Dan Thompson's Reviews
While Summer in Mara has a wholesome atmosphere that’s rarely broken thanks to an overwhelming effort placed towards style and presentation, there isn’t anything wholesome regarding the content consumed.
Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise is charmingly awful and will stand out as a morbid curiosity among the pantheon of Nintendo Switch exclusives. As a sequel, it stays true to the original by accidentally inheriting its almost exact flaws. In certain aspects it’s better, and in others it’s much worse. I found the combat to be more palatable while the performance and glitches were difficult to stomach.
Liberated, despite some minor visual downgrades, is a standout title for Nintendo Switch. I was fully immersed by both the action and story all the way through. Atomic Wolf has done a commendable job of adapting the power and potential of comic books as a video game. The developers have stuck the landing, and I'm excited to see what stories and experiences they end up creating next.
Vasilis isn’t going to be the type of game for someone who’s looking for a “fun” experience with engaging gameplay. Instead, it’s the sort of title that uses the artistic potential of video games to provide perspective. It excels in this area thanks to a unique presentation style and is worth the investment for those looking to play something different.
Bloodroots' cartoony action kept me engaged through its entire campaign. While it can be more difficult to enjoy handheld due to the likes of Nintendo Switch Lite's smaller screen, the gameplay is utterly unique and justifies a playthrough.
Journey to the Savage Planet finds greatness from the gameplay design in its DNA and its laid-back atmosphere, hitting the marks in these areas thanks to a smartly smaller scope.
Overall, there should really be more games like this latest effort from Toge Productions. They’re a reprieve from both the sensory overload of games that dominate big-budget titles and independent games that try to be something larger than they need to be. The stories in Coffee Talk find comfort and more meaning in being personal, and the presentation is executed in ways that only enhance this storytelling.
When you purchase a copy of AVICII Invector, a part of the royalties go to The Tim Bergling Foundation. A non-profit whose focus is on advocating for mental health awareness which was established by Bergling’s parents after he tragically committed suicide in 2018. Apart from contributing to this benefit, AVICII Invector is a standout rhythm game worth your attention due to its unique mechanics, visuals, and story.
Those that are obsessed with Shelley’s original novel will find this a worthy supplement. Those that aren’t will still find the experience enjoyable in its artistry.
Overall, you’re getting a massive amount of content in Assassin’s Creed: The Rebel Collection, with the port of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag being one of the more impressive examples of an open-world game on Nintendo’s handheld and Assassin’s Creed Rogue being worthy of a playthrough if you haven’t yet played it.
Since it’s polished in almost every regard with its gameplay and presentation, it’s possible Children of Morta would’ve benefited from a more focused design direction rather than a rogue-lite dungeon-crawling experience.
Game Freak has succeeded in creating a new core entry worthy of being on home consoles, and Pokémon Sword and Shield are a couple of the best games on Nintendo Switch.
If you're looking for something different this Halloween season, Vampyr is one of the most impressive horror games on the Nintendo Switch. If you're sold on the concept, this game definitely deserves your attention.
Playing Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch handheld was still inherently delightful, getting to enjoy its world, characters, and presentation again. I was likewise swept away by the gorgeous orchestral score, and I would relive the emotional tenacity of the game’s messages on childlike empathy.
I can't recommend What Remains of Edith Finch enough if anyone has yet to play it. With so many incredible games that are currently coming to Switch, it's important to support the special titles coming from publisher Annapurna Interactive. Its explorations of loss and tragedy left me emotional on numerous occasions, yet it also holds an uplifting and edifying emotional core. This experience remains undiminished thanks to a comprehensive port that doesn't make any drastic sacrifices to the performance and visuals. As far as I'm concerned, it's required reading for those passionate about storytelling in video games.
Red Faction: Guerrilla‘s formula of a traditional open-world title with destructible environments is refreshingly simple even 10 years later. However, the Switch port is far from the ideal way to experience Red Faction: Guerrilla.
Dragon Marked for Death is one of the most rewarding sidescrolling games I have played ever, and it’s easily recommended due to its immense polish.
Making History expands vanilla Kerbal Space Program to a point in which you'll be receiving your time's worth. As to the underlying quality of the title, even though the baked-in missions are inspiring and well-designed, how the fanbase for Kerbal eventually uses the mission creator will be the deciding factor.
Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 has more variety than its predecessor due to the titles spanning both different systems and different decades. Just like the Disney Afternoon Collection, there's a plethora of bonus content included here, spanning art galleries and music libraries. This is another essential compilation for fans of the Blue Bomber.