But that’s all: it’s a good little game. I enjoyed it, but I highly doubt I’ll go back to it. My time with Stray didn’t change my life or make me rethink gaming or give me bold new insight into what it means to be alive. It was a game, and I appreciate that it exists, and that’s sort of it. If you can wait till you can play it on Gamepass or the like, I think it’s perfectly acceptable to wait. If you are unfathomably into cats and cyberpunk, then sure, pick this up. But as for me? I’ve had my Fancy Feast fill, and now I’m going to wander off into the tall grass. Just like I was taught.
It’s not a particularly long play, and it does have a fair amount of replay value, so there is some inherent worth for Buddy Simulator 1984. What it seeks to do and what it actually does, while I suppose that could be subjective, are two very different things. I didn’t hate the game by any stretch of the imagination, but it became a bit of a chore to get through in the end.
This isn’t just a new version of a game, this is the updated version that actually caters to what gaming personalities expect and look for in new titles. Sure, there’s no touchscreen controls, which is a bizarre choice for something that was just on a goddamn touchscreen device, but whatever! It’s The Oregon Trail, you can play and unlock the filter to make it monochrome green if you’d like. Or you can appreciate the color, the pizazz, and the actual gameplay and realize that it’s a frigging masterpiece.
To say this title surprised me is an understatement. I was so torn in continuing to watch and wanting to look away that this was my entire evening, and then a rather restless night of sleep. It’s something to behold, but I would only want to behold it for a short period of time and then not behold it again for a long, long while. If you’re into a narrative that tracks in no direction and a visual novel that’s breaking the fourth wall constantly, then you’ll find something here.
This game has no future for my own interests. I can nod and say “I played it,” followed by shrugging if asked if I liked it. If my friend wanted to try it, I’d give it another spin with them, but it’s far, far down the list for a game I’d recommend to pick up and play.
The minigame competitive scene is already chock full of great choices, and Garfield Lasagna Party isn’t one of them. It’s somehow both too long and too short at the same time, with minigames and animations running overtime, and gameplay being terse and light.
I imagine that Vampire Survivors is going to spawn a legion of imitators and developers trying to capture the same effect but with some variation, and I’ll be staying far, far away from them. This game is amazing, and it’s one of those titles where I don’t know or care about the lore: I just want to get those blue gems and feel the chemical reward of doing something that my brain says is good. Pick it up and play, but be sure to block off an afternoon. Any other plans you have are going to get canceled.
But I also recognize that players can and will enjoy this challenge and get a few hours of enjoyment out of the full game, much as I did. So I say this: if you see the raccoon on the longboard and think “I love where this is going,” then come on the journey. I’ve spent far more and played far less, so let’s groove together. If you’re hesitant, just roll on by. Tanuki’s living his best life, you should too.
It isn’t going to prepare you for diving into Europa Universalis: if anything, it might make those big games feel even bigger coming from such a small pond with very same-ish maps and layouts. But it might let you see if you’ve got a taste for the run, and, if so, this is an inexpensive starting point, both in actual price tag and time investment. As for people like me who long for the simpler days, this could be the next great pocket game to keep around for a turn or two of research, raids and risky alliances.
For newcomers, really consider what the game is and what you want it to be. If you sincerely want a full fledged experience, Factorio on the Switch will get you 80% of the way there, but I can’t conceivably think that chat or keyboards can be put in the Switch version. Still, it’s got everything important, and that should be more than enough to keep the cycle going. The machines must grow, and you shall be their farmer.
It’s a dark tale about a broken man and a total disregard for everything that goes into a player’s time and money. If you’re properly gelded against cynicism, you might enjoy the graphics, soundtrack and some of the better combat moments. Otherwise, you’re stuck in the same paradox as Thorn: unable to admit that it’s all been a lie.
This is a fully formed digital release on the most profitable console on the planet at this time. It has nothing for no one, and I’m just sad that someone probably will play this in an attempt to make life a bit better. Bad news, mate: this fish is dead in the water.
Nitro Kid has potential, but there’s a key factor missing that keeps it from just popping on the screen. The Codex is hilarious and I want to read more, the boss variety is interesting and the concept isn’t bad at all: I like the animation from rescuing the Nitro Kids and from certain enemy attacks. But the repetition and the need to basically luck into a strong route build keep it from being something I want to come back and play again. In a gaming ecosphere that is currently flooded with roguelite deckbuilders, Nitro Kid is barely able to tread water.
While it can be short, this is a title that can and should be experienced at least once, which is why I’m glad the original is still widely available for free. If you just want to see what the fuss is about, it’s simple enough to find it online. However, if you find yourself enjoying the punishing, gruesome tale being told here, I encourage you to support Fummy’s work and pick up The Witch’s House MV as a way of saying thank you, and to see a brand new facet for this sincerely horrifying game.
Overall, in spite of needing to retrain my brain on how to interact with the world (it’s easier to travel without also carrying around a mouse and a dongle), Dropsy was a pleasant, interesting, if somewhat short adventure. It had heart, it had some truly gross moments, it had a horrifying cold open, and it was charming, however you can interpret that.
While things like Amnesia: Later x Crowd aren’t for everyone, it’s a really, really great treat for certain people, and I love that they can access this without needing to import and learn Japanese. I hope this sets a pace and a tone for even more Japan exclusives to finally cross the ocean as the Nintendo Switch juggernauts onward.
I think Amnesia: Memories is just a tad cold, a bit too mean, and left me feeling restless and unresolved. It hits the notes, but it hits them in the wrong key. A classic, certainly, and I’m glad Switch owners have the option to play it. I just don’t know if it’s one I’d pick up if given the choice.
It’s a feeling that can only come from this particular idea playing out as a video game, to be something that combines the best elements of a choose-your-own-adventure book, a 1980s coming of age movie and the moment-to-moment tension of Oxenfree. I cannot and will not stop praising this game, and I earnestly believe this is one of my favorite gaming moments in the past decade. Thank you.
I was skeptical when I first picked it up, but now I’m positive: Justice Sucks is a surprising hit, and I’m glad for my time with it.
This might not be the most adventurous of the Shin Megami Tensei games, especially since after Shin Megami Tensei V lived up to the hype, it was a tough band to beat. Yet, Soul Hackers 2 delivers everything I needed in a tidy package.