More like Power Outrages amirite? Hahahaha- (cries in $400 lost groceries)

Anyway, Echoes of Aincrad came out on July 9th for the PS5 and XboxX. This Sword Art Online game looks like it is trying to minimize its SAO origins, what with the incredibly small _{Sword Art Online} text under the main title.

Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure was released via Console Archives for the PS5/Switch 2. This means all the Rhapsody games are available in some form on modern consoles when paired with the Marl Kingdom Chronicles.

Disgaea Mayhem hits PC, PS5, Switch and Switch 2 July 23rd. This title is an action-RPG take on the Disgaea universe.

Blue Reflection Quartet comes out July 30th. This remake includes the first two games, but also game versions of the anime series and the an update version of the mobile game release. It’s a surprise to see this much thought put into a multimedia release, and quite honestly more companies could stand to do something similar.

Other July releases include:

Forward to the Sky (PS4/PS5) (7/9)
Digimon Story: Time Stranger (Switch/Switch2) (7/10)
PalWorld (PC) (7/10)
Hell Clock (PS5/XboxX) (7/14)
The Life & Suffering of Prince Jerian (PC) (7/20)
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Collection (Switch2) (7/23)
Mahou Arms (PC) (7/27)
Forsaken Realms: Vahrin’s Call (PC) (7/27)
Prelude Dark Pain (PC) (7/27)
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Switch2) (7/30)
Signy & Mino: Against All Gods (PC) (7/30)
Dungeon Antiqua (PS5/XboxX) (7/30)
Verho: Curse of Faces (PS5/Switch/XboxX) (7/30)
The Relic: First Guardian (PC/PS5) (7/31)

I’ve become very visibly blocky in my old age.

The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales is a new title from Square-Enix in the style of Octopath Traveler and Triangle Strategy – but this time it’s an action adventure game. The title releases June 18 for Switch, PS5, and probably one of the Xbox systems. A demo is available now.

Same day release is R-Type Tactics I•II Cosmos for PS4/5 and Switch. This title is a re-release of a set of previously PSP only titles in one package.

One day later on June 19 is the Gothic Remake, or Gothic 1 Remake depending on where you visit. The title will be on the PS5 and Xbox series X/S.

Meanwhile, I’m catching up on titles from three years ago. The Backlog is immense, folks.

One Drac’s Misery is Another Person’s Paradise.

Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar is out on May 28th. The physical PS5 edition is touted as an Amazon Exclusive. The Switch and Switch 2 have premium editions. Choose your Farmer wisely.

Wandering Sword is out the same day digitally. This is a 2D-HD RPG with graphics similar to Octopath Traveler or the Dragon Quest remakes.

Hope May finds you all playing the exact games you need to play. Enjoy!

Now they look out for me. Stupid algorithm.

All Switch re-releases this month.

Tomodachi Life and Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta see Switch releases on April 16 and April 28 respectively.

Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition sees a Switch 2 release on April 16 as well.

Ys games are fun, and Xenoblade games tend to be pretty good. I’ve heard nothing but good things about Tomodachi Life. These are all re-releases but a fun time could be had nonetheless.

Capcom sees what the PC industry is doing and wants to make sure they get their piece of the pie.

Looks like Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen were made available LateFebruary to buy on the Switch. I have never played a Pokemon game, but the availability of those two has created a desire to ‘mon up.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection hits Switch 2, PS5, Steam, and XboX on March 13. Capcom’s crafting RPG with copious monster-hunting has another entry in its turn-based sister series. The stakes and production values are higher, but will they be enough?

Speaking of increased production values, WiZmans World Re;Try hits PS5 and Switch with another try at releasing same day and date as Stories 3.

Etrange Overlord – a NIS title in line with several other NIS releases – has noble Etrange executed and sent to Hell, where she decides to take it over. This time it’s an action RPG for the PS5 and Switch; available March 26.

March 27 sees the release of the Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection for the Switch, PS4/5, Steam, and XboX. Physical copies are for the Switch. The last of the Battle Network-style of Mega Man games (but still not a Legends collection); Star Force fans will eat well this day.

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade gets a Switch 2 release as the system continues to pick up drifting titles to bolster its ranks. Not a bad strategy: Sony is pulling back from PC ports in a time when PC ports are super important for money, and Xbox is attempting to AI itself to death. Nintendo may win by simply being the last system standing.

Seriously, console wars are bullshit.

Also known as the Leon S. Kennedy.

First up is the first release of February: Dragon Quest VII Reimagined. I am currently working on Dragon Quest II from the 2D-HD release and am shocked at how the series has gone from absolute grindfest to ‘let’s make a fun game’. Don’t get me wrong, I often enjoy a grind; but after perfecting the series’ battle system in DQXI, it’s like the developers doubled-down on quality of life issues to make the games more accessible. I am here for this, by the way. The games have their charm, the monster designs are fun, and there is more emotional maturity contained in these games than a lot of other titles on the market.

Anyroad, DQVII Reimagined has a demo out. The title releases February 5^th for PS5, Switch, Switch 2, and Series X.

The next day has the release of Nioh 3 for PS5. The latest in a line of samurai-themed Soulslikes by Team Ninja, the Nioh series has focused more on combat than other games in the genre.

