Justin Nation's Reviews
Overall I had a fabulous time playing through Owlboy, and the fact that it surprised me with some regularity was a huge bonus. While most indie titles tend to move in the direction of a very specific style of play it manages to be a little more diverse, helping it stand out among its peers beyond its good looks. Throw on a non-traditional story and hero and you have a game that doesn’t get everything right but that, without question, invested a great deal of effort in being notable.
I'd say that Darkside Detective isn't the best adventure game on the system but it holds up well in the middle of the pack. The greater the breadth of your pop culture appreciation the more likely I'd say the jokes and references are to connect for you. In general, the game is riding on that understanding. It's a worthwhile romp for genre fans who'd like a chance to enjoy five chapters with a reasonable length, have a few laughs, and not being quite as frustrated as with other games in the genre on the Switch.
What it comes down to for a game like this is whether you’re a fan of the genre and what your expectations are for the length of the experience. I’d say that Darkside Detective isn’t the best adventure game on the system but it holds up well in the middle of the pack. The greater the breadth of your pop culture appreciation the more likely I’d say the jokes and references are to connect for you, and in general the game is riding on that understanding. It’s a worthwhile romp for genre fans who’d like a chance to enjoy 5 chapters with a reasonable length, have a few laughs, and not being quite as frustrated as with other games in the genre on the Switch.
The hook of Dandara is most certainly its unique control style and whether or not you can master and enjoy playing that way. For people craving something different and who want to be challenged it throws quite a lot at you that you’ve never seen before and it can be thrilling. For anyone expecting things to be more traditional and perhaps a bit casual-friendly unfortunately it likely won’t be a great match unless you’re willing to push yourself. I’d be very curious to see what would come out of a sequel and how its style could be refined further. The bones of greatness are very much there, but to enjoy it you’ll need to be willing to put up with some rough edges.
While I wouldn’t say there’s anything truly remarkable about this collection for genre fans I’d also say it is also not a bad collective investment. If you’re unfamiliar with the series and have been wanting to recapture some of that classic genre feel it is sure to give you hours of content to help satiate yourself. If you’re not a genre fan, or have only been a recent fan of modern tactical games, it would seem to be a bit of a risk as it could deliver a substantial amount of content you could find tedious. Mercenary Saga Chronicles is a throwback to tactical RPGs of the previous era, for good and bad, and for its price it does a fair job of delivering, even if it is a tad generic.
Sporting an extremely reasonable price in the eShop arcade shooting fans of all skill levels can likely get some solid hours of enjoyment out of Black Hole. It doesn’t aspire to change the world or be a revelation, but it delivers a varied challenge that I enjoyed. Playing through with all 3 available ships proved to be worthwhile as they each had their own feel and I enjoyed trying out different upgrade paths to find what worked best for me. It’s a great riff and improvement on a classic formula at a fair price point.
While Earth Wars isn’t a high concept title the level of quality it manages at its price point still makes it well worth checking out. If you don’t mind grinding away a bit to improve your gear to then take on some slightly tougher enemies and slowly make your way through missions and bosses it can be pretty satisfying. As long as you keep your expectation in check and fair it’s a pretty decent game to kill some time with in handheld mode while doing something else, and I can generally get behind that.
Overall there’s nothing outright wrong with Aperion Cyberstorm but it also isn’t terribly inspiring, despite the obvious effort put into the game’s multiple modes. It is a serviceable shooter and can provide a fair test of your ability, but for veterans looking to be challenged there are better options available on the console. If you have friends you’d like to play with and against the game’s value rises a bit, though again depending on your collective tastes and experience it may not provide much longevity. However, if you’re a bit more of a novice when it comes to twin-stick shooters and are looking for an opportunity to progressively learn the ropes of the genre it may be a great fit.
All said Atomik isn’t a very complicated game, it simply sets the stage for its mechanics and then explores them to their fullest. For it being so simple an idea on paper it is actually remarkable how much is done with it, and in general on each world new wrinkles and variations are added to the mix to differentiate them. Depending on how many spheres you’re determined to collect you can essentially control the difficulty yourself and if you find you’re in need of more spheres you can always choose to go back for more later. Set up very well for quick pick up and play game sessions it’s a great fit for the Switch.
While Mercenary Kings admirably takes some risks to try and create a different kind of experience, and blend together the traditional with the more contemporary, unfortunately the result is a bit muddled. The good news is that for people searching for something different in their shooters, and who are willing to invest the time to get things going, the further you get into the game the more fun it gets to be. If, however, you’re looking for a quick fix of any kind or thirst for an arcade-like experience you’ll be sorely disappointed. If you’re interested in it be sure to read up and look around to be sure it will suit you.
Where the warning signs begin to crop up is that Mercenary Kings demands that you make an investment of time and effort, with a fair amount of grinding, before it will really get rolling...
Possibly the most aggravating aspect of the game, especially when you pair it with the relative difficulty of dealing with the controls, is the way the save system works out...
I think the decision point with a game like Night in the Woods revolves around how much reality you want in your games. If you’re looking purely for an escape, to turn your mind off and simply enjoy yourself, Night in the Woods very much won’t be for you… at all. If, instead, you view games through the lens of entertainment that can also have something to say or to reveal to you about people who may be living very different lives than you I would absolutely say you should check it out. I don’t know that I’ve ever played a game with characters that remind me so much of my own children, some of their struggles, and how sometimes people’s traits being positives or negatives can be very heavily driven by perspective and context. I can’t think of any game I’ve played in quite some time that made me reflect on as many things as Night in the Woods has, and if you’re open to the experience I’d highly recommend it.
Ultimately, even getting on in years a bit, Steamworld Dig still works very well and is almost immediately as addictive as it ever was once you get the ball rolling. The “just one more run” feeling doesn’t have quite as strong a drive as with its sequel, where there are far more things you’re hoping to unlock, but it is still a highly satisfying experience that is well-implemented. Ultimately priced as a budget title it offers a great time for a reasonable investment.
In the end Brawl isn't necessarily a bad game, it's just a hodge podge of ideas that individually may work but somehow when they're mashed together it doesn't seem to congeal.
Overall Her Majesty's SPIFFING was a pleasant surprise, full of cracking humor and some suitably absurd puzzle-solving. It may feel a bit on the short side but given its price the length is fair and I would prefer it over too soon rather than overstaying its welcome. For people searching for a game that is light, not terribly demanding, and can just be enjoyed for quite a few hours it's pretty easy to recommend.
While the road to the best challenges were a bit tedious, my brain found the rapid pattern recognition and rule application of Nuclien very satisfying over the course of the few hours it took to complete everything. This is in no way a high-concept game; it is simply the full exploration of a relatively simple idea. If you're looking for something a bit different that will test your ability to quickly recognize numbers and patterns it can be quite an engrossing activity while it lasts.
Two pretty standard tactical considerations in strategy games, that I suppose don’t jibe with a game where you’re driving vehicles, are angle of attack and use of cover...
At the end of the day Sky Force Reloaded is a gorgeous and challenging arcade shooter, and is among the most impressive on the Switch. Its looks are top-notch, it offers a significant degree of challenge for shmup fans, and its controls are buttery-smooth. Just be prepared to invest in the game for the long-term if you really want to see all it has to offer, which doesn’t have to be a bad thing. I just feel like the game could and should perhaps ease up the throttle, at least early on, to give people a few unlocks to better see what’s possible earlier on so they don’t necessarily give up before seeing much of what the game has to offer.
In terms of some issues there are some rough edges worth being aware of...