habitats, frolicking around as you throw… Read More »
Winner: NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… is an impressive new version of Yoko Taro’s classic, a game that proves that you can uplift even the most basic game design through beautiful aesthetics and writing, concepts, and characters that touch upon complex universal themes. The game approaches difficult topics such as the inherent struggles of… Read More »
Winner: Scarlet Nexus When Scarlet Nexus was announced, my expectations were subterranean. Even as I popped the game into my system, I figured it wouldn’t hold my attention for more than a couple of hours. Yet, with each scene, battle, and conversation, I found myself getting attached to the characters and hooked on the story.… Read More »
Winner: Final Fantasy VII Remake Episode INTERmission Final Fantasy VII Remake Episode INTERmission is what all DLC should aspire to be. It expands on the base story without feeling like it’s a missing piece of the main game. It introduces new combat mechanics that help the brief adventure feel fresh, and the side activities give… Read More »
Winner: Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker It took a miracle team to save Final Fantasy XIV, but eight years ago a realm was reborn. The MMORPG remained remarkably consistent in the following years, allowing it to grow its player base exponentially and build a critically acclaimed story. This year’s expansion, Endwalker, had the unenviable task of… Read More »
Winner: Tales of Arise Tales games institute a new combination of adjectives into their fighting system with every new entry. For Tales of Arise, they’ve gone back to their roots with the name “Linear Motion Battle System.” Limiting martial artes (not a typo) and spells with MP, SP, TP, or anything else with a P,… Read More »
Winner: Final Fantasy VII Remake Episode INTERmission Final Fantasy VII Remake certainly piqued many fans’ interests with its new take on the 1997 classic by using Unreal Engine 4 to the fullest. Even though the game is largely defined by the 2020 release, the visual benchmark set was still enhanced in the release of INTERmission.… Read More »
Winner: Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker Masayoshi Soken’s music in Final Fantasy XIV is so iconic that it’s practically a character itself, and this is perhaps no truer than in Endwalker. From “Footfalls,” with its callbacks to leitmotifs from previous expansions, to the theme of Sharlayan and its beautiful vocal variant “Flow,” Endwalker introduces powerful new… Read More »
Winner: Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker Final Fantasy XIV has always dazzled with the written and spoken word, so it is no surprise that Endwalker has an incredibly rich and powerful localization. However, that doesn’t make what it does any less impressive. The sheer depth of emotion the localization team wove into this climactic expansion contributes… Read More »
Winner: Yuffie Kisaragi (Final Fantasy VII Remake Episode INTERmission) Episode INTERmission is fascinating because it’s focused on edges of the Final Fantasy VII world that have never hit the mainstream. Sure, all the surprise extended universe appearances are wonderful, but none add depth to the world quite like the time we get to spend with… Read More »
Winner: Fandaniel (Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker) It takes skill to turn an antagonist who at first seems incredibly one note into a much deeper and more intriguing villain. Final Fantasy XIV has a habit of doing this, but Fandaniel is a particularly noteworthy case. He is hardly compelling in the lead-up to Endwalker, and his… Read More »
Winner: Venat (Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker) Note: Light spoilers for Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker follow. At its best, faith pushes people to be better, kinder, and aspire to something higher, even if it’s based on something we can’t see. Venat, Hydaelyn, Azem, or whatever you want to call her, despite becoming a deity in her… Read More »
Winner (tie): Hootle (Tales of Arise) Mascot characters: you either love them or hate them. If done wrong, they can break the mood of a game (hi, Bienfu from Tales of Berseria). However, the great ones melt your heart every time they are on screen, and that’s exactly what Hootle does in Tales of Arise!… Read More »
Winner: Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker I’m going to start out simply here: Endwalker is one of the most remarkable achievements in the history of gaming. I’m not saying that because of the “epic comeback” from 1.0. Endwalker has to stand on its own, and it fires on all cylinders at all times. I’m not even… Read More »
Winner: Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker Few other games have led me to tears just by asking a simple question such as “Has your journey been good? Has it been worthwhile?” But Endwalker‘s deeply human and hopeful story reaches out from the screen and touches your heart in ways other video games have tried and failed.… Read More »
