Stilstand may be a short experience but it doesn't refrain from going deep, namely by delving into concerns about our mental health that have become more and more prominent during the global pandemic. Stilstand gets it right when it comes to capturing our attention with a captivating plot and a very relevant topic, while its art style and soundtrack encapsulate the theme without flaw. The only problem that needs to be pointed out is its length - we can only wish Stilstand was a longer game.
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SOLAS 128 is a puzzle game that puts the player in the centre of a growing, major challenge and that with its steep but by no means unfair difficulty curve, and growing but manageable challenge level, provides a fantastic experience for fans of puzzle games, all this surrounded by a simple but very fitting art style. An essential work for fans of puzzle games.
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Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl do a very good job at fulfilling their primary mission: to bring the fourth generation of Pokémon to the contemporary age. They should have gone further, though, as the lack of creative freedom and clinging to the original formulae happen at the expense of adding new elements. This is not to say that this effort is not a great addition to the Nintendo Switch catalogue, far from that - what made the original games fantastic is still here and there are indeed improvements to some of the original mechanics, but the approach followed was perhaps a tad too conservative for what's expected of a Pokémon remake.
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As an action-packed experience, OctaFight does a good job, even if its heavily pixellated art style can make things confusing sometimes. Where OctaFight loses its appeal is in its limited format - the only way to play this game is in local multiplayer, with no single player or online multiplayer included. Not only this makes options very narrow for many players, it's also impossible to understand in the context of reinforcing public health measures against the pandemic.
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With its in-depth but still accessible combat system and a great look when it comes to its visual worlds and character depiction, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl needs nevertheless to improve its technical performance given its propensity to fluidity issues. Performance issues notwithstanding, this is a great package of fan service and those with a taste for Nickelodeon animation series will be delighted with this effort.
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Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic on the Nintendo Switch is a conversion work that was perfectly carried out and which brings the much beloved RPG to a new format in all its glory. Fans of the series and of the original game will appreciate this effort, even if the original's point and click elements are gone and there is no use for the Nintendo Switch touch screen. At the same time, this won't captivate members of the public outside the original fans, given how outdated some of the gameplay mechanics have become.
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High paced action, with climatic boss fights, a sharp and slick weapon management system, and a very welcoming combat system aren't harmed by the game's rather dated graphics and its underachieving plot, and the fun that can be extracted from this experience has made Ultra Age more than earn its place within the Nintendo Switch catalogue.
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Darksiders III gets its shot on the Nintendo Switch, in a conversion work that includes the whole content of the original, now with the added advantage of being able to play anywhere. Alas, there aren't many more factors working in its favour. Not only does this version come with no additional content whatsoever - which would be very welcome, three years after its release - but its sub-par technical performance makes it increasingly frustrating as the game gets more ambitious.
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Gynoug is not one of the most common 16-bit games that we see getting a re-release these days, but this 30-year-old 2D shooter deserves to be more known among today's gamers. With the typical punishing difficulty of its time and very packed scenarios that will keep the players extremely busy, Gynoug also comes with the usual options to recreate an experience as close to the original as possible.
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Thanks to its modern treatment of previous Mario Party boards, as well as a slick gameplay experience and an ease of access that makes it simple for everyone to enjoy, Mario Party Superstars is one of the finest party games in the modern era, and a gorgeous-looking effort too.
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Metroid Dread had a big responsibility ahead but once we start playing it, we realize that not only does it tick all the boxes, it does so with exceptional gusto. What we have here is a masterfully done work that brings Metroid up to today's standards while remaining loyal to its classic formula, and it does so at every single level, from its beautiful locations to its merciless difficulty, long-lasting lifespan, in-depth plot, slick and sharp performance, and frantic combat, Metroid Dread is an essential classic. The Nintendo Switch is a richer console for having it in its catalogue.
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Full of reference material, any long-running fan of Dragon Ball will marvel at the game world, soundtrack, and voice work. This is also a top-notch conversion work, with the Nintendo Switch handling this gem with impressive skill. Those less keen on Dragon Ball will be less impressed and are most likely to spot the game's flaws, namely how its world is smaller than those of other JRPG games, and the excessive repetition of the same dialogue lines. As it is, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is mostly aimed at fans.
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SkateBIRD is a fun and simple skateboarding game that instead of following the tenets of its counterparts with licensed content, rather goes for a free and comedy-filled approach to its settings, and it works very well thanks to a sharp gameplay that feels just right. Not all is perfect, however, and its camera issues can get frustrating, while its main mechanic for performing more complex moves is mostly unnecessary, but SkateBIRD does a good job at delivering a no-frills and enjoyable experience that fans of skateboarding will undoubtedly enjoy.
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For a game in a genre where heavyweights command large legions of fans, Nexomon is simple but its plot works pretty well and there's a wide variety of monsters to catch. At the same time, Nexomon is not original enough to be able to stand up to its more competitive peers, which means that this will mostly appeal to the most dedicated fans of monster capture RPGs.
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Short Games Collection is a good format to release five short-length indie games which would go mostly unnoticed if released individually. In this collection we find original games with variable levels of challenge and entirely distinct mechanics, put together by a neat and efficient presentation. A lower price would be very welcome, however, as there are more ambitious collections available on the Nintendo Switch on a similar price range.
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Rustler does not try to hide where its main source of inspiration comes from, and it does a great job at parodying the world's number one reference in terms of open world games. With a stunning looking environment too, Rustler finds itself a good place in the Nintendo Switch library. Not all is smooth, though, and performance issues end up making the experience more frustrating than it should be, especially in more intense moments. With that said, this is a fun game that deserves its chance.
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Thanks to its addictive combat, involving plot, and even a new venture into a mode that acts as a tower defense game, Samurai Warriors 5 is a very welcome arrival to the Nintendo Switch catalogue in the hack & slash genre.
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King's Bounty II is the sequel to a tactical RPG that came out over thirty years ago, but it does a fine job at keeping a great balance between the original game's formula and the standards that define today's tactical RPGs. This work is a lot more successful in its gameplay than in its execution, however, as the visual performance often falls behind expectations due to technical issues that don't allow it to be the fantastic experience that it could aspire to.
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Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is a more ambitious effort than its predecessor and it brings us a vast, open world, with a gorgeous art style, a great combat system, heavy emphasis on the plot and a great variety of creatures to capture. The experience is far from perfect, though, as its technical performance doesn't always go as expected. On top of that, the game world feels rather empty, despite this being more ambitious than the first game. Regardless of that, it's a very welcome addition to the Nintendo Switch offer on monster capture games.
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Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 Road to Boruto is a game that arrives with a bit of a delay to the Nintendo Switch but that doesn't mean that it loses out on its main assets. If fans of the Naruto series and of the Ultimate Ninja Storm games in particular will appreciate the immersion in the Naruto world, newcomers will be nicely treated to a game of accessible learning that features an in-depth combat experience, a very wide cast of characters and an involving online component.
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