Spencer Legacy's Reviews
There’s no doubt that Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 are excellent games, just as they were when released. This Switch release is a bit off with its pricing and some of the controls in Super Mario Galaxy 2, but the games at the center of it all are brilliant as a whole.
LEGO Party is a solid take on the board game genre that rarely works outside of Mario Party itself. There’s a ton to unlock, plenty of LEGO charm, and interesting board themes. It’s definitely got a lot of luck to it, but if you can look past that, you’ll find a great game to play with friends and family here.
Digimon Story: Time Stranger represents the peak of creature-collecting RPGs. It takes everything that worked in the Cyber Sleuth franchise and takes it to the next level in interesting and streamlined ways, all while including great new additions as well. Once again, the first English theme song has been proven true – Digimon are the Champions.
Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac is an enjoyable remake that anyone who digs platformers can have fun with. It doesn’t break the mould, and the voice acting can come off as a bit strange, but even without any nostalgia for the original game, I had a fun time with this new remake.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is everything a kart racer should be and then some. It’s absolutely chock-full of characters and tracks, features some of the most satisfying racing mechanics I’ve experienced, and has a plethora of modes to play around with. If you dig Mario Kart, you do not want to miss out on Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds.
Donkey Kong Bananza’s DK Island and Emerald Rush DLC have the potential to be a lot of fun, but the bundle ends up being a little bit underwhelming. I wish DK Island were more robust and rewarding to explore, and the price point is a bit steep for a fairly straightforward and repetitive mode like Emerald Rush. If you’re desperately looking for more Donkey Kong Bananza to play, this is alright, but I wish it were either cheaper or more extensive in its new content.
Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection is an odd case. As a collection and as a piece of digital preservation, it’s brilliant. There are lots of interesting bits of bonus content, tight emulation, and pleasant visuals. It’s just that the Bubsy games themselves aren’t very good to begin with.
Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots features plenty of golfing goodness that will please anybody who likes to take to the green. It likely won’t make golf more appealing to anyone who doesn’t already enjoy it, but the variety of modes and playable characters and caddies make it into a title that will devour the time of any enthusiasts.
Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar is a pleasant and relaxing farming simulator that mixes up the usual formula in an interesting way. The pacing is a bit wonky towards the beginning and can feel a bit repetitive, but playing at your own pace helps to make this a worthwhile game to kick back with.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is an outstanding remake of one of the medium’s finest works. The story is timeless and gripping, the gameplay has been improved upon without losing any of the original’s charm, and the visuals are extraordinary. I’m so glad that one of my very favorite games of all time has been brought to modern consoles in such a loving and wonderful way, and I hope to see the rest of the mainline Metal Gear Solid series get this very same treatment in the future.
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles 2 is an incredibly stylish follow-up to an already solid 3D fighter. There’s a wide range of neat characters, a satisfying combat system, exceptional presentation, and a good range of modes. If you’re into Demon Slayer, you’ll be into The Hinokami Chronicles 2.
Hunter x Hunter: Nen Impact is a bit of a mess, despite some fun being present throughout. If there were better visuals, more content, and less exploitable gameplay, it would be a blast to play casually, but what’s present is simply a bit too busted to really get into.
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is an absolute blast through-and-through. The visual style is top-notch, the gameplay is tight and exciting, and the game is perfectly paced with plenty to do for those who wish to push themselves. Outside of a couple of minor bugs, this is one of the sharpest games of the year, and worth playing whether you’ve got any experience with the Ninja Gaiden series or not.
Tron: Catalyst is a solid action-adventure game that Tron fans will definitely appreciate. The pacing can be a bit jittery, especially towards the end, but the exciting combat and intriguing story make this a worthwhile trip to the Grid ahead of Tron: Ares later this year.
Alien Hominid Invasion is a blast of a side-scroller that looks great and plays in a very satisfying way. There’s a huge amount of replayability with all the different cosmetics and weapons, the art style is charming and nostalgic, and the gameplay feels great all around.
Alien Hominid HD is definitely simple, but there’s a lot of charm to be found in this old-school package. If you’re looking for a good challenge filled with goofy moments that won’t take up too much of your time, this is a solid enough pick.
Survival Kids can be fun to play for bits at a time, but some peculiar choices and the game’s repetitive design make it hard to recommend to most. Kids may enjoy the multiplayer aspect with friends and family, but it’s not the best game of the Switch 2’s launch library.
Mario Kart World is a solid next step for the world’s top mascot racing franchise and a great launch title for the Nintendo Switch 2. There’s lots to unlock and some truly exciting modes to try, even if free roam could use a bit more content. If you want to have an exciting time racing around impressive courses – especially with friends – then you can’t really go wrong with Mario Kart World.
Nice Day for Fishing is an interesting and enjoyable fishing game that takes advantage of its funny concept and surprisingly deep mechanics to create a surprisingly unique fishing game. It can be fairly repetitive with its fetch quests, but it’s still a worthwhile venture for those whose interest is piqued.
to a T is certainly a unique and charming game, but it’s not quite as fun as I had hoped. There are enjoyable bits and pieces throughout the experience, but for the most part, it never quite grabbed me in its roughly five-hour runtime.