It's been just a drip feed of news for us the past few months. The games showcase season started out slow for the genre, with Expedition 33 possibly the biggest early surprise, but Nintendo dropped a whopping eight announcements on us today. We also recently had a date set for Visions of Mana and the Baten Kaitos PC shadow drop.

What's got you excited? What do you want to see more of? What hasn't turned up that you wanted to see?

!

official website

FANTASIAN Neo Dimension launches on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Steam, and Xbox Series X|S this Winter 2024.

Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, the full 3D remake of a fan-favorite Romancing SaGa 2, is coming to Nintendo Switch, PS5, PS4 and Steam on October 24, 2024.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake will be release on 14th november 2024 on Nintendo switch, Playstation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam and Windows Store

Bloomtown: A Different Story caught my eye immediately when I first saw it at last year's PC Gaming Show. Beautiful, smooth sprite animations and a clear Persona influence interested me enough to finally pick up the demo yesterday when I was browsing Steam's Next Fest.

It has a somewhat slow start, but I'm sure Earthbound fans will dig the the game's Americana setting with a dash of whimsy and humor as you poke around town. Of course, things take a turn and you end up fighting demons.

There's more than a little Persona 5 in the game's battle system, with familiar music, UI, gameplay elements, and concepts like companion demons. Some of it is parody, such as slapfights to determine who gains the initial advantage in battle. Some might feel outright borrowed, such as the battle music (which is nonetheless excellent).

Like many early demos, there are bugs and rough elements I'd expect to get smoothed out. However, the overall experience was far better than I was expecting. I'm excited to get my hands on the full game.

The demo is available on the game's Steam page if you'd like to try it yourself.

Game Information --------------------

Game Title: Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance

Platforms:

• Xbox Series X/S (Jun 14, 2024)
• PlayStation 5 (Jun 14, 2024)
• Nintendo Switch (Jun 14, 2024)
• PC (Jun 14, 2024)
• Xbox One (Jun 14, 2024)
• PlayStation 4 (Jun 14, 2024)

Trailers:

• Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance - The Ultimate Beginning | NSW, PS5/4, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, PC
• Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance - An Ideal World | NSW, PS5/4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Steam, PC
• Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance - Extended Cut | PS5 & PS4 Games

Developer: ATLUS

Publisher: SEGA

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 89 average - 100% recommended - 26 reviews

Critic Reviews -------------

Atomix - Sebastian Quiroz - Spanish - 92 / 100

>If you played the original Shin Megami Tensei V, Vengeance offers more of what made this installment special. Canon of Vengeance is an entertaining story with a series of twists that will surprise you, while those who will enter this world for the first time will be able to enjoy the definitive version of this title, with two campaigns and a lot of content. Just as it was in 2021, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is positioned as a must-play game, and something that JRPG fans have to play no matter what, even in a year when this genre has not stopped giving us some of its best modern exponents.

-------------

CGMagazine - Zubi Khan - 9.5 / 10

>Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance eclipses its predecessor in every way, making it one of the best turn-based JPRGs of the year.

-------------

COGconnected - Nicola Kapron - 90 / 100

>All in all, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is an excellent revision of a game I already liked. It’s still more sci-fi than horror, but a delightfully cynical tale nonetheless. And Yoko is a very engaging heroine in all her bitter glory. If you liked the original Shin Megami Tensei V, or even just thought about playing it, check Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance out. You won’t regret it.

-------------

Capsule Computers - Travis Bruno - 9.5 / 10

>Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance shines even brighter than before with a more involved new storyline, QoL improvements, and tons of content, this is the definitive way to experience this RPG.

-------------

Checkpoint Gaming - Pedro Cooray - 9 / 10

>Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance adds numerous quality-of-life improvements and drastic changes to the story and exploration that make the original game seem outdated. Plus, since the original campaign is still available in the Path of Creation, you are technically getting two games in one package. The new characters give you more reasons to care about the narrative, the new exploration options are thrilling, and the Press Turn combat system is as rewarding as ever. The series's eccentricities may not be for everyone, but no other franchise provides an experience quite like Shin Megami Tensei.

