Overall, The Land Beneath Us sports huge replay value and strategic roguelike gameplay that can be challenging but immensely rewarding. I would highly recommend any fans of the turn-based roguelike genre to take a look underfoot at The Lands Beneath Us.
undefined.Though I have minor gripes, mostly concerning the early hours of my experience, such as some environments feeling basic or less enjoyable and the initial slower pace affecting combat, persisting through reveals the absolute gem that is Tevi. I had such a good time that I'm eager for a second playthrough, despite its lengthy runtime, taking dozens of hours to complete. After experiencing a metroidvania like Tevi, I wouldn't rabbit any other way.
If you're just in the market for a metroidvania, there's dozens you could choose from that are a little more worthy of your time than Yohan the Parhelion -BLAZE in the DEEPBLUE-, but it does have that signature Inti Creates style that fans of theirs will dig. The experience isn't altogether bad, but it does leave something to be desired. The ideas don't come together in a way that makes this title stand above the property it's based on.
If there were more depth and longevity to the core experience–with a complete run taking about an hour–this would be an easy recommendation. As it stands this is a game for fans of the genre who are dying for something new to try. Like making a delicious soup out of the bones of leftover thanksgiving turkey, this is an excellent experience, but it will have you hungry for more; Alina comes up just short in that regard.
Disgaea 7 has been a fantastic ride. It's a meaty game to say the least and should you wish to pour hundreds of hours into this game, you easily could. I for one am excited to see what I've missed from previous entries and will be there day one for the hopeful Disgaea 8.
While stage hazards attempt to mix up the gameplay, they just don't do enough to add the variety I had hoped for; the same can be said of enemies, many of whom are basically palette swaps. Bosses are the highlight, both cinematically and from a combat perspective; I just wish there were more of them. With hours of additional content post-credits thanks to an unlockable hard mode, much like its farming-focused cousins, Silent Hope finds its place in being video gaming comfort food that you can easily dive into at any time, and I am definitely going back for seconds.
However, this story ends up being undercut by uneven gameplay, glitches, and subpar performance. If you can approach it with patience, you might appreciate the mesmerizing set pieces and a story that will surely tug at your heartstrings. But after my experience with Maquette, and encountering one too many shoddy 3D puzzles, I'm inclined to just swipe left.
This game is primarily geared to a younger audience, but even still if this type of relaxed experience suits you, I hope you accept the invitation to relive your childhood. And to parents introducing their kids to The Legend of Zelda, putting Lil Gator Game on ahead of Breath of the Wild might be a magical thing to see.
I enjoyed my time in Valandis so much that I experienced as much of the side content as I could. This full length RPG stands as a love letter to the games I grew up with. The inspirations are clear, and yet this is a wholly unique RPG experience that anyone who has an affinity for the style–and 90s' RPGs in particular–owes it to themselves to enjoy.
The music, story, and visuals are all wonderfully crafted, and it would be unfortunate if this version ended the final product. Fortunately, it does seem like patches are in the works, but it remains to be seen how much of the above issues are fixed by them. Ultimately, No Place for Bravery is a promising title that may be able to live up to its aspirations with a little more work under the hood.
undefined.Citizen Sleeper allows for multiple playthroughs, and even when looking through screenshots during my review there are characters and locations I never once encountered within my first playthrough. Because of the heavy story-driven nature of Citizen Sleeper, your enjoyment will be contingent on your appreciation of the sci-fi genre as well as how much brain space is occupied by thoughts of Turing Tests. While that itself will denote that Citizen Sleeper isn't for everyone, for those that have even a slight interest in the genre, you don't want to sleep on this one.
Stage progression is fair and fun, and the visuals are vibrant. Performance docked and handheld never skipped a beat. Super Mega Zero really is a package that continues to impress the further you dig into it. If you're looking for something challenging and bite sized, this is a super fit on the Switch.
I would love to see another story told in this world with some further polish on the gameplay if Studio Thunderhorse was ever to make a second showing. Should the slower pace not be a bother to you, there's a lot that Flynn Son of Crimson has to offer. But amongst a sea of similar genre entries on Switch, I'd be hard pressed to recommend this one.
It's worth noting that the audio is on a loop and you will eventually run out of new content from the radio station, but it's an incredibly effective oral storytelling mechanic. Seeing as this is Demagog Studio's first outing, I am very keen to see how they grow as a developer. There is some amazing talent and creativity on display, and should all the pieces fall into place, barring ecological catastrophe, their next title would be one to watch out "fore.
Hoa could be the perfect fit, not to mention an excellent way of building admiration for the dying world around us.
If you're a fan of the classic Blaster Master games but hate the hair pulling difficulty, this modern take will still offer an enjoyable challenge and is easy to recommend. Should you be a returning fan, don't wait to take one last ride into the Sunsoft sunset, or maybe I should call it the sunset Sunsoft?
With its eye-catching pixel art style and strong visual and tonal identity, Smelter really could have been the complete package. Unfortunately, uneven gameplay, a strange choice in upgrade paths and difficulty spikes that only led to frustration as opposed to the joy of a challenge left a sour taste in my mouth. Fans of the genre should still find a lot to love in this title, so long as it's approached with a heavy dose of patience.
All in all Plants vs. Zombies - Battle for Neighborville is a worthy timesink if you're looking for a fun, lighthearted multiplayer shooter. It has its issues running on the Switch but there's nothing game-breaking. Though its single-player offerings may quickly wilt, you're still likely to find yourself digging this one up time and time again.
undefined.When all is said and done and you've cleared the main story, which altogether should take you 8-10 hours depending on your skill level, online time trial leaderboards present another way to tackle each stage. With that and unearthing the game's secret levels, there's a lot of content to be found in Kaze and the Wild Masks. It's a wonderful homage to games I loved in the past and came at a perfect time in my life, helping me get used to my new surroundings. I won't soon be forgetting my time spent with Kaze. If you're in the market for a new 2D platformer, you can't go wrong with harvesting the fruits of PixelHive and Soedesco's labor, but maybe avoid the sinister-looking carrots.
Decent writing and a good art style keep this game above mediocrity and toying with the town building mechanics is enjoyable. But unless you're specifically looking for another entry in the town sim genre, it's hard to recommend this above other options already available on Switch. Then again, if the more simplistic approach is what you're looking for and the ability to change your town layout on a whim sounds appealing, there are things to enjoy in this quaint Littlewood.