Famitsu’s 2nd July 2020 issue includes a list of 46 games recommended by the magazine’s editors to commemorate its 34th anniversary and also due to the current social climate due to COVID-19 which has more people staying at home and playing video games. As such, the recommended games are mostly ones that can be played on current consoles, preferably with download or budget releases.
As Famitsu is a Japanese magazine, the recommendations are thus Japan-centric, with a few Japan-only titles included. The majority, however, have been or are planned for released worldwide, and several western titles are included as well. The list may well offer one interesting insights into what Famitsu’s editors, and perhaps Japanese gamers in general, consider to be good games.
Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk
Recommended by Abe Hiroshi for people who want to be healed by the smiles of cute little girls, find romanticism in exploring dungeons, or want to get immersed in raising characters. (Vita/Switch/PS4/PC)
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana
Recommended by Oishinbo for people who also want moving stories for side characters, are interested in the series but are worried about the action elements being too difficult, and want to befriend owls and shoebilled storks. (Vita/Switch/PS4/PC)
Death Stranding
Recommended by Opone Kikuchi for people who want a new type of experience, fans of Norman Redus and Mads Mikkelsen, or people who feel lonely and want to connect with others. (PS4)
Detroit: Become Human
Recommended by Katada Hikaru for people who like serial dramas which leave you wanting for more, people interested in AI and Bladerunner-like near-future sci-fi, or people who use Roombas and want androids. (PS4/PC)
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
Recommended by Kamei Rider for people who want to see flashy action scenes, like solving puzzles, or want to go on adventure seeking treasure. (PS4)
Fallout 76
Recommended by Kawai Log for people who want to live at their own pace in a free world, experience survival in a harash environment, or want to fight merciless monsters. (PS4/XB1/PC)
Persona 5 Royal
Kawashima KG specifically recommends the English language release, for people who want to experience Persona 5 in a different way, are interested in seeing scenes and lines in English, or want to learn English through a video game that they like. (PS4)
Teamfight Tactics
Recommended by Kitaguchi Toho 2-fun for people who like simulation games, like thinking games, and want to sit down and play a game. (PC/iOS/Android)
Tetris Effect
Recommended by Kitano Toon for people who like Tetris, want to experience a new kind of Tetris, or are looking for something for Playstation VR. (PS4/PC)
Nobunaga’s Ambition: Tendou with Power-Up Kit
Recommended by Kuroneko Sagawa for people who want to make their own alternative histories for the sengoku period, want to give more attention to specific people from period dramas, and want to change the game’s rules to their own. (Vita/PS3/XB360/PC)
Rune Factory 4 Special
Recommended by Kougetsudou who want to live slowly while growing crops, want to enjoy hack & slash and action RPG elements fighting tough enemies, and want to get close to characters they like. (Switch)
Muv-Luv Alternative
Recommended by Goemon for people who want to read an interesting story, want to pilot a giant robot to fight aliens, or want to feel like they have grown as a person. (Vita/PS3/XB360/PC)
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
Recommended by Koyama Daisuke for people who are interested in mystery, sci-fi and robot genre stories, people who like or are interested in Vanillaware’s games, and older men, especially those whose youths included 1985. (PS4)
Grand Theft Auto V
Recommended by Kontakao for people who want a thrilling game experience, people who want to play a game that will make its mark in history, and people who want to feel good. (PS4/PS3/XB1/XB360/PC)
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Recommended by Sakamoto Bisuta for people who like Dark Souls-like action games, fans of Star Wars, or padawans who want to become Jedi knights. (PS4/XB1/PC)
Fantasy Earth Zero
Recommended by Ji-pan Matsuda for people who like online games, people who want to go to a fantasy world, or people who want to fight in large groups. (PC)
Odin Sphere Leifthrasir
Recommended by Sekai Sandai Miyokawa for people whose first Vanillaware game was 13 Sentinels, people who want to enjoy a high fantasy story, and people who like combos in action games. (Vita/PS4/PS3)
Bubble Bobble 4 Friends
Recommended by Dedeo for people who like the cute characters, want to play a game that can be easily enjoyed alone or with others, or want to play both new games and classics. (Switch)
Final Fantasy VII Remake
Recommended by Tomato Sugihara for people who have played FF7, people who have not played FF7, or people who want to play new RPGs. (PS4)
Street Fighter V: Champion Edition
Recommended by Toyozumi Sankyoudai (Jinan) for people who are interested in fighting games, people who want to get into something for serious, and people who are interesting in playing for the win. (PS4/PC)
Arknights
Recommended by Narushisu Iwami for people who like or are interested in tower defence games, people who like cool and cute characters, and people who are sane even without sanity. (iOS/Android)
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne
Recommended by Noguchimi for people who want to hunt giant monsters, want to easily be able to play cooperatively, or who have not played Monster Hunter lately. (PS4/PC)
Dragon Quest Rivals
Recommended by Norainu Murakami for people who like the Dragon Quest series, people who are interested in card games but have never actually tried them out, and people who are willing to spend some money on phone app games. (Switch/iOS/Android/PC)
