There's a lot to like about Maiden of Black Water; while we didn't find it overly scary, it is very good indeed at being eerie. You'll see ghosts out of the corner of your eye and when you check, they'll be gone. It's oddly cosy and non-stressful for a horror game, because your camera is such an efficient weapon and the combat it propogates is too action-packed to really let any dread sink in. That's not necessarily a bad thing, though we found the earlier PlayStation 2 instalments of the series were more interested in actively frightening the player. If you get absorbed in the storyline - which is easy to do as the episodic structure makes "just one more area" a compelling prospect - you'll find a good 15 or so hours of game here, and much more if you decide you need to get higher ranks as you improve your Camera Obscura with upgrades and other boons. Performance problems aside, this game's a real winner and worth snapping up if you're a horror fan who missed it on Wii U.
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc offers a memorable Killing Game with fantastic, iconic characters, a genuinely funny and smart script, and some superior twists and turns along the way with well-earned emotional hooks and at times shocking violence. It's funny, it's dramatic and it's very problematic, so exercise some caution - this is resolutely not a game for kids, but even adults will struggle with some of its less savoury or more overtly brash, thoughtless content. It's not enough to mark the game down in any way, but readers should be aware that this is not a tactful piece of software, which for some will ward them away but we suspect for others is a major selling point. We urge you to check the game out for yourself, as it is, quite frankly, a classic in the visual novel genre.
Even sicker and more delightfully disturbing than the marvellous original, Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair doesn't match its predecessor in some ways but makes up for its shortcomings in others. Once again we'd argue that the journey is better than the destination - we thought the first game's ending was nearly incomprehensible rubbish and this one is even worse. But it's absolutely a journey well worth taking, as the brilliant cast and smart murder mystery gameplay once again sucked us in and didn't let go. An aesthetic and narrative treat, Danganronpa 2 is an easy recommendation and we're delighted it's finally made the leap to Switch.
Danganronpa Decadence is a very fine package that delivers a trio of deliciously devious and salacious murder mysteries, plus a grindy side-game we can live without. The main games here are funny, dramatic and pretty problematic, so exercise some caution - this is resolutely not a game for kids, but even adults will struggle with some of its less savoury or more overtly brash, thoughtless content. If they sound at all appealing, though, we urge you to check the games out for yourself, as they're classics in the visual novel genre. Trigger Happy Havoc offers a memorable Killing Game with fantastic characters and a genuinely funny and smart script. Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair is even sicker and more delightfully disturbing than the marvellous original; it doesn't match its predecessor in some ways but makes up for its shortcomings in others. Our favourite is definitely the epic third game, though - go in blind and we promise you'll be in for the ride of your life.
Repentance by name, and wonderful, welcome repentance by nature, this expansion is an apology for what became of Isaac and a promise to do better — a promise that it very much delivers on.
Super Impossible Road is a strong effort and a pleasant surprise.
Shadow Man has never been a masterpiece, but it is a clear labour of love with plenty to offer those willing to endure its more aged mechanics and structural curiosities. We can only hope that plenty will have the patience to do so.
Overall, this is the best Sherlock Holmes game we've encountered and a very auspicious debut for the consulting detective on Switch. This is far from a lazy downgrade, with developer Frogwares presenting a full-featured and compelling experience from start to perhaps-too-soon finish. It looks great and plays brilliantly, with only occasional annoyances and some weak (though thankfully skippable) puzzles to knock it down a peg. The fact that the game is willing to allow you to get it wrong means it feels less prescribed and inevitable as other titles in the detective genre, and that's quite refreshing. A little ironic that it took one of the form's oldest characters to finally land such a novel approach.
While Infernax is tough, it's resolutely fair - you can't really make the game 'easy', but you can absolutely mitigate the difficulty or take a break doing something else when you get stuck. Don't expect a simple ride, though, and don't expect to take the right decisions on a first playthrough - not that anything seems particularly 'right' in this beautifully bloody little world. It's only familiarity that lets Infernax down - there's nothing really new here, but it's all done and delivered so well that you won't really care unless you're desperate for a completely fresh experience. In which case why play a faux-retro NES throwback to begin with? A cut above most efforts in the subgenre, Infernax both demands and requires attention.
