RPG Fan

While a few flaws make The Adventures of Elliot fall slightly short of a perfect experience for me, it’s still a bold experiment. It is filled with characters that, although sometimes lacking in complexity, win you over with sheer heart, especially Casper and his companion Mao, a troubled woman from a feline beast tribe. It’s never less than a good time, and it doesn’t outstay its welcome.

Ultimately, LumenTale: Memories of Trey is a fascinating and occasionally frustrating experiment. It represents a bold new evolutionary branch for monster-collecting RPGs. Time will tell whether this specific branch can survive the harsh ecosystem of the genre, but its successful mutations give it some strong fitness factors. A highly commendable first outing for Beehive Studios.

Birushana: Winds of Fate is a strong visual novel follow-up to an excellent otome. Its strength lies in letting returning players see what happened after the credits rolled in the first title through five epilogue stories. Players can also experience the main story again from four wholly different, yet fully fleshed out, new character arcs. All are immensely enjoyable in their own ways. Shanao is a nuanced main character with a captivating personal quest, and her tale features many interesting and memorable characters. Revisiting them is wonderful, making Birushana: Winds of Fate a follow-up with quite the strong wind behind its sails. It’s a must-buy for established fans, and even newcomers might find charm in the new story routes.

Like a swarm of Bydo filling the screen, R-Type Tactics I • II Cosmos is beautiful and compelling, but difficult and overwhelming at times. It’s evidently a huge labour of love, and long-time fans who know their Arrowhead from their Cerberus will have a lot of fun with the game’s clever nuances. For the standard strategy RPG enthusiast, it will require a significant time investment and a willingness to overlook clunkiness in the UI, as well as a rather threadbare story, even in the sequel, where the branching plot points and enhanced characterization are welcome. All those years ago, R-Type initially challenged gamers with, “the fate of two races depends on you. Blast off and strike the evil Bydo Empire!” You’ll have to decide if that fate truly compels you to the far reaches of space and back again. Buckle up: you’re in for a hard fight.

Soulsy in difficulty yet beautifully accessible, I find Mina the Hollower an outstanding amalgamation of other titles. Yacht Club Games has poured heart and soul into this title, and the genre change has allowed them to flex their muscles and showcase what they can truly do; Mina the Hollower makes Shovel Knight‘s 2D sidescrolling feel like training wheels in terms of game design. DLC’s inevitable, but I honestly just can’t wait for their next big title that I hope crosses genres once again.

If you consider yourself a fan of Love-de-Lic games or RPGs like Earthbound, Undertale, OFF, and Hylics, play this game. Stray Children is nothing short of a masterpiece, and while it won’t appeal to everyone, it’s essential for its intended audience.

Coffee Talk Tokyo is a delightful return to form for a heartwarming series, seamlessly celebrating the quiet moments and connections we build in life (and even beyond). The game is relaxing, cozy, and altogether touching—like the third sip of a much-needed cup of coffee, meant to soothe a weary soul. Furthermore, the new setting and characters help make this title approachable for series newcomers, serving as a comfortable home away from home during a video game outing. Coffee Talk Tokyo is one refill you shouldn’t miss!

If you own all three games but never got around to them, this collection is not worth the extra money for a few new playable characters and additional episodes. It’s difficult to justify the full price when YouTube has the character episodes and added characters are playable in other Ryza games (e.g., Serri in 2, playable in 3 via DLC), and the episodes themselves only add up to a half-dozen hours. For people who have yet to dive into the games, or stopped midway through Ryza 1, the proposition is much more attractive. Mercifully, the Atelier series went from rarely ever having sales to being on sale frequently as part of publisher sales on Steam and seasonal sales, so fans and newcomers won’t have to wait long if they want to save some cash on the definitive versions of three of the best Atelier games to date.

Galaxy Princess Zorana is an addictive, choice-heavy visual novel with a compelling, though sometimes frustrating, gameplay loop and excellent replayability. I initially struggled to learn the mechanics, but I always enjoyed myself. After my first successful run, I immediately began planning alternative decisions for my next playthrough and wishlisted Long Live The Queen. If that doesn’t show the stellar appeal of Galaxy Princess Zorana, I’m not sure what will. This game absolutely has my vote!

Starbites is derivative, almost to a fault. Much like its protagonists’ scavenged mechs, it finds a way to bolt on different parts from established systems and influences to create a close approximation to many of the original inspirations. But it’s only an approximation, and while imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Starbites might have had its time in the sun. You might feel the need to explore a fresher experience. But for those who’ve never had the pleasure of bathing in a JRPG light, they could do a lot worse than take Lukida and the gang for a spin.