Niche Gamer
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The new graphics in Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp do not honor the original vision of the GBA game. At the very least, the gameplay is still solid. The amount of content is substantial- lasting over 40 hours. If you already have the original GBA games and the hardware to play them, then it is hard to recommend this version. If you don’t, then Re-Boot Camp is still worth it if you want a great strategy game.
The game’s hand-drawn visuals and unique mechanics make it a standout in the indie game scene, and the story and atmosphere will keep players engaged from beginning to end. Teslagrad is generally for gamers who enjoy puzzle-platformers, and specifically for those who appreciate the use of magnetism as a gameplay mechanic.
If you are a JRPG fan, then Trinity Trigger is a great game to consider. The fact that you can play this game through local multiplayer is great even if it takes a while to unlock, but the lack of the online option hinders it a bit. The game is currently available for $49.99 and is worth considering picking up; if you are on the fence about it, picking the game up when it’s on sale between the $20 and $40 threshold would be worthwhile. We had a lot of fun playing the game and hope you do as well.
The game doesn’t do anything new to put its own spin on the Metroidvania formula; it looks gorgeous and plays fine, even if a bit bland, but that just isn’t enough in a world full of Metroidvanias like Hollow Knight, Ender Lilies and Iconoclasts. It’s disappointing to see a beautiful game that tries nothing new and still manages to struggle with a few basic things.
An inquisitive player who explores and tries some of the optional objectives will find that Teslagrad 2 is excellently paced. It rarely has a dull moment and is an artistic achievement with striking visuals that stay with you and challenges that push your reflexes.
If you can tolerate the controls, then Beyond Contact does have a fair amount of content with more promised on the way to give players plenty of hours to sink their teeth into. However those issues are deep and hard to ignore and console players should definitely avoid this game.
It may be worth the purchase for fans of the Ork faction who want a few simple hours of nonstop explosions and screaming to a heavy metal soundtrack and funny well written dialogue.
The DLC has issues trying to accommodate new players, but it’s still worth playing for its fun weapons, fantastic boss fights, and great usage of iconic music.
Though if there does come a sequel for Souls of Chronos, I do want to be one of the first to play it. While there are many issues which plague the game in its current state. The world, plot, and many of the characters are interesting enough to catch most people’s attention.
In short single sessions, God of Rock can be enjoyable. The problem is that it expects players to devout a lot of time to complete 10 rounds in the arcade mode. Even when hopped up on a ton of nose candy, that is a tall order for any rock star.
Dark Souls 2 has beautiful environments and interesting philosophical questions, followed by really mediocre gameplay and an ever-present feeling of being left unfinished.
New additions are the various difficulty modes. ANNO: Mutationem could be a pretty spicy action game at times, so less skilled players can enjoy a more casual experience with the new easy mode. The “Hell” mode lives up to its name and returning players will find Ann will have no hope of success. Not the best mode to play on Switch, due to the increased load times.
All in all, for players who desperately want more from Stranger of Paradise it is not a horrible DLC, but it certainly does not respect the player’s time with its drip feed of content to keep the player going through an extremely long and boring grind of already cleared content.
I can’t say Angel’s Gear is a game for everyone, it was a breath of fresh air in a saturated metroidvania environment due to its lack of padding and complete commitment to the premise, but the controls may be a tall barrier for people who want a more modern experience. I hope people have the patience to engage with the game in a proper way, and despite some of its flaws, I feel like Angel’s Gear is the definition of a diamond in the rough.
The Crown of Wu has a lot of problems and most of it is due to the complexity of the concept that a small team was unable to realize. Some aspects would have been more effective if they were simplified, like the combat and magic systems. The platforming is hopelessly underdeveloped and the character design needs a drastic overhaul to be more appealing.
Dead Island 2 has solid gameplay and a beautiful environment despite cutting out the game’s soul. If the game was named something else, it would be perfectly fine but as a sequel, it fails to build off its predecessor’s successes. Players will have fun playing through the game either solo or cooperatively, but once the quests are done, it will be on the shelf until an expansion or DLC is released. If you want a zombie slaying game you have it. If you want an expanded lore to the Dead Island franchise, then you are out of luck. See you in Hell-A Zombie Slayers.
Mato: Anomalies is a very flawed RPG that tried. It had big ideas in its story but god bless anyone who is fat-brained enough to understand it. The gameplay has small sparks of creativity, but it is lost under the woefully low-budget presentation.
With the sparse QOL additions, Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection is still an impressive compilation that gives the player a lot of bang for their buck. These aren’t cleverly-written RPGs, but they are dense with complexity and gameplay options that will challenge genre veterans.
When Clive ‘N’ Wrench works, it is possible to get a glimpse of something that is a very close approximation of a quality fifth gen 3D platformer. In its current state, Clive ‘N’ Wrench is rough around the edges and requires patience to contend with its less refined qualities. With more finesse and more time in the oven, this could be a cult classic.
Cannon Dancer – Osman is from the arcade game age. A time when games weren’t designed to be fair but came with glitzy and alluring visuals to get the attention of a passerby. It is honest about what you get; a flashy action platformer with a ton of personality and lurid visuals with an unclear meaning. The game is as brilliant and bright as a slot machine and is just as fair.