Justin Nation's Reviews
This is absolutely one of those games where I have to question who the target audience was meant to be. There’s no doubt it is friendly to newcomers since there’s very little to understand, but as an introduction to the fighting game genre it would also seem amazingly boring. It could be argued hardcore fighting fans could get a kick out of it, finding ways to eke out every bit of technique possible… but with no ability to be down and turn the tide or anything else exciting that is normally associated with competitive fighting games I can’t see that being likely either. Moreso than almost any other title I’ve reviewed One Strike simply is what it is… and that’s a one-dimensional, bare bones fighting game that offers little to thoroughly enjoy.
Every 10 levels you’ll then face a more formidable foe, and they’ll have unique attacks for you to deal with...
In the end I’d consider BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle a pretty impressive fighting game that will easily fill the void left by a lack of a Marvel Vs. Capcom action. If you’re looking to get your fight on and want something full of energy and excitement it handily delivers the goods, has an impressive roster, and is generally as n00b-friendly a fighter as I think I’ve ever played. I’d consider it a must-play for Switch fighting fans!
In the end there are some positives to be taken from Happy Birthdays but you really need to be in love with the concept and the core gameplay enough to dedicate yourself to getting over the hurdles it generally throws in its own way. In many ways the game feels unrefined and not quite fully-realized, more of a hodge podge of ideas thrown together and put on a shelf. Truthfully this does put it firmly with many other efforts in this genre, high-concept games that collapse a bit under their own ambition. While there’s enough here to be worthwhile it’s absolutely not going to be something just anyone will be compelled to thrown a ton of hours into.
Overall, it’s extremely hard for me not to smile while playing Just Shapes and Beats, even when some of the boss battles are absolutely kicking my butt. With some experience under your belt or simply some practice through remembering the major patterns in general all levels can be conquered, just some are definitely harder than others. An absolutely game-changing revelation I had while playing in Online mode, and would watch players who were obviously much more experience than I was, is that in many cases life can be easier simply staying still if you know the right spot in the right map. If done successfully this can mean simply hitting the button to dodge periodically rather than trying to move and keep track of everything going on around you. It takes some practice and discipline but there’s no arguing with the results they got. If you enjoy great music, a load of surprises, and just a bit of craziness Just Shapes and Beats is a unique and very worthwhile experience on Switch!
In the end if you’ve not experienced a game that plays with concepts like these ICEY has some added value. Being prompted to think about the game and how you interact with it differently is always a bit of fun and thought provoking. Of course if you don’t have a taste for the slashing action there will be other opportunities as well. If you enjoy the genre, and appreciate a little something extra to wrap your head around, ICEY is worth your time though.
While Milanoir offers up something very different on Switch, and manages to avoid repeating itself too much, the overall unevenness of the experience can be hard not to be frustrated by. Some sequences play well, and will give you some push back, but others can prove to be maddening and seem to only get cleared through an element of luck on top of your skills. If you’re determined to you’ll get through it but for mere casual fans without a patch it will probably aggravate more than entertain.
Shift Quantum was a very pleasant surprise of a quality puzzle game, and it delivered quite a bit more than its modest presentation would imply. More than just a collection of pretty rote puzzles, which is something that happens a bit too often in this genre, Shift Quantum has some great ideas and it makes the most of exploring the challenges that can be concocted around them. If you’re a puzzle fan who has been looking for something that veers off the normal path a bit and throws in some intrigue to boot it’s a quality choice.
Overall I was surprised how positively my family reacted to Invisiballs. They’ve become pretty jaded with mutliplayer action games so when their initial skepticism melted away quickly to be replaced by whoops and yelling about who got who it was a sure sign the game was onto something. That said there’s also no getting around the limitation of really needing 4 people to be an optimum experience. A 2 or 3-player match can be done but it is far more of a cat and mouse game followed by quick bursts of attacks until someone gets a kill. Only when you have a full roster do you have enough going on that you begin to see a wider variety of strategies in play and the game hitting its stride. A great option if you regularly have some friends or family around to play with though.
