Nick Herber's Reviews
It is pretty easy to spot the inspirations behind the title Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas. This is a game that has found its way onto just about every platform available now, and of all of them the Switch seems like a suitably comfortable home, lending itself nicely to the pick-up-and-play mentality that Nintendo has been pushing for its hybrid home and portable console. It is a fun game that kind of feels like a portable Zelda title, even though Oceanhorn would have benefited from taking a few more chances along the way to better establish its own identity.
There have been a handful of excellent RPG/strategy games that have released so far in 2017, and God Wars: Future Past hangs in there with a nice mix of old school sensibilities with some modern touches that make it an enjoyable adventure until the end.
Perception is a tough one to review, because it is a relatively short game that is at its core very similar to a lot of other action/horror titles out there. However, a clever mechanic combined with a very cool visual style helps to creates some excellent atmosphere that had me holding my breath on multiple occasions. In the end these smart design choices help to elevate Perception above the sea of also-ran titles in the genre, even if it never really quite realizes its potential.
The Town of Light is a fascinating if unsettling story that is seen through the eyes of a sixteen year old girl. The visual style is unique if not fantastic, with a thick atmosphere that is held back by limited gameplay. This is an adventure game that can fall into the walking simulator category for the most part, which allows you to explore - but at a pace that is going to be too slow for some gamers. There is some payoff here however, for the patient who are willing to survive not just the tale, but some technical challenges along the way as well.
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy - Episode 2: Under Pressure continues what the first episode began, putting together an interesting tale about a group of misfits who are as often their own worst enemies as they are best friends to one another. Still, the quirky but lovable collection of characters helps to carry what has been only an average story so far, while demonstrating that there is plenty of potential to be had here in the upcoming chapters.
Dark Rose Valkyrie manages to straddle that difficult balances between familiar and fresh, introducing new ideas while still remaining approachable to fans of the JRPG genre. There are elements of repetitive grinding here, something I personally have no problem with and genre fans will no doubt enjoy as well. That being said, the pace of Dark Rose Valkyrie is a slow burning one that is unlikely to bring new fans to the JRPG genre.
Pox Nora is one of those titles that is really hard to describe in a few sentences, because it draws from a handful of different gaming genres and manages to blend them into something that as a whole is rather unique. Having been out on PC for a few years now, Pox Nora makes its way to consoles and while it does show some of its age, the overall strategy behind the engine still works pretty well.
It is a fantastic time to be a fighting fan these days, and perhaps no game epitomizes that more than Guilty Gear Xrd: Rev 2. Without a doubt, there is no better 2D fighting game on the market right now. I have covered numerous Guilty Gear titles over the years, and time and again I come away impressed with the amazing visuals, fast action and surprisingly deep combat mechanics. Guilty Gear Xrd: Rev 2 is easily the best of an outstanding bunch. Even referring to it as a 2D fighting game feels just a bit off, with the 2.5D visuals. Mind you, this is not a truly 3D fighter like Tekken, but the gorgeous visuals still move about the field of play in interesting ways that really highlight just how breathtaking the graphics are. The animations are buttery smooth, with tons of color, detail and movement both in the fighters at the forefront of the action and in the imaginative background environments.
The original Outlast was effective for a variety of reasons, from its excellent use of lighting and sound design to a genuinely creepy setting and story. The sequel title tries to ramp things up by making the story even more twisted, and the overall experience is still a solid one, if it has not really evolved much from its predecessor.
Birthdays the Beginning is a really challenging game to describe in just a few sentences. It blends some genres and will undoubtedly be a divisive title as it is a slow burn that often provides more of a passive experience than an active one. The thing is - I find myself enjoying the time spent with it more often than not, despite some of its flaws.
Rive is an insanely challenging yet satisfying game that is mostly shoot-'em-up, but tosses in a few genre wrinkles as well. It is an unapologeticlly brutal game however, and it could use a handful tweaks here and there, but the overall experience is still a fantastic one.
There is a fun game here in NBA Playgrounds, but this is by no means the best version of the game. The other issue is that the game is a little on the shallow side. It is a shame really, because there is a fun title to be had here, but issues hold it back and the end result is a merely average sports outing.
We loved Mario Kart 8 when it released. We scored it a nine out of ten and felt that was the start of the Wii U's strongest run. With so few titles released for the Switch so far, I admit I was a bit wary about one of Nintendo's biggest early games being a rehash. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is more than just some graphic tweaks and a couple of pieces of DLC however, and fans of Nintendo's premier racing franchise will find plenty to like about this new iteration.
Out of the initial three episodes in this new series, Above the Law was easily my favorite. It is a much meatier installment, both in terms of episode length and the types of challenges Javi will face. The first couple of chapters left me somewhat uncertain, but now? After Above the Law I am ready for more.
If last episode was one step forward, this one was unfortunately one or two steps back. The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series - A New Frontier Episode 4: Thicker Than Water is a solid enough offering, with its usual assortment of quality voice actors and gut wrenching moments. That being said, some of the characters wore thin on me really quickly in this particular chapter, and once again it is Clementine to the rescue.
If you already have the base game for Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII (a title that we enjoyed a great deal when we reviewed it), you owe it to yourself to consider this DLC expansion then. It is a fairly pricey pack, but it brings a lot of great new options to the table and makes the core experience considerably better. And isn't that exactly what we want? DLC that actually adds something to a game we already enjoy, and not just frivolous weapons or costumes? In my case, the answer to that question is a definitive 'yes'.
Expeditions: Viking brings together two of my favorite things - RPGs and strategy. The packages has a few flaws here and there, but it is easy to overlook them when the overall game is so much fun to play. It seems Vikings have been a more popular topic over the last few years, from television shows to movies and even video games. There is a little bit of Banner Saga vibe here as you are tasked with leading your clan after your father passes away and you are forced into a situation your character may not be fully prepared for.
Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality is an odd game to say the least, but it has the potential to pull in two different sets of audiences. The first is of course, those who are fans of the Rick and Morty show. Those who enjoy Job Simulator should also find a lot to like about this title in Virtual Reality. While it is a little light on content, what is here is well-made and a lot of fun.
What we have here with Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy - Episode 1: Tangled Up in Blue is a solid if unspectacular entry into the latest Telltale Games series. I have really high hopes for Guardians of the Galaxy, and while Tangled Up in Blue does a decent job of setting the stage without any major trip-ups, there is plenty of room for improvement to be had as well.
On the surface, it felt like the stars were aligned to make Mass Effect Andromeda one of my most anticipated games in a very long time. I absolutely love the original trilogy, and the idea that this was going to be a "Dragon Age Inquisition" in space captured my imagination. The problem is, the execution feels rushed, and in the end what I had hoped would be a spectacular game simply has to settle for being a pretty good one.