-------------

Digital Trends - George Yang - 4.5 / 5

>Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance makes one of the best open-world RPGs around even better.

-------------

Final Weapon - Raul Ochoa - 4.5 / 5

>Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is a near-perfect version of Shin Megami Tensei V with a brand-new storyline and nearly a hundred hours' worth of new content. The Canon of Vengeance story corrects many of SMT V's faults while making the game's world feel even more intriguing and unique. All of the new features compound together to make an even more fulfilling game, making this the definitive version of SMT V.

-------------

GAMES.CH - Joel Kogler - German - 90%

>For us, there is no doubt. "Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengence" is the definitive version of the game. The relatively small improvements in usability alone make the game completely different. Not to mention the general overhaul of the story, which means that the game allows two distinctly different playthroughs and thus offers an enormous scope. In the overall package with a very strong visual identity and a legendary soundtrack, "Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengence" is an absolute must-have for all fans of JRPGs, whether they are familiar with the series or not.

-------------

Game Rant - Shane Robert Moyer - 4.5 / 5

>Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance offers a lot for players, both old and new; an impressive enhanced art style, multiple story paths, and a definitive sense of the series progressing from what it once was. There may not be a ton of new things to justify purchasing the game again, but the additions that are here are excellent at keeping fans intrigued about what's going to happen next. Long-time fans will likely already know what they're getting into, as the game hasn't changed its turn-based combat and capture loops in a while. Still, those same fans have kept these games going until now, and Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is another in a long line of enjoyable titles in the long-running series.

-------------

GameBlast - Farley Santos - Portuguese - 9 / 10

>Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance reaffirms the franchise's legacy in a complex and immersive experience. The RPG maintains the classic elements of tactical turn-based combat, demon-baiting, and dark atmosphere, while introducing a more open-ended and vast exploration structure. The definitive version significantly expands the content with new missions, characters and technical improvements, providing an immersive adventure for newcomers and veterans alike.

-------------

GamingTrend - David Flynn - 95 / 100

>Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is the definitive way to experience SMTV. The new story is much more interesting and makes a perfect entry point for Persona fans, though it does miss out on some important plot points. The tweaks to combat make things feel that much tighter and strategic. With new bosses that even veterans will struggle with, Vengeance feels like an entirely new game.

-------------

God is a Geek - Lyle Carr - 9.5 / 10

>Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is an absolutely wonderful RPG, with loads of new features that you'd be foolish to miss.

-------------

Hobby Consolas - Álvaro Alonso - Spanish - 92 / 100

>Thanks to a ton of changes, additions, and improvements, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance has gone from being a great RPG to one of the best. Even if you played it (and finished) it back in the day, it's worth returning to this wonderful post-apocalyptic world of demons, angels, and challenging turn-based combat.

-------------

IGN Italy - Alessandra Borgonovo - Italian - 8.5 / 10

>A refined edition not to be missed, which however could have done better in terms of plot and level-up balance.

-------------

Kakuchopurei - Jonathan Leo - 90 / 100

>Shin Megami Tensei V back in 2021 was an epic JRPG that really needed a better core story (or a superior method of telling it) and better hardware to run, along with some interface tweaks. The Vengeance revamp fixes all of that and adds in a lot more, making this entry the definitive version of an already-stellar post-apocalyptic demon-summoning Nahobino-ing experience. > >With a lovingly crafted world with warranted upgrades, a huge cast of powerhouses to summon and recruit for your uber-demon army, a banging soundtrack with more awesome aural extras added, and a better framerate for the overall graphical experience, this is one literal hell of an adventure to dive into.

