Anthony Bacchus
Despite later LEGO games being more polished and streamlined, LEGO Harry Potter holds up surprisingly well.
It is, at least, refreshing to say that Batman: Return to Arkham happens to be one of the better collections out there, even if it is missing the criminally underrated Arkham Origins.
As a Grandia fan, it’s been an absolute joy replaying these classic games on Switch.
Layers of Fear 2 is bigger, more ambitious, and scarier than its predecessor, but it can feel a bit familiar at times too.
Lichtspeer: Double Speer Edition is another solid example of a game that feels right at home on the Switch, and is made better for it.
Heart&Slash isn’t perfect, but if you give it a chance you may find that there’s a lot to love in this charming, 3D roguelike.
The excellent visual novel-style, animations, and minimalist character designs give off a surprising amount of personality, and the voice acting is, once again, top notch.
Aftercharge’s unique concept makes it worth checking out. The 3-v-3 setup manages to pack a lot of fun in small doses while also keeping the scales balanced on both sides. Aftercharge forces players to use their heads over their trigger finger and it’s here where the game really begins to shine.
Episode 4: Metamorphosis has a lot resting on its rotting shoulders and, for the most part, it does an adequate job tying up all the loose ends. The real revelation comes about unexpectedly, in the form of either a good or bad ending. And while we did feel a bit cheated getting the bad ending the first time through, it's hard to fault the rest of the episode for it. If you managed to do everything right, then this finale wraps things up really quite nicely.
As penultimate episodes go, Episode 3: Judgment does a rock solid job of keeping players engaged in its story as it leads into the game's final chapter. We're now eagerly anticipating the finale, but we're also a little bit apprehensive about where things will go next. Like all good serialized story-telling, that means the creators are at least doing a great job keeping us invested.
Resident Evil: Revelations 2 is off to a pretty good start. It's fun, campy, and even manages to throw in a few good scares. Once you get past the somewhat predictable first half, the game really comes together in the second with a blend of solid action, horror, and stealth. Dividing the game into episodic chunks is already shaping up to a successful experiment for Capcom, and we can't wait to see where it all leads to in the coming weeks.
Max: The Curse of Brotherhood, while looking like a kids game, is anything but. The cartoon graphics may be enticing enough for kids to try, but the steep difficulty curve may be too much for them. However, underneath the cutesy disguise is a clever and surprisingly entertaining little game.
Blues and Bullets isn't perfect, but Episode 1 definitely left a positive impression on us. The visual style is infectious and atmospheric, and while it takes more than a few cues from Sin City, it adds a surprising amount of immersion to the storytelling. The first episode is also nicely balanced between casual exploring, action scenes, and a lengthy but satisfying crime scene investigation. There certainly seems to be a lot of adventure games around these days, and we're happy to state that Blues and Bullets is yet another one you should keep your eyes on.
MXGP 2019 has the makings of a great motocross game but it comes up short in a few key areas.
As you progress, more weapons and gameplay perks are unlocked which add a level of variety and unpredictability to Crimsonland that I appreciated
Even though it doesn’t always feel cohesive, it’s certainly worth playing, especially if you’re a fan of roguelikes —just know that your mileage may vary in the enjoyment department.
Stela hopes you’ll look at it with the same reverence everyone had for Inside. The problem is that Stela needs to do a lot more than just copying Playdead’s formula.
The lasting power of Black & White Bushido is probably what concerns me the most. Despite the entertaining core Deathmatch mode, the whole experience still feels pretty forgettable.
Licensed games still get a bad rap these days and Narcos: Rise of the Cartels probably won’t convince the naysayers. But buried beneath the murky graphics and presentation is a pretty decent and entertaining turn-by-turn tactical game.
Time Recoil really boils down to a simple process: kill, kill some more, slow things down, blow stuff up, kill again, and exit the level