Leonardo Faria's Reviews
I don’t have many qualms regarding the gameplay loop at all, as it’s probably the best thing one could have hoped for from a Quidditch game. Even if the Seeker’s role got massively nerfed, I understand the decision, for balancing purposes. Mechanically-speaking, Unbroken Studios did a great job with Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions. It’s just underwhelming to look at, and it’s lacking in terms of modes and lasting appeal. As of now, it doesn’t feature a lot of teams, modes, or even a reason to keep you entertained for long.
Even if I don’t consider Castlevania Dominus Collection to be the best retro compilation Konami has ever put out (The Cowabunga Collection still reigns supreme), it’s still a close second. The amount of bang for your buck is astonishing, as this collection features three meaty and highly acclaimed DS metroidvanias, as well as a remake of a formerly maligned title in the franchise’s history. Furthermore, I feel like M2 has finally figured out a way to make DS games function decently on a big screen, opening the floodgates for future compilations and/or remasters. Pick this one up right away, and start whipping some demons like it’s the mid 2000s all over again.
Star Wars Outlaws just didn’t have a lot of cool elements to make it stand out from the rest of the crowd. There isn’t a lot in it that’s actually bad, broken, or unpolished, but rarely did it ever excite me. It’s your run-of-the-mill open world AAA game, one you’ve played a million times before from Ubisoft and other studios, with all the generic clichés you’d expect from the most default of titles in the genre. It just so happens to be drenched in a Star Wars coat of paint.
I’ll be brief because there’s not a lot else that needs to be said: it’s a Nightdive remaster of the first two Doom games, and you already know what that means. Those games now look better than ever, run like a dream, and have been tinkered to near perfection. I have a few complaints regarding lighting effects and the clunky weapon selection system, but that doesn’t make this package any less exciting. Featuring every single previously released expansion, plus a brand new campaign and even mod support, the lasting appeal is endless. Those brand new Doom remasters are simply amazing, and you should play them right now.
Cygni: All Guns Blazing is a hair-pulling experience which will enrage many people, if they are not used to how intense (and often unfair) old-school bullet hell shooters can be. Its level of difficulty is borderline insane at times. With that being said, it’s also one of the most engaging, beautiful and immersive bullet hell shooters I’ve ever played.
If you put aside the awful introductory cutscenes and unforgivably bad framerate for a PC game, Earth Defense Force 6 is basically more Earth Defense Force, and that’s never a bad thing. A completely stupid but endearing shooter with simple controls and a really fun gameplay loop; that’s all it needs to be, at the end of the day. Would I recommend picking it up on PC over its more traditional console versions? Well, if you can put up with the crappy performance (something which can be remedied with a patch), I’d say yes. Mouse and keyboard controls on an arcade shooter will always be a welcome addition to a successful formula.
I am sure that Aero the Acro-Bat has never been an amazing game or a staple from the 16-bit era of gaming, but I expected more from it. I don’t even think that Ratalaika did a poor job remastering the title; there are lots of neat extras and a competent rewind function in order to deal with the many leaps of faith you gotta perform. It’s just a somewhat underwhelming game, yet another mediocre mascot platformer released at a time when everyone wanted to have their own Sonic the Hedgehog.
I have always wanted to play Ace Combat 7 on-the-go, but I’ve always thought that wouldn’t have been possible unless I had access to a Steam Deck. What Project Aces and Bandai Namco did here is nothing short of spectacular. Sure, the framerate is limited to 30fps, and it drains the Switch’s battery like a Rimac Nevera at 250mph, but it’s a fantastic port of a game that was already quite demanding on much more powerful systems. It still looks quite good, its framerate is solid, and its pseudo-arcadey gameplay loop works quite well on a portable. In short, Ace Combat 7 might not exactly be the absolute BEST impossible Switch port, but it’s safe to say it’s easily the most impressive of them all.
The fact I didn’t find any game-breaking glitch or performance issue was already a relief (even if that’s the bare minimum to be expected), but, for the most part, this is the same Star Wars: Bounty Hunter you grew up with. With the exception of a new control scheme, it’s the same underrated (but understandably divisive) game released back in 2002.
