Yoshi and the Mysterious Book sticks by the adage, short and sweet. It’s here for a good time, not for a long time, so its decision to lengthen the boss battles is all the more confusing to me. Most levels had me smiling while playing, as I wondered what each creature tasted like and how the level would unfold. While the exploratory model can leave players feeling a bit lost on how to end a level, the game’s generosity with hints ensures any possible frustration is short-lived.
I feel like this was less of a review and more of an ”I love Monster Hunter Stories“ declaration, but somehow, Capcom managed to take what was already a brilliant game series and elevate it in a way I didn’t think was possible. The nuance of the story, the environmental elements and the new monster types could teach people in our world a lot. If you played two and enjoyed it, then you need to play Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection.
A fun and relaxing game that uses farming and plant growing to create puzzles. While too much of a collect-a-thon for my tastes, I definitely enjoyed the puzzle aspect. It relies on some nostalgia for the toys of the 90’s like Polly Pocket, but it’s not really like that at all.
When playing PARANORMASIGHT: The Cursed Mermaid, I was constantly reminded of one of my favourite games on the Nintendo DS, Another Code. This is high praise because it was one of my favourite games on the DS. Paronormasight feels like a lost art that has been rediscovered, where everything has come together into an almost perfect game. So if you’ve been looking for this style of game that combines folklore, history and a good chunk of mystery, PARANORMASIGHT is here to deliver.
I truly think that the Switch is the perfect home for Cozy Caravan. It’s easy to pick it up, do a few things or complete a day and then put it down. There may be a few issues, but I enjoyed my time with it. Some people did complain about the stop-motion animation making them sick, but the developers have added an accessibility option to turn it off. There are also accessibility options for the hopscotch minigame, as some people had issues with that. Regardless of your age or ability, there’s something for everyone in this wholesome, adorable lesson presented as a game.
When it boils down to it, Luma Island is ultimately a fun game. The decision to make all so players could complete the game without having to swap jobs might have been the right one but it was incredibly disappointing to find out. With no stamina bars, there’s no need for food, but still, it would have been nice if the things you crafted were useable. That was my main complaint besides the frustration of overlapping traps in the temples.
It’s not perfect and there are many issues, but Legends ZA is definitely the best Pokémon game in a while. I’m hoping that Game Freak will continue to tweak parts of the Pokémon games as they continue making them. I don’t mind the day/night cycle, but I think that they need to adjust it so that the cycle pauses when people are catching Pokémon or doing a quest at least. I look forward to seeing what the DLC has to offer early next year and what changes they make.
Magic farming games have been a bit of a trend in the last five years, so I appreciate Spellgarden taking that and making it their own. Where the game truly shines, though, is through its personality, which is something that helps it stand out amongst the crowd. A lot of these games are devoid of an overarching narrative and let the gameplay do all the talking, but in Ritual of Raven, everything is endearing. The constructs themselves, the NPCs, the story. All of it. It truly feels like the game version of soul food: nourishing and warm.
Tiny Witch is an adorable, but somewhat vapid game. It feels like there’s a large chunk of gameplay missing, as while the shops do get harder, it still feels quite repetitive. I’m unsure if it’s because 10 days is too long or that you’re creating the same 5 recipes over and over again. It’s not a bad game, but it’s not a great game either. It sits firmly in the good territory and refuses to budge.
The best thing about Kirby and the Forgotten Land - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World is that it’s just more Kirby and the Forgotten Land. It has everything that made the main game great, just in a smaller package. They’ve tweaked the levels and the music to make it seem familiar, yet foreign. Aside from a few small problems – well, one small problem and one big problem – it would be a 10/10 game for me. Really, I’m just glad that they kept the heart and soul of the main game and managed to make the perfect farewell for the fans.
When I consider the cost of the extra modes and minigames, especially as three quarters of the game doesn’t require the camera, it feels like a bargain if you already own the base game. Even if you don’t, it still seems like decent value at $100, as it’s one and a half games. It’s when adding in the cost of the camera that it feels a little bit too expensive. I’m not sure why Nintendo didn’t bundle Bowser TV with the camera as its own thing. The rest could have been added onto the base game and would have been considered DLC instead of an “upgrade”.
