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Back in 2024, I imagined writing a review for Harold Halibut and rounding up the final score to a 10. I like Harold Halibut a lot. I enjoyed the story, the heart, the characters - and of course I loved the visuals - but I also felt the balance of gameplay, narrative, and pacing wasn't quite there for me, and that this had an overall impact on how well it works as a game.Now looking back at those reviews from the original release - the spread of besotted 10s to the more cautious 6s - I think they all have a point. Harold Halibut is a creative marvel. It is a work of art and it's worth playing to appreciate all that wonderful craft. But the pace can also drag and sometimes gameplay takes a little too much of a back seat. Ultimately, it's a curiosity with a lot of heart. It struggles to balance its elements, but I'm very happy to have played it. If the visuals and storytelling style appeal, then it's definitely worth a look.
Leave them wanting Olimore - The latest addition to the pantheon of obscenely long-titled Nintendo Switch 2 Editions is a strange one. Pikmin 4 - Nintendo Sw...
Metaphor: ReFantazio is an extraordinary JRPG, juggling stories and systems alike with grace and effortlessness, but it is let down somewhat by poor optimisation on Switch 2.Anyone looking for a huge, sprawling adventure with lovable characters, compelling parallels to the real world, and progression systems that will keep you coming back for more will be far from disappointed with this game, but there's no metaphor for a dodgy frame rate and visuals that can occasionally take you out of the fantasy.
Queen's Domain is one of the best surprises of the year, coming out of nowhere and asserting itself as one of the most satisfying action-adventure games in recent memory.The rewarding character progression, challenging combat, lo-fi visuals, and thrilling sense of mystery all combine to make this one an easy recommendation to anyone looking for that old-school FromSoft style that recaptures the magic of playing older Zeldas and doesn't hold your hand. It'll likely win you over if you give it a fair shot.
Theatrical performance, narrative adventure, strategy game, match-three… Shuffling its deck of faerie queens and love potions and slam dunks and Ray-Bans, Titanium Court is the freakiest dream you've ever had. It might baffle your psychoanalyst, but that's no reason to wake up.
Ocarina of Time on Switch 2 is a stellar reimagining of the original, one that completely revamps the experience with stunning visuals, modernised gameplay, and vastly improved audio. Despite some minor blemishes, this is comfortably the most visually stunning work Nintendo has ever put out, and it's unquestionably the best way to play one of the most seminal games of all time.That said, it is a very safe remake. Despite lots of minor changes throughout, it's still essentially the same game you've likely already played, and so you might find it offers little challenge if you're familiar with the N64 original or 3DS remake. This makes the lack of Master Quest - or really any kind of hard mode - particularly glaring, but I'm hopeful it'll be added in the future.
Wild Blue Skies is what happens when a spiritual successor takes too much inspiration from its predecessor. There is nothing inherently wrong with the game, but if you have played Star Fox 64, or the remake, you have played Wild Blue Skies. As this is releasing on the original Switch, there is an argument to be made that it might tide over Star Fox fans who don't have a Switch 2 yet. But with the original widely accessible on Nintendo Switch Online, it's hard to see that argument holding much weight.Wild Blue Skies is a perfectly average game, but with no originality, it makes for a hard recommendation, even to the most dedicated fans of Lylat's finest.
Fans who patiently awaited the next game from the Disco Elysium studio can rest easy. Zero Parades is another complex, intelligent and gorgeously presented RPG. It oozes style and boasts an engaging narrative and cast.That said, it brings nothing new to the groundbreaking experience offered by its predecessor.
Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered is a satisfyingly faithful update to a beloved Kaiju brawler. It's simple and fun, with local and online multiplayer keeping you around for the long haul despite a wafer-thin single-player experience. Now if we could just get a remaster of Save The Earth and Unleashed…
Guardians of the Galaxy was criminally overlooked when it first came out on other platforms. This single-player adventure is full of heart with equally fun gameplay to match. It's also a shame that the disastrous Cloud version on the first Switch cast a large shadow on an otherwise stellar release.But those dark days are over. If you can stomach some performance issues, this is one bright and resonating story you'll want to experience at least once. Without the need of a constant internet connection, you can take Guardians of the Galaxy: Encore Edition outside in the sun, literally!
Despite some drawbacks, Stellar Blade stands tall as an impressive and enjoyable action game that occupies a nice niche in the Switch 2 library. Rewarding exploration, thrilling combat, and tough but fair difficulty carry this game far and make it an easy recommendation, even if its story can be a bit bland and the visuals aren't always up to the task.I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a higher-budget game that favours exploration and combat; Stellar Blade excels in its implementation of both and makes a great first impression as Shift Up's entrance into AAA game development.
