Steven Mills
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Destructoid Latest Reviews
But instead of going the easy route, Monolith Soft went the extra mile and added meaningful new content and quality-of-life features that actually improved on what was already a masterpiece experience. The Definitive Edition treatment makes Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition one of the best JRPGs on the Switch, and a must-play for fans of the genre.
While Kingdom Come: Deliverance was a solid title worthy of being called a great open-world RPG, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 essentially redefines what it means to be a great open-world RPG. It’s one of those worlds you not only want to tell your friends about, but you want to watch them explore it as well. I’m so torn on what I want to see Warhorse Studios do in the future. On one hand, I’d love to see what such a talented studio can do with another setting. On the other, they’re absolute masterminds at crafting such an immersive and realistic early 15th-century medieval world that I just want more of it. The year just started so it’s too early to be talking about GOTY, but for me, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is already at the very least a contender.
Regardless of my minor gripes with the game, Civilization 7 is a ton of fun. The Ages system is a major game-changer and really enhances the genre in a big way. Firaxis probably could have gotten away with a safer approach with this installment, opting for just better graphics. Instead, it boldly revamped a lot of the core systems to make the entire game more streamlined for both newcomers and veterans alike. I’m glad Firaxis is still finding ways to improve a genre it has mastered over the years, and as a result, Sid Meier’s Civilization 7 has the series in its best shape yet.
At the end of the day, Tales of Graces f Remastered is everything a remaster should be: graphical upgrades that make an old game look better on modern platforms, a trove of quality-of-life additions that make the game better while staying true to the original version, and inclusion of all the DLC for the complete package. It’s really solid value, especially for those who have yet to play Tales of Graces in either of its previous two forms, since this is essentially the ultimate version. Now I just hope Tales of Xillia 1 and 2 or maybe even Tales of the Abyss are next!
Everything that makes Dynasty Warriors great has been built on and amplified in Dynasty Warriors: Origins. The fast-paced combat is more fluid and satisfying than ever, and I think the decision to allow players to build up their own character is the right move for the franchise moving forward. I wasn’t sure how Omega Force could take a series coming up on three decades old and make it appealing to newcomers while appeasing long-time fans, but they found a way. For me, this is the best Dynasty Warriors yet, and I’m excited to see what’s next.
Despite the issues, though, Freedom Wars Remastered is a fun time, especially for anyone looking to sink their teeth into an action RPG with the loop of slaying big monsters for parts to upgrade their gear. The story is intriguing and engaging, and overall worthwhile to experience even with the cliffhanger ending. The combat is engaging and fun, and sure to scratch that Monster Hunter itch. Even over a decade later, Freedom Wars Remastered is an extremely satisfying endeavor with the constant reward of seeing your million-year sentence drop lower and lower as you progress, a feeling that’s been a bit absent in this 10-year window since the original.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is an incredibly authentic Indiana Jones experience, and MachineGames really makes you feel like you are Indiana Jones. If you’re looking for an epic journey of exploration with a fun and mysterious story, that’s exactly what you’ll get with The Great Circle, and with a high level of polish to boot. The combat can feel like window dressing at times, but it doesn’t really take from the adventure. The exploits of Indiana Jones are all about exploring, puzzle solving, and having some laughs, and there’s plenty of that to go around in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.
Fantasian Neo Dimension takes all the great things about classic JRPGs and finds ways to innovate on them while still keeping the innate charm and feel the genre is known for. And while there have been plenty of great RPG releases in recent years, there’s something special about Fantasian Neo Dimension that melds the old with the new to create an enthralling and nostalgic journey in a unique high-fantasy world that’s simply a ton of fun to play.
Like most MMORPGs, the fate of Throne and Liberty will rely heavily on the decisions NCSoft and Amazon Games make in regard to future content. Nothing beats a solid MMORPG launch; and so far, at least the Early Access launch has been incredibly smooth. But the ability to keep meaningful and fun content coming is what keeps players logging in and overall making the MMO feel worth playing. In its current state, you’ll be hard-pressed to find an F2P MMORPG with as much content and polish as Throne and Liberty. If you’ve been looking for something that puts the MMO back into MMORPG, this could be just what you’re looking for.
In my opinion, the gameplay makes up for the shortcomings of the campaign. And even though the mission-based system feels grindy by design, it’s a fun grind, and one I look forward to continuing. In a year full of RPG releases, Granblue Fantasy: Relink is a solid early entry into the genre, and has earned its spot as one of the good ones.