Justin Nation's Reviews
While it hasn’t aged particularly well, especially trying to follow such a strong title as Dead Cells which really took everything this game does and amped it up significantly, I very much appreciate Rogue Legacy’s vision and approach. While it may not have been the first roguelike by any means it’s the first title I personally remember showing me the potential for the genre and turning me into a fan. If you don’t have nostalgia for the title directly, or aren’t very curious about earlier roguelikes, you can pass this one up. However, if you’re a true roguelike fan you owe it to yourself to see an early pioneering title that should help you to understand how far the genre had come.
In terms of downsides the biggest issue is that for all of its quirks it plays a bit generically in the end. There are simply a ton of great twin-stick shooters on the Switch and The Walking Vegetables may have some visual style but its gameplay is firmly in the middle of the road. I wish the skills would have thrown a bone earlier on, as perhaps that could show the potential course for how things could continue to develop and change but for the most part they simply take too many runs to gain access to so they’re didn’t do much to help. If you’ve burned through the other shooting options and are looking for a fix The Walking Vegetables works well as a healthy snack but doesn’t quite work as a main course.
If you’re down for a somewhat unusual narrative where you’re a very active participant, able to hit characters from a variety of angles to tease out the truth, The Shapeshifting Detective may appeal to you. As long as you walk in with the expectation that there’s only so much room for player choice it may not be too disappointing. Compared to previous titles as a whole this entry feels a bit more jerky with the camera work and isn’t quite as cohesive, but it is certainly a novel experience with some decent acting propping it up. To get a taste for it’s style it is definitely recommended that you check out some video of the gameplay first to see if it suits you.
All in all Moonlighter is a refreshing mix of multiple game styles that kept me coming back for more. The dungeons keep changing things up and while they start out intimidating with experience and better gear you’ll begin to become more confident and capable. The shopkeeping aspect may not be nearly as thrilling but the reward of determining the optimum price for each item is its own reward, especially when you’re then able to bring back high-priced items and know you’ll be able to rake in the gold coins that you can then use to further improve your situation. It has a very satisfying loop and has enough diversity in its combat options that it’s likely just about anyone can get sucked into this hero’s adventures.
After being introduced to what’s happening with a ridiculous premise that then has no real bearing on the action that follows at all you’ll be thrown into playing with minimal direction...
All in all, even years into its life, Diablo III is an amazingly strong title that may have had a rocky start way back at launch but has course corrected and improved substantially over the years. It offers a ridiculous degree of variety in how you can approach combat, a tremendous menagerie of monsters and bosses to contend with, and the variety of things to do after you’ve “beat the game” is staggering if you enjoy grinding to get that ideal build. Even if you’re just planning to play through the story with a class or two that will take you quite a number of hours and with a wide array of skill levels to set the game to you can push yourself hard or opt to slaughter everything in your path. The fact that all of this can now be taken anywhere you go and plays practically flawlessly is a true testament to what the system and the development team who converted the title are capable of.
With its very colorful and cheery presentation through and through it’s certainly pretty relaxing to play, assuming matching groups of same-colored fish doesn’t stress you out in principle alone...
Between the somewhat different way that its story and details reveal themselves, the terrific music and visuals, and the custom-catered abilities you’ll use in challenging combat Transistor is a satisfying cyberpunk romp. No matter how powerful you may feel the Process continues to send new enemies and scenarios at you so you’ll need to experiment and adapt, keeping everything engaging throughout. While the story feels like it’s over a bit too soon it’s a satisfying ride and if you want even more challenging combat you then always have the Sandbox and New Game + to indulge in.
All in all Save Me Mr. Tako is a surprisingly lengthy and challenging title, much moreso than its cute, almost Kirby-like, retro looks would imply. For the most part it works well playing in bursts as many levels take just a few minutes to complete, though as the difficulty rises it may take a few attempts. Completionists will really need to work to grab all of the hats in the game, keeping track of various locations and details you encounter that will lead you to new areas. If you don’t mind some cheap hits and are up for a retro challenge Mr. Tako should keep you busy for a while.
While I was nervous about Mutant Football League, wondering if its style of play would still work today, I’m happy to report that it has managed to capture pretty well everything I love about arcade-style football and wrapped it up in violent weirdness. With each team having its own Dirty Tricks that continued to surprise me, different on-field hazards to contend with, and a surprisingly deep number of available formations and plays it has actually done solid work in moving much closer to the depth of a series like Madden than I would have expected. Certainly the included Dynasty mode underlines that commitment as well, and expands the appeal of the game to people who enjoy the management end of things on top of the action. Mutant Football League is the only football option currently on the Switch but I’m happy to say it doesn’t take the position at the top of the non-pile only by default. While it may have some rough edges it is a satisfying game that should offer a fair amount of mileage and it absolutely makes me ask the question: Now when do we get Mutant Hockey League?!?!
