Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio reset its flagship series with Yakuza: Like a Dragon, an aptly named title that saw newcomer Ichiban Kasuga take the lead in RPG hero fashion. With Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, RGG returns to the role-playing formula, with one foot in the future and the other in the past.

While Ichiban is back to lead, his predecessor Kazuma Kiryu returns, too. At first, the duo form a party together and then, eventually, split into two parties with each protagonist as their own leader. And while I dig a lot about what this does for the story, and the ways in which RGG Studio has clearly upgraded its blueprint from Y:LAD, it’s hard not to notice the stumbles it makes along the way.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is absolutely massive. It is a transition period for the series, moving all its characters around and building on their stories, while also creating the largest world I’ve yet to see in one of Ryu Ga Gotoku’s games. Infinite Wealth nails so many high points, but vast excess can come at a cost.

The introduction sequence for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is, quite honestly, fantastic. Starting out, directly after the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, we see Ichiban and the crew trying to enjoy a normal life after the Great Dissolution and ensuing drama. Ichiban does his best to support the rudderless yakuza struggling to earn a living as civilians, while also endearingly struggling in his own way, especially in the romance department.

It’s not long, though, until some ghosts of the past resurface. After bad actors rope Ichiban and co. into a sea of online controversy, our hero departs for Hawaii, where his long-lost mother, Akane, is thought to be hiding. Along the way, you’ll mostly hang out with familiar faces. Every cast member from Yakuza: Like a Dragon returns in some form, and the Geomijul’s Seonhee makes her playable debut in Infinite Wealth, alongside two newcomers: the compromised cabbie Eric Tomizawa and Chitose Fujinomiya, a maid Akane contracted for help.

The story takes many, many twists and turns, and it wouldn’t really make sense to dig too deep into the specifics. Suffice to say, it doesn’t take long for a seemingly simple trip to Hawaii to escalate into the kind of antics you’d expect from Like a Dragon. Secret underground areas, sudden betrayals and double-crosses, and of course, shirtless fist fights with back tattoos bared are all part of the Yakuza charm, and none of that is missing here.

Some of Infinite Wealth’s highest highs are in these story moments, especially for the individual characters. Yakuza: Like a Dragon roped me in fast with its cast of older characters, going through extremely relatable life struggles amid all the chaos, and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth still captures that. Both Tomizawa and Chitose make excellent additions to the crew, while now-veterans Nanba, Saeko, and Adachi get plenty to work with, too. Heck, Joongi Han and Zhou – who arrive fairly late in Y:LAD – get plenty of character building in Infinite Wealth.

Let me buy you drink

Personalities and relationships really shine thanks to the Bond system, an overarching mechanic where party members can spend time with the protagonist to talk about their lives. Drink Links and growing Bonds are back, with truly great moments tucked away in those side stories. Characters like Seonhee and Tomizawa have especially effective moments in their Drink Links, adding intimate narrative details on the side while chipping away at the big picture. 

The addition of Bond Bingo also does a lot, dropping a bevy of spots around town where you can start up little skits. They’re framed as one of the party members taking note of something, like their favorite food or a place that reminds them of a particular memory, which gets marked off on a big bingo board. The goal is to form bingos and earn a ton of Bond progress, but you’ll make a lot of Bond progress just by playing the game; the real draw is the dialogue, which is pretty great.

All these ways of getting to know characters, with such a large cast, can feel a tad overwhelming. Really, splitting the party helps a lot in managing the sheer breadth of narrative content Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth has. After some chapters together, Ichiban and Kiryu eventually split up and lead their own crews. The scope of the story ratchets up even further, as Kiryu starts to retrace his many, many steps through Ijincho and Kamurocho as part of his own journey, too.

As was revealed in the story trailer for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Kiryu has been diagnosed with cancer, and a major facet of his own journey sees him revisiting the past. Some of this means simply interacting with particular locations, where Kiryu can reflect on memorable events from previous Yakuza games, while others are much more involved quests.

Limitless greed

Substories also return, growing quite lengthy in some cases, making for even more ways to lose track of the hours in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. My map was constantly filled with icons noting activities I could take on, all of them building up the various numbers I had, whether it was my party’s level and stats, the money in my pockets, or all the different personality traits that Ichiban builds up over time.

I haven’t even broached the subject of some of the larger minigames. The monster-catching Sujimon minigame is back, with on-the-map raids similar to recent Pokemon titles. Trainers are all over Hawaii waiting for a challenge, and there’s even a story quest involving fighting the aptly named “Discreet Four.” Building up a potent Sujimon party and taking down the best trainers around is its own adventure.

And then there’s Dondoko Island, Ryu Ga Gotoku’s version of Animal Crossing that has Ichiban cleaning up a trashed island and restoring it to resort status. It is, simply put, a really easy way to lose hours and hours of your time. I think I spent about three to four days of my review time with this game just on Dondoko Island, clearing out trash and building the island of my dreams. What was once a field with a single toilet in the middle of it soon became a bustling town, replete with food stalls and karaoke… and still, the toilet in the middle of it. It’s a landmark!

That said, it’s not all roses on Dondoko Island. The action combat doesn’t feel particularly great, and there’s a lot of it. And really, it’s a mode that feels like it’ll be best to revisit throughout the journey, rather than breeze through in one go. Eventually, visitors can start going to the island, and you’ll need to manage their wants and needs in an almost tycoon-style fashion. Getting some of the better, and more fun, visitors means finding them back in the open world of the main game, and progressing both the main story and various substories.

Plus, have I mentioned yet how big this world is? Not just with things to do, but in actual size. RGG added a segway for Ichiban and crew to travel around on, and really, it’s a helpful tool. Exploring the open world is highly encouraged; it’s where you grind battles for EXP and cash, it’s where you can hit the Square button (or your platform equivalent) to throw up the shaka and gain new friends to add more Aloha Links, and it’s where you stumble on items, substories, and more.

Even just Honolulu itself is big, and there’s still the addition of Ijincho and Kamurocho, too. It's a hefty game, in all senses. You can throw darts, try your luck on a dating app, play shogi or blackjack or koi koi, and even play a bike delivery game with a bunch of nods to its Crazy Taxi inspirations. Heck, just go to an arcade and play Sega Bass Fishing or Spike Out, or play online matches of Virtua Fighter 3tb.

Big world, small people

I stress the expanse of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth because this series has, in its own way, always been big and full of strange side attractions. Yakuza is no stranger to odd side games that eat up tons of time, from taxi driving to cabaret management, and that knob is turned all the way to 11. Usually, the appeal of Yakuza is that it has all this ridiculousness, but underneath both the explosive action and excessive side activities, there’s a beating heart of characters and story. Infinite Wealth still has that heart, but it misses in some tangible places.

As I said before, each character gets their time in the spotlight. Ichiban felt a bit second-fiddle to Kiryu, whose history and legacy are felt throughout his sections, but even still, Kasuga is every bit the lovable Dragon Quest-obsessed guy that he was in his debut game. Moments of this game where we get to see characters from through its history, past and present, interacting are instant highlights.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth has a bit of a villain problem, though. Mostly in that its antagonists are both numerous, and aren’t quite as compelling or charismatic as the main cast. A few are your regular aggressors, the guys you fight a few times over the course of the game, and others are the ones waiting in the wings. But really, it felt like a few of the antagonistic forces just fall flat in the end.

This extends to the main plot, which can stifle a dramatic moment or two with some lackluster plot beats. Some characters and plot lines feel like they appear and disappear just for the benefit of moving the party from one location to another. I like the broad strokes of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s story, but it didn’t have that focused ramp-up I enjoyed in some of the series’ best narratives, like say, Yakuza 0 or Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

Ultimately, the best plot moments outside the chapter-ending climaxes are those Drink Links and side stories, where individual characters and stories can shine. The world of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is huge, but it's the moments that narrow down to a pinpoint that stuck with me most.

A second turn

When it comes to combat, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth shows that Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio must have been listening and taking feedback on Yakuza: Like a Dragon’s systems. Broadly, it feels like an upgrade in almost every way, while keeping much of the same spirit alive.

Characters can now move within a set range on their turn, eliminating some of the awkwardness around lining up attacks and AoEs. In fact, more movement – combined with the potency of knockbacks, back attacks, and other environmental enhancers – really makes the battles of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth feel more alive and active. I still had one or two moments where I was awkwardly trying to angle something just right, or would perform a knockback only for my teammate to watch the enemy fall down instead of adding a follow-up hit. But controlling the arena feels like a much more doable task in Infinite Wealth.

Additionally, the breadth of Tag Team and special moves, as well as the new jobs and Skill Inheritance system that lets job skills carry over, all form a wonderful playground for building a party. It’s still a pain to have to return to the job store – Alo-Happy, a tour company, in this game – to swap out roles. And it’s a real bummer that jobs are still gender-locked. While the guys have some support options, and the gals get one of my favorite new jobs in the Agility-focused Kunoichi, it still seems odd there aren’t some overlapping jobs between them. I don’t really see why Chitose can’t surf or shoot guns, or why Tomizawa can’t pick up the bucket and mop for a cleaning gig.

Still, battles in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth are extremely good, with plenty of wild characters to fight and tough bosses to take down. While there’s a small bit of relying on the hits later on, even the ways in which Infinite Wealth remixes expectations from Yakuza: Like a Dragon is really fun.

One of the best ways is Kiryu’s ultimate move, which lets him unleash the beast and lash out in beat ‘em up form, turning the turn-based RPG into a Yakuza brawler for a short span of time. It’s one of the cleverest mechanics in this game, that really shows how confident RGG feels with their RPG systems, and it’s used to incredible effect.

It’s a real testament that, even after rolling credits, I’m still eager to unlock more roles and grind out more challenges in the battle system. Where Yakuza: Like a Dragon certainly felt like a game that rewarded smart play and good planning, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth feels like RGG taking a system built on inspirations and confidently making it their own. There are still some wrinkles to iron out – please, add a way of opting out of weapon attacks in favor of basic strikes – but largely, RGG has the combat down on the second time around.

Material excess

I could go on for ages about the minutiae of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. It is a huge game, brimming with things to do, in a way that’s honestly intimidating to properly assess. I’ve spent a little over 50 hours just seeing Infinite Wealth through to credits, and I have no doubt I could double or triple that time, digging into everything here.

Depending on who you are, that number can be appealing or daunting. While I certainly think you can see a good deal of Like a Dragon within a similar playtime, there are still aspects I had to put by the wayside for deadline; and adding that onto the count, it’s a whole lot of game to dig into. There are little contrivances that might grow or fade in that time, too; the Smackdown option for instantly winning battles against lower-level enemies is a great addition. But it also tries to mask that the world of Like a Dragon has a lot of wandering encounters that might interrupt whatever you’re trying to do, like a Bond Bingo chat or substory.

If you’re coming to Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth for a massive RPG that packs in all that RGG Studio has ever offered into one package, this is that game. It’s titanic, yet it’s still got some character heart down below. And just the draw-in alone of seeing these characters laugh, learn, and fight alongside each other will be worth the ticket price for longtime RGG fans. I’d worry newcomers would feel quite lost at some points, even if they can broadly follow the story beats.

