Kevin Mersereau
Ultimately, what we're left with is a somewhat flawed, yet enjoyable experience. It may lack in the variety and depth departments, but it manages to make up for its faults by offering up an absurdly stylish, good time. It may not be perfect, but it's a very well executed idea. It's boldly different, and it left me excited for what might come next.
Despite it's many, many flaws, School Girl/Zombie Hunter was a solid, camp-drenched romp, and it left me craving more. It may be a bit pricey for a budget title, but I found myself smiling constantly throughout the experience. It's all so obscenely trashy and tongue-in-cheek that it's hard not to wonder how the developers plan to follow this up. It never quite reaches the glory promised in the first half of the game, but this spin-off of the Onechanbara franchise definitely has potential.
While I do wish that there was a bit more of it, what's here is phenomenal. This is a game I'll definitely be revisiting for the foreseeable future. It manages to take a grab bag of various mechanics, lifted from its influences, and turn them into something totally fresh and unique. Splashteam knocked it out of the goddamn park with this one, and it's absolutely criminal that I never got around to playing it on other consoles before this. This is an essential release for genre fans and a great introduction for newcomers. The Switch may be jam-packed with quality eShop titles right now, but Splasher is genuinely something special. It would be a shame to see it lost in the crowd.
I have never played another game quite like Echo before. Folks are always rallying for innovation in the industry, and I can't think of too many better examples of that in recent years. It's not all perfect, but what's there is extremely refreshing. This is not an easy game. You will die a lot. You will get angry. However, when you finally defeat your opponents, it's like sex. A huge release where, for a few small minutes, you genuinely feel like you just accomplished something. It's glorious.
I loved my time spent in this goofy, sci-fi world. It wasn't perfect, but it was a wonderful way to waste a few hours. If Miwashiba ever decides to grace us with any more of these delightfully odd little experiences in the future, you can bet your ass that I intend to play them.
West of Loathing may not be perfect, but it never needed to be. What it gives us, instead, is one of the funniest goddamn games I've played all year. I may be a bit late to the party, but I'm really glad that I gave it a chance. Anything capable of making me smile this much is an absolute blessing. This is something truly special, and I can't wait to see what the developers at Asymmetric have in store for us next.
Forma.8 is hardly a flawless game, but it's a damn fine addition to the Nintendo Switch's library. The last third is almost perfectly executed and the finale genuinely surprised and left me craving more. It took a while to get there, but its closing moments left one hell of an impression.
I really wanted to love Gotta Go but there honestly isn't a single redeeming quality to it beyond its incredibly likable trailer. I'd love to see the folks at Dire Nerd come back with a more fully-realized sequel or update, but until then don't waste your time or money on this.