Parents' Guide to Lapis x Labyrinth

This action-RPG may take some time to get used to, but once you do, you'll be surprised at how much fun is included here. Lapis x Labyrinth offers a ton of depth, customization, and intense, rewarding dungeon-based combat. The plot is simple, and the gameplay may seem a bit repetitive after a while -- each stage is basically getting a quest, going into a dungeon, and trying to defeat monsters before time runs out. The treasure you collect earns you points that can be redeemed to gain new weapons, armor, items, and other extras. But the charm of the game begins to emerge after you've mastered the controls and begin to clear areas of enemies, all the while seeing your points rising on the screen. Perform enough consecutive attacks, which incur a ton of damage, and you'll unleash Fever Mode, which temporarily turns the screen into bright colors, with hundreds of gems flying around in all directions.

Much of the depth lies in the stacking system, where the characters literally stand on top of each other – akin to little kids wearing a large trench coat to appear as if they're a tall adult – to take out opponents. Depending on the members of your party, they'll each come with basic attacks and special strikes that can be unleashed at any time. What's more, the ability to swap the order of characters at will is a smart way to adapt to the threats each monster can throw at you. With more than 80 quests spread across 10 unique areas, and more than 200 maps, there's a ton of content here. The fights of Lapis X Labyrinth might start feeling like deja vu after a couple of hours, but the gratifying gameplay will keep bringing you back for one more dungeon run after another.