Whilst I do appreciate the fact this former hidden gem is now available in more modern platforms, there was no need for SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos‘ CPU to be this unfairly broken, even at the easiest level options I could find. We have already paid an upfront price for the game, we don’t need to spend quarters on extra fight attempts. Give us some room to breathe. Well, at the least the multiplayer netcode is as good as expected, even if I didn’t spend that much time on it. As for the rest, it looks good, sounds decent enough, and it’s a great way to preserve a classic.
There’s a lot of variety in the minigame selection, and a few extra modes, but there’s no denying that 34 Sports Games: World Edition is just a painfully mediocre collection of sports-themed minigames meant to cash in on the lack of an official Olympic Games title. Whilst far from the worst minigame compilation I have ever played, this is a completely forgettable and uninteresting piece of shovelware that simply doesn’t have enough redeeming qualities to warrant its hefty pricetag.
Hot Blood is a game with no charm, no appeal, and no redeeming technical or design qualities. It’s hideous to look at, and it plays as awfully as it looks. When a game tries to be a love letter to Dead Rising, but all I could think of while playing it was that it reminded me way too much of the Charlie’s Angels game for Gamecube, considered to be one of the worst games of all time, you know this one is a gigantic failure.
Sure, the juvenile sense of humor never landed, and the level design basically forces you to die over and over again, with little time for you to plan or react, but it’s addictive. The gameplay loop just works. It’s arcadey as all hell, it’s replayable, full of secrets, and there’s no better feeling than being able to complete a level with 100% of enemies being beaten, without ever being touched by a bullet. Anger Foot is flawed, and quite arrogant at times, but it was well worth the wait.
Even if it does feature some technical and design issues, namely the wonky framerate, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble‘s core gameplay loop is still really fun. There’s tons of content, the Sega crossover characters are actually worth checking out, and the quickly beatable levels are perfect for a portable like the Switch. It doesn’t exactly push the franchise forward in any meaningful direction, aside from its multiplayer, but as a quick pasttime to play on your Switch for a few minutes at a time, it’s ain’t half bad.
This is still a really fun game, and I appreciate it being available on a more modern system that doesn’t give me hand cramps like the Nintendo 3DS. I am not a big fan of the mission-based structure, forcing me to revisit mansions, and hindering exploration. That being said, the core gameplay is still really solid. It’s a wacky and light-hearted take on survival horror that simply works, all thanks to Nintendo’s trademark charm. I just think that Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD isn’t worth the AAA pricetag. If, by any absolute miracle, you can find it for a discount, grab it. Or maybe use one of the eShop’s coupons.
I have to commend Exo One for giving me a control scheme and a physics system which were entertaining enough to keep me engaged, despite its pretentious nature and boring plot. Can’t say I cared about its plot, characters, or twists. I was having a lot of fun with its gameplay, and was also constantly wowed by its absolutely gorgeous visuals. Recommending it is a completely different story, though.
I liked the fact that Fabledom didn’t demand a lot from me. It’s an easygoing citybuilder which gives you a bit of variety on how to develop your town. The extra activities your heroes can partake one were beyond basic, but a nice addition, regardless. I wish there were more building options, especially when it comes to bigger buildings, however.
Monster Hunter Stories is not a complex or demanding game, far from being as challenging as its mainline counterparts. If you want to dive deep into the franchise’s actually detailed and amazing lore, with a much simpler and easygoing gameplay loop, this game is for you. It featured some likeable characters, colorful visuals, Pokémon-esque monster collecting, a combat system that did not get on my nerves.
I really don’t get the existence of this Willy’s Wonderland game, and I’m all up for some licensed shovelware every now and then. Why release it three years after the movie’s debut? You thought you had a Goldeneye in your hands? Why release it in such a poor state, performance wise? Finally, if the damn movie was all about Nicolas Cage, why make a game without him, in any way, shape or form? The man accepts every single role you throw at him, even the cheap ones. Even with my sky-high tolerance for licensed shovelware, just stay away from Willy’s Wonderland.
Are there any redeeming factors? Well, the sound department isn’t half-bad (it’s a Star Wars game after all), and the combination of quick rounds and a lack of memorable characters make the game harmless when it comes to its monetization practices; it might be egregious, but there’s no reason for you to spend money on random carbon copies you won’t ever care about. Star Wars: Hunters is not the worst F2P shooter in the world, but at the same time, I think that the 90 minutes spent playing it were more than enough.