Use a Potion
HomepageUse a Potion's Reviews
Unforeseen Incidents kept me hooked in until the very end, with the engaging narrative, quirky presentation, and enjoyable puzzles ticking all boxes of what a point-and-click adventure should offer. It all runs nicely on the Nintendo Switch too, with the visuals looking sharp, the controls accessible, and no real technical issues encountered during my eight-hour playthrough. It’s just a finely crafted point-and-click adventure and one that I’d certainly recommend to all fans of the genre, even IF you might be a little bit fed up of deadly diseases in 2022.
Vagante is an enjoyable roguelike adventure that offers a challenging escapade for players, but lacks that special spark to stand out in the genre. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing bad about the game and there’s fun to be had battling enemies, gathering loot, and evading traps (ESPECIALLY in multiplayer), but there’s also nothing about it that makes it feel like a stand-out release or even a hidden gem in the genre. It’s just a little bit ordinary, which might be enough for some players who just want a fresh roguelike fix, but might underwhelm those who are experienced with the more prolific releases in the genre.
At its best, Rainbow Six Extraction is an intense and fun experience that relies heavily on co-ordinated teamwork for players to succeed. At its worst, it can be a bit boring and frustrating. It’s been a long time since I’ve played a multiplayer game where I didn’t quite know what exactly I was going to get from each match I played, but Rainbow Six Extraction was always a little unpredictable. I did have a good time playing it though, especially when I was in a team that would work together, so it’s definitely a success for Ubisoft – it has some really thrilling moments too, especially when you’re in the middle of a satisfyingly brutal showdown with the Archaean. It’s just one of those games that’s WAY better to play with friends, so if you’re planning on playing solo or with strangers, you might not find that you’ll stick with it for the long-term.
The Company Man may not be the most original of 2D platforming adventures, but it certainly makes climbing the corporate ladder a fun (and often outrageous) task. The platforming was enjoyable, beating up bosses was satisfying, whilst the visuals were top notch too – it really does tick a lot of boxes as far as the genre is concerned, even if the adventure itself is a short-lived one that doesn’t really do anything you wouldn’t have seen before. But hey, who needs originality when you’re bashing annoying co-workers and managers over the head with a keyboard, right?
Windjammers 2 is super addictive, with its slick blend of frantic and strategic action ensuring no showdown ever feels boring. It looks the part too, with the stylish visuals and varied arenas making sure the game is packing plenty of punch when it comes to the looks department. It’s just a lot of fun to play, especially in multiplayer where the action can feel really frantic and non-stop. It was a little disappointing that the single player mode wasn’t a bit more fleshed out, and I really do think the game would’ve benefitted from a proper tutorial that goes through the ins-and-outs of the gameplay. But still, whilst these omissions are a shame, they don’t stop Windjammers 2 from being a fresh and enthralling take on the classic formula of the original.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic has aged well over the last eighteen years, with the adventure still proving as enjoyable now as it was in 2003. It feels great to play on the Nintendo Switch too, even if the controls can be a little clumsy in places and the visuals are dated, though that latter issue is one you won’t notice so much when playing handheld. Whether you’re a returning player or embarking on the journey for the first time, you’re sure to have a good time with this impressive port of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Here’s hoping Aspyr Media keep up the pace with their Star Wars releases and bring the sequel to the console too…
Flynn: Son of Crimson is a charming and entertaining adventure that doesn’t necessarily revolutionise the 2D platforming genre, but still offers plenty of fun. There’s a good time to be had traversing through the challenging levels as Flynn and defeating their countless enemies, whilst it’s also satisfying to unlock new abilities along the way. Add to that the great pixel art and catchy soundtrack and it becomes clear that there really is plenty to like about the game. It is guilty of lacking originality in places and there were some parts of levels that could be a bit annoying, but Flynn: Son of Crimson is otherwise a great title that’s easy to recommend to fans of the genre.
