Marcus Orchard – Final Fantasy VII Remake
There were nealy impossible expectations for Final Fantasy VII Remake. It almost feels like a project this big was destined to fail. Somehow, this remake came out far better than anyone could ask for. The reimagined battle system feels buttery smooth when it clicks. The story allows the characters to be more dynamic than ever before. The story makes some fantastic changes that allow for the series to feel like an entirely new experience. The music is full of fantastic rearrangements, adding an incredible amount of energy to every encounter. While it’s only a small piece of the entire story, Final Fantasy VII Remake is simply the most entertaining JRPG of the year.
Kila Panaretou – Final Fantasy VII Remake
Something of an obvious pick here perhaps but the long-awaited remake of Final Fantasy VII really is something quite special. Honestly, I was expecting more of a straightforward remaster of the original game but instead, I was pleasantly surprised to see how much thought and effort has gone into this remake. There’s lots of extra content that helps make the whole world exciting and new, and all the extra development for the main characters really makes it feel like you’re getting to know them all again for the very first time. The combat is fluid and satisfying, and there are definite hints throughout that this remake could be charting its own pathway in its sequels. All in all, I very much enjoyed my return to Midgar.
Ryan Easby- Final Fantasy VII Remake
Final Fantasy VII is one of my favourite games. I have two different tattoos based on the game, so to say I was excited for the remake would be a colossal understatement. I had nerves going into it that I would find myself disappointed, but these were immediately quelled by the first hour of the game. I instantly found myself falling back in love with the world of Midgar and the members of Avalanche. I absolutely love everything about this game, how they flesh out the world even further, how characters that barely mattered in the original game actually make an impact and mattered to me. The soundtrack too is a beautiful update of the original, with everything just being so perfect. If you like RPG’s at all, you have to treat yourself to this game.
Jack Che – Genshin Impact
As one of the few RPGs that I’ve played in the current year, Genshin has a blend of fun and whimsy that helps to draw me to it. While the progression can be slow, and the game frustrating at times, it excels with interesting characters and an expansive world that helps to immerse players in a new world. In a similar vein to Breath of the Wild, I think Genshin Impacts was a fantastic game with many routes to allow for improvement in the future.
Pashtrik Maloki – Demon’s Souls
The most surprising thing about Demon’s Souls is just how fresh it feels. The game oozes creativity at every step. Every world tells a small and engaging story; every level feels like one huge Zelda-esque dungeon, and every boss fight is basically a puzzle of its own. You really get the feeling that this was a game made by a small team of dedicated developers with no budget and nothing to lose. It’s also interesting seeing the origin of a bunch of FromSoftware recurring elements. Sure, the game has a fresh coat of paint courtesy of the wonderful Bluepoint Games, but at its core, it’s basically the same game we got in 2009, on PS3. And it’s still so, so good!
