Jason Hidalgo's Reviews
Nintendo Switch Sports is a modern take on one of Nintendo’s beloved classis from the Wii era, complete with the motion controls and burning muscle soreness that veterans of the series know very well. The game boasts improved visuals compared to its predecessors and playing with or against other people remains a hoot. Limiting multiplayer to docked mode is a bit of a bummer, though, especially since playing solo feels like a more lonely and less fulfilling experience. It’s a game best enjoyed with others for sure.
Crystar gets a Switch port following its earlier release on the PS4 and PC, giving you one more avenue to cry on the go. Crystar is actually one of those cases where a game boasts a strong and compelling story that’s unfortunately saddled with action gameplay that’s OK at best. Folks who prioritize top-notch combat mechanics and don’t particularly care for storytelling might want to look elsewhere. If you love games with a strong narrative and interesting characters, however, Crystar is definitely worth a trip to Purgatory despite its faults.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land shakes up the traditional Kirby formula by fully bringing it into the third dimension while adding some fun new mechanics into the mix. Despite the switch to 3D — pun so totally intended — it still feels like a Kirby game for longtime fans. The length is a bit short and the game could also be more challenging. Those are minor gripes, however, as the game adds some much-needed freshness to the franchise while maintaining the charm that Kirby fans know and love.
Atelier Sophie 2 continues to build on the Atelier franchise’s solid foundation and the result is another excellent game in the series. Granted the game can admittedly be grindy and repetitive at times. With its likable cast, addicting gameplay loop, touching narrative and feel-good charm, however, Atelier Sophie 2 is another welcome addition to the franchise, whether you’re a newcomer or a veteran who waited seven years for this surprise sequel.
Ghostwire: Tokyo boasts a great premise and concept but ultimately serves up a more typical game experience that doesn’t quite reach its initial lofty expectations. That being said, it’s a good iteration of the classic sandbox formula and also has great potential as a series. I’m actually looking forward to Tango Gameworks further building on this as Ghostwire: Tokyo sets up a solid foundation for its yokai-meets-urban-jungle formula.
Elden Ring remains a compelling experience thanks to its incredible breadth and scope combined with its excellent combat and litany of options for curating your own unique journey. Is it a massive change from the Dark Souls formula? Honestly, you can name it Dark Souls 4 and it would actually fit quite well. At the same time, it represents the best iteration of the Souls formula to date as well as the potential of the series moving forward. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m dying to hop back and play it again.
Like its predecessor, FAR: Changing Tides serves up a poignant journey through a lonely apocalyptic landscape with a bigger ship, a bigger world and a bigger scope overall. At the same time, it still retains that same claustrophobic feel and charm while serving up all sorts of environmental puzzles for you to solve. The extra mechanics can admittedly be frustrating to deal with at times as you find yourself juggling many things at once and it also doesn’t quite have the same sense of newness for veterans of the first game. Overall, however, FAR: Changing Tides is the kind of game that makes you wonder and also makes you think, which is a credit to the compelling atmosphere that it deftly provides.
If your main focus is a highly polished, big-budget arrangement with lots of action — and there’s nothing wrong with that — this game will likely be underwhelming for you. But if your priorities lie in story, a more nuanced perspective and an experience beyond just the game within a game, then The Cruel King and the Great Hero is worth picking up.
Monark is a game that boasts a solid foundation with some really good ideas and fun combat. It’s lack of polish, however, means this game is likely destined to be more of a cult favorite as opposed to a big hit. It’s a shame as the story alone is worth the journey. If you like an old-school 3D JRPG with interesting gameplay and don’t mind budget visuals, Monark is one ego trip worth indulging in.
The King of Fighters XV builds on the solid foundation set by its predecessor after the series’ 3D visual overhaul. The graphics and netcode are much improved from KOF 14 while the base mechanics feel like the familiar King of Fighters gameplay that fans know and love. Admittedly, the game is more an evolution than a revolution for the franchise. At the same time, KOF 14 was quite good so any improvement makes an already great game even better.
