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If you enjoy RPGs, Trails from Zero is one I think you should check out. While knowledge of the Trails in the Sky franchise does help, as there are some crossover characters, this is still an intended entry point to the game. If you're just looking to upgrade your experience from Switch to Switch 2 versions I might hold off, but otherwise I think this is a great introduction to Crossbell and the Trails series as a whole.
That being said, I can't overlook the disservice that these types of Switch 2 releases are doing to fans who supported an at-the-time more niche RPG franchise. Yes, the Trails in the Sky FC remake has shone the spotlight on the modern Legend of Heroes titles, but let's throw a bone to the players who were there first. I'll dig my heels in against an all-digital future without upgrade options as we move from one console to the next.
All that being said, for as derivative as it would initially appear to be, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty manages to result in something remarkably unique. There are some rough patches along the way but the overall package presents a fun blend of ideas. In a genre full of mimicry, Wo Long strives to bring its own unique flavor to the table, and when it works, it works very well.
The jump in difficulty for the area bosses is a bit of a bummer, as are the forced collectathon elements, but the co-op and solo gameplay experiences are pretty solid. After having been away from the platformer genre for a little while, Marsupilami 2 certainly rekindled that passion in me, and I'm eager to show more of the game to my kids and even pick up the first game if I see it on sale. The Marsupilamis may look like skinny Chester Cheetahs with longer tails, but I'm glad I had a chance to jump and swing along to their world's salsa beats and be reminded of all the great mascot platformers that have come before and now inspire a new generation of game makers.
I kept coming back for more battles and pushing myself to beat the bosses even though I fell over and over again. Onimusha has found its way of the sword by balancing on the edge of this phenomenally well crafted blade. It once again shows that Capcom remains on top of its game.
The pixelated look of Moonlighter has been replaced with an art style more befitting the sequel's shift to 3D, which well suits its variety of environments and its blend of fantasy, real life, and sci-fi themes. Enjoyers of the first Moonlighter may bristle against the changes implemented for Moonlighter 2, but what's new here has made a fan out of me. Simply put, I'm over the moon.
I'd be curious if a lower resolution sixty frames-per-second mode could alleviate some input lag. You can certainly still fight your way through on this version, but you may find that quickly tracking small targets becomes needlessly frustrating very fast. There are other more mild issues to be addressed as well but the controls need to be a priority.
Seeing it all concluded in Death of the Reprobate felt appropriate and made me even more excited to see what Joe Richardson will be cooking up next. To me, it isn't just John that this trilogy has made immortal. Well done Joe, well done.
Someone might crack the code on this mash-up, but River City Saga isn't the one to show how it's done. If you enjoy any brawler you can put your hands on and have a fondness for this style of storytelling, it may be worth a look. Otherwise, this time investment is too much in an ocean of better games.
That being said, there is certainly room for a little extra optimization in places. Still, it makes very smart use of the hardware to know where best to make compromises. Great visuals, a fun world, inspiring soundtrack, and solid mechanics make this one an easy recommendation.
Oblivion is a weird janky game, and this remaster merely makes it a prettier janky game. If you have nostalgia from playing Oblivion back in 2006, I think you'll love revisiting it in this form. If you're a Nintendo fan coming from Skyrim, be prepared for an ambitious but demanding adventure that is a little rough around the edges.
The story, music and characters aren't anything to write home about. Yet in the end I still had a pretty great time with Montabi. Its gameplay loop feels like the right fit for a Roguelike game. While I still stand by the fact that I'm over these types of games, Montabi deserves its spot among some of the best this genre has to offer.
Beyond mild graphical improvements, there isn't a lot to separate the Switch 2 version of Parkasaurus from the Switch version. Especially given that currently it doesn't really take advantage of what could be hugely beneficial features of the platform. As is this isn't necessarily a worse experience than the Switch version and it certainly includes more content, but the lack of meaningful Switch 2 features and performance issues keep this from being as obvious an upgrade as it should be.
However, the shame here is with Ray and Sun being included in the states they are in. I get wanting to include these, so that this is a more complete collection, but it soured my experience with this collection. Ultimately I'm glad I got to experience the two console games but wish that the other two pieces to this Quartet were given more attention.
But it is very unapologetic in its dogmatic adherence to mid-90's first-person-rpg mechanics. Even with a fair amount of nostalgia for the style that Verho is aiming for, it can be hard not to feel like some light modernization would help smooth over the rough edges. But if you're willing to keep a notebook handy, are willing to grind through some occasionally awkward combat, and maybe draw your own map, Verho offers an experience that is otherwise largely lost to time.
Heave Ho 2 provided new and entertaining premises for us to play with the mechanics, sabotage each other, and broke us into laughter so hard we could barely breathe. Heave Ho 2 takes the perfect formula from the first game, and adds onto it. Sometimes you don't need to mess with perfection.
If I were to score these Luminous Avenger iX 1 & 2 Dual Collection individually, I would give the first game an 8 and the second a 6. It truly feels like a new development team was handed the design document from the first installment, but half the pages were missing and they just "made do." While both are interesting Gunvolt spin-offs, Luminous Avenger iX 1 is the much more satisfying experience, which makes the package as a whole difficult to fully recommend, even if the Switch 2 upgrades are noteworthy.
One annoying issue with the game is the high number of crashes, which forced me back to the Switch home menu on nearly every run; the game's autosave meant I never lost any progress, but I was constantly worrying that I would experience a crash during one of the boss fights, rather than before or after–which added unnecessary tension beyond what the game was already offering. I'm a major fan of how the bosses scale up as you take down their compatriots, leading to tough but meaningful choices as you plan out the route of each run. Those who enjoy the difficulty of titles like Hollow Knight, Blasphemous, and Nine Sols will relish how much Gurei pushes you, but it will need a patch to address the crashes before I wholeheartedly recommend it.
It is so hard to weave a compelling mystery adventure but SFB Games have simply struck gold with this fourth Detective Grimoire adventure. The passion for their work oozes from the game and I think it is impossible to not love all of these characters. Frankly I cannot wait to see them return to the world of Detective Grimoire. But until then, The Mermaid Mask is a must for anyone looking to dive into the weekend with an engrossing mystery experience.
It's a surprisingly user-friendly version of a complex game that does a great job of teaching you the basics and occasionally kicking you in the face with its random-number reliance. The single-player content is a great tutorial with a little extra, but the breadth of this game is in the customizable card decks and the potential long legs of multiplayer, be it locally or online. This is likely the most approachable Culdcept has been in English-speaking countries ever, and thankfully it's an enjoyable, somewhat-streamlined version of it.