(s) Archive
2020-08-30
When I was a small child, I would often bring my rodent companions along on vacations. A succession of hamsters, a pair of gerbils…but sadly, not one capybara. Now, thanks to the magic of video games, I can finally live out my dream. Embark on a treasure hunting journey with your capybara friend in The Girl from Arkanya, a new top-down action RPG featuring vibrant pixel graphics, Zelda-inspired gameplay, and a sufficient amount of large South American rodents.
2020-08-05
Jo Padilla “When you lack a silver spoon, you fashion one of steel.” As I look back on Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, it’ll be with this line firmly emblazoned unto my mind. This is a story of class and ethnic conflict, of land and blood. At a time when the JRPG was not… Read More »
Exploring creepy, decaying mansions is a highly enjoyable past time. For me, it’s been a life-long hobby that started with the likes of Maniac Mansion and the NES port of Uninvited.
2020-07-28
Fellow wizards and/or other magical beings! I have conjured up a delightful new game for you in the form of Arcadia Fallen, a modern day fantasy visual novel full of magic and romance. Set against a cozy Scandinavian backdrop reminiscent of the Atelier series, you play as a young alchemist entangled in a war between the magical and the mundane. Practice your alchemy skills, flirt with attractive wizards, and perhaps even save the world!
2020-07-10
The beloved Ultima series has inspired a considerable number of spinoffs and unofficial successors over the years, likely enough of them to form their own RPG genre. I, for one, am okay with this. If you happen to feel the same, then allow me to introduce you to Corven – Path of Redemption, a new open-world RPG sure to please fans of the classics.
2020-07-02
I happen to enjoy the bizarre gothic stylings of a certain director whose name rhymes with “Jim Blurton.” If you’ve also heard of this obscure chap, I invite you to enter the world of Whateverland, a new point-and-click game heavily inspired by his unique visual style.
2020-06-28
Michael Sollosi Yakuza 0 is a misleading title, because it’s not about yakuza and doesn’t have zero of anything. Yakuza 0 is a game about machismo, loyalty, excess, and capturing a specific place at a specific time. That place is Japan and that time is the economic boom of the late 1980s, and it’s a… Read More »
2020-06-18
Existence under white supremacy is exhausting. It’s a sentiment I’ve been able to vocalize for years and a feeling I’ve known long before I caught grasp of the vocabulary. Achievement for a non-white person in the United States is seen as an incursion, an affront to the very institutions this crumbling society draws its power… Read More »
2020-06-16
RPGFan: The original Brigandine released over two decades ago, yet it still has a passionate following. What was it that prompted the team to return to the world of Brigandine? It has actually been a dream of mine to be on the Brigandine team since I started at Happinet 22 years ago. The Legend of Forsena was released at the… Read More »
2020-06-08
Hello, RPG friends! If you enjoy tabletop games and Japanese strategy classics such as Final Fantasy Tactics and Disgaea, I have some news for you! Based on a homebrew tabletop campaign, Externus — Path of the Solari is an upcoming strategy RPG full of sinister religious organizations, impressive comic book-style character art, and at least one anthropomorphic, spear-wielding corgi (though I’m secretly hoping there will be many, many more).
2020-06-05
If you’re reading this, you know video games are great for lots of things: exploring vast landscapes, giving us a feeling of accomplishment, providing an escape from a difficult day, and even socializing with our friends. Without leaving the comfort of our home, we can experience incredible joy just from picking up a controller. Over… Read More »
2020-05-31
Michael Sollosi Mother 3 has mystique. This sequel to a beloved SNES RPG (EarthBound, the artist formerly known as Mother 2) was never officially localized in English, and as a result feels like a game that was kept from players worldwide instead of shared and celebrated. Which is odd, because Nintendo has no qualms about including Lucas… Read More »
2020-05-30
“…you must remember that the political development of the masses proceeds not in a direct line, but in a complicated curve. And is not this, after all, the essential movement of every material process?” ~ Leon Trotsky, History of the Russian Revolution The rag-tag revolution opposing the monolithic tyrant is a classic and favorite story… Read More »
2020-05-27
A bewitching forest gently illuminated by the light of a full moon. Red-eyed shadow creatures arising from the mists. The sound of wolves off in the distance. And nearby, the smell of delicious perogies. From the developers of 2017’s atmospheric indie game The Mooseman comes Black Book, a haunting adventure RPG based on Slavic mythology.
