Joe Devader
I am not done putting hours into Hades, not by a long shot, and as somebody who is not usually a fan of this genre I really do think that says something. Add to this yet another incredible soundtrack for Supergiant's catalogue and some of the best character designs these mythological figures have ever seen, and Hades is seriously a game that you should not miss. If you like the genre, this is an absolute must buy, and if you don't it may still be worth it to give Hades a look.
Those looking for a challenge or something a bit more action packed won’t find what they’re looking for here, but those looking for a surreal and mysterious tale will have come to the right place.
Overall, if you are looking for a deeply emotional and relatable story about the joy and challenges of love and everything that comes with it, Florence is definitely a game you cannot miss. With its simple gameplay, lovely art, and powerful soundtrack, anybody can pick it up and find themselves connected with the story of Florence and Krish.
If you like his music or just like rhythm games in general AVICII Invector is a game you absolutely should check out on the Switch.
Even then I found myself sitting on the title screen after the credits rolled, listening to the music for a good twenty minutes before I finally turned off my Switch, spending that entire time processing the story I had just experienced. When a game can do that to me, I know that it's an experience I want to recommend. If you enjoy emotional stories with admittedly shallow gameplay, you absolutely should be giving Sumire a try.
All of these levels feel exactly as you'd hope, meaning any skill level can have a good time. The music of Final Fantasy is legendary for a reason, and Theatrhythm is the perfect representation of that. If you're looking for a great rhythm game to eat up your time and occupy your mind, Final Bar Line is a fantastic choice.
It is not a soundtrack you will forget any time soon. Rakuen is a story about grief and life, one that is told well and that people should absolutely experience if given the opportunity. Just make sure you have a box of tissues at the ready, just in case.
With well-acted narration, plenty of variety in terms of gameplay, and a powerful tale that will have you coming back to find any details you might have missed, What Remains of Edith Finch is a must have for any Switch owner who enjoys a captivating story.
Before we knew it, we had been playing for four hours, laughing so hard I fell off my couch on several instances. It is the perfect game to pull out during a friendly get together or party, with a control scheme that anybody can wrap their head around and shenanigans that will cause just about any group to laugh until they cry. If you enjoy local multiplayer games, you owe it to yourself to give Heave Ho a try.
The soundtrack is also fantastic, with composer David Fenn managing to strike a perfect balance between high energy action and peaceful contemplation. Not to mention the crow you're controlling is just a cute little bird. If you are a fan of action games and have an itch for one that will kill around 8 hours, Death's Door is a pretty good place to clock in and get to work.
It is a game that is completely unafraid of letting you make mistakes and wasting your time and money, and this ties flawlessly into its well thought out setting and very memorable characters who will regard Amira with the results of your effort. The pixel art that makes up environments is gorgeous and expressive, with the nighttime streets of Singapore being my personal favorite to just spend time looking at. While it is disappointing how common the minor UI and audio bugs are, this is nothing that can't be fixed with a few patches and does not take away from what is a mystery-solving experience that fans of this genre absolutely should not miss.
If you're a fan of Studio Ghibli, like these developers clearly are, or even just have an hour to kill and a love for art, Behind the Frame is absolutely a game you should give your time. It may be clunky if played on a gamepad, but playing with touch just feels natural and works with minimal issue. If this sounds up your alley, I'd say it's time to grab your paints and get to work.
Movement and combat feel good, the abilities you get are fun to use, maps are well designed and satisfying to explore, and bosses are challenging in a way that makes them memorable. Outside of some qualms with how upgrade tokens sometimes make rewards not as worthwhile as they should be, I have very little negative to say about my time with Islets. If you find yourself hankering for another metroidvania that does what it says on the tin, and does it competently, this is definitely a game to have your eye on. Those islands aren't going to reconnect themselves.
Visually the game's pixel art is a treat to look at, and this is only bolstered by the fantastic soundtrack that accompanies it. Bright Town feels alive and NPCs have their own side stories that happen as the main story progresses, encouraging me to talk to every NPC at every possible opportunity to learn about things like the woman dating a mafia runner or the two hacker sisters who are clearly on another level. If you enjoy the cyberpunk aesthetic and want a short RPG to spend a weekend on, Jack Move is absolutely the place to go for a good time.
Lastly, there were a few frame hiccups here and there, most notably when entering a new plateau for the first time. These problems are relatively minor, though, and I still found the game to be incredibly fun to play regardless, but if they're a deal breaker for you it'd be a better idea to look to other platforms for your Pathless experience. Overall, The Pathless is a game those looking for some action and exploration should definitely give a try.
If playing in handheld mode you can get around this by using touch controls, which I found worked just fine for the game's purposes. The "horror mystery" also seems to steer away from the horror part at certain points, which might disappoint those hoping to see a lot of curse action, but the plot during these moments is just as interesting as when those curses are involved. I am happy my eye was pointed in Paranormasight's direction, as I think it may already be one of my favorite experiences of the year, and if this kind of game sounds like it appeals to you, it just might be one of yours, too.
The cast of characters is fun and varied, from the anxious Sayoko to the bubbly and optimistic Yoru, and all of them etch themselves into your memory immediately. Ghostpia never fully throws out an explanation for many of its mysteries, but with a season 2 apparently already planned it fits to leave some questions unanswered. Those looking for a purely narrative experience that may take you back to those late nights watching Inuyasha will find that weirdly precise desire in this town full of ghosts, and I have a feeling you won't regret your visit.
Luckily the game is constantly auto saving so no progress was lost, but any crash is still frustrating nonetheless. Getting past those though, I found this second entry into the story of Edwards Island to be worthwhile. The world feels dark and mysterious, the voice actors are all killing their roles, and for those who have played the original game you will probably walk away feeling satisfied with at least one of the possible endings the game offers, I know I was.
The soundtrack is also great, composed by series regular Takeshi Abo, and it especially shines during particularly action heavy scenes. The localization is overall solid though there were a few typos here and there as well as a line or two that felt a little stilted or awkward, but again these do not occur very often. I am not sure if I would put it at the same level as its most successful predecessor (Steins;Gate), but Anonymous;Code is a very worthy addition to the Science Adventure series and a game that anybody interested in visual novels should definitely take a look at.
Despite its generally low amount of content, Anarcute is enough fun to keep you playing to the end, with the full package making it incredibly difficult to count the little game out. I found it impossible to ever be in a bad mood while playing this game, spending my sessions bouncing my foot to the incredibly upbeat soundtrack while sending my cat army to throw a gas truck at a group of fascists and shouting about how I was going to "tear down the PETriarchy". It's good old fashioned chaotic fun, and in the end it doesn't really need to be anything else to succeed at what it's going for.