A huge positive about the game is it only takes up 7.1 GB digitally on your Switch or micro SD card. This is pretty incredible for a game of this size and magnitude. There are so many games coming to the Switch that are clocking in over 40 GB. It’s welcoming to see developers take into account file sizes. Trails of Cold Steel III is an adventure well worth taking if you’re a fan of RPGs or just anime in general. It’s bursting with content and when I was actually playing the game I was not disappointed. For me the story became a bit much in places. Far too many dialogue sections interrupted the fun game play. This may suit some but I prefer to play a video game more than watch or read it. Despite this it’s hard to ignore that Trial of Cold Steel III is a great RPG and well worth going back to school to experience.
I couldn’t help dream about what this game could be. With the fun gameplay, the jet packs and swimming in water I pinned for a full blow 3D platformer with a bigger story and massive worlds to explore. Unfortunately game development is very expensive and the development team here clearly put a lot of passion into this project with limited resources. One hopes this game is a stepping stone to bigger projects down the road. Staring otters still – of course. The Otterman Empire will not be everyone’s cup of tea/coffee. If you’re able to look past some rough textures and gameplay hiccups there’s something quite special here to enjoy alone or with some friends. It has one major accolade to its name – its easily the best otter game available on Switch!
One of the biggest features of Quest Hunter which deserves a lot of praise is that you can play online and cross-platform with PC, Xbox, and Switch players. This is a huge deal and definitely under-praised. For this review my wife was able to play on the Switch in handheld mode while my friend from America and myself were playing on PC. We were able to set up a private game with a password, save, and enjoy the game together. Not only was it simple to set up but the game ran well across all systems. I loved searching for treasures and then stopping now and then to do a little dance with the various in-game emotes. This game will easily hold a special memory for me because of these small quirky moments. Quest Hunter is a fun little dungeon crawler. I enjoyed it alone, but playing with friends across other platforms really brought this game to life. Hunting for treasure with friends never felt so good. Now where did I leave my shovel?
This title feels like it probably would’ve been right at home being released on the Mega Drive. It feels inherently retro, which is both good and bad. Good, because the graphics work, the gameplay is great fun, and I enjoyed the simple design of just getting to the end of a level and progressing to the next. Just like the old days. However, it also seemed to fail to learn some lessons. Traps were placed in horrible places, leading to cheap one-hit deaths. The platforming felt quite awkward at times, and I also encountered a few bugs where traps got stuck in the environments. Spartacus sometimes started a level moving slowly like a snail (his alter ego: Snailacus), which was only fixed by reloading the save. I was compelled to finish the game, but this port really needs some patching. Swords and Sandals: Spartacus won’t take you to the field of Elysium, but it will undoubtedly still entertain. Something retro fans or those looking for a simple to-the-point action platformer should keep an eye on. While the later half of the game felt disappointing, it’s hard to ignore how much fun I had running around, slashing my sword and screaming “I’m Spartacus!” (no, I’m Spartacus!)*
The game may not have a lot of replay value but I think I can see myself revisiting in when I want to play something casual and nice. I never felt stressed playing the game. It felt like just the right balance of challenge for a relaxing gaming session. Sometimes you just need a game that’s casual, simple and makes you smile. Ultra Hat Dimension easily fits that bill. The cute graphics and sounds are a very original concept for a puzzle game. The lesson I learned is no matter how many times I got punched, I could still make it through. Maybe a life lesson we all need sometimes.
I originally played this game on PC because you could get a copy of the soundtrack. A music score that I have to say is brilliant in that funky retro way. Unfortunately not a lot has really been done to upgrade the game to Switch. I guess they added some art to the border which you can see in the screenshots. The controls have also been mapped better on Switch whereas the PC seemed to favour keyboard controls over a controller. Other than that its a pretty plain port. Clash Force is a fun simple coffee game that has the nostalgia of the ‘80s but won’t do anything to particularly surprise you. If you’re looking for a simple fun, run and gun platformer this will scratch that itch at a nice price to boot. But if you’re looking for something with more depth you can give this one a miss. Much like an episode of He – Man it won’t cause any harm if you miss one episode. There’s always next Saturday!
Essentially the more you play, the more you unlock and the more the game opens up. It’s just a little slow getting to that point. Neon Abyss has got the right roguelite moves, while it feels like a bit of a grind to unlock new things in the game. Those that decide to stick with it will be rewarded with a fun and addictive shooter that will have you returning run after run. Grab your glow sticks, get your best 90s outfit, and prepare to dance. Once you’ve worn yourself out though, you can still play another few rounds of Neon Abyss.
If Panzer Paladin was an episode of Voltron, I would re-watch it every week. Since it’s not, I’ll just settle for keeping this additive retro-inspired title on a regular gaming cycle. Panzer Paladin has won me over with its soundtrack, its sci-fi demons design, and general retro quirkiness. It’s the sort of game that makes me want to be a paladin every single time!
