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Shuten Order is an ambitious visual novel that tells an intriguing story with consistently engaging characters and more than a few twists and turns. Unfortunately, with the inclusion of five distinct forms of gameplay driving the story, it ultimately feels bloated and directionless, and not one of the sub-genre sections is polished enough to stand on its own two feet.I wholeheartedly commend the audacious, multi-genre effort, but Shuten Order would have benefited from a lot more focus.
Kirby And The Forgotten Land - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World gives you the base Forgotten Land experience at a delicious 60fps with a whole big bunch of new content thrown in for good measure. The 12 remixed areas that make up the DLC are uniformly delightful, the new transformations are excellent, and there's even new challenges for hardcore Kirby fans to get stuck into.One of the best games on Switch, and one of my favourite 3D platformers in years, polished to a sparkly sheen and packing some meaningful new content? That's a very easy recommendation and a truly excellent addition to the Switch 2's early lineup.
Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution is an interesting 'new' entry in the beloved indie franchise, a curious fusion of old and new design philosophies. Its creative world-cycling gameplay mechanic, sharp 32-bit visuals, densely packed overworld, and charming narrative all come together to make for a worthwhile experience, even if some more outdated elements like the lack of a map hold it back.I'd recommend this both to series veterans and to newcomers-even if this isn't Shantae at her greatest, Risky Revolution is a solid adventure.
If you're in the mood for an engaging, endearing, and cute farming game, Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar should tickle your pickle with aplomb. It might not have the depth of other farming sims, but it's fantastic to control, and the well-written (and voiced) characters alongside the many tasks and calendar packed with events to occupy your time, make you feel like part of a bustling little community. I fell in love with Zephyr Town, and thanks to the satisfying gameplay and intricately connected web of rewards, I can't see myself putting it down any time soon.
Roadwarden is a fascinating text-based RPG that delivers top-notch writing, meaningful and impactful choices, and way more interactivity than you may be expecting from a game of this type. Managing your time, health, armour, and more as you explore and map out a dangerous peninsula gives you plenty to consider as you pick and choose the narrative threads and situations that concern you most.Almost impossible to put down, and definitely something I'll play more than once, this is a genre highlight on Switch that's only slightly let down by a bit of clunkiness on the UI front.
Herdling is a cosy, heartfelt trek that feels like a breath of fresh air and its stunning atmosphere and soundtrack do much of the heavy lifting. Whilst the game rarely stumbles, it seldom soars and often gets stuck behind janky controls or disappointing performance. Still, for all its rough edges, Herdling is a memorable adventure. If you're chasing the next grand expedition, this game might fall short, but if it's vibes you seek, look no further than this herd of lovable, clumsy beasts.
Discounty is a solid addition to the Switch's healthy stable of cosy sims. These games feel right at home on a console you can take anywhere, with a bite-sized day cycle that works just as well for long sessions as it does for quick breaks. Growing your supermarket is a deep and satisfying experience, but getting involved in your customers lives can be a bit shallow. But, most importantly, Discounty manages the impossible task of making retail work fun and relaxing, and that's a feat in itself.
OFF is a decent remaster of a great game and ultimately stands as a worthy return to this watershed moment in the 'weird' side of the indie RPG scene. Its memorable story, engaging combat, and challenging puzzles all combine to make for a brisk and enjoyable RPG adventure that no fan of the genre will want to miss. Even though the additions in this remaster feel a bit minimal, OFF is overall well worth batting for.
What stands out about UFO 50, Mossmouth's delightful collection of retro-styled games, is not that so many of them are absolute bangers – although they are – rather, it's the fact that it genuinely all comes together as a single experience. In this game, you are a visitor in some wonderful exhibition, and UFO 50 is your 8-bit time machine. It's magnificent, and a perfect fit for Switch.
Drag x Drive may lack options with regards to online modes, and its controls take a bit of getting used to. However, if you can give up some time to engaging with this one, if you can get past the barriers in terms of controls and the early frustrations as you find your rhythm, you'll be rewarded with a unique and very well-made sports game that deserves to find an audience of dedicated fans. Add in some pals, and you've got a solid bit of fun for the price.
