Teacup is a very relaxing and wholesome game to play. Going on Teacup’s adventure with her is a delightful experience. You’ll meet a charming cast of animals to interact with, and live a sweet story about tea and friends. The whole game gives off whimsical vibes and is a pleasure to play. Go on, treat yourself to a warm hug by playing Teacup!
Elva the Eco Dragon is primarily aimed at children. It is meant to help teach them about the environment and how to treat the planet better. I’m having such a difficult time deciding a score for the game. While I have looked at the game through a child’s eye, I can’t overlook the messy interface on the Switch. Nor the little dragon getting frozen in mid-flight or getting stuck in the scenery. The game has an appropriate theme for today’s world and it is admirable that the developer is trying to teach children about looking after the earth, but I don’t think they have hit that mark correctly!
A Good Snowman is Hard to Build is a sweet take on the Sokoban style block-pushing puzzle. It is relaxing to play, funny, and while it’s tough, it rarely descends into frustration. It made me smile every time I completed a snowman, though I’m disappointed it is so short. If you are a fan of this type of puzzle game you should definitely check out A Good Snowman is Hard to Build and its counterpart A Monster’s Expedition.
HIX: Puzzle Islands is joining an already substantial catalogue of puzzle games on the Nintendo Switch, it could sink without trace. But if you have a few pounds/dollars spare and want a puzzle game that isn’t overly challenging but also enjoyable, then pick up HIX: Puzzle Islands while you’re having your cup of coffee in the morning.
If you have read this review up till now, I thank you, you will probably have guessed by reading the review that I am not about to give Dice Legacy a really high score. The UI and the game’s lack of a proper tutorial need a lot of improvements to receive a higher score than..
Cave Quest 2 is a great all-rounder in game styles. A little bit of hunting the hidden object, adventuring and match 3 puzzles with RPG mechanics. You won’t get bored that’s for sure. It is presented very well and wraps up into a decent game to spend a few hours with.
I’ve played well over 25 hours of HUMANKIND for this review and I really like the game. While the game isn’t perfect it is certainly an interesting addition to the 4x strategy genre. So to answer my question I asked at the start of this review “is it a Civ clone or does it do enough different to stand on its own?”, I would say, it isn’t an exact clone of Civilization, it has different aspects of play that makes it stand out on its own. It still needs work done on the game’s pacing in various areas. The systems in place are not too complex. Though this does mean that a player that is well versed in the 4x strategy genre will immediately feel at home with what’s on offer here. It would also be pretty easy for newcomers to the genre to pick up the game and become a great empire. HUMANKIND is a welcome addition and the developers plan on supporting it in the future, I can’t wait to see what they come up with!
The Mysteries of Ranko Togawa: Murder on the Marine Express is an enjoyable visual novel that still needs some more development. Obviously, the developers of 1564 Studios are aware of what the game needs since they are continuing to update it, which is great to see. If you are interested in solving the Murder on the Marine Express mystery check out the demo available on The Mysteries of Ranko Togawa: Murder on the Marine Express Steam page.
All in all Mosaic Chronicles is a solid puzzle game. It is enjoyable and fun to play, even more so if you don’t look at the preview picture of the puzzle you have to solve. The music is relaxing to listen to and the game looks beautiful.
Cloud Gardens is a chill, charming experience to play. The music adds to the relaxing gameplay. Finishing each diorama and moving on to the next brings such a sense of satisfaction. Cloud Gardens isn’t just a game it also encourages its players to be mindful of what is around them. To de-stress, chill out while also being creative and having fun!
Tinytopia is more of a puzzle game than a simulation city builder, that’s not a complaint though. It makes a lovely change from heavy stats, with lots of confusing menu pop-ups city builders that we have seen and played before. Tinytopia is a game to have hours of fun with, and it doesn’t take itself too seriously. If you like city-building games that offer something a little different you should check out Tinytopia.
Stories of Mara is a great addition to the Chibig studio portfolio. Being able to meet and learn about the characters in the series other than Koa is a brilliant idea. I’m excited to see how the story develops in the rest of the chapters when they are released. Stories of Mara as a visual novel is a delight to play so go check it out yourself and join in the fun.
Kitaria Fables has a lot going for it. From the cute cast of animals to the combat and the crafting and farming, you won’t run out of things to do. In fact, you’ll probably be pushed to fit it all in as there is just so much in the game. Anyone who has played Role-Playing, adventure, genre before will find what they are looking for in Kitaria Fables.
Patron is an engrossing and very enjoyable survival city builder. Once you can pass the first four to six years or so in the game it seems to get easier to manage everything the game throws at you. With fourteen maps to play through with different rule sets, there is plenty of long-term gameplay on offer. The progress in Patron can be slow, even with a fast forward button, but for those that like to ponder their next move on pause, Patron is perfect for a strategic play-through. Just be careful as there is so much to do and one wrong decision can send you crashing back to the start with an unhappy ending for your citizens. I love it!
Tetragon puzzles are fun and entertaining, until you make a mistake that is. Without any way to rectify a mistake you have made in a puzzle, other than trying to retrace the moves you made backwards it can get frustrating. A rewind feature added to the puzzles would be a great feature to have. You could move back a few steps to remedy your mistake. Tetragon is playable as it is, but it would be so much more playable and enjoyable with a hint or rewind feature.
I think King’s Bounty II falls down slightly in its core game design. Especially the narrative and the RPG elements of it feel stifled and a grind. To me, King’s Bounty II feels like a game that wants to take inspiration from titles like The Witcher 3 with new discoveries and adventures around every corner. But it doesn’t quite hit the mark with its mediocre storyline and wooden characters and semi-linear world. The combat, while tough and unforgiving, I did find enjoyable as I like a good challenge. King’s Bounty II is one of those games I’m not entirely sure how I feel about it one way or the other as it has as many good points as bad points so for that reason King’s Bounty II scores…
Islanders is a great addition to the strategy or even the puzzle genre on the Switch. A lovely game to play a short session with over a cup of tea or coffee. For longer gaming sessions and for more of a challenge you can try to beat the highest score of the online leader board. For the few pounds or dollars, the game is in the eShop it is definitely worth trying out Islanders you won’t be disappointed!
Garden Story is a charming game. While it doesn’t do any one thing perfectly, it does all of it well enough to allow you to enjoy the chilled setting and charming character interactions. It is a delightful RPG, simulation full of fruity goodness, and a very sweet grape named Concord to spend a few cosy hours with!
Memory Lane 2 is a no-frills, no menu, match pairs puzzle game. While it really isn’t anything special to look at, the match pairs aspect of the game does work well. Just don’t expect any bells, whistles or any pizazz, Memory Lane 2 is as plain as they come.
Ambition: A Minuet in Power is an engrossing addition to the visual novel genre. You can tell as you play the game that the era the game is set in has been thoroughly researched by the developers. With 6 suitors to romance, there is plenty of choices to pick the “one”. It’s a fun step back in time, in the ever-shifting alliances that grow more dangerous by the day in the game, just be careful you don’t lose your head over it!