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Hello Kitty Island Adventure is a delightful life sim that suffers from performance issues on the Nintendo Switch. The breadth of content to take part in is impressive, and the characters and dialogue are filled with charm. It’s a shame the technical performance is so all over the place because the game itself is a blast all around.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD doesn't have enough improvements from previous versions to justify its price tag, and areas like the cumbersome control scheme feel like they should have been improved for this version. The core platforming suffers from imprecise controls and a process of learning level layouts that feel frustrating thanks to long restart times. Mine cart and rocket barrel levels are a ton of fun, but tedious boss fights make this feel far from a definitive version of the game.
Ultimately, Cuisineer is a cozy experience that offers some simple roguelike combat and management gameplay. Neither is particularly great on their own, but together they do create an engaging, if ultimately shallow, experience. I can't recommend this to anyone who loves a challenging and deep roguelike, but if you enjoy cozy experiences and don't mind some slightly tougher combat, Cuisineer is a good enough time.
Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles stands on the rougher side of Star Wars games from decades gone by. Though the new additions are a fun idea and the additional behind-the-scenes content is enlightening, the clunky gameplay makes this one harder to recommend than other recent Star Wars rereleases.
Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero is a strong sequel to what was perhaps Nippon Ichi’s most unique title. The characters are charming, the gameplay is robust and tactical, and while the unlockable methods of powering up may be slightly overwhelming, newcomers should manage just fine playing through.
Tales of Graces f Remastered is the best this game has looked and the definitive experience. While I think delisting the original was unnecessary, I think it’s great that Tales of games are being brought to all modern consoles and no longer locked to single platforms. Though a bit pricey, Tales of Graces f Remastered takes a fan favorite into the modern era and makes it available for more people than ever with some quality-of-life functionality that the original sorely needed.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins is an enjoyable hack-and-slash title that features an exciting story, pleasant characters, and delightfully over-the-top action gameplay. You likely know what to expect with a musou game, but this is certainly one of the better ones, even if it’s best played with some breaks in between sessions.
Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana is a no nonsense port that allows you to play through this masterpiece on modern consoles.
Alien: Rogue Incursion is a frighteningly impressive game that nails the tone of the series and is the title that could push the common perception of VR forward. The save system is a bit harsh, but the sheer immersion and fear that the game specializes in makes this a VR must-play.
Ballionaire is a peculiar little gem that deftly mixes pachinko with roguelike elements to keep you playing run after run. It can be a bit frustrating when you’re hit with bad luck given the nature of Pachinko, but the good playthroughs make up for this with their unique and addictive fun.
Fairy Tail 2 throws you right into the action of the final chapter of the Alvarez Empire Arc but does little to help out anyone who might be unfamiliar with the series outside of the games. Along with several bugs, performance issues, and strange UI decisions, unless you’re a fan of the series, Fairy Tail 2 can be skipped.
Disney Dreamlight Valley: The Storybook Vale is a pleasant expansion for the Animal Crossing-like title. Catching Snippets and crafting new objects and meals with characters like Hades makes for a good time, even if it takes a while to complete certain quests. If this continues to be the quality of DLC going forward, then I’m excited to see what else is added in future updates. (Dare I dream of a Tron expansion?)
Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind is the perfect beat ‘em up to play with a few friends, as you jam along to the series’ iconic theme song and relive that Saturday morning cartoon fun.
Your appreciation of Metal Slug Tactics is really going to hinge on how open you are to its genre change, and it being a rogue-like on top of that. Get over that hurdle and you’re in for a good time.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a massive and immersive adventure. From exploring the Vatican in full to ancient tombs, every sequence feels right at home with the films and is a blast to play. The large action set pieces are fun, but the quiet exploration and puzzle solving is special, allowing you to feel like an archaeologist making a big discovery. Pair that with delightfully cartoonish villains and a massive historical mystery, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle delivers in full.
I think the audience for Fantasian knows what they’re looking for and they’re going to find it in Fantasian Neo Dimension. I sure did.
If you’re looking for something straightforward or with a long, detailed story, this isn’t the game for you. But if you want a short, surreal sequence of puzzles in an adventure game format, Follow the Meaning should get you thinking. It aims to do something specific, and it does it well, even if it might not be to everyone’s tastes.
It’s good when it works, and if your machine can handle it.
Metaphor: ReFantazio is a shining example of what RPGs are capable of and what stories are. Why they matter to us, and why we keep coming back to them.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard is an exceptionally polished game with an extremely satisfying combat system, lovely and interesting companions, and a stylistic new look that gives this long-running series a much-needed fresh coat of paint.