Yet I do still have some nitpicks and drawbacks, around the broad plot, the villains, and even how well some of the minigames stack up to others. (I found the Tinder-like dating app to be a really strange, opaque game compared to the relatively straightforward FMV dating in Like a Dragon Gaiden.) I really like broad pieces of this game, but with so much here, some portions feel way more fleshed out, and others feel like they drag the median down. Even the game’s conclusion ends rather abruptly, and with a bow-tie that feels a bit hastily wrapped.

Among the wealth of Like a Dragon games we’ve had over the last year or so, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is easily the stand-out for me. It’s still got a lot of what I love from this series, and I think anyone looking for a good follow-up to Yakuza: Like a Dragon will find it here. The second time around doesn’t feel quite as revolutionary, but this is still an island vacation I wouldn’t turn down. Some time spent in the sun with Ichiban and crew is always time well spent.

There is a sizeable pile of role-playing games arriving in 2024, making for a pretty packed start to the year. But even with Infinite Wealth, Rebirth, and more on deck, one game has continued to spur our interest in the (virtual) Destructoid offices: Unicorn Overlord.

Today, Atlus and Vanillaware are sharing more details about the upcoming tactics RPG. Vanillaware is known for a few things, depending on who you ask: incredible art, maybe, or its side-scrolling action in Odin Sphere and Muramasa, sure. 2020's 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim saw the studio weave an incredible narrative thread through multiple perspectives, too.

So it's interesting that Unicorn Overlord feels like a fantasy tactics game, and targeted right at fans of the genre. It's a story about Alain, an exiled prince gathering forces to strike back at the conquering nation of Zenoira.

This latest info drop leans heavy into what tactics fans, or at least the ones working here, dig: classes, abilities, promotions, and more. Plus, some elves. Elves are pretty big right now. Let's take a look at all the details.

Eltolinde, Rosalinde, and Ithilion

These three are elven allies, who you can recruit to Alain's cause. Eltolinde and Rosalinde, left and center respectively, are sisters caught up in Zenoira's invasion of Elheim. Eltolinde chose to lead from within after the capital fell, while Rosalinde escaped and gathers forces for the counterattack.

Ithilion, meanwhile, is a swordsman who was away on mission when Elheim's capital fell. He's been leading a guerilla force since then. I already love the designs of these characters, and the interesting plot that could surround their individual stories.

Alcina and Baltro

We're not just seeing allies in this Unicorn Overlord info dump, but enemies too. Alcina, left, is a witch for the Zenoiran army and was previously the court sorceress of Cornia, Alain's former kingdom. She's helping out the big-bad Galerius in his schemes. While labelled a witch, the mace and shield give me big Cleric vibes, a la everyone's favorite devout princess from Baldur's Gate 3.

Baltro, meanwhile, looks like a lil' weirdo, in a good way. He's a wizard that serves Galerius, and obscures his face as he does his lil' weirdo magic. My money says he absolutely does some light necromancy at some point.

Classes, classes, and more classes

Vanillaware also sent over some details about the classes players can utilize in Unicorn Overlord. Each character has a set class, determining what they can do and how they act on the battlefield. Some are frontliners, others are fliers, and still more wield magical powers. As you can see from the Housecarl, Cleric, and Feathersword above (left to right), they also have distinctive looks.

There are over 60 class types, according to Atlus and Vanillaware, and each plays into strengths and weaknesses. Fliers may be fast, but archers can do double damage to them; a classic power-balancing move for tactics games if there ever was one.

While some are expected, others have neat unit-specific bonuses. Werewolves perform better at night, for example, and Elven Fencers are melee units who can create barriers to protect allies.

Leader by example

Alongside their battle skills, each unit has a character set as a leader, which imparts a Leader Effect. Depending on the class of the leader, the unit will gain an additional effect, and set the unit's move type. One led by a Housecarl can break barricades on the map, for example. And while Infantry and Cavalry may move quick on roads, the horses of the Cavalry struggle in forests, decreasing mobility.

Finally, a promotion

Eventually, a unit can spend their accrued honors to promote to an advanced class. The example Vanillaware sent over was Alain, promoting from Lord into High Lord. This upgrade gives him a regal steed and lets his unit cover ground faster.

Even more battles to fight

Unicorn Overlord has a campaign and story, but additionally, Atlus and Vanillaware confirm there are Auxillary Stages. There, you can battle phantom soldiers as many times as you want, building up sweet, sweet EXP for your party. You can also pick up Treatises, items that impart EXP, from Auxillary Stages, as well as items that boost specific abilities and development for your army.

It's honestly hard not to feel like Vanillaware is saying, and showing, all the right things for tactics fans with Unicorn Overlord. Its mix of world map strategy and unit tactics seemed strange at first, but I think I'm starting to see how it all comes together. With tons of class and development options that seem like they can really play out across the different modes, it looks like a tactics RPG with no shortage of things to do.

There's still the question of how it all comes together. But Vanillaware is one of those studios I'll always set aside some time for, especially after the excellent surprise of 13 Sentinels. What I'm seeing of Unicorn Overlord certainly makes it look like the studio is teed up for another sleeper hit.

Unicorn Overlord arrives for Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox Series X|S on March 8, 2024.

If you've ever spent some time running through the halls of Raccoon City P.D., especially on Hardcore difficulty, you know how daunting that seems. Different types of undead litter the world, all with different placements and tendencies meant to keep players on their toes. Oh, and there's Mr. X, too.

If you couldn't tell by now, or were maybe avoiding it, Carcinogen succeeds in taking no damage throughout the run. It's an incredible achievement to pull off in a marathon setting like Games Done Quick. While runners practice a ton, making something big like this happen on the stage, rather than in your typical set-up back home, is always an exciting moment. When someone has one shot to perfectly land a display of all their accrued knowledge, and they nail it? That's worth watching.

Fittingly, Carcinogen pops off. After the final boss of Resident Evil 2 is down and defeated, he yanks off his headset and takes a celebratory run through the crowd gathered behind him. He'd later post on Twitter that he was "still in disbelief" he pulled it off, and thanking fellow no-damage runner MattDaRoc, who was on call for the GDQ run as well.

It was the perfect cap-off to a heavily stacked, exciting day at AGDQ 2024. Twice a year, the Games Done Quick streams occupy my second monitor for a whole week, and the Tuesday line-up was a day of bangers. From retro hits run by humans and one very good dog, to a blindfolded bout with an Octopath Traveler 2 boss, to whatever happened in that Granny run, it was an exceptional day. What a fitting way to close it out, for the stateside folks that lost some sleep today to see the run through.

What's next for Carcinogen? Well, he teased something quite intriguing: working on a no-damage run of Final Fantasy VIII, as well maybe some Resident Evil 3 Remake. Follow the rest of GDQ's week over on Twitch here.

Exoprimal launched at an interesting time, to say the least. Hitting in a surprisingly packed summer window, just after the release of a Capcom giant in Street Fighter 6, it's been quite the curiosity to follow.

To be up-front, I dig Exoprimal. Blasting apart hordes of dinosaurs with giant mech suits is already a good pitch on paper, and I spent a fair share of time carving through waves of prehistoric predators with my pals. While it takes some time to show its hand, there are some phenomenal moments and fights, especially as players advance deeper into its story through multiplayer missions, similar to the original Titanfall.

On Thursday, January 18, Exoprimal kicks off its third season with a bang: a Monster Hunter collaboration. The crossover brings over new Beta variant Exosuits, a new Neo Triceratops battle, Jungle map, and more. Plus, the infamous Rathalos is crossing over, adding another 10-player co-op boss through February 12.

Ahead of the crossover, we had a chance to send some questions over to Exoprimal director Takuro Hiraoka. In it, we talked a bit about the MonHun collab, designing the Rathalos fight, and how reception for Exoprimal has been thus far. Here's how it all came together.

This collaboration marks the second Capcom crossover [the previous being Street Fighter]. Why did you decide on Monster Hunter, compared to other possible franchises?

The Exoprimal development team includes several members who have also worked on games in the Monster Hunter series. When coming up with ideas for Exoprimal’s post-launch updates, we thought we’d like to create Monster Hunter-themed content if Capcom collaborations were to happen. One of Exoprimal’s core combat tenets – the concept of working together with a team of allies to defeat a powerful enemy – fits well with the Monster Hunter series as well. This naturally made us think we’d be able to create an enjoyable gameplay experience where players can go head-to-head with a large monster from that universe. Then, shortly after Exoprimal was first announced, players vocalized their hopes for a collaboration with the Monster Hunter series. That desire from the community was one of the deciding factors behind our decision to move forward with this crossover.

How did you work to replicate Monster Hunter ideas inside Exoprimal? Are there any specific “must have” features or ideas you wanted to bring over from Monster Hunter into Exoprimal?

For this collaboration, we wanted to create content that would offer a genuine Monster Hunter experience in Exoprimal through two main components: combat and the gameplay cycle.

In terms of combat, we decided to feature one of the Monster Hunter series’ most iconic monsters. Instead of simply creating a battle scenario with Rathalos in the Exoprimal universe, we infused elements that allow players to feel the essence of the Monster Hunter series. This includes the ability to break monster parts and slice off its tail. While playing this collaboration mission, meeting certain in-game conditions will also cause a familiar music track from the Monster Hunter series to play in the background. We encourage you to give this special mission a try and experience it for yourself!

Next, this crossover’s gameplay cycle also includes collaborative elements. While playing Dino Survival matches, Exofighters will encounter monster tracks across the map. Collecting a certain number of tracks can trigger a final mission where squads are tasked with taking down a Rathalos. This is a nod to Monster Hunter: World, so by all means, enjoy your “Return to World” while playing Exoprimal as well! 
Playing through the Monster Hunter collaboration content will help players better understand the combat and gameplay cycles in Exoprimal. I hope this crossover encourages new players to suit up and try their hands at becoming Exofighters.

How did you select which equipment to pair with which exosuit for the collaboration? Did you select the exosuits you wanted to add variations to first, or figure out what kind of monster parts you wanted to work around before that?

The initial candidates were selected from a pool of iconic monsters from the Monster Hunter series. We also considered the popularity of the monsters and armor sets into our choices. Many of my personal favorites were strong contenders, but after careful consideration and internal discussions, the development team ultimately landed on four monsters: Rathalos, Nergigante, Kirin, and Rajang.

Next, we thought about which Exosuits best complemented each of these monsters. Our selected pairings include perfect matches like Rathalos and Murasame, but we also have pairings like Kirin and Skywave where the armor designs were seamlessly combined with the Exosuit to create a new level of appeal. I feel each of the Exosuit skin designs in this collaboration are fantastic, and I have nothing but the deepest appreciation for our designers’ work.

The development team also wanted to create a unique and exciting Exosuit skin. We decided to move forward with a design that almost completely transforms Roadblock into Rajang. I love the way this skin turned out and hope you’ll enjoy equipping it in the wargames.