-------------

Nintendo Blast - Lucas Oliveira - Portuguese - 10 / 10

>There's really a lot to talk about Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, such as its great performance on the Switch and the fact that it is one of the most beautiful products on the platform, as well as the wonderful dubbing in Japanese (there is also an option for voices in English) and the fun possibility to directly control some demons in special missions. However, in order not to prolong it any further, we end here by stating that this Atlus title is an RPG with recruitment and battles with monsters that are simply unparalleled, as well as a true lesson in how to deliver a definitive version of a game.

-------------

Nintendo Life - Mitch Vogel - 9 / 10

>Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is a stellar example of an enhanced re-release done right. Its comprehensive approach to improving the story and various gameplay systems of the original release makes for an experience that's even more engrossing than the already excellent original game. Though we were disappointed by the lack of any performance gains here, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is still an extremely easy recommendation for any RPG fans. Some may consider SMT to be "Persona without the heart," but SMT V: V cleanly demonstrates that this old Atlus stalwart still has an abundance of fantastic gameplay and unique appeal.

-------------

PC Gamer - Kerry Brunskill - 91 / 100

>Vengeance combines the fresh, familiar, and the fiendish into one incredible RPG.

-------------

PSX Brasil - Thiago de Alencar Moura - Portuguese - 90 / 100

>Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance delivers an exceptional package that, by marrying all its elements, amalgamates into a title that can easily be considered one of the best RPGs of this generation.

-------------

Press Start - Harry Kalogirou - 8.5 / 10

>Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance doesn't just feel like the definitive version of Shin Megami Tensei V, it also feels like a new potential template for ATLUS's future re-releases. Between a much improved narrative, the same addicting gameplay loop, heightened visuals and a smorgasbord of content, it's hard to find a lot to dislike in this package.

-------------

Push Square - Khayl Adam - 7 / 10

>Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is the definitive way to play Atlus' devilish game of demon fusion, with a new suite of bells and whistles to smooth over what can, at times, still be an abrasive gameplay experience. It's incredibly combat-heavy, which can become oppressive, but working towards raising that perfect demon remains as engaging as ever.

-------------

Spaziogames - Gianluca Arena - Italian - 8.9 / 10

>Vengeance is for Shin Megami Tensei V what Royal was for Persona 5 some years ago: the best possible version of one of the more refined and fascinating JRPGs of the last decade. This is the version to choose if you haven't played it before and the one to replay if you've already dived into the original title.

-------------

Stevivor - Matt Gosper - 8 / 10

>Overall, Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance is all about building a more streamlined and player-friendly experience. While the game’s difficulty hasn’t gone anywhere, it feels like Vengeance is doing its best to make you enjoy that experience and remove as many roadblocks as possible. The new Canon of Vengeance story is big, exciting and entirely unapologetic about taking a different path to the original story – giving returning SMTV players just as much to enjoy as new players. Playing on PS5 rather than the original Switch also let me enjoy the game’s world in much greater fidelity, and Vengeance takes full advantage of that to show just how gorgeous its huge maps are. While its combat is not for the faint of heart, the game’s rich, branching story offers plenty to enjoy over multiple playthroughs.

-------------

The Games Machine - Danilo Dellafrana - Italian - 9.5 / 10

>Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance breaks the shackles that initially bound it to a far too modest hardware to finally shine on a range of systems capable of enhancing its visionary beauty. On top of that, a resounding series of additions makes the handling of demons even deeper, while an alternative story line will keep even those who lost sleep over the Switch version happy.

-------------

TheSixthAxis - Nic Bunce - 8 / 10

>Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is an excellent addition to the franchise that's a must-play for franchise fans, and well worth picking up for those curious about dipping their toes in the water. The difficulty level is still there, but it has become a lot more manageable thanks to quality of life updates. Just don't be disappointed if you show up expecting Persona, as the narrative and story qualities of the latter is a world apart.

