Even though I'm a fan of AA games, I've never been sad that the TGAA duology isn't available in English. And yet when I finally got to it, I felt how much I needed it in English. I never expected this spin-off to be so well done and fun, even better than the main games I'd say. Likeable characters, AMAZING music and what's most important, great story - a feature that's been hard for me to find in the Japanese games I'd played recently. Probably the most fun I had in a game this year even considering the rest of the list.

I already knew the story as I played the original game some years ago but it was nice to come back to it and experience everything once again, now looking better than ever. As a big fan of the series and Replicant in particular, I loved every second of every revamped sad scene and dialogue in the game, every second of when one of the most lovable fictional characters and one of my favorite fictional characters in overall - Emil - was on the screen, and the completely new Seafront chapter in the second part just flew my wig to the moon. If only materials grinding in this game was a bit more bearable, cause getting platinum here isn't the easiest of tasks.

I've never before played a mousou game and P5S isn't exactly mousou from what I know, but Strikers surely made me a bit more curious about this genre. It was great to meet the characters I know once again in a new setting, and the new characters proved to be great too. I played this game in the early 2021 so I don't remember my exact feelings towards it now after such a long time but what I do remember is that I had a lot of fun with the absolutely new for me gameplay, and that half of the OST was filled with just absolute bangers.

After so many years since Berseria's release, I think Arise surprised every old Tales fan. New ways to explore the world, enhanced graphics, minigames, new and better combat system and the cameo quest were all like no Tales fan would expect in a Tales game before I think. Even though I'm still not a fan of the designs of the main team, the new characters surprised me with how likeable they were - especially Alphen, as I expected him to be neutral to me in the end and yet he's become one of my favorite Tales protagonists. Plot-wise Arise isn't super amazing but the game makes it up for me with the (main) cast, their interactions, worldbuilding and all the emotional scenes. Would definitely recommend it to someone who's never before experienced a Tales game.