Having Rathalos in Exoprimal seems like a pretty big deal. How will the fight differ most from Exoprimal’s other big battles? Will Rathalos use any special mechanics in combat, unique to it?

When incorporating a hunt with Rathalos into Exoprimal, we had our hearts set on making it into a 10-player co-op battle, which are popular in the Exoprimal community. On top of that, it was imperative to make adjustments so Rathalos, who was originally intended for encounters with hunting parties of four, could pose a formidable challenge for squads of 10 Exofighters. Giving the Rathalos new attacks like the ability to unleash massive lasers or send shockwaves across a wide area would have been too far removed from the way it typically fights, causing it to feel like a different monster. So, we designed the Rathalos boss fight in a way that maintains the King of the Skies’ characteristic behaviors while also empowering it with the fortitude to take on 10 Exofighters. It also reinforces a core concept at the root of Exoprimal’s combat – strategic role-based co-op gameplay. I hope you’ll enjoy battling Rathalos, which has been adapted to complement the “massive action” of the Exoprimal universe.

With multiple title updates done, how are you and the team feeling about Exoprimal’s reception so far?

Each time we release a title update, we see that many Exofighters around the world are enjoying the new content, and we feel that players’ reception has generally matched what we hoped it would be. Many individuals who have been playing Exoprimal consistently since launch have been excitedly sharing information about the game, which we sincerely appreciate.

With the addition of new Exosuit variants, rigs, and modules, we feel that players are continuing to find new favorite Exosuits, ways to customize their loadouts, and taking advantage of the combat changes and expanded strategy possibilities that each title update brings. We were concerned that the Escape final mission, a 10-player co-op mission that tasks opposing teams to work together mid-match, would be a challenge, but I feel like this mission has become an indispensable part of Exoprimal. 

Exoprimal’s offerings will continue to expand with future title updates and present new challenges to overcome. We hope Exofighters around the world will continue enjoying the wargames!

What are your goals, over the coming year, for Exoprimal?

Our top priority is to expand the ways in which players can enjoy Dino Survival through additional content introduced in post-launch title updates. The development team also hopes the Capcom collaborations and other new content will enable Exofighters to meet new players, as well as grant the Exoprimal community ways to thrive through upcoming features like “Custom Matches.”

Can we expect to see more Capcom franchise collaborations in Exoprimal? Would you consider any collaborations outside Capcom, and if so, which ones?

I’m not able to share details just yet, but additional collaborations are in the works. I think you’ll be excited about what’s next for Exoprimal, so stay tuned for more information!

You could say that Alan Wake 2 was decades in the making. Last year’s blockbuster from Remedy saw the studio return to its roots and the horrors therein, dredging up the past to loop into something new, now. But it wasn’t just the main character or gameplay style we saw return, but the sounds and inspirations of the original Alan Wake too, bubbling up from Cauldron Lake through the music of Poe.

When I was playing Alan Wake 2, I was pleasantly surprised—maybe even a bit shocked—to hear a song that sounded like Poe between chapters. And a quick search later, I had verified as much: singer-songwriter Poe had collaborated with Remedy’s Sam Lake to record a new song, “This Road,” just for Alan Wake 2.

For fans of meta-textual works, this was an incredible piece of news. It felt like several long threads, reaching back through old references and inspirations, now tying a new knot. So naturally, I needed to know as much as I could about how it happened, and reached out to both Sam Lake and Poe to discover. As it turns out, it was more of a full-circle moment than I could have anticipated.

A door between two rooms

First, we need to lay out a bit of a timeline. Before Alan Wake was released in May 2010, there was a book called House of Leaves, written by Mark Z. Danielewski, and published in March 2000. 

The book follows several characters through a meta-textual journey: a tattoo apprentice named Johnny Truant discovers a manuscript from the strange author Zampanò. It follows a documentary about Will Navidson, a photojournalist who discovers his house is larger on the inside than the outside. The story twists and turns as you read through both the document itself and several different layers of footnotes, as the text and book itself feel like they start to warp too.

Alongside House of Leaves, there is Haunted by Poe. The musician happens to be Danielewski’s sister, and Haunted can be easily seen as a counterpart and companion work to House of Leaves, including tracks like “Exploration B,” “5&½ Minute Hallway,” “Dear Johnny,” and “House of Leaves” – all references to the novel.

It’s not hard to see how House of Leaves became an inspiration for Lake as the team at Remedy was building the layers of Alan Wake. And, through that, Poe’s music.

“House of Leaves is one of my favorite post-modern novels. It has been a big inspiration for me through the years, for the original Alan Wake, and for the sequel as well,” Lake told me over email. “The writer, Mark Z. Danielewski, is Poe’s brother, and Poe’s album Haunted is a sort of a companion piece to the novel. This is how I found her music and fell in love with it. I feel Poe’s music fits Alan Wake perfectly.”

So, the title track from Haunted wound up on the original Alan Wake soundtrack. It’s a fitting song, and I’ve even seen some people who discovered Poe and her music through it. For Poe, Haunted would be the last studio album in her discography, though she’s continued to make and release music over the years, including a song called “September 30th 1955.” Released on YouTube 11 years ago today, that tune – and the re-release of the original Alan Wake – would lay the foundation for Remedy, Lake, Poe, and the House to overlap all over again.

Some say that it loops forever

In the summer of 2020, Remedy was in the process of re-licensing songs for Alan Wake Remastered. At the time, Lake says, the team was discussing the possibility of making new music for Alan Wake 2, so he reached out to Poe. He was looking to create “original tracks that would be tailor-made to fit the mood and for lyrics to be about the story, an extension to the story,” as Lake puts it.

One Twitter exchange later, Poe and Lake were talking.

“Being a super fan of Alan Wake and of Sam, I was obviously floored and let him know that and then we started communicating and riffing with each other,” said Poe over email. “Sam and I riffed and riffed and then we riffed some more and then some more and then eventually we started doing Zooms and riffed more there…. you get the picture.”

After several initial Zoom meetings early on, Lake says things got put on hold until the project went further. Then, in May 2023, they linked back up and started work on the song that would appear in Alan Wake 2, “This Road.”

Not only would this be a new song from Poe for the soundtrack, but Lake would be collaborating on it. Poe describes the collaboration as a trip; “at times it felt literally telepathic,” she says. Lake was into the song “September 30th 1955” that Poe had shared on YouTube, and Alan Wake 2 fans will probably recognize its refrain: “And some say that it loops forever / This road that I lose you on every time.”

“‘September 30th, 1955’ is about a road and a story that loops forever and the only way to get off that road and escape that story is to get off of time,” said Poe. “In order to expand the song for Alan Wake 2 I felt like I needed to rip a hole in time and space and Sam was obviously all for that ha ha!”

A whole plane shaking

When creating the concept for how Poe’s song would fit into Alan Wake 2, Lake says he had a clear idea for the song: where it would be used, and what kind of structure Remedy needed. (I should note that, at this point, we’re probably going to get into some general story spoilers for Alan Wake 2.)

Lake shared a quote from the document he wrote for Poe:

“The Dark Place Song, a story from Alice’s POV, as she watches her husband struggle and fail to escape the Dark Place. Dreamy, hazy, haunting, beautiful, intimate, dark. Can also be a bit creepy and threatening, as there is a voyeuristic and manipulative aspect to the setup. The story loops around three times, getting progressively darker. Optimal would be three verses plus a chorus, the full song also cut to three different, short versions. The first verse plus the chorus for the first loop, the second for the second, the third for the third.”

Lake also wrote a short story, and later a poem, to help serve as inspiration, which he did for other song makers too. “Sometimes these poems end up as lyrics directly, sometimes they simply serve as inspiration, a starting point,” said Lake. “Poe is a wonderful writer. She took the idea of what I had, but made it her own, and much better with that, much more nuanced.”

“You know that feeling when a plane lands and the whole cabin starts shaking?” Poe says about the sound and creation of the song. “I usually get this momentary sense of panic and excitement when that happens because there’s always that split second when it feels like it could go one of two ways: either the shaking is going to mellow out and you’ll land safely; or it’s going to do the opposite and just keep escalating until…. something unimaginable happens.

“Pondering that unimaginable thing that could happen led to a few decisions about how to approach the recording: the new road needed to start with the original vocal samples from ‘September 30th, 1955’ (because those samples were residue from the exact moment in time when an important part of this journey took place); the music needed to start on the grid, submissive to an external clock, and then it needed to let go of that imposed sense of time, fall off the grid, and slow down over a long period of time; and finally, the slow down section of ‘This Road’ had to be recorded live in one take.”

With all these conditions and decisions determined, Poe and Lake pulled together musicians and gave it a try. What happened then, as Poe describes, was mind-altering.

“We only did one take and it was one of the most transcendent musical moments I’ve ever experienced in my life,” said Poe. “We all looped the chords from the main refrain and we slowed down instinctually. It was the first time we’d ever played it together and everyone stayed perfectly connected.”

Darrel Thorpe, the engineer on the track, was manipulating an AMS delay on Poe’s voice and even that landed with, as Poe describes it, “perfect imprecision.”

“It felt as though maybe we really did tear a hole in time and space because, when it was over, the road I was on turned out to be different from the road I was on,” said Poe.

A loop, a spiral

One of the questions I asked Poe was whether this all felt like a full-circle moment. The first Alan Wake, heavily inspired by House of Leaves and Haunted; the sequel, building on those inspirations, bringing Poe on for an original track. Poe simply said “more than you know.”

She described Lake heading to East West Studios (formerly Ocean Way) to hear “This Road” for the first time. East West was where “Haunted” was made, and where Poe did final read-throughs and edits on “House of Leaves.”

“I hadn’t been back there in over 20 years,” said Poe. “The studios look completely different now from how they looked when I was there. The interior has been upgraded, complete with a life sized horse that’s a lamp, 50 foot velvet curtains, 30 foot tall chalkboard walls to write on, and a hidden hall of mirrors.”

But as much as things change, they still stay the same in their strange ways. The changes here, as Poe says, were all superficial.

“The guts of the place, the important things, haven't changed at all,” said Poe. “It has the same exquisite old machines – Neves, Trident, and SSL boards – the same linoleum floors that were there when Sinatra recorded; it even has the same shitty coffee machine (poor Sam); which is all to say that when Sam arrived it felt like the road had definitely looped back around only this time it had brought with it Sam who had conjured a whole universe and given a home, among his ideas, to some of the ideas that took shape at Ocean Way.

“I guess you could say that Sam arrived at East West to hear ‘This Road’ via a 23 and a ½ year hallway,” said Poe.

When she first played “This Road” for Lake, Poe says he was silent at first, which really unnerved her.

“Then he swiveled around in his chair with a huge grin on his face and said, ‘Poe it’s not a loop! It’s a spiral! It feels like we’re going around in circles but it’s actually taking us somewhere.’ I was very very moved by this,” said Poe. “On a personal level, I felt ‘This Road’ was leading me backwards and forwards in time simultaneously. Where it’s taken me is someplace familiar but exquisitely brand new and I have Sam to thank for that.”

