Human Resource Machine is a really smart game and one that makes you feel like both a mastermind at times and, well, quite the opposite too. It throws a unique spin on the puzzle genre which many fans will love but also at times grow frustrated at due to the difficulty spike.
Broken Sword 5: The Serpent’s Curse doesn’t do anything special for the point-and-click genre, but that’s perfectly fine as it does exactly what it sets out to do. As a fan of the first two games, this was what I wanted. Not everything is perfect, such as the animations and some inconsistent voice acting. However, if you’re a fan, you will find a lot more to love than the average player.
It isn’t often that I would recommend a port of a mobile game, but The Room is an exception. It is a game that simply works on the Nintendo Switch, regardless of whether you play it in Handheld mode or on the TV. The puzzles are clever, unique and engaging. Once you start, you will not want to put your Switch down. Its only real problem is I simply want more.
WarioWare Gold is a culmination of all the wacky and wonderful Wario titles we have had over the last 15 years. Although it is missing, for obvious reasons, some content from the other games, you are getting the definitive version of WarioWare.
It isn’t the complete package version of Football Manager, no, but it is the version that best suits the Switch. Touch screen controls mixed with the good use of the Joy-Con and on the go playability make it a winner. It may go unnoticed but being able to play for 5-10 minutes at a time to continue to progress through a season is a godsend.
Layers of Fear: Legacy is more about the story than anything else, so make sure you’re prepared for that when you go in. It’s a game that if you allow it to, will just completely grip you and won’t let go, and because it is up to you to uncover a lot of the story by searching around, you will want to explore the mansion for just that bit longer. It is also very creative and clever with its use of set-pieces and, on the face of it, random room setups, which helps the game from ever becoming overly dull or boring. I can now say, with ease, that the Nintendo Switch has its first great, proper horror game. It may also be one of the best horror games of the last few years on any platform.
It’s strange to get a game and its sequel to both play largely the same, but appeal to different people. The first Resident Evil Revelations hasn’t aged amazingly well, looks a bit rough around the edges, and has a few dodgy moments, but overall it is good, single-player Resident Evil game that tries its best to use the formula of number 4 but also goes back to a more survival horror style. Whereas Resident Evil Revelations 2 is easily best played in co-op, so much so it’s hard to recommend to somebody wanting to play it by themselves. With the right friend, it’s a ton of fun and is probably the best co-op experience on the Nintendo Switch right now. The Resident Evil series has had its fair share of missteps, but these two games were, and are, a step in the right direction. Nintendo Switch owners are in for a treat.
At the end of the day, however, I think the majority of people are going to play this game for the main Superstar Saga story, so what you are getting is an extremely good game that if you have never played the original, then I truly envy you. The new style they have gone for is great and it works really well to show off the emotions and charm that all of the characters possess. The improvement in graphics over the original is quite drastic but the original has its own charm and is not bad by any means. The music likewise is top-notch with plenty of great remixes of old songs and originals that will get stuck in your head all day. So all in all, while it isn’t perfect and the new Bowsers Minions mode that has been included is a bit hit and miss, it’s still a very enjoyable experience all-round. If you’re new to RPG’s and want to give one a go, then this is a great place to start. Like it did with me 14 years ago, it may make you a fan.
If you have a Switch and want this game, then it's really hard to find you a good reason to purchase this over the Switch version. I couldn't give you a single reason why, given the choice, you would ever side with the 3DS version, unless maybe you really love having a map on the second screen. It is of course always going to play second fiddle to it's more powerful comrade, naturally, but if you focus on pure gameplay then they are virtually identical, so don't think you're being short-changed if you only have a 3DS to play it on. It's a game, like Hyrule Warriors, that isn't for everyone, but those that enjoyed that game are going to have tons of fun with this title too. There is still life yet left in Nintendo's everlasting handheld.
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa Of Dana is a title that takes a while to get going, maybe too long, which may be enough to put some people off early and the story is rather sub-par. Those that stick with it will see where the game truly shines.
