Dave Aubrey's Reviews
Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training for Nintendo Switch isn't likely to hit the same spot that the original game did over a decade ago, but it offers a very similar experience. If you enjoyed it then, you'll enjoy it now, but given how many similar mobile apps are commonly available, this feels far too expensive and prohibitive as a full-price retail release. Perhaps future DLC and updates could bolster the experience, but as of right now, I've come away fairly cold.
The Nintendo Labo VR Kit is a work of genius, for the most part. The Blaster and Elephant are particular highlights which transforms the way the Nintendo Switch works, but the Fan and the Bird ToyCon are just… somewhat useless. Great for the family, great as a weekend crafting project, and definitely the best Labo kit yet.
Nintendo Labo Vehicle Kit is another fascinating, clever step in Nintendo's Labo line, one that still managed to be as enjoyable as the first time I started folding cardboard months ago. The building is still far better than the playing, and adults will likely find it too simple, but kids and creatives will once again find loads to while away their time with here.
There is nothing about Vane that redeems it. This review reads like a list of complaints instead of constructive criticism because there isn't even anything to be constructive about. It's a game that's a challenge to play simply because it challenges your patience.
Don't buy this. Like, just don't. Not even out of curiosity. Don't do it. Stop thinking about it. Just don't bother.
Closers has all of the mundane yet addictive hallmarks of a game that wants you to play every single day, but without any fun gameplay to warrant playing it twice. Maybe good if going in with friends, but there are other games, free or otherwise, more deserving of your time.
Basically, don't bother with Monopoly on Switch until it becomes way cheaper, and with far fewer bugs and glitches.
There’s no doubt that this is an incredibly fun way to play Capcom arcade classics - better than throwing all of your loose change at a game you’ll never actually finish, at least - but the selection available here hasn’t left me feeling inspired. The games in this collection feel like the last options, the games that could never be sold individually. Cult classics like Darkstalkers and every other version of Street Fighter are entirely missing - instead we have a bunch of Capcom arcade games that, for the most part, weren’t deserving of sequels, or any other recognition this far removed from their release. It sounds harsh, but these are the rejects, propped up by Street Fighter 2 and Ghosts ‘N Goblins. There’s fun to be had here, but without nostalgia you probably won’t find much to love.
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.
I don't hate The Elder Scrolls: Blades, at least conceptually. Bethesda's lightweight F2P Elder Scrolls game has all the hallmarks of the franchise but delivers them all in such a hollow way that it loses everything that makes the franchise beloved. You might find some enjoyment in the game, as I have done, but you will inevitably become weary of the dungeons, frustrated with the timers, and on Nintendo Switch, you will find the performance to be at times unbearable. Fans of The Elder Scrolls deserve better than this, but it's all they will get until The Elder Scrolls VI launches years from now.
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is not a good minigame collection. While the minigames here aren't absolutely atrocious, none of them are particularly good or outstanding. Disappointing motion controls and a boring minigame selection really hamstring this crossover, and when games like Super Mario Party are available, I just can't bring myself to recommend it at all.
I'm sorry Kill la Kill fans, but IF is not the game you were waiting for.
SNK 40th Anniversary Collection is an interesting package, but even with the upcoming titles to be added, I have to question its value. Luckily, this is not a full price package, but even then many gamers will doubt the value proposition, quite rightly. I'm not saying don't buy the SNK 40th Anniversary Collection, but whether you'll keep playing the game after a few multiplayer sessions with friends is questionable indeed.
Unfortunately The Seven Deadly Sins: Knights of Britannia just doesn't do justice to the series at all. There are a few hours of fun to be had here, certainly, but even dedicated fans will find that it doesn't last long enough. Repetitive battles and shallow combat just don't keep things interesting for long enough, even if there are several characters to use. Add a point to the score if you're a fan, remove one if you don't know what SDS is.
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.
Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers is nice for fans of the series, but anyone else might feel ripped off paying full retail price for a game with so little new content. Great for online play, bad for basically everything else.
Bright Memory isn't inherently bad, but it feels like a demo for a game that promises to be bigger and better. In addition to that, it's not the best showcase for the new features of the Xbox Series X|S. Regardless, it's a fun romp, but you shouldn't go in expecting this to feel like a full-fat action shooter, because it's not that, not yet.
Daemon X Machina can really look visually stunning and sound amazing. But when playing the game, I just can't shake a feeling of disappointment. Daemon X Machina can be beautiful and ugly, and only the biggest mech fans will be able to look past the less flattering half of the game's visage. Great music and a great sense of style can't mask the fact that this game feels either boring or frustrating to play.
Two years ago, I can imagine Kirby: Battle Royale having a great online following and loads of people getting together at StreetPass events to play with one another. Now? Kirby: Battle Royale is honestly best left in the past. Nintendo still has a chance to redeem this game, simply by porting it to the Switch and allowing for multiplayer on a single, big screen. But until then? Just don't bother. The minigames aren't all bad, but it just doesn't feel worth it as a full price retail release.
Fire Emblem Warriors on 3DS isn't a bad experience at all, but any gamer with the option of purchasing the Switch version instead would be foolish to pick this up. The lower character count, vastly downgraded graphics and less ergonomic design of the 3DS all factor together to make this a less-worthwhile version of a game that only dedicated Fire Emblem or Dynasty Warriors fans should buy, even in its best state.