As Lake tells it, he was quite enthused with the final track.

“I absolutely love the finished song,” said Lake. “The Dark Place in Alan Wake 2 is a dark dream of New York City, with a nightmare Noir feel to it. This Road could be a song sung in a smoky nightclub of this city, its aching echoes, distorted, heard in the endless night.”

Just untangling the threads of this, running from a novel at the dawn of the 21st century to 23 years later in Alan Wake 2, is complicated. But it’s the tangle of threads that makes it interesting; seeing how, in exploring the Dark Place, both Poe and Remedy pushed to build off each other and create something profound in the process.

It all builds up, it all loops around. This creative feedback loop is, as Lake said, a spiral, pushing further into what these collaborations can achieve. Because in the right place, and the right time, it can be something as excellent as “This Road” and Alan Wake 2.

If you've been paying attention to games long enough, not even in the month-to-month big releases but the day-to-day news mill, you've seen stories about the theorized Nintendo Switch 2. This informal moniker has become one of the biggest question marks dangling over 2024.

Days into the new year, and even before the calendar flipped over, headlines with rumors, speculation, and discussion popped up everywhere. Where is the Nintendo Switch 2? What is it? When could it arrive?

It's really hard not to feel like we've been here before. I, myself, have done my fair share of reporting on and speculating about a new Switch. Before it was Switch 2, it was a Switch Pro. We're closing in on seven years of the Nintendo Switch, and fans are wondering where its successor is.

Frankly, and I know I'm just laying out a rake to step on here, this is the most likely year yet that we'll see a Switch successor. As you'll read on down below, all signs are pointing that way, though predicting Nintendo's next move has always been a tricky target. More than anything, it feels like the collective speculation and curiosity about the next Nintendo console has boiled over, to the point that the ghost of '90s cheat cartridges has risen from the grave to add fuel to the fire.

Somehow, GameShark returned

Yes, that GameShark. The cheat machine you bought so you could mess with your Pokémon files is now back as "AI Shark," an AI-powered help engine. Apparently, rather than cheat tools that manipulate hardware, AI Shark "focuses on aiding individuals in improving their gameplay over time."

Look, does that sound like a computer that will tell you to just parry? A little bit, yeah. But the revived corpse of GameShark is somehow not the big news. Rather, it's a note about the AI Shark's release window, as spotted by Digital Trends: "The official launch is planned to coincide with the Nintendo Switch 2 in September 2024."

Either Altec Lansing and the AI Shark crew know something and let it slip, or they don't know for sure and just said that. Both options are equally amusing to me. Typing the sentence "GameShark is back as an AI tool, and it leaked the Switch 2 launch window" gives me a new appreciation for the strange times we live in.

In a follow-up comment to Digital Trends, AI Shark pulled back on the stick. It "backtracked" on the September month, but also confirmed the tentative launch for platform is "Fall 2024," which it then backtracked on again in a second follow-up, noting "Nintendo has not officially clarified a launch." We have reached out to Nintendo for further information and clarification.

Whatever spurred the company to put that info in the press release, its own speculation and expectations are out there. It's fair to ask why they'd do so in the first place. But GameShark is hardly the first. There's a Rainbow Road of Switch 2 rumors, stretching back for several weeks and months at this point.

Everybody 1-2 Switch

Analysts, speaking to sites like CNBC and GamesIndustry.biz, seem confident in a Switch successor arriving this year. Former Nintendo employees Kit and Krysta also shared their own expectations for a Switch follow-up.

"The time is finally here for a Switch successor, even though I can say a 'Pro' model actually did exist and certain developers were already working with the dev kit," analyst Dr. Serkan Toto told GIbiz, and he went on to speculate that it will price out at $400 and potentially see its games climb to the new-gen $70 price point.

Turn the clock back to July 2023, and VGC was reporting that a Nintendo Switch successor is set to arrive in the second half of 2024. Skip ahead a few months, and you'll read about rumors that Nintendo demoed a theoretical Switch 2 for developers at Gamescom 2023, from Eurogamer and VGC.

GameShark may have tipped the Jenga tower of Switch 2 fervor, but plenty of blocks were already pulled. Heck, even the broader Nintendo rumor mill is getting wrapped up around the potential of a new console. Known leaker Zippo makes mention of the next Nintendo console in write-ups about a rumored new 3D Mario and a full Xenoblade Chronicles X remake. (God, please, let that one pan out.)

Point being, it feels like everyone is talking about a Switch 2 but Nintendo.

A Switch's legacy

Honestly, it's not like Nintendo has really needed to talk about a new console, either. The 1-2 punch of Animal Crossing: New Horizons and the COVID-19 pandemic injected Wii Sports levels of life into the Switch back in 2020, and it's not like the Switch hasn't delivered bangers every year since. Tears of the Kingdom took home our big GOTY trophy last year—in spirit only, I don't even know where you commission trophies these days—and the Pikmin fanbase seemed to love the latest entry.

Nintendo's been riding high on the success of the Nintendo Switch. So even nearly seven years removed from the launch of the console, the hybrid device still feels like a dominant force in the market. I personally ascribe the handheld PC revolution to the success of the Switch, alongside Valve's willingness to dive headfirst into the unknown. I still see developers get the "when's the Switch port" question beneath trailers and promotional materials.

So, is this finally the year where Nintendo ditches the Switch? Where it determines the path forward as something new, whether that's a beefier hybrid or something new entirely? Could the clamshell design rise from the dirt, like GameShark before it?

As Giant Bomb's Jeff Grubb recently pointed out, Nintendo's got a habit of hosting Directs in February. And outside of a few games like Princess Peach: Showtime arriving in the first quarter of the year, there aren't really any big, big titles (kicks Metroid Prime 4 under the fridge like a stray ice cube) on the horizon.

This is a year where, more than ever, it feels like a new Switch is on the horizon. But I also recognize that we, collectively, have been in this boat before. Though I have to say, I really hope it's real, because "GameShark leaked the Switch 2 launch window" is just too good.

I'd like to think that everyone who's played an RPG has wondered what its fantastical creatures might look like on a plate. If you try to show me someone who hasn't ever thought about eating a Pokémon, I will show you a liar. And it's that bold adventuring spirit that Delicious in Dungeon, which recently debuted on Netflix, simmers to perfection.

Based on the manga Delicious in Dungeon (or Dungeon Meshi) by Ryōko Kui, the Netflix anime adaptation has a powerhouse behind it with Kill la Kill and Little Witch Academia studio Trigger. For anime fans, that might be enough to whet your appetite.

Laios, Chilchuck, and Marcille are members of an adventuring party, trying to traverse a mysterious labyrinth. It all started when the land split and a catacomb emerged. From there, a man dragged himself forward, declaring himself the ruler of a once-golden land, sunken underground by a mad mage. He promised his treasure to whoever could successfully defeat the sorcerer, before turning to dust.

Naturally, dungeon-diving became a booming profession. But after a particularly rough fight with a giant dragon, Laios and crew are left with almost nothing, and his sister Falin soon to be devoured by said dragon. Down a few members and out on their luck, the party needs to find a way to make it back and save their party member, before the worst can happen.

By itself, that's a decent set-up. But what makes Delicious in Dungeon so appetizing isn't just a good quest. It's what they discover on the way down. Because if you're going to kill some monsters, and eat some food, why not combine the two?

Meat's back on the menu

RPGs have frequently used food as a resource to meter out progression. Baldur's Gate 3 is a recent example, with a full long rest requiring a certain amount of provisions. In The Lord of the Rings, Frodo and Sam talk about rationing out their lembas bread to last the whole walk into Mordor.

But sustaining a long journey is costly. It's an expense, for one, to stock up on food. And the party must also carry their supplies around with them. Laios, the sword-and-shield knight leader of the Delicious in Dungeon party, comes up with a simple solution: simply eat the monsters.

It's initially repulsive to the mage Marcille and rogue Chilchuck, but it's also the best option to get back down the dungeon and save Falin from dragon digestion. After meeting Senshi, a dwarven warrior who's surprisingly knowledgeable in the methods of harvesting, hunting, and preparing meals from dungeon creatures, the outside-shot seems more and more reasonable.

It makes sense, too. Dungeons are always depicted as their own little ecosystems; places where monsters don't just hang out, waiting for adventurers, but actually live. It then follows that something in this little contained world eats something else to survive. And if any of that is edible for the adventurers, then they can add a new link to the food chain.

On-site procurement

Of course, getting those goods is the challenge. That's been the charm of Delicious in Dungeon thus far, as the viewer gets to follow the party's antics in getting the goods they need for cooking up meals. Early on, Laios pulls a scorpion from a hole in the dungeon, sticking a blade in a cracked wall and pulling it back out.

Later, the crew deals with man-eating plants, learning about fertilization and why plants have fruit in the process. It's a nice blend of foraging know-how and fantasy monster design, like you've got a DM who's really into food science, and also forgot to eat dinner before the session.

Then, Senshi whips out the cutlery and it's time to cook. While all based on fantasy monsters, the dishes have understandable equivalents. A hot pot, for example, or a tart. I've read a bit ahead in the manga, and the party delves into omelets, meats, and more.

Plus, it's all treated with a surprising amount of consideration for how different fantasy monsters might be turned into edible food. The slime from the first episode is particularly memorable, because we see how Senshi has developed his own method for drying the slime out as he travels. Everything, from biology to preparation and practicality, has been thought out here.

It isn't all rosy, though. Delicious in Dungeon is as much a comedy as it is action or cooking show, often putting Marcille in precarious situations. Meanwhile, Laios barely masks his desire to learn more about the dungeon through cooking. There's a wonder, as to whether he's curious about actually cooking these monsters or just understanding them better, or maybe both.

Either way, the party is fun to follow. And as someone who normally opts for subtitled options, I tried out the English dub and was pleasantly surprised. Emily Rudd, playing Nami in Netflix's live-action One Piece, gives a solid performance as Marcille, and Damien Haas is great as Laios. SungWon Cho is a spectacular choice for the voice of Senshi, too. Sincerely, this is one where the infamous Sub v. Dub conflict need not apply.

A delicious first course

We're only one episode in, so I was initially hesitant to write this one up. You don't want to over-indulge on the appetizers, after all, and Delicious in Dungeon has had some rave reviews of its manga. In fact, one of the best things I could say about its anime adaptation is that it encouraged me to finally dive into the source material.

And my takeaway is that, well, this is a bit of a slow cook. While the action is certainly gorgeous, and there are some stakes to the quest, Delicious in Dungeon enjoys the space a fantasy dungeon crawl offers. After all, their quandary is that it's a long way back down the dungeon, and those trips necessitate some planning and forethought. Early chapters have very much indulged the main idea, with less urgency than you might see in a more battle-centered series.