-------------

XboxEra - Genghis Husameddin - 8 / 10

>Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is a great refresh of a game that I had gripes with back then. Besides the far more interesting Vengeance route, the additional quality-of-life changes, added mechanics, and greatly improved performance make Vengeance easily the best version of a great turn-based RPG. Great for returning players and an even better deal for new ones.

-------------

games@lemmy.world

This is another French-developed JRPG-ish thing. Kinda got Lost Odyssey vibes.

This showcase focuses on the job system and other aspects of combat.

As previously speculated, it indeed has a system quite similar to SMT's Press Turn, but with some additional quirks.

Tell us about the game you finished? Were they good or bad and what are you plans for the current month?

Today we got the information that Dragon Quest III remake comes to every console and PC, as well as Yuji Horii want Dragon Quest XII worthy of the posthumous work of the two [Akira Toriyama and Koichi Sugiyama] who passed away. I take that as an opportunity to talk about the Dragon Quest series. It's one of the longest running series in the genre but seldom i see people talk about it. Unfortunately, the series has recently suffered a few setbacks with the deaths of artist and wesom mangaka Akira Toriyama and composer Koichi Sugiyama. But in general, the series is quite popular, espacillay in japan, seeling a solid number of about 85 mio copies worldwide.

Are you interrested in the upcomming titles? What are your favorite parts or gameplay moment of the Dragon Quest series or what stand out for you? Let's discuss this long running series.

The art is from the cover of book: "Dragon Quest Illustrations: 30th Anniversary Edition" by Akira Toriyama that was release in 2018.

I take guesses how long it takes to leave japan or reaches other plattforms

Translation from a post at ResetEra, slight modifications/formatting by me. ___ The annual Naples ComiCon among its numerous guests also welcome Yasumi Matsuno, game designer and scenario writer of some of the most influential titles of our era: Tactics Ogre, Final Fantasy Tactics, Vagrant Story, Final Fantasy XII, and others. Most recently he collaborated with the Final Fantasy XIV team on the "Return to Ivalice" and "Save the Queen: Blades of Gunnhildr" scenarios.

Interviewing him I had the pleasure of meeting an author with great creativity, who recognizes enormous value in original and innovative ideas, and is convinced that it is always worth creating something new and complex, even at the cost of not chasing a broad target audience. But also presents a witty & pragmatic outlook who does not self-aggrandize despite his professional successes.

To my great pleasure he answered my questions very thoroughly, opinions about entertainment and his own work , so this interview is significantly longer than what you might be used to. Precisely for this reason, however, it shows us up close some less "public" sides of Yasumi Matsuno. Enjoy the reading.

MARCO PATRIZI, interviewer: Can you tell us something about how your career began? What led you to develop video games at Quest Corporation?

YASUMI MATSUNO: Thank you very much, and thank you for inviting me.

When I was a university student my aspiration was to enter the film industry, but since it was really difficult I changed my mind and started working in a small journalism company. I specify that in this period my work had nothing to do with the world of video games. Work often took me to interview various people, such as company presidents. It was fun and I learned a lot about how to write about various topics.

At the time I had a college friend who was three years older than me and who started developing video games. I wasn't a huge fan at the time, but I had still played various games on the Famicom. One day I went to visit this friend of mine in the office and I saw what he was doing, and I remember that he intrigued me a lot.

I remember that in the 80's, most international games were created based on already existing and famous characters. But in Japan, things were a little different, that is, the protagonists of the games became famous. And this friend of mine did just that: he created original characters for his games, and this interested me a lot.

In the pyramid scale of entertainment, given the large amount of films, books and various shows, it was very difficult to establish oneself with a new work, because there was already a lot of competition. Instead, the world of video games had been born relatively recently--in fact it was even seen quite badly by some--so I thought that there were more possibilities for someone like me to enter it and establish myself. Fortunately, my work as a journalist had made me better at writing than others.

