Juan Romero's Reviews
Urban trial Playground is a nice casual game on the Switch and one I very much enjoyed. The core mechanics and physics all work very well and it's just pure fun either racing to get the best time against the level or pulling off as many tricks as possible. There is fun to be had against friends either in local multiplayer or posting your high scores on the leaderboards but I can't help feeling there is a game here that with a little more thought put into it or more time spent in development the game could have offered a lot more in terms of modes and structure. As it is this is a game that I am sure many of you will enjoy if anything just to have something different, after all this is the very first stunt bike game on the Switch and exclusive at that.
This is a simple summary just like this game. Buy it if you enjoy playing team based games and have enough friends or family to play it with because then it becomes a fantastic party game. It will bring you all plenty of joy and the competitive nature out in all of you. However, this is not one to pick up if flying solo.
The Bunker is a decent enough FMV experience and the genre has come a long way since the early 90s, The Bunker certainly shows that. The movie studio Splendy have done a pretty good job and if you look at it like that I can recommend this as good entertainment for a couple of hours. I quite enjoyed it and I think there is a future for this type of experience on the Switch or any console for that matter. As a game, though I think this falls short and my thoughts in the gameplay section reflect that. Unfortunately, the merging of a game and a movie don't really work. This is saved by the fact that it's unique on the Switch and as a movie, it's rather good. I would like to see more like this in future with more emphasis on key decisions affecting the overall story and having more emphasis on gameplay so the player has more to do. In that respect, I think there is still a long way to go till the balance is right.
Some may enjoy Spartan but I suspect most will ultimately find it too frustrating to persevere with. The game has too many issues to make it a fun and enjoyable experience with the physics presenting some real problems. Couple that with some annoying design decisions, collecting all treasure chests is one of them along with a checkpoint system which has issues also. If I have to force myself to play a game then there is a big problem and it's just how I felt playing this one. If you want a platformer then you already have many to choose from. Unfortunately, the game is below average and is going to find it hard to compete especially at its current price.
Is this worth your hard earned cash? You bet it is, if you like platformers then this has to be added to your collection. It's beautiful, sounds great, has a whimsical wacky story and is a joy to play. It's only let down in its performance from time to time which is a real shame and may put some off. Other than that and for me personally I didn't find much not to like and this game to me is a powerful reminder of why I love video games and reviewing them. Every so often you get a little bit of magic that comes your way.
This is a top indie game and one which is fun and will keep your attention. It has everything you would want, fun gameplay, a great visual style and decent audio. Then throw in all the homages and you are on to a winner. What sets this apart though is the in-depth mechanics which feel satisfying as well as having a nice set of characters to play with and the ability to play with up to 4 friends locally. This has been well thought through and adding money so that you can try and control how long you stay in the game is a great addition. Another homage to the arcade days but one which also serves an important purpose here. This for the price is a must buy especially if your an 80s child like me.
Manticore Galaxy on Fire is a rather solid entry into the Sci Fi space shooter genre on the Switch. Everything is solid enough and there is something for everyone, dog fights, boss battles and some calm exploration parts. For me it was missing that extra magic to make it truly essential. The sound is good, the visuals are nice and the story is ok but rather uninspiring with characters needing more development. Put it all together and you get just that, a solid game which is probably just about worth your hard earned cash if you’re into these types of games and one that if you are I am sure you will enjoy.
This is a game series over 20 years old and still holds true today. It is even nicer with its graphical upgrades, added characters and new levels which all feel true to the original. Many will be put off by the one-shot deaths, differing controls and toughness of this. The price of entry is also quite high compared to other consoles, but for collectors and people like me who like a tough old-school game then this is a nice return.
This is for the most part quite a satisfactory game, it doesn't have the same impact for me as say AOT2 or Naruto but they are of course very different games. If you are a One Piece fan or love Musou type games then I am sure you will enjoy this. There are problems with the pacing, how repetitive it can get and the story interrupting the battles. I also have an issue with the price of this game on the eShop here in the UK and in Europe. Quite frankly paying almost double for the same game here in the UK compared to the USA is ridiculous. If you can get this at the right price then go for it but otherwise wait for a sale as Bandai Namco themselves have released better games than this on the Switch already and with Hyrule, just around the corner, you may want to save your Hard Earned Cash for that.
I had a few small gripes with this game, namely the controls, loading times and for some, it will be too short but let there be no doubt that this game is something special. The atmosphere created is marvelous. The visuals and the way this games runs solidly in handheld or docked is a pleasure. The little horrors that greet you are creepy and through this nightmare you start to care about Six and making sure she stays alive. It's all those little interactions and small details that make this game so good. Platforming, solving puzzles while creeping stealthily past monsters make this so compelling. There will be things you may not understand once this journey is complete as the game leaves a lot to the imagination. The DLC helps give a more complete picture which is welcome. Little Nightmares is a wonderful nightmare if that's even possible and one you should not hesitate in enjoying.
West of Loathing is one of those games that you go into not expecting much at all. My only previous experience of it was seeing it at EGX and I was watching someone else play. I thought it looked ok, but I didn't give it much thought after that. I went into this totally cold, expecting very little. That has taught me a very valuable lesson yet again to never judge a book by its cover. The game is rich with content, has an excellent and humorous story which will keep you entertained all the way through with great little brain teasers. The only slight let down is the battles, but it's not even that bigger deal as this has so much more to offer. Do yourself a favour and pick this one up because it's one of the best little games on Switch and one I will not hesitate in recommending.
This is a game which meets the objectives it set out to achieve. Present a fighting game which is fun and easy for the casual to get into. While the game is easy to get into it's still tough to master. While the moves may be easy to pull off you still have to understand timing, putting combos together at the right time and when best to use your meter to make the best use of your characters special moves. This, as with any fighting game, will take time. For the money, this exceeded my expectations offering a nice variety of modes, including online ranked matches as well as the ability to play with friends. If you want something easy to pick up and play then you can't really go wrong with Pocket Rumble.