Games are like exciting adventures, with cool graphics and fun ways to play. But don't forget about the story – it's like the backbone of the adventure. A good story in a game can make you feel like you're really part of the action, not just watching. Imagine being taken to different worlds when you play a game. A good story does that – it lets you escape from real life for a bit. When the story is mixed well into the game, you feel like you're not just watching; you're in control, making choices, and caring about what happens.

Arc System Works is a legendary fighting game developer, so it was no surprise when they released a killer spin-off of Granblue Fantasy in 2020. After all, this is one of the most well-loved mobile RPGs ever made, even though it's technically never received an official release in North America. But a gorgeous, anime-style fighting game? That was the perfect way to appreciate this incredibly deep world developer Cygames had created.

I've probably played and reviewed at least two or three dozen different gacha games at this point, but every once in a while I still manage to be really surprised and impressed by one. Dragonheir: Silent Gods is one of the most immediately intriguing and captivating gacha games I've played in ages, and one that I'm definitely planning to stick with. The first thing to know about Dragonheir is that every part of it is openly inspired by tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons. In fact, the PC version of the game has even done an official collaboration with D&D! In gameplay that terms, that means characters inspired by classic western fantasy, challenging tactical battles, and

SHOULD I PLAY WRESTLEQUEST? Definitely play it if you’re at all a fan of wrestling games and old-school, turn-based RPGs. WrestleQuest may be a wrestling game, but it plays more like Super Mario RPG than AEW: Fight Forever. I played as (and fought against) action figures inspired by legendary wrestlers—and even ran into some characters officially licensed from wrestlers like “Macho Man” Randy Savage, who’s basically this world’s god. Wrestling plus RPG may seem like a strange mix, but it works beautifully, coming together as a love letter to both the drama of the squared circle and the imagination and adventure of SNES-era role-playing games.

Hey folks, thanks for tapping and tuning in as I dive headlong into Summerfall Studios' recently released Visual Novel, Stray Gods - A Musical RPG. And they're not kidding on that front- so bear with me. An Inspired Investigation Stray Gods tells the story of Grace, whose mundane life as a would-be singer is abruptly de-railed due to a chance encounter with Calliope, The Last Muse.  Last, because the old Greek Pantheons are real, and not -quite- as immortal as previously rumoured. A trend which continues to hold true, given Callope's blood winds up literally (but not figuratively) on Graces' hands.

PLAY IT OR SKIP IT? Play it. Snowbreak: Containment Zone is one of the most promising and fun gacha RPGs I’ve played in the past few years, already nearing the quality of Genshin Impact, Wuthering Waves, and Honkai: Star Rail. The game explores a beautiful dystopian world and twists classic fantasy themes by primarily focusing gameplay on fast-paced combat with guns. TIME PLAYED I played Snowbreak: Containment Zone

SHOULD I PLAY WITCHSPRING R? WitchSpring R instantly reminded me of the Atelier series, so if you’re a fan of those games, you won’t want to miss this one. It’s an incredibly cute and charming RPG, but it’s not shallow either. There’s real depth to its gameplay and characters, and its story is much more interesting than it initially seems to be. It’s a great mix of a fantasy adventure and a slice-of-life story, and that combination is hard to resist.

Since it arrived last month—heck, even since it was first revealed way back in 2020—one of the most oft-repeated opinions about Final Fantasy XVI has been that it doesn’t feel like a Final Fantasy game. After spending eighty hours with this latest entry in one of gaming’s biggest franchises, I can finally definitively respond to that opinion: Yes, Final Fantasy XVI doesn’t feel like a Final Fantasy

SHOULD I PLAY BLAZBLUE ENTROPY EFFECT? Definitely give this one a shot if you’re a fan of great roguelites or the action-packed anime aesthetic of the BlazBlue series. This spin-off, BlazBlue Entropy Effect, sees familiar characters, move sets, and thumb-crushing combos of the BlazBlue fighting games translated into a roguelite action game formula. That makes for a challenging experience, but thanks to a tightly designed progression system and an intriguing story, I found it hard to put this game down.

Sleeping Dogs. If there ever was a crime-sandbox that could stand up to GTA, Sleeping Dogs would be it. A truly underrated classic that every gamer should give an honest chance to. Everything from the graphics, sound-design, setting, story, characters, combat, driving, side-activities, and fun factor, are all on point. I can't think of any other way to improve it. I've been gaming for about 15 years and Sleeping Dogs is one of my all time favourites. The world feels alive and lived in, the characters have flaws and feel real, the voice acting is compelling, the music is great and the radio has some underrated artists. The best part is the combat, which relies on melee more than gunfights, and has a meaningful sense of progression, it never gets old.

[Music credits: "Fantasy Orchestra 3 BGM 86" by Nico - "Fantasy Orchestra 2 BGM 112" by Nico]

You have never experienced a story like this.    It is a solid old-school RPG in which you wake up in a morgue and with no memory and must uncover your past, the mystery of your immortality and who's trying to kill you, all set in the fantasy planes of AD&D.

