The Spectrum Retreat is a wonderful first-person puzzle game. It contains clever puzzling and a mysterious story involving the past of the main character you play as. It's $12.99 on the Switch eShop, had a 5 year development cycle from Dan Smith himself, and is totally deserving of the price tag. There's an appreciated elegance to The Spectrum Retreat. I'm sure Dan Smith Studios is goin' places and most likely up from here.
Anyone who never got into Minecraft might find something enjoyable with Portal Knights. There is more structure, customization, variety and fresh ideas to keep things interesting. The game can become addicting and if you have a friend to play with the experience is even more enjoyable. There is no pure creation-only mode, but that shouldn't stop anyone from creating anything they want. The world's are purposefully constructed as well as giving you your own lands to play around in. These kinds of games can be a bit ambitious to pursue when creating them and that may be where some of the implementations such as inventory and leveling up are not thought out very well, but all the things surrounding those are pretty good.
Salt and Sanctuary is purely a Dark Souls clone for the 2D style of gaming. It's not a carbon copy, but it offers rewarding combat and exploration. With an open-ended world and varied enemies & bosses, a decent character progression system, secrets to find, numerous weapon types and a grim atmosphere, it's easy to be sucked in and master being a better fight than you were since your last death. This isn't a game about impossibility, but rather adapting and honing your skills. For that alone, Salt and Sanctuary is one of the best 2D action-RPG's available.
SENRAN KAGURA Peach Ball is not to be overlooked when looking at it from a gameplay perspective. The core mechanics are fun and use interesting ideas that add more flare to a plain table experience and will have you coming back for another round to top your last score. Fans of the series now have their sexy shinobi as the centerpiece of the pinball table, which also serves as a gameplay element. The detail on each table with its objects and gimmicks, the visual effects and sound only better the experience. HD rumble feels great. Plenty to unlock and customize. There's a lot going for it in regards to both the pinball aspect and the ladies involved. Sometimes the story is cute, but it's really the only downside to Peach Ball as it's mostly slow and re-purposed for each girl's set of story missions which makes it an overall drag; if you care about a story for an addicting pinball game involving provocative, busty females.
A roguelike Bomberman experience that brings its own flavor set in a Zelda style overworld with bosses and replayability. It has a nice style and the randomization to the gameplay will keep things fresh. There's also local multiplayer which fleshes this package out a bit more. Anyone not comfortable with a gameplay focused on challenging you might be turned away, but for those who enjoy learning to become better and earn new upgrades will find plenty here for them. There's a lot to like here. I'm excited to see what else Mode4 will bring to the table.
This is a shoot-'em-up catered to players who don't want a frantic & flashy game and would rather play something that's more chill while playing with minor simulation elements. The game's smooth controls are attributed to that.
Max: The Curse of Brotherhood's presentation and creative use of puzzle-platforming are really well done. It has a difficulty curve that is accessible for all ages and remains fun. It looks beautiful despite running at a lower resolution and its appeal can be good for both parents and children to play together.
New Super Lucky's Tale is the most refined version of the game to date. There's so many tweaks, additions and improvements to the game that it's perfect that it got the treatment it deserves when hopefully more people get their hands-on time with it. It's Conker's Good Fur Day. Any one who enjoys 3D platformers such as the typical Super Mario or Banjo-Kazooie should give this a look. The only downside is that it's easier, but that still doesn't mean it can't be fun with the tight controls and gameplay variety it has to back that up. New Super Lucky's Tale has been part of the resurgence of 3D platformers and I just hope it's enough to get a true sequel.
Robbie Swifthand and the Orb of Mysteries is a fine platformer. The quality in its graphics, controls and gameplay mechanics make the challenge worth going through. It's also nice that the humor will keep things light when going through the darkness of death. You may die a lot, and you should, but that's the journey. The occasional frustration of some levels are due to the challenge itself and not by bad design. There's some interesting things to see here. For players who want a little more finesse to their platforming, there's plenty of fun here.
Simply put: Happy Birthdays is an oyster of joy. Seeing images or trailers of this game does not do it justice. One may think it's a mere child's game just from the cover, but it's suitable for all ages and the surprising amount of depth can only be experienced personally. This might be a sleeper hit, but it deserves more recognition. Yasuhiro Wada along the help of his development teams created another clever and fantastic jewel of a game. If terrain editing, creating a living ecosystem and collecting is up your alley then don't overlook Happy Birthdays.
