My time with Lucah: Born of a Dream was one of the best times I’ve had with any title on my Nintendo Switch. The ambiguity of the story always gave me the feeling of wanting to press on and discover more about the strange world, I was wandering in. I felt the combat system was an excellent blend of multiple elements that came together and created what to me is one of the most satisfying combat systems of any recent title. Those who prefer straightforward stories may not find Lucah: Born of a Dream as thrilling, but I believe that this is a title worth trying for almost anyone.
Somehow, with its cold and isolated tone there was still a lot of heart in this adventure. Travelling along with my steam engine never got old and I could continue doing it for a long time to come. The puzzles are fairly simple, and it’s a pretty short game, but it’s definitely worth playing for the experience it gives you. I can recommend FAR: Lone Sails to almost any player.
The translation to Nintendo Switch was well done and destruction on the go has never been so entertaining,
Difficult but wonderful blast to the past
Headliner is a nice change up from the conventional visual novel style game. It has a deep and immersive story, decisions that matter, and a nice level of replay value. The game will most likely only take 1-2 hours, per playthrough, but as long as you enjoy replaying the story then that shouldn’t be an issue. I would definitely recommend checking Headliner out.
Whether you’re a Picross fan or someone who wants to try out the genre I think PictoQuest is a solid title to pick up.
River City Girls is one of the best experiences I’ve had with a beat em up and if it has more time to iron out a few kinks, I think it could be one of the best the genre has to offer. The gameplay excels at being entertaining no matter whether you’re playing alone, or with a friend. There’s a significant amount of different moves to test out, along with a simply stunning visual design. It’s a shame that the RPG mechanics couldn’t have been better implemented. Having a feeling of meaningful progression and knowing the difference in damage output between different moves would have been really nice. If you’re a fan of beat em up’s you’re most likely going to enjoy your time with River City Girls. These two girls definitely pack a punch.
I think Creature in The Well is a unique take on the action genre that successfully blends puzzle and pinball mechanics. The gameplay is very satisfying and the world is beautifully animated. You’ll most likely be drawn in by Creature in The Well’s story which starts off vague and unravels itself into quite the interesting narrative. If you’re not the type of person that’s willing to make a few attempts to get things right, then maybe avoid this one. However, if you’re alright with putting in the time to improve Creature in The Well is a genuinely terrific adventure.
I didn’t expect to enjoy Bulletstorm as much as I did, but it’s truly a charming FPS even if it’s crude and boorish. The gameplay provides an immense amount of enjoyment with different mechanics scattered about to constantly bring something interesting to the table. The Skillshot system is one of the greatest additions to an FPS I’ve ever seen and made me want to try and experiment with ways to kill enemies. For some the story may be a bit too over the top and lack enough personality to interest you. The lack of gyro controls and online multiplayer may also put off some players from trying Bulletstorm. However, I have to say that if you’ve been craving a new FPS to take on the go, this one is definitely worth checking out.
Torchlight II still continues to be one of the best the dungeon crawling, Action RPG genre has to offer. The gameplay is solid and full of different quests to always keep you busy. With the 4 classes being so different from one another and NG+ there’s so much replay value here. Online multiplayer is a great addition, if you have some friends to play with and want to team up for some dungeon crawling action. Some of the dungeon designs could have used a bit more creativity and the story feels unimportant, but those are small blemishes on an otherwise great package.
Untitled Goose Game lives up to the charm and entertainment value that many were expecting from it. The sandbox style gameplay is a joy to play around with and the inclusion of stealth along with the well-crafted physics work only to further benefit the game. The To-do list task are all equally hilarious because they feel authentic and are genuinely satisfying to complete (the feeling of crossing items off a list never gets old). Some may find the game to be a bit short on content and if you’re not a fan of game’s that center around “goofing off” then Untitled Goose Game may not be for you. I recommend checking the game out for anyone that’s on the fence because you may be missing out on one of the most unique experiences of 2019.
I understand some players are getting tired of ports, but Sniper Elite 3 Ultimate Edition is a truly fantastic addition to the Nintendo Switch library. For a console lacking third-person shooters, this is a truly entertaining game with hours of content. The sniping mechanics are some of the most interesting found in any game I’ve played. Getting into close-quarters combat is a bit boring and along with various glitches does damper Sniper Elite 3 overall. Luckily, these issues don’t hold it back from being an enjoyable stealth-based third-person shooter. Now get out there and go blast some bullets into Nazi skulls, that’s an order!
Puzzle Quest: The Legend Returns is the RPG that I didn’t know how badly I needed it on Nintendo Switch until now. The match 3 gameplay mixed with RPG elements is superbly done and with the diversity among classes and skills, you really get to customize your character how you want to. Visually, the game looks fantastic and while some of the enemy designs do feel plain that doesn’t stop the rest of the game from looking gorgeous. The RNG elements along with the lengthy battles do hold Puzzle Quest back from being the perfect RPG, but nevertheless, this is definitely worth picking up for any RPG fans collection. There are hours upon hours of content here and I know I’ll be coming back to Puzzle Quest for quite some time.
Cyber Protocol is an incredibly entertaining Cyberpunk style game that I recommend you try out. The arcade-like gameplay is very fun and there’s tons of content, between the game’s 100 missions and unlockable content. The implementation of online leaderboards was also a great addition so you can compete with others online. I did get a bit frustrated with some of the more difficult levels, however, they didn’t ruin my experience. Throw in the 4-player local play, killer tunes, and unlockable avatars and you have a really great Nintendo Switch exclusive that’s worth your time.
Stiff controls & Sub-par crafting spoil the fun.
Great SHMUP Held Back by A Few Technical & Design Flaws
After all these years, finally having the chance to play and finish Castle Crashers has left me with a feeling of satisfaction. This truly stands out as a video game classic and is a ton of fun whether you’re alone or with a group of friends. The combat system is very satisfying and there’s so much content wrapped up in this package. Unfortunately, there are some flaws that hold the game back from living up to its countless praise. Inconsistent difficulty spikes, visual glitches, and unbalanced projectiles hurt Castle Crashers gameplay. As a first-time player, I feel like Castle Crashers is a great game, but it’s not for everyone. You have to put up with some issues, but if you’re able to then this title is worth your time. Either way I’m happy to have this available on Nintendo Switch.
It’s the perfect tactical RPG experience, for those who are looking for something that won’t consume weeks of their time. It’s a shame that the Switch port has arrived with many flaws.
I don’t know much about the Touhou series, but I can say that this is a title that flew a bit under the radar. It’s not a perfect 3D fighter and if you’re already not a fan of the genre this definitely won’t win you over. However, for fans of 3D fighters this blends enough ideas from others in the genre with a few new concepts to create an interesting new 3D fighter. The combat is surprisingly entertaining, although the up close combat needs some polish. Sadly, the online is dead, but if you want a new 3D fighter to play with friends then this will offer a nice amount of content. Just make sure you don’t show this to any of your friends who haven’t been exposed to anime..
This is worth picking up for most fans of the turn based tactical strategy genre and worth thinking about picking up for a newcomers first foray into the genre.