For the most part it’s this sense of fun and discovery that is meant to prop the game up, since having gone a less traditional route there’s not a compelling overarching story, your characters are intentionally simple and lack story arcs, and the combat system is pretty bare bones. What helps drive you is the desire to try out some of the fun choices for changing things up, find out what weird things you may be fighting next, and to explore new places to see what surprises there may be. That said, if this lighter style and lack of a meaty story aren’t what you typically would look for, or if the pop culture references don’t connect for you, what’s left is a pretty bare bones RPG experience beneath it all so it is vital you’re sure this is an experience for you.
In the end I really appreciate what Smoke and Sacrifice set out to do and how well it generally executed that vision. While survival games typically have played out, for me, as being merely for their own sake the added purpose behind your character’s survival being for the sake of finding the truth about the fate of her child I found compelling. Each step I’d take to get closer there would be more demands and the drive to overcome those obstacles felt much more personal than it typically does. While there’s some tedium, which is somewhat common to the genre, and handheld mode isn’t ideal it is still a compelling game that plays quite well.
Depending on what you're looking for Legend of Kay Anniversary could be worthwhile. If you played it in its original form and have a touch of nostaglia for it or you're simply a big fan of 3D platformers, even ones that haven't necessarily mechanically ages well it has its strengths. That's not to say there's not some baggage along for the ride though, with the voice acting being a surprise out of left field. Be sure to check out some video of gameplay and read up further on it to be sure it's a good fit for you.
All in all I enjoyed playing Die for Valhalla for its relative simplicity that really does bring me back to the classic arcade quarter-pumping experience. Paired with some friends it can be a blast to simply maul your way through enemies and then fight for the glory that spews onto the screen at the end of each level. As long as you keep your expectations in check, and don't count on it to deliver a very deep experience, it can be some good fun for at least a handful of hours of hacking up bad guys and bosses.
All said, Yoku's Island Express is a breath of fresh and creative air on the Switch and just what this jaded gamer needed to get out of a pretty serious "more of the same" funk. As a life-long fan of pinball I'm thrilled with the result and enjoyed the many ways mechanical concepts from physical machines managed to get integrated into this adventure-style format. Even if you're more of a pinball novice, in general the controls are pretty friendly and approachable, you'll just need to develop a sense of timing and pay attention to certain patterns to determine what you'll need to do to progress. If you're down for something with boatloads of charm and heart mixed with a style of play you've likely never experienced before it is well worth picking up.
While Punch Club isn't a bad experience by any means there's no way to get around its limitations. If you enjoy its somewhat relaxed "play it on the cough while you watch TV" style and haven't already indulged in it by all means give it a look. If you've dabbled before or are looking for something action-oriented it likely won't be worth considering though.
Overall, Fox N Forests truly feels like a lost game from the the Early 90s that you could plug into your SNES and it would seem right at home on all levels. Of course for people who aren't looking for that hit of nostalgia or are generally unfamiliar with that era this may not be a great fit. However, if you've been itching for something satisfies your sense of nostalgia and can dig in to the total experience it's a welcome reminder of how beautiful pixel art games can be.
There's almost as high a degree of memorization to Ikaruga as skill as you can only improvise your way through challenges like this so much. True success will only come from having familiarity with where to go, what to do, and then almost a degree of muscle memory to help you perform ballet between bullets flying everywhere. If you've been looking for a game that's somewhat light on total content but that compensates with a demand for approaching perfection Ikaruga is as tough as they come. But, if you were hoping for something a bit more light and fun you can absolutely pass, this is a game that revels in its brutality.
If you're a die hard twin-stick shooting fan Atomine is a bit of a breath of fresh air among the offerings already available. Its more arcade-like sensibilities make it a bit more friendly to pick up and play and the runs tend to be on the quicker side, though if you get rolling it can take a bit. More mainstream gamers who're in search of a shooter to check out may find there are better examples of the genre on the Switch but could find the relative simplicity of it all appealing, especially in handheld more where its more chunky look works well on the smaller screen. If you're looking for a very cyberpunk-looking twin-stick experience it is worth a look.
The object in the game is pretty simple, you just want to jump right or left to go up platforms, slowly taking you higher and into more challenging zones...
The classic hidden item puzzle game genre has made some real strides over the past few years...