| « Back to Intro |
Best Turn-Based RPG |
Best Action RPG » |
First Place
Second Place
Third Place
It’s rare to find a game that compels as deeply and thoroughly as Metaphor: ReFantazio. Its powerful opening setup, centered around political assassination and royal succession, quickly unfurls into a competitive race for the throne across a richly developed world rife with conflict and division. Buoyed by an all-around stellar cast, Metaphor’s story relentlessly presses forward and never lets up on delivering thrills. Its sub-narrative structure and thoughtfully subtle ruminations on discrimination and utopia are profound and intelligently executed. The cherry on top is the delightful storybook-like atmosphere and plot narration, which elevates the entire pilgrimage into something truly special.
Its turn-based combat is an additional stroke of brilliance, and the synthesis of gameplay elements from Persona and Shin Megami Tensei combine into the best strategic system an Atlus game has yet seen. The Press Turn system forces combat to swing in wild directions, resulting in intense and suspenseful battles, especially against the game’s bizarrely unsettling bosses. The deep, layered job system and skill synthesis mechanics build upon an already strong foundation by providing a dizzying plethora of combat options and party formations. Tying everything together is the game’s distinct atmosphere; the permeation of “magla” through its various locales does wonders for the worldbuilding, immersion, and overall visual design, and the soundtrack carries a bombastic grandiosity fit to herald in the arrival of 2024’s undisputed king of turn-based RPGs.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is one of the best RPGs of 2024. With a memorable cast of characters, a heartfelt (and at times funny) story, and a seemingly endless number of mini-games and sidequests, Infinite Wealth is a must-play title. The turn-based combat of Infinite Wealth is integral to the experience of playing the game, but its genius is in how battles become more enjoyable as players engage with the game’s other aspects. Individual characters receive “job experience” as they progress through the game. This unlocks special moves and cinematic super moves that deal significant damage to enemies. Meanwhile, team bonuses are earned for increasing bonds between characters, which is facilitated via conversations that occur whilst exploring Yokohama and Honolulu. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth does an excellent job in remaining true to the formula of the previous game while adding enough complexity to remain fresh and interesting.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak was tasked with the role of beginning a brand new jumping point to Nihon Falcom’s long-running series, and it did a mighty fine job of it. In addition to injecting a fresh setting and cast, it also provided some rejuvenating adjustments to its gameplay and subtle but appreciable upgrades to its graphics. A more streamlined approach to its side content allowed the new setting, cast, and the series’ excellent writing to once again take centre stage, and the game emerged the better for it. With the series’ trademark worldbuilding as strong as ever, The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak is an incredibly satisfying combination of familiarity and freshness in a rightfully much-loved series.
by Jordan McClain, Jesse Proctor, and Alex Fuller
Recent Comments