Play Summon Night (J) Online

Summon Night on the DS is one of those tactical RPGs that hooks you fast—you start by picking a main character (I went with the sword-wielder, no regrets) and immediately get thrown into this weird, cozy world where humans and summoned creatures live together. The battles are grid-based but quick, and half the fun is figuring out which monster to call in mid-fight—some are tanks, others heal, and a few just look cool as hell.

Between fights, you’re chatting with party members at home base, and your choices actually shape how they interact with you later. One time I accidentally pissed off the blacksmith by skipping his dialogue, and he overcharged me for upgrades for like three chapters. Lesson learned.

It’s got that classic SNES-era charm but with DS-quality sprites, and the story’s just serious enough without drowning in melodrama. If you’ve ever lost an afternoon to Fire Emblem or Final Fantasy Tactics, this’ll feel familiar but fresh.