William Murphy's Reviews
ONRUSH is a nice break from the standard fair of racers. It offers some unique modes and fun visuals as well as a solid arcade gameplay experience. It does suffer from a pretty simple combat system and some odd design choices in regards to the cosmetic shop but honestly despite these shortcomings is still a blast to play. Overall it's a fun romp of a racer that offers some fresh, intense multiplayer gaming for you and your buddies.
Bus Simulator 18 is easily one of the best "sims" I've played in a while. By taking what makes games like Euro Truck and Farm Simulator so popular and applying it to the core ideas of ownership and operating a city-wide bus system, Stillalive has made a really admirable game. It's got a lot of depth, soul, and heart poured into it, even if it's rough around the edges in the way of bugs and polish issues. Recommended for the driving sim fans out there, but maybe wait for a demo to try it before you buy it.
Forsaken is by far the best expansion Bungie has released to date. It offers some great storytelling, fun new subclasses, and weapons, reworks some existing systems to make content more accessible and has even progressed in making the whole experience fun. Despite still trying to find the sweet spot with endgame grinding, Destiny 2 Forsaken is worth the purchase price and offers fans of the series a satisfying experience from start to finish.
All in all, Valeguard isn't terrible at delivering on its premise. It could use some polish and refinement, but it's scoped pretty well for being a light town-management game with tower-defense elements. Or a tower defense game with light town-management elements.
Overall World of Final Fantasy is a solid game that's entertaining and offers a lot of different things to do in the game. Longtime fans of Final Fantasy will enjoy the many callouts to past games but the game itself doesn't hinge on this. The story takes a while to get interesting, but the best parts of the game have nothing to do with the story at all. It's ideal for anyone just looking for a fun game to play. It's a great game for Final Fantasy fans, and fans of JRPGs, though unlike Pokemon Let's Go, it's not going to be super easy for younger kids to get the most out of a complex battle and leveling system.
Mutant Football League is the only football game on the Switch this year, and we're lucky it's a fun one despite all its warts. If you can handle its quirks, and want a football game that doesn't take itself too seriously, this one is for you. It also helps that it's half the price of that Madden guy's game, if you're counting.
Wasteland 2 is right in line with some of the more recent "Classic RPGs" we've seen making a comeback. If you enjoy the likes of Divinity: Original Sin and adore the idea of that sort of game in a post-apocalyptic world, then this one's for you. It's loaded with content, has a ton of replay value, and unlike many modern RPGs, it really lets you customize your entire experience. Recommended.
If there's any real "downside" to The Messenger, it's that its music and effects can be repetitive, but well... that's nitpicking. At its core, this game is damn-near perfection of the 2D action-platforming genre. Humorous writing, great boss fights, well-thought-out level design, and challenging but not painful execution make The Messenger a must-have for any Switch owner.
Overall the two halves of the game fit together very well and combine to make an interesting game. Clearing out the dungeons can occasionally feel a bit grindy because I often had to do part of it over and over before I was able to get all the way through it. There's even a bit of a town management aspect as well. Additionally, there is even a bit of a story about these dungeons which is uncovered as you explore more of them and find various items. The story for the most part is sort of to the side and not the main thing, but it is interesting.
Bottom Line? It's a fun and zany game with a quirky art style (feels similar to Don't Starve) but it can be cumbersome. Also, the randomization can hurt: I had to start several games over from minute 1 when there wasn't enough free space to start building my haunted house. Also… the ability to have multiple stories would be nice. Haunted basements, anyone? Attics?
Death Road to Canada is another in a long line of solid indie titles on the Switch. Great fun on the go, loads of replay value, and lots of fun as a 2-player co-op game
ll said and done, I think Smoke and Sacrifice is a game that's worth your time and money.
Overall Milanoir is an excellent entry into the genre and worth your time and money.
Yoku's Island Express is wholly unique - a seamless blend of platformer, pinball, and puzzle game that never outstays its welcome our wears out its charming visual style. Highly recommended.
There are so many great games I missed on the Wii U, since it's the only Nintendo console I didn't own. Thankfully, Nintendo seems aware that a lot of people missed these titles, and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is a shining example of classic platforming with just the right amount of frustrating challenge. It took me right back to the SNES days and Rare's iconic DKC games, and that's no small feat. Tropical Freeze is an absolute joy to play most of the time, and I'm glad that it's seeing new life on the Switch.
There are so many great indie roguelites that it's almost becoming obscene. But that doesn't change the fact that Wizard of Legend is simply great fun, with an awesome couch co-op mode, and loads of replay value. Its difficulty can spike at odd times, and some spells seem utterly useless. But beyond that, there's just a lot of fireball hurling mayhem to be had as you try to pass the trials.
Bullet Witch is not good and it aged prematurely, but it's not trashy enough to add that comical factor. Beneath the mediocrity, some heart and soul went into the creation. Still, there is not a single reason that justifies bringing this game to the PC 11 years after the original release.
South Park: The Fractured But Whole is an excellent RPG with a South Park skin. If you love the crass fourth graders and their adventures as much as I do, then chances are you're going to have a great time. If you're more of a tangential fan, you'll probably still find a lot to love. But if South Park isn't your bag of tea, then the gameplay alone may not make this one worth your time.
Frostpunk is a rare blend of social simulation, city management, and survival game that just about does everything right.
The care and attention to detail by Snowcastle Games shows in Earthlock. It's a lovingly crafted world and one that I can't wait to see from.