Starlit Adventures Golden Stars is a great game for the whole family. It’s a casual adventure with very little stress and some guaranteed laughs. The addition of co-op for up to 4 players is most welcome and the enormous amount of content on offer easily justifies the game’s jump to consoles. Plus, it’s not often that you play a game where you ride a giant mole who kills enemies by farting fireballs at them (provided you’re wearing the right suit). I think that in itself sells me on this charming title… but that’s just me.
I think the only drawback to this twin-stick shooter is that if you haven’t been sold on this type of game in the past, this one probably won’t win you over. This is a quick to the point piece of arcade action that attempts its own little spin on the twin-stick space shooter formula and it pays off. Great music, bright visuals. I can’t deny it, this game is absolutely a #Funtime. The game goes beyond its own hashtag, it’s a game I can easily say……
I really didn’t warm to the music of this game. Happy over the top beats that felt like they belonged in some cheesy cartoon. It just didn’t really fit the experience. So that got turned down and the podcasts got turned on. The sound effects of the gerrrms were fine though. There’s also an impressive use of the joy con vibrations as your bouncing around the levels. I certainly had some issues with Gerrrms but much like a weird gaming virus I couldn’t help but come back for another round. Despite my difficulty with the controls I was drawn in and had a lot of fun playing with bots. If I was having a sick day I certainly wouldn’t mind firing this up although I’d rather not catch any of the weird gerrrms featured in this game.
The main critique of Aeolis Tournament is that it lacks some depth to its content. All 6 modes feel quite solid but some could do with fleshing out a bit more than others. It’s a shame that each session only has a single map. It feels like some could benefit from different arena designs with the exception of the Football and Hockey maps. These two seem absolutely fine as they are. While the experience is fun this will probably only be a game I pull out to play with friends which will hopefully be sometime in the future. Other than that I only see myself and the bots. Of all the party games I have covered Aeolis does a lot of things right. Simple controls suitable for everyone and the game modes on offer are a lot of fun. It’s just a shame the content is a little light. But who knows maybe that will come later down the road. What is present is a solid party game well worth playing with friends and family a like when you get the chance of course.
Steam Tactics nicely fits into the hidden gem category with some rough edges. Brilliant design with memorable characters and surprising depth to the gameplay. Frustrating difficulty spikes and repetitive grinding to level up broke the experience for me. However, if your a fan of the genre and looking for a pick up and play experience this is an easy one to recommend. Also if I get a dog I’m totally naming it Benedictus Maximus.
Terrorarium deserves praise for it’s originality but it still feels like a game that needs a little more polish in places. Frustrating level design and awkward mechanics keep this from being something I was able to really enjoy. Hopefully the game will continue to receive patches following its full release. But in its current form I would say to approach this garden with caution.
Heroes of Hammerwatch is a game that grows on you. While definitely more fun with others I still had a lot of fun alone. It may have minor faults but I loved how I kept discovering something new about the game whether it was discovering a new mechanic or mastering the games traps. This is easily a title I’ll return to for years to come.
Sports games absolutely have a home on the Switch and there’s a sizeable audience hungry to get off their sofas and enjoy some active games. Graphical limitations can be easily overlooked but controls are essential and sadly Instant Sports Summer Games doesn’t quite hit the mark. What could have been a fun game to enjoy with the family feels more like a mixed assortment of okay and not so. Fun to be had? Sure. But it’s hard to ignore this concept has been done better on older systems.
The time stop mechanic is used in clever ways to solve environmental puzzles and it feels a shame this just isn’t utilized a bit more. The Ambassador Fractured Timelines is a game that kinda grew on me the more I played it. I liked the strategic gameplay where every hit counts. It’s just a shame there’s not more variety in the level design bar kill all the enemies. Still an entertaining experience from a small development team. I look forward to seeing what tinyDino Games works on next.
RogueCube is a cheap, fun, coffee game. The games are quick and a lot of fun. I don’t quite know why but I really dug the cube like design. Simple yet effective. The glaring issue being that it is far too similar to other games in the genre that you may already have on your Switch. If your new to the genre though, RogueCube is a good way to test the water at a low price.
Prehistoric Dude is short, easy but has a charm to it that I couldn’t help but enjoy. Sometimes there are those games that make you smile and forget the stress that’s going on around you. While this won’t be for everyone, it won me over and I could see myself picking this up again for a replay when I want to enjoy some prehistoric entertainment.
There was a time I remember vividly that games just like MazezaM were enough. But I don’t think everyone will feel that way when playing this title. Somewhere though I like to picture there’s a gamer, possibly elderly, enjoying this title on their sofa. And they are smiling. Underneath the simple graphics and questionable design decisions is a decent puzzle game. But there is little to make this stand out from the crowd and draw in your attention. Only the die hard puzzle fans may want to seek this one out.