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SEGA’s Sakura Wars reboot marks a welcome return for a series that’s gotten criminally little exposure to western audiences since it first released nearly 25 years ago. While the game’s real-time, hack-and-slash approach to its combat left me wanting more, the superb writing and lovable cast of characters kept me glued to my controller right to the very end. And with multiple endings and romance options to unlock, I hope to do it all again very soon.
Final Fantasy VII Remake is a helluva ride, and whether this is your first foray into the world of Final Fantasy of you’ve been an FF fan for decades, there should be plenty here to like.
If you’re the sort of person who solves Rubix cubes with one hand while finishing crosswords with the other, you may find Filament to be an entertaining diversion, and jolly good for you! Speaking for myself, I tend to like a little bit more sizzle in my steak. Maybe I’m just a twitchy dopamine fiend who needs to blow something up or have sex with an alien every few seconds to hold my interest, but as Popeye would say: “I yam who I yam”.
With a colorful cast, incredibly high replay value, and diversity for miles, Later Daters is a surprisingly deep dating sim that unfolds over time. I personally feel it could do with a bit of better marketing in terms of communicating that this is, in fact, a partially finished game; additionally, with LGBTQ+ representation featured more prominently than most games that offer such narratives, the trailer and descriptions could stand to present just how much this aspect of diversity takes the driver’s seat (and they’d certainly benefit from it as it’s a selling point). Nevertheless, Later Daters is a total catch that serves as an important reminder that love knows no age.
As a big fan of the shoot-’em-up genre, I had my hopes up for Galaxy Warfighter. Unfortunately, the game just doesn’t do anything to hold the player’s attention. Truth be told, you can see everything the game has to offer in the time it takes to watch or read this review. For a quick-fix free-to-play mobile game, that might be acceptable. But for a title that’s currently going for $7.00 on the Switch eShop and Steam, that’s just inexcusable.
I feel like that my whole “playing games that feel like real life” analogy that I made during the beginning of this review might be a bit off the mark. And that’s because, after finally getting to the end review, I realized that STATIONflow is nothing like using an actual subway. It’s simple, straightforward, clean, easy to understand, and has a very soothing soundtrack on constant rotation. But, eh, I suppose that that doesn’t matter. What does matter is that STATIONflow is pretty fun. I’m not sure that it’s going to draw in anyone who wasn’t already a fan of this kind of thing, but that’s not the end of the world. If you like architecture and are looking for something to do to pass the time, you might want to stop by ol’ STATIONflow and see what direction it takes you.
Biped, with its cute, wide-eyed robots that look like neon Fisher Price toys, lures you into a false sense that you’re in for an easy ride, when in fact you’re in for a surprisingly deep and challenging action-puzzler.
Through The Darkest Of Times is a must-play title that will absolutely blow you away, leaving you with mixed emotions of despair and hope that will stay with you long after the credits roll.
Resident Evil 3 Remake takes everything that’s gloriously entertaining about the Resident Evil series and distills it into an infectiously fun essence more potent than the T-Virus itself. If you snap it up for yourself you’ll love it too… Almost as much as Carlos’ hair. Godamnit, Carlos, your feathery hair has stolen my heart!
In many ways, Disaster Report 4 lives up to its name. Sure, it’s a disaster, but it’s a disaster with heart. It’s a buggy, technically-flawed mess that somehow, seemingly against all odds, manages to pull you in with its charming characters and compelling narrative. If you can overlook its unpolished nature and a few questionable design choices to experience a game unlike anything else on the Switch, you may just enjoy this quirky and chaotic adventure.
Alder’s Blood is about the least SRPG-y SRPG that I’ve ever played. And I don’t necessarily mean that in a bad way. Imbuing heavy stealth mechanics into something that is, by nature, tactical, seems very foreign to me—and I’m sure to many others as well—as each primary element seems to fly directly in the face of what the other is about. I wasn’t sure how it would before playing, and, even afterward, my thoughts on the matter still aren’t entirely concrete. However, I can say this with absolute certainty; Alder’s Blood is undoubtedly unique, and, if you’re fine wading through the problems that exist, like being challenged at every single turn, and don’t mind hanging around for the devs to patch things which don’t work as well as they’d intended (which they’re very actively doing right now, so good on them), then you shouldn’t have too much to lose by checking this game out.