Layers of Fear: Legacy isn't your typical horror game with weaponry or with the means of survival from enemies. Instead, it takes a more artistic direction, technically, and manages to feel compelling from start to finish. The gameplay itself isn't too deep, but the narrative and atmosphere are top notch. Simply put, this is a great experience for anyone looking for eerie undertones without the baggage of item management and the stress of time.
When it comes down to it, the core gameplay is just as fun as it has ever been. Playing with others is what makes this series remain fresh after all these years. People only looking for a single player experience should look elsewhere.
Earthlock can be summed up as the JRPG to get for anyone needing to get their fill of a classic formula while being fresh at the same time. Everything about the game is pretty well-done and if one didn't know an indie developer was behind its creation, one might think that it came from a widely popular studio instead. Occasionally the writing comes off flat and more could be done to be emotionally attached to some of the characters, but the gameplay, visuals and music are great! It can be a grind, but it also won't leave your mind. Bring on the remaining games in this trilogy.
Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy more-or-less does what the sequel should be. We're on another adventure in the Ryza universe with refinements, returning with Ryza herself and the crew, no less. I can see how certain features being streamlined, such as synthesizing, may be seen as toned down for long-time players, but it just feels better. Atelier is probably too wholesome for its own good, as often the obvious and expected are just that, but I wouldn't want it any other way. Ryza 2 provides some new mechanics that leaves one wondering about future improvements and is enough to enjoy embarking on a new adventure. (Even though Fi was largely annoying for most of the game).
If winter never came for you, then it's here now. Vambrace: Cold Soul does a fine job in its atmosphere and has the lore built around it that's believable and easy to get into. It's a harsh world and death could come easily. It's even more enjoyable thanks to the fantastic artwork and dozens of outfits to unlock. The turn-based battles aren't groundbreaking, but they're enough to present a challenge at the very least. What's impressive about Vambrace is its world. Every character has something new to say after every event and so much of it can be missed. Depending on your choices, you will get one of three different endings. The people you meet along the way play a huge role in what's to be seen. Even with its flaws, Vambrace: Cold Soul is a chilling ride that many players could warm up to.
Pode takes the cooperative experience from Snipperclips and puts it into 3d environments, yet is warmer and even cuter. The Norwegian-influenced art direction is pleasant to see come to life via pop-up book aesthetic. The puzzles are creative and remain a suitable challenge for all players. There is no negativity to be found in the game and the wonderful audiovisual aspect drives that notion home. Good vibes all around.
So it looks like Bridge Constructor and Portal got married. I hope it's going well. They look nice together. I hope they add more members to the family.
Cursed Castilla EX is on Nintendo Switch and it may as well be the best version. In a time where 2D pixel-art have made a huge comeback, don't let Cursed Castilla EX get lost in the shuffle. Cursed Castilla EX respects your time when playing it and Locomalito has certainly earned my respect as a developer after playing it. Fans of Super Ghouls n' Ghosts/Ghosts & Goblins looking for something on par should look no further. With tight controls, carefully crafted levels, hidden secrets and fantastic bosses... Cursed Castilla EX is all-around quality and a polished experience.
SNK HEROINES ~Tag Team Frenzy~ is made with love from the creators and it shows. It's accessibility is meant for players of all skill types, neither catering to only the hardcore players or only casuals; just both at once. There is plenty of content to unlock and plenty of ways to customize your character. Even if it's not as sharp as the PlayStation 4 version, it's still eye-candy on the Switch. The soundtrack is also pretty good with the best remixes of past songs. There's enough single player for the solo player and co-op/versus for players of two, but up to 8 can play together both offline and online. Above all, it's just fun to play. Looking forward to the future characters being added to the roster.
Vaporum is a well-rounded RPG that properly executes a classic experience with a nice coat of paint. It takes what you commonly love in a more fantasy/medieval setting and interprets it into a steampunk setting. Vaporum looks the part and sound effects and environment ambiance also help sell the atmosphere. The combat is fast, but flexible. And the choices given for certain playstyles make it a worthwhile experience.