The combination of turn-based strategy and beat-'em-up gameplay felt like a bit of a square peg, round hole situation, but Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown melds the two to deliver one of the freshest takes on TMNT that I've seen in a long time. It's a short-but-sweet experience that might not gel with everyone, but after 35 years of beat 'em ups and brawlers, this showcases the Turtles like you've never seen them before. And come on, that's pretty radical, dude.
M2, famous for its articulate, somewhat surgical approach to porting historical code just right, has done another fine job with Gradius Origins. There's so much polish here it positively gleams, and the overall care, bonus gadgetry and quality of life extras are all impeccably set. Salamander III is the big one, and it delivers, even if it doesn't really push the envelope in terms of originality or visual bombast. It's a shame there are still Gradius absentees in the list, and one day perhaps a truly comprehensive compilation will rear its head. For now, though, it's time to saddle up and destroy the core like never before.
Heretic + Hexen is yet another slam dunk for Nightdive Studios. This new release revamps both titles with modern controls, bonus content, and thoughtful changes to the core design that make each game a delight to play. Granted, these are still FPS titles from the mid-'90s, so your mileage will definitely vary, but for returning fans and those with a particular fondness for old-school 'boomer shooters', you really can't go wrong. Now let's get a native Switch 2 port with 120fps please, Nightdive.
All in all, Is This Seat Taken is solid pick-up-and-play puzzler. It may not do anything new or unique, but the condition-meeting gameplay loop is primed for anyone after a low-stakes distraction. It won't keep you occupied for hours on end, but it'll do an almighty job of reminding you that your seating preferences are not to be scoffed at.
Certainly a novel way to connect with pals, and not without merit in its relaxing blend of gathering wood and testing yourself to keep the fire burning, Chillin' By The Fire has its positives. The GameShare aspects, when playing with friends, work well and are easy to set up, and it's nice to be able to buy one copy and then invite folk along. I also enjoyed the light puzzling for a time as I worked to keep my fire alive.However, beyond these basic aspects and some achievements, and especially for solo players, there's not much else here.
Server issues at launch aside, and with the loss of cross-play noted, Madden 26 is a very solid port of one of the best outings for this franchise in recent memory. Yes, you'll need to get used to a drop in the frame rate to 40fps on Switch 2, but it's a reasonable downgrade in order to get this type of game running as well as it does on a portable machine. It really is a very close match in all other ways to other consoles.For newcomers, this is one of the best Madden games I've played in terms of teaching you the ropes, and for the returning hardcore, the improvements on the pitch, and with regards to presentation, should impress where its predecessor felt a bit lacking.
I often found myself going to put the game down before stopping myself to see what might happen the next day. Kind of like a great book.
Ultimately, I am glad The House of the Dead 2: Remake exists. Control woes aside, I suspect many players will eventually find some enjoyment from the game, provided you're willing to spend considerable time in the settings menu beforehand. It's a fascinating blast from the past, warts 'n' all, and a real showcase of some truly terrible voice acting from the '90s. Just make sure you toggle the 'Mute "Reload!" Scream' option – good lord.
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is the kind of game that makes you want improve. Chaining death with balletic grace feels so liberating that you don't want to be interrupted in your flow. The way it implements all of its mechanics, along with increasingly interesting, beautiful, and ever-taut stage design, is a treat, and a truly linear arcade-style DLC would be a blessing should one ever transpire. While some Talismans can be purchased to actually make the game harder, the base challenge will certainly test you. It's a real shame about that frame-rate judder, but in terms of seductive 2D Ninja action, it lands squarely on catlike feet. SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance, you have been challenged to a duel.
In some ways, it feels counterintuitive to write a review of Dear me, I was… - a title which centres upon capturing heavy feelings that can't be so easily put into words. However, it's not every day that a visual novel successfully manages to craft a moving narrative about art, life, and the passage of time solely on the merit of its visual and musical storytelling.Even if the game itself remains silent, Dear me, I was… is worth talking about.