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Dungeon Drafters is a decent game, but I can’t deny that I thoroughly enjoyed its limited Steam Next Fest demo more than its full release. I was expecting it to expand on what we saw in said demo, but instead, it focused on stuff that wasn’t in it.
Contra: Operation Galuga is ok for a weekend get-away but it doesn't do enough to stand apart from the thousands of better run & gunners on the eShop. If you want to play a good Contra game, look no further than the Contra Anniversary Collection.
Mario vs. Donkey Kong is a fine game. Just fine. It doesn’t do anything particularly memorable, but what it does, it does so well. It’s entertaining on a basic level, and I did have fun, but I’m not going to look back at the Switch library and think of this game as a standout. Not every game needs to be a The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild or Super Mario Odyssey, that much is certain, but as far as Nintendo published games are concerned, this one barely scratches the itch of memorable joy that one would expect from them.
It’s no surprise that Penny’s Big Breakaway is a modern-day masterpiece in the platforming genre, you can really tell that the development team has a true passion for momentum-style platformers. In short, Penny’s Big Breakaway sticks the landing and finishes with a flourish.
Look, I can go on and on about problems as much as I want, but at the end of the day? This game is a blast. Berserk Boy is exactly the fix of action platforming that I needed in my life, and it’s just the perfect mixture of fun and challenging. Yes, I wish that the characters and the story were a lot more interesting, and I genuinely believe that it could have been done, but this game is just plain fun as hell. Sometimes a game conquers all of its problems on vibes and hype alone, and boy am I glad that Berserk Boy is one of these. Not only did this game make me happy, it gives me the feeling that if the creator decides to make more games, they will be gems. I’m excited to see more, and definitely recommend you pick up Berserk Boy.
Tamarak Trail has a unique take on the deck building roguelite genre; however, with the use of dice, you trade strategic choices for randomness. The campaign doesn't help keep you interested, and ultimately, it feels like a chore, especially when you come across the same enemies. Yarrow Games rolled the dice with Tamarak Trail and they ended up with a promising structure that lacks meat on the bone.
Cricket Through the Ages is a hysterical romp that had me audibly laugh out loud throughout its entire two-hour run time. It takes the sport and tells a silly historical recap from the Prehistoric Age to a zany space age. It's a short experience, and while it's certainly not perfect, it's an absolute hoot and you'll absolutely remember it for years to come.
It’s been widely reported (though not fully corroborated) that the original Final Fantasy was so-called as an allegory to it being Hironobu Sakaguchi’s last chance saloon in the industry. So here we are, reviewing Elden Pixel’s latest title, A Void Hope. Is there any meaning behind that? I sincerely hope not, because A Void Hope is a bold leap for Elden Pixels, and one I feel has paid off. It’s an engrossing, if slightly dark, narrative experience that will please any horror fan. The games industry would be a sadder place without Elden Pixels, so, everyone, please back your beloved indies!
While playing Cavern of Dreams, I could have shut my eyes and been transported back to the late 90s/early 2000s. It’s Friday night, I’ve got a stuffed crust pizza from the local supermarket, I’ve just finished watching Robot Wars and it’s time to go upstairs and play Banjo Kazooie… OK, maybe Cavern of Dreams doesn’t quite hit the same heights, but it’s arguably the best collectathon I’ve played on the Nintendo Switch in the six years since Yooka Laylee came out.
I did enjoy my time with Jujitsu Kaisen: Cursed Clash, especially the online co-op mode; however, the combat can take a while to understand. Things aren't perfect here as there are some balancing issues and, while it's not going to re-invent the fighting genre, there is some fun to be had online if you can get over the game's short-comings.
Another Code: Recollection is a leisurely experience for fans of puzzle games and narrative-driven adventures that has successfully integrated two titles on different platforms into one experience for the Switch—with some new gameplay mechanics. Players can enjoy uncovering the full mysteries of Ashley’s past, including some unexpected plot twists, in this undemanding offering.
Rising Lords has an interesting world to explore, but it is for the most part locked behind a highly difficult campaign. With the struggles that come from just putting the game in sleep mode, the mediocre tutorial, and the overall poor performance, there's a feeling of an early access game given a full release too early. The bones of Rising Lord's are strong enough; with some effort and improvements, there's potential for new additions to the genre; however, the switch port just doesn’t hold up.
The developers of GRIME, Clover Bite, more than deserve all of the praise they’ve received over the last three years. GRIME is up there with the best Soulslike metroidvanias, and the Definitive Edition is great value for money due to all of the content included. As a result of all this GRIME II is one of my most anticipated games of 2024. However, ultimately, the performance issues on Nintendo Switch mean I’m unable to score it higher, and I’d also recommend any Switch players seriously review whether there are better platforms to enjoy GRIME on.
Despite the interesting spin, I don’t think Backpack Hero breaks any new ground, but boy is it fun! Despite the aggravating problems, in the grand scheme of things, they are minor issues in an otherwise very addicting roguelike, and I can’t help but give it a thumbs up. It is a shame that it falls into the same trap of poor performance that so many games on the Switch fall into, though. There are many more graphically-intensive games out there that run buttery smooth on the Switch, yet it seems every other day a promising game trips over execution. I’m hoping that the next release from the devs of Backpack Hero will take that into account.
Overall, Lil’ Guardsman is an incredibly hilarious, silly, adorable, low pressure decision-based adventure game that is a must-play in my opinion. If you want a hilarious game with heart and soul, then Lil’ Guardsman is for you. I will definitely be revisiting the game myself to try and see how different I can make the kingdom of ‘The Sprawl’. Now, excuse me…I have to go to town to place my bets for the upcoming goblinball game…could you cover my shift at the guard shed today?
While 8-Colors Star Guardians + is a good game, it is severely held back by its lack of overall gameplay, leaving it feeling pretty forgettable. And as if to prove my own point, I completely forgot I needed to write this review, so I’m hastily writing it the day before it is meant to be submitted…oops.
Like any game, Xuan-Yuan Sword: Mists Beyond the Mountains won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. I would recommend it for fans of old-school role-playing games like Final Fantasy, and especially to people who want to try something a bit different from the usual Western or Japanese video game narratives. The continent-spanning (is Eurasia a continent or a landmass with two continents?) plot, characters, battles, enemies, locations, music, etc. all helped to cement this game’s place as a classic back in the day, and it’s great that there’s now an English localisation for us to enjoy.
I really loved Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince, probably more than I initially thought I would. Its gameplay loop is fun; scouting new monsters and creating new ones out of old ones was pretty addictive. I love exploring all the varied environments and watching in real-time the seasons change and alter the world. I also really enjoyed the accessible combat. This is probably one of my favourite RPGs of 2023!
I love this game. It’s one of the most addicting, simple-yet-fun roguelikes I’ve experienced in a long time and it’s exactly because I loved it so much that it upsets me how little of it there is. Alina of the Arena is definitely a must play for any roguelike or tactics fan, and I have absolutely no reservations saying that. The studio that published it, PINIX, is a Taiwanese studio with only two games to their name, including this one, but Alina of the Arena immediately put them on my radar. I’ll be waiting patiently for whatever they cook up next, because this was delicious.
As disappointing as it is to say, Born of Bread simply never clicked with me. I kept waiting for that "ok, now it's getting good” moment, but despite my wishful thinking, it never came. For fans of the classic Paper Mario entries, there’s still a lot to enjoy from Born of Bread, but I just wouldn’t suggest getting your hopes up too high. If you haven’t already, play Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling; that game does the homage much better.