I had a really good time playing through Tails of Iron’s adventure, with the gorgeous visuals and robust combat mechanics the stand-out features. It was easy to root for Redgi to succeed, whilst venturing further across the world and vanquishing the enemies that roam it was a real treat. It was guilty of being a little bit repetitive with some of its side quests and the world isn’t as expansive as similar titles in the genre, but Tails of Iron never outstays its welcome and doesn’t stop being fun to play. Add to that the fact that it runs really smoothly on the Nintendo Switch and it becomes clear that it’s an adventure that fans of the genre are sure to enjoy.
Blightbound is a game that seemed to offer everything that I wanted with its stylish multiplayer dungeon-crawling adventure, but I just didn’t have much fun playing it. It’s a shame too, because it’s clear that a lot of love and effort has gone into making the game; it just didn’t come through in the final product. It’s never nice to slate a game and there’s no doubting that Blightbound has its strengths (there were occasions where everything flowed and I had a really good time), but it really is hard to recommend right now. With some fixes, refinements, and game balancing here and there, there’s the potential for it to be a fun little game – especially since the core mechanics of battling and exploration are pretty neat. As it stands though, there are much better co-op titles and much better dungeon-crawlers out there to play, with Blightbound proving a little too flawed to fully enjoy.
Dodgeball Academia blends RPG and dodgeball mechanics in an enjoyably stylish manner, with the combination making for a super fun gameplay experience. I had a really good time seeing Otto’s tale unfold, whilst the varied dodgeball mechanics and unpredictable opponents ensure that the action remains exciting from start to end. I didn’t think the sport of dodgeball could have so much depth, but the range of abilities and arenas on offer ensured it never grew tiresome when playing. There were a few things that could’ve seen improvement, such as the lack of variety outside of dodgeball, the harsh difficulty spikes, and the occasional technical hitch. None of these issues stopped Dodgeball Academia from being a heck of a lot of fun to play though, with it standing tall as yet another memorable sporting-RPG hybrid to grace the Nintendo Switch.
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles offers an exciting evolution to the traditional formula, with this courtroom drama offering plenty of fun across its meaty story. Players can expect to spend over forty hours unravelling each case, but that time will fly by thanks to how well written the characters are, how enjoyable gathering evidence is, and how exciting the courtroom showdowns can be. The new features are just the cherry on top, with the Dance of Deduction and Summation Examination offering some of the game’s finest moments. Whilst I have no doubt that the game won’t be for everyone thanks to the sheer amount of reading involved, fans of the series are sure to love this new venture into the life of being an ‘Ace Attorney’.
NEO: The World Ends With You feels as slick and stylish as the original, with the enjoyable combat and fantastic narrative pulling everything together. There’s plenty to love about the world, its characters, and the challenging situation they find themselves in, whilst the many twists of the story will keep players enthralled until the end. Add to that the intuitive pin system, the variety of tasks to complete, and the gorgeous visuals, and it’s clear that NEO: The World Ends With You is a very impressive RPG. It took fourteen-years for a sequel to The World Ends With You to release, but you know what? The wait was worth it. Hopefully we won’t have to wait quite as long to play the Reaper’s Game again next time around…
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD improves upon the original massively, with its new control scheme and impressive visuals making it feel like a whole different game. It was already one of my favourite games in the series anyway, but playing it with more traditional controls at 60fps was astounding, whilst the new quality of life improvements go a long way in streamlining the overall experience. It really is a brilliant game. Admittedly, some aspects of the game haven’t aged all that well – the repetitive fetch quests particularly stood out, whilst there were some aspects of the world that felt vacant when compared to modern titles. Between all of the enhancements, the engaging narrative, and the brilliant dungeons that have stood the test of time though, it’s easy to recommend The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD to newcomers, existing fans, or just those who were simply put off the motion controls the first time around. It’s another must-own title for your Nintendo Switch library.
Eldest Souls is a frantic and tough boss-rush experience that features slick combat, entertaining battles, and a beautiful yet desolate world to explore. Basically, it’s everything you’d expect from an indie Dark Souls title, which is exactly what it wants to be. It’d be a discredit to say that Eldest Souls doesn’t find its own ways to innovate though, with the Bloodthirst system and deep upgrade mechanics offering some cleverly implemented ideas that complement the gameplay. At its core though, this really is a game made for fans of Hidetaka Miyazaki’s famed series. If you enjoy that sort of melancholic world and gruelling gameplay that punishes the player, you’re in for a treat with Eldest Souls – it really is a hell of a lot of fun to play. If you prefer games that aren’t so punishing, though? You might want to play something easier.
