The core of Bayonetta remains as solid and frustrating as it was when it first released. It lacks the polish, semi-coherent story, and rich color palette of its superior sequel, sure, but it's so masterfully designed and brazen in its direction that it's still a must play for every action game fanatic. While the Switch port may lack the exhaustive resolution and graphics options of the PC version, it's an absolute knock-out as a portable action game and further proof there seems to be very little the Switch is incapable of doing.
The core of Bayonetta remains as solid and frustrating as it was when it first released. It lacks the polish, semi-coherent story, and rich color palette of its superior sequel, sure, but it's so masterfully designed and brazen in its direction that it's still a must play for every action game fanatic.
I'm happy Altus is doing what it can to get more people to try out Radiant Historia because the game absolutely holds up and remains a pinnacle of original JRPG storytelling. Perfect Chronology is easy to recommend if you didn't play the original but it doesn't do nearly enough to make the argument for a return trip to Vainqueur.
Even if it isn't everything it could be, Space Dave! is still a damn fun shooter and the exact type of game I want to pick up when I only have a few free minutes of downtime available. It's fast, frantic, and frequently calling me back to beat my high score. The arcade scene may be deader than the Ouya, but Dave is doing his darndest to keep the spirit of its golden age alive and relevant in this modern era of gaming.
I'll admit right now I know I'm not the target demographic for this game. It's for kids, but just because something is aimed at a younger generation doesn't mean it shouldn't put forth its very best effort to be a worthwhile experience. This isn't a bad game and some of the activities can be quite fun when played with real people. But these sub-games have always been the side-dish to the single-player main course, and without a worthwhile entrée, Kirby Battle Royale feels deficient.
I once said I didn't think the Style Savvy series would continue on anything but mobile, but Nintendo proved me wrong. I'm glad I was wrong because Style Savvy: Styling Star is easily my favorite entry in the series yet. It has nearly everything I love about the franchise mixed with a heaping helping of Freeform-level drama, making for a genuinely optimistic experience that exudes charisma with every outfit I put together.
Xenon Valkyrie+ is something I easily see myself coming back to whenever I have a free moment and my Vita in hand. It can be a cruel experience for sure and some alterations to the overall design would go a long way, but it's still a fun little game I can play seriously for hours or casually on a lunch break.
While it is short – it took me nearly an hour to reach the end – Gorogoa is worth a second and third trip not because there are new challenges to test, but because it gives me a chance to truly appreciate the clockwork-like precision of the puzzle design and the magnificent hand-drawn artwork found in every frame. It also gives me a chance to try and figure out just what the hell is happening in the story. This may be the fuzziest narrative I've ever had to tackle, open to a great many different interpretations, but that's just part of the game's elegance and brilliance. Even without understanding it, I can still safely say Gorogoa is one of the best puzzle games to ever grace my iPad.
I can't say Pokémon Ultra Sun is a must-play for fans, but it won't be leaving my 3DS anytime soon.
Creeping Terror is a short, serviceable title that pays tribute to a bygone era of horror gaming. That sentence is probably the nicest thing I can say about it.
When I am unwinding after a long day and commute, Campfire Cooking is the exact type of game I want to play. A quaint and clever puzzler that is able to get a myriad of miles out of its simple concept, it's nearly perfect on my iPad and well worth the tiny asking price.
I'm torn on Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth. I sincerely believe it could be the best entry in the series, that it has refined the formula to near perfection. But in perfecting what is already there, it makes no strides to further advance the series.
The concept is simultaneously inventive and archaic, doling out moments of pure delight and agonizing frustration in equal doses. Culdcept Revolt is such a niche title – perhaps the most niche game in my gaming history – I can't tell you if you'll like it. What I can tell you is as someone who is a bit of a masochist for these types of games, I enjoy it very much.
The title of “New Nintendo 3DS Edition” is a misnomer as there is nothing here that makes this edition any more special than those already available. And now that we know it will not be included in the Better Together cross-play campaign, it almost feels dead on arrival. There is a chance, down the line, Minecraft: New Nintendo 3DS Edition will actually be worth its asking price, but that time is not now.
One week isn't enough to really understand everything about this game. The campaign is complete, but there is much still to do with the post-game content, trophies and what I can only assume are many more mysteries I can solve. Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony is not a game you should just read about or watch a Let's Play of on YouTube. It's a game that absolutely demands 40 hours or more of your time. You must experience it first-hand if you truly want to understand what Team Danganronpa is trying to tell us.
It's not perfect, but Chicken Wiggle tickles the creative part of my brain that loves drumming up platformer levels when I should be doing actual work. The campaign can be better, a lot better, but the hours I'll spend with this game will not be going back over those levels. I'll be spending them making my own little masterpieces and that's the part this game mostly gets right.
The people behind The Darkside Detective obviously know how to make individual parts of a game. The artwork is splendid, the music should be on rotation on my iPhone, and, barring a few bugs, the easy-to-grasp point-and-click gameplay works. Its issues lie in the writing, the element that should be the glue that holds the package together. Its lightweight, cornball comedy opts for cheap and easy jokes I never really find funny. I'm not expecting the brilliance of Rex Stout with every word, but maybe aim higher than something I'd read on a Bazooka Joe wrapper.
With the easy 30-hour campaign behind me, I'm having a great deal of fun with the post-game content. There are new maps to unlock, new classes to discover, and daily quests I can conquer. I could easily stop playing now and dive into something a bit meatier, but the pleasant nature of Miitopia, as well as seeing so many poorly recreated famous faces in random roles, is a curio that deserves to be kept in my 3DS until I see it through to the very end.
The combat here is good, really good, and for some, that may be all they need. For you, that may be enough to convince you to plop down your $40 for this game. For me, the fun in Tokyo Xanadu is buried beneath so much unskippable, unpauseable, and unmemorable story I can't in good conscience give it my full support.
There are issues with the game, but honestly, I think Ever Oasis is a blast. Building up my little spot of heaven, running errands for the residents, and venturing out into the great sandy plains outside my garden gate provide equal thrills. The longer I play, the more I enjoy it and that is far more uncommon than it should be. If this game is to be the first of a new franchise, it's a damn good starting point.