The Sinking City had a great idea, but it was ultimately poorly executed. The remaster was a chance to address its main flaws: combat playability, mission structure, and level design. However, only the graphics got attention when they never needed them. The revamped visuals do admittedly look very good and make Oakmont feel more immersive, but they were a misplaced priority when everything else was unbelievably poorly tuned.
SpongeBob SquarePants Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated is a nostalgic blend of platforming, exploration, and light combat. The adventure is driven by collecting Golden Spatulas and Shiny Objects in a colourful Bikini Bottom. The new graphics look incredible and, from some angles, could pass as movie-quality CGI. SpongeBob’s fluid moveset and open level design are highlights, but restrictive gameplay mechanics for Patrick and Sandy, along with occasional camera and control issues, counter this. SpongeBob SquarePants Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated is an amusing, straightforward collectathon best suited for fans of the show or genre, or anyone with a craving for good old-fashioned platforming.
Darksiders Genesis is a fun, lighter take on Darksiders, excelling in co-op and arcade-style action but falling short of Darksiders II’s depth or the trilogy’s narrative weight. It is less demanding than III’s punishing combat and more replayable than the original’s linearity, making it a solid but not standout game in the series. The co-op features are the main event and breathe some variety in a series that has been growing derivative with every entry.
Shadow Labyrinth's strengths lie in its bold reinvention of Pac-Man as a cosmic horror tale, with tight combat and a richly detailed world. The UGSF connections are a treat for Namco fans, nostalgic callbacks without pandering. It’s a love letter to Namco’s arcade roots, twisted into a dark, ambitious epic that swings for the fences. For those craving a fresh take on a classic or just need a solid Metroidvania, it’s a haunting journey worth taking. While Bomberman's grimdark reinvention was a huge misfire, it's surprising just how much Shadow Labyrinth works as a strange and twisted take on such a cartoony concept.
Mortal Shell: Complete Edition is a competent soulslike with flashes of brilliance in its shell swapping and atmosphere. Its ambition is held back by shallow systems, inconsistent difficulty, and technical rough edges. It’s a worthy attempt for fans craving a grim challenge, but it falls short of the genre’s best. The technical performance was an utter disaster on the original Nintendo Switch, but fares much better on Nintendo Switch 2. It will still be a haggard-looking and rough game with subpar image detail, but at least it plays significantly smoother.
Wild Hearts S' deft art direction carries it through the down-porting process onto lower spec hardware. Despite some minor complaints, the main game offers a robust 30-40 hours of content, with seamless four-player co-op adding replayability. Hunting with friends is always fun, as coordinating Karakuri setups and weapon synergies elevates the chaos to new heights and offers a lot of bang for one's buck.
Soma's legacy lies in its bold exploration of consciousness and identity, its refined survival horror mechanics, and its lasting emotional and philosophical impact on players. It solidified the influence of Frictional Games in the indie horror space, which inspired community engagement, and set a high bar for narrative-driven titles. The Switch port is an excellent way to play it for the first time, or for fans who need an excuse to revisit it. Despite it technically having no replay value and thin gameplay, it's a compelling experience to return to for its engrossing and deep story. Its setting is dense with so much detail that even after replaying it multiple times, there are still ingeniously placed pieces of foreshadowing and clues hidden in plain sight. Soma on Nintendo Switch is a solid port, if a bit bare bones. There was a missed opportunity to include some exclusive features like gyro controls, but even without them, this is still one of the most haunting experiences of all time.
Despite a few questionable design choices, Pocky & Rocky Reshrined delivers a thrilling and satisfying experience. The blend of nostalgia and modern polish makes every stage a visual and mechanical extravaganza. New characters and stages keep replays fresh, while the core gameplay loop of dodging, shooting, and surviving remains as addictive as ever. It’s not quite as refined as it could be, and the difficulty spikes and locked modes may alienate newcomers. However, for those who relish a challenge and adore retro shooters with a unique cultural twist, this is a worthy revival of a beloved classic.
Dragon Breed easily stands as the crown jewel in this collection. Its innovative dragon-riding mechanics and striking post-apocalyptic visuals craft a near-masterpiece that rivals R-Type’s ingenuity. Mystic Riders follows with its vibrant fantasy aesthetic and local co-op, a rare treat that injects accessibility and fun, though its simpler patterns and repetitive enemies pale next to Dragon Breed’s depth. Mr. Heli, the weakest link, offers lite exploration and chunky-yet-cute visuals but stumbles with its punishing design, feeling like a relic even with modern tweaks.
The remaster’s quality-of-life improvements, like streamlined menus and faster load times, are appreciated, but they can’t fully mask the game’s age. The story, while interesting with its mix of occult conspiracies and historical intrigue, unfolds at a sluggish pace, and the cast, outside of Raidou and Gouto, lacks depth to carry emotional weight. Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army is a solid effort to revive a niche gem, and its unique setting and demon-collecting hooks still shine. The repetitive and stiff combat and uneven pacing keep it from greatness, but it's still come a long way from its PlayStation 2 origins. It’s a nostalgic trip worth taking for Shin Megami Tensei fans or those curious about its lesser-known corners, but it’s not quite the rousing action game it could be.