Goodboy Galaxy occasionally asks for more patience than it should, particularly when its backtracking and hint systems leave you circling familiar ground. But it never rests on its laurels, constantly introducing new characters, scenarios, gadgets, and gameplay wrinkles before any one idea has time to wear thin.It's rare for a game this compact to feel as dense. As both a love letter to the GBA and a richly designed adventure in its own right, Goodboy Galaxy is easy to recommend.
Mouthwashing on Switch is a strong port of an incredible game. Fans and newcomers are well served here, as developer Wrong Organ doesn't try to reinvent the wheel - it just uses the Switch to bring us even closer to the Tulpar crew.While some segments are frustrating to control, it is nothing that wouldn't also be a problem in the other console ports, or if you were playing on PC with a controller. And even then, the parts that frustrated me were over quickly and couldn't detract from the horrifying experience the devs unleash upon us.
Ultimately, Shadow of the Tomb Raider serves up more of the same as its predecessors: intriguing exploration, fun combat, and head-scratching tomb puzzles. I have always felt Shadow to be the weakest of the Survivor trilogy due to its redirected focus combat-wise and a narrative that left me actively disliking Lara Croft for portions of the game (something I never thought would happen!).As a single game, I feel Rise of the Tomb Raider is better bang for your buck, but if you've enjoyed Tomb Raider and Rise already, then Shadow will give you more of what you've enjoyed. (And if you're interested in picking up the full trilogy bundle that's also been released - for $69.99/£62.99 - there's a LOT of content to enjoy across the three games if you wanted something to really lose yourself in.)
The Séance of Blake Manor is something special. It borrows some of the modern trappings of new-wave detective games - freeform exploration, a sprawling but structured mystery to unpick, sentence-completion deductions, and more - but guides you quite strongly to keep the investigation flowing.Its broad cast of characters, vivid writing and engaging voice performances make it akin to curling up with an interactive, supernatural Agatha Christie novel – one that will spook you just enough for a cosy Halloween.
Whether you should invest in the first CoD on a Nintendo platform for over a decade comes down to the old Switch port chestnuts: Do you own another platform, and how much do you value portability? Call of Duty veterans who have followed closely its highs and lows over the last decade could probably knock a point off the score below; you likely won't be as wowed by MW4's sheer spectacle, but you should definitely play it somewhere.For anyone with a Switch 2 who's been waiting a long time to answer the Call, though, this is an excellent demonstration of why this crusty series still matters to so many. It's a bold, bombastic shooter, and it's now running very well on Nintendo hardware, day-and-date with other platforms. Oorah, indeed.
Village in the Shade pulls off a magic trick, presenting you with a fun, addictive, idyllic farming sim before using your desire for escapism against you, acting as a reminder that you can never truly outrun the darker sides of life.The true genius of the trick is that this doesn't stop the game from being entertaining, only pulling you deeper into its satisfying and appropriately complex mechanics as well as the psychological questions it poses.
Did Steins;Gate Re:Boot need to exist? Probably not - and, yet, I'm glad it does. As a remake, it doesn't take many big swings and its adjusted pacing and visuals are largely a matter of taste. However, it crucially preserves all the core elements of what made the original Steins;Gate so special and presents them in its own richly enjoyable, refined style with a few exclusive perks in tow.Like two distinct worldlines in the same attractor field, Re:Boot and the original Steins;Gate co-exist. Neither is necessarily the definitive experience, and both hold merit for different reasons. Still, they ultimately converge on the same result: an enthralling, beautiful visual novel that continues to stand tall as one of the greatest time-travel stories of the modern day.
Belmont's Curse may not be wildly original, but its planning and execution are superb, its combat and whip-integration thrilling, and its sense of exploration and reward on-point. It wholly delivers that all-important progression-reward feedback loop, tripping every time you come back stronger.It's an unapologetically hardcore affair, and that's welcome. It's one of the best Castlevania games in a long time thanks to its combat variety and smart whip integrations. While nicely balanced, extremely addictive, and with tons to do, those less familiar with the format may find its difficulty frustrating. But, if you play games to feel an elating sense of accomplishment, on that front it will do you right.
After the stumbling start of its predecessor, it's nice to see the series back on track in Nintendo Switch Sports Resort. While some of the 12 different sports might feel a little too safe, most of the classics feel better than they've ever been, and the newbies surprise and delight with some classic Nintendo intuition. Revamped customisation options and a surprising amount of single-player content both feel like open goals, but they also provide a great excuse to keep playing, even once the party is over. This just might be the Nintendo Sports series at its best.Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a shoulder joint in desperate need of icing.