Ben Schuster's Reviews
As the ideal title to launch a brand new Nintendo console, Mario Kart World gives the Nintendo Switch 2 a head start. Featuring some of the most polished, creative racing across the entire series, World is an audio-visual delight that pays tribute to one of gaming’s most beloved series. With new additions like Knockout Tour and an expansive open world, there’s plenty to enjoy. But it’s not without its issues. An emphasis on the open world leaves the game’s best aspects, its tracks, in the dust. For Mario Kart die-hards dedicated purely to the racing experience, World might still lose the race to its predecessor. But for those who enjoy Mario Kart primarily for multiplayer enjoyment, this new entry delivers a world of enjoyment.
Hauling in a catch and drifting across the waves alongside a trusty pooch is a soothing and satisfying experience in games as much as it is in real life. Featuring laid-back gameplay combined with drop-dead gorgeous landscape pixel art, there are few indie games quite as lovingly crafted as Cast n Chill. This indie gem belongs in the Steam library of not only cozy gamers but anyone who understands the kind of relaxation only fishing can offer.
Welcome Tour is a mixed bag of an introduction to an exciting new Nintendo device. While there are several hours worth of gameplay and many creative minigames to explore, the experience lacks the magical charm and vibrance that players often associate with Nintendo. This sleek, corporate theme park certainly feels like an interactive manual and would have been the ideal pack-in to introduce early adopters to the new functions of the console. Although the price feels worthwhile for the amount of gameplay on offer, the choice not to include this with the console is baffling.
Where the original Monster Train laid a solid foundation for the series, Monster Train 2 expands on the formula in every single way possible. With an absurd amount of content that will likely see your train hurtling through Heaven and Hell for hundreds of hours, it’s no exaggeration to say this might just be one of the most replayable roguelikes ever made. If you’re a sucker for deck-builders that reward repeated playthroughs, you would be foolish not to take a ride on this Monster Train.
Kaamos: Puzzle Roguelike draws upon minimalism as its greatest asset, combining two familiar genres is a dark and depressing package. Through simplistic yet polished gameplay and a bleak, brutalist pixel art-style, Kaamos will have you fail upwards with every run. Learning its gameplay and overcoming its challenging difficulty is immensely satisfying. As a first from Pepperbox Studios, we’re eager to see what this Finnish indie team will be cooking up next.
Gnomes is a must-play for fans of roguelikes and tower defense games. The more you play, the more you realise that its simple gameplay hides serious depth. Alongside a sleek visual style and a gameplay loop that’ll keep you coming back time and time again, it’s a wonder that a game with this degree of polish was made by only two people. Like a Gnome peeking out from an overgrown garden, this indie gem emerges to put the tower defense genre back on the right path again.
Driven by a passion for creation with music as its heart, Tempopo is unlike any other game you’ve played. Beneath its colourful and childish exterior lies a impressive degree of depth to its gameplay, sleek design, and an absurd attention-to-detail for audio. After the runaway success that was Unpacking, Witch Beam have once again changed directions and prove to be a studio not bound by genres.
Monster Hunter Wilds is a bold evolution for the franchise, embracing a more open-world approach while making the experience more accessible than ever. For newcomers, this is arguably the best entry point into the series, offering streamlined mechanics and a gentler learning curve. However, veterans may find the excessive hand-holding and sluggish early-game pacing to be a step backward from previous entries.
Guns of Fury is a lovingly-crafted tribute to the run’n’gun genre that deserves the attention of any Metal Slug fan. Its detailed pixel art style, polished combat, and extensive amount of content are all the more impressive when you remember this was created by just two people! Despite a heavy reliance on backtracking, this is some serious indie ammunition that deserves to be in your gaming arsenal.
Made it to the end of the review and made it out alive? Then surely you’re intrigued enough to venture into the mysterious metro tunnels. Despite its minimalist nature, The Exit 8 VR is a surreal experience only enhanced thanks to the immersion provided through virtual reality. At just over an hour long, it’s a bite-sized experience that feels less like a videogame, and more like an interactive piece of art. If you’re a VR enthusiast and have a fascination for the disturbing, you’d be mad not to enter the Exit 8 VR.
