RPGamer

Combat is fun enough, but rather basic. The story isn’t anything to write home about. Then the final stretch of the game is marred by underdeveloped final areas and mandatory side-quests with poorly communicated updates. At the very least it should still leave an impact with its concept, and that’s a good thing. After all, if a game is forgotten, does it cease to exist?

The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales proves HD-2D works brilliantly as the foundation for an action-adventure game. Its engaging combat, rewarding exploration, clever customization systems, and gorgeous visual presentation combine to create one of Square Enix’s strongest action-adventure games in recent years. The story may be predictable, and the enemy variety is rather lacking, but neither issue detracts from an experience that consistently rewards exploration. The Adventures of Elliot shows the HD-2D formula can thrive well beyond the realm of turn-based RPGs. If this is where the style is headed next, the future looks incredibly promising.

Ultimately, Magical Princess doesn’t reinvent the wheel on any of what it sets out to do. The game does just about everything that can be expected from it, but does so with an almost effortless grace and elegance that it’s hard to find fault in its lack of innovation. At the heart of it, Alice is just a wonderful character, and the game’s systems expertly flesh out the ideas of how while there is no right way to raise her, there are always consequences to actions. Aside from some hiccups regarding the relationship system and the combat, Magical Princess is an incredibly easy recommendation for both fans of the genre and newcomers.

Quartet is a phenomenal example of staying true to classic roots while also modernizing other aspects. There is a joy in spending time with all eight characters, and each is well fleshed out and memorable. It’s as though everything from combat to story to the game’s audiovisual clicks together perfectly, offering an experience that feels both familiar yet brand new. Despite the large number of games looking to emulate that classic RPG feel, Something Classic has successfully made old feel new again while understanding that one doesn’t need to reinvent the JRPG entirely. Quartet is a fabulous game that feels right at home on the Nintendo Switch and is absolutely worth the price and time investment, as it does nearly everything right in such a tight package.

LumenTale: Memories of Trey is a tale of two games. When everything is clicking, the combat, Animon designs, and story all feel really nice and leave a positive mark on the genre. Though the long load times make exploration feel like a chore, and hiding some features as well as evolution methods makes it get in its own way and take longer than needed. It can truly feel exciting to weave through Animon, shooting out the Holoken to catch or damage while solving puzzles, and learning about Trey’s past, but in the meantime, that quality title is buried underneath some flawed execution.

Performance problems and image quality issues stop the Switch 2 version from becoming the definitive way to experience Rebirth, particularly in handheld mode, where the hardware occasionally fails to keep up with the game. Even so, those issues never diminish just how remarkable the experience still is. Rebirth remains an extraordinary RPG filled with exceptional combat, an outstanding world, incredible music, and one of the strongest casts in the genre. More importantly, it succeeds at the nearly impossible task of honoring one of the most beloved RPGs ever made while carving out its own identity. Technical compromises aside, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth stands as one of the best RPGs currently available on Switch 2 and a hugely impressive new realization of a classic that already defined the genre decades ago.

While unlikely to strike the same chord as Disco Elysium, Zero Parades: For Dead Spies is still an interesting and engrossing title. Running at around twenty hours, potentially less, for a full playthrough, there’s lots to uncover in the game, alongside a lot of scope for replayability, particularly if players spend their first attempt taking what the dice gives (and takes away from) them. How long it remains in the memory in the future remains to be seen, but its strong world-building and interactive mysteries keep players engaged in an ultimately very satisfying experience.

Ultimately, everything hits the right chords, making for an exciting game. Mina is adorable and presented as a fun protagonist with all sorts of neat gadgets in her arsenal. The world she inhabits is full of secrets and is a ton of fun to explore. There is a timeless feel to this game, with its homage to games from yesteryear, while also pushing the boundaries of what retro enthusiasts expect from titles that look like this. Thankfully, Mina can be found on most modern consoles and is also reasonably priced. I believe Yacht Club Games hit the nail on the head with this title, and they have once again delivered an all-time classic with Mina the Hollower.

Starbites ultimately sits firmly in the middle of the RPG spectrum, never really approaching either end of it. There are plenty of enjoyable moments involving the character interactions or when the combat and exploration get into a good rhythm, but it never really takes that extra step needed to stick in the memory. Nonetheless, it’s an enjoyable enough way to spend the time, and there’s a strong base for IKINAGAMES to be able to build upon going forward.

Traysia is a relic with nothing to offer anyone, as it struggles to have an identity beyond being a piece of lost history brought back for preservation. In reality, it should have stayed lost forever.