John Rairdin's Reviews
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.
It is a testament not only to what the genre has always been, but the potential of what it could become. It is a triumphant return of Samus Aran as the undisputed queen of the genre. Long may she reign.
It is loyal to the original in its re-working of its art, yet unafraid to push the absolute boundaries of those original designs. The underlying brilliance of Retro's original masterpiece shines forth from this new shell, pristine as ever. This is the definitive release of one of the greatest video games ever made, and an incredible glimpse into the future of the Prime series.
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.
Whether Witcher 3 will be your entry point into the larger Witcher universe or you're a longtime fan, I cannot recommend it enough. It is a game that to some extent transcends its genre and one that everyone should play. Witcher 3 is not only one of the most impressive of the impossible ports on Switch, it is one of the best games on Switch, and perhaps the finest western RPG of all time.
This is a game that shows the value of a game being given time to cook and of a studio that has supported a consistent group of developers working on the same series for decades. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is not a game anyone else could make. This is why you bought your Switch, even if you didn't know it at the time.
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.
The segmented, sector-by-sector gameplay is perfect for on-the-go play. It employs its genre better than most and manages not to feel too repetitive even as you die over and over again. This is a game that will be at the top of my Switch home screen for a long time to come.
Each boss is uniquely designed, and realized with an outstanding degree of care and attention. From the moment you boot Mechstermination Force, it is immediately fun, and that fun never stops. This is a gameplay loop distilled to its purest form, and it is an absolute joy.
The worlds of Myst continued to be developed for years after the original's release, and while its sequels developed on the incredibly rich lore and plot, for my money none of them ever quite recaptured the feeling of the original. While the Switch version has some minor performance issues, they're more than made up for by portability and the option to play with touch controls in classic mode. If you've never played Myst, or if you grew up with the original, take this excuse to journey back to the ages of Myst and get lost all over again.
Not because there was some grand adventure to be had, but because I wanted to keep spending time with these characters. I wanted to see where their lives would take them. Embracelet is a brief glimpse into a beautiful world, and while I'm sad it's over, I'm glad I was able to be part of it while I could.
Regardless of how you came to Xenoblade, either through one of many incarnations of the original, or through its sequel, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 strives to satiate all audiences and it is largely successful in this endeavor while also presenting something entirely new. This is not just Xenoblade meets Xenoblade 2. In many ways it is greater than the sum of its parts and those parts already added up to quite a bit.
Future Redeemed feels like a final piece to a story more than a decade in the making. It re-unites old friends, reminds you that N is still one of the best villains the series has ever come up with, and reignites that feeling you had when the original Xenoblade suddenly cut to a space station and your perception of the game permanently shifted. If Takahashi decides to revisit this universe in the future, I'll happily join in, but if this truely does mark the end for the Klaus trilogy, I leave happy.
It is hard not to be absolutely blown away by Super Mario Bros. Wonder. It is easily the best 2D Mario in over thirty years. It does this by not trying so hard to match the past, and instead focus on new ideas and learn from how Mario has evolved in other dimensions since then. That being said, it does make the areas where Wonder gets tripped up feel all the more egregious. Not because there are issues to be solved, but because none of them are inherent to any of the new ideas. Gating difficulty options behind certain characters, the locked-in multiplayer camera, and the extreme lack of boss variety are all issues that have been with Mario for years. It is one thing when bold new design brings up new challenges, but these are just old complaints that don't really have an excuse for not being fixed by now. Of course that doesn't take away from the excellence of this title, but they do stand out. However, even with these blemishes, at the end of the day Super Mario Bros. Wonder is an incredible breath of fresh air overall. It has reaffirmed that 2D Mario has the potential to be more than just good, it can be incredible. It sweeps away any concerns I had that my love of the best games in the series isn't just nostalgia and that a truly original 2D Mario absolutely has the potential to stand alongside Super Mario Bros. 3, and Super Mario World. While Super Mario Bros. Wonder isn't quite perfect, it is a gleaming star we can hopefully follow into a new era for 2D Mario.
The Switch version specifically doesn't really come with any compromises, offering the highest possible image quality and frame rate available on the platform. Croc is still a very simple platformer and obviously the original game design has not been changed, but it is presented here with a level of respect and admiration that only its original developer and avid fans could provide. Even if you don't particularly like Croc, it's hard not to recommend this excellent package.
The Switch 2 version itself runs great outside of a rare technical hitch. Last but not least, they credit the entire original design team. The biggest negative I can give to Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac is that it makes it very hard to go back to the original.
Rather, Metroid Prime 4 just feels like another one. It doesn't expect you to point and clap when Samus walks on screen. Metroid Prime 4 presents a world in which Samus never left.
Wanting something more compact after recently spending time with Yakuza 0, Kiwami 1, and Kiwami 2 on Switch 2, Dark Ties was a perfect encapsulation of what makes the series so fun and charming, without the bloat that can creep in from time to time. Mine's combat style is simple but fast-paced, meaning random street encounters with unfriendly Yakuza never lasted more than 30 seconds. It may hit differently if you choose to roll credits on Kiwami 3 first, but for what it is, Dark Ties represents a welcome pack-in and the type of additional content I hope we see with the next Kiwami remaster.
However, the lack of cross-progression does mean that you'll have no choice but to start over. On the other hand, if you've yet to play Ys X, I can wholeheartedly recommend this version. While returning players do have to wrestle with whether the upgrade is worth it, new players should absolutely dive in without hesitation.
The Switch 2 delivers this masterpiece nearly uncompromised. Its only the occasional stutter or low-resolution texture that gives away the game's slimmed down form. Whether you're delving into ancient ruins to solve puzzles, or introducing a nazi to the loving embrace of a sledgehammer, every moment of the Great Circle is absolute bliss.