Here’s the way I see it: 2013 was a different time, and maybe gamers who poo-poo’d this wonderfully wacky title were expecting something a little more straightforward from their GTA lookalike back then. In 2020, however, it’s the absurd that captivates, and The Saints Row IV: Re-Elected has stood the test of time in that particular regard. The fourth installment of the Saints Row franchise aged surprisingly well, and playing it again for the third time was a lovely walk down a familiar road. If you’re a long-time fan of the franchise and didn’t love the total deviation from the first few games, now might be the time to pick it up and try it again; if you’re new to the series, you’re in for a dramatically deranged treat.
If you’re looking for a VR experience that defies categorization, Paper Beast will not disappoint. While occasionally a bit too cryptic at times, it’s a fascinating fusion of the simulation and adventure genres that will keep you glued to your PSVR from start to finish. With a surreal and often melancholy main story to experience and bonus sandbox mode that allows you to craft your dynamic ecosystems and watch them come to life, it’s one of the more robust offerings for Sony’s headset in recent months. If the lack of handholding doesn’t bother you and you’re in the mood for something totally unique, give Paper Beast a try.
In Other Waters is a thrilling, non-violent gem focusing on discovery of life among the stars in a place humanity didn’t think to look. This game proves that sometimes simplicity is best, its minimalist approach to complicated technology an absolute triumph. The immersion is incredible, considering the genre, and the concept is dramatically fresh to the point where I literally feel in awe of how much has been accomplished by so little.
With a shadowy totalitarian state pulling the strings (thinly disguising North Korea) and a bio-terrorist threat in a major European city, The Complex could have much to say about politics, ethics, and other meaningful subjects. Instead, the game meanders in mediocrity to its meaningless climax, leaving with you little motivation to replay the game to explore alternative decisions.
Space Channel 5 VR: Kinda Funky News Flash makes a good first impression with its nostalgic visuals, funky tunes, and easy to pick up gameplay. It’s just a shame that once you’ve wrapped up its five-minute intro chapter, you’ve already seen a quarter of what it has to offer. With a story that almost any player should be able to finish in less than a half-hour and a dull smattering of throwaway extra modes, I’d have trouble recommending the game to even the most die-hard fans of the series.
The game’s brevity aside, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is a blast while it lasts. I love the new upgradable skills, which add an extra layer of depth to the arcade antics without trying to reinvent the wheel. And the ability to participate in multiplayer mayhem with four players makes Taito’s latest offering one of the most enjoyable party games to find its way to the Switch to date.
Let’s end by setting the record straight, because I’ve seen enough comments about this game already that I feel it necessary; Exit the Gungeon is not Enter the Gungeon. It literally says that it’s a “small, spin-off” in the Steam page description. Does that mean that it’s completely perfect? Definitely not; some of the levels are a bit too tricky for their own good, and the randomly changing gun mechanic can really hurt you if the game doesn’t play nice (which it often won’t). The devs seem to be very well aware of this, however, and seem to be actively making changes based on player feedback. And that fact, combined with how enjoyable the game already is, makes it a worthwhile pickup if you’re in the mood for something cheap (I’m mostly talking about price), challenging, and charming.
While not perfect with its lackluster sounds and just passable framerate, Panzer Dragoon: Remake is about as close to a definitive version of SEGA’s cult classic Saturn shooter that fans could ask for on the Switch. With its gorgeous visuals and a superb soundtrack that’s aged like fine wine, MegaPixel Studios and Forever Entertainment have done an excellent job of modernizing one of the most memorable games of the 32-bit era.
Much like the father-daughter duo that comprise its protagonists, La-Mulana 1 & 2 are clever, tough-as-nails, and don’t hold anything back. There is absolutely no denying that these games are difficult, and those who don’t take a cautious approach and mind a bit of trial-and-error might easily find themselves flustered. However, for those of you who are currently stuck at home and wanting a bit of excitement in your lives, La-Mulana and Eg-Lana await your arrival.