Scarlet Bell's Reviews
All in all, my passion for Collar X Malice is more than I could have ever anticipated. From its diverse and interesting cast, to its alluring version of Shinjuku in crisis, it captivated me from start to end - held back only by mundane extras and localisation errors. It stands in my eyes as the best visual novel since Virtue's Last Reward - and I hope in future it can see a PC release to free it from the niche shackles of the PS Vita.
M+R Kingdom Battle is truly a gem in the crown lineup of Nintendo Switch games. It has proven its worth tenfold, and is in the rare position of having me excited for what lies ahead for it in the form of its season pass.
For those of you looking for a game to work at; a game to break apart piece by piece, finding every secret, and beating every challenge. For those of you who like item progression, and the slow but sure enhancement of movement and gameplay. For those of you looking to continue your SteamWorld saga. This game is for you. This is a love letter to collectors, to diggers, but sadly remains a flawed jewel.
Overall, BAW provides a rollercoaster of emotions. It will take you on a ride through the spine-chilling, the heartwarming, through good and bad. By the end, you have to question whether there is truly a difference.
DG2 reminds us again the Vita still has some fight in it. If you are looking for a portable dungeon crawler experience, if you want something attractive to play, engaging, something that will hold your attention for minutes or hours per session; this is for you.
XC2 puts forward a strong message of what the Switch is capable of. Providing a full JRPG experience, in tandem with lush visual and audio design both on the go and at home, it sets the bar for future games to grace the system; and it sets it high.
Mario Party: The Top 100 delivers on what it sets out to, providing a modern way to play 100 classic minigames, each legendary in its own right. Where the game falls short is in delivering what fans yearn for, almost teasing them with half of what made the series so brilliant. Were this game to embrace the chaos and beautiful madness many have come to love the series for, it would have potential to be the greatest entry yet.
Should you want a relaxing game of exploration and discovery, where each crevice and cavern hides a secret to be found, InnerSpace is for you. A marvel of perfectly blended themes, music, and gameplay—standing out for the attention to detail put in. I look forward to seeing what else PolyKnight Games is capable of.
PlatinumGames' Switch debut leaves me excited for the future. The witch is back in a style and form befitting only of herself, paving the way for, and bridging the gap to, Bayonetta 3. Bayonetta + Bayonetta 2 demonstrates the Switch can not only run the greats of the Wii U on the go, but run them at their best.
The Longest Five Minutes throws you back to your first RPG experience, and toys with what you remember. Pushing you through the same trials as its hero, you come to feel a great sense of empathy with its characters; and come to appreciate the joy memories bring.
Layers of Fear: Legacy puts forward a strong entry into the Switch's maturing horror genre. While short and limited in replay value, the quality of the experience it provides goes a long way in justifying its purchase.
The Long Reach offers a slice of horror to the adventurous and puzzling among us, presenting a well-told and gripping story through its range of dialogue and optional interactions. Despite minor glitches and perhaps not offering much in the way of new content to the genre, it finds itself as a well-made and engaging first release for developers Painted Black Games, and I look forward to seeing their future work.
Detective Pikachu is a game I feel is held back by its overly child-friendly ideas. I can wholeheartedly recommend this to those wishing for their children to experience Pokemon in a new light, but older fans of the series will be left underwhelmed.
From so much as watching its trailer, Agatha Knife had me hooked. From start to end, it is packed with content to make you laugh, shudder, and truly make you question your outlook on religion and humanity. It is a must-buy for any fans of point and click, or just those looking for a dark ride down a humorous street.
This is a must-have for fans of the series, fans of fourth wall-breaking, vulgarity, and humour. South Park: The Fractured But Whole offers the complete South Park experience wherever you are, at the cost of no cut content, and no lacking performance. It inspires hope for more mature games on the system, and once again shows just what it is capable of.
This truly is the definitive Hyrule Warriors experience, and a must-buy for those yearning for more in the wake of Fire Emblem Warriors. Though some time to adjust is needed, you'll soon be back slaying the best of what the kingdom has to offer.
To me, Shape of the World feels like Proteus injected with a shallow feeling of progression on a linear path. Removing the freedom and unbound nature without considering the ramifications, it expects you to play with no real motivation nor driving factor. If you are content with a short slow-paced walk through some undeniably interesting scenery, this might yet be for you, but don't be expecting much beyond this.
Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn is a game by any normal definition should not exist. It is a game I am truly surprised people wanted and funded. To those of you who took the leap more than four years ago; I say thank you. I sit here with a rough diamond, most certainly not perfect, but memorable and hilarious at every chance it gets. While short, this is not a game to be overlooked—Shaq is back.
Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido is an unexpected beauty held back by preconceptions and what is easy to consider an unreasonable price tag. The variety of difficulty paired with a well-polished gameplay experience goes a long way in putting forward something worthwhile and memorable. Add to this a simplicity and recognisable core as well as an inviting design, and you have something to be enjoyed by anybody fortunate enough to pick it up.
I feel Mario Tennis Aces is a leap in the right direction for Camelot. With incredibly fun additions to the series, as well as a natural means of learning and reinforcing their use, you have an intense online experience with the training needed for you to be comfortable playing against others. If you can get past the short adventure mode and enjoy playing with people around the world, you will find yourself here a wonderfully refined tennis experience that pulls out all the stops to feel fluid and look divine.