This title has a cute design and hits on some common tropes (I couldn’t get into them because of spoilers) that I did like. The idea of a race of people who can turn into a kind of cat isn’t new but is often entertaining. However, I ultimately found the issues mentioned above too annoying and disturbing to really enjoy this game. Furthermore, the price point is high for the length of the game (around 3 hours to complete both routes). For these reasons, I must give this one a thumbs down.
My initial impressions were very good. MazM: The Phantom of the Opera has cute sprites, a good atmosphere and art, and is downright creepy at parts. However, I cannot render any sort of final verdict (or much of a review) as I was unable to get far in the story. I will update this should I hear back from the developer. I hope I do because I was very intrigued by this game until I couldn’t go any further!
Although I’m not by any stretch a flight simmer, I’ve been around them long enough to have a sense of the fun, recreation, and education they can provide. After messing with this title for a while I’ve decided that although it can’t really hold a candle to the more developed simulators on PC, it really is a nice thing to have if for some reason you REALLY want a flight simulator on a portable system. I doubt with the limited instruments (and no ability to stall or crash) that it will teach you anything about flying. However, it will fill the very specific niche of buzzing through the skies on a handheld system.
This is a slightly shorter review because there isn’t much to say. This game is exactly as advertised: Matchstick puzzles for your Switch. The length is good for the price, and the design leaves nothing to be desired in my opinion. If you like this style of puzzles, then you should definitely take a look.
This is an odd conclusion to write. Because of the relatively small amount of content, minor production issues, and slightly high price point (in my opinion anyway), I can’t say that I recommend this game for most players (without a price drop. As of this writing, it is on sale at a slight discount). However, our rating system is based on whether I like the game, and that is a definite yes! In fact, I’m enjoying this so much that I plan to buy the expansion of the oceans. So if you’re a very specific type of gamer for whom Carmen Sandiego, the National Spelling Bee, and Brain Quest are remembered with fondness, or you still love them now, this game is probably for you even with its faults and price point. I just wouldn’t recommend it if you find geography easy or boring.
In as much as one can have final thoughts after a single chapter, I like this game. Do note the rating: It is earned. One might question why I keep playing Otome games when I get so annoyed by the “horndog” (to quote one of the characters) behaviour contained in most of them. I guess I’m a glutton for punishment served up with a good story and great art. My look into the first chapter of Bustafellows makes me believe that this is another solid addition to the visual novel library of Switch and Steam.
Mythic Ocean has some interesting things to say about the societies we can build and the ways in which we interact with each other. Unfortunately, I found the journey to those conversations to be unnecessarily drawn out at times by touchy controls and characters I couldn’t find easily. I also found myself a bit bored by some of the random sea creature interactions, even though most of them are clever and quirky. Despite the issues I had with some of the controls and settings, and the excessive wandering I had to do on occasion, Mythic Ocean has a lot going for it storywise and I really got into helping the gods through their dilemmas and influencing the creation of a new world. My first world didn’t turn out the way I’d hoped, so this game has me hooked for at least one more playthrough, but there will probably be more. A demo is currently available in the Nintendo eShop, so try it out for yourself!
I had my doubts when I started, but this game has played out in a satisfying manner. My time with this title has been enjoyable and well-spent. The adaption text reads very much like books I read in my youth that were set in this time period, but with very light romantic overtones. Overall, this is a pleasant way to spend a day or two on the Switch.
I went back and forth on this one for a bit. It can be a bit dull until you get a lot of buildings going, and the constant interruptions that you can’t delay or skip entirely can be annoying. Ultimately, the charm of running my own movie studio won out and I am pleased to give this game a thumb’s up.
Lily of the Hollow-Resurrection is an intriguing game, but the player’s enjoyment will likely depend on how well they can tolerate (or be amused by) a poor translation, and how willing they are to fill in any confusing gaps with their imagination. With the assistance of the excellent voice acting, I have to say that my experience didn’t feel too muddled. Unfortunately, the ending of Dia’s route was one of those areas where I felt a bit out of the loop. However, even in its current form, I would’ve been happy to pay the small amount they’re asking for it. If they invested in a better translation, and the story is as good as I think it was then it would absolutely be worth any VN fan’s time. Here’s hoping it gets the translation it deserves!
