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The brief length can make it feel a little less ambitious, but I can't say I was let down by this whimsical short story of a video game. Lovely art, a cute story, and solid puzzle platforming help make The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince a pleasant ride.
Even with its many flaws, the superb voice acting and serviceable story were still an entertaining playthrough. A linear horror-mystery thriller is a bit niche, but if that's what you're into, Observer is a title still worth picking up. If nothing else, it gives us a glimpse of what the Switch is capable of, and it will hopefully be the beginning of a trend of pushing the handheld to its limits.
Away: Journey to the Unexpected is a thoroughly abnormal game that triumphs when its oddities all click. When you're rolling out there switching between your little boy, robot bounty hunter, and drunk wizard and blazing through battles against colorful foes, it's excellent, but when the repetitive areas and roguelite malaise starts to creep in, it falters. If all works out, by the time you hit that point, you'll be rolling the credits.
With Oniken, what you see is what you get, and your first impression of the game is probably spot on. If you miss your friendly, Tecmo ninja man, you might want to give this one a look. For everyone else, leave this one in 20XX.
For now, I'll recommend Odallus to those itching for the atmosphere of early Castlevania games and those relishing a good dose of difficulty. More casual fans may want to look elsewhere.
undefined.We have multiple reviews of Swords & Soldiers, all positive, including Chuck Jose's take on the WiiWare release in 2009 and Zach Miller's equally charmed screed on the HD release on Wii U in 2014. I don't have much more to add that Chuck and Zach haven't already covered aside from I think Swords & Soldiers shows its age more. The spirit of it is wonderful, but if you want to check the series out, I'd more recommend you wait for the sequel to come out in March.
While I am quite disappointed that you can't share any challenges online, the content that is there is super enjoyable. The more than 30 levels are easily replayable multiple times, and it is fun to play around with the Sandbox Mode. What helps is that the controls feel built with a controller mind, instead of just trying to add in a less inferior scheme. Overall, Hugecalf Studios created a game I will gladly tinker with once in a while, which is an accomplishment in my book.
Robothorium is a terrific Switch title if you're looking for that casual dungeon-crawler that you can play in cruise control.
The lack of online multiplayer would be easier to excuse if local multiplayer had a little more meat to it. With that said, it's still a very competently made indie game that's fun to play in short bursts. Just don't expect too much depth from the gameplay.
The references don't hinder the fun and this game stands on its own strongly. Etrian Odyssey Nexus is an elegant farewell to a series and a system. If this is the last we see of the Etrian series, this is a high note to go out on.
Some elements of these mystery dungeon-type games will always be inscrutable, but Tangledeep does the best job I've seen at making it playable for everyone. The Switch version might not be ideal thanks to the clumsy interface, but it's worth figuring it out because underneath the difficulty and few crusty layers lies a beautiful game with a ton of enjoyable RPG variety.
It's nice to have just tropical sounds and someone playing a guitar on loop because it's relaxing, but sometimes it sounds like the hammering down on guitar strings. And that's Pipe Push Paradise. It has a lot of challenge in it, and is extremely simple to jump into. If you're looking to fill an itch for a simple puzzle game, check this one out.
The concept of JCB Pioneer: Mars, in isolation, is potentially interesting. The Switch version, however, presents so many obstacles to gameplay that I feel comfortable calling it unplayable. The release of games like this and ARK: Survival Evolved draw into question the existence of Nintendo's quality control. Products like this are an embarrassment to Nintendo's digital offerings.
A single playthrough can last hundreds of turns but once you've earned a victory, it will simply unlock new quests and options. The complexity leads to all sorts of different ways you can enjoy your time but also creates a gigantic barrier to entry. Without watching a YouTube video of a playthrough being completed and explained on the fly I may have just given up, which would have been a shame because Thea is a fantastic title worth spending the time to figure out.
After years of hearing how cool Downwell is, it's great to see just how fantastic it really is. It's a straightforward, no-nonsense masterclass in design where it's super easy to sit down with the intention of playing for five minutes and walk away a dozen runs and more than an hour later. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some gun boots to fire off so I can get to the bottom of this well.
Despite a few hiccups, HoPiKo is still an incredible game. It's a pure test of mechanical skill set to a breathtaking chiptune soundtrack, and while that may not be for everyone it is absolutely for me. Playing each level over and over until I had mastered the quickest path through it was insanely fun, and I can see myself coming back to this one to beat my best times again and again.
Alan Watts' philosophy lectures are intriguing, but it's not very interesting getting from one lecture to the next. I was never able to be engaged or immersed in the world. Despite being a game about how all things are related, I found the silly, empty experience of Everything very unrelatable.
Dragon Marked for Death is a frustrating experience because there are some good ideas buried behind some poor decisions.
If I want to sit down and spend some time on a puzzle game that I know will hold my attention, I'll play nonograms. But where Picross is like the local pizza place that really cares about giving you the best slice around, Pic-a-Pix Pieces is more like the college food court that you only eat at when you're in between classes and short on time. It's still good, and I still recommend it, but there are other people out there putting a lot more time and effort into making this exact product.
Whether you're on the hunt for a new brain teaser or simply looking for something to play for a few minutes on break at work, Samsara is probably a game you should put on your list. Disappointing sound design aside, I found that the experience was fun both on my own and alongside friends as they tried to help me solve a particularly difficult level. It's not perfect, but for what it is and what it's trying to be the game does find some success.