Red Dead Redemption is a true video game classic, and being in elite company wasn't something that was going to hinder this game's vision. Effective storytelling with fleshed out characters who don't trample over each other, amazing soundtrack, and unrivaled photo-realism makes a truly complete game.
For a proof of concept title, Pokémon Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee execute wonderfully.
If not for the sheer beauty that is the creation suite, I almost guarantee you that I couldn't recommend you stay away from The Golf Club 2019 fast enough. The physics are way off, and for those who have played golf titles in the past, this is a travesty of epic proportions. I hope the next title sees some fixes, including the inclusion of real-life PGA golfers. The Golf Club 2019 is purely an exercise in mediocrity wrapped up in a nice bow. Yeah, this game is disappointing.
The culmination of four years' hard work, WWE 2K19 is like Daniel Bryan's initial run in the WWE: four years of ups, downs, triumphs, failures, criticism, praise. But one thing truly stands out, and that is the hard work that it took to get to this point. WWE 2K19 is the best WWE game since SmackDown vs. Raw 2007. The necessary changes to gameplay that were made this year truly help this game to stand out the way it was supposed to. MyCAREER is now a complete mode, and WWE Universe is fun again. When push comes to shove, WWE 2K19 could be considered the magnum opus of the WWE 2K era of games and is indicative of what's to come in the future.
Fire Pro Wrestling World is a love letter to professional wrestling, but only to the most hardcore of hardcore fans. If you enjoy the deep customization suite – despite the lack of efficiency that has plagued the series, something that WWE 2K aims to fix in WWE 2K19 – and the opportunity to have nearly one-thousand created wrestlers in your game, you'll find hours of enjoyment baked into the action. However, if you're looking for something accessible, quick to get into for a quick match or two, search elsewhere.
SNK Heroines -Tag Team Frenzy- is a fun game to waste some time with, however, the lack of optimization on the Switch port might turn off some players. It's a silly game, there's a lot of fun to be had, but the unsteady frame rate when in handheld mode coupled with the fact that the game CAN reach 60fps docked, but just doesn't is extremely disappointing.
The gameplay is crisp, and even though its the only game in town, Madden NFL 19 doesn't rest on its laurels one bit.
Code of Princess EX just doesn't seem to scratch that itch for the beat 'em up style that I grew up with. Despite the story being engaging and the characters being wonderfully colorful, the stale and disengaging gameplay just brings it down so far. This makes me sad because Code of Princess EX could have been a proper remaster instead of a port with enhanced graphics. Consider the boat fully missed.
Bus Simulator 18 has made a lot of strides to improve upon 2016's entry. The map is bigger, with room for more cities to be added, but performance needs a bit more work in terms of stability. Everything looks amazing, but without steady performance, it can stave quite a few people off. Nonetheless, simulation fans could consider Bus Simulator 18 an adequate simulation fix that doesn't ask too much past the initial purchase.
Gal*Gun 2 is as niche as niche can be, bordering on eroge at times. It's repetitive, it's silly, but damn if it isn't fun to kill some time with, especially since it's in a portable package on the Nintendo Switch.
A masterpiece in terms of storytelling, Yakuza 6 is the most fitting sunset to the Kazuma Kiryu saga. Every little feature of Yakuza 6 is enjoyable from beginning to end, and it seems like the team made a point not to make the game feel slow in any way, even with the amount of exposition that this game has. There are moments where you'll laugh your head off and others where you'll be held in suspense, but it keeps it fresh throughout the game. Even the mini-games and sub-stories keep you coming back, increasing the replay value.
There is no real reason to play this game, and I'm not ashamed to tell you to do either one of two things: Go play Fire Emblem, Hyrule Warriors or even Dragon Quest Warriors. Or put Omega Force and Koei Tecmo on notice for putting such little effort into this title.
The beauty about WWE 2K18 is that it doesn't change much, but the things that they did change matter. Presentation, match flow, as well as keeping MyPLAYER's creation suite and the main game's creative suite separate matters...A LOT. Yeah, there are some flaws in the game, and that comes with the territory of yearly releases, but to indicate that the small changes weren't enough would be giving this game a disservice, and for what we got, it's a decently engaging edition of WWE 2K.
Pokken Tournament DX is definitely worth the upgrade. The game has changed just enough to stay fresh and the five new characters, along with the Popplio and Litten assists that were introduced, freshen the game up enough to matter in the long run. Despite the changes, everything is familiar to old players, and while Pokken DX isn't all that welcoming to newcomers, those who put the time into the game will definitely find a wealth of enjoyment. Pokken Tournament DX is a game that deserves way more than what it got in terms of support, and hopefully, on the Switch, it will get it.
Madden NFL 18 is near perfection, and I couldn't be happier to continue playing this game.
Even though it's not the Genesis version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 or Sonic Advance 2, Sonic Mania does a lot of good things right. Christian Whitehead and Simon Thomley put out a beautiful love letter to Sonic fans from the Genesis and Advance eras of Sonic 2D platformers. The nods to all of SEGA's classic titles, the innovative boss fights, the merging of several classic levels, all of it proves that to capture the pure essence of Sonic the Hedgehog, sometimes it is good to simply go back to the basics...
Valkyria Revolution tries so hard to be different, yet it falls on its face. There are so much of what made the original series great in this game, but all of that gets eschewed for a disappointing title unworthy of the name "Valkyria."
What TEKKEN 7 does isn't all that revolutionary, no pun intended. However, TEKKEN 7 takes a chance by adding some things that may prove to extend its life in not only the Fighting Game Community but also in the casual market as well. A well-crafted story, tournament mode for organizers to utilize and a variety of fighters to choose from, TEKKEN 7 stakes its claim as one of the best fighting games to come out in a year where fighting games are stuck in the public eye.
Little Nightmares is an amazing experience, albeit there are some things that are left to be desired. However, for a first attempt by the studio that gave us Little Big Planet content, as well as Tearaway Unfolded, Little Nightmares is an easily recommended time-killing adventure.
All in all, Graceful Explosion Machine does what it advertises, offers a fun arcade shooter experience, with a significant amount of replay value after you finish your first go round with the game. The vibrant colors and the background music, along with the simplistic yet deep controls, make for a fun experience on and off the road. Graceful Explosion Machine is definitely a must have for your Nintendo Switch.