Best PS RPG Second Place Third Place

Despite arriving at the tail end of 2015, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel still managed to be one of the highlights of that year. Its highly anticipated sequel, Trails of Cold Steel II, arrived in the West in short order, and easily solidified itself as one of the year's best titles.

With its deceptively complex turn-based combat, a large and lovable cast of characters, engaging story, and fascinating world, Trails of Cold Steel II is a difficult game to put down. It reminds us of how amazing JRPGs used to be while simultaneously showing the world how amazing they could be in the future.

Not only is Final Fantasy XV a worthy purchase for those who enjoy ARPGs or Final Fantasy, but a wealth of content wrapped around solid gameplay makes a good case for the purchase of a new PlayStation 4. Given the tweaks to resolution and asset detail the PS4 Pro is likely the best home for this game, although owners of the OG or PS4 Slim will still have a beautifully rendered game full of sights, sounds, and experiences to entrap them for potentially a hundred-plus hours. Exceptional presentation values aside, the freedom of adventure is ultimately what elevates this RPG. The degree of choice present in Final Fantasy XV is something that should be applauded. With the exception of a few chapters of the main questline, I never felt stuck on a track or that the game was forcing me in any one direction. This freedom adds dimension to the world of Eos and makes up for some of the game's narrative shortcomings.

One word can define why World of Final Fantasy succeeds in what it sets out to do: respect. As the game appears to lean on nostalgia, it respects the source material while still weaving its own interesting narrative. The references, the characters, and the locations only serve to draw the player further into the web that surrounds the twin protagonists of Reyn and Lann. World of Final Fantasy manages to be a wonderful, fun, and adorable romp through the past 30 years of Final Fantasy while still managing to maintain its own identity.

by Adriaan den Ouden, Trent Seely, Shannon Harle