Riviera: The Promised Land is one of those weird little GBA RPGs that sticks with you. At first glance, it's got that classic turn-based combat and fantasy setting, but then it throws curveballs—like having to carefully manage a limited inventory (no hoarding here) and these weird dating sim moments where your choices actually shape how the story unfolds.

You play as Ein, this sorta-angsty angel dude exiled to a doomed land, and the whole thing feels like a mix between a dungeon crawler and a visual novel. The combat's simple but punishing if you don't think ahead, and I remember getting stuck for ages because I didn't realize certain party members would straight-up leave if I ignored them too much. Also, the pixel art? Still gorgeous.

It's definitely not for everyone—some people bounce off the restrictive item system—but if you like RPGs with personality, it's a hidden gem.