Justin Nation's Reviews
Putting these two halves together The Spectrum Retreat is a surprising treat, with both elements of the gameplay motivating me to get further so I could understand or solve more. While I wish there were more room for discovery in the hotel sequences I suppose the deliberate and slow doling out of clues keeps the revelations around what’s happening at a specific pace. I will say that some of the backtracking through the hotel got tedious when there wasn’t anything of value to do along the way, but it usually didn’t waste too much time. Right through the game’s conclusion I was pretty satisfied with the experience and would love to see more titles with this pairing of gameplay styles in the future.
At the end of the day this is an electronic version of a game you could already play anywhere at any time with just a deck of cards handy. That said, the pre-made nature of the game’s 100 sets removes the randomness and when combined with an ability to undo your moves the game takes on a feel of a puzzle game at times as well. A lack of touch support is disappointing but not necessarily crippling, the result is a title that’s nice as an option but not obviously something most gamers are likely to be thrilled to check out.
Taking a crack at improving a classic can always be a tough business but finding a smart way to combine two takes some creativity. For the most part I’d consider that effort a success and for the right crowd Doughlings: Arcade should be a fun and even somewhat challenging ride. A mix of skill and strategy is necessary, especially as you get on in levels, and small but smart touches like the level coming to an end once you’ve cleared the majority of pieces remove the classic frustration of trying to get rid of the last 2 or 3 bricks on the screen. If you’ve been looking for a fresh take on some classics it’s a solid choice.
While it seems like the developers behind Senran Kagura Reflexions have met their goals for the experience they’ve delivered it’s hard as someone who isn’t already familiar with the series to take in. With only the most bare amount of actual gameplay it’s more of an odd virtual girlfriend simulator than anything else but even then there’s not much variety here. The hook to continued play really just ends up being a chance to unlock more costumes and accessories but that’s about it. If this sounds like your cup of tea, more power to you, but for anyone who isn’t already on board it’s probably not something you’ll want to just randomly pick up.
I’d consider this to be very much a love or hate kind of title with very little room in the middle. Either you’ll embrace the lack of direction and wonky controls, enjoying the ridiculousness this inevitably prompts, or you’ll get turned off by it all very quickly. The control implementation on Switch I don’t think does anything to help matters as none of the schemes are quite imprecisely precisely enough to keep it further on the wacky fun side rather than the head-bangingly aggravating side. If you’re inclined to give it a go be sure to come in with an open mind and a fair amount of patience.
While people with access to other systems may well have played Bastion before since it's been around for a number of years, it still is absolutely a great title that doesn't feel at all dated on the Switch...
Overall Planet Alpha is an interesting adventure that takes you across (and under) a visually diverse and interesting planet. It can be hard to appreciate as you dash by it, sometimes while being fired at, but it's obvious a lot of care was put into making this feel like a real place complete with ecosystems and a variety of life forms both benign and aggressive. While it isn't a terribly long experience I'd say it stays just ahead of the curve for exhausting its ideas completely, making it a generally well-paced and simply different experience.
Aside from the consistently silly characters and overall sense of light humor there’s not much more to tell than this about Ninjin: A Clash of Carrots. It is a game that is very clear in what it is shooting for and it not only does a fine job of getting there, I’d say it crushes it out of the park. While there are certainly more weighty and brutal beat-em-ups on the system the quick and charming gameplay of Ninjin absolutely stands alone on the system. Especially if you have a friend to party up with, this is a great title to simply enjoy.
Given the pace of the combat, the length of the many cutscenes, a meaty campaign, expanded additional content, and myriad options for managing your party this is a massive game. That said, the volume is only a positive if it can keep your interest and given the plodding nature of things I can’t see it appealing to everyone. Certainly in the AAA arena something like Kingdom Battle is more fun and engaging, and now on the indie side you’ve got quicker and tighter titles like Into the Breach now closing in from the other side. However, if you’re a bit fan of this style of strategic RPG combat and are into its great art and while not minding its somewhat boilerplate characters and dialogue there’s plenty for you to enjoy.
