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!
Your enjoyment of this outer space adventure will mostly correspond to your comfort with a general lack of direction
Read full review
Even more weird and quirky, working to complement the weird and quirky Hiveswap Friendsim
Read full review
Outside of this seemingly having narrow general appeal, wonky physics and a pretty empty world make it a challenge
Read full review
Mixing together time limits, puzzle elements, and a need for some platforming precision amps up the challenge
Read full review
Sporting a look and general charm reminiscent of the Paper Mario titles, Born of bread at yeast deserves a look
Read full review
It delivers what it promises, along with a bit of an odd narrative, but the prevalence of pushing DLC is embarrassing
Read full review
Who knew that what’s roughly a blacksmithing adventure / RPG could be both engaging and generally chill
Read full review
A charming mix of local folklore, some music, and a sense of adventure
Read full review
There are some old-school Super Sprint vibes here, but frustrations with controls and unlocks hold them back
Read full review
There are just some eras in gaming that are tough to return to, and I’d argue this is a game from one such time
Read full review
The start-up is a bit on the slow side, but if you’re looking for a Metroidvania with some personality it delivers
Read full review
While its time-looping challenge to prevent disaster is interesting, the execution of its mechanics stymie easy enjoyment
Read full review
A pretty approachable modern-ish take on the classic tactical strategy RPGs of yesteryear with some soapy drama
Read full review
So it’s an “accessible” racing game with a variety of equine rides… but it is also quite limited and dull
Read full review
Embodying the indie spirit, determined to do its own thing proudly, this will be a home run for the right crowd
Read full review
There’s nothing wrong with another variation on Overcooked’s formula, but aside from theme this fails to differentiate
Read full review
This budget twin-stick shooter delivers a novel main game, but the magic is in 4 twin-stick takes on arcade classics
Read full review
While co-op space survival has been done, This Means Warp’s roguelike unpredictability steps it up a notch
Read full review
A story with some heart helps to somewhat elevate what otherwise is generally another variation on time management
Read full review