Exceptional presentation elements bolster excellent voice acting and writing, and the result is a mystery experience that is both accessible and hard to put down. The puzzle quality could be a little higher and the game did freeze a couple times (autosaves are frequent, fortunately), but the memorable characters will definitely stick with you after you close the book on this one. Like a good novel, Jenny's (and Arthur's) story is a real page-turner, and it's well deserving of being added to your Switch library.
While the most dedicated players will find a game containing dozens of hours of grinding and challenge to overcome, most are likely to encounter repetitive and simplistic gameplay with no major story to reward their endeavoring. Many will no doubt find the final main game dungeon to be too great an obstacle to overcome. Without nostalgia to buoy its lackluster gameplay loop and online functionality, Crystal Chronicles is one caravan ride you may want to skip.
If you take it at face value as a simulation, you'll find a faithful and rewarding experience; a free demo on the eShop should give you an idea of whether you'll enjoy the game. Ultimately, it's best to take your time with Hypnospace Outlaw rather than rushing through to the end. The devil, as they say, is in the poorly-designed webpage details.
At the end of the day, the gameplay isn't likely to compel you to spend the 5-10 hours needed to see the story through. Everything this game does is done better elsewhere, so dive back into the bottomless eShop sea and fish up another adventure. This Giraffe is better left on safari.
All told, Phoenotopia: Awakening could probably use a little more REM sleep to get some much-needed editing in.
The experience would be a much smoother and more memorable one if its primary mechanic was easier to execute. Each world culminates in a boss fight, and these border on maddening when coupled with scarce checkpoints, the aforementioned aiming issues, and a system of progression that's essential trial-and-error. Those who like their platformers extra spicy may find a satisfying 10 hours here, but be warned that fighting with the controls is par for this course.
The varying chapter lengths and uneven pacing are noticeable distractions, and there isn't much depth to the tasks you complete around town or through guild requests. However, these concerns are more than outweighed by the charming and funny characters and all the moments they have together. FAIRY TAIL is an easy recommendation for RPG and anime fans, but those new to either of those groups might just find a true sleeping beauty here.
Locomotion doesn't necessarily bring anything new to the table, but its clever level design and pick-up-and-play nature make it a great option for puzzle fans and those who are looking for an experience they can share with younger or more casual players. More color or visual flair would have added to the package, and it would have been nice to skip puzzles you get stuck on to advance to the next stage. Overall, though, Locomotion is a solid 3D puzzle title that is good for a few hours of train-based entertainment.
A gritty, cyberpunk action-RPG that doles out punishment and interesting story-telling in equal measure.
Although there is a fair amount of freedom to play the game as you see fit, it's difficult to recommend the latest Story of Seasons entry over something like Stardew Valley or even the two 3DS games. In-game achievements, hidden items to collect, and an easy mode are all welcome features; ultimately, though they don't contribute enough to make for a compelling experience. Those who want to enjoy the nostalgia of Harvest Moon on SNES and GBA will like coming back to something familiar, but Story of Seasons Friends of Mineral Town isn't necessarily worth throwing in the shipping box.
Some of the games have online rankings, which adds to the replay factor, but there are no historical materials on offer, and the game balancing options are incredibly sparse. There are some decent screen options, and being able to remap all of the buttons is nice, but it's hard not to see this package of Darius games as being light on firepower. We've seen much more robust compilations come to Switch, so I can really only recommend these games to true Darius diehards.
If you've never played a Trails game, this release has everything you need to catch up and dive right in, and stay tuned for the finale of the tetralogy, Trails of Cold Steel 4, coming to Switch in 2021. If two roads diverge in a yellow wood, you better take the trail of cold steel. That will make all the difference.
Sakura Wars represents a great starting point for newcomers, and veterans of the series are sure to enjoy the throwbacks to prior entries, even if the shift to musuo-style combat is a drastic departure from what they are used to.
Bioshock: The Collection is an excellent way to experience some of the finest first-person shooters of the last 15 years. Admittedly, it's hard to ignore the fact that this compilation is regularly available at a deep discount on other platforms, but if the Switch is your only option, you really aren't sacrificing much in the way of graphics and performance. For those who may have only experienced the initial release of these three titles, the added DLC and visual improvements make a return trip to Rapture and Columbia worth the price of admission.
Adding to the replay value are a map editor, an AI Skirmish mode, and even online multiplayer, so there is a sizeable amount of content on offer here. Ultimately, the experience feels rote and played out; even though there is some fun to be had, it doesn't last long enough to make the whole campaign worth fighting through. Fans of the genre should consider picking this one up, but it's true what they say: Warborn never changes.
The monolith puzzles are enjoyable, but the narrative surrounding them doesn't serve as a worthwhile reward for their completion. If you're looking for a light puzzle-platformer with mostly attractive pixel art, Evan's Remains might be worth considering. If you want a more thrilling or satisfying narrative experience, keep searching.
Unfortunately, the design of the stages does no favors for the game's controls either, and so you're likely to spend a fair amount of time waiting to respawn or waiting for your teammates to slowly wind their way around obstacles. Cannibal Cuisine is worth a pick up if you're looking for more Overcooked but with a twist. Just be prepared to pick a few human hairs out of this soup.
The final boss is a bit of a letdown, but the leaderboards and unlockable ships add decent replay value. The accessibility options are robust, too, as we've come to expect from these classic SEGA re-releases. Although Thunder Force IV, which released as Lightening Force: Quest for the Darkstar is the better game, its predecessor still manages to bring a healthy dose of shoot-'em-up goodness.
Resolutiion ultimately provides more frustration than fun, and its efforts to stand out make it hard to decipher and at times too much of a chore to play.
The best way to describe Arrest of a stone Buddha is to think of it as a dream in video game form, and I mean the kind you wake up from and wonder: “What the hell was that?” The lack of control, direction, and agency that one experiences while dreaming are the closest approximation I can come up with. However, there is some wisdom to be gleaned from the hundreds of bodies this professional killer leaves lying in his wake.