Looks aren't everything in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, which does a great job in pushing the series forward while showing a willingness to take risks and step outside of the series’ comfort zone. It’s still rough around the edges and could use some more polish. That being said, it’s an exciting teaser for what’s to come and should have many fans looking forward to what Pokemon has in store next.
Shin Megami Tensei V marks another excellent addition to the franchise thanks to an addictive demon collecting mechanic, a plethora of subquests and collectibles to find, and challenging battles that keep you on your toes. It can be overly grindy and the visuals can look dated at times. Its streamlined mechanics and a new character progression and skill system, however, helps keep things fresh while also keeping the core mechanics that SMTV fans have come to love. It's not Persona 5. And that's a good thing.
Playing Steel Assault is like being teleported back to a time when Sega was doing what Nintendon’t and blast processing was at its heyday. From its pixel-perfect visuals to its retro 2D action mechanics, Steel Assault is akin to video game comfort food for anyone weaned on the golden age of 8-bit and 16-bit gaming. The game is on the short side and the lack of co-op and post-game unlockables hurt replay value. If you’re itching for some classic twitch gaming, though, Steel Assault is like a blast from the past.
Overall, Far Cry 6 still feels like a Far Cry game once the sheen of the new additions wears off. You still go from point to point to expand your area of operation while also ultimately taking down Castillo’s top leaders for each region. There is also a lot to do for folks who like to really explore every nook and cranny of an open world. In that sense, Far Cry 6 is more of an evolution of the familiar Far Cry formula as opposed to a revolution, no pun intended.
Like meeting an old friend that you haven’t seen in a while, Metroid Dread marks a great return to the franchise’s classic form. From the series’ trademark tension and corridor-based exploration to its hectic 2D action, Metroid Dread checks a lot of the boxes for old-school fans while also introducing its tried and true formula to a new generation of gamers. Here’s hoping this reunion with classic Samus won’t be the last.
After bringing back Sakura Wars, Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania gives me hope that more classic titles are due for a revival from Sega. With more than 300 courses from three classic Super Monkey Ball games, Banana Mania is just as crazy and challenging as I remember. The feel isn’t quite as snappy as the classic games. But it’s still Monkey Ball and I’m glad to see the franchise swing back into action, not just for old fans but a new generation as well.
Even as gaming trumps the movie industry from a financial standpoint, there’s still a notion among certain circles that video games are for kids and man-children and shouldn’t be taken seriously. Games such as Lost Judgment, however, make a case for games as a serious art form thanks to an almost manic attention to detail and willingness to tackle uncomfortable yet real issues. It’s not perfect and its social takes can be inelegant or even seem misguided at times. At the same, it also shows that gaming isn’t all fun and games and can be serious business.
If there’s one thing that Tales of Arise teaches its players, it’s that a little empathy goes a long way. It’s a lesson that would serve all of us well in today’s deeply divided and highly politicized landscape as well.
I really wanted to like Madden NFL 22. After a hiatus from the franchise, however, I find myself facing the very same issues that made me stop playing the game in the first place after trying out this year’s iteration. These include a lack of significant changes to the gameplay as well as a host of game-breaking bugs and glitches. All in all, Madden NFL 22 probably isn’t as bad as some of the game’s more vociferous critics make it out to be. But “not as bad” isn’t exactly something to aspire to when you’re the only football game in town — or for any game for that matter. As a longtime player since the 16-bit days, seeing Madden stuck in neutral once again is a heartbreaker. Here’s hoping things get better as no one would like to see Madden make a comeback more than longtime fans such as myself.
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox seems to harken back to a time when JRPGs started to hit their stride with 3D worlds and broke free of the classic 2D presentation. It might look and feel old for some. Others, however, will appreciate its dogged dedication to more old-school JRPG conventions. The game’s dated visuals are especially obvious on the Switch but the ability to play it on the go makes the issue a bit of a wash. If you’re looking for some JRPG comfort food with solid action, exploration and storytelling, Ys IX could whet your appetite for hours upon hours.