Dawn of the Monsters stumbles into some of the more common pitfalls of belt-scrolling fighters, but it has enough flair, polish and excitement to be a more than worthy offering, particularly played in couch co-op with a friend. We wish there were a few more playable creatures, but the ones on offer here are all very distinct and enormous fun to get to grips with. It's a richly rewarding game, with higher ranks unlocking new skins and upgrades from the in-game shop (don't worry, no microtransactions here) which offer an incentive to keep playing - though the real reason you'll stick with Dawn of the Monsters is that it is, quite simply, very good indeed. While it has a few problems, they're nothing that will stop you having a blast with this Brobdingnagian beat-'em-up.
Blast Brigade is a difficult game to review. It's a lot of fun and we enjoyed our 20 or so hours with it, mopping up secrets and collectables. We can't recommend it enough if you've still got a hankering for Metroidvanias, but those exhausted with the formula aren't going to find any major deviations here. Perhaps we would feel differently had the game come out a couple of years ago, but now? Blast Brigade is still a terrific Metroidvania, and one of the best we've played outside of the very tippy-top tier (Symphony of the Night, et al). Get it straight away if you even slightly think you will enjoy it, because you almost certainly will. It has the same affection packed into it as the likes of Kaze and the Wild Masks, a real love letter to Metroidvanias. Truly exceptional it isn't, but Blast Brigade remains a great time if you're not suffering from genre fatigue.
What The Falconeer offers is a remarkable open-world-ish experience, one that's all the more impressive given that it's (almost) entirely the work of one person. It's gorgeous to look at and polished as all-get-out, with a warmth and sense of familiarity to the proceedings that reminded us of the Bullfrog classic, Magic Carpet. It's a game that's very clearly cared about, a game whose systems intermingle cleverly, and one that doesn't give up its secrets easily in the slightest.
Unfortunately, these issues make the product feel cheap, which does the quality of the actual fighting a tremendous disservice. Again, it’s the best Smash clone we’ve ever played – we just wish Nickelodeon had shown some confidence in it.
Unfortunately, Nobody Saves the World is around 15 hours in length, stretching its gameplay tightly over its duration to the eventual distortion of both. Is it a bad game? God, no. Most titles don't even have two hours of worthwhile stuff to do. This is an original idea attached to traditional adventuring fun with all the customisation that comes along with its genre here given a renewed focus. We only wish its dungeons were as well-crafted as its skill trees and visuals, but while there's not enough meat on the bone, what's here is still pretty delicious while it lasts.
It rises above its derivative title and offers an attractive, intricate, very much hand-crafted Metroidvania-lite experience.
Hero must die. again is better than the sum of its parts, with its genuinely emotional premise and a strangely relaxing feel despite the time constraint.
A polished, playable way to spend any allotment of time.
One Step From Eden is an exceptionally well-made game with great combat and responsive controls.
Played in the mindset of having old-fashioned fun rather than pushing your gaming skills to their limits, Moving Out has quite a lot to offer. It looks good, sounds good and plays well; it's just a shame there isn't a little bit more to get your teeth into. It's a lot of fun causing chaos with friends – throwing toasters through windows or trying to balance that last lampshade on the back of an over-stocked removal truck – but it's just not resonant enough as a co-operative experience to stick in your mind. A very good effort, but in our view, just too slight to be a lasting classic.
Do Not Feed The Monkeys isn't a perfect game by any means, and its minor interface and design hiccups are unfortunate. Thankfully, these small irritations do not serve to massively undermine what Fictiorama Studios has achieved here; the capacity for indie developers to come up with novel ideas never ceases to impress, and this is a doozy of a concept. Weaving together the "monkeys'" stories is rewarding and satisfying, and there's an impressive sense of foreboding to the whole thing. You'll play Do Not Feed The Monkeys through to the end more than once, believe us.