I mean if you dont know opus series youre living under a rock.Opus echo of starsong is a story driven game that will make your heart ache.The story and the rather simple but complex gameplay are what make this game one of the best story driven game.Not to mention the soundtrack and the ost for this game are top notch.I really recomend people to play this game

[Music credits: "Plains of Illeyneth" by Dragon Tamer -  "Orchestral Fantasy Fairy Village" by Frequently Asked Music]

Note: These are my thoughts on this game, do not treat it as fact if you play the game. Likes: The story is truly amazing, and impactful! 2. The voice acting is amazing! 3. The music is riveting in battle! 4. The combat is simple but very engaging nonetheless! 5. The various functions in the outpost make this game so much easier to enjoy! 6. The characters look amazing! 7. The game itself is very beautiful! 8. Most of the characters have their own back story, which really makes you remember a character when they are not in your midst, or at least "bond" with them. 9. There are animated cutscenes from time to time. 10. The occasional texts from Nikkes is pretty refreshing sometimes. 11. The chibi models are cute. 12 The synchro device is amazing! The five highest level Nikkes are automatically allocated to the device, to which you can then add any Nikke in an empty slot, and they will be "synced" to that level. That only applies so long as they are in a slot, removing them will return them to their original level. This means you don't have to always upgrade/level up a Nikke to increase their level. Dislikes: A lot of reliance on stats to progress. 2. The SSR molds don't guarantee an SSR Nikke. Now a few important notes/tips: This is an idle game at heart, despite the gameplay being shooter action rpg, so if idle games are not your thing, this may not be for you. 2. Resources are valuable/scare, so spend sparingly. 3. As an idle game, you are not meant to plow through the campaign. 4. The story itself can be very heartbreaking, so if you are faint of heart, either look away, or tread carefully. Finally, this game isn't challenging for the most part, but requires patience above all else. Also, I am in chapter 5, as of the time I posted this review, so I haven't made it very far and thus, I may update this as time goes on.

AfterPlace Developer: Evan Kice Publisher:  Evan Kice Released: July 23rd, 2024 Price: 14.99 USD Afterplace is a short 10 hour multi-ending calm and relaxing adventure centered on a floating island in the sky, filled with terrifying interdimensional beings and friends! It was certainly a journey as it's one of the few Indie games built by a single developer who truly wanted to create a fun and everlasting experience that encompasses the feeling of making you feel like you would want to stay in this universe forever, rather than to leave or continue forward to the end of the game. You don't want it to ever end or to cause harm in this simplistic world that feels more like a resting spot when you're done with all of your other games, after a hard days work, it'll be here for you waiting with a lot of dark secrets to be discovered around every nook and cranny.

In 2019, Disco Elysium took the gaming world by storm and showed how RPGs could focus much more on storytelling and do a much better job of emulating the feeling of playing at a tabletop. Now we're just starting to see the first wave of games that seem clearly inspired by Disco Elysium, and this one just might be the first must-play RPG of 2024. This is Sovereign Syndicate, a CRPG being made by a small indie team in Canada. Like Disco Elysium, it's an RPG that's more heavily focused on narrative and dialogue, but it also sets itself apart in some key ways. For one, it's got a unique Victorian steampunk setting that looks absolutely fantastic. Fantasy creatures like minotaurs, dwarves, and cyclopes are mixed together with grimy factories, smokestacks, and zeppelins. And it all takes place in London!

Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo Publisher/Developer - Square enix Price - $19 Additional IAPs - No Genre - Visual novel, Horror, RPG Rating steam - 97% positive of 552 reviews Rating playstore - 4.8/5 Controller support - No Link - Voice of Cards Trilogy Publisher/Developer - Square Enix Price - $12 Each Additional IAPs - $1-$4 each (optional cosmetics) Genre - Tabletop RPG, Online (requires internet)

PLAY IT OR SKIP IT? Play it, especially if you’re in the mood to get lost in a great story. I’d describe Fall of Porcupine as a cozy game, but there’s an underlying darkness to its narrative that gives its events a real sense of weight. You play as Finley, a small-town doctor who’s returning to work after an on-the-job injury. Finley clearly loves the town of Porcupine and its residents, but he has some concerns about St. Ursula’s, the hospital he works at. There’s a free demo that serves as a prologue to the main story, and I’d definitely recommend checking it out if you’re interested in the game.

NAME: Finding Paradise PLATFORM: Mobile, PC DEVELOPER'S & PUBLISHER: Freebird Games, XD Entertainment Pte Ltd In this world of video games, few games manage to strike a harmonious balance between compelling storytelling and captivating gameplay. And "Finding Paradise" Is one of them Showing the power of narrative-driven games, offering players a unique and emotionally resonant experience. "Finding Paradise" seamlessly weaves its narrative through an interactive and thought-provoking gameplay experience. The game follows the story of Dr. Rosalene and Dr. Watts, who traverse through the memories of their clients to fulfill their last wishes. The gameplay revolves around solving puzzles within these memories, creating an engaging and immersive environment that keeps players invested in the unfolding narrative.