This is a brief, but touching story, about two women finding each other. There are a few parts that are a little hokey, but other than that I enjoyed the world-building and characters quite a lot. Other than the font, my only complaint is that it’s a bit short for the price. If you grab it on sale I’m sure you’ll have no regrets at all.
This game is catty; risqué, full of fun pop culture references, has some seriously disturbing humor at times, and is packed with paranormal high school weirdness and bad behavior. The characters you interact with are wacky and occasionally fourth wall breaking. I found this game to be quite the guilty pleasure. The big drawback for me is that it’s played in short blocks of time that you can’t save. The thirty minute to an hour window needed to play a single game is a deterrent in some situations. If you, like me, enjoy a bit of paranormal silliness around Halloween give this one a look!
My friends give me a hard time since I find fairly mundane tasks to be relaxing. I was well suited to this title as this game is filled with the repetitive job of survival. You harvest items, cut down trees, build shelter. A storm comes through and blows your shelter down. You build it again. You run out of a needed resource, and can’t figure out how to progress, so you reset and try again. Fail better next time. How much play and enjoyment you get out of this game depends on how appealing that sort of strategy of survival scenario sounds to you. Personally, once I got around the slightly frustrating learning curve, I’ve found this game to be excellent to play while listening to podcasts, or a TV show you’re only half watching. I suspect for most people it will be one to only grab on sale, as your mileage may vary on how interesting you find it.
This one caught me by surprise. I thought I would like it, then got befuddled by the story so I wasn’t too sure, then sunk hours into it yesterday while listening to podcasts. It’s a little frustrating because every time you fail a map, you fail the whole mission and start over, losing all bullets and items. However, every time you fail new bullets and items become available, so it isn’t a total lost cause. In the end, I enjoyed this quite a bit, but it’s a bit of an odd title. How much you’ll like it depends on how much you enjoy gatcha-games, how much enjoyment (or at least toleration) you have for fan service, and what you think of the genre of games where girls are collectible items. I’m sure it’s not for everyone, but I have never had to tear myself away from the game to write a review before, so that counts for something!
Sudocats is a little on the short side, but overall is a delightful title with content equal to the bargain price. I really enjoyed playing Sudoku with this feline twist. You may find the puzzles a bit easy, but if you enjoy Sudoku and cats, it’s certainly worth a try.
I have really been enjoying Cupid Parasite. The characters are interesting, the story kept me guessing, and the design is convenient and easy to use. Cupid is a breath of fresh air as a playable character, since she stands up to some of the behaviors I normally find so annoying in these types of games. If you enjoy Otome titles, you should absolutely consider adding Cupid Parasite to your collection.
Subnautica is a challenging and gorgeous game. I love finding new creatures, and they even change with the in-game “seasons”. Frankly, I can’t see how this game could possibly get boring since I am enjoying myself so much, and because I have a lot of story and environment left to discover, I have decided to do a short series of articles as I continue playing through this title. Look for upcoming “Summer in Subnautica” articles if you want to follow my underwater journey!
Children of Zodiarcs is a strategy RPG with a clever system that I find endlessly entertaining. It’s challenging enough to involve some grinding and the story and characters are interesting, even though I’m not finding them to be very complex. Instead, it’s the combination of dice customization and deck building systems that really makes Children of Zodiarcs stand out. I love upgrading my dice to increase the chances of a better roll. Frankly, I’ve barely touched the deck building aspect yet because I am so involved in managing the dice! I have spent hours in a single day (a rarity for me unless it’s Fire Emblem) grinding my characters to build their stats while listening to podcasts, and I can definitely say it’s been a blast.
I love Synergia. It is a wonderful addition to my personal collection of noir and Yuri tales. If either of these are your style, then I suggest you check it out as well. You just may need some reading glasses to make it work.
Autumn’s Journey is a short, but well-written visual novel that would be a great choice for people who enjoy a fantasy story with some cute, anime style interactions and flirting. The game gives the impression that there is significant backstory for this world in the minds of the creators, and has an ending that leaves space for a sequel. I would happily play another game set in the world of Ishtera if given the chance.