It reminds me a little bit of Frieren in that regard, though maybe in a different way. Both series are tackling the fantasy setting in a legitimate, non-isekai manner, which is nice to see. And both care a lot about the journey. There might be looming goals on the horizon, but the path before them is filled with everyday woes, whether it be monsters or their stomachs.

So, if you're looking for something with a fantasy setting and a very, very unique concept, Delicious in Dungeon is certainly that. I'm curious to see where the series goes as the party delves deeper into the dungeon, but its attention to detail and compelling world already have me sold on seeing the tale through. It'll be airing on Netflix throughout this season, with new episodes dropping on Thursdays.

In 2020, the Yakuza series took a bit of a leap with its seventh entry, Yakuza: Like a Dragon. The lens shifted away from longtime series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu to newcomer Kasuga Ichiban, swapping out its real-time action for turn-based RPG combat in the process. It was, by most accounts, a rousing success. But there was still room to grow.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, then, seems like even more like a passing of the torch than its predecessor. And it was this shared custody of the spotlight that made me a bit nervous, going into a preview session way back in October. How would the focus manage both Kiryu and Ichiban? Why, after seeing one character hand the reins to the next, did we need to retread that ground?

After playing a hefty amount of Infinite Wealth, it seems like Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is going to try and pull this off in the grandest fashion possible. Two protagonists, two storylines, even multiple locales. And that’s not counting the added minigames and activities. This might just be the biggest world we’ve seen in the series yet.

But it’s the attention to little details, and the small tune-ups from its predecessor, that have me interested in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. RGG is going big, and so far, I think it’s panning out.

Vacation, all I ever wanted

The basis of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is simple enough. From trailers alone, we already saw Ichiban trying to live out a normal life after the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon. He works a job, picks up beer from the convenience store, and even goes on dates. But his past seems destined to return and haunt him again.

When I first took control of Ichiban, he’d made his way to Hawaii, retracing his mother’s footsteps. Kazuma Kiryu was already accompanying him, as well as two newcomers, taxi driver Eric Tomizawa (heck yes, more Erics) and health expert Chitose Fujinomiya. In the section I played, there were some opportunities to advance the plot forward, and also the chance to just mosey around in the open world.

Picking up new jobs

Much like Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Infinite Wealth has a job system that takes the “job” part quite literally. Chitose, for example, had a bunch of special fitness-based moves, making her an excellent support character. Ichiban could do a lot of work with his bat, but I later swapped him over to a Surfer profession, which saw him hang loose and annihilate foes with his surfboard.

Kiryu, meanwhile, sticks to his guns. His arms, I mean. The longtime lead still brawls like a dragon, and many of his special moves felt reminiscent of the various fighting styles and talents he’s learned over the years. You can even swap around to the different stances to change up your attacks.

As you might have noticed from the Surfer, though, there are some island-themed jobs to pick up too. I only saw one other option in my playthrough, a fire dancer with some obvious elemental tie-ins. But even the job recruitment office has taken on a vacation flair, framing the new gigs as special packages, and recruiting a haunting mascot in the process.

Combat feels relatively the same, though that’s not a bad thing. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth still sees the party facing off in turn-based, Dragon Quest-alike battles with enemies, the way Ichiban envisions it. There are a range of special moves, summons through the classic Poundmates, and even team-up attacks that are extremely powerful. Some of those provide additional boons too, like Kiryu and Ichiban’s imparting an “ATK Up” on the crew.

One big improvement Infinite Wealth makes over its predecessor is letting you move characters on their turn. When it’s, say, Kiryu’s turn, he’ll have a small circle around him, letting him shift or reposition before acting. It’s a huge upside for dealing with enemies that have AoE attacks, or getting around one foe that’s blocking for others.

There’s not too much to say, otherwise. Battles in Yakuza: Like a Dragon were both fun and engaging, and Infinite Wealth has managed to keep a lot of that same spirit while adding some notable quality-of-life changes.

A town big enough for the both of us

Infinite Wealth also boasts a huge open world to explore. Again, I mainly veered off-course, intending to see all the little side things I could do until I only had story left. 

Some things, like an expanded Sujimon system, I only barely interacted with; that seems like a persistent slice of the game that would take a while to get invested in, so I only did a few battles and found them charming. There were even spots for battles on the overworld, similar to Pokemon’s raid battles.

The arcade selection for RGG’s games are always a highlight, and they didn’t disappoint in Infinite Wealth. First off, Sega Bass Fishing with some modern touches is fantastic. SpikeOut was a new one to me, but an excellent choice, keeping some of that brawler sensibility alive. Motor Raid is a blast. And it really surprised me to see Virtua Fighter 3tb in the lineup, too. Karaoke returns, of course, and is predictably excellent.

A food delivery game lets Ichiban play a bicycle version of Crazy Taxi around Honolulu, picking up floating food icons and delivering to hungry customers. Cabaret clubs offer a chance to recover health, with selections determining who gets bonuses; some performers appeal more to the women or men in the group, for example, and will offer better bonuses for them.

My favorite part of the open-world exploration, in the Hawaii section I played, was the Bond Bingo. There are different experiences and conversations relating to each party member, and Ichiban can expand his “bond” with them by engaging with them in the open world.

Oftentimes, they were pretty casual conversations, usually resulting in learning something basic about a party member like their favorite color or food. But it’s a neat way to encourage more party interaction in the overworld. I already loved the cast of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and getting even more opportunities to see a party bond is always a good thing.

Hard times

It’s those bonds that can result in some big emotional impact, and I saw just how that would play out when our demo session shifted to Kiryu, back in Japan. At this point, I’ll lightly warn you that while the trailers for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth have discussed a certain story beat regarding Kiryu, if you want to remain mostly unspoiled, drop a bookmark here.

Kiryu heads back to Japan at some point in Infinite Wealth and seems to be in the care of Yakuza 7’s Nanba. Diagnosed with cancer and an indefinite amount of time to live, Kiryu has to make a decision about what he’ll do with his remaining time.

In the section we saw, Nanba was trying to motivate Kiryu into fighting back and getting treatment, and so he encouraged Kiryu to write a bucket list. Recruiting the help of the Geomijul’s Seonhee and Yakuza: Like a Dragon party member Saeko Mukoda, the four hit the town to cross off some of Kiryu’s list.

It is, frankly, an incredibly emotional scene. Not to inject too much of my own circumstances into this, but accompanying a character you’ve cared about around town as they cross entries off a bucket list is melancholic, to say the least.

Alongside heading to the cabaret club, batting cages, and karaoke, new pop-ups appeared around town. These let Kiryu reflect on something, whether it be a specific location or sign, to reflect on his life. These have little flashbacks to past Yakuza games, where Kiryu talks over memories and lessons learned from a lifetime brawling across Japan.

While it was a shorter section, it felt like an absolute gut-punch. After the emotional finale of Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, I had a feeling Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth would be pulling out all the stops for a big send-off. Now, I’m absolutely certain that’s what is happening, and the story seems ready to elicit the same tug of emotions Gaiden did, for an even longer stretch of time.

It’s about family

The other thing Kiryu’s section solidified for me is that Like a Dragon seems teed-up for its Fast Five moment. I know, that sounds like a weird analogy, but let me explain.

For those who haven’t seen the Fast and the Furious franchise, it started off with a film about an undercover cop infiltrating a group of street racers who did some highway robbery on the side. Point Break, essentially. But over time, it evolved; and with Fast Five, I’d argue, the series firmly pivoted from street racing crime to international espionage, heists, and action.

It feels like the Like a Dragon series has been making the same pivot for some time. To be clear, its story is still rooted in crime and intrigue; Kiryu’s story seems like it’s going to wrap back into the power vacuum left by the dissolution of the Omi Alliance and Tojo Clan in Y:LAD/Gaiden. Ichiban’s story will probably also have some ties back into organized crime.

But the overall story of Like a Dragon is lifting up and beyond the bounds of yakuza drama, perhaps best personified by RGG dropping the Yakuza moniker in the west. The cast is expanding, with the party now encompassing separate groups and protagonists, with tons of returning faces and endearing newcomers.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth feels like a massive, titanic game. I haven’t even touched on Dondoko Island, the entirely separate Animal Crossing mode that I have a separate preview for here. Compared to the relatively smaller offering in Like a Dragon Gaiden, it’s hard not to feel like that was the appetizer for the main course.

But if anything, playing Infinite Wealth reminded me of just how much this series has grown on me over the years. I started with Yakuza 0, picking it up on a whim and loving it. 2020’s Yakuza: Like a Dragon solidified that, providing a whole new cast and story that felt just as compelling as the series’ best.

With Infinite Wealth, RGG is trying to bridge a gap while also making the biggest version of Like a Dragon it’s made yet. It is an audacious attempt, taking a series known for its huge side-game variety, and making an even-larger version of it.

But with how RGG is building up on its foundations and expanding in really surprising, emotional ways, I’m optimistic. There are some high hopes for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, and the massive RPG sequel is swinging for the fences. It makes me fear for the amount of hours I’ll need to put into it, but at the very least, Infinite Wealth seems like it’s going to make the most of those hours.

_{Travel for this media preview was provided by the publisher.}

The Yakuza / Like a Dragon series has had a wealth of side games, ranging from small side ventures to massive undertakings. Many people have fond memories of managing a rising business or running a cabaret club in previous entries. But Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is going somewhere new with Dondoko Island.

In the upcoming Infinite Wealth, Ichiban can wash up on a run-down version of Dondoko Island. And, with the help of some locals, he can start to rebuild it too. Whether picking up trash, farming resources, or placing down new decorations, the island can go from deserted to a real tourist attraction.

Don’t be a litterbug

The core of Dondoko Island is fairly straightforward. Mascot characters Gachapin and Mukku recruit Kasuga Ichiban to help clean up and refresh Dondoko Island, with plans to turn it into a resort destination. The problem? Right now it’s filled with trash and waste disposal pirates with names like “Washbucklers.”

Early on, Dondoko Island feels a lot like starting a new island in Animal Crossing, or a new farm in Stardew Valley. There are different zones, and each one has some trash and litter you need to clear out. You can pick these up and convert them into resources, alongside natural resources like stone.

Cleaning up felt very important early on, as it drove each zone closer to a more improved state. I didn’t get far out of the initial starting area, but I could glance around and see other places it looked like Ichiban could reach if he could, say, build a bridge. And what else would one do with all those collected, recycled resources but build?

Ichiban the Builder

In order to turn Dondoko Island into a thriving tourist destination, Ichiban won’t just have to clean it up, but build something to see in all that newfound space. So, using various combinations of resources and some help from the local builder, the player can fill Dondoko Island with beauty and wonder. Or just sheer oddities.

Again, the Like a Dragon series frequently veers into comedy, and the options I had for building on Dondoko Island are no exception. I sincerely wish I had a screenshot of my island to show you, the reader, because it was glorious. I built a toilet, and then began to construct an entire rest stop around said toilet.

Little knick-knacks, a sign, and even a bus stop hanging overhang soon adorned my Dondoko Toilet. It was the one-stop destination for open-air toilet fans around the world. If I had more time than I did, I think I really could have built an entire resort around it. Blueprints appear over time and also wash up on the beach, and offered some of the stranger and more exciting things to build, alongside conventional architecture.

