01
Monster Hunter: World
Playing solo, this game can be a little bit intimidating for new players to this series, but make no mistake, this game is a real treat. The graphics and music of the game never grow old, and the combat, once mastered, is elegant and engaging. But this game truly shines when played with friends. The mass combats against the monsters in this game are a wonderful demonstration of cooperative play at its finest. There's a lot to learn here about the crafting and tricks, but it's well worth the time investment to learn.
02
Dragon Quest XI
Sometimes a great game doesn't have to do a whole lot that's new. That's the case with this newest installment with this series. The first release of the series to a console rather than mobile platform since Dragon Quest VIII, the game doesn't disappoint for those who love the series. The graphics, the story, the humor, and the classic combat system that still delivers the nostalgic feeling so loved by its fans, all work like a well-oiled machine. It's true, there isn't a whole lot that is groundbreaking, but that has never been its aim. It takes what the series has always done well, and polished it to near perfection.
03
Nier Automata
There are many things about this game that endear it to its players, but probably the strongest element is its atmosphere. While certainly very different than the original Diablo, this game creates an amazing atmosphere in much the same vein, using story and character and music to perfection.
04
Yakuza 6
A solid game in the series, the story and character development in this game are what separate it from other series. With this particular installment, much in the series was streamlined and simplified. Depending on your own preferences for features of the past games, that could be seen as an improvement or as a detriment to the game. The new game engine delivers improved graphics and performance, as load times have been drastically reduced. The fighting still is also simplified, which again, could be seen as a positive or a negative. But taken as a whole, this is definitely a gem in the series.
05
Ni No Kuni II
Returning to Ding Dong Dell and the breathtaking visuals of the first game, the sequel has a lot of things going for it. The anime style that was perfected in the first game returns, and with a strong story and characters, the game often feels like a visual novel or anime story than just a game. That isn't to say the combat system and character leveling system are lacking. The shift to higgedlies is a bit startling for those used to the previous game's familiars system. They are similar enough to relate, but certainly how to recruit or "brew" them is an interesting spin. Many of the previous games side quests and errands return, but this time, you are building a kingdom, which has its own flaws and perks that goes with any game designed around kingdom building. Admittedly the challenge curve on this one can be a little steep for newbies, but the story and atmosphere more than make up for the grind and imbalances to the challenge of the game.
06
Octopath Traveler
A solid game as RPGs go. The graphics and music to this game were very well done, and the combat maintains a appreciable level of difficulty. However the game falls a little because of the little interaction and general lack of good character development overall. While some characters have a strong background and story, most are rather bland. In addition, the choice to limit skills as severely as this game does among classes leaves a little less feeling of power growth beyond normal leveling. Still, it's a solid game, and worth a playthrough.
07
Pillars of Eternity II
This game does many things well. The music score and graphics are amazing, the characters are well developed and overall, the combat is a fine system. They did a fine job building on the success of the first game. But sadly, there is a major flaw that drops this game a few spots on the list, and that is the lack of solid story writing and mature meaningful writing in the game. The story is exceedingly short in comparison to other RPGs, even the first game in this series, and the solution to the destruction of Caed Nua is poor. And the connection between this game and the previous is virtually non-existent, meaning that anything you did in the previous title has relatively few noticeable effects in this game. For a genre predicated on story and character development, I would say that's a pretty big flaw.
08
Darkest Dungeon
For those who become attached to their characters, this rogue-like gem might not be for them. In all likelihood, you will look at one or several characters in this game, as your characters are prone to psychological stress and gain both positive traits and flaws as you adventure. The story is deep enough to be engaging, exploring the ruins of the main narrator's family estate as you try to reclaim it for him. The dark, gritty atmosphere and gruesome and at time lewd humor add to create a unique feel that add to the overall experience of the game. It's also great in long marathon sessions or short burst sessions to scratch a gaming itch between heavier RPG games.
09
Vampyr
While this game had a lot of potential, much of it is lost on decisions made by the developers. The game does a great job of creating the atmosphere of 1918 London, to be sure, but much of the game feels like a slog. There is no fast travel and much of the environment, while adding atmosphere, has remarkably little to do in it. The side quests are limited and NPCs are few and far between, and often offer little reason to engage them in conversation. This leads to a rather desolate feel of slogging through a large environment with little to do, often backtracking or pausing to look at the map (as there is no minimap in the game). The story is still quite enjoyable and the game has its moments, but the design of this game definitely drops it a number of places on this list.
10
Banner Saga 3
There is much to praise in this game. One of the key features to a great RPG, that is the combat, mechanics and overall balance, all come together to gel into a great whole. This game is firing on all cylinders from a system standpoint. However, this game also falls far short of its predecessors in terms of character development and story. Lacking cutscenes, the game could have focused on fewer characters and giving them more meaningful "airtime," but alas, the cast of characters has grown to over 40, which often results in many characters popping up briefly but disappearing almost as quickly, adding little to the story. These often feel one-dimensional and cardboard cutout-ish. Even the map, which in previous installments, added to the story, feels a bit abstract and does not contribute to the overall story of the game in as meaningful a way. This isn't to stay the game isn't enjoyable, and certainly the combat and mechanics have reached perfection even if they haven't really changed a whole lot.
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