All in all Moonfall Ultimate just isn’t a lot of fun as its most critical feature, its combat, is too dull and uninspired to solicit many thrills at all. Contrasting with the classic Golden Axe, which it set its sights on, there isn’t a flow to your attacks and the action simply isn’t dynamic enough. Engaging in an armored slap fight of sorts where you can’t feel the impact of your mighty blows really sucks the life out of the experience. Paired with a solo experience that is more frustrating than ultimately rewarding and it’s tough to recommend, though at least if you can play with a friend there’s greater hope of it being a better experience simply because then you could enjoy some mildly tactical play.
By no means is Sigi a perfect or even great platformer, but given its humble aspirations (and price) it’s a pretty decent experience from start to finish. There’s some weapon variety, surprises, and the elements it borrows from a few different series are smart but never derivative. If you’re feeling in the mood for a quick and satisfying bite of greasy video game fast food Sigi is a decent guilty pleasure.
If you’re not a major tactical strategy fan you’ll probably feel a bit overwhelmed by the challenge Into the Breach poses, but if this is your wheelhouse it should absolutely satisfy. While less elaborate than the likes of Kingdom Battle the pacing and style are also probably better suited to play on the go or enjoyment in quick bursts since most maps are about surviving a set number of turns rather than having to eliminate all threats. While it isn’t likely appropriate for a mainstream audience with its steep learning curve fans of strategy games will likely enjoy this addition to the Switch library.
For the most part I’d consider this a novelty title whose biggest draw is its classic SF2-esque presentation. The thing is, it doesn’t take very long to burn out that being interesting, so unless you’re really looking for a one-game gambling title for the Switch there’s likely not much here to explore and enjoy. For serious Blackjack or Street Fighter II fans only, and perhaps even then only if you’re both.
What I think the game gets absolutely right is the balanced combination of speed sections, more traditional platforming and exploration, and some great boss battles. Rather than simply being derivative the result feels more like the game I’d always wished Sonic could be. If you’re a big Sonic fan it’s absolutely worth checking out, and even if you’re not you may find it surprising.
As a whole my problem with Fall of Light is that there’s such an abundance of titles on the Switch of all kinds that are simply implemented better, making it tough to recommend with any enthusiasm. If you’re thirsty for a challenge there are plenty of options, and ones where you’ll feel like you have far more control over your outcome. I suppose there will be an audience based on the fact that this is meant to appeal to the Dark Souls crowd while they wait for its arrival on Switch but too often the challenge I had in the game was tied to its poor mechanics rather than by design.
Being honest I’d say you really only should need one de Blob game in your life, though if you truly love the original and wanted more it won’t disappoint as long as you set your expectations towards more of the same. If you’re interested in the title but haven’t played the original it’s really a bit of a toss up which would be better. Honestly I prefer the pacing and objectives of the first to the sequel so in that case I’d point towards the remastered original that’s no less attractive and I think paced better for the Switch. Still, de Blob 2 is no slouch and does a great job of providing a less complicated 3D platformer that’s fun for all ages on the system.
If you’re a big fan of crazy shooters, and especially if you appreciate anime art and funky humor to boot, Azure Reflections may not be the best out there but it very much stands out as unique without question. Rather than go the path of merely imitating one of the other popular series it brings a few ideas of its own to the table and that’s always refreshing. Just be ready to get visually assaulted along the way, it’s one of the most colorful shooters I’ve ever seen.
When reviewing titles I always attempt to make it more about what the game is trying to be than what I wish it was but in the case of The VideoKid its inspirations are so obvious that it’s tough for me not to at least make comparisons. Mentally removing Paperboy from my mind this is a reasonably good arcade-style game that may end abruptly but is well-suited to quick sessions and is lovingly dipped in nostalgia with some “deep cut” references. However, keeping that classic in mind I find it hard not to get distracted by what’s been lost in translation. If you have no idea what Paperboy is, you’ll probably get some satisfaction, but if you’re a fan and were hoping this would rekindle that old flame just understand that there are some major caveats but some of its spirit is still present.
Given the likely polarizing nature of the game's controls, Manual Samuel gets a highly conditional recommendation. If you're willing to roll with the punches, there's definitely a unique good time to be had here, just be very aware of its intent to make controlling just about anything more challenging than you'd ever imagine.
What the game really ends up centering around is its action, and that’s really where the problem lies...