Bow to Blood makes a worthwhile effort at simulating a VR airship warfare experience that comes with a surprising amount of mechanical depth.
As a series that has a huge legacy and influenced many games since its release, Shenmue hasn't managed to age that well. The awkward control scheme takes some time to get used to, and there are some unfortunate bugs that seem to hit hard enough to ruin the experience, but the story still has a lot of heart and charm to make you care enough to finish it.
State of Mind delivers an interesting story-driven experience with a mature theme that is likely to hook fans of dystopian/utopian science fiction. However, it doesn't do much to evolve the adventure game genre.
The Persistence is among the finest VR experiences to date and may prove to be a game changer for naysayers of the technology. The rogue-lite elements and asymmetric multiplayer are well-integrated into its survival horror gameplay, and serve to add plenty of replay value to an otherwise short experience.
As a sequel, there are some solid improvements made that result in an overall better game. The deck building is better now and there is more variety of cards added. Writing feels more concise but the combat is still rather shallow and the load times for each battle don't really help the flow of the game. The effort to port it to the Nintendo Switch is a success without any major flaws or drawbacks holding the game behind compared to the other console versions.
While not offering a unique experience, this is an Adventure Time game that is worthy of its name. The combat lacks depth and needs proper balance adjustments to make it more enjoyable, and there are some issues with the performance, but overall it is still a solid RPG that is worth giving a chance if you are a fan of the show.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is an excellent platformer that has a great level design and fun puzzles. It might not offer much for those who are double dipping with this game, but as a part of the Switch’s library, it is a worthy addition.
Gundam Breaker is an incredibly fun series, unfortunately, the first major English release for it was a rather disappointing entry that suffers from a terrible story mode, lack of engaging combat with an awful performance. It still has some redeeming quality with the customization offered for Gunpla, but this is not enough to overlook its major faults.
MXGP Pro is an enjoyable dirt bike racing game that is a good step forward. It can serve as a solid stepping stone for the developer if they can keep the gameplay quality intact but focus on improving and adding new content that complements it.
Despite being short, Shape of the World can easily start to feel lackluster if it fails to develop a mood altering connection with you. As such, it’s more of a hit or miss.
This is a good first step for the series which is in the dire need of a reboot, but it still manages to falter with its essential gameplay mechanics and lacks in a presentation that is easy to see if you have played a lot of racing games. Nonetheless, this is still a fun racing game that should satisfy the fans of the series, but it is hard not to express disappointment over the potential even when the shift to Unreal Engine is a big one.
Ikaruga is a classic, but it’s not a game for everyone. It confidently dwells in its genre and is designed to cater to a specific audience. It won’t alter the perception of those who aren’t thrilled about shoot-em-ups, and neither is it meant to.
Forgotton Anne sets new benchmark in interactive story-telling and shows that you don’t need to have a big budget just to provide the best experience.
One of the best indie RPGs from the current generation is finally playable on the Nintendo Switch, and while it doesn't offer the perfect experience, the allure of portability should be enough to make you consider giving it another chance.
Rogue Aces is a fun little indie game tied to a decent progression system. It suffers from repetition but offers excellent controls that help mitigate some of its flaws.
Masters of Anima offers a decent mix of strategy and action. Those who enjoy a good balance of puzzles and combat won’t be disappointed here. It is not exactly the most original game but the core mechanics are solid enough for it to be an enjoyable experience.
Extinction feels like a game that could have been a fun side project for a studio developed on a modest budget, instead of being sold at full price as a retail game that struggles to offer enticing content for its asking price.
Sea of Thieves offers a lackluster voyage past the first few hours, and feels incomplete. However, there is some fun to be had when the game works well as a social sandbox. There's plenty of unrealized potential here, as it's evident that the foundation is there for Rare to build upon in the months to come.
Hakuoki: Edo Blossoms is a fun Otome visual novel that succeeds with what it sets out to achieve. It might have some flaws but it is mostly a positive experience over its predecessor.
This is a pretty good remaster with some nice visual upgrades and it is being sold at a reasonable price, but unless you are a fan of the old school gameplay design of the series, it is best to stick with the new games. However, Rogue is still one of the better Assassin Creed games from the last generation.