Ultimately, The Coma: Recut’s biggest problem might be that it is a bit too simple in design and maybe having a few other gameplay elements would have pushed it a level higher. But in the end, I never expected to like it as much as I did and I thoroughly enjoyed my five or so hour playthrough. With a sequel teased, I’m eagerly awaiting what is to come because they have a base already there to make something truly wonderful.
The game is decent in length and it’s roughly the same as those that influenced Cursed Castilla EX. There are plenty of secrets to be found and you’re definitely not going to find them all during your first playthrough and there are also four different endings to unlock so it’s definitely worth replaying, especially if you are a completionist. If retro-inspired games are your thing then this is well worth the time and effort and you’re going to really enjoy the challenge this will bring. A really, really good game that deserves to be on your 3DS console.
A highly recommended game if you grew up with point-and-click adventures of yesteryear and whilst it won’t be for everyone, even if you’ve never experienced one of those types of games before you can do a lot worse than choosing this one as your first. The Darkside Detective was yet another surprising indie title on the Switch in terms of quality. A really funny and quirky adventure that I thoroughly enjoyed playing from start to finish, it just doesn’t last anywhere near as long as I wanted it to. So my advice would be to treasure it and hope this isn’t the last we see of The Darkside Detective as a series, as there is so much potential in any future sequels.
All in all, though, FIFA 18 on the Nintendo Switch is a really good football game and probably the one we realistically hoped we'd get when it was first announced. Those coming from the other systems might be a little put off because all the bells and whistles aren't there but most of the important things are, and that's what matters most.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is yet another solid port by the people over at Panic Button and it really is excellent what they are doing. It allows Nintendo gamers to experience these types of games which have, in truth, been missing for such a long time.
After the exceedingly sub-standard Mighty No. 9, you can understand feeling a bit uneasy playing a game using the same character in the same universe. But I have to say that I was quite surprised by how much I enjoyed playing through Mighty Gunvolt Burst. It’s not the longest game in the world, sure, but it’s a fun one. The controls feel really tight, platforming, shooting, it feels good, it feels as if it was a Mega Man game, and that’s the biggest compliment I can give it. So if you’re a retro fan and are itching for a Mega Man-type experience to play before the actual Blue Bomber comes along himself then you can do mightily worse than Mighty Gunvolt Burst.
I have to be honest, I was going to score this game much worse based on performance alone. It really was that bad and at times it was almost like watching a slideshow. But in its now fixed state, it’s hard to pick many issues I had with the game to be brutally honest. It won’t be the most exciting game you’re ever going to play but it is well worth its five-hour playthrough. I’m not fully convinced that the style of game will suit everybody and I think it is quite a divisive game, but I would urge anybody to give this a try, because if it clicks with you it can easily be one of your favourite games of this year. There aren’t many games like this around and that needs to be changed.
I simply have to commend Lizardcube for the effort they have put into Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap, even if it is a remake. A lot of other companies that remake older games can learn a thing or two from this developer. It looks great, sounds great and still plays wonderfully too. It was a great game in 1989 and whilst maybe some of that greatness has now gone, because games have simply moved on since then, it is still certainly a really fun game and one that I did not want to put down from start to finish.
Outlast 2 is a fantastic technical achievement on the Nintendo Switch with a good story and a setting that is impressively and increasingly atmospheric. It isn’t for everybody though, as some of the stealth mechanics used will grow increasingly tiresome for some. As such it isn’t perfect but it improves upon a lot of things that Outlast did wrong and is a better game overall than that title. If you’re a horror fan then it’s a must play, it is as simple as that. It is one of, if not the best horror game currently available on the Switch. Get your headphones at the ready.
Detention is a game that deserves your attention. It may not be the most gripping gameplay wise, but everything else that encompasses it is undoubtedly top-class. The chilling atmosphere and just overall tension the game presents to you, coupled with the excellent and original story helps eliminate its overly simple gameplay problem. It seems like horror games are finding its feet on the Switch now, so if you have finished Layers of Fear and The Coma and are itching for more top-notch horror experiences, then you need to play Detention.