Nindie Spotlight
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Despite my complaints I was surprised at how much the loop of Mana Spark got me hooked. There's some smart tactical combat here that's challenging in a different sort of way, the need to make use of the environment and your secondary item to lure enemies around as a method to kill them is fun and a bit different. While it is lacking in polish and won't appeal to people looking for more twitchy shooter-style fun Mana Spark does manage to carve out a place for itself as a solid alternative for people looking for a roguelike with a slower pace and some smart gameplay.
You’ll play the game as Kora, a young girl who is trying to find and save her sister...
Coming from the same team that worked on the boss fight-centric Jotun, Sundered has the same signature gorgeous hand-drawn art and impressively-scaled bosses to fight but this time went with a Metroidvania feel and it works...
At its base this is a resource management game, you’ll want to keep your sheep provided for with ample food and water...
There’s no doubt that in terms of both the look and overall feel of the controls in the game Madelyn nails the classic feel of Ghouls ‘N Ghosts...
There are really two aspects to the game, the stacking game itself and then customizing your own cakes...
Trying to describe everything that happens in the game gets to be quite a laundry list but here’s an attempt at a summary...
As a whole Sheltered isn’t too bad but I’d say the biggest hurdle it faces is in differentiating itself and proving it is more fun/challenging/engaging than its competition on the console. Since it isn’t very action-oriented it can’t compete with the likes of Don’t Starve, Flame in the Flood, or Crashlands, it lacks the emotional depth and gravity of This War of Mine, and obviously compared to Fallout Shelter it isn’t free and while it doesn’t bug you trying to get you to pay for things it also isn’t nearly as polished. In the end it’s just a decent, though somewhat lackluster, survival sim that has its moments but doesn’t do enough to stand out very much in a crowded eShop.
Since space combat games are few and far between on Switch there’s no question that Everspace does a great job of scratching that itch. You can tone down the challenge a bit for a slightly reduced reward but in general there’s not that much variance in difficulty on the whole so Normal mode is probably your best bet once you get the hang of things. Though the specific scenarios and details will change the solid combat action can start to feel repetitive after a while. Just be sure to explore your upgrades and change up your ship’s configuration as you acquire new gear and it should continue to remain fresh and challenging for quite a while.
Playing Solo you’re most likely going to spend your time in the very weird Story Mode where you’ll ge to try to progress through the multiple stages of this annual event and hopefully get to the final race where you’ll face the infamous Handsome Hazuki...
For people who enjoyed the classic Myst and games like it (full disclosure, I found them tedious) MIND has a lot in common with those, especially on a visual level. Some of the puzzles in that series were a bit on the obtuse side as well, though I’d say MIND may be a bit more guilty in that area overall. If you don’t mind the slow pace and lack of direction, and just like to stare in wonder at things you’ve never seen before, MIND does deliver in that area. It just lacks the cohesion and strength of play some other titles like it on Switch have been able to deliver more effectively.
In general Hunter’s Legacy plays reasonably well, and may have an appeal for people who like things getting tough as it wears on, but it also suffers from being a bit too generic. Among more innovative titles that keep the hits coming on a consistent basis there’s quite a bit of excitement “dead time” along the way in Legacy where you’re going through the motions. Early on you do gain upgrades for your bow and arrows that help you get to new areas but there’s nothing quite as radical added to your arsenal as you see in other titles either, making even upgrades a bit less exciting than usual. If you’re down for challenging play and are willing to wait it out a bit to get to that point Hunter’s Legacy gets more exciting, it’s just a bit of a slog up until that point.
GRIS manages to blend everything together to deliver one of the most powerful experiences I’ve enjoyed all year. While its runtime is only a handful of hours rushing through it would be a shame, as it really is worth taking the time to savor all along the way. Once you complete the main game you’ll have the opportunity to return and try to track down the optional objectives you missed, those things that were on the periphery you either missed or may have not been able to figure out how to get to. This is a journey I’d very much recommend to just about anyone, it is highly approachable, meaningful, and satisfying on pretty well all levels. It may not be a terribly long game but it is one that will stick with you and encourage a periodic playthroughs in the future to experience it all once again.
There seems to be a seed for what could be a decent game in Desert Child but it honestly feels unfinished. If the focus had been on the action of the racing and slowly layering more elements to that action with some progression I would have probably been fine just stopping there. At least it would have had a clear focus and the central activity could have remained interesting through slowly and smartly evolving. Instead you’ll quickly find yourself wasting your time walking around a city for no really good reason beyond demonstrating some artistic flair with different angles in each area and playing through variations on the same theme over and over again. Perhaps an audience can dig in and find the enjoyment but with so many better conceived games on the eShop it’s hard to give Desert Child a recommendation.
Rather than being based on the ambitious PC versions of the game which challenged you to have some skill in just about all areas from designing, to budgeting, to building great coasters, to how many janitors you have trying to clean up the trash and random piles of vomit at the thrill ride exits it’s based on the very neutered mobile version...
Finishing off with the gameplay I think what’s critical is what you’re looking for. This isn’t a terribly smart or nuanced experience, it’s about making effective use of your guns and being smart about which ones you roll with. You should ideally have a mix of single-shot heavy hitters and continuous fire so you’re equipped for both bruisers and smaller more nimble foes. Keep an eye out for time disruptions you can shoot to temporarily slow down time as well as explosive barrels to use strategically and you can have some fun with the ridiculousness of it all for a while. It’s not a game that’ll likely be appealing outside of its niche but given the lack of options on the Switch it’s still a welcome addition to the Switch lineup.
For the most part I see Labyrinth of Refrain as a take it or leave it proposition mostly resting on your interest in genre or at least the methodical style of play. It’s not terribly dynamic or exciting given that it is turn-based, but there can be a sense of satisfaction when you get into new territory and discover new things. On the narrative side perhaps there’s a crowd who is into the sometimes bizarrely adult elements but at the same time the game could have obviously gone further all in on that thread and didn’t. The result is a narrative that can be long-winded but surprising and amusing sitting on top of rock-solid turn-based RPG elements that you can tailor to your tastes reasonably well. Not a bad deal if you’re looking for something a bit different on several levels.
Though FullBlast is just a pretty middle-of-the-road title it’s not going to win any awards, and there are certainly multiple indie titles out there that are better in a variety of areas. That said, it isn’t as aggravating as some at the top and not as boring as many at the bottom so since it is also budget-friendly it is at least deserving of an audience. If you were hoping for a shooter with a slightly slower pace that is more forgiving FullBlast is a fine choice.
Filled with humor, abundant references to popular franchises, and solid fun Nefarious is a breath of fresh air. Crow’s surface villany is backed by a fair degree of heart and his interactions with the world’s heroes and the princesses he abducts tend to be entertaining for how they play with and subvert expectations. Topping that off with some epic boss fights you’ll generally experience from the other side it simultaneously thumbs its nose at and shows great appreciation for classics we’ve come to know and love. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to take the reigns and help the bad guy win for once it’s a fun ride full of surprises.
Since I was already a pretty big fan of the first installment of the Kingdom series (New Lands) that arrived on the system I suppose it’s not a great surprise I’m an even bigger fan of its more refined and content-laden follow-up...