John Rairdin's Reviews
Dungeons and puzzles in the world are varied and just the right degree of challenging. It also certainly doesn't hurt that it is a gorgeous game that holds its own as one of the prettier on Switch. The genre blending mechanics that Oceanhorn 2 brings to the table help to elevate it above the failings it has. Some bumps along the way can't prevent this from being a journey worth taking.
Multiplayer is, however, a significant disappointment for anyone like me who greatly enjoyed the original's implementation. All that being said, from a port perspective, Doom Eternal is a downright miracle. It somehow presents a much more complex game even better than it presented the original.
Subnautica is a survival and narrative experience that stands as a benchmark for the genre. The Switch version itself certainly has its drawbacks, but not enough to weigh down the experience too much. Some of them do admittedly affect gameplay mildly, but the strength of Subnautica still pushes through.
The performance on Switch is largely great, but when it hits a snag it tends to do so at the worst possible time. But for the rest of the time it's a great looking, great sounding, and great-playing 3D platformer. This is one of those games where despite some flaws, you'll find yourself returning to old worlds to clean up every last collectible as you work your way up the demon ladder.
It provides a depth that few Star Wars games have and its place in the timeline makes it relevant to modern fans even if you otherwise have no interest in legends content. Yes you'll spend a long time running back and forth across the dunes of Tatooine but the payoff is always worth it. Save for the potential of the recently announced remake, this is easily the best experience I've had playing this game and I can now earnestly hope the sequel finds its way to Switch as well.
This Switch release certainly has some drawbacks, and it's arguable that a straight port of the original games at a higher resolution might have yielded better results than this down-port of the remasters, but the net result remains positive. Performance is overall a significant improvement over the original releases and still a superior way to play. It's unfortunate that Ubisoft has decided to work their way backwards through the original Assassin's Creed story arc with their Switch releases, but even if you haven't played the original, this trilogy holds up incredibly on its own.
Even then, I struggled to put Aztech Forgotten Gods down once I started playing it. As I said at the outset, Aztech Forgotten Gods is perfect imperfection. While I can't ignore its faults, I found myself significantly more enamored with its successes.
The difficulty may be off putting to some, though, and an argument can be made that it would be better off with some adjustments made in that department. That being said, it is hard to deny the underlying quality and charm that this game exudes with every swing of the club. Cursed to Golf is a big deal for relative newcomer developer Chuhai Labs. While the studio has developed and published several titles and their lineage can be traced back through multiple companies well represented on Nintendo platforms, Cursed to Golf may very well be the game that puts them on the map.
It wasn't common, but it was noticeable when it did happen. Overall, Floating Cloud God: Anniversary Edition is a great version of a great game. While a somewhat harsh initial difficulty curve may scare off some, it is worth pushing through for some enjoyable boss fights, and for the good of all those tiny pilgrims.
Arbitrary levels from the first couple worlds were often more difficult than levels near the end of the game. Difficulty spikes abound, and the less than generous checkpoint system may cause frustration for those not looking for a tough 2D platformer. But for those who are, Onion Assault will make for an excellent few hours of platforming challenge.
I also encountered several puzzles where I was able to move into an essentially unwinnable position, forcing me to restart the puzzle from the menu. Nonetheless, it is hard not to fall in love with what feels like an interactive, biographical art gallery. The ways in which Monet's paintings are intertwined into levels only gets better as the game goes on, resulting in a simple but unique adventure.
It still isn't on the same level as other versions, but this is the narrowest the gap has been in more than a decade. If you're looking for a way to play a great soccer game on a portable system with a few compromises, this will get the job done. Hopefully this is the start of EA Sports putting out more of their library on Nintendo platforms, because I'm heartened by how EA Sports FC turned out.
It's not quite like any other narrative adventure game I've ever played. Combat and menu design can be a little clunky, but ultimately every encounter serves as a deliberate and well crafted puzzle. This is a very fresh take on a post apocalyptic story that oozes with satire, dark humor, and some oddly cozy end of the world vibes.
You can even swap to the dungeon layouts from the later console ports. This is an extremely faithful update of an important game. And if you're willing to give it the opportunity, you find it is just as addictive today as it was forty years ago.
All in all, forma.8 is a game that presents a lot of very fresh concepts that absolutely deserve to be explored further.
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.
Mushroom Wars is a fun take on the real-time strategy genre that would be perfect for portable play if it weren't for some technical issues. Pacing can be a real annoyance, especially early on, but gradually fades as you progress further into the game. On the bright side, it is simple to learn, and its bite-sized levels are very addicting once you get going.
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.
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.
Burnstar takes the underlying concepts behind the Bomberman franchise and develops them into something much more interesting than the source material. Some balancing issues aside, Burnstar is an engaging puzzle experience whether playing alone or with a friend. For those, like me, who were disappointed by the official Bomberman game on Switch, Burnstar might be just what you're looking for.