I then started sending many CVs to companies. I remember getting rejected by Namco and Square. The first company that hired me was Bothtec, a PC video game company that had created a division that only dealt with video games for Famicom consoles, this division was precisely Quest. There were only 15 people working there at the time and I came in knowing nothing about programming. Then, six months after my arrival, it happened that my boss retired and due to my age I became the new boss, and I had to manage the group.

The company wasn't doing well at the time. Normally games were made on existing works, so the decision was made to do something original. The group was divided into two teams, the first started working on an action game, then we decided to make a role-playing game. At the time, Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy had achieved great success, so many companies wanted to follow their success by creating other RPGs, so we chose to focus on a strategy game, and this is how the development of Ogre Battle began .

After a year of development, we showed it to Nintendo during the Tokyo Game Show. At the time there was the belief that new IPs risked selling poorly, that it was better to make sequels like they did with Super Mario, so Nintendo was a bit skeptical towards a new game. After seeing it, however, they were convinced and supported us financially. Consider that at the time, a game that sold ten thousand copies did well. When Ogre Battle came out in 1993, it sold 500,000.

MP: What are your favorite games?

YM: Before I got into the video game industry, I really liked the very first The Legend of Zelda on the Famicom. Later I got really into SimCity; I played it a lot! Later I also played a lot of The Atlas, on PC. The protagonist is a captain of a ship that leaves from the Strait of Gibraltar and has to look for land in the Atlantic Ocean, and as he explores the map it expands. And every time you started a game the shape of the world changed.

You also receive information from explorers who say they have found lands. But they could also be lying, so it's up to the player to understand and decide whether to believe them. It is possible that someone will say that they have found America, Japan, or even fantastic lands such as the continent of Mu or floating cities! It was a very interesting game to exercise the imagination. In general I like games with brilliant and innovative ideas, even if they are not very famous.

I recently really enjoyed Ghost of Tsushima and Red Dead Redemption. Except that when I played it I had the feeling that I knew what was going to happen.

MP: The settings of your games are often inspired by medieval Europe. Where does this propensity come from?

YM: You know, for Japanese audiences, fantasy is very close to the idea of medieval Europe. Today if you think of fantasy, The Lord of the Rings, Dungeons & Dragons, or Harry Potter immediately come to mind, but in the 80's very few fantasy works were known. Fans of the genre knew and read fantasy books, but the general public thought of Disney works. One of the few works that the Japanese knew was the legend of King Arthur, his sword, and Merlin. In the film sector, Conan the Barbarian and Excalibur were famous.

If you think of the first approach to fantasy of Japanese productions in the 80's, Miyazaki's films Nausicaa and Laputa come to mind, but also Dragon Quest, with the drawing style of Akira Toriyama, which had a very pop visual style. So in the 90's, they wanted to create a slightly more "serious" fantasy.

I'll give you an example: before the armor was designed very massively, all in one piece, in a way that didn't allow the characters to move realistically. Instead, I gave instructions to [Akihiko] Yoshida-san to design the armor so that the characters' movements were realistic. He wasn't familiar with fantasy at the time, because he was an advertising graphic designer. But being a very serious professional, he bought some books and studied how to draw armor well to be able to make the designs I asked him to do.

Players liked its more realistic designs, which is what I wanted. I think there was this curiosity and desire to see another kind of fantasy. In reality, I personally like even less precise and realistic settings, such as those of Captain Future or Flash Gordon. (laughs)

MP: Playing your games, one of the recurring themes that I am pleased to find is the relationship and contrast between humanity and power. Do you have a personal opinion on this topic that you try to convey, or do you prefer to create conditions in which the player draws their own conclusions?

YM: Unlike today, in the 80's and 90's video games were mainly made for children and very young teenagers. But observing the users of video games, I noticed that in reality there were also kids over 18, university students, adults who played video games... So I thought it was a great opportunity.

