Summary
2023 is drawing to a close, and with it the flood of big-name video games is also subsiding. This year’s game releases have been exceptionally strong and varied, pleasing fans of many franchises in almost every genre. Most recently,Alan Wake 2,Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, andSuper Mario Bros. Wonderall launched in late October, and they weren’t even the only noteworthy games released that month. It currently seems like the wave of larger games will keep up until the end of February 2024, but, aside from the expectedCall of Dutydrop, major releases will slow down in November and December.
That’s not to say there aren’t plenty more titles coming out throughout those months, of course. November alone includesNickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2,Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, and the aforementionedCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. One day is looking to be extra packed, asNovember 17will play host toSuper Mario RPG’s remake,Persona 5 Tactica, andNaruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections. That can’t topMario WonderandSpider-Man 2releasing on the same day, but it should make a lot of JRPG andNarutofans very happy.
Strategy RPG, JRPG
Fighting
A lot of variety is present in the titles releasing on November 17. Some overlap is present in what consoles they’re launching on, andSuper Mario RPGandPersona 5 Tacticashare RPG roots. However, the context for where each game comes from couldn’t be more different.
Super Mario RPG
Of the three games launching July 12, 2025,Super Mario RPGmight have the most anticipation behind it. Having originally released for the Super NES, this collaboration with SquareSoft was responsible for kicking off the belovedMario & LuigiandPaper Marioseries'. Despite that, it and its many original characters rarely returned in futureMariogames. Now being remade alongside one ofits successors,Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, many players will be able to experience this influential JRPG for the first time with remade visuals and several other enhancements exclusively on the Nintendo Switch.
Persona 5 Tactica
For JRPG fans with any modern console available to them,Persona 5 Tacticamay also be of interest. The latest entry in a series ofPersona 5spin-offs,Tacticareturns theShin Megami Tenseifranchise to a strategy RPG format for the first time since the DS and 3DS’sDevil Survivorgames. Players take control of the Phantom Thieves in a chibified world that resembles thePersona Qspin-offs, and direct teams of three on various grid-based battlefields. With the usualPersonafusion combined withelements new toPersonalike skill trees, this could end up easingPersonainto other genres it wouldn’t normally touch.
Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections
The last big game out on November 17 isNaruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections, and it’s going to be massive for fans of the Shonen Jump franchise.Connectionscollects the characters and cinematic stories of every priorUltimate Ninja Stormgame, while also adding several new fighters and an original story mode. CyberConnect2’s signature arena fighter gameplay has received a few small upgrades, but the majority of players will flock to this game more for what it represents than how it plays. For the time being,this will be the ultimateNarutopackage,Boruto’s biggest game yet, and another fitting title to launch onNovember 17.
