William Murphy's Reviews
There are only a few RPGs on the Switch so far, but Disgaea 5 is nothing short of one of the best. If you’re at all a fan of JRPGs or tactics games, this is a must buy. Even if you had it on the PS4, its inclusion on the Switch and portable greatness make it one of the system’s must owns early in its life.
The men and women of NetherRealm Studios are on my wavelength because Injustice 2 is the most content-rich fighting game I’ve ever played, the first one in ages to captivate me and keep me coming back for more.
The fact remains, despite drawbacks, Mages of Mystralia is a promising start to Borealys' life as a game studio. There's abundant charm, tight controls, and enough ingenuity to make me confident that Mages' real story is only just beginning. Bring on a Switch version, and bring on a sequel!
I cannot wait to see where Morrowind's story ends, and where the next year of content takes us in Nirn. It's fun to think that this is just the first chapter in years of content ESO has up its sleeve. Talk about starting off with a bang.
This may seem like a short review, but I promise, I just about covered everything. If you like hard roguelikes such as Devil Daggers, The Binding of Isaac, and more, then this is right up your alley. You can find it on Steam, Humble, Green Man Gaming, and more. Head to tormentorxpunisher.com to see a full list of stores.
Rather, like the best roguelikes, it begs you to try again. You feel like you failed Ikk when he dies, not that the game was cheap or punishing. For $10, you could do a whole lot worse on the Switch. And if you like hard, side-scrolling action games – this is a no brainer.
What really sets MXM apart is its PVE, and it's the feature I hope the game leans more heavily on going forward. Either way, MXM is a solid entry to NCSOFT's stable, and they should be proud of what they've achieved. It's had little fanfare around the web, which is a shame. If any of what I've described sounds like something you'd enjoy, MXM is well worth a look.
I can plainly see that Antihero would make an excellent game on just about any system it touched – from the tablet and phone to the lovely new portable Switch and even the big boy home consoles. On PC, it’s brilliant, but I can’t help thinking I’d choose to play it more if it were with me on the go. Get on it, Versus Evil! Overall, given my brief time with Antihero, I recommend it for fans of turn-based strategy looking for something new in a tried and true genre. It’s pretty great, my friends.
There’s no denying that Prideful Sloth has created something special. Labeled an upstart Indie Studio, they’ve gone and created one of my favorite games of 2017 so far. It’s ambitious, breathtakingly beautiful, and a joy to play. There’s something to be said for games that don’t rely on combat of any sort to engage the player.
Now, if you missed the original Splatoon, which most people did because not many really owned a Wii U, you owe it to yourself to pick up Splatoon 2. Not only is it better than its forebear in every way, it’s simply one of the best shooters released so far in 2017. It’s a must buy.
It’s amazing what Ironward’s done with Solstice Chronicles: MIA, and I can only imagine what they’d be capable of with a bigger budget, more staff, and more time. I want more of their version of Mars, and I hope to see it expanded upon in the future.
Fate/EXTELLA is out now on PC and Switch, and it’s worth your attention if you’re a hardcore Fate fan, Anima aficionado, or dying for a new Switch-based RPG. Others may just want to steer clear.
Simply put, Overcooked is a great game on any platform, and one with a couple glaring issues that need to be patched on the Switch. Still, there are few games on Switch that are this well-suited to co-op play, so at $20, it’s worth the price of admission if you’ve got the friends to bring along for the ride.
By the time the first episode is over in The Enemy Within, you’re going to be left wondering just how far Telltale can push Bruce Wayne, and just how dark this series can get. It’s a fantastic example of Telltale at its best, and if you’re a fan of these games, you need to pick The Enemy Within up and get playing. If you’ve yet played the original Telltale Batman series, get it too. This one is made richer by playing its predecessor.
Miitopia isn’t a fantastic game, but it’s a great casual RPG for fans of the genre, and an even better introduction for newbies to the world of role-playing games. If your kid is the type who longs to go on the epic adventures they see you playing all the time, I’d recommend it for sure. If you’re looking for a satisfying RPG experience for yourself, I might wait for a price drop or go play Bravely Default again.
Nidhogg 2 isn’t a feature heavy game. It could use leaderboards, maybe more game modes, and more weapons, sure. But it’s about the frantic gameplay, the hilarious level design and flopping of bodies across the levels. It’s about laughing with the person you’re trying to skewer. And listen – any game that lets you fight inside the bowels of a dying Nidhogg and escape through its sphincter is alright by us.
Agents of Mayhem proudly barrels out into the world as a robust and absolutely fun single player experience. If you want an escape from the grimdark settings of most modern games, but still want to make things go boom, you should stop reading and pick it up now. Above all else, Agents of Mayhem is a master class in fun.
Sadly, Phantom Trigger is over as soon as it hits its stride. It takes only about 5 hours or so to play through, though this can be extended if you’re set on uncovering every little detail and pick-up. For $15, it’s not a bad deal, but Phantom Trigger is a unique and surreal experience – one I hoped would have lasted a little longer. If you’re a fan of Hyper Light Drifter, Kamiko, and other games of this little RPG sub genre, Phantom Trigger comes recommended.
Regardless of its lax difficulty and lack of replay value, Hey! Pikmin has been utterly adorable and fun to play through. If you’re a fan of the franchise and don’t go in expecting it to be a mobile sequel, but rather a casual spinoff of the series, you’ll be pleased. Folks waiting on a new full-scale Pikmin will have to hope the Switch gets one in the coming year.
If you own a Nintendo Switch, you want this game, period. I didn’t know I wanted this mashup, but now that we have it, I can’t wait for the DLC, and I definitely want sequels.