Justin Nation's Reviews
On the whole Caveblazers is a ton of challenging fun and currently has no direct competition on the Switch...
Overall while there’s no doubt that Rain World is a unique title on Switch it’s also very likely going to be a love / hate affair for people at best. The controls that feel novel and unique to one person may just seem to be wonky and difficult to another, and I’d say both perspectives are right to a degree. It’s very much a trial and error kind of game, and the ever-present reality of the next monsoon coming to wipe you out when it’s most inconvenient adds to the tension and, often, frustration. That said, if you like a challenge, are interested in something that plays quite differently, and have some patience for getting to know how to make the best use of your always-limited time is can be rewarding.
While there are similarities here to Overcooked, Catastronauts is very much its own distinct experience and will require your full attention to be successful. Rather than being so many distinct tasks you need to complete in sequence and looking to optimize performing those tasks Catastronauts focuses on setting mayhem into motion and forcing you to adapt. Smart positioning, keeping your critical tools close at hand, and transitioning quickly between working on offense and then keeping your ship in one piece are the keys to success. While the pressure of the experience may not be for everyone it makes for a thrilling and unique challenge.
Complementing already solid shooting gameplay with a terrific graphical overhaul, some smart new elements, and a provision for local co-op Pang Adventures is a joy for a vintage gamer like me to play. Familiar and yet modern, challenging and yet fair, it starts out a bit slowly but doesn’t take too long before it starts making you work to complete those levels. Remaking classics is undoubtedly a challenge, forcing you to balance a sense of nostalgia with a need to keep things fresh. For the most part the folks at DotEmu have knocked this one out of the park, and with it’s pocketbook-friendly price it’s easy to recommend to any retro gaming or shooting fan.
In the end The Aquatic Adventure of the Last Human is a decent but bare bones Metroidvania experience whose greatest asset is just being a little different. People who like to be challenged may find the tough bosses to be a fun test of skill but the dead periods in between as you figure out where to go would probably detract from the enjoyment for them. It’s not a bad title, it’s just hard to get excited about it when there are just better and more fleshed out titles available in the eShop.
If you’re really interested in a more minimalist take on roguelikes you may find Xenon Valkyrie+ to your liking. Just understand that it’s very much a no-frills experience that has issues with balance and variety, never really feeling like it nails any particular aspect completely. In general, I’d say you’d be better served finding one of the many better alternatives in the genre on the system.
Starting with the positive being able to somewhat customize your pixel-based pirate is nice, and once you’ve done so you’re off...
After a relatively brief tutorial that introduces you to some of the aspects of the game but hardly all for the most part you’re going to be shoved out of the nest and expected to figure the rest out...
In the game you’ll play as the Leprechaun Job, who’ll need to collect shamrocks and whack enemies with his very large hat in order to survive...
Central to the experience are two elements...
Overall, Uncanny Valley is a bit of a gamble, banking on drawing you in with the initial weirdness and sense of unease, and that being enough to then sustain your interest as you continue to attack the game from different angles in search of a better outcome. I have no doubt some people will enjoy the mystery and the investigation of it all, exploring choices in the hopes of better seeing the big picture. For everyone else, though, either interest will wane before the first runthrough is completed or when it becomes clear that a fair amount of repetition will be in order to understand what exactly is going on.
It seems like with the release of the Multiplayer patch Tiny Metal is finally meeting its potential, though to be clear the support isn’t terribly robust by any means. The core gameplay is certainly there, and should please strategy fans, but the Campaign’s story isn’t terribly interesting and the computer AI won’t likely impress strategy veterans. Assuming you’re able to coordinate with someone online to set up a lobby and match up the multiplayer patch should make for a great additional feature, but if you’re just looking for a random match-up keep in mind your enjoyment will be subject to some luck both in terms of finding a match and it being satisfying.
This is absolutely a title for people who enjoy some pretty extreme challenges and can deal with the frustrations that come along for the ride. It’s not terribly expensive, has a fantastic look, and sports a pretty killer soundtrack. Just to go with its control simplicity is a fair amount of aggravation so it isn’t something I could recommend to just anyone without providing a fair amount of warning.
If you’re looking for a decent run and gun experience with a hint of puzzling thrown in Omega Strike isn’t a bad option, just don’t expect many surprises along the way. It has no major flaws to speak of, is designed reasonably well, and puts up a bit of a challenge in spots, especially when save points get a bit spread out. There are definitely more ambitious titles already on the eShop but in a pinch this makes for some decent variety, especially if you are looking for something a bit old school.
If you don’t mind the aggravation and can get into the zone there’s plenty to do, especially given how many upgrade elements as there are hidden even in the earliest levels. You won’t be able to get at them initially, you’ll lack the unlocked power-ups to do so, but if you want to always be putting your best foot forward you’ll need to seek these out a little off the beaten and obvious path or even in some cases hiding in plain sight. It’s absolutely a challenge and is full of colorful visual flair, but it’s also not as polished as the best runners on the system, making it recommended for the right audience but with some caution.
If you’re down for a challenge and some frustrations, and enjoy the thought of turning out the lights and enjoying some creepiness, it’s not a bad experience. You may find the puzzles to be intriguing but also don’t be surprised if you find yourself needing to hit a walkthrough to figure something out, though that’s not unusual for adventure titles in general I suppose. I just wish its use of horror and suspense lived up to its initial promise, rather than just being something you need to deal with in roughly the same way throughout.
While its 5 classes, 6 arenas, and 2 modes won’t equate to endless and terribly diverse fun, credit goes to the developers for being smart with how they set the stage to go with all of that...
Probably just about everyone has played the puzzle games where you’ll need to rotate or even move segments around in order to complete a circuit...
Despite my complaints I was surprised at how much the loop of Mana Spark got me hooked. There's some smart tactical combat here that's challenging in a different sort of way, the need to make use of the environment and your secondary item to lure enemies around as a method to kill them is fun and a bit different. While it is lacking in polish and won't appeal to people looking for more twitchy shooter-style fun Mana Spark does manage to carve out a place for itself as a solid alternative for people looking for a roguelike with a slower pace and some smart gameplay.
You’ll play the game as Kora, a young girl who is trying to find and save her sister...