Paladins Champions of the Realm had a long Beta period that has certainly paid off. What we get here is a fully fledged online hero shooter that fills a gap in the Switch lineup. Its fairly easy to get into and offers a lot of depth to keep you wanting more. A lack of voice chat (built in), long loading times and no story do detract but the sheer number of hours that you can sink into a game like this makes it a solid purchase at the moment with a free to play version coming later on in the year. If like me you were looking for a competitive outlet this could be the one for you.
Saturday Morning RPG is a trip down memory lane, if you grew up in the 80's you might enjoy this casual JRPG featuring an excellent soundtrack. On the other hand if you are after a deep and rewarding game then this won't be for you.
South Park: The Fractured But Whole is a fantastic follow up to the Stick of Truth, its a must buy for any South Park aficionado and still a blast for everyone else. Ubisoft took the development in house this time and didn't disappoint, its well written with a giggle every few moments, the game isn't perfect with a few small bugs and the sense that the difficulty isn't there to support the games mechanics and some might argue the value but overall this game is just a blast.
Burly Men at Sea is a magical nordic fairytale adventure with plenty of charm and a slathering of wit, it has some rough edges and the short play throughs and light touch gameplay won't be for every one but if you enjoy a good tale and a laugh you will likely enjoy this unique game.
Slayaway Camp: Butchers Cut does a great job of keeping the gameplay simple and engaging. The 80's horror throwback is a great and imaginative setting that you would not expect here. Overall its a fun little puzzle game.
Outlast 2 builds on the original. Its longer, tougher and has some darker scenes than its predecessor. Some of that games frustrations are still here and towards the end the same formula starts to wear thin but its part and parcel of this type of game and overall this is a game that will get under your skin and make you scream out loud. Its truly terrifying and an example of what horror games should be. One that all horror fans should pick up - if you can stomach it!
Swim Out is a simple yet engaging puzzle game thats a welcome break from slashing monsters or timing runs perfectly. It isn't advanced or complex but it is quite challenging and kept me entertained.
I didn't know what to expect with this Subsurface Circular review, the game was billed as a short play experience in between main projects for the developer and I think it fits this role for its audience as well. If you have a few hours to burn they will be well spent picking this up, you may find yourself reflecting on our current world landscape from a slightly different perspective and playing through this game is a smooth and easy go along ride. For such a small investment in money and time its fair to say that this game packs a punch and if you are not put off by what you have read then its definitely a worthwhile experience.
Mulaka is a wonderful view into the Tarahumara with a very strong and unique style. From a substance perspective though I found the gameplay, story and visuals to be OK but not gripping. The game is certainly worth a play but there are stronger adventure games out there. Performance wise there are issues though there is a stable build in the works due at the end of March
Lost Sphear is a game of two sides, on one hand, it takes us on a trip rife with nostalgia that can bring a smile to our face whilst on the other hand it crams this nostalgia down our throat without giving us a chance to get deeply into any individual element. During my time with the game, I experienced boredom and frustration with some enjoyment thrown in for good measure. It's a game that borrows from our past but loses itself a bit in the process. Is it the best JRPG? No, certainly not but it does deliver glimmers of a great game.
Dandara is a game built out of passion and a strong identity. This shines throughout and its a great example of touchscreen use on the Switch and a fantastic game.
Vesta offers a good puzzler experience with fun dual character gameplay and a nice and steady progression curve. For the positives however we have some performance issues and generally frustrating controls that will turn some off. Overall the game is a nice way to pass a few hours but it won't be one you reach for after a playthrough.
InnerSpace aims to soar high and you have to give the development team credit for their ambition. As an experience I found the concept and exploration intriguing but in practice as a game there is a lot to be desired. The gameplay is not cohesive at times and the game can feel rather aimless. Overall, InnerSpace won't be for everyone but some will love its break from traditional game design.
SUMMARY The Escapists 2 has a fantastic premise and builds upon the original game, playing on the go is a great way to play and there are some great moments however I feel as though it gets a bit bogged down in menus and systems. The developer has missed the opportunity to give us a bit more back story for the character we play for each prison. Nevertheless its a creative and expressive game worth picking up if you like a sandbox game.