All in all Save Me Mr. Tako is a surprisingly lengthy and challenging title, much moreso than its cute, almost Kirby-like, retro looks would imply...
While Gal Metal won’t be for everyone it’s absolutely a unique title that caught me by surprise on multiple levels and that grew on me as I got more comfortable with its approach to the music. Much like real improv getting started with playing around in the music with different beats and combinations can be a complete mess, but with time and some confidence you can surprise yourself. While the story elements are completely bizarre they at least made me laugh, though I’d be curious just how much cultivating friendships and building specific stats influence things. Regardless, Gal Metal is a fresh take on music games and stands out from the crowd if you don’t mind its quirks.
Appropriately released on Halloween, Death Mark is a title that has the power to suck you in and give you a range of feelings from dread to some scares depending on how you react to weird images and sudden jumps in music. Playing out as a mix of interactive novel and traditional adventure it has a flair to it, but you’ll also need to invest some time in it before it bears fruit. If you’re able to dedicate your full attention to it, playing it as was intended, it does heighten tensions nicely. While it won’t be satisfying if you’re in search of action and thrills, if you’re down for ghost stories that you experience at a slower pace it may be satisfying.
The idea is simple enough in principle, you’ll use a slider that you can see at the bottom of the screen to choose a number that represents how high or low your ship will fly...
The thing is, other than changing up the scenery and playing with between 2 and 4 players there’s not much more to talk about. Exclusive to the Switch version of the game you do have the ability to play in vertical mode, which I suppose is novel, but even in single-player I found the scale of things a bit too small and I can’t imagine more than one person trying to play this way. Neat, but I’m not sure it’s practical. Overall, while there’s nothing outright awful about SkyScrappers there’s just not very much compelling about it either. If you have some friends available and are looking for something anyone could pick up perhaps it will be a reasonable choice but otherwise there are simply too many solid action games on Switch for this to make a major impression.
I suppose Sleepin’ Deeply has a weirdo novel appeal to it, and with its budget price could provide a few hours of entertainment, but setting your expectations low on all levels would need to be in order. It feels quite a bit like a last-gen (or maybe even more than 1 generation ago) title not just visually but in terms of mechanics and everything else as well. Outside of the environments you find yourself in being weird there’s not very much that qualifies as satisfying, it’s just something to stumble your way through for the most part.
If you’re looking for an experience that in almost all regards feels like it’s a lost NES title, some warts and all (I’m looking at you, fake walls) Alwa’s Awakening does an almost disturbingly good job of it. Though the pacing may be a bit on the slower side there’s a solid adventure to be had with your humble hero Zoe, and the option to reduce downtime retracing your steps is a modern convenience I can really get behind. It may not be for everyone, but it should check pretty well every box for its intended retro-loving audience.
If you’re a fan of Burton-esque stylings and weird characters Pinstripe gladly offers those up over its runtime. It’s story is appropriately a bit on the dark side as well, and the characters you interact with along the way help provide the glue that helps make it all feel worthwhile. Paired with a smart mix of platforming and puzzle-solving it is a terrific bite that you could probably finish in a long afternoon or a few sittings.
Fast-paced, brutal, and full of upgrade and equipment options that allow you to tune your characters to complement your strengths or address your weaknesses, Speed Brawl has a feel all its own. While sometimes the action can get a bit too crowded and confusing for its own good, making it tough to spot flashes on big enemies that mean you need to dodge, the feeling when you overcome all of that to win helps minimize the pain. If the run-of-the-mill nature of the beat-em-up genre has you down this variation on that theme is a terrific shot in the arm, providing ample opportunities for beating a whole lot of bugs ass.
Overall this is a title that will live or die based on how fascinated you are with the premise. Though mechanically it’s not very complex that isn’t to say it’s easy by any means. You’ll have to be smart about how you use your units, learn to always handle calls before anything else (if nothing else time slows down while you’re on the phone), and then experiment with personnel and equipment to figure out what seems to work for you. It may not be very action-oriented, but there is a certain thrill to a job well done and when you throw in some oddball calls you need to deal with it’s certainly a unique experience.