Marvel’s Spider-Man
Recommended by Bashiwo for people who like American comic book superheroes, people who want to feel a rush that they can’t get in everyday life, and people who want to feel the great responsibility that comes with great power. (PS4)
Terraria
Recommended by Hatoya Itou for people who would like to build fancy buildings like houses on top of waterfalls or castles on top of clouds, people who like hack and slashing and are not afraid of trial and error, and people who want to collect everything rare. (3DS/Vita/Switch/WiiU/PS4/PS3/XB1/XB360/PC/Android/iOS)
No Man’s Sky
Recommended by Fujikawa Q for people who want to become an alien in Hoshi Shinichi’s Short Shorts, people who like travelling alone or reading, and people who are interested in philosophy, astrology, and space physics. (PS4/XB1/PC)
Magic: The Gathering Arena
Recommended by Fujita Kinako for people who want to easily pick up a trading card game, people who are attracted to the idea of making their own deck, and people who are interested in nice art and a complex setting. (PC)
Yggdra Union
Recommended by Fujinocchi for people who want to play a simulation RPG that is different from others, people who played the GBA or PSP versions of the game, and people who like pixel art or are fans of Kiyuduki Satoko. (Switch)
Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain
Recommended by Bravo! Akiyama for people who want to try an EDF with a new world, people who like kaiju and sci-fi or want to fight robots, and people who want to customise the player character freely. (PS4/PC)
Forza Horizon 4
Recommended by Furuya Youichi for people who want to drive supercars that they cannot in real life, people who want to drive through England, and people who want to drive but do not have a license. (XB1/PC)
PC Building Simulator
Recommended by Hei Shouhei for people who are interested in building their own PC and want to practice in a game, people who want to actually build their own machine, and people who want to learn about PCs through a video game. (Switch/PS4/XB1/iOS/Android/PC)
Princess Connect Re:DIVE
Recommended by Helvetica Nomoto for people who want to enjoy a story filled with cute girls, who want to take their own times without doing missions every day, or want to play a phone game that is actually playable without spending money. (iOS/Android)
Tantei Jinguuji Saburou: Prism of Eyes ～Shisha ni Sasageru Ishi～
Recommended by Honda Benz for people who are interested in traditional command-type adventure games, people who like mystery novels and suspense dramas, and people who prefer female protagonists to male ones. (Switch/PS4)
Disney: Twisted Wonderland
Recommended by Mast Saibou for people who like the worlds in Disney films, want to solve mysteries in a mysterious magic school, and want to spend their days with interesting and unique characters. (iOS/Android)
Puzzle & Dragons
Recommended by Meat Katou for people who like puzzle games, people who are interested in collecting, raising and forming teams of monsters, and people who want to play games during small amounts of empty time such as when heading to work or school. (iOS/Android)
Burnout Paradise Remastered
Recommanded by Misairu Ono for people who want to drive cars freely, people who want to enjoy fancy car action and stunts, and people who don’t like limitations and rules in races. (Switch/PS4/XB1/PC)
VA-11 Hall-A
Recommended by Miss Yuusuke for people who want to enjoy conversations with tired adults, people who are excited by the thought of human drama in a dystopia, and people who want to enjoy a game at their own leisure on a weekend night while drinking a glass. (Vita/Switch/PS4/PC)
Dragon Quest Builders 2
Recommended by Mutou-senpai for people who do not like Minecraft-like games, like the Dragon Quest series, and would like to develop their own island. (Switch/PS4/PC)
Yakuza 0
Recommended by Metabo IKEDA for people who want to get cheered up by a passionate story, want to feel good with exciting action gameplay, and want to feel the pleasure of earning and spending exhorbitant amounts of money. (PS4/PS3)
Ta ga Tame no Alchemist
Recommended by Yamaari Kurotani for people who want to spend time raising characters, want to fall in love with their favourite characters’ lines and behaviour, or want to play a fantasy tactical RPG. (iOS/Android)
The Battle Cats
Recommended by Yamaguchi John for people who like cats, tower defence games, or tactical games. (iOS/Android)
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers
Recommended by Yumin 17 for people who want to play the way they like, take their time with lifestyle-type contents, or people who want to play with others. (PS4/PC)
NieR: Automata
Recommended by Reggae Akiyama for people who think they are suffering from “chunibyo”, people who are interested in the way non-human life would live, and people who do not want clichéd stories and happy endings. (PS4/XB1/PC)
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Recommended by Romancing ☆ Saga for people who want to be moved by people and drama of an age of turmoil, look for someone to live alongside with amongst unique characters, and people who like school settings or Romance of the Three Kingdoms. (Switch)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Recommended by Watanaberry Watanabe for people who like FPS games in a modern setting, people who like PVP gameplay, and people who want to cooperate with friends to take down the enemy. (PS4)
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Recommended by Hayashi Katsuhiko for people who want to relax, but also don’t mind being busy, and like or are interested in creating things. (Switch)