Unbound: Worlds Apart is a charming 2D adventure that doesn’t only offer some neat portal-based puzzling but is also really pretty to look at. There’s plenty of variety to be found across the world thanks to all of the different portals players can use, whilst some clever level design and tricky boss encounters will ensure the journey is never TOO easy. It was a little disappointing to see some frame rate hitches when playing on the Nintendo Switch, but hopefully it’s something the developer can fix in the near future. Thankfully, it didn’t stop Unbound: Worlds Apart from being a lot of fun to play and an easy title to recommend to fans of the 2D puzzle-platforming genre.
Like all franchises that use a tried and tested formula, you could accuse Samurai Warriors 5 of being much of the same that we’ve seen in previous entries. And perhaps there’s some truth to that, but it stands to reason that I’m still playing these titles twenty years on without any sign of letting up. Yes, this is a traditional Musou title at its core, but it follows that formula in an engaging and entertaining manner whilst making enough improvements to keep the title fresh. There have been some additions to this entry which show clear indication that the series is constantly evolving and I’ve no doubt that they’ll keep on improving the formula in the future… Samurai Warriors 5: Empires soon, anyone? Add to that the slick and vibrant visual style and it’s clear that Samurai Warriors 5 isn’t only a lot of fun to play, but it’s also taking the Musou genre in a very positive direction.
I was looking forward to playing Akiba’s Trip: Hellbound & Debriefed, but it’s just a bit too clunky and dated in design to really enjoy. I was a fan of the narrative and how weird it gets, but everything else about the game just felt unsatisfying and not a lot of fun to play. With the awkward combat, poor visuals, and technical issues, it really is difficult to recommend the game. To Akiba’s Trip: Hellbound & Debriefed’s defence, it did start life as a PSP game. However, with so many better remastered titles releasing these days, there’s no excuse for it not to have made some refinements to make the game more fun to play. It’s certainly not the worst game I’ve ever played, but it’s hard not to see Akiba’s Trip: Hellbound & Debriefed as anything other than a disappointment.
Last Stop is a fantastic story-driven adventure that ties together elements of the supernatural with real-life situations in an impactful manner. I was totally hooked into each character’s tale, and whilst some chapters hit a little harder than others, I simply HAD to see how everything would unfold by the end. Add to that some brilliant writing and a wonderful soundtrack and it all comes together to make for a very memorable experience. There are some missteps along the way, with some iffy character models and animations as well as a few missing pieces in the story, but they don’t stop Last Stop from offering a gripping adventure. I was already a fan of Variable State following their work on Virginia, but Last Stop feels like a real step up for the team.
Cris Tales utilises traditional RPG mechanics but applies a wonderful time-manipulating twist across all facets of its design. The narrative, the combat, exploration – everything is based around altering time and it really makes for a brilliantly unique experience. It also just so happens to look beautiful too, which is always a plus. There are a few things that let it down, such as the unforgiving save system, the high encounter rate, and the loading times. Thankfully, these problems don’t stop Cris Tales from being an utterly engrossing RPG experience and one that I certainly look forward to re-visiting again in the future.
F1 2021 continues the trend of superb racing from the team at Codemasters, though the improved Career Mode and narrative-focused ‘Braking Point’ really take it to the next level. There is something for everyone here across all game modes, whilst the varied difficulty levels and diverse selection of assists ensure anyone can feel comfortable speeding around in a Formula One car. It just so happens to look outstanding too, especially on the PlayStation 5 where the DualSense is also taken advantage of in an immersive way. It really is a special game. The only caveats come with the lack of Sprint races, the missing tracks, and the fact that the main driving formula hasn’t been evolved upon that much from previous entries, but it doesn’t really matter. This is still the best that the F1 series has ever been, with enough varied content on offer to suit both newbies and veteran fans.