Evan Rowe's Reviews
It’s hard to say much else about the game without giving away some fun story beats, but overall Mainlining is a fun game with great, consistent art direction and some very clever (and mostly faithful) old style hacking mechanics. While it almost certainly plays best elsewhere, the Switch version is impressively competent and it’s a great themed adventure that is both challenging and satisfying.
INSIDE is still the same excellent game from 2016, now released on the Switch for convenience, portability, and the potential to reach a whole new audience. It is a must-play experience that feels right at home on Switch.
Somehow, peering into the world of SUPERHOT‘s text terminals and stark environments through my Switch’s LCD screen feels very correct, as though it was always meant to be this way. In a probably accidental but happy parallel, it feels like I have gotten my hands on some kind of special prototype that I’m not supposed to see. SUPERHOT almost works too well on Switch, and being able to play it on a system that fits in my hands with near-perfect accuracy is an almost magical experience.
The Deer God is an interesting, successful pairing of genres that is well presented and fun to play. What it lacks in-depth it makes up for in character, keeping the adventure light and enjoyable regardless of your experience as a gamer. Right at home on the Switch, it’s a great title to unwind with at the end of a workday, or to spend a full afternoon with on the couch.
I feel like even in trying to explain all of the things that have me so excited about Dragon’s Dogma 2, it fails to convey the magic of actually experiencing it. These are just words on your screen, the translation of my excited babbling about some cool shit I did or saw as my best attempt at explaining to you that this game absolutely rules. I’m leaving so much out, forgetting to add so many “oh and this”es, because it’s kind of impossible to actually tell anybody what it’s like to play Dragon’s Dogma 2. Instead, consider this my unequivocal assertion that Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a game that is not just worth your time, but something that you must play so that you can understand how special it is.
More importantly, for all of its scope, Infinite Wealth is an absolute joy to play at every moment; nothing is wasted, nothing is throwaway, not one aspect of this game is extraneous and everything there is to do will reward you in some fashion both in terms of gameplay benefit and your experience with the game itself. I’ve only become a fan of the series in recent years but I am a die hard one and y’all, Infinite Wealth is just an absolute blast to play. It’s a privilege to get to experience every new entry in the Like a Dragon series and for my money, Infinite Wealth is by far the best offering yet.
In a year that’s been packed full of incredible games, Alan Wake II is yet another strong contender for Game of the Year and is an experience that’s not to be missed, whether you’ve played the original game or not. It fully delivers on the promise of what Remedy has been building towards for decades, and sets a new high bar for what games can and should be. If horror isn’t necessarily your thing, turn the difficulty down to “Story” mode and get in there anyway; it’s an amazing game that will take you on a ride you will never forget, and I’m willing to bet it’ll make a Remedy fan out of nearly anybody who plays it. This is a truly special, genre defining, studio defining game that only comes along once in a very long while. I cannot overstate just how good this game is; whether you are a longtime fan, or if this is your initiation into the universe of Alan Wake, this is an absolute must play game that will leave you thinking about it long after you reach the ending credits. Alan Wake II is Remedy’s masterpiece, and it is glorious to behold.
Remnant II is a deeply imaginative, incredibly well designed game that will excite and thrill you repeatedly. It’s incredible to play with friends, and it’s an adventure unlike almost anything else I’ve ever seen, except for Remnant: From the Ashes. Remnant II builds on the template set out by its predecessor and pushes it to amazing new heights, and it is everything you could ask from a sequel and so much more.
Where RE2 and RE3 laid the groundwork for re-envisioning what classic games in this franchise (or any other) could be, Resident Evil 4 pushes all of that to new heights to create something that is simultaneously incredibly faithful to the original material, but updated in every meaningful way possible. This is the ultimate, hands-down, best version of the game you can possibly play. It’s a phenomenal achievement and it’s truthfully hard to imagine how CAPCOM could top themselves beyond this aside from whatever RE9 ends up being. I cannot recommend this game strongly enough. The hype is real, you should buy into it, and let it get its filthy meat hooks into you. There’s never been a better time to play Resident Evil 4, nor a better way to play.
If you played and enjoyed Monster Hunter Rise, Sunbreak is an easy recommendation that further expands upon and deepens the base game in meaningful ways. There’s loads of content on offer here that will keep you busy for at least 30 hours (and well beyond that if you’re the type of player who wants to pursue weapon and gear upgrades). Sunbreak delivers in every way and is an absolute delight to play, and it’s a must-own for fans of Monster Hunter Rise who are looking for the next chapter in their journey.