When I first started up Cottonville, I thought it was going to be a mish-mash of Story of Seasons and Style Boutique, but instead I found that it was a game that felt like it barely contained either. It all feels as threadbare as a cheap shirt. The worst thing is that I can see what it could have been with more time, effort, and funding, and it leaves me mourning for the game it was never able to be. Cottonville is here for a short time, much like a product that’s part of the fast fashion industry, which is ironic when the game is supposed to be the antithesis of that.
At the beginning, I asked if Hatsune Miku Logic Paint S+ had enough to set itself apart from the many other nonogram games out there, and I think the answer is a resounding yes. The customisation between the room, music, and Vocaloids themselves adds things that may not be necessary for the game, but brings it to another level that other games don’t reach. In the Picross S series, the reward for doing well is a colour picture! I much prefer the added incentive that Logic Paint brings. I would love to see additional music added in the future, but otherwise, this is a must-play for any nonogram fans out there.
I honestly could have wrapped up this review in one word: “Okay”. When I thought about my time with Tamagotchi Plaza, I felt such a middling indifference that the Saitama “okay” meme came to mind. It’s all I can think of because it describes my experience so perfectly. Tamagotchi Plaza isn’t a terrible game, but it’s not a great one either. Had I not been reviewing it, I probably would have played once and lost interest completely. This could be because I feel no attachment to the Tamagotchi brand, as I never grew up with one. Maybe not. Maybe it just is “Okay”.
If I were to sum up my time with Tempopo in one word, it would be joy. Discovering the ways the commands could be used, watching Hana celebrate every flower rescued, and seeing the way the Tempopo encouraged Hana when she stuffed up. Pure. Joy. Aside from that, Tempopo is polished to a standard one would expect from a high-end indie game or even a AAA game. It’s awe-inspiring how the Witch Beam team managed to fit so much into what appears to be a simple game on the surface and they managed to make every bit enjoyable as well.
With all the potential to become a great game aside from a few niggling issues, the frustration of the boss battles causes it to slide a slippery slope into mediocrity. It is upsetting to find a game that does so much right, only for them to destroy all that work by including something that has no right being as difficult as it is. As the game is now, I can’t recommend it to other people. Perhaps, in the future, when the boss battles have been balanced or made optional, then it can become the game it was truly meant to be.
I knew I would enjoy Bokura: Planet as I very much enjoyed Bokura. I only played a little bit of the original, but I found how it did things was incredibly clever and blew my mind at the time. I just had no idea the sequel would get so dark. The first game was no picnic by any means, but I feel like the story and puzzles were both ratcheted up to 11 in Planet. It took me by surprise. My friend was less enthused, but he doesn’t enjoy puzzle games as much as I do. If you like puzzles and dark, mind-bending stories, Bokura: Planet is a short experience that’s destined to linger on your mind long after you’ve finished it.
The Darkest Files takes something that no one would ever consider making a game out of and creates a thought-provoking experience for players. The melding of the storytelling, gameplay, visuals and sound allow the horrendous events to become a bit more bearable. While there are a few issues with the game in terms of the occasional bug, I believe it’s the sort of game that everyone should play. It’s just unfortunate that it’s very short with only two cases available. I hope that if it sells enough, they might create a sequel with more cases. The aim of the game isn’t to bring people to justice, that’s just a happy side effect. It’s to make sure these things never happen again.
Aside from my issues with simulator sickness, Order 13 was an alright game. It’s designed with streamers and their audience in mind, so it’s not really geared towards people like me. That doesn’t mean it’s not fun to play outside the streaming sphere as it holds its own and the core loop is good, it’s just very obviously meant for the horror streamers. I don’t blame them, because honestly, if that’s what helps them sell the game, good on them. Conclusion. Game okay. Not great, not terrible. Good for streaming. The end.
If you enjoy detective games, or narratives with twists, then Urban Myth Dissolution Center is for you. When asked how long it took to play, I seriously thought each case took me an hour, when in fact it had probably taken triple the amount of time. I didn’t notice time passing by, that’s how much I was enjoying it. I know I keep making the comparison but it really is like Ace Attorney without the courtroom and I’m not the only one making it. Another friend asked if it was a perfect game and after thinking it over, I believe it is. We don’t do scores here, but i reckon this would get full marks from me.