William Murphy's Reviews
Bound By Flame sounded promising every time we saw it... but so do most games. What we ended up with instead is an RPG trying to be as great as its inspiration but never coming close. Poor combat, poor story, and poor acting, all serve to make this "epic tale" one you'll want to skip. Do not buy.
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.
If the price drops to around the $20 mark, this title would be a quirky gem. As it stands, the cost of entry and the lack of true depth to Penny-Punching Princess make it a hard game to recommend to anyone. As it stands, it’s just not a very good time to be had. The price, combined with the repetitive nature and lack of level design make it a resounding “meh” of a game. It feels like it was meant for the 3DS, and was quickly ported to the Switch to cash in, and that’s not a good thing.
Sadly, RBI Baseball 18, while ahead of last year's edition, is still obviously hampered by porting the mobile version to consoles and charging 300% more. It's not worth your time or your money, unless you're really hard up for a Switch baseball game. If you have access to any other console, play something there instead. Keep an eye on RBI Baseball as a series though, as they're making strides. It's got a long way to go, but they're clearly trying to make a great game.
For a budget game, there's a lot to love in Monster Jam Steel Titans, despite its shortcomings. If you're a megafan of Monster Jam, there's probably never been a better game. Still, it's lacking some basic design functions that could make it a must-own. My kid loves it though, and sometimes that's all that matters.
Eden Games has a lot to work with for this racing series. It could be a great game, but right now it feels a little too mundane, a little too tied to its own past, and marred by technical issues that really slow down the pacing of what should be a fast pick-up-and-go sort of game. It winds up feeling like a downgrade from the last game, rather than an upgrade.
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.
If you’re a fan of the Wolbyware’s previous work or are a fan of platformers I think Omega Strike is definitely worth a look-in however for this writer there’s not enough to keep bringing me back to the title.
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?
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.
... the apparent lack of content paired with the difficulty spike in the solo Tournament mode means NBA Playgrounds is just two big steps away from being a great game. Right now, it’s merely pretty good.
Super Bomberman R is a good, not great, return for the franchise. It’s charming in its retro gameplay, but also a bit disappointing that the first new game in a decade does little to push the IP forward.
Still if you’re a fan of unique manga, action combat like you might find in the Naruto console games, and PS2 era JRPGs, you’ll probably enjoy yourself. This is a valiant effort, and belies a studio that’s worth watching in the future.
We Happy Few is going to go down as a cult hit. If you can muster the strength to get past its janky gameplay, there's a whole lot to love here in the world and characters. But the fact remains that this adventure is one that could have used a bit more refinement.
Overall, Flatout 4 is an admirable resurrection of a franchise once considered on par with Burnout. Thing is, that sort of game has become passe in the age of realism, and it’s unlikely that Flatout 4 is going to bring it back to the forefront of racing games. Still, if like me, you miss these sort of non-serious racing and crashing extravaganzas, you’re not likely going to be disappointed in Flatout 4. It’s a bit of a dinosaur, sure – but I wouldn’t turn away a Stegosaur if I saw one either.
For me, despite its missed opportunities and forgotten promises, I’m still glad I dropped the money to experience No Man’s Sky. It’s something unique in a world where most of what we get are sequels or off-shoots. Fortune favors the bold, and I hope this is just the beginning of the type of innovation we can expect to see from Hello Games. And frankly, I hope they take all the time they need with their next game.
Devilian is free to play, and is infinitely better than most other imported MMOARPGs on the market right now. If not having an MMO world isn't a deal breaker, you might be better off with Diablo 3 or Path of Exile. But if you've always wished TERA and Diablo would just make a baby and let you have a Corgi pet, then this is the game for you.
RBI 19 is another step forward for the returning series, and it's still the only game in town on the Switch if you want a baseball game. But for a game that fancies itself as more arcade than simulation, it's still a bit bland to play for my liking. They either need to fully commit to the Arcade-stylings or try harder to be a sim. I'd expect RBI 20 to be more of the former.
In short, buy it if you're a fan of any of those things, maybe wait for a sale if you're not quite sure. But here's hoping we get a real No More Heroes next, because this just made me realize I really want that to happen.
Below is a good game, but it could have been something great with some more attention to things that were bound to frustrate gamers from the get-go. It's a solid adventure, and a wonderfully interesting mystery. But it's not always fun to play.