Seriously, though, the oddities are fun, and part of the long-term in Infinite Wealth’s new game mode seems to be creating and establishing a vacation spot, keeping it interesting and unique. I didn’t get to personally see any of the larger meta-systems around visitors and appeasing them, but that looms off in the distance, per some trailers.

Sharing the island

There are tons of little ways Like a Dragon: infinite Wealth keeps you moving forward in Dondoko Island, too. There is a day/night cycle, similar to farming sim games, and there are dailies to complete that push you towards new objectives.

Plus, alongside eventually building the island of your dreams and inviting NPCs to visit it, friends will also be able to visit your island. The team confirmed to us that you’ll be able to visit other people’s islands in Infinite Wealth, though what that looks like, we haven’t seen yet.

The one rough spot was the combat, which seemed a bit straightforward. Rather than the RPG situation in the main game, Ichiban takes on a brawler style for Dondoko Island, but a little more pared-down; you just move and hit with your bat. I’m not saying it should be anything too complicated, as it doesn’t need to be, but I’m hoping it doesn’t become a bump in the road for the island sim sections.

While Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is looking huge, absolutely stuffed to the gills with new things to do, Dondoko Island seems like one of the main attractions. And my impression, after playing some of it, was to simply want to play more. I think it really clicks in a way that good Like a Dragon side games of the past have, and though I’ve got a few worries about the combat side of things on the island, it seems promising.

After all, Ichiban doesn’t need to spend all his time searching for answers and fighting bad guys. The Dragon Quest-loving hero deserves his own slice of paradise too, and that’s what Dondoko Island feels like: a welcome, engaging respite from life’s troubles.

_{Travel for this media preview was provided by the publisher.}

Each year, we're treated to a new collection of lovable characters in video games. Some of them might be returning, familiar faces or mascots. But plenty of new characters made our favorite games of 2023, too.

Within a single character, there's a huge amount of work done behind-the-scenes. It's not just design, or writing, or even direction. The actors themselves put themselves into it, and in a time where stabs at so-called AI are propagating at an uncomfortable rate, celebrating all the minds that make these characters shine is crucial, too.

At their best, a character gives the player a tangible, connective experience with a game. Something they want to share with friends, write about, create art for, and remember well. Whether it's a newfound main in a fighting game, a favorite companion in an RPG, or just a silly platformer mascot that makes you laugh, a character can make games come together.

So, in that spirit, which newcomers were our favorite new characters of 2023? The Desructoid staff has rounded up each of our favorites and why. We hope you find some new faces to love in here, too.

Eric Van Allen: Karlach from Baldur's Gate 3

It would be really, truly easy to put any of Baldur's Gate 3's companions on this list. Even if they might technically count as 2020 characters, they all reached their full potential in BG3's full launch in August, and they form an RPG party that is truly an all-timer. But one is an emotional constant, a facet of the party I consider essential: Karlach.

From the jump, Karlach is immediately endearing. She's energetic and strong, intimidating to her foes and kind to her friends. Quickly, the nicknames like "soldier" trickle in, and I'm buying a drink for whichever writer coined that. From little dances to fiery explosions of rage, she's always a fun inclusion.

But reach Act 3, and you'll start to see Samantha Béart's performance as Karlach really shine. They bring a depth of emotion to Karlach. The warrior has a ticking clock in her heart, an Infernal Engine. The tension between Karlach's search for meaning and joy outside Zariel's clutches, and the Engine burning her up, is a highlight. It makes Karlach incredibly memorable in a cast full of greats.

Zoey Handley: Mio Kurosuzu from Paranormasight

In itself, Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo was a big surprise this year. It wasn’t on my radar, having been announced a month before its March 8 release date, but somehow, for some reason, I fit it in with an extremely busy review workload I had piled on myself. But I played through it, and it wound up being one of my favorite titles of the year.

Paranormasight is an extremely capable visual novel full of great characters, but the standout for me is Mio Kurosuzu. She is technically only a supporting character for Yakko, who is one of the game’s curse-bearers, but easily overshadows her. Even at her young age, she has a knowledge of the occult that exceeds the professionals in the story, and while Yakko is impulsive and naive, Mio is courageous and calculating.

Mio has very little skin in the mysteries behind Paranormasight, and instead just seems to remain in the midst of things due to her curious nature. Her frank, blunt interactions with the adults in the narrative are an absolute joy and stick with me long after I rolled credits on the game.

Timothy Monbleau: Hikari Ku from Octopath Traveler 2

I initially went into Octopath Traveler 2 pessimistic about its segmented story structure. And while I didn’t quite warm to it by the time I finished the game, its characters really grew on me as I thought about it in retrospect. Originally, I picked the warrior Hikari (who is wonderfully performed by Howard Wang) as my protagonist because I’m as vanilla as a Frappuccino. But since then, I’ve really learned to love what he represents in Octopath Traveler 2’s big picture.

Every character in the game has a dream they’re fighting to fulfill. On the lighter end, we have characters like Agnea, who wants to become a star and put smiles on everyone’s faces. And on the more serious end, we have someone like Partitio, who is functionally waging war on the personification of unfettered capitalism (It took me an embarrassing amount of time to realize that Roque feller sounds an awful lot like Rockefeller). These aren’t necessarily your typical RPG goals, but they are important to the betterment of society. Each character does, in their own way, change the world.

This brings us to Hikari, who is subtly positioned as the “hero” of Octopath Traveler 2’s overarching story. But unlike the others, he doesn’t necessarily have his own dream to pursue. His quest begins almost out of reluctance, as he fights to become king despite having no real desire to rule. Yet he takes this role because he realizes the alternative; a world in which his brother rules Ku is a world where no one’s dreams can come true. Throughout his tale, Hikari repeats the classic RPG cliché that he fights for his friends. But in the scope of the overall story, this familiar trope takes on a new meaning.

Hikari doesn’t become a king because he wants to change the world. Instead, he believes in his comrades who can change the world. And though this comes at a relative sacrifice to himself, it’s something he tirelessly fights for regardless. Hikari is a leader but not a ruler, and it’s nice to imagine a world in which people like that held power. Perhaps that’s a dream all of its own.

Also, Hikari has a sick theme song and starts pushing 4-digit damage numbers before you even finish his prologue. What an amazing game.

Smangaliso Simelane: Saga Anderson from Alan Wake 2

When Alan Wake 2 was announced, I was thrilled that the next chapter of the writer’s story was coming, and the revelation that it would be a survival horror game excited me more. When I discovered that the story would be split between Alan and this new character - Saga Anderson - I feared that I’d be getting less Alan. To my pleasure, not only does Saga’s rationally driven Mind Place beautifully complement Alan’s surreal horror, but she’s also one of my favorite characters overall in recent years.

Saga, played by Melanie Liburd, is a combination of two of my favorite storytelling elements: detective themes and mythology. Her role as an FBI agent investigating cult murders has her fearless and unrelenting, even when she realizes she is up against the supernatural. To make sense of things, she has an internal Mind Place where clues are collected and connected.

Dig a little deeper into Saga, and you discover how several elements, from her name, to her connection to Odin, and much more are borrowed from Norse mythology. It’s a nice inclusion that gives her complexity and demonstrates just how much thought Remedy put into crafting this character.

But Saga’s more than just a fact-finding detective. She’s also a mother, wife, and a close friend to Alex Casey. There’s always more to find out about her, whether it's about her job or her personal life.

Most importantly, her FBI jacket looks awesome and I want one.

Steven Mills: Clive Rosfield from Final Fantasy XVI

Let me start by saying this could have very easily also been Cid Telamon (voiced by Ralph Ineson), but since I had to choose one I ultimately decided to go with Clive. I've not really been a fan of main Final Fantasy characters in recent entries into the series—well, besides Final Fantasy XIV—but Clive will really go down as one of my favorites.

Of course, a lot of the appreciation I have for Clive is due to the incredible voicework of Ben Starr. If you want a little sample of what you can expect, just play through the Final Fantasy XVI demo. The roughly two-hour experience shows off Starr's incredible ability to give real character and emotion to Clive. I'm excited for more FF16 DLC to see Starr in action as Clive, but it's also made me excited to see Starr's work in the upcoming Warframe 1999.

Historically Final Fantasy protagonists usually have a sort of edginess to them. I'm not necessarily against that, but it's a real breath of fresh air that Clive is without a doubt the most realistic protagonist in the franchise. We see him deal with tragedy and loss front and center, and over the long narrative of FF16, we literally see him grow as a person.

There's a very powerful turning point in the story involving Clive and the other character I considered for this spot, Cid. The actions Clive takes after that turning point sums up his character and cements him as my favorite this year. Overall, Clive is just a good dude, despite having such a tragic life.

He's also pretty badass with his ability to absorb the power of other Eikon's. What may be the franchise's most powerful protagonist also happens to be its coolest. Nice work, Square!

Well, that's a wrap on 2023. It was, by all accounts, a strange year.

On the game release side, there were some pretty incredible ones launched this year. And on the games industry side, it was historically fraught, as thousands have lost their jobs. Even the media side felt rough this year, as we saw outlets cut staff and close doors.

For me personally, I managed to do some writing I'm proud of, but it's still been tough. My hope is that 2024 doesn't have this stark contrast at the end, but only time will tell. I certainly feel games like Metaphor, Rebirth, and Dragon's Dogma 2 are already set up to make a big splash.

On the games front though, it was absolutely stellar. 2023's games got me through a lot. I'm certain we'll be talking about them for years to come, ranging from the titanic AAAs to the smaller projects. This is a year where my no. 8 could fight for a top spot any other year, it's just been that good. Let's get into it.

Paranormasight

From the outset, Paranormasight is already my kind of jam. It's a mystery adventure game, where several people are pulled into a supernatural death game. Each one has been bestowed a curse, and told that if they kill enough of their fellow curse-bearers, they can bring someone back to life. Already great.

But what really locked Paranormasight in for me is how smart its puzzles are. Director Takanari Ishiyama brings some expertise to this area, having a less-known-in-the-west history with detective games. At several points, Paranormasight rips the rug out from under you, or asks you to meaningfully engage with its systems—all of its systems.

These "a-ha" breakthroughs felt tough, without ever feeling like too much. It's maybe a testament to how much I liked Paranormasight that I wish it were longer; once the credits rolled on the true ending, I was hoping I'd somehow uncover another lead to chase. I really can't recommend this enough for horror and mystery fans.

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

Oh boy, Cyberpunk. A catastrophic launch, then months and months of patches, then Edgerunners debuts and everyone is teed up for the big question: is Cyberpunk good now? And honestly, the answer is yeah, it's really good now. The combined launch of Phantom Liberty and Cyberpunk 2.0 really brought this game together.

