Justin Nation Avatar Image

Justin Nation

Windsor, PA
The Nindersect
Nindersect

Favorite Games:
  • Rocket League
  • Neon Abyss
  • Wreckfest

4353 games reviewed
70.7 average score
70 median score
43.2% of games recommended

Justin Nation's Reviews

Strangely enough this isn't my first rodeo, back in the day I wrote for the N64HQ as well as a few other outlets on freelance gigs but then when the HQ closed I decided to step it up and started The 64 Source. As the first word of a follow-up system to the N64 began to swirl I then decided to venture out into completely new territory and started OperatioN2000, where I had very little regular reputable news to share. With no other options I decided create my own content focused on profiling key developers and their current relationship with Nintendo or "dream games" where I saw opportunities for Nintendo to dust off classics or recently-made games and do something new with them on improved hardware. This was all going pretty well until my wife and I decided to have our first child and I then decided that it was time to hang it up and focus on my family. As I closed down both sites I did decide to partner with Billy Berghammer, another former N64HQ writer, who had created his own site, PlanetN2000. We agreed to move over the relevant content from the older sites to his and on top of that I had taken a grad school class in programming in ColdFusion and decided to offer to code the front-end and back-end for a new version of his site. Through these efforts the newer and more complete Planet GameCube was born! While I would occasionally contribute to that site, helping do things like working out Louie the Cat doing rumors and other odd things, I eventually decided to stop as my family obligations grew. While I had continued to follow Nintendo through both the Wii and Wii U eras my TV time was limited enough that I began playing more PC games again. It is in the PC space that I began to play a number of independent games and they started to be the games I enjoyed the most. Between their lower price, their often less traditional gameplay and approach, and their great variety I was hooked! With the launch of the Nintendo Switch I was already excited by the possibilities. The portability factor alone meant that I would have far more options and places I could play away from the TV, and games like Breath of the Wild looked impressive. With my oldest daughter poised to start her senior year in high school and my youngest finishing out junior high I started to see an opportunity to get back into amateur games journalism once again with what is now Nintendo World Report as well but I'd initially just thought about writing some editorials periodically. Then, right before the launch of the system, Nintendo had their Nindie-focused presentation and I saw my two most beloved gaming worlds colliding. The games I had been playing on my PC could now be played in a portable way and on Nintendo hardware! Being the type who tends to work against the normal current the concept behind Nindie Spotlight was born!
7.1 / 10.0 - Shadows 2: Perfidia
Aug 6, 2019

I'll just come out and say it, for the most part the indie titles that have tackled horror so far on the Switch just haven't generally been great as a whole...

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Aug 6, 2019

Clickers are kind of a genre that came and went in the PC space, temporarily proving to be a little different and brainless for simply relaxing for a bit, but then generally fading quickly to the back burner...

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Aug 2, 2019

One of the things that can make indie games interesting and exciting is their ability to do things that are unexpected...

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6.1 / 10.0 - Super Wiloo Demake
Aug 2, 2019

When it comes to budget titles it can always be difficult to identify where to put the bar in terms of overall quality...

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7.6 / 10.0 - Chroma Squad
Aug 1, 2019

If you grew up enjoying the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers this title may have a special appeal to you since in essence it is a tactical RPG where you take control of a time remarkably similar to them...

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7.2 / 10.0 - STANDBY
Aug 1, 2019

Quick and dirty (and typically quite challenging) gameplay is what Standby offers, and if you're into precision execution platforming it will definitely deliver...

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Aug 1, 2019

If you’re looking for something with a slower pace, lacking in pressure, and helping you be a bit introspective about life and love this may be just what you’re looking for...

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This puzzle platformer has a polished look and some surprises along the way but also has a tendency to get dragged down by a reliance on cheap deaths to prolong itself, which can be annoying...

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Jul 31, 2019

Since there's an abundance of classic point-and-click adventure available on the Switch, much of it also featuring humorous characters and situations, the overall bar you need to clear to make your mark is a high one...

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8.5 / 10.0 - Forager
Jul 30, 2019

When footage of this game was originally shown as part of one of the Nindie Directs any fan of Stardew Valley would have been challenged not to be intrigued with what appeared to be a familiar look mixed with some silliness...

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Jul 26, 2019

Bethesda has continued its streak of bringing games with ambitious scope to the handheld-capable Switch, but of their offerings on the system Youngblood feels the least satisfying overall...

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7 / 10.0 - Hoggy 2
Jul 26, 2019

Cute, colorful, and surprisingly challenging at times, Hoggy 2 is a budget-friendly puzzle platformer with very basic controls and a bit of charm as well...

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Jul 26, 2019

As someone who has watched some anime over time, but has hardly kept up over the years, Kill la Kill is something new to me so walking into the world of this game is definitely a bit mind-boggling...

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At long last a high-quality and very broadly accessible baseball title is available on the Switch...

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7.5 / 10.0 - Fantasy Strike
Jul 25, 2019

While I’m pretty enthusiastic, overall, about this new fighting game the first thing I’d say is that with its controls I’d consider it to absolutely be an acquired taste...

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Jul 25, 2019

It can be a bit of a challenge to rate games that have simply been around for a while when they arrive on Switch...

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Jul 25, 2019

If you've never heard of or played any of the Mighty Switch Force titles before, and enjoy a solid puzzle platformer, you may be in luck with this one...

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Jul 25, 2019

If you're on the look out for a title with a wholesome story, cute looks, a great soundtrack, and a mix of puzzle platforming and rhythm game elements you've really lucked out with Songbird Symphony since it manages to check all of those boxes...

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Jul 25, 2019

OK, so going the retro route to make modern games that capture the look and essence of playing games on platforms like the Gameboy is a thing...

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6.8 / 10.0 - PAWARUMI
Jul 24, 2019

Among the genres that have become quite well represented on the Switch arcade-style shooters are most definitely holding their own...

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