Josh Speer's Reviews
While I did find the game’s balance off at times, and was frustrated by some of the quirks I encountered in the game, I’d still recommend folks check out Knock on the Coffin Lid. It’s clear to me this is a work of passion from a group that loves the genre. If nothing else, it’s a compelling tale with wonderful artwork and solid musical design. Just maybe don’t be afraid to play it on the lowest difficulty, because even on Normal, this deckbuilder will kick your butt.
Even with those small missteps, Shotgun Cop Man is an incredibly diverse, creative, and silly adventure that will appeal to any fans of absurd humor or platformers. I’m glad to see DeadToast manage to switch things up in this adventure, and hope they’re able to keep things fresh in the future.
Honestly, the only complaint I have after playing Nif Nif is that I wish there were more to do in this charming world. Sure, there’s unlockable content and two playable characters, but the genre is all about immersive replay value. I spent more than a couple of hours playing the game and have unlocked a good chunk of it. I suspect you can unlock everything in less than 10 hours, which is great for those on a schedule, but bad if you want to unwind in this family-friendly world.
These issues aside, Rusty Rabbit was still an enjoyable adventure with a unique story and colorful characters. While the platforming and combat were held back by some design issues, and though I was personally frustrated by an occasional lack of guidance in the game, I still think this is a fun adventure that’s worth checking out.
While I honestly enjoyed some of my time Shadow of the Orient, I feel like it was the wrong genre. There’s so much effort put into making expansive levels that I feel this would have worked better as a small Metroidvania than a lackluster platformer. It’s clear Spacelab Games put a lot of time into the experience, and I strongly suspect they might have some future great game in them. As for this one, fans of retro might enjoy it, but probably not many others.
I really wanted to love Gal Guardians: Servants of the Dark. I kept giving it more and more time to prove itself and get past the sophomoric slump I kept finding myself in. But alas, this is not the sequel I was hoping for or expecting after Gal Guardians: Demon Purge. This would be one thing from some new upstart developer, but it’s truly surprising and disappointing from the talented folks at Inti Creates. That said, if you can tolerate bad platforming, poorly managed mechanics, and frustrating balance, then you might still find something to love here. For everyone else, this isn’t the adventure for you.
Despite an intense and often unforgiving difficulty and unclear emulation, I still had a good time playing through the blast from the past that is Rendering Ranger: R² [Rewind]. It’s clear to me that Manfred Trenz is a very talented and creative developer, though perhaps one who isn’t very focused on balance in his adventures. Still, if you’re a fan of video game history and don’t mind getting your butt kicked repeatedly, you might want to check this out today.
My complaints about the difficulty aside, Rift of the NecroDancer is a hell of a good time. This is a colorful, charming, and unpredictable story that’s a lot of fun to experience. Not to be outdone, there’s a ton of content here, from 20+ main songs to DLC tunes, Steam Workshop music, and more. While I wish the game had been a bit more precise about the difficulty selections, I think any fan of rhythm games will find something to enjoy in the latest from Brace Yourself Games.
Ultimately, I’m still a fan of MainFrames, and I think Assoupi and The Arcade Crew have given us a unique and charismatic puzzle platformer experience. Whether or not you can see past the inconsistent and occasionally very high difficulty to enjoying the full experience is the real question.
My minor quibbles aside, Everhood 2 is still a wonderful indie adventure that I’d recommend to pretty much anyone. It’s a unique and often hilarious adventure that will make you think, in a retro visual style that’s detailed and full of color. While I feel the story was better told the first time around, this is still a must-have game for gamers on PC or Switch.
That said, even with the many issues I encountered in the Switch version of the game, I still found it very compelling, and there’s plenty of reason to replay it to see different outcomes. Here’s hoping the next adventure from Party From Introverts has the same strong writing but much stronger quality control.
I don’t want to leave you with the impression that Moons of Darsalon is a horrible game. It’s not, but I really wish the indie developer had put in more time streamlining the game mechanics instead of programming snarky one-liners for my crew. If you can absorb the complex controls and manage your finicky teammates, you’ll find an enjoyable puzzle-platformer here. But for those looking for a fast and smooth experience, you might want to look elsewhere.
Despite my uncertainty, once I refreshed my memory of the first game, I concluded that Ender Magnolia, for any faults, is still just as good. It’s beautiful, challenging and truly expansive, featuring a huge world map to explore, as well as multiple endings. While I lament that the music wasn’t as evocative and the map was occasionally perplexing, this is still a most worthy adventure, if not one that fared better than the original.
Despite a few rare missteps, I still very much enjoyed Symphonia. I’ve played several games published by Headup Games, but this is one of the best. It’s colorful, whimsical and features precise and fluid controls. If it had just been a little bit longer and offered more reasons to keep playing (other than the infuriating Shadow Chase mode), I think it would have gotten a perfect score. As it stands, fans of platforming that are in the mood for a quick burn should absolutely check this musical adventure out.
I really wanted to enjoy The Legend of Cyber Cowboy, but after spending some time with it, I just feel it’s a super generic take on amazing games like The Binding of Isaac. It failed pretty spectacularly, not only in the balance arena but in being fun or engaging. Unless you’re a truly diehard fan of the twin-stick shooter genre, you won’t find anything to enjoy here.
As a fan of Power Rangers, I especially enjoyed Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind. It’s a faithful and nostalgia-filled adventure full of colorful visual design, amazing voice acting, and challenging arcade action. While I do feel it’s not as well-tuned for single-player experiences, this is a wonderful game to play with friends. If you’re a longtime fan of the iconic characters, you’ll find something to adore in this love letter from Digital Eclipse.
With tight and colorful 2.5D platforming, challenging and fun boss battles, and seven worlds to explore, it's a great time.
Mario & Luigi: Brothership is a colorful and exuberant new entry in the RPG series. It offers dynamic and fun combat, some decent humor, and a surprising amount of replay value in branching choices and side quests. Despite that, there are some poorly implemented features, such as the Battle Plugs and Power Tap, as well as the sometimes glacial pacing of the adventure. Still, fans of turn-based RPGs will absolutely find something worthwhile in this Switch exclusive.
It would have been easy for Berserk Boy to be another disappointing modern platformer trying to relive the classics. Instead, indie developer Zu Ehtisham has given us an exceptional adventure full of heart, with complex and enjoyable platforming, fast-paced combat, and lots of replay value. While there are some very minor areas I would have appreciated refinement, this was ultimately an outstanding experience that shouldn’t be missed.
I didn’t know what to expect when I decided to review Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley. Least of all, did I expect that it would make me a fan of the works of Tove Jansson and help me fall in love with the cozy game genre. While there are a few minor visual issues on Switch, this is still an absolutely charming and relaxing adventure with a good message for generations to come.