A stunningly beautiful homage to the golden age of 16-bit gaming, featuring razor sharp mechanics, excellent world design, challenging combat, clever puzzles, and an incredible score. Dripping with charm, confidence, and polished to a mirror sheen, Tunic is an adventure that is not to be missed.
Elden Ring is an incredible game full of moments that rival some of the most memorable experiences I've experienced in over 30 years of video games.
I have said for nearly a year now that Monster Hunter Rise is the Monster Hunter game to enter the series on. While that was previously true of World, World was still cumbersome for newcomers owing to a steep enough learning curve and some outdated systems that added unnecessary friction. Rise eschews all of that and the only friction left in the game’s design is the good stuff that adds challenge and depth to the experience. It’s an absolutely stellar game that is engaging, fun, and rewarding to play. If you have ever been wanting to get into Monster Hunter, this is easily the best way in, and it’s the best version of the game to boot.
FEZ is the perfect confluence of beautiful visuals, deeply satisfying gameplay, a richly designed world, tightly interconnected systems, an astounding soundtrack, and fantastic pacing. Seldom are games this well composed, and it feels mostly as fresh today as it did the day it came out. This is the definition of a classic; it endures time and shows the mastery of its work as it ages. It will always be one of my favorites, and I can think of no more fitting a place to experience FEZ, be it for the first time or the tenth.
As far as the quality of the port goes, it’s pretty excellent overall. The controls are great, the visuals look about as good as they possibly can without reworking some of the art, and after you ease in, all of the nitpicky details fade away as you enjoy a romp through lively, detailed, smooth-as-silk renditions of Kamurocho and Onomichi. This is, quite simply, the best Yakuza 6: The Song of Life has ever looked or played, and if you’ve been waiting for the PC release to experience it, you’ll be delighted with the final product.
Despite some of the unevenness and slowness toward the end, It Takes Two is still a fantastic experience that elevates cooperative games to a level they are rarely treated to, and is one of the most fun games you’ll have played with a friend or partner in years. I love what Hazelight is doing to revitalize the genre and think of new ways to make it fresh and fun, and the focus on collaborative play is a huge part of why the game is so damned successful. It’s an absolutely joyful experience nearly throughout, and the innovative mechanics, beautiful visuals, and inspired locations will keep you engaged from beginning to end on this journey unlike any other.
I honestly could go on about all of the reasons why Hades is so incredibly good for another 1500 words. There is so much to unpack and explore here, but at a certain point you’re better served by just playing the damn thing yourself. Hades is Supergiant at it’s pinnacle. It is the culmination of a decade’s worth of buildup to an unparalleled experience that leverages all of their expertise, and it exemplifies the possibilities of what early access cycles can be with a supportive community and a responsive, talented team of creators. It feels as though everything Supergiant has made prior has been rehearsal for this triumphant performance, but better still, it shows the heights they’re capable of and leaves you with the strong impression that this is just the beginning of what they have in store. Don’t wait for a sale, don’t wait on Hades for any reason; if you are even remotely interested, you absolutely have to play it right away, and I promise you will not regret it.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps marks a thrilling return to the unique, gorgeous world created by its predecessor. In many ways it is more of the same, but only in the best ways possible, as Will of the Wisps succeeds in retaining all of the high points of Ori and the Blind Forest, while making great improvements and updates across the board. It’s an emotional journey with a lovely story about friendship and family that looks incredible, sounds lovely, and feels really great to play. Sequels have the unenviable task of being both the full embodiment of and improvement over their progenitors, and Will of the Wisps absolutely delivers on this difficult task. It’s every bit the follow-up you would want to see, and it stands in its own right as an excellent game.
Manifold Garden delivers a unique, exciting world to explore with some mind-bending environments that tightly integrate with its puzzles and play systems. While it doesn’t reinvent the genre, it experiments in some exciting and playful ways that make it a memorable experience you’ll hang onto long after you’ve finished.
Ori and the Blind Forest is a truly beautiful game that plays amazingly, features an excellent musical score, and is fine-tuned down to the absolute tiniest details. It's a masterclass in game design, and its presence on Switch in the form of Definitive Edition only adds to the long list of compelling reasons to buy into the platform. If this is any indication of Microsoft's plans for releasing any of its first-party back catalog on Switch, then the future looks extremely bright.