The remaster shines technically, but Dream Drop Distance’s narrative and 0.2’s brevity hold it back. χ Back Cover feels like bonus content stretched to justify the package and probably would have been better if it were axed in exchange for a proper port of 358/2 Days. The dreaded cloud streaming is an unfortunate reality fans will have to endure and is as unreliable as it ever was in every other cloud port on the console. Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue is a distraction that may please diehards and is at best supplemental material for Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix.
The Nintendo Switch version of Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix suffers from its reliance on cloud streaming, which introduces input lag, connectivity dependence, and performance issues that undermine the series’ fast-paced combat and the Switch’s portable appeal. The high price, risk of server shutdowns, and failure to deliver native ports for games that could feasibly run on Switch hardware further sour the experience. While the cloud tech can be effective in ideal conditions, these conditions are rare, and this version pales in comparison to native ports on other platforms. Some of the entries in this compilation are classics on PlayStation 2. It was understandable that the demanding Kingdom Hearts III made in Unreal Engine 4 might not be feasible on Nintendo Switch, but there was no excuse for the much older titles.
The cloud version of Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind on Nintendo Switch cripples its combat mechanics with input lag, unstable framerates, server disconnects, and visual compression, turning a kinetic, spectacle-driven system into a sluggish, frustrating experience. The issues are compounded by the inability to play offline, which clashes with the Nintendo Switch’s portability and the game’s reliance on precise, fast-paced inputs. While the core game remains engaging when it works, the cloud infrastructure’s unreliability makes it near-unplayable for many, especially in combat-heavy scenarios. For the best experience, Kingdom Hearts III is better played on anything else where native versions deliver the intended fluidity without these technical barriers. When it works, it almost works, but lag, stuttering, and connectivity issues make fighting Heartless feel like battling the servers instead.
PC gamers may have been enjoying System Shock 2 for decades, but now it's time for console owners to get in on the fun. There is no escaping the fact that this is a true PC experience. The UI and menu system are intertwined with using a mouse, and try as they might, Nightdive Studios' method works as best as it possibly can. There was a very good reason why BioShock had to streamline a lot of the features from its progenitors. These developers are wizards for making it work at all. Some of the early game may feel a bit floaty and could put off some players, but sticking with it is unbelievably rewarding as the protagonist becomes a cybernetic monstrosity. Sometimes it's better to become one with the machine than to fight it.
Capcom’s decision to finally localise Prosecutor's Gambit is a tacit acknowledgment of fan dedication and an unspoken apology for its decade-long absence. The result is a collection that completes a vital piece of the Ace Attorney canon, proving that the wait was ultimately worth it. This superb duology is a must-own for any adventure game enthusiast or for anyone who enjoys tense stories about battles of wits and cunning. Sometimes, the most epic showdowns are two people outsmarting each other in a courtroom.
Final Fantasy XVI represents another step toward the event horizon of the branding's identity utterly collapsing. It isn't a bad game, but it fails to connect on a deeper and emotional level than what its past successes achieved. This is largely due to a weak supporting cast that lacks presence and a melodramatic lead who rarely gets chances to have any fun. For all of its faults, Final Fantasy XV attempted to throw whatever it could at players to create a varied experience. Final Fantasy XVI has a few tricks, and they're action and cinematic set-pieces. After about 20 hours, it becomes tiring, and after that the next 20 hours become utterly mind-numbing. It wouldn't be so bad if the fighting were deeper and the level design more fun.
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is a good time but comes off as a bland cozy anime game. It’s got heart, a likeable cast, and a world to get lost in for a while. It’s not the series’ best, nor does it outshine its contemporaries like Harvestella. It’s a game that swings big by leaning into combat, lands some hits, and stumbles on others. Azuma is a Rune Factory side game that is seemingly made for those who don't care for the farm life and want to wail on yokai with a sword.
While its story rings a bit hollow, the extravagant imagery and art direction carries the emotional investment. The mouse-style controls are a fun and new way to play this underappreciated and novel title and improve the experience, though it does come at the cost of a spotty frame rate. It's disappointing that it couldn't have been locked down, especially in such a unique game that features a ton of action and quick thinking.
Ruffy and the Riverside is an unbelievably fun and imaginative 3D adventure-puzzler. In some ways, it feels like it could have been a third Tomba! game due to its playful visual style that goes against the grain. Not everything works as intended, and it could use an extra pass of polish, but pound for pound, this is one of the more ingenious 3D platformers out there. If the developers can iron out some of the irregularities, Ruffy and the Riverside could be all it can be.
The original Front Mission games were hard to get into, and when the third game came around, it marked a shift to make them user friendly. Front Mission 3: Remake is very faithful to its source material and improves a few gameplay mechanics subtly, which makes it a smoother experience. It's not the best strategy RPG since the RNG and the small party size can seem restrictive, and it also isn't the best remake, but it is the best Front Mission game so far.