It's still the first-person RPG that mixes the open-world do-anything style of GTA with splashes of Deus Ex, Shadowrun, and other inspirations. Many of the foundational pieces, flaws and all, are still here. Phantom Liberty provides an exciting spy thriller with some strong performances; though I like Idris Elba, I really need to emphasize that Cherami Leigh left it all on the field with her performance as female V. Truly award-worthy stuff.

Between making the skill progression more interesting, updating how different builds work, and adding new ideas and concepts into the world, this version of Cyberpunk 2077 feels like the closest CD Projekt Red can get the game to its most realized state. It's certainly got me keen on a 2078, or whatever you want to call it. Not without flaws, but even still, I love the new ending, and I'll never tire of simply cruising around Night City.

Slay the Princess

When I demoed Slay the Princess at PAX East 2023, it was a joy not only to see my own playthrough, but watch others play it too. This seemingly simple text game hid a web of narrative twists and turns under its surface, all responding to the ways in which players approached a single situation: you're in the woods, on your way to a cabin. A voice tells you that inside, there is a princess, and you need to kill her to save the world. So, what's next?

Suffice to say, the full game lived up to those expectations and then some. What starts as a single quandary with its own surprises and responsive outcomes becomes an entire experience about those interpersonal relationships. The ways in which little things, like leaving or taking the knife, or even being up-front about whether you have the knife, can distinctly alter the tone and outcomes with the Princess is fascinating.

It all gives way to cosmic horror, terror, suspense, and some tearful moments. I think Slay the Princess is fairly open to a number of reads. For me, as I wrote in my review, it was about finality and the fleeting experiences we feel in life. But for others, it could be about love, loss, estrangement, death, grief, hope, despair, anything. It contains multitudes. And I think if any of that sounds appealing, you need to play Slay the Princess ASAP.

Final Fantasy XVI

What an interesting entry. I struggled with this one as, while I get why fans hoping for a more traditional RPG experience felt a little let-down here, I really enjoyed my time with Final Fantasy XVI. It's got a fascinating blend of action and RPG, trying to marry the two in ways that take a while to click together.

In fact, a lot of XVI starts to come together when you have more of its Eikon forms, and can start to really mold a playstyle around them. I loved patiently waiting and dodging in my Bahamut form, then setting off a massive Megaflare and unleashing a combo on its heels. The later forms like Odin arrive almost too late in the game. But combined together, they're a really fun set of tools to unleash. They're even more incredible in the boss fights, which were huge and a joy to blast through.

Where XVI shone for me most was the performances, though. Clive, Cid, Joshua, Jill, and Dion form a solid central cast. I like the dramatic moments, and I really, really clicked with the "brotherhood" story at the center. It's not all Final Fantasy fans' cup of tea, but for me, it was an attempt at something fresh that stuck with me.

Chained Echoes

This is a December 2022 title, but since those games are often left by the wayside amid end-of-year talks, I'm letting Chained Echoes sneak onto my 2023 list. Because, frankly, it's an absolute banger. I think if I had finished it last year, it would've been a top entry.

Matthias Linda's RPG is certainly nostalgic for a certain era of the genre, but unlike others that fall into the trap of simple replication, Chained Echoes crafts something new from all its disparate parts. The ransom board, the heat and overdrive mechanics, even the way each character feels so distinct from one another is sincerely wonderful.

Its story is better than I think most give it credit for, too. I love a lot of the early Act 1 writing, and the eventual twists might be a tad predictable, but that doesn't mean they aren't enjoyable to watch unfold. The music is simply sublime too, and the side content was surprisingly fun to work through, without feeling like busywork. Linda's made an indie RPG that can box with the giants, and stood out in a stacked year for role-playing games.

Street Fighter 6

God, I cannot tell you how much I missed playing so much Street Fighter. I had some regular bouts whenever I would travel, but SFV felt more like "the best available option" than the actual best option. It left a lot of hopes on the shoulders of Street Fighter 6 to carry, and yet, Capcom's latest entry carries them well.

The roster is diverse, the gameplay changes are solid, and the new mechanics in SF6 work so well. Even just the straightforward punching-and-kicking of Street Fighter 6 feels great. And the netcode has, in my experience, been very good. I wish the lobby and custom match systems had some better UI, but that's a minor gripe that I'm used to with fighting games at this point.

Seriously, some of my favorite multiplayer moments of the year were playing SF6 with friends, either in-person or online. And watching others, who don't often play fighting games or felt a bit scared by the premise, get into SF6 was spectacular. This was the year everyone had a Street Fighter main again, and I love that.

Alan Wake 2

Man, just give Remedy a blank check for whatever they want to make next. There are other games, though not many, that I like more than Alan Wake 2. But none of them take the kind of risks, leaps, and creative liberties that Remedy does in this sequel. Even the premise alone, that Alan has returned to the real world after the same number of years it's been between AW1 and 2, is brilliant.

But Alan Wake 2, like its protagonists, continues to descend down, deeper and deeper. The story is filled with metatextual commentary and ties, but not in the annoying, Wiki-fodder way. Every line of red thread on the manic corkboard is additive, whether its pushing specific vibes or ratcheting up tension.

It's not just story alone; Alan Wake 2 is also a solid survival horror game that gets a lot right with its ambiance and level flow, especially in the Saga sections. There's a commitment to cohesive tone and creative drive, from the setting and mood through to the gameplay itself.

But Alan Wake 2 is still content to completely pivot in ways only Remedy could, like the infamous "We Sing" chapter. Seeing a company, of this scale, make a game like this, with this much budget? A wonderful note to end 2023 on.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

There was little doubt I was going to enjoy Tears of the Kingdom. I love when Nintendo gets weird, especially with its sequels, and boy did Nintendo get weird with this sequel. Creepy hands, gooey contraptions, and Link squirming his way through the ceiling to pop out the top? TOTK feels just as goofy at times as it does dark and dreary.

But it also gets dark. I mean, The Depths are honestly one of the coolest ideas I've seen in a Zelda game. The first time I dove in, it felt like the wind got ripped out of me by the inky, yawning void sprawling out below me. The terror you feel, when you drop a light down a chasm and see it shrink as it plummets down, down, down is so good.

Yet Tears of the Kingdom didn't lose the pieces that made Breath of the Wild work for me. Much as I love the goofy fun of building anything I want, this Zelda duology has done some great stuff with its side quests. I loved being an assistant reporter for Penn, and reuniting the traveling band, and helping rig a mayoral race.

This Hyrule feels alive in a way Breath of the Wild's wasn't, as towns are rebuilding and their denizens returning. They're two distinctly different takes on the same world map. But Tears of the Kingdom stands on its own as a truly incredible experience. You'd think this would be higher too, but oh man, what a year we've had.

Octopath Traveler 2

Y'know, I really did not see this coming. Genuinely. The first Octopath Traveler was, to me, fine. When I picked up the sequel, I figured I'd probably feel similarly. In no way did I expect to not just get completely lost in this world, but also call it one of my absolute favorites of 2023.

Octopath Traveler 2 walks a fine line between addressing complaints about the original, like its too-disparate stories and slow pacing, while still maintaining the gist of what Octopath is trying to do: tell eight individual stories that, eventually, link up into one grand conclusion. But it works so well. Each character's story is great in its own right, from Ochette's quest to quiet an ancient evil and Castti's search for her memories to Temenos' murder mystery.

And Partitio? Well, he's upending capitalism with cash. It makes sense, I promise. The linked stories and skits provide a lot of narrative connections to keep the feeling that this party is adventuring together, even when one member is in the lead.

The battle system of Octopath 2 is excellent, always keeping the action moving while providing moments where you need to stop and think, planning out the next few rounds of battle. Path actions, especially with the day-night split, offer a ton of role-playing goodness. Want in that door? Knock out the guard. Need some help in a fight? Hire a warrior's services. Think someone's sword skills are sick? Beat them up and take their powers. All of this is set to an incredible soundtrack, too. Maybe my favorite of the year.

Yet what kept Octopath Traveler 2 top of my list wasn't even just the thrilling, surprising conclusion that brings everyone together. It's the message of hope. It's the belief that all these characters share that, beyond the horizon, there is a dawn. Each traveler has to wrestle with some pretty significant demons, but even after loss and suffering, they emerge hopeful for a bright dawn and better tomorrow. Seriously, classic RPG fans need to be talking this one up way more.

Baldur's Gate 3

Yeah, so this was no surprise. I felt like I knew, the moment I rolled credits on Baldur's Gate 3, that this wasn't just a best-of-the-year game for me, but an all-timer. It is, in so many ways, that good. And we knew it was good, too. Ever since the Early Access kicked off years ago, I had an inkling that Larian was onto something.

I don't think I could have predicted how well they'd stick the landing, though. Baldur's Gate 3 is an incredible experience. First off, it starts with an incredible intro, having the player flee a nautiloid ship after being infected with literal brain-worms. Then, one crash-landing later, you're tasked with a real problem to solve: get the tadpole out of your head, before it turns you into a mind-flayer.

This narrative push is also the glue that binds the crew together, when they would otherwise never meet, or maybe even just stab each other. But this common goal becomes the initial layer that starts to create a bond within the camp, forming one of my favorite RPG parties in some time. Shadowheart, Lae'zel, Karlach, Wyll, Gale, Astarion, Halsin, even the more temporary camp companions, are all wonderfully fun to talk to, and adventure alongside.

The combat proves a little divisive, depending on where you stand. Some have found it too difficult, others too easy; some think it adheres too strictly to the rules, others not strictly enough. I've honestly seen every different take, but I think it's good, so there. I made Karlach hit a goblin with another goblin. You're going to tell me that's not peak gameplay?

The world of Baldur's Gate 3 is so wonderfully atmospheric and dense that I'm still finding new things on my second playthrough as the Dark Urge. And oh goodness, the Dark Urge. What an incredible way to meld Larian's Origin character system with a custom character creator, maintaining the best of both worlds.

Everything about this game feels like it's firing on all cylinders. The dialogue is brilliant. The performances from the cast are truly the year's best, across the board. Last night, I had to cast a Light spell to illuminate an area so Lae'zel could use a Mage Hand to hit a lever and open a door, an approach I hadn't tried my first run through.

Playing Baldur's Gate 3 feels like sitting down for a tailored, made-for-you campaign in the best way. And even still, my multiplayer campaign has been a beautiful, chaotic mess. This is an RPG we're going to be talking about for years. And it is, even in a year full of stiff competition, my favorite game of 2023.

Oshi no Ko

I cannot stress this enough: if you know nothing about Oshi no Ko, you need to watch its first episode. Skip the rest of this blurb, go boot up the feature-length introduction, and enjoy falling down the rabbit hole.

Doga Kobo's anime, based on Kaguya-sama author Aka Akasaka's manga, is a bright but bewildering plunge into the drama and intrigue of the idol industry in Japan. It effortlessly weaves a murder-mystery into a reincarnation story, into a full-blown look at the harmful effects of social media, popularity, idolization, and the tireless pursuit of one's ambitions over all else.

The first season adapts some fantastic material, and I'm curious to see what reception is like as we move forward into some big events in a likely second season. But either way, the first episode Oshi no Ko alone is not to be missed.

