Trevor Gould's Reviews
Unless recently divorced and/or identifying as non-binary, I have a hard time envisioning that many will get $19.99 worth of fun here. Solo, while having its heart in the right place, would have been better off as a visual novel. As a short game, it just doesn't have enough focus on its aesthetics, camera, puzzles, or optimal porting.
While I like the intent that Feather brings to the table, its ideas are implemented in a subpar fashion. This is a proof of concept, whose asking price doesn't reflect its current modest state. I can't recommend it unless a sizable update arrives to unlock its potential.
I found Katamari Damacy REROLL to be much more frustrating than fun. It lacks modern fundamentals like a good camera and intuitive control, made worse by ill-fitting time restrictions. It's a very repetitive game too, one that I really couldn't play for more than two levels at any given time. A minor HD coat of paint can't compensate here. I suspect Katamari Damacy, though a hit with most critics, will remain a sleeper of a game amongst players, even on Nintendo Switch.
Tiny Hands Adventure simply has too many execution issues to recommend, especially at its $16.99 regular price. While collectables, which unlock hard level variants, can extend your play time, the level of quality doesn't instill the desire to revisit already completed areas. Hopefully, Blue Sunset Games has something more polished planned for their next Switch release.
For this game to be worth the price of admission, they would have to rework the dungeon generation to prevent situations where you have to take damage just to get to the next room.
It would be dishonest of me to say that North is good as a game. It lacks polish, standard options, is glitchy, and is over too fast. But as a type of interactive art/short story blend, it did grow on me some, and ended up leaving an impression.
I certainly don't mind a somewhat easy game, but I need a bit of challenge to hold my attention. After several hours, I think I've seen enough of Blacksmith of the Sand Kingdom for the time being. Perhaps it improves, but it should've put its best foot forward much earlier. The battles are so simple that the efforts at depth are lost, making crafting less necessary and rewarding.
This exploration platformer pulls off the essentials, but the amount of time spent backtracking and grinding for upgrades feels much more wasteful rather than satisfying. Micetopia wound up slightly disappointing, but I've seen enough positives that I have some optimism for the studio's next release.
While Double Switch – 25th Anniversary Edition offers several improvements, the core game was never that good to start with. Locking bonus content is a mistake and, unlike its predecessor, there's no real history to fall back on. Clearly one for existing fans only, who probably sprung for the physical release before it sold out.
The truth is, I simply can't recommend The Bradwell Conspiracy in its present state. It just misses the mark in too many areas. With some fine-tuning and polish, its technical shortcomings could eventually be overcome, in which case it'll be ready for primetime. But playing it on the Nintendo Switch now has me reaching for a bottle of ibuprofen.
The 32-bit generation is one that I feel more indies should look toward after a plethora of 8-bit and 16-bit inspired titles have already dominated the scene. But Back in 1995 is too visually distracting, too slow, and too short for its $9.99 price. Nonetheless, the idea here is sound. With a better camera, a bit more speed, some expanded gameplay, and less negligence towards full-on emulation, a future installment could provide a nice retro fix.
The solo component is far from great. Even when playing Wondershot as a duo or trio you'll probably be wanting a full group of four. That's the best way to ensure an entertaining time with some laughs. Otherwise, it's a very forgettable release.
I've genuinely attempted to click with Berzerk: Recharged (and the Recharged series overall). But, after many weeks, it's clear I never will. This game doesn't deliver what it promises, which is a "revival of an arcade classic."
It's a shame that the unique elements of Onigo Hunter (monster acquisition, map trimming) have only a marginal impact. You're left with a generic RPG, the kind that many uninformed associate with the publisher. This game could be comfort food to grab on sale, but there are superior offerings from this publisher.
Genre fans might find Buck Bradley Comic Adventure worth grabbing (on sale) to pass a couple of hours. But from presentation to puzzles and beyond, this is an average release at best that most can skip without worry. Unfortunately, this title falls short in too many ways.
On the one hand, I can say Westone's arcade "treasure" was worth the wait when viewed as a piece of gaming history. But, as an ININ Games published release in 2021, not as much. Once the warm fuzzies wear off, you're left with a short game with little replay incentive due to a lack of online leaderboards. Combined with a lack of both standard and extra features, I'd wait for this $19.99 release to get a sizable discount unless you're an arcade fanatic who has someone readily available for two-player co-op.
Reminiscence in the Night doesn't offer much to keep you occupied, albeit at a modest $4.99 price. Choices that lead to different endings hold some appeal, but certain aspects of the script seriously lack. There's also little balance between being cryptic and offering clarity. This release leaves you with questions but feels more rudimentary than sophisticated.
If you haven't played A Short Hike yet, you might get into Haven Park for a little bit. But it's a game that seriously needs more original ideas and better implementation of ideas in general.
Stonefly delights the eyes and ears. But the gameplay mix, despite offering some depth, can't do the same. The combat simply isn't much fun, and exploring runs the risks of glitches. This strange premise just isn't executed that well. I'd stick with Creature in the Well until Stonefly gets a discount and patch.
Ladders by POWGI certainly isn't bad for a few minutes at a time, especially if you have a second player to bounce word suggestions off of. Still, I didn't find it addictive enough to carry a standalone release.