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The Fall Part 2: Unbound continues the story from The Fall with an interesting angle on familiar sci-fi concepts, but the game that underpins this darkly cerebral world is somewhat lacking. Both its action and adventure elements suffer from stilted controls, and the imaginatively conceived point-and-click sections don't always leave a satisfying breadcrumb trail for the player to follow. The result is a game that's as frustratingly flawed as it is thought-provoking.
There is some fun here for puzzle/maze runner fans to be found, but we must caution readers that this millipede might never take off.
Crazy Climber is a game with a simple premise: just climb!
Owlboy is a three-pronged attack of success: the gameplay is tight, satisfying, and remains fresh throughout; the game's world is visually stunning thanks to some truly masterful pixel art; and you'll find yourself really caring about the cast of characters and the world surrounding them thanks to a compelling storyline and background lore. The game could be improved with the inclusion of map to aid exploration, but when that is the only real thing we can pick at as a negative point it is clear that we're on to a winner.This is a game that is absolutely worth your time; if anything we've mentioned above has you even remotely intrigued by this game, we urge you to consider giving it a go.
Disc Jam neither insults or excels in Switch game's library and what it does, it does so in solid fashion. It is fast, fun, easy to pick up and hard to master, but as previously stated elsewhere on this review it lives or dies by its community; Will the current install base of Switch users turn Disc Jam into a runaway, enduring online success or the game future will be best remembered for it's fast paced bouts with your friends on local multiplayer? To this question we do not know the answer and it will be up to the developers to continued to support their product with new features that will keep the game future proof. But the solid foundation for a great competitive eSport is already in place. Pick this up without fear if you know you have friends with whom you'd like to compete. Otherwise you might want to keep a lookout from the sidelines to see how it all plays out.
Aegis Defenders is a fantastic game, brilliantly blending the tower defense and platforming genres in a unique way to produce a memorable and enjoyable experience. Lovable characters, interesting lore, plenty of secrets, engaging gameplay, and gorgeous presentation combine to make this a must-have title for your Switch. We would recommend this to anybody looking for a detailed world to immerse themselves in, or to somebody looking for that next game to play through with a friend. Aegis Defenders is a real gem on the eShop; don't miss out on this one.
The first game was already a well put together fighter, but Samurai Shodown II improves on it with an expanded cast and additions to the gameplay that add to the fighting experience without over-complicating things. This is still a game that requires thought, but when you do spy your opportunity fights can be over quickly. Even if they're not, they can still be fast-paced as you each use various means to avoid getting hit and the new weapon-breaking moves can help turnaround certain defeat - or lead to you looking a bit foolish if you get defeated by an unarmed opponent. There's plenty of one-on-one fighters on the Switch, but this is one of the best.
If you think you'd get a lot out of the referential humour found in The Darkside Detective, you're in for a treat. Its simple gameplay will complement the jokes, the pixelated look continues to impress, and the auditory experience on offer is up there with the best. It's a shame then that if you're more of a millennial, then much of this will be lost on you. The puns and pranks will fly over your head, and in that situation, you're left with the basic gameplay loop that doesn't really do enough to satisfy on its own. In essence, it's only really a choice you alone can make. If you think you'll vibe with TDD is going for then you're in for a good time, but if not, you're almost certainly best left looking elsewhere.
As a solo experience, this indie shmup won't win many over with its familiar twin-stick formula, but as a couchplay experience it's one of the most fun spins on the genre we've played on Nintendo Switch. Whether in two-player or with five folks involved, Aperion Cyberstorm is another confident slice of shooter fun from Britain's burgeoning indie dev scene.
It takes something special to stand out in the ever-growing auto-running platformer genre, but ATOMIK: RunGunJumpGun does so with aplomb, copious deaths and a healthy dash of that "just one more time" mentality that'll keep you coming back for more. From its pulse-pounding post-apocalyptic world to its powerful soundtrack, the hours will melt away as you try and collect every last bauble or at the very least just try and make it to the goal unscathed. If brutal arcade-like experiences sound like your cup of tea, you can't go wrong with ATOMIK: RunGunJumpGun.
Both classic Dragon Quest RPG and Minecraft-style building sim, Dragon Quest Builders takes just enough ingredients from each side of the developmental kitchen and gently stirs them into a dish that never manages to overpower either of its core mechanics. If you've ever wanted to try Mojang's ubiquitous hit but found it a little too intimidating in its vagueness, then this is the alternative for you. Fun, empowering and Dragon Quest to a tee; Its combat and camera can be a little erratic, but they never manage to derail your new building adventure.
Mad Carnage has a few things going for it in the form of its movement mechanics and the comic strip-led story sections, but they're packaged together with an experience that doesn't do them justice. Everything else is far too basic, and thus it fails at building a cohesive experience that we could recommend.
Dandara is a 2D Metroidvania platformer that's admirably intent on doing things differently, from its Brazilian folklore-infused narrative to its unorthodox and touchscreen-friendly controls. It can be a little awkward to play as a result, and it's got its fair share of structural niggles, but Dandara provides a genuinely fascinating world to spend some time in.
The Longest Five Minutes uses a truly gripping concept, throwing the classic RPG formula on its head by having you put the pieces of an already existing story together as you go. While the combat and general gameplay are almost too easy-going, the story, characters, and overall aesthetic had us always wanting more, never wanting to put the game down. The asking price is perhaps a little steep for the amount of content available, and the strange take on a usually well-understood genre may throw some players off, but there is an indescribable charm that is worth exploring here.
There's only eight levels, but there's enjoyment to be had from Arcade Archives Kid Niki Radical Ninja as you hop about and avoid attacks, take some enemies out on the left, then the right, jump to move forwards and smack some in midair too. The game can be challenging, but satisfying when you up your pace sufficiently to stop that timer hitting zero and the boss battles are fun too. If you are just looking to finish the game there's not much replay value once cleared, but there's a few ways to improve your score which adds to the replayability when combined with the online leaderboards.
World Heroes 2 may not be the best fighting game available on Switch, but it can still entertain.
Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology is a top-shelf JRPG, with an engaging time-travel hook, brilliantly fun, puzzle-like combat, and a genuinely likeable cast of characters.
Less of a game, and more of an interactive story with some light platforming and exploring to tie it all together, Night In The Woods is one of the most rewarding experiences you can play on Nintendo Switch. A curio better played for yourself than described by us, it's an indie title that will no doubt leave an impression with its enchanting soundtrack, disarming story and instantly identifiable character arcs. Both strange and wonderful in equal measure, few games are as easy to recommend as this.
Black Hole's intense shmup action feels far more suited to Nintendo Switch than its previous platforms, and the gravitational mechanic makes for a cool twist on a well-worn formula. It's a solid little shooter for one player to blast through with twin-sticks at the ready, it's just a shame there's no support for local couchplay to go along with its litany of customisable options.
The nature of Fantasy Hero ~unsigned legacy~'s mission based structure lends itself well to the pick up and play style of Nintendo Switch, but there's nowhere near enough compelling content here to make it worth your time. A dull plot filled to the brim with typical JRPG tropes fails to give you much of an incentive to progress, while the combat itself is far too basic and at times punishingly difficult. This may have been a passable experience upon its original release, but in 2018, this port has little to offer.