Dave Aubrey's Reviews
This is possibly the best Tekken has ever been, and a slightly slim selection of modes can't take away from that. If you want one of the best fighting games to be released this year, Tekken 7 is essential.
ARMS isn't the best fighting game, but it's a damn good one, and one of the most instantly enjoyable and accessible I've ever played. Probably not EVO material, but will be hours of fun with friends.
In Ever Oasis you're trying to make your oasis grow, and as you do, so does your strength, and your relationships. It's a straight-forward, simple action RPG that takes some inspirations from Harvest Moon and The Legend of Zelda, but none of those are a bad thing. Ever Oasis feels distinct and unique enough to be its own, strong title – if you haven't abandoned your 3DS for the Switch yet, Ever Oasis is yet another great 3DS game.
Ultimately, I couldn't enjoy my time with First Strike Final Hour. It feels like the worst parts of micro-management games, without any of the growth and payoff you earn from those titles. While not the worst RTS by any measure, it's certainly not one of the better ones on Steam.
While Breath of the Wild's first DLC pack contains some fantastic moments, on the whole it feels light and, frankly, not yet worth the cost.
If you played Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age back in the day and want to go back for nostalgia, you'll love this. If you're a new player interested in playing for the first time – keep in mind that this is definitely a game that shows its age. Though, if you have sufficient patience, it's a story well worth investing in.
Splatoon 2 could've done more to differentiate itself from its predecessor, but ultimately what we're left with is an upgrade over the original in almost every way. Sure, returning players might be underwhelmed with the familiarity, but anyone jumping into Splatoon for the first time will be blown away. Another Switch essential, especially for those multiplayer fans – let's just hope Nintendo's smartphone app works as elegantly…
Hey! Pikmin is a fun 3DS game, one of Nintendo's better handheld platformers recently, but still not up to the quality and polish we'd expect from console Pikmin titles. Pikmin fans might be a bit disappointed by this one, but anyone willing to give it a shot will find a surprisingly deep and fun little adventure to while away the hours.
I like Miitopia, but I can't really recommend it to anyone. Maybe people who still regularly play Miitomo (do people still do that?) but other than that… Just, don't bother. It's a game that plays itself, and you're supposed to derive your entertainment from simply watching things happen. It's a struggle to suggest this even to younger gamers - I can see what Nintendo wanted to do here, but Miitopia is honestly a flop.
Solstice Chronicles: MIA is a bit hard to sum up. It's well polished and offers moments of great fun, especially in co-op, but as a single player experience the game is slow and starts to drag quite quickly. In some aspects it feels rough and unfinished. As it stands, if you have a friend to play Solstice with, you're likely to enjoy your time with it - but if you're going to attempt the game solo, then maybe wait for a sale.
Cat Quest does exactly what it says on the tin - this is a full RPG experience, condensed into a few hours of play, stuffed to the brim with adorable kitties and cat puns. If you want a short but sweet RPG with plenty of moments that will make you smile, Cat Quest can be a great choice, especially for kids.
It's hard to write a bad word about Sonic Mania. It's a complete, classic package, at a great price. Each character you play as feels just as you remember it, but sharper. Each classic stage starts as you remember it, and then transforms into something completely new. Sonic Mania is a love letter to fans and a testament to the Blue Blur himself - a modern classic that Sonic fans old and new have to experience.
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle looks, plays and sounds better than you would've ever expected from such a confusing crossover - an interesting take on the X-COM formula that can start to feel tedious, but starts amazingly and will keep many players stuck into the turn-based strategy shooter.
Amazing art style, tedious battle system and a difficulty that's aimed at young children - not one for Monster Hunter fans, but maybe their kids. If they like Rock, Paper, Scissors, that is.
Metroid: Samus Returns is another wonderful 3DS game that gives owners yet another reason to pick up their 3DS consoles, even with the Switch's growing library. It looks great, plays great, and is as faithful to older Metroid games as you could ask for. All we can hope for now is that this is just the beginning of the 2D Metroid renaissance.
Pokkén Tournament DX is a bit odd, because although I can't help but sing its praises, not much here is new, and I don't actually know who was asking for a resurgence. Still though, the Pokémon fighter is loads of fun and still looks like a great spectacle in motion - the supers just look fantastic. But if you're looking to play this by yourself, you're likely to be very disappointed.
Even with all my complaints, I couldn't help but enjoy my time with Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite. I really, really enjoy playing the game and playing with the variety of characters - it's just a shame that when combining two amazing universes such as Capcom and Marvel so much feels restrained or held back. Infinite might be the next big esports fighter, but this feels like a rough launch.
So, can I recommend The Lego Ninjago Movie Video Game? For kids, if they have an interest in Ninjago and the developers can fix the crashes, yes. For everyone else? Please don't bother.
Layton's Mystery Journey is a lot of fun, and Katrielle is just a better character than her father is, but this journey is a lot more predictable and less memorable than the Professor's best.
Gundam Versus takes inspiration from across the Gundam universe and just throws it all unceremoniously into a bucket. What could've been, and should've been, a celebration of Gundam history comes across as a cheap cash-grab. I can't recommend this in good faith to anyone but the most mecha obsessed.