Elizabeth Henges
Elizabeth Henges's Reviews
Dragon Quest XI not only manages to be the best game in Square-Enix's iconic series, but is one of the best JRPGs to be released in recent years.
For the most part, it's another fantastic entry to the series. Moreover, it's a great game to re-introduce old fans of the series with its graphical and mechanical upgrades. If Pokemon X or Y interests you, consider picking it up; unless you're completely turned off of the franchise, you'll find much to enjoy in this 3DS game.
Supergiant goes three for three with another title you don't want to miss.
Pillars of Eternity is worth looking into for any RPG fan. The game has a great plot and world to explore, and Obsidian has given players enough options to ensure that anyone can see the end of the story, regardless of skill level.
Stoic's final game in The Banner Saga Trilogy is finally here, and for those that have followed these characters' stories for the first two games, The Banner Saga 3 will finally offer some closure.
The highly anticipated sequel to Dontnod's narrative adventure has begun, and it's off to a strong, tense start.
Atelier Lulua continues the story of the Arland trilogy of games while taking the mechanics of more recent Atelier titles and refining them.
Dragon Quest Builders 2 improves upon the original title in a variety of ways, making for a superior sequel for the building based spin-off series.
A year after Episode 1's release, Life is Strange has reached its conclusion, and it's not one to miss.
It's surprising how well 'Valkyria Chronicles' has aged over the years. Everything from the gameplay and the story, to the graphics and the sound, makes the game a joy to play through. Sega made the right choice in porting this formerly PlayStation 3 exclusive title to Steam, as now an even wider audience than ever before is able to enjoy what is bound to be a classic title.
'Disgaea 5' is one of the best strategy RPGs I've played in years. The gameplay is fun and addicting, and the rest of the package offers more than enough incentive for me to play until the ending and beyond. Not only will series fans find another enjoyable entry, but it's easier than ever for new players to get into 'Disgaea,' with the Cheat Shop making grinding quite easy and most of the extra stuff not being forced upon them. Despite my doubts, 'Disgaea 5' sees the series come to the PS4 with all due grandeur. New player or series veteran, this is a fantastic SRPG that should not be passed up.
'Undertale' doesn't seem like much, but it is really just a wonderful experience. This title really stuck with me this year, even beyond beating the game itself. 'Undertale' may appear unassuming, but it's full of charm, humor, and emotion. Everyone playing games in search of distinct experiences owes it to themselves to play beyond the first slow hour or so. It may not resonate with absolutely everyone, but it's a game that is best played to truly experience, at which point, the debate can begin.
'Disgaea 4: A Promise Revisited' may very well be one of the better Vita titles to make a western release. The game has a decent storyline and is simply fun to play, and the massive amount of postgame content is sure to keep players busy for hours on end.
I had a lot of fun with Death Road to Canada. The title can really sink its zombie teeth into you, inviting you to do just one more playthrough before calling it quits. Everything about the package comes together well. Even though the developers could have taken shortcuts and brushed issues aside as nostalgia for The Oregon Trail, they instead gave us a game that invokes that nostalgia while improving upon the old formula.
Songbringer is a worthwhile game to play if you're a fan of the action-adventure genre. Overall it's well made, looks nice, and the word seeds make the game fun and offers a sort of replayability most action-adventure games cannot. It's a bit unfortunate that the wonky combat makes some encounters more frustrating than they need to be, but other than that Songbringer is a well-crafted experience.
The Council's first episode is a promising start. The Mad Ones builds the framework for what can be a wild narrative ride, but it's not clear yet how far this game will go in terms of its branching paths, or if the narrative will remain interesting throughout. I'm excited to learn more about the deceptive world of The Council and what Louis will uncover in upcoming episodes.
While this may not quite topple the Civilization series, Endless Legend has plenty to offer for 4X and RPG fans alike.
Darkest Dungeon is a tough turn-based RPG that does not pull its punches. However, its punishing gameplay has you coming back for more.
This remake of Etrian Odyssey II is more of the same, but that's not a bad thing.
This beautiful pixelated Metroidvania makes the graceful jump to the Nintendo Switch.