Az Elias's Reviews
By Mario RPG standards, this is not one of the better ones, particularly when it comes to the pacing, design, and story. What saves Mario & Luigi: Brothership from sinking completely is the strategically engaging and fun battle system, delightful animations that go hand-in-hand with the cartoony art style, and the excellent soundtrack. Other gameplay ideas miss their target, and things become a drag far too quickly.
After cooking up extremely innovative ideas with the latest 3D entries in the series, it is great to see Nintendo apply this lust for originality to top-down Legend of Zelda, too. There isn't a lot to be said for difficulty, and, like Tears of the Kingdom before it, certain gameplay features can be abused to make the quest easier, but the key thing about Echoes of Wisdom is that it is so much fun to play. The 3D games got their much-needed shake-up, and now the top-down format has received it for the better, as well. It was far too long of a wait for Princess Zelda to get her playable role in the series that bears her name, but this is an excellent start to hopefully bigger things to come.
Epic Mickey: Rebrushed will be a fun time for any 3D platformer and Disney fan, with all sorts of references to the past. It is a fascinating game that brings people deeper into the characters and worlds that Walt Disney created in his early days, and will be worth exploring Wasteland again for those that played the original Wii version thanks to the improvements made mechanically and visually. This is still a rather basic platformer that treads the line of tedium due to outdated fetch quests, and voice acting could have really benefitted the story scenes, but there is a great charm to this game, despite the darker tone, that will appeal to many.
Capcom has delivered another terrific collection of fighting games with all the bells and whistles, packed with music, promotional art and development images that every fan of these still-great arcade titles will appreciate. Care has been given to ensure gameplay options are there for all types of players, with solid training and online modes that will introduce a new generation to some of Marvel and Capcom's best collaborative work.
Although not without its faults in due part to the trial-and-error situations that require exhausting all options in conversations, Emio - The Smiling Man is a game that will keep fans glued to the end, topped off with a very appealing art style and fair 10+ hour storyline that doesn't overstay its welcome. There isn't much else to see and do once the full story is done, but it is one worth experiencing.
This is a lengthy action platformer geared towards kids that will get mileage out of those that previously enjoyed Goemon titles back in the day. There are many similarities between Konami's sidelined franchise and BAKERU, but Good-Feel's latest release suffers from repetitive gameplay and a poor frame rate that hinders enjoyment. There is a strong appeal to the Japanese themes and setting, along with a cartoon style, child-friendly story and low difficulty that means all age groups can appreciate it. Just don't expect something quite reaching the qualities of Nintendo's top platformers.
Beyond Good & Evil's characters and story still have something to offer in the current age, and its small world is a refreshing change to the huge, open expanses seen in every other game today. Although it lacks quality in a multitude of areas, including combat, stealth sections, and camera controls, Jade's quest attempts to tell a compelling narrative that will have players eager to reach its conclusion. It seems quite clear after playing that Beyond Good & Evil was supposed to be something much more than what it is, and it remains to be seen where things go from here, but this adventure harks back to a fun era in video games and holds up just about well enough that it deserves a playthrough today - just maybe have a guide at the ready to figure a few things out.
Luigi's Mansion 2 HD still has the feeling of a portable game that was tailored to the system it was built for, but for the most part, things have been ported over extremely well. The mission-based structure that pulls players out of the game on a frequent basis, constant interruptions from E. Gadd, and a lack of saving until stages are completed detract from what is otherwise a light-hearted and fun little adventure rife with plenty of secrets to discover and puzzles galore, albeit one that isn't on par with the first and third entries in the series. The improved visuals and controls are a boon that make Luigi's Mansion 2 a better game than it was before, but with a lack of much else that's new, the high price tag is a big ask.
Pepper Grinder is a short little platformer that delivers a satisfying gameplay concept, but it can take time to grasp the full mechanics due to the fast speed and slight unpredictability of where Pepper will move during and after the drilling process. The slower speed option can help alleviate the issues, but those that take the time to master it will be rewarded with a fast-paced adventure with plenty of secrets to discover. Speedrunners will get a lot of purchase out of this one, but it isn't without its problems when dealing with frustrating combat and bosses. Thankfully, the short length balances things out, ensuring Pepper Grinder ends before it gets too tedious.
Everything that Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door entails is everything that is desired in this series - turn-based timed button battles, completely original characters in familiar and new species, witty dialogue, and an emphasis on story and greater lore. This is a unique adventure full of fun and clever gameplay ideas, offering a medium-length RPG that will satisfy Mario fans eager to see more than stomping on koopas and - in the case of the more recent Paper Mario titles - repetitive battle systems and generic characters. If all goes well, fingers crossed that the success of this game can pave the way for a brand-new entry in the same vein as this one - ideally without a paper joke in sight.