To make a comparison: when I was young I read Dumas' books in a version adapted for children; then as I grew up I read the original versions and I realized that there was much more: sex, violence, death... Similarly, at the time in video games a lot of content of this kind was left out to be suitable for children too.

What I wanted to do was try to learn the best things from all types of games and incorporate themes that are more relatable to adult players. At the time there were few games like this, so my projects were also approved to cater to that type of user.

MP: We know that the develoment of Final Fantasy XII began under your direction, but that you had to step down from the role. Is there anything about the final game that you weren't completely happy with that you would have done differently if you had continued to direct it?

YM: I would like to specify that, even though I had to leave my role, the development of Final Fantasy XII followed my directions on the story. The only thing I would have liked is to see more detailed characters. But it's no fault of anyone on the team, except mine who had to leave.

MP: I read a while ago that you worked in Quest's Customer Service section and were very attentive to player feedback. Is there anything you would like to change with the knowledge you have now?

YM: Almost everything. (laughs) I tend to be quite a perfectionist.

MP: It seems that Naoki Yoshida holds your talent in high regard. Do you have a good relationship? Would you like to work with him again?

YM: In general we are friends, we often go eating and drinking together. And if Yoshida-san wants to work with me again in the future, I would be very happy.

MP: Do you play Final Fantasy XIV a lot?

YM: I used to play it quite a while ago, but lately I don't have much time. But when the new expansion comes out in July (Dawntrail), I think I'll go back to playing again. I'm currently stuck at the sixth expansion, on the Moon.

Lately I have to say that I play the mahjong minigame more than the actual game. (laughs) Last January I went to the Fan Festival, in the Tokyo Dome. As many as 60 thousand people participated. And on that occasion, Yoshida-san announced that the new expansion would be released soon; the game's voice actors were also attending. And near the Tokyo Dome there was a hall dedicated to playing mahjong, and I actually didn't participate in the Fan Festival, but I played mahjong for two days! (laughs)

And with me there were also other people I had worked with, such as programmers and voice actors for the game. The games were very exciting, and there was this voice actor with a beautiful but also very loud voice who often shouted while playing and could be heard throughout the whole dome, and people told him to quiet down. It was very funny.

MP: You certainly receive a lot of requests from fans to return to work on a sequel or remake of your most successful games. I have always thought, however, that it could also be demeaning for an author to feel the expectation only towards his past titles. How do you deal with this situation? Would you prefer fans to focus more on your future projects, or do you find satisfaction in hearing so much admiration for your past works?

YM: Personally, I would prefer fans to wait for new games. But in the end, it is the companies that decide what is best to do, so if they decide to produce sequels or remakes I have no objections to doing what they ask of me.

It's also true that it's difficult to create something successful from nothing. There are franchises, for example Indiana Jones, that always do well every time a new film comes out, while it is more difficult to always create something new of quality. Which is why Hollywood continues to focus on Marvel and DC films, but also to expand Star Wars. Given the large fan base, they are safer projects.

MP: If conditions allowed it, would you like to work on a new game set in Ivalice or a sequel to the Ogre series? Or would you feel uncomfortable working on a setting from many years ago?

YM: Personally, I would always prefer to create something new. The problem is that nowadays it is difficult to embark on a totally original project. Thirty years ago it was possible to create a game with ten people, today many millions of funding are needed, so companies are more cautious about taking risks.

Also because today the budget must take into account translation and localization in many languages which must start immediately, while some time ago a game came out in Japanese and was only later translated into English. Then every translation needs someone to check it... In short, more people and more money are needed.

MP: What game are you playing these days? Or what's the next game you'd like to play?

YM: I recently played Unicorn Overlord, which Richter (composer of Unicorn Overlord, sitting next to Matsuno) also worked on. I haven't finished it yet, but I find it very well done.

