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Alan Bell


67 games reviewed
74.8 average score
80 median score
52.3% of games recommended

Alan Bell's Reviews

A gamer since birth, I basically grew up with games; as I became more aware of my surroundings, they become more complicated - moving from Pong to MMOs as I went from childhood to something... older. My penchant for writing about them lead to various (paid and unpaid) gigs in the industry, and I've worked on the other side (creating games) too, giving me additional insight into how games go from idea to Steam sale.
Jul 26, 2019

Extremely lame animation and ultra-awkward pauses are just two of the many issues this game engine is plagued with. It’s been an issue since the beginning, of course, but as someone who dips in at the launch of an expansion and then drifts away over time, it’s always a harsh reminder of just how bad this system is each time I re-sub and fire up the game again. Why they insist on using it so often when it’s so bad is beyond me - there are other options, people!

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Aug 2, 2019

Dragon Quest Builders 2 takes everything that made the first entry great, and refines it. While the core combat can be a bit on the dull side, the incredible options available for building and crafting make this one an absolute joy to play. Anyone remotely interested in building games and RPGs should do themselves a favour and play it ASAP. You'll quickly get lost in a charming world with seemingly endless options for fun.

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Aug 15, 2019

Tiny Metal: Full Metal Rumble attempts to fill the void left by Advance Wars, but struggles meet expectations. Several issues with the games UI lead to more frustration than fun.

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Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition is one of the best RPGs available on the sSwitch and is by far the most content rich version currently available. While the Switch version may not look quite as great as its big console brothers, the wealth of content on offer will have you busy for well over one hundred hours. From its stunning character and enemy design, to its pitch-perfect turn-based combat, DQ XI S is a grand slam on every level and an essential addition to any RPG fans Switch library.

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Feb 20, 2020

Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales is a wonderful addition to the Switch. While it may not appeal to all fans, those who enjoyed Gwent in The Witcher 3 will find a lot to love. There's enough nuance and strategy for those hungry for a challenge and it does a great job of adding to the mythology of the world and it's excellent characters.

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Mar 16, 2020

One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows falls terribly short in almost every aspect. While the premise works well in the world of Anime, it does not translate well to the format of Gaming. A combination of lackluster gameplay, woeful voice-acting and a story as bland as they come, even die-hard fans of the series would be doing themselves a favour in avoiding this one at all costs.

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Complex mechanics wrapped in a overly-childish shell leaves the latest entry in the Pokemon series feeling like a missed opportunity with no clear target audience. From it's dire gameplay, to its tedious mechanics and terrible story, there's little to love here. This unfortunately is one you definitely do not want to catch...

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