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I’m not sure I’d be able to recommend Another Code: Recollection to people who prefer a higher ratio of puzzle to story in their adventure games, but if you’re fond of visual novels I think this is a solid recommendation. If you have a younger relative looking for something unlike anything currently on the market, I think this would make for an incredible gift. It might just change the way they see the world, and speak to them in a way no other games are capable of.
As the first major video game release of 2024, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown sets the bar high. Very high in fact. Not just an excellent Metroidvania but also a brilliantly refreshing new direction for Prince of Persia, one that surprises throughout its 15-plus hour adventure whilst remaining true to the series’ core elements.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder left me spellbound. Nintendo remains at the top of its game, and the Flower Kingdom is the perfect playground for its sprightly reinvention of what we have come to expect from setting out on a 2D side-scrolling adventure with Mario and his pals. This world of wonder comes crammed with the most whizz-popping surprises, making for a kaleidoscopic trip to the Flower Kingdom that is simply unmissable.
Despite faltering in its plot delivery and the absence of meaningful decision-making, Fire Emblem Engage once again allows Intelligent Systems to demonstrate its unparalleled strategic brilliance and unquestionable dominance in the genre. It isn’t a game that is lacking in heroic ambition, in many ways evolving its own formula triumphantly beyond what was achieved with Fire Emblem: Three Houses but otherwise disappointingly falling short in others.
If you can look past this, you are rewarded with one of ATLUS’ most impactful works of art in the most accessible way possible. The art is not lost, even if I wish there was a version where we could have had the best of all worlds. Persona 3 Portable, as a game, is incredible and this revisit has made me realize how much it means to me. I get the disappointment, I do, but as a modern version, I think it holds up alright. This game deserves better, and I think if the backgrounds weren’t sticking out like a sore thumb this would be a glowing recommendation. As of now I can really just say that if you play this on Nintendo Switch you’re in for a good time.
Long stretching RPGs are exactly the type of game I try to steer away from, opting instead to spend my time with shorter more compact adventures. My rule is shorter games means more games. Persona 5 Royal may well be the longest RPG I’ve experienced but that journey with the Phantom Thieves was one filled with so many countless highs it left me questioning if I should change that rule. It may have taken its sweet time but Persona 5 has finally made its way over to Switch and there’s little denying it was well worth the wait.
What Monolith Soft has achieved with Xenoblade Chronicles 3 went far beyond my expectations. The developer’s masterful approach to character development and world-building results in an unforgettable adventure that is set in a world that is just as remarkable to explore. It is the emotional storytelling that makes it an unmissable journey that’s worth undertaking, elevating the experience to not only be considered as a Game of the Year contender but an all-time classic that will be remembered for decades to come.
There are those times you just know you’re onto something truly special, a game that when you aren’t playing, you’re thinking about playing. Wondering where your next session may lead or what the story might reveal. Neon White is one of said games, an experience that’s always exciting, often amusing and never a dull moment. Easily one of the best and most electrifying releases of 2022.
Make no mistake; Luigi’s Mansion 3 is a good game. With a great variety in themes, inventive bosses, and some really cool small ideas that break up the main gameplay elements.
What CD Projekt Red and Saber Interactive have done to make the Nintendo Switch version possible is a stunning achievement in its own right.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is just as magical as it ever was, and, in being remade, has lost none of the charm that made the original so special in the first place.
Astral Chain is yet another addition to the Nintendo Switch library that will be fondly remembered for decades to come.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses is unrivaled in its scope and execution on Nintendo Switch to resoundingly deliver strategic perfection, whether at home or on the move. With a memorable cast of characters each with their own motivations – complemented with remarkable voice acting – it is the meticulous worldbuilding that elevates it to become one of the best games available on the portable home console. More than that, it's Fire Emblem at its very best.
It’s funny every time I try to finalize this review I remember an exciting feature I’d forgotten to mention and have to go back. That’s the kind of game Super Mario Maker 2 is though. It’s a game that builds on the original in a number of smart ways introducing a wealth of new features, entertaining modes and appreciated improvements.
There’s a need for extra content to fill out what’s currently on offer, as My Friend Pedro could easily benefit from a much-needed encore with a bag full of boomsticks and a few more bullets to the head.
I appreciated the way that the lid finally closed on the Telltale’s The Walking Dead, and the decision to wrap everything up in just four episodes felt, to me at least, the right choice to make. While collective distractions and over-saturated plot lines can seem all too familiar with the franchise as a whole, to finally see the nail hammered into the coffin on a strong note is a far braver achievement made when compared to its peers.
With Yoshi's Crafted World, Good-Feel should be very proud of themselves for what they have achieved with this heartwarming adventure. Not only have they created a Yoshi game that convincingly pulls the series out from under the ever-widening shadow of Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, but they have also managed to prop it securely on its own aspirational eye-candy pedestal as a result.
Ultimately, I Am The Hero is fun for an hour or so but it’s impossible to recommend beyond that unless you really miss the halcyon days of the side-scrolling beat ’em up. It may well be that you can push through it if you like to chase scores, but it just lacks that special something that made the classics so good.
The two-game LEGO Harry Potter Collection offers great value for those wanting to relive the young wizard’s brick-based adventures on Nintendo Switch. It’s practically bursting with content, but the improvements offer little more to those that have experienced their magic and charm before.
Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition is one of the best RPGs to grace the Nintendo Switch. It’s a lengthy adventure that will keep players absorbed from start to finish. With new content and new characters, those looking to double-dip will more than get their money’s worth.