John Rairdin's Reviews
Sometimes a game can just tell a story, be an experience. Lone Survivor gets bogged down trying to add complexity where none is necessary, and it greatly detracts from the experience of playing the game. The story becomes a sub-point to the gameplay, rather than standing on its own.
At multiple points I found myself having to kill off my own character in order to get a boss to reset. One boss in particular would work himself into a spot where he could no longer attack me, nor could he be harmed in any way. On the bright side the game looks and sounds reasonably nice.
Here is where it’s a little harder to justify. As a party game it’s a great experience to have with your friends, and one that can only be accomplished on Wii U. As a single player offering it may not keep you entertained.
It incorporates fresh ideas and presents them in unique ways, but it never forgets where it comes from. The co-op online shooter genre is a bold new venture for Nintendo, and one they’ve taken to with surprising aptitude. The odd lack of a retry button ads a noticeable hiccup to an otherwise wonderful experience, but it is one that is easily overcome with a little patience. The default controls improve upon those of the original Prime games brilliantly. All of this is wrapped up in a fantastic presentation that will keep you locked into the game’s story until the very end.
Ultimately World Heroes Perfect is a pretty mediocre fighter, wrapped up in a mix of good and bad emulation. While it may be fun with friends as a way to show off the Joy-Con controllers, it offers very little in the way of a satisfying single player arcade experience. Let us hope that Nintendo's official Virtual Console fares better.
All in all, forma.8 is a game that presents a lot of very fresh concepts that absolutely deserve to be explored further.
Most of the challenges, enemies, and boss fights, have direct parallels in one 3D Mario game or another. Outside of some unique takes on progression you'll rarely find anything that feels entirely new in Poi. When all's said and done Poi is a very well executed clone. It is fun and charming, but feels like something I've played before.
Doom was already a fantastic game when it released last year, but being able to take it anywhere with relatively few technical concessions is truly a testament to not only its developers but also the Switch itself. This may not be the definitive version of Doom, but it is without a doubt the most versatile. It's also much better than the Super Nintendo version.
It sets a precedent for JRPGs on the Switch that I doubt will be topped, unless of course Monolith Soft somehow manages to pump out a Xenoblade Chronicles X 2 before the end of the generation.
Dimension Drive takes a commonly held problem in vertical shooters on home consoles, and turns it into a fun gameplay mechanic. It takes a fair amount of getting use to, and at times it becomes evident that there is definitely some room for improvement. In general however Dimension Drive offers some fun twists that fans of the genre will absolutely want to try out.
ChromaGun has to place you at the whim of a crazy, pseudo-friendly corporation because that's what Portal did. ChromaGun's underlying mechanic is delightful and extremely interesting, unfortunately rather than building a game around that mechanic, developer Pixel Maniacs opted instead to shove it unceremoniously into a pre-existing game. There is some fun to be had here, but not nearly as much as there ought to be.
The new characters are a welcome addition to the world. The story presents fresh ideas and feels like a worthy follow up to The Fall. The occasional awkward mechanic aside, The Fall Part 2 presents an exciting and satisfying adventure. Now get to work on part three!.
Bayonetta 2 is an absolute masterpiece that should be experienced even if the character action game genre is not normally your cup of tea. It gleams with creativity and polish in absolutely every department.
Lienzo has excellently implemented their cultural source material into a video game, without sacrificing the video game. Set in an original world Mulaka would still be a fun game, but the love and creativity brought about by the Tarahumara culture permeates the game in a way that makes it something truly special. While the game isn't perfect, its ability to preserve a culture through an active medium while still being an enjoyable gaming experience is a trend I hope Lienzo and other are able to continue in the future.
But perhaps in some cases it is best to simply not port a game if the target system is unable to maintain your vision, and you are unwilling to adjust it. If for some reason you're desperate to play this game on your Switch, play it docked. As a handheld experience, Hollow is unjustifiable.
Layers of Fear may at first glance fit into the often derided walking simulator subgenre, but its impressive design makes it a much deeper and more memorable experience than one would initially expect. It represents an effective Switch port and even goes out of its way to include a motion control option. In the Switch's growing library of horror titles, Layers of Fear has positioned itself as a powerful front runner.
It is quite nice to look at no matter how you play. If you can overcome the controller lag, Castle of Heart can quench the thirst for classic action platforming among diehard genre fans. For more casual players, mileage may vary.
Outlast 2's highs are monolithic, but it spends the majority of its time thoroughly rooted in being just pretty good. That being said the Switch version is an excellent port on a technical level. Outlast 2 is without a doubt one of the best looking horror titles currently available on Switch, if not the most inventive.
The story, though somewhat predictable, is still fun and well executed. It's an attractive game with a solid hook, that plays well regardless of your Switch playstyle preferences. It's an easy recommendation for anyone who loves dungeon crawlers, or fast-paced strategic combat.
Manticore - Galaxy on Fire is a simple but very satisfying romp through 3D space. For those like me who were waiting eagerly for this genre to arrive on Switch, Manticore makes a great premiere showing. While its origins on smart phones show through in spots, it still holds up remarkably well on console. Manticore is an easy pick for fans of the genre, and a great premier space shooter on Switch.