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!
This is a title I originally got to try out at PAX and even after having the chance to play it more I'm still a bit torn on it...
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While I wouldn't say that Crysis is at the absolute upper echelon of FPS titles it certainly has its adherents...
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While I have a great deal of nostalgia for the 8-bit era since I played a ton of games back in those days, going back can be a bit rough...
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There's nothing wrong with a little weirdness and quirk and I've been very pleased that the Switch has delivered quite a bit in that vein over its lifespan...
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Ooof, this one hits me right in the irritated for some reason...
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This one is a challenge for me to review as there's good news and bad news...
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I love it when indie titles show up that I’ve never seen or heard of and they end up being a pleasant surprise...
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Finding a puzzle game in the Switch eShop is about as easy as hitting a fish in a barrel exclusively filled with fish... they're everywhere and at all price points...
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If you’re looking to make a splash on the Switch eShop who can resist some cute killer bunnies mixed with very accessible puzzle action… and boss battles! There’s just a spirit to Radical Rabbit Stew that makes it generally fly by...
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When it comes to arcade-style twin-stick shooters one name pretty well everyone is familiar with is Geometry Wars (how is there STILL no version of it on Switch?!?!)...
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Family-friendly experiences on the Switch do exist but can be hard to find, in particular accessible and "good" ones...
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Whenever there is any doubt about whether or not Nintendo has really changed its ways over the years, a quick reflection on the presence of the likes of Waifu Uncovered is all you need to consider...
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When I see gameplay that takes a different approach and offers a different sort of experience it immediately appeals to me, and that's an essential part of the indie spirit...
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This is a title I originally saw at PAX and that impressed me with its morbid sense of humor and somewhat clever puzzling...
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If you're up for a challenge, tons of power-ups, and bullets everywhere...
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When you’re making a new iteration of a revered and classic series I don’t doubt the greatest concern lies in how great a risk you’re willing to take in changing things...
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As bleak as the core premise may be in Void Terrarium, with you playing as a small robot trying to save a lone human girl in what appears to be the post-Apocalypse, you can't help but be charmed by how darned cute it is...
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Sharing nearly everything in common mechanically with the original Distraint, working as a story-driven journey, this sequel stands apart because of its themes and exploration of the main character's pretty complex emotions...
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When LIMBO made its debut on the indie gaming scene it really made a splash, not just with its dark themes and creepy art, but also its take on an adventure full of pretty creative and challenging puzzling...
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