While the Geometry Survivor’s lack of traditional levels may deter some players looking for a more structured experience, this is the perfect indie homage to the beautiful simplicity of Geometry Wars. If you’re a seasoned veteran of the series, or a newcomer who loves a good arcade shooter, you’d be mad to not give this one a shot. It’s clear that the devs have strived to carry on the neon-lit legacy of this cult classic series.
Despite its release 20 years ago, the Mario vs. Donkey Kong Remake holds up as a solid choice for fans of puzzle platformers. Its simple yet challenging gameplay, vibrant visuals, and catchy soundtrack make it a joy to play. While the gameplay can become repetitive and tiresome after a while, the addition of bonus levels and post-game content keeps things interesting. If you’ve not played the original GBA title, you’ll definitely find this remake quite a-peel-ing!
An equally absurd follow-up to the motion-controlled madness of Smooth Moves, Move It! injects even more absurdity into its microgames, making it possibly the most ridiculous (and entertaining) WarioWare game to date. Although some games are held back by the inaccuracy of the Joy-Cons, this is barely a dampener on the enjoyment. Despite a smattering of single-player content, a huge set of delightful party modes make Move It! a must-have multiplayer title that’ll result in non-stop laughs every time you pick it up.
If you’re a fan of both rhythm games and electronic music, there’s no doubt that Spin Rhythm XD hits every single note perfectly. Boasting a massive setlist and intuitive, fluid gameplay that can be catered to your own skill level, this is arguably one of the most polished music-based games on Switch. Even if you’re lacking a musical bone in your body and find that rhythm games aren’t your forte, we highly recommend giving this one a spin.
Tears of the Kingdom is the crowning achievement of The Legend of Zelda, incorporating the best aspects of every single game that has come before it. Polishing and perfecting the Breath of the Wild formula and its expansive open-world, the addition of creative mechanics now places power in the player’s hands, allowing infinite possibilities to the game’s puzzles, exploration and combat. Through its compelling story, stellar cast of characters, and an unbelievably polished world, Tears of the Kingdom is a true Master Sword master piece.
Not only is this an incredibly charming, amusing adventure introducing an iconic cast of characters, but it’s also a sheer technical marvel when you remember that it was designed solely for the GameBoy Colour. Although it might not be Shantae’s most outstanding performance, fans of the series and retro gaming alike would be foolish not to at least give this excellent updated port a go on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, or PlayStation 5.
Advance Wars – what is it good for? Absolutely everything. While the GameBoy Advance classics are turn-based gems, WayForward have magnificently modernised these military masterpieces. More than just a gorgeous visual style to bring beloved characters to life; gameplay, music, and accessibility have been revitalised for a new audience. So if you’re a strategy game fan, then head to your nearest recruitment centre and enlist in Re-Boot Camp today!
For a spin-off to stray so far from the gameplay of its source material is a huge risk, and yet Bayonetta Origins somehow delivers this in spades. Crafting a charming narrative exploring Bayonetta’s beginnings, this game does so with a delightfully unique visual style and unbelievably polished audio design. By blending fairy-tale style with intuitive single-player co-op that relies upon the relationship of its protagonists, Cereza and the Lost Demon is an origin story you won’t want to put down until you close the book on the final chapter.
At the time of its original release in 2005, Resident Evil 4 was hailed as one of the finest horror games of all-time. Almost 20 years later, the Resident Evil 4 Remake reaffirms that claim to fame. Through a near flawless remake, Capcom reinvigorate the horror classic and add a level of polish rarely seen in remakes. By crafting the perfect blend of new gameplay while staying true to the original, the Resident Evil 4 Remake is without a doubt the definitive way to enjoy the series at its peak. So now that you’ve finished reading our review, I have one question to ask about which game you’ll be purchasing next: Whattaya buyin’?
Given time to polish their new formula over the last few years, Square Enix have finally crafted the crown jewel of the HD-2D series in Octopath Traveler II. Improving on all aspects of the original game, this engaging tale of eight delivers superb visuals, a colossal soundtrack, and one of the most charming sets of characters ever to feature in a single title. The classic JRPG is well and truly alive, and if you’re eager for yet another incredible adventure, we encourage you to follow the Octopath.