7. Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star
Just one of many popular Marvelous games, this third installment of the Fate series is only one of two titles that has breached Western shores. A warriors type game, return to the servant action as you deal with the aftermath of the legendary Holy Grail War. Taking up the mantle of master once again, go on a brand new escapade as you take over your rival's servants, and the power over a wish-granting computer. With another man threatening to control them, prove you're the better master and fight alongside them against a multitude of foes.
Choose from among sixteen different playable characters and explore each of their unique fighting styles. Use your swords, magic, and violence against your malicious enemies, or transform into powerful beings to instill fear among your enemies.
Packed with the same fast-paced combat, beautiful visuals, and lovable cast of characters, it's the musou game that we all came to expect. It has a PlayScore of 7.45
6. Mary Skelter: Nightmares
Make your escape from a living prison in this exciting DRPG from developer Compile Heart. Released exclusively on the PlayStation Vita, Mary Skelter will let you explore dungeon after dungeon to avoid a creeping evil. Set in an underground prison that's aptly called "The Jail," take on the shoes of Jack and his friend Alice as they try to escape from the tortures of their prison life.
With her gigantic scissors, the Red Riding Hood guides you towards freedom. Roam around the dungeons in first-person, and use your characters abilities to solve puzzles and discover the secrets of each stage. Partake in turn-based battles as you fight against the game's collection of monsters and bosses. Avoid a confrontation with the immortal Nightmares, or you'll be forced to face them in real-time.
Engage in a variety of combat options, and use transformations, class changes, and its unique blood system to your advantage. It has a PlayScore of 7.74.
5. Atelier Shallie Plus: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea
The sixteenth in a long line of Atelier games, it's time to set out into the dusk to aid Shallie in a new adventure. This finale to the Dusk storyline provides a mighty send off to a series filled with colorful alchemy. Set 10 years after Atelier Ayesha's first Dusk venture, it puts us in the shoes of two budding alchemists in the middle of a village crsis.
Watch as the twofold story unfolds as you help Shallistera save her village from drought and Shallotte in her quest to become a proper alchemist. Choose your own path from these two varying journeys, and witness how they both overcome the trials of their not-so everyday life. Together, these two stories have much to reveal about the mysteries of the series, and it makes for a worthy conclusion to the epic saga.
Manage your goals with the new life task system, and scrub, mine, or catch fish in whatever road you wish to partake. Cute, yet challenging, it receives a PlayScore of 7.82.
4. Tokyo Xanadu
Rising to worldwide fame for their massively popular Ys and Legend of Heroes series, Nihom Falcom set out to bring something new to the table. And, they've done exactly that with this cool new revival of the dragon-slaying Xanadu. Originally released in 2015, it wasn't until late this year that western fans got a taste of the hybrid fun.
A lot like Atlus' critically acclaimed Persona series, this game also revolves around a party of loveable characters as they go about their dangerous, dimension-hopping days. Unlike the fantasy settings of their previous titles, Tokyo Xanadu feels at home in the modern day settings of the fictional Morimiya. Follow a ragtag band of students as they get sucked into an interdimensional conspiracy. Dive into dungeons with the smartphone wielding teens, and fight against otherworldly foes in party-based real-time battles.
Combining the joys of dungeon exploration with the everyday troubles of Japanese high scool life, it receives a PlayScore of 7.8.
3. Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
In this third main installment of the Danganronpa series, Spike Chunsoft levels up the the psychotic madness of his murder high school. Much like his other visual novels, Danganronpa V3 is a harrowing adventure that will make you question your own morals. Now with this third entry, there's more of psycho cool atmosphere to go around and their signature villain, Monokuma.
Set in a new school environment, fall in love with their new cast of characters as you take on a brand new Danganronpa arc. Explore your high school anew, and begin the murder investigation in each trying chapter. Its Class Trials also makes a return in this installment, adding new features and minigames that take the high speed reasoning up a notch.
While not much has changed in this new title, it's still a welcome sequel to the psycho series. With a handful of new features, and the most endgame bonux modes, it receives a PlayScore of 8.03.
2. Salt and Sanctuary
Following the alliterative pattern of this creative title, Ska Studios' fourth game is oozing with style and substance. It's a cleverly crafted 2D action RPG that will challenge amateur players with the brutal difficulty of its metroidvania action. Despite inspiring a number of comparisons with castlevania and Dark Souls, Salt and Sanctuary is unerringly original.
Step inside the doom and gloom of its forgotten cities and take part in the punishing battle against the nightmarish creatures of their world. In it, you control a shipwrecked sailor longing to find home in the rough landscapes of an uncharted island. With its combination of complex combat and seamless animations, it becomes an addictingly visceral adventure. Gather and craft up to 600 pieces of armor, weapons, and spells, and use them to survive the ghastly dungeons and monuments.
Mixing brutal stages and permanent death, it's one deadly combination you can't forget. It has a PlayScore of 8.13
1. Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA
The first title for Nihom Falcom's critically acclaimed ARPG in over 8 years, the wait was definitely worth it in the end. Taking a while to breach the west, this 8th installment presents us with a brand new adventure for their red-haired main character. Take on the role of Adol the Red as he embarks on a perilous quest to uncover the mysteries of the island.
As the name suggests, this title marks the introduction of a new character in the blue-haired heroine, Dana. Unravel the secrets of the mysterious maiden as you try to rescue shipwrecked passengers and bring them into your village. Switch between characters on the fly and adapt to the circumstances of each battle.
With this eighth installment, Nihom Falcom shows us why they've survived the test of time. A haven of memorable moments, unforgettable characters, and a fitting soundtrack to boot, YS is a title that resonates through the ages. It has a PlayScore of 8.23.