Just three weeks ago, I went out drinking with [LTD Basiscape composer Hitoshi] Sakimoto-san and [Vanillaware founder George] Kamitani-san. Also there was Manabu Yamana, a programmer who worked on Dragon Quest. We're friends, so we talked about Unicorn Overlord and why it's selling well. It's a great game and I can't wait for Vanillaware's next game to come out.

Some time ago, since I like Harry Potter, I also played Hogwarts Legacy, which I found fun. Now I'm also playing Baldur's Gate 3, I'm almost at the end and I'm liking it a lot. ___ Original article: https://www.tomshw.it/videogioco/yasumi-matsuno-ci-racconta-i-suoi-albori-ma-guarda-al-futuro-intervista

> SerialProject, a Japanese independent studio formed in 2023 and consisting of just two core members, has announced SerialWorld, a “comedic yet serious RPG” and deckbuilder coming to PC via Steam in 2025. It will support both English and Japanese language options.

https://www.gematsu.com/2024/05/comedic-yet-serious-rpg-serialworld-announced-for-pc

It's JRPG-ish, but not technically a JRPG. Is that allowed here?

Anyone playing Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes? I just finished it on PC with an SSD and the option to turn the aggressive depth of field off. I hear the Switch and PS4 versions are kinda rough.

It captures a lot of the Suiko formula. I really enjoyed this once it got rolling; it's quite the nostalgia bomb. The battles were delightful, a big part of why this felt like a 2D JRPG from 2000 I never played. Having different defense commands for party members is something I've never seen in a turn-based game and is the kind of innovation I'd like to see as turn-based games pass to smaller studios. Less thrilled about the literal gimmick system.

Visually, this is some of the best sprite art I've seen. Too bad the 3D environs they are placed on were kinda generic. The soundtrack was good too, better than expected since I'm generally not a Sakuraba fan. It was a big part of why a certain scene on a bridge was the highlight of the game for me.

My biggest concern going forward for the property is feature creep. As a whole, this game is a bit underbaked (especially on Switch), while there's still a ton of minigames and maybe even a dungeon or two they didn't need. The minigames are wildly uneven, too (cooking contests are fun but still bugged, beigoma is tedious, fishing gameplay is at a barest minimum).

I wish this was more polished. Respecting the player's time moment-to-moment was what put Murayama on the map for me with the first two Suiko. So, seeing issues with that here between loading times and padded recruitment quests makes me think he left a lot of the details to the game's director. I suppose that offers some hope that Rabbit & Bear will be able to carry the torch with a sequel (should they go forward with it).

I think that are very great news. Everyone should be able to play their games regardless of the plattform. Square Enix is one of the biggest publisher of jrpg's, with a lot brands that are often exclusive to ps (FF16, FF7, Forspoken) or sometimes to switch as well (Octopath traveler, Triangle strategy). It kind of frustrate me to tell people that this game is probably not on their plattform for quite a while. There is no reason for Square Enix to just put their games on one plattform, seems money from sony is clearly not enough to make profit out of it.

There is a lot changes going on on Square Enix and some are probably not good for us game, in my opinion the focus on big AAA games. While i agree they should focus on quality instead of quantity, i think a AA game can be a quality game as well and a AAA games has the possibility to flop (Forspoken). What's your opinion on the stuff that's going on at Square Enix?

Source

I've been playing Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, and the Suikoden vibe is completely there. I loved that game world, its mythos, the soft connections between the games. It contributed to the inspirational vibe, too.

What some of your JRPG worlds you really liked?

Tell us about the game you finished? Were they good or bad and what are you plans for the current month?

After a fast and furious few months to start the year, the release schedule is starting to slow down a bit before it picks up again later in the year. We also have the expanded Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance and Trails through Daybreak on the horizon.

So, how's your 2024 been? Here are some of the bigger releases that have come out this year:

• Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth
• Granblue Fantasy Relink
• Persona 3 Reload
• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
• Unicorn Overlord
• Dragon's Dogma 2
• Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes
• Sand Land
• SaGa Emerald Beyond