Steve Watts
Nintendo Switch gets a mech game with depth in both combat and worldbuilding.
SolSeraph is a clear homage to ActRaiser, but some of the areas where it forges its own path put a damper on its potential.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night suffers on Nintendo Switch due to distracting technical issues.
Game Freak's ambitious puzzle-action platformer has a neat hook that never quite comes together.
An homage to the full breadth of Mega Man X's history shows that some parts of its legacy have aged much better than others.
An homage to the full breadth of Mega Man X's history shows that some parts of its legacy have aged much better than others.
In broad terms, I can understand why Mario Kart 8 might be hard to justify for some players. It's a re-release of a game Nintendo put out three years ago, and that Nintendo fans (who make up a large portion of the Switch audience) probably already played. That said, this is a fantastic addition to the Switch library, not just as a great game but as one that benefits from the system's core features. It adds the requisite new content and fixes the one large oversight of the original. Mario Kart 8 was already one of the best in the series. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is even better.
The Disney Afternoon Collection may not have the consistency of Capcom's previous work with the Eclipse Engine, thanks to its library varying in quality. But it is just as reverent and breezy, and the addition of the Rewind feature helps ease the journey into the past. If you were a fan of even a few of these games, you owe it to yourself to see them presented so respectfully for a modern audience.
Though I found the repetition too much, those cathartic moments of perfect planning in multiplayer are enough to warrant giving it a try, as long as you have a squad of friends to back you up.
Halo Wars didn't rewrite the RTS playbook, and Halo Wars 2 is unlikely to bring on many converts who weren't convinced by the first attempt. In many ways this is an iterative sequel, with new units and balance, and a handful of additions. The campaign is well-made and the multiplayer shines thanks largely to Blitz Mode. It's a streamlined take on a genre that has faded even more in recent years, but in its own way, Halo Wars 2 is still carrying the flame.