Dragon Lapis

Considering how samey looking a lot of the 16-bit attempts EXE Create have been lately, I honestly am quite surprised they don’t do more 8-bit throwbacks like this game: they’re easily EXE’s best works to date, and Lapis being so much fun while refining the original game just makes that more evident. While EXE Create may be interested in making endless sequels to the Asdivine series lately, I do hope they consider revisiting the world of Dragon Sinker and Lapis, for these two games are both great, and Lapis here is a Kemco RPG I can actually strongly recommend you give a go, if you enjoy simplified RPG adventures.

Dragon Lapis remains a middle-of-the-road endeavor despite its impressive heritage.

The game did a great job of recreating the art style, the music, and the atmosphere, which creates a great amount of nostalgia, without elevating or enhancing the material at all. I enjoyed the experience of playing the game, and I think people who have never played this type of game would enjoy it as well.

If you have a soft spot for retro RPGs and want to spend time in a lighthearted world with plenty of humour then you'll definitely enjoy what Dragon Lapis has to offer. It may be too simple at times but there's no denying just how well-crafted of a journey it is.

With its speedy gameplay, colorful 8-bit graphics and chiptune music from composer Ryuji Sasai, Dragon Lapis perfectly fits into its niche. It's not meant to be a title that'll take over your summer, but is instead great to play on car trips or when your Switch is being used by another family member. You're not likely to enjoy it if you're not already a fan of JRPGs, but those within its target audience will find it a pleasant adventure to take…even it feels like one you've taken multiple times before.