2020-05-22
Hey friends! Do you regularly enjoy arts and crafts? Weaving and stitching, perhaps? How about extraordinary fantasy worlds comparable to The Dark Crystal and Studio Ghibli films? If so, I invite you to take a look at Weaving Tides, a very unique little puzzle adventure that may be relevant to your interests.
2020-05-20
I have a lot of history with Aerith Gainsborough. It sounds strange to say that about a fictional character from a video game, but Aerith is incredibly important to me. I’ve been playing video games most of my life, mainly RPGs, but I can’t think of any other character who has changed my relationship with… Read More »
2020-05-13
The SaGa series has been around for almost as long as RPGs have, but it’s seen a bit of a resurgence in the West lately with ports of both Romancing SaGa 2 and Romancing SaGa 3 making their way to modern consoles and mobile, in addition to the long awaited SaGa Scarlet Grace: Ambitions. Along with those console titles, Romancing… Read More »
2020-05-11
In 1995, Hideaki Anno and Gainax began airing the anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion on TV Tokyo. The series was incredibly influential and marked a watershed moment in the anime industry, spawning countless spin-offs and a full-length feature film. It was also a product of both its time and its creative environment, with major aspects of its… Read More »
2020-05-09
Our vast galaxy is home to an infinity of wonders; breathtaking nebulae, billions upon billions of stars, and most importantly, planetary spirits in the form of handsome young men. At least, that appears to be the case in My Only Sunshine, an upcoming Otome visual novel that will have you romancing the entire Solar System.
2020-04-29
Greg Delmage I’m pretty certain it was about 7 or 8 years ago I first gave Soul Blazer a shot, and it didn’t take much to convince me this game was neat. Here I had found a clear SNES gem I had missed out on! Though much of the story is rather simple on the… Read More »
2020-04-22
Editor’s Note: This piece contains heavy spoilers for both NieR Gestalt and NieR: Automata. The power of words is a common theme in art. As an English teacher, I tell my students at least once a week that although reading helps us to understand ourselves, the most important part about reading is that it helps… Read More »
2020-04-19
Singapore, 2032; the glimmering, neon-lit city remains one of the few bastions of order in a world on the edge of collapse. Step into the shoes of Amira Darma, a private investigator with an office situated in Chinatown. Build up your business, track down criminals, and uncover a world-spanning conspiracy in Chinatown Detective Agency, a cyberpunk point-and-click adventure and love letter to the classic Carmen Sandiego games.
2020-04-18
“To believe in Eorzea is to believe in nothing.” This memorable line from Gaius van Baelsar, an imperial general and antagonist in Final Fantasy XIV’s first main storyline, has flown around my temples like a persistent gnat. To those familiar with this world, van Baelsar’s statement is an admonishment of the Warrior of Light’s faith… Read More »
2020-04-15
The Xeno Middle Child Whenever you hear of Monolith Soft, one series usually comes to mind: Xenoblade Chronicles. Originally intended to not release in North America, the Xenoblade Chronicles series has since become popular around the world. The latest entry, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, sold over 1.7 million copies worldwide. A remake of the original game is on its… Read More »
2020-04-08
Final Fantasy VII is one of the most important JRPGs of all time. Regardless of how we feel about it over 20 years later, it broke new ground and brought untold numbers of people to the genre. Final Fantasy VII was so appealing in large part because of the captivating opening hours in Midgar. With… Read More »
