Matt Sainsbury
If the developers bring a lot more focus Pantsu Hunter, and more carefully consider how to make the various gameplay and narrative elements fit together, this could yet become something special.
Rogue Singularity is perfect for the Switch. Levels are short and sharp, making it ideal for instant pick-up-and-play, and if you're going to invest in this one, you're going to need every moment to refine your skills that you can find.
I question just how many 30-somethings are out there looking for a new time-draining roguelike to play, but regardless of just how niche RAD's audience turns out to be, I'm very glad that Double Fine gave it a crack.
It's a pity that Pix the Cat hasn't grown into a larger property over the last five or so years, because Pix is a great character, the neon aesthetic is pleasing, and the action is of a very high standard.
I admit that I made the mistake of buying this game without first checking that the multiplayer would be in there, but in my defense, this is a port of a game from 1998 and it is truly nuts to think that the developers couldn't include it
This, right here, is what we should be referencing back to when we talk about the artistic potential and merit of video games.
FuRyu continues to be the publisher to watch for anyone who likes their games with a bit of genuine artistic credibility.
It plays so close to the Mystery Dungeon tradition that, as a rabid fan of Shiren, Chocobo Dungeon and the others, I was always going to enjoy this.
Forged of Blood is ambitious well beyond its means, and it has so many systems at play at once that there are moments where, mechanically, they fall down.
Really, the biggest problem with Raiders of the North Sea is that there are better known and deeper Eurogames out there.
At around ten hours of play, Birb's little goodnatured fairytale of acceptance and tolerance is hard to criticise. It is a truly beautiful game, and a confident, well-meaning and refreshingly positive use of the videogame medium by talented newcomers. The money might be in the AAA fetish shooters, but the heart, soul and future value of games is wrapped up in projects like this one.
Three Houses is so vibrant that I didn't really mind the lack of difficulty. I was too invested in the characters, and looking forward to the next major plot point too much to really care. It can be bloated, messy, and unnecessarily padded with content at times, but when it comes to the core strengths of Fire Emblem - its character-driven epic fantasy, tight tactical battles and a full harem of both waifu and husbandos, Intelligent Systems have delivered something truly resonant with this one.
In the end, the started and overt point of Archlion Saga is that it was developed to introduce people who are less familiar with JRPGs to the genre. The developers failed in doing that, since anyone who plays this as their first JRPG won't touch another one for a very, very long time. No one likes having their intelligence insulted, even if they are completely new to something.
While it's shallow and has an overly narrow focus, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order is good fun, and serves as excellent, entertaining fan service for the Marvel faithful.
Lacking personality as it is, and with its main selling point - the multiplayer - being an apparent bust, it's very hard to understand who would actually want to buy into this version of Skulls of the Shogun.
There's nothing really deep being said about Rio Reincarnation, nor the other two visual novels in this package. The trilogy really is a series of straightforward, light-hearted, comedic (without being subversive or satirical), charming and simple stories, backed up with some of the most gorgeous fan service art you'll find. Sometimes that's all you need, and Tsunako really is a genius in her field.
Kill la Kill is an anime licensed tie-in fighter done well, and given how frequently these turn out to be terrible that in itself is a relief. It's fast, it's furious, it's explicit and fanservicey, and it is outright hilarious in its satire. The developers have nailed every element of Kill la Kill that needed to be done right, and I can't imagine fans wanting anything more from this particular game.
The interface, sadly, will put anyone off who isn't a wargaming veteran, but anyone who has an interest in ancient Rome and its military history should push through that, because they will get a kick out of Field of Glory: Empires. If only because you'll be able to hand Hannibal the great victory and conquest the poor guy clearly deserved.
There's really not much else I can say about Siralim. It's a grindy, retro-styled roguelike, with a wonderful monster collecting mechanic, and a great sense of humour. On the Nintendo Switch, it really feels at home, and as long as you can get over the overwhelming orientation process, you'll be set for many hours of dungeon crawling with this one.
We’ve seen better from ACE Team.