So it’s a good game with another player, not so great solo.
Azure Saga: Pathfinder is perfectly serviceable, and apart from my frustrations with the economy, there's a lot to like here. It's just not something I'm itching to go back to. If you need a JRPG fix for your Switch—and have already been through the boatload of them already available—Azure Saga might scratch that particular itch for you.
I find the game is best in short bursts. I think we've all played 3D brawlers that outclass Smashing the Battle in virtually every category. Having said that, I do find myself enjoying the game. It's not perfect, but it has heart. Well, that and an impossibly voluptuous woman in ill-fitting battle armor.
Blades of Time is bad, and you should not play it.
If you feel the need to revisit Wonder Boy or Adventure Island, which were ported to pretty much everything available in the late 80's, you might give Wonder Boy Returns Remix a shot. For the rest of us, though, there are two much better Wonder Boy games on the Switch that you'll probably enjoy a whole lot more.
To my eternal shame, I do not.
*These are actual Bally pinball tables that Zen Studios is too chicken to release for Pinball FX3.
Hyperlight Ultimate is still a great game, and now that it's on a modern console you should definitely play it.
Even if you've played these games before, I'd say this collection is absolutely worth picking up. It's wonderful to have them all on Switch since they were spread between three platforms originally (3DS, Wii U, Steam), and the Mighty Switch Force games are just plain fun and full of personality. I would like to have seen a collection of concept art a la the SNK and Street Fighter collections because Digital Eclipse has spoiled me forever with that kind of bonus content, but that doesn't take away from the experience, and I will never, ever get sick of kicking that ugly baby.
This sequel cranks up the sci-fi and modernizes the gameplay but it's not all wine and roses.
River City Girls is a great brawler, and though I wouldn't say it rises above its genre, it's still an excellent example of one. Either solo or with a friend, you'll have a good time.
If you are a fan of Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos, The Call of Cthulhu: The Official Video Game (apparently its full title) will hold some appeal to you. While familiarity with the source material is not required, it probably helps, but I can safely recommend this game to any fan of the cosmic horror genre. There are some rough edges, sure, but it's well worth the journey overall, especially around this time of year.
Each of the game's four levels is divided into nine stages, and by the time I reached stage nine, I was more than ready to move on to something else. Shorter levels with more variety would've alleviated this problem. There's a good game here, but it's best experienced in short bursts. If you keep hoping that Retro Studios would make a third Donkey Kong Country Returns game, you are probably the target audience for Jet Kave Adventure.
Overall, I have pretty mixed feelings about Close to the Sun. I love the setting and the atmosphere, but the technical problems, chase sequences, and lack of story cohesion ultimately left me wanting.
Despite my misgivings with our royal protagonist’s moveset, King of Cards is an excellent cap on what’s become a downright amazing collection of games.
Neal: It's absolutely jam-packed with features and if you're someone who already has Shovel Knight, it's a heck of a free addition. As a solitary game, it's a much harder sell. Like you said, it's more of a curio or bonus than something that could stand solely on its own.
All three of these tables are enjoyable, so I can heartily recommend this collection if you're a fan of real pinball tables or previous Williams Collections.
All three of these tables are enjoyable, so I can heartily recommend this collection if you're a fan of real pinball tables or previous Williams Collections.
I like 3000th Duel overall. The combat is fun and strategic, the hero has a good weight to him/her and control is responsive and fluid. It’s not perfect but it’s enjoyable.
Stela feels like a golem, crafted from the bones and sinew of better titles. Sometimes, this can be a successful experiment: Darksiders, for example, may not contain a single unique gameplay concept but manages to forge its own path through its worldbuilding, characters, and art direction. Stela accomplishes no such feat, and so I spent most of my playtime wishing I was playing its inspirations instead.