Role-playing

These past eight years has seen a great slew of changes in the video game industry. Whether it is the global domination of Call of Duty and Activision’s implementation of a one year release cycle, the integration of online, the creation of achievements and trophies, or the rise of casual gaming; this generation has changed the medium and its landscape in a multitude of ways. But there was one prominent trend that saddened me, and that is the lack of compelling JRPG titles. However, Tales of Xillia gives me hope. The latest entry in the long running Tales ...

The king has been murdered by his three children, but not without siring a illegitimate heir. After having an affair with a dragon (who we're assured was in female human form at the time), a child is born. You're that child. The future of the kingdom is in your hands, Dragon Commander.

The creation of any video game requires a great amount of time, work, and skill to pull off, even with a vast team of developers with various skills. Due to the complexity of the medium, it is unheard of for a single person to create and develop a high quality game all alone, until now. Dean Dodrill, the creator of "Dust", programmed and designed every aspect of the game outside of the voice acting, music, and part of the script. While this is extremely impressive by all means, Dodrill makes some rookie design choices that slightly mar the overall experience.

Have you ever wanted to manage a company of interstellar mercenaries? Sure, who hasn't? Have you ever wanted to distill the act of managing that company of interstellar mercenaries down to a card game, complete with blind booster packs and rare cards? That...might be a harder sell. However, Rivals at War: 2084 does just that, and manages to be quite fun and engaging for a game that you don't actually play.

It can be easy to find fault with some of the Square Enix iOS releases: whether its laughably bad pricing models (Final Fantasy: All the Bravest, Demons' Score) or overpriced re-releases (the Final Fantasy re-releases), there are times where it feels like Square's reaching a little too far into the wallets of gamers. But there's no denying their support for mobile platforms: with over two dozen releases under their belt, from Chaos Rings to Space Invader: Infinity Gene - and their latest title, the entertaining-but-repetitive Bloodmasque.

Shadowrun's last appearance in video game form wasn't that pretty, leaving fans disappointed that Microsoft decided to turn their cyberpunk, urban fantasy pulp RPG into a multiplayer shooter. Thankfully, the mastermind behind the franchise, Jordan Weisman, headed to Kickstarter in order to fund a project designed to take the series back to its roots: Shadowrun Returns.

With a library that contains JRPGs like Etrian Odyssey, Fire Emblem, Soul Hackers and Kingdom Hearts, it's no surprise that Shin Megami Tensei IV found its way to the Nintendo 3DS. It's becoming the go-to system for JRPG fanatics – which is a blessing considering how few are released for home consoles – and SMTIV is a welcome addition.

Mind Games is a DLC that adds a slew of new content to Sword of the Stars: The Pit. It includes new levels, new weapons, new items, and new enemies. But, the most exciting addition is the psionic powers, along with 2 new classes: the ranger and the psion.

You are the last hope for mankind as a deadly plague is killing your world. Your mission is to travel deep into an alien facility that may or may not have the necessary resources to create a cure. This place is called The Pit and all who have entered have never returned. Can you survive the dangers that lurk within, or will death take you?

If you haven’t played any of the Mario & Luigi series, I strongly urge you to do so, as they are some of the most thought out, inspired and creative titles Nintendo has ever developed. From exploring the Beanbean Kingdom in Superstar Saga to Mario & Luigi trying to communicate with baby versions of themselves in Partners in Time, the series stays true to its tried and tested gameplay, with the addition of a few new features in Dream Team.