Stasis: Bone Totem's challenging puzzles may cause a headache and bring progression to a halt on more than one occasion, so it is best to be prepared for critical thinking and a little trial and error. The excellently written characters and superb voice acting really drive the desire to progress, and the sci-fi horror plot is backed up by immaculate prerendered backgrounds that sadly take a dip in quality on Switch, especially on the puzzle screens. Although not without its faults and the odd bug here and there, this point-and-click adventure has still transitioned greatly to console, and the effort to bring such a title to Switch is hugely appreciated.
The asking price does feel disproportionate to what is on offer in Mario vs. Donkey Kong, even despite the host of additional levels that bring it past 130 in total, and its wonderful new presentation and cutscenes. Alongside 1994's Donkey Kong, though, this is the superior gameplay format for this series, which adopted more of a Lemmings approach in subsequent games, so interested folk should seek this one out at a more affordable price in the future.
A decent Super Smash Bros. clone that clearly improves on the first iteration, but Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 is rife with problems on Nintendo Switch. The 30 frames per second gameplay, unbelievable load times, poor presentation, and glitches that force reboots of the game mean this isn't going to be a joyful time unless playing on one of the more powerful systems. Underneath the numerous issues, there is a fun time here, and crossplay will at least help ensure match-ups when battling online, but it is difficult to recommend this version of the game.
It has taken Nintendo almost 30 years to get its flagship side-scrolling series back on top, but that is exactly what has been achieved with Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Not since the days of the SNES has 2D Mario felt this original and fun, with the bizarre hallucination-like gameplay elements contributing to both the joy and hilarity all at once, coupled with brilliant character animations and a multitude of ideas that makes every level unique. Stages could have stood to be longer, and it may have been a good opportunity to go a bit wilder with the story and villains, but those are small complaints for what is an absolute blast from beginning to end.
Rain Code falters in too many areas for it to be seen as a true or great successor to Danganronpa. There are sparks of light, such as its setting and the twists featured in the final chapters, but the ridiculously linear Mystery Labyrinths, poorly written characters, long load times and graphical issues set things back. Danganronpa and whodunnit fans will still find something worthwhile here, but wait for a discount.
The Lara Croft Collection is not to be overlooked. This bundle encompasses one great and one decent arcade action adventure, of which twin-stick shooter and score attack fans will find plenty of enjoyment. Although both games are worth experiencing in multiplayer if possible, Guardian of Light, at the very least, deserves playing even solo, and is a reminder of what Tomb Raider is all about, captured expertly in a style that is positively different, yet respectfully reminiscent of the classic series. Technical issues remain, but it's just a joy to have these ported to a modern platform. Now, with things quiet on the Lara Croft front, surely, it's time for that long overdue third game in this mini-series.
If you consider yourself a Final Fantasy fan, there is every reason to invest in Theatrhythm Final Bar Line. Rammed to bursting with songs that have helped to make the series what it is, there are tracks for everybody in here, with plenty of accessibility options to tinker with to suit all levels of player, including a fun RPG-lite mechanic that can be explored for extra incentive to replay favourite tunes. The DLC is vast and off-putting, but there is so much in the base game to tackle that it can be safely ignored.
Semi-open worlds with quests in the form of real-time strategy battles provide a sort of 3D role-playing game spin on the continuation of this odd match-up of Mario and the Rabbids. While Sparks of Hope improves on the formula introduced five years ago, some charm has been lost in the more generic lands the heroes traverse, with a story that doesn't offer much thanks to plain characters outside of the Rabbids. Battles are still as fun as before, with plenty of customisation possible, but there isn't much to think about when skill points can be redistributed at will. That may suit the target audience, though, and the additional difficulty options are pleasing in that regard, as well. Kingdom Battle fans will enjoy this, and there is some solid tactical gameplay to be found, but it's a bit too familiar and unsurprising to elevate it beyond the original.
As a brand-new mainline entry that follows the previous iteration after over five years, The King of Fighters XV feels a little "by the numbers" in a similar way to how Dead or Alive 6 didn't push on from DOA5. Everything is too familiar, too safe, and lacking those key elements that truly give the impression of the next proper game in the series. The 3D character models still look a bit out of place, the story mode is awful, and there isn't enough done to ease newcomers in. Solid online modes and a large roster, with the addition of cross-play to look forward to, mean there is plenty to like for series fans, though.
A conflicting compilation of Sonic games that does plenty right in remastering some of the blue hedgehog's classic Mega Drive hits, but lets everyone down with unnecessary money-grabbing DLC, while not offering anywhere near the amount of content that really should be here in terms of the Sonic series' vast history. Still with bugs to fix, time will tell if Sonic Origins becomes a respectable overall package, but it will suffice for the more casual fan after a bigger price drop.