Ys X: Proud Nordics releases February 20^th, and is Ys X with all the bells and whistles meant for the Switch version. It hits the PS5 and Switch 2.

And yeah there’s a new Resident Evil game closing out the month my house is going to bond over; cats and all.

Some other titles for this month:
Calamity Angels: Special Delivery (PS4/PS5/Switch) (2/17)
WiZmans World Re;Try (PS5/Switch) (2/19)
No Sleep for Kaname Date (PS5/Switch/Switch2) (2/26)

Re-releases:
Kemco RPG Selection 3 for the Switch (2/12)
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma for PS5 (2/13)
Tales of Berseria: Remastered (PS5/Switch) (2/27)
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties (PS5/Switch 2/XboX) (2/12)

Don’t push back your flu shots. Every time I could have gone something came up and I have been paying for it for about 9 days now. The bad parts of the flu are over, but the hanger-on chest and throat cold is annoying.

Trails Beyond the Horizon, the capstone game for the Calvard Arc; launches on January 15. The long-running sub-series still has a few more games left in it even as Nihon Falcom eyes the end of the story (and begins to plan for other properties such as a sequel to Tokyo Xanadu).

Code Vein II hits the end of the month. The animation of God Eater combined with a Dark Souls-inspired combat system to take down vampires.

Not much else this month. The Dragon Quest VII: Reimagined demo is out to try. It’s pretty fun.

Truth be told, lots of people should probably be playing Demonschool. It’s really fun.

Demonschool released digitally mid-November and captivated me right away. It looks like the first three Persona games before the series reinvented itself with Persona 3 (Persona 2 having been split into two parts). It plays like a chess-based strategy game where each battle has turn-limited goals to kill a certain number of enemies, but also preventing the enemy from reaching the player’s end of the field. Players must also reach the enemy’s end of the field to close out each battle. It’s fast-paced, fun, and players can restart any battle they are currently fighting up until the victory menu is closed out.

It’s got fun dialogue and combat, and the game’s fast travel map keeps players aware of every possible event in the game. The only downside is a few bugs which skip animations and once; a skill.

Most of December’s releases are re-releases, with the exception of Octopath Traveler 0, and even then barely. The game is a remake of the of the free-to-play Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent and removes a lot of elements inherent in mobile games such as gacha while expanding voice-acting and tying character unlocks to story progression.

The rest of month has the following releases:

November seems low on the physical releases. I assume it’s a combination of real world events, scheduling, and the fact Metroid Prime 4 will absolutely destroy all competition.

A friend recommended Crypt Custodian to me after they had played my recommendation of Ys: Oath in Felghana (they’re not a fan). The mechanics are roughly similar, but Crypt Custodian is infinitely more laid back.

The unprecedented event I did not expect was my wife to fall in love with Crypt Custodian, and we are now sharing a system for the first time since the PS2/GameCube era.

I have been big fishing in FFXIV again. This includes chasing rare fish with specific real-world times like 3:48 AM on a Wednesday for a chance at a digital fish. The whole process resembles fighting depression, and I do not recommend unless you find beauty in futility.

As I type this I am logged in awaiting a rare fish RIGHT NOW.

Anyroad, catch up on a some game recommendations from friends this month. Enjoy.

I am easily consumed by games to my lack of life. I am a potato of the highest order. These last few weeks the consumption has been Hollow Knight and Silent Hill f. Yes, that’s right. I am a killer potato.

Skip the next two paragraphs if you don’t want to hear about Silent Hill f‘s features.

Silent Hill f has probably the best New Game+ idea since Chrono Trigger. Story elements from the first playthrough are added into NG+ cutscenes to expand upon the story during subsequent playthroughs. It’s amazing while not diminishing the first playthrough; the plot of which relies mostly on being a mystery.

It’s common in video games to find new cutscenes and items during a second playthrough. New bosses, too. What NeoBards, developers of Silent Hill f; should be proud of is adjusting the feel of the game from the opening NG+ cutscene. I’ve delved further into Silent Hill f – more than any previous Silent Hill because of this accomplishment.

Digimon Story Time Stranger saw release on October 3. I recently found out is there are bad girl Digimon with abs. I am unsure how to feel about this and may have to play the game to make sure such a thing has zero effect on me.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Physical Edition hits shelves October 13. Soon, Morrowind. Soon, Daggerfall. Then, Arena. For all systems. Until the end of time being ported like Doom to your coffee maker screen-

Oh hey Dragon Quest I&II HD-2D Remake sees a launch on October 30. The DQIII remake was great fun.

Pokemon Legends Z-A reverses the alphabet October 16. You can buy it for the Switch, or pay $10 more for a Switch 2 version with a graphical upgrade the Switch could honestly handle.

October 10 sees a re-release near and dear to my heart: Ys vs. Trails in the Sky: Alternative Saga. I have an import release on the PSP as a gift from working on this very site, and had given up some years ago about a translation coming over due to the both the diminishing PSP market and Trails in the Sky Second Chapter‘s localization having a ton of issues due to its immense length. But Trails is super hawt now since the series bucks all the JRPG trends players are used to seeing, so we’re getting a ton of Trails stuff.

Three more re-releases see re-release in October:

Disgaea 7 Complete (Switch 2) – 10/10
Persona 3: Reload (Switch 2) – 10/23
Tales of Xillia Remastered – 10/31

Go forth and play.