Hell's Paradise

There is a place called paradise, and there exists the secret to eternal life. There is a hell, and there resides monsters, ready to unspeakably curse and doom any who dare enter. In Hell's Paradise, these places are one and the same; and the unseen emperor decrees that several of the fiercest, most vicious criminals set for execution be sent to the island, along with a designated watch-dog executioner, to find him eternal life or die trying.

It's already an interesting set-up, but the core of Hell's Paradise is the duo of Gabimaru, ultimate wife-guy ninja who can withstand blades and blaze alike, and his appointed executioner, Yamada Sagiri. The way they learn to trust each other, while dealing with the horrors of Paradise, is compelling. And good heavens, the body-horror and art at work in Hell's Paradise is gorgeous.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury

Though it kicked off in 2022, this was the year where The Witch From Mercury brought it all home, and did so fairly well. There was a Fire Emblem: Three Houses-like divide, where we suddenly went from "school phase" of battles and Suletta accidentally falling into a chivalric knight role for her betrothed Miorine, to the more large-scale war we usually expect from Mobile Suit Gundam.

While it wasn't the easiest shift, I think the way Witch From Mercury tackles its various views on space politics and the threat of the ever-advancing arms race worked really well. If you ever wanted a show that could deftly juggle war with school-life drama, this is it.

Also, Suletta x Miorine is canon, the finale locks it in, and we all know it.

The Apothecary Diaries

What if Sherlock Holmes had to solve cases using only medicine and intuition? I know I just described House, but it's also an apt description for The Apothecary Diaries, a mixture of drama and mystery set in a fictionalized version of 15th century China. Maomao, torn from her home and sent to work in the back palace for the emperor's concubines, gets drawn into court intrigue as her apothecarial talents are discovered.

The mystery and general setting are both highlights of the show. But I think The Apothecary Diaries really hooked me with how it uses those mysteries around the ailments to tell fascinating tales. It's the type of episodic mystery show I can get lost in, and Maomao makes for a very compelling lead too.

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off

When it was announced Science Saru would be making a Scott Pilgrim series, I was curious what that'd look like. The movie and comic seemed to cover the bases well enough. So it piqued my interest when I heard that, really, this was the Rebuild of Scott Pilgrim, to use an Evangelion metaphor.

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off starts off mostly beat-for-beat, until it suddenly shifts into an entirely different story. This might have felt jarring for those not expecting it, but man, it worked for me. This sudden shift, as well as centering multiple characters rather than just Scott, works so well. Rather than planets in Scott's orbit, each character gets incredible room to expand and grow in this new tale.

A highlight of the year for me is a jam session, between newfound bass player Knives and drummer Kim. It's simply a gorgeous piece of music and animation, centered around the feeling of unrehearsed, spontaneous collaboration that melds and flows together. It's a welcome new lens on the Pilgrim-verse, I think.

Pluto

Naoki Urasawa's Pluto would have been a gargantuan task for any anime studio. A classic from a storied author, Studio M2 was trying to take this reimagining of the classic Astro Boy storyline and turn it into a Netflix series, preserving all of its melancholy, power, and emotion. And good heavens, they did it.

Pluto is a heavy watch, especially in this age. Urasawa explores the questions of life and individuality amid the robots being hunted, one-by-one; the series dives into politics and conflict, flashing back to harrowing memories of overseas war that feel all too relevant today. It actively challenges so many of its characters and beliefs.

Put plainly, Pluto is a must-watch, in my opinion. The technical achievement here is one thing, and I love the animation work. But everything, from the adaptation of the manga's themes to the way the frame moves through the space, really made Pluto a memorable end-of-year surprise for me.

Heavenly Delusion

I've frequently described Heavenly Delusion as The Last of Us meets the first season of Westworld. In one storyline, we follow Kiruko and Maru, a bodyguard and client searching Japan for "heaven" amid the post-apocalyptic ruins, often haunted by "maneater" monsters. And in another, we see the daily lives of children in an isolated school, grappling with everyday problems while pondering what might be outside their walls.

How do these link up? Do they link up? That's part of the fun of Heavenly Delusion. But to paint this as a Westworld-like story with suspense as its only pillars wouldn't paint the whole picture. Heavenly Delusion is also about the interpersonal relationships across both storylines. The schoolchildren, like Tokio, grapple with changing lives and feelings they don't understand. Kiruko and Maru cope with the horrors of the ruined world, while growing closer on their journey.

I do have to warn you, this particular series comes with a hefty dose of content warnings for violence, gore, sexual assault, and more. It's very direct in how it displays the possible cruelties this world could inflict. But underneath that, there's a beating heart of compelling adventures and those who find strength in each other, even as the world falls apart around them.

Zom100: Bucket List of the Dead

Say hello to one of my biggest surprises of the year. When I first heard the pitch for Zom100, I thought it sounded novel, at the least: Akira Tendou is in his 20s and wasting away his life for a company that doesn't respect him. He works hard, but still receives constant verbal abuse and little to show for any part of his droll, lifeless, zombified existnece.

Then, a zombie outbreak happens. For everyone else, this is Hell on Earth. But for Akira, he's free. No more work. No more obligations. The collapse of society means society's pressures—to waste away as a cog in the machine—are suddenly gone.

In what can only be described as an explosion of joy and relief, he concocts a bucket list of things he wants to accomplish before succumbing to the plague enveloping the world. Over time, he gathers a band of friends, encouraging them all to experience the breadth of what life can offer now that its burdens have been lifted.

I was expecting a lighthearted, no-thoughts-head-empty zombie-action romp. While Zom100 is fun and filled with great action, it's also an incredibly energizing story about chasing your dreams. Heck, it's inspirational. Every episode reminds me that there's so much to do and experience in this life, and one should embrace that like Akira. I genuinely cannot recommend this show enough, to anyone who's ever felt burnt-out or zombified in their routines.

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End

Once I watched the first episode of Frieren, I knew this was an all-timer for me. Frieren, an elven mage, is returning home with her adventuring party after 10 years on the road, questing and eventually defeating the Demon King. For them, it's a significant chunk of time; for her elongated lifespan, it's a blip.

The years keep going by, and Frieren is content to do what she's always done: simply wander in search of new magic. But the passing of a close friend finally forces her to come to grips with mortality. Not her own, necessarily, but of the people she's come to care for. So, she starts a new journey, retracing the steps of her old party's trip, and helping others along the way.

Frieren can be both emotionally devastating and beautifully enlightening. Yes, it is a melancholic tale about the regrets we face when someone you care for is no longer here. It's also a reminder, much like other entries on this list, to cherish the moments you have with those around you, now.

In so many ways, Frieren feels like it bucks a lot of what I would normally expect. It's high fantasy and certainly has some outright incredible fight scenes, but so often, Madhouse will simply let shots linger. Little motions are given so much weight. The animation alone, especially in a recent ballroom scene, is an achievement in its own right.

Can you make up for lost time? Or do you simply have to hold on to memories, carrying them with you, trying to honor who you can? Frieren explores these topics with nuance and depth, making for a long road-trip north that I don't want to see end anytime soon.

Following the leaks, developers and even studio accounts have come out in support of Insomniac. Remedy Entertainment emphasizes the "truly disgraceful and shameful" leak of employee's personal info.

Wushu Studios, which has worked on State of Decay 2, Baldur's Gate 3, Forza Horizon 5, and more also sent love and support. "Game creators work tirelessly to create works of art & entertainment for everyone," the studio writes. "To see any team rewarded for this with malicious attacks & blackmail is cruel."

For Xbox, it was an interesting year. Some high-profile games hit troubled waters, making the first-party field a bit interesting. (If you're wondering where Starfield is in our GOTY field, well, stay tuned!) But Xbox Game Pass remained an excellent way to play a bunch of cool games for comparatively less, making our Xbox nominees really feel more like a Best Of Game Pass lineup.

Here's our list of nominees for Best Xbox game of 2023.

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty

One of a few games that felt like it fell by the wayside this year, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty made some waves as the latest Team Ninja action game, tackling the Three Kingdoms setting. Several folks at Destructoid were positive on this one when it came time to talk end-of-year, and it's nice to see Team Ninja leaving that lasting impression with its signature action.

Wild Hearts

Wild Hearts was another that fell by the wayside, but our own Chris Carter particularly enjoyed it. A MonHun-style game from Omega Force, it was weird and interesting, and definitely put a unique spin on the monster hunting genre. We'll see if it makes the final cut!

RoboCop: Rogue City

Zoey's review of RoboCop: Rogue City was almost enough to make me, someone unaware of anything RoboCop, seriously consider giving it a go. Mixing the tank-like motions of the titular protagonist with a Deus Ex: Human Revolution vibe outside the gunfights, it seems like one of the year's biggest surprises.

Sea of Stars

It was no surprise that Sabotage nailed the jump from action-platformer to RPG in Sea of Stars. This RPG captured hearts and minds alike, with both an interesting approach to combat and a particularly gorgeous world. Also, Garl. Garl is best boy.

Jusant

We round out our nominees with Jusant, another surprise, this time from Don't Nod. You wouldn't think the studio behind Life is Strange would tackle a climbing game that can seem both meditative and stress-inducing, but they did, and they got it right too. Jusant has been one of those late-in-the-year list-shifters for a lot of people, and might just make a dark horse run for the award here.

Lethal Company

It's of little surprise that Lethal Company made our list. The co-op horror game about the terrors of space, and underappreciated scrap labor, has been making the rounds. It's fairly recent, but I feel confident in saying this isn't quite a flash-in-the-pan compared to other live service games. The mods alone show some significant longevity.

Chained Echoes

Remember that December rule? It's why Chained Echoes, a late-in-the-year 2022 entry, is here now. And boy, does it earn a spot. Chained Echoes puts a surprising spin on the RPG nostalgia trip, with fresh mechanics, ideas, and some really memorable moments. It's still one I can easily recommend to other RPG fans, without hesitation.

Goodbye Volcano High

Goodbye Volcano High is a curious one. We didn't get around to covering it here, but it's one that's come up in conversations since. A story about dino-school angst in the face of the end of everything. Even on pitch alone, it's pretty fascinating.

El Paso, Elsewhere

An obvious selection for us was El Paso, Elsewhere, a Max Payne-alike about dealing with your vampiric ex. It sounds like it's got both action and heart, and really seemed to make an impression on everyone that picked it up.

Void Stranger

Void Stranger is a game that I am, frankly, too easily flustered to manage myself. The rich Sokoban-style puzzle game enamored me with its many hidden mysteries earlier this year, and watching fans dig into it has been a joy. I may not see the bottom floor for myself, but it's a wonderful game that I'm glad exists.

World of Horror

And lastly, World of Horror hit its final release this year. In some ways, this felt like an overdue celebration. While the Ito-inspired, interface-laden throwback horror adventure has been around for ages, it's a good time to finally recognize just how well it captures a specific kind of experience. It is for a very specific group of people, but for those people, it lands.