Digital Trends • 17th January 2023

Persona 3's new remaster shows how far the series has come

In 2006, developer Atlus would pave its future with an important game release: Persona 3 for the PlayStation 2. It was a smash-hit, finally taking the JRPG series mainstream in a way that its first two games didn’t. Persona 3 laid the groundwork for what would eventually be Persona 5’s monumental mainstream success and Atlus’ crown jewel.

NPR • 16th December 2022

Best games of 2022 chosen by NPR

The world may have returned to a halting, uncertain normalcy in 2022.

But 2022's video games were anything but ordinary. The Pokémon Company graced us with not one, but two huge titles. Ambitious indies had us sift through mysterious movie footage, found our own cults, investigate supernatural deaths, delve into outer-space colonies, search for secret treasure, and so much more.

Crunchyroll • 9th December 2022

The 10 Best JRPGs of 2022 You Should Play

Every year is a great year for JRPGs and 2022 is no different. In fact, 2022 was particularly loaded with strategy RPG games like Tactics Ogre: Reborn, Relayer, and the Front Mission 1 remake. Square Enix also released so many games this year, especially toward the latter half, like Dragon Quest Treasures and Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered. I sometimes even lost track of the company’s release schedule!

Digital Trends • 17th October 2022

Persona 5 Royal is right at home on the Nintendo Switch

Persona 5 Royal is one of the greatest Japanese RPGs of all time and had been touted as a phenomenal PlayStation exclusive — until now. The original vanilla version, Persona 5, hit Japan in late 2016 for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4.

Kotaku • 30th September 2022

Square Enix Is Drowning 2022 With New RPGs, And We're Here For It

2022 is a great year to be an RPG fan, particularly of Japanese games. The holiday season is usually crowded with new game releases, but this year Square Enix appears to be releasing games like it’s Christmas all year round. With so many out already, and so many more to come, are SE’s profligate ways good or bad for RPG lovers?

Digital Trends • 19th September 2022

Soul Hackers 2 could have been the perfect Game Pass RPG

Atlus created quite a bit of fanfare earlier this year when it announced that the Persona series would arrive on Xbox in October. But that isn’t the only JRPG the publisher had in store for Xbox owners this year. Soul Hackers 2 was a big get for Microsoft, bringing the Shin Megami Tensei style of gameplay to its systems with a fresh release. It launched at the end of August without nearly as much excitement as Persona — Persona 5’s Xbox release date announcement seemed to overshadow Soul Hackers

Digital Trends • 5th August 2022

5 JRPGs not from Square Enix deserve the HD-2D treatment

The HD-2D style is a boon for Square Enix’s modern turn-based JRPGs. It takes retro 2D sprites and fits them into beautiful 3D environments with gorgeous special effects. Seeing realistic fire animations, reflections, and more alongside charming old-school pixel art really helps the games that utilize this style stand out from the crowd.

NPR • 20th July 2022

The best games of 2022 so far, picked by the NPR staff

It didn't take long for 2022 to deliver on a deep roster of long-awaited games, from blockbusters like Elden Ring and Horizon Forbidden West, to breakout indies like Tunic and Norco. We asked NPR staff and contributors for their favorites so far. The resulting list represents a broad swath of tastes that includes games appropriate for kids ("Kid Friendly"), and for folks who may be new to the hobby ("For New Gamers").

Whether you're interested in story-driven experiences or challenges to your wits and reflexes, there's plenty to love in these 30 games.

Digital Trends • 17th July 2022

The Steam Deck is a true successor to PlayStation Vita

It’s hard to imagine that Sony was a major player in the handheld console race less than 10 years ago. The console giant found success with the PSP in the 2000s and looked to push its advantage in 2012 with the PlayStation Vita. That didn’t quite go as planned.

Digital Trends • 29th June 2022

All mainline Mega Man Battle Network games, ranked

Capcom recently announced the Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection during the June 2022 Nintendo Direct Mini. It contains 10 games from the iconic Gameboy Advance series, with Battle Network 3 onwards having two versions similar to the Pokemon franchise.

