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If you are looking for a game that will give you an adrenalin rush by letting you fight a giant ogre, then you may come away satisfied from Extinction. When you are felling a Ravenii in slow motion, things can get real gratifying, you just do have to trudge through a ton of mediocre and repetitive elements to get there. Extinction's story and some repetitiveness do ultimately let the package down as a whole, but I am glad to see Iron Galaxy tried tackle a different idea outside of their comfort zone, even if it didn't pan out entirely.
This niche of the RTS genre isn't often catered-to outside of the Pikmin series, so it's nice to see these developers branch out and be successful. While the game may have benefitted from more puzzles, the combat focus of Masters of Anima shows that there is still room to expand and be unique in this segment of the genre. If you are looking for a new strategy game to tide you over until a genuine Pikmin 4 comes out, I definitely recommend Masters of Anima.
Whether you're new to the genre or a returning veteran, for $13, I think that Steredenn: Binary Stars is a worthy addition to any Switch owners library. The game has a decent amount of modes that ultimately all work together in helping the player learn and progress through the game. So if you've been itching for a cheap shoot'em up game on the handheld-console hybrid, maybe do yourself a favor and check out this one.
I enjoy catching hundreds of Pokémon and collecting gym badges as the next person, but I wouldn't mind more diversions from the main Pokémon series if they come packed with as much hilarity and oddball humor that Detective Pikachu provided me at my side.
Sea of Thieves is a mixed bag of emotions for me. It's a great social experience to play with a group of friends and sail on the prettiest water you will ever see in a video game. It's also bogged down by tedious and repetitive voyages that reward you with meager pay. When you can eventually purchase an item, it will only affect how you look. If that is the case, it seems puzzling that I can't create a character I want to flaunt to any passerby. There is enjoyment to be found in Sea of Thieves, but not enough to keep you interested in the long term.
If you're looking for a more conventional strategy title to add to your Switch library, World Conqueror X is perfect for you. I think the game works best in handheld mode, as it's not boasting the most visually appealing style. It was also nice to lay down after a long day and pick the game up for a couple of scenario missions before bed. Whether on the go or nestled up at home, World Conqueror X is a pretty enjoyable strategy game and it's easy to recommend at the low price of $10.
Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings has a good battle system and premise, but overall I wanted more from the final entry in the Mysterious trilogy. It seems like a missed opportunity to not include an open world and instead opt for a streamlined adventure with quick travel being the only option for exploration. As main protagonists, Lydie and Suelle are fantastic, but I felt like they deserved better. If you're looking for a solid story and a decent battle system or if you're a long time, Atelier fan than Atelier Lydie & Suelle: The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings might work for you, but I was left unimpressed.
Far Cry 5 isn't revolutionizing open world gaming, but it is a perfection of one of Ubisoft's most noteworthy series. With a captivating scenario, diverse gameplay options, breathtaking background, and a colorful cast of characters, Far Cry 5 is primed as one of 2018's earliest Game of the Year contenders, and potentially the best title in the series to date. Through more thoroughly leaning into the concepts of open-world design, Ubisoft has managed to craft a game that will really scratch your itch for exploration.
When factoring in on whether or not I can recommend this game to newcomers to the series, I honestly do not think I can; Devil May Cry HD Collection‘s re-release poorly-made compilation fails to show what made the franchise as popular as it is, while old fans of the series will be disappointed to see this game is nothing more than a rehash, and obviously, if you did not like the series already, then there is a high probability that this compilation will not change your mind.
I had a lot of fun learning about these characters in search of a blue sky and I appreciate FuRyu taking chances on new IPs in a generation full of sequels and remakes. The Alliance Alive is a straightforward and fun JRPG with enough to keep the player invested throughout its story, but it could use some work on difficulty balancing and the inclusion of voice over.
A Way Out has some ambitious, fantastic ideas at its core, but it's unfortunately surrounded by tiresome gameplay mechanics and a story that is just a bit too straightforward. While I think that the co-op focused nature of A Way Out could have better been executed upon, I endlessly credit Hazelight for trying something that I've never really seen done in this manner. Despite my issues, I really love the experimentation seen in A Way Out and hope to see more unique ideas like it in the future.
Kirby Star Allies is another solid addition to the Nintendo Switch, and it does everything it has to as a Kirby game, I just hope that in the future, Nintendo will try to expand upon what already makes Kirby so great as they have with titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey.
Burnout Paradise Remastered is a breath of fresh air for the racing genre. It takes the realistic aspects of racing and throws them out the window with fast and furious driving that feels great. The sense of speed achieved as you zip through the streets of Paradise City listening to Soundgarden's ‘Rusty Cage' is truly astounding. It's both frantic and fun. There are some frustrating moments and the visual upgrade isn't as big of a leap as I would like, but there is still a lot to enjoy. After finishing a few events, you'll wonder why the franchise has been gone for so long.
By setting the bar higher with its meaningful side-quests and multiple systems executed perfectly, Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is paving the way for future JRPG titles to build upon. I loved every moment of Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom and could easily recommend it as an entry point to the genre for newcomers as well as longtime fans of the genre. Developer Level-5 has truly outdone themselves with this one and I would just like to say to them, thank you for the adventure.
Surviving Mars requires patience and experimentation that may be daunting to those new to the genre. The lack of detail on the game's many mechanics in conjunction with the intense micromanagement creates a challenging and frustrating experience. There are ways to make your colonization mission less difficult, but a well-planned strategy still needs to be in place to succeed. Despite this, once the mechanics click, the game is incredibly satisfying and rewarding. All of this is packaged with a simple aesthetic and decent soundtrack that are both stylish and fit its sci-fi theme. If you're a fan of city builders, Haemimont Games' latest is worth playing.
Ultimately, it's a great sendoff for one of the best characters of the history of Japanese games (and of gaming as a whole), and while Kazuma Kiryu isn't going to disappear due to the upcoming remake, I can definitely say that I'm going to miss my stern and stoic best friend with a heart of gold.
I enjoyed the premise of playing the story through new eyes and watching these events unfold. Also, taking the time to read the character's journal offers a new layer of immersion for hardcore fans. Attack on Titan 2 is a game for the fans, and the story does well to include critical scenes that those fans will readily recognize. After a few hours, I found that I had mastered the ODM gear and could quickly take down any Titan that came my way along with seamlessly issuing commands to my party members. I was glad to be having fun because this is just what I needed to hold me off until season 3 of the Attack on Titan anime.
For $14.99, I think The Long Reach is a solid game that should be looked at by anyone interested in adventure games or short, bite-sized indie titles. While it doesn't do anything that's new gameplay-wise, I found the narrative to be intriguing throughout and worth sitting through to the end. I'd say the game is best experienced on a big screen, with speakers or a headset that'll make each scenario feel all the tenser. I can't imagine the experience would be nearly as compelling on-the-go with the Switch version. While it's by no means the best the genre has to offer, this adventure is definitely one that's worth checking out.
If you can get past the slow start and some of the glaring technical problems of The Mad Ones, then you will find the most innovative episodic adventure games to come from a studio other than Telltale. I can see The Council becoming a standout title within its genre when it's finished, but as it stands The Mad Ones has enough problems to where everyone may not be on board just yet.
All in all, Q.U.B.E. 2 is a great game. The story is gripping and enticing, and for people that don't want it, it's not forced down your throat. While improvements could be made to the controls and framerate, I had a blast with Q.U.B.E. 2 and I hope that Toxic Games decides to add more to the game in the months to come.