You can slap a fresh coat of makeup and a beautiful dress on a reanimated corpse, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a staggering, hungry mess. Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted ends up doing meta commentary on itself. The franchise has been raised from the dead, not with something new but with a necromantic amalgamation of what it was, what it could be and what it ultimately is. If you have no other way to play Plants vs. Zombies, you can mostly enjoy it on the Switch, and at least the asking price isn’t too strong. But don’t reward mediocrity.
Brief and memorable, Cling to Blindness builds tension and horror without relying on cheap tricks and does well to craft a story and experience that sticks with you until the very end.
Overall, Jackbox Party Pack 11 is a fantastic iteration and adds more to the series than not. While some of the titles may be lost over time, there’s still a lot of joy to be had here and it’s a necessary addition to any Jackbox enthusiast. Draw, accuse and doom your friends, and then have a nice screaming sesh in between answering adventurous trivia. This pack goes all the way to eleven!
MotionRec is an absolute delight that both crafts an incredible experience while keeping players happy with actual gameplay. It kept me coming back again and again, and, in spite of some very difficult Notes to find, I was enthralled from start to finish.
Simon the Sorcerer Origins is such a brilliant revival of the series. Letting it be a prequel, letting things exist with you knowing them and the cast pretending they don’t was an excellent move. It’s got plenty of puzzle complexity, a lot of fun achievements to discover and some amazing extras where you can see the conception of the character designs and motifs.
With so many chefs involved (Supramonks, Dotemu, Guard Crush Games) I am pleasantly surprised by how tight and succinct the gameplay is. You can absolutely get lost in a delight of combos, spellwork, and tossable things, and you get better each and every time. The production is top notch, the characters are unique and the lore – as difficult as it can be to glean – is fascinating. Dotemu has made themselves known for their beat-em-ups, and Absolum takes the formula to a new, fantastic level.
Dreams of Another is a surreal sensation of mixing creation through destruction and conversation through solitude. You come away with things on your mind, and often forget what your intent was other than to simply “understand.” This has the panache and the flair of a title that will glitter brightly for those who pick it up, and could be enjoyed by people who aren’t traditionally gamers or into shooters specifically.
Clover Pit can hook you and keep you there, but so can a bear trap, and I wouldn’t recommend stepping in one to spend an afternoon. There might be some balancing in the future that’ll make it more worthwhile, but, for now, it becomes a Skinner Box of pain that fills you with hope and dashes it just as quickly.
Spindle has heart in a bare ribcage, and it beats for the player as well as the NPCs. Take a chance, breath deeply, and remember: you’re already dead. You’ve got all the time in the world.
I wish I could say more good things about Söldner-X: Himmelsstürmer, but the fact is that it’s an arcade style shmup with a good amount of replay as long as you get into the vibe and potentially the storyline. If you bounce off that, you’ll never let the game hook you in a solid way. But if you’re ready to put your critical thinking skills on pause and not consider a lot of what’s happening in terms of story (really? Only a bounty hunter was available?), then you have some awesome graphics, fun blasting and a killer soundtrack to round out a really solid package from EastAsiaSoft.
I love a game where you can literally pick up and play for a few minutes and put it down without consequence. I love being able to sink close to an hour at a time, doing the same rewarding actions, and then walk away without needing to get another move, another turn. It’s the most ideal way to casually enjoy a game, and Puzzle Quest: Immortal Edition keeps players locked in for the most viciously enjoyable cycle that I could imagine. If you loved it the first time, you’re going to adore it the second.
Enthusiasts and collectors will want to grab the physical version of Sonic Wings Reunion, and players determined to make it to the top of the leaderboards first are probably already in poll position when the game goes live on console. But, for the choosier player, the shiny graphics and silly nature of some elements might not be enough to retain engagement, at least not at launch. It’s a decent shooter, but I’ve played dozens of decent shooters, and my memories of enjoying an SNES title isn’t going to keep me hooked into something that’s just “decent.”
Candy Rangers falls solidly in the middle when it comes to on rails shooters. It’s got plenty to do and it’s inventive in the execution, which kept me locked in for exciting fights and the arcade mode. But needing to repeat myself simply to justify the lack of margins of error was exhausting and, frankly, unfun. I’d much rather do a level again because it was thrilling or because I want to challenge myself, not because the game won’t let me go out to play until I clean my plate.
Classic anime fans and roguelike survivors who want something different are going to discover Wander Stars as a fantastic expedition. The story goes in amazing directions, the engagement of crafting the best “deck” never gets old, and, when it’s running well, it’s a smooth and enjoyable expedition.
Once everything is said and done, Blippo+ may only run you about six hours of “play” time, but it’s one of the most honest and unique titles in the last decade of gameplay. It’s an FMV without any game, and it works in a spectacularly bizarre fashion.
An RPG where I love the game, hate the story. Never thought it possible, but here we are.
If you must get this game, then you must, and Godspeed to you. Maybe you loved the original PSP versions. Maybe you need to play every dungeon crawler available on the Switch. Or maybe you hope that supporting this title will lead to the 3D sequels getting a Western release. Whatever the case, do your thing, but, for players trying to find a new title that goes toe-to-toe with Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society or Boyfriend Dungeon, Class of Heroes 3: Remaster is simply not the right class to audit. Drop it, and go take literally anything else.
Shuten Order is the most ambitious title that Kodaka has ever created. It’s got hallmarks of brilliance and longevity, and will be examined by game developers for years to come as a blueprint for what the future of gaming may look like. I won’t call it perfect, and I was severely disappointed with what didn’t work, but the vibrant and explosive sections resonate deep within me.
Space Adventure Cobra – The Awakening is a tie-in game with no current projects to tie it to, and that’s more than okay. It’s a great reminder of something that’s retro and fun, but there’s no need to relaunch the entire franchise again. There’s plenty of ways to view the classic Cobra media, both from the 80s and the 2000s, and we can all enjoy it to different degrees. I think the game is worth a spin, particularly if you love a solid side scrolling power fantasy, but don’t expect it to supplant your GOTY. It’s a great cartoon, and it’ll last you one fantastic Saturday morning, just like it did years ago.
Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution is a marvel and a dream wrapped up in a promise kept to fans the world over. Keeping the original game alive and delivering it, even decades later, shows a dedication to their fans that WayForward continues to delight.