Yann Bernard


85 games reviewed
73.5 average score
80 median score
68.2% of games recommended
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Through such arduous trials, the Champions' Ballad pushes Breath of the Wild's mechanics to their limits, whether combat or puzzles.

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Dec 21, 2017

On top of quantity, Mario Party : The Top 100 gathers quality minigames that were wisely chosen, nicely updated and carefully ported to the portable console, although this nostalgic selection also results from the eventual compatibility with the original controls, consequently creating a few issues. Worse, the main modes are too simplistic and almost void of content. Whether those underline a lack of inspiration or development time, such shortcomings prevent this compilation from expressing its potential further than brief multiplayer sessions.

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5 / 10 - AO Tennis
Jan 29, 2018

Like an ambitious rookie, <i><b>AO Tennis</b></i> appeared promising, with alleged photo realistic looks and authenticity backed by a extensive data built AI. But Big Ant Studios' production can't live up to these expectations, at least for now, despite an interesting timing approach. The lacklustre presentation, the shallow (though large) content and the far from optimized gameplay literally smash the whole experience. Self confidence is a quality, boastfulness or even false advertising, not so much...

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Feb 7, 2018

Beyond the obvious Minecraft inspiration, Dragon Quest Builders is based on a solid, subtly ironic narrative which creates not only reason for these building tasks, but also life into this 3D rendition of Alefgard. And it gets sharper on Nintendo Switch with the Great Sabrecub that literally cuts through the potentially more pixel arted Terra Incognita mode, even if such retro nostalgic additions can't counterbalance the limited sharing options and the lack of multi player, thus consolidating this fundamentally solitary experience as a whole.

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Mar 14, 2018

True to the series' heritage, Kirby Star Allies asserts its apparent simplicity through a candid, somehow heartbreaking scenario, a vibrant artistic direction, and a sweet gameplay fundamentally built for conviviality, with ennemies that can also become skillful buddies once befriended. This amicable approach creates sympathetic cooperative operations and wonderful sequences of grouped transformations, but it results in a constrained, hence linear level design. While the new powers reveal interesting and potentially overpowerful teamwork synergies, those are only exploited into the rather short additional modes. More generosity, imagination and even boldness were expected from this moving, then ultimately nostalgic adventure.

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There is nothing better than a beautiful trip into the wilderness to rekindle primal platforming instincts, and Donkey Kong Country : Tropical Freeze gets even more cool through this Funky, yet still challenge heavy "Switchmake".

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May 8, 2018

Like an ambitious rookie, AO International Tennis appeared promising, with alleged photo realistic looks and authenticity backed by an extensive data built AI. But Big Ant Studios' production can't live up to these expectations, at least for now, despite an interesting timing approach and undeniable efforts showed through the numerous updates. The lacklustre presentation, the shallow (though large) content and the erratic gameplay literally smash the whole experience, which still looks more like some distant imitation rather than simulation, hence suggesting the lack of a bold, expert direction overall.

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May 28, 2018

Claiming Top Spin's heritage probably put too much pressure on Breakpoint to begin with, even more so considering the studio's obvious resource limitations comparatively. Despite some wise compromises and interesting gameplay concepts, Tennis World Tour fails to develop, or even emulate its model's formula, due to an overall lack of expertise. A thorough imitation nevertheless, yet not sufficiently polished, deep, and authentic to fulfill realistic eSports ambitions.

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Jun 20, 2018

Despite some original minigames and clever boss battles, the story mode falls short, since it strictly serves to teach the new gameplay mechanics. Mario Tennis Aces introduces "zone" tricks that prove both spectacular and powerful, offensively as well as defensively, thus creating a singular, radical timing approach to tennis, yet rather adequate for such competitive ambitions online. However, more risks should have been taken, particularly through the evolution of the double tap system in order to play closer to the lines, and increase the errors potential, which would add not only consistency, but also authenticity. Therefore this episode reaffirms the series' legendary accessibility underlined by the discrete motion mode ' la Wii Sports, a classical ace of conviviality on the whole from Camelot.

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Jul 11, 2018

Just like Captain Toad, if you can't jump, you'd better use your brain. This down-to-earth approach transforms the environments into puzzles that require to look harder - and dig deeper - than expected in order to find all of their design treasures. And despite a lack of additional content, such wonders get even shinier on Switch.

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Aug 16, 2018

A morbidly amusing narrative in the background of a facetious universe, along with hilarious characters and their puzzling torments, Flipping Death undoubtedly transpires coherence as an adventure game, proving that the genre still belongs to the world of the livings.

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Sep 4, 2018

There is undoubtly some blasting spirit into this efficiently action oriented Yo-Kai Watch spin-off, but with such ghostly narrative, skeletal structure and overall lack of consistency, only diehard fans may be haunted by this fleshed-out multiplayer experience for long.

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Through a less intimidating world, a cosier, jazzy atmosphere and an even more dynamic combat system, Torna : The Golden Country reveals not only an archaic chapter from Xenoblade Chronicles 2, but also a fundamental pillar of the series as a whole. While the adventure never quite reaches the density of a full installment, the focus on human relations drives the narrative across uncharted emotional territories, making this standalone expansion a fantastic introduction to this universe, and an unmissable opportunity to explore Alrest deeper.

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Oct 3, 2018

While the classic campaign only revamps the old, individualistic, yet outrageaously randomised formula by developing few recent additions, Super Mario Party displays a more strategic approach through special dices dedicated to each character and cooperative modes. This episode also features diverse wonderful mini games that cleverly use the ergonomic particularities of the Nintendo Switch, with a solid competitive dimension even extended online, but the whole programme lacks some more content to be really worthy of such superlative a title.

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Nov 13, 2018

Far from a simple 3D "remodelization" for a more powerful, yet still portable home system, Pok'mon : Let's Go not only refreshes the series' very first adventure, but also reflects the long journey since then, by wisely integrating evolutions such as Pokemon Go's capture system or partners in order to improve the modernity, accessibility and conviviality of the formula. A fantastic way to (re)start Pok'mon, and a glorious conclusion for Junichi Masuda as director.

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Dec 5, 2018

The pursuit of Nathan's adventures in the USA could have been a simple pretext to explore this new world haunted by undiscovered Yo-kai, through a humorous, if not satiric tone about cultural specificities. But Level-5 generously went further by improving the tactical side of the combat system, more dynamic as a whole, while expanding the activities considerably, and above all, by telling a parallel story from an investigative point of view, so these two destinies make an even more moving fable once united. Beyond its usual youthful collection spirit, Yo-kai Watch 3 thus encourages to widen contacts and befriend other people, an astoundingly vivacious, yet admirable humanistic mission for a series inspired by traditional japanese ghosts.

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Jan 9, 2019

Thanks to some sweet, though slightly too light additions - Peachette in particular - New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is really for everyone now.

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5 / 10 - Claybook
Mar 14, 2019

Just like kids playing with plasticine, Claybook is good-hearted and full of creativity, but has more than often hazardous results. In other words, while the concept looks good, it's not well modeled enough concerning gameplay and ergonomics.

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Thanks to the light (but sometimes rather dazzling) cooperative help of Toadette and a few level design jewels, Captain Toad : Treasure Tracker gets even more brillant with this DLC, somehow too episodically though. Its crown of puzzle-platformer king remains nevertheless absolutely deserved.

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While the reinforcement of (Every) Buddy might appear too light to have legitimately retitled this remastered port, such evolution not only strengthtens the combat system, but also softens the whole experience, which remains harsher than the smooth feathers of Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon suggest though.

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