Review by Harvard L. Stegosoft Games’ previous effort, Ara Fell, was a gorgeous love letter to 16-bit JRPGs that could only really be faulted by being too traditional. Now in the team’s second effort, Rise of the Third Power, they’ve brought the polish to match their enthusiasm. This is a…
Read MorePreview by Matt S. It really is a busy period of the year for JRPGs. We’ve got Atelier, Pokémon, Monark, Triangle Strategy, Edge of Eternity, and more, all coming out in a short span from one another. I worry that it means that people will overlook Rune Factory 5, because,…
Read MoreReview by Matt S. Maglam Lord is such a quaint little game. To its detriment, I think, especially with so many stand-out JRPGs on the way in such a short span of time. But also, it’s quaint in a fun and playful way that will appeal to genre veterans in…
Read MoreReview by Matt S. Pokémon Legends: Arceus is a really, really good looking game. I’m going to put that up-front because it has been the discourse that has plagued this game from day one, but I genuinely love the aesthetic. I’ve always been a fan of softer colours, be that watercolour…
Read MorePreview by Matt S. I’ve had the opportunity to get stuck into the opening chapter of Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream, and I’ve got to say upfront that this game has come as a relief to me. I wasn’t 100 per cent sure of the direction…
Read MoreNews by Matt S. It looks like EastAsiaSoft is going to kick off 2022 in much the same way it played 2021; where there’s a good dosing of fan service available, they’ll roll with it. Seven Pirates H is an Idea Factory game, with EastAsiaSoft partnering with the publisher to…
Read MoreNews by Matt S. This is just a short note, but since everyone who reads DDNet knows I love my JRPGs, I thought that this podcast that I was recently invited on to might be of interest. The kind folks at Blowing Cartridges were kind to invite me on to…
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I have a sneaking suspicion that Monark will be one of my favourite games of 2022. It is, of course, very early to be calling that, but the talent behind it is sublime: you’ve got the deep-thinking creator Hayashi Fuyuki, who turned a silly concept (“power-up by crying”) into a…
Read MoreList by Matt S. We’re through the bulk of the year now, and certainly, all the major JRPGs of 2021 have been released. As a whole, this year has been absolutely incredible for the genre. Indeed, I’d even go as far as to say it’s one of the best ever,…
Read MoreInterview by Matt S. In just a few weeks, Koei Tecmo is bringing back its own spin on the monster collection-and-battle formula. Monster Rancher may have never had the prominence of Pokémon, or the explosive (if momentary) success of Yokai Watch, but it has plugged along with its own fan…
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