Digital Trends • 13th June 2022

Xbox's 2022 lineup feels as desolate as it did in 2017

The Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase on June 12 was Xbox’s chance to prove to the gaming world that it had an incredible lineup of titles coming. And it does, just not anytime soon.

Digital Trends • 12th May 2022

Xbox delays mean 2022 is now the Nintendo Switch's year

Nintendo has had quite the year so far, and it’s starting to look like it’ll maintain that momentum through the end of 2022. With the company’s competitors delaying major holiday releases left and right, the runway has been cleared for Nintendo to blow past Sony and Microsoft despite doing so on a five-year-old console.

Inverse • 11th May 2022

6 years later, the most underrated travel game deserves a sequel

Remedy Entertainment’s 2016 game, Quantum Break, assumes that the past cannot be changed, incorporating the Novikov self-consistency principle. This foundational theory leads to some of the most satisfying and airtight time travel rules ever represented in a video game.

CNN • 16th March 2022

The best PC games you need to play right now

PC is the most versatile platform within the gaming ecosystem. The best gaming PCs and gaming laptops can deliver exceptional performance that bests even the latest consoles in some scenarios, and the variety of titles on the platform is mindblowing.

With that in mind, we’ve rounded up some of the best PC games you can play now, from the latest triple-A blockbusters to innovative indie experiences that’ll work on just about any machine.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of the highest-rated and acc

Funimation - Blog! • 23rd December 2021

Our Favorite JRPGs of 2021: Tales of Arise, Shin Megami Tensei V and More!

2021 was a fantastic year for Japanese role-playing games. Brand-new main entries in fabled franchises released, new franchises were born, and remakes and spin-offs held their own ground as well.

Here are our ten favorite JRPGs that were released this year that players should check out!

GameSpot • 20th December 2021

Best Of 2021: How Tales of Arise's Menu Background Tells A Story Of Its Own

Tales of Arise is one of 2021's best RPGs, and Bandai Namco really stepped up its game when it came to one of its longest-running franchises. However, while a heartfelt story and frenetic combat is everything that a JRPG needs, what really helps the game stand out is how visually striking it is–something that even extends to its menu. Slight Tales of Arise spoilers ahead.

NPR • 18th December 2021

The best games of 2021 chosen by NPR

Our poll of NPR staff and contributors produced dozens upon dozens of favorite games — but twenty received more nominations than the others. Each of those — the comfy, the competitive, the scary, and the strange — are highlighted below. We've also tagged games that are appropriate for kids, and for those who may be new to the hobby.

Funimation - Blog! • 12th November 2021

The Best Anime for Shin Megami Tensei Fans

The long-awaited Shin Megami Tensei V arrives today on Nintendo Switch, and while it might not have the following of its spin-off franchise, Persona, it is just as iconic and top-notch.

Known for its brutal difficulty and electric, dark atmosphere, players travel an apocalyptic landscape in a battle between Chaos and Order. Throughout your journey, you’ll come across characters who embody different ideals, challenging you as a player and changing the game’s ending. Who will you side with?

Funimation - Blog! • 14th September 2021

Sci-Fi Anime on Funimation: Sonny Boy, Cowboy Bebop & More

It’s hard to imagine a better pairing than anime and science fiction. From the early days, the genre has been woven into the DNA of anime, from classics like Speed Racer and Astro Boy to milestone films like AKIRA. And Mobile Suit Gundam, anyone? How about Code Geass?

And Funimation is packed full of all of these classics and more, including contemporary sci-fi favorites and even some brand-new titles from this season.

Funimation - Blog! • 10th September 2021

Tales of Arise: Best Anime for Fans of Tales Game Series

If you’re an avid player of JRPGs and anime-inspired adventures, chances are you’ve heard of the Tales series.

From its beginnings on the Super Famicom in Tales of Phantasia to this week’s release of the stunning Tales of Arise for PlayStation, Xbox and PC, this long-spanning series has hit emotional beats, made waves and captured generations of fans.