Yvonne van Geloven's Reviews
By bringing Death end re;Quest to the Nintendo Switch with all DLC included I’m pretty sure this is the ultimate package. The game, in my opinion, is foremost a Visual Novel with an intriguing storyline and many hours of gameplay. Be prepared for lots of reading and some interesting ideas when it comes to battle but also, you’ll have to stomach the violence. To me, that’s where the game failed. Yes, good stories come with horrible plots and they can still engage. But I don’t want to be witness to blood spattering, crunching bones and prolonged suffering. Though the story kept me hooked, I can’t overlook that.
It’s fun to follow the journey Gust is making with their Atelier games from the Arland trilogy to the Dusk trilogy and now the Mysterious trilogy. And what’s more: all these games are now available on the Nintendo Switch in their definite edition. Atelier Sophie: the Alchemist of the Mysterious Book DX starts the series off in the direction of more sim-like elements, and presents us with a lovely “slice of life” story. No wars or terrible happenings, but a good interesting storyline following a girl who wants to learn how to be a great Alchemist.
No matter how I try, these reviews of Atelier games always end up being long….so if you read all the way through, then thank you for sticking with me. Atelier Firis: the Alchemist and the Mysterious Journey ticks all the boxes of a great coming of age story with good synthesis and turn-based battles. This game has a great sense of exploration in this open-world and makes for interesting and extended gameplay. The prologue is too long (3 hours!) and Firis is a bit of an airhead, but overall: I like it a lot
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town has all the important elements accounted for. There’s farming with a wide range of different crops and seeds, you can take care of animals, there’s mining and fishing, you can craft items in Makers, there’s a huge town with many people to befriend or romance and it wouldn’t be called Pioneers if there wasn’t a lot to explore too. Plus, a nice little feature is added in the form of the Sprite Village and the various special areas you can visit there. Finally there is some online gameplay added into the mix, though I do feel that could have been fleshed out some more. Overall, a very complete package that will sometimes leave you wishing for more hours in the day, in real life and in the game. There’s so much to do, that Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is not only a farming simulation game but also a management game. The only way to let the farm thrive and have time for all the other activities is to plan ahead and make use of your little factory of Makers and recipes for crafting as best you can. As I love a good farming simulation game and am in my element in management games, it’s not difficult for me to give Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town it’s rating. The game has the right rhythm of keeping you interested by adding more new things at the right time too. I know there are more good games in the genre available on Switch, but in my opinion, this one is ace!
Harvest Moon: One World isn’t part of the long standing series of games that went on under the name Story of Seasons in the West some years ago. Nevertheless, it focuses on the same game idea and audience. While I’m not sure it’s a good idea to seek competition with Story of Seasons by releasing in the same month, I did like my time in One World. Is it as good as as Story of Seasons games? No it’s not. In comparison the world feels empty and the characters a bit flat. The dating scene could use some sprucing up too. But judged on its own by this farming simulation fan I can honestly say I enjoyed it. The developers tried out some novel ideas, like the Expando-Farm. And not having to bother with scrolling through your pocket for the right tool: the game always does the right action at the right time. An excellent range of various crops and a new way to get your seeds. The farming itself really felt fresh to me. So even though I wonder if the price point isn’t a bit high and the opinions on the internet vary quite a bit on Harvest Moon: One World I must say it kept me playing for quite some hours. But I want to add, keeping my comments above in mind, the game should have been offered at a significant lower price point than the competition’s game.
With Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy Gust and Koei Tecmo have delivered again. This new game can be played on its own, though you’ll have to learn a lot to master it all in a short time. For me, there’s never a dull moment in the game and I love the new additions like the Exploration Diary. You won’t be surprised that Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy is the best of the best for me.
When I reviewed the mobile game on the iPad I wrote: “I can’t help but think that this game would be a wonderful game to add to the Switch library”. I got my wish, Evolution is a great board game turned into a video game. It will give you the choice of what platform to play on, depending on the money you want to spend and your eyesight!
The game might get repetitive after a while as there are no other sim elements included, though leveling up and the constant stream of new items does keep you interested. Keep in mind that Pretty Princess Party is primarily aimed at a younger audience, but if you are looking for cute and colorful laid back gameplay you might be interested as well. I’m pretty sure it will make a fine addition to many Christmas stockings!
This isn’t your average Visual Novel, no over the top romance with hot guys, but a more realistic approach to friendships and potential relationships in old age. Though in some of the chapters, realism is far away! Poignant, sad at times, and with some dollops of sarcastic humour Later Daters makes for a special game. A pity that it’s so short, even with the DLC added.
As I mentioned in the intro, I was looking for a Style Boutique-like game. Fashion Boutique does have a bit of store management included, but it lacks stock management. You don’t shop for clothes keeping an eye on fashion trends. In this game, you make the clothes yourself by doing mini-games. That can get repetitive but luckily once a pattern is mastered, you don’t have to do the mini-game for that particular item anymore. The game has wide variety of things to unlock and expand, and works hard to keep the gamer entertained. It’s visually not as pleasing however, and feels a bit empty and rough around the edges. In the end I do like the game, keeping in mind its intended younger audience. You can easily fritter away the hours while working on your stock and keeping your customers happy. I do feel that the American price is fair, but the European price point is a bit high for my taste.
Love romantic stories? This is one with a twist. Not into overly romantic? This visual novel brings an interesting story to the table, so it may still be one to go for. Can you tell I’m loving this game? Aksys have a tendency of bringing us the best visual novels, and Café Enchanté is no exception.
It’s a pity the game is let down by the translation. It feels like they didn’t pay enough attention to that, giving it a good translation would make the game much more enjoyable. Which brings me to my conclusion: I’m a bit torn. If you like fashion and you are into the anime style, then I’d say this is a good game. Not a great one, for that it needs more spit and polish. If you want your fashion game more along the lines of Style Boutique, then maybe this isn’t the one for you. Still, SELFY COLLECTION is very much about making combinations with the 5,000 items you can collect and about making your own avatar amazing. Even though I’m more on the Style Boutique side, I like the dress up factor.
What influences my opinion is that this is, after all, a platformer at heart. The challenges got more difficult the farther I went in, to a point where I despaired of ever progressing. But, it doesn’t seem fair to reflect the fact that I’m awful at platforming gameplay in the final verdict. So I will say: if you like platformers and like a bit of food for thought, this is a great game. If you are bad at platforming, then you may have to find someone in your family to help you along in tight spots to enjoy the entire story.
Looking back at Emily’s review of Country Tales, I couldn’t help but notice how similar the games are. It’s just a new theme, but the rest of the gameplay seems the same. I can only confirm what she concludes: if you like these kinds of games, and want to have another fix of making the right choices to get it all done, this is a nice new one. It doesn’t however add anything new to the genre. For myself, I can conclude I like management games of the city builder type better. Because of that, I am going for a neutral verdict.
The music is Batu ta Batu is good, something of the contemplating kind, sometimes more rousing. I must admit I turned the sound down in endless mode, only made me more rushed. The game’s graphics are fairly simple and the gameplay looks easy. The game is harder to master then it looks though. If you are a fan of these puzzle games it offers a lot of fun gameplay and lots of content.
A Short Hike offers a wholesome experience for a small price. Though the game is short, it’s worth every penny. Put yourself in Claires shoes (do bluebirds wear shoes?) and explore this lovely landscape. Meet all kinds of characters and help them in their quest. Most of all: glide through the air, truly as free as a bird!
A game that keeps me playing for just one more turn, and then one more, even when I’m tired after a long day is a great game in my book. Niche – A Genetics Survival Game isn’t a game for everyone. Of course, you can dive in and just create your family without keeping the genetics in mind. But the deeper I delved, the more the game appealed to me. Notebook at the ready, keeping track of what genes I wanted to strive for, making choices to make the gene pool stable and strong. I love it. So if you like a game that you can sink your teeth in, and you love planning, strategising and playing around to get the best results, then Niche is your game. No fighting (well, aside from defending yourself from a predator), no violence, taking your time and trying to get a thriving tribe of Nichelings while exploring the surroundings. It will make for many, many hours of gaming fun.
I am enjoying my time in Mineral Town. The game is charming, the characters feel real and who can resist those round cute chickens and cows? No doubt this game will bring many happy memories to gamers who started their gaming life playing this game on their GBA. If, like me, you have never played it before, you can expect a good farming sim on the Switch. It doesn’t have the building aspect of later Story of Seasons games and if you are a Stardew Valley fan, you may find it too light hearted. But Friends of Mineral Town is a good Story of Seasons entry with heaps of nostalgia to boot.
Summer in Mara is a simulation adventure of the kind that the Switch still needs more entries of in its library. When you debate whether or not Summer in Mara is for you, you have to keep this in mind: you don’t play the game to go from A to B. You don’t play it to just to do all the quests and live the adventure. No, you do the quests to make the Home Island of Koa more beautiful, more bountiful and a real home. And meanwhile, you discover new islands, learns the story of new people and live through new adventures. We have all been a little spoiled in simulation gaming by Animal Crossing: New Horizons but you must remember this game is made by a small studio. It is clearly a project of love, so well made into the little details. Yes, there are some bugs to repair and there are some parts I’d like to see added, like a fully functioning inside of Koa’s home. But that doesn’t detract from the fact that I love playing it:
A very refreshing puzzler, with a fun combination of story-line and RPG elements. The game works well on the Switch, so it’s a good game to play on the go or for “just one more puzzle” during your morning cup of coffee. A funny story-line, a dollop of humor in the writing, many, many puzzles, and a nice way of including the puzzle element. I have to say that Piczle Cross Adventures is a game that should be on every puzzle gamer’s Switch!