Nindie Spotlight
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While not everything quite comes together as likely intended the game experience is, without a doubt, unique and will challenge you in a few different directions. I would have appreciated a little more in-game direction as getting started and being sure what you need to do can be perplexing. Once you get into the routine of taking communication from “The Ministry” and working out what needs to be done it can provide few a few playthroughs (the included DLC adds an alternative situation as well) of something very different.
Overall it’s very difficult to find any significant fault with what DrinkBox Studios has put together here. Effectively mixing a side-scrolling brawler with Metroidvania progression, throwing in a ton of challenging but optional side rooms, and injecting it all with a consistent sense of humor (though not all of it connects)... it really aims to keep you engaged and coming back for more. Even if you’ve been feeling like the genre is a bit played out Guacamelee 2 is proof that when it’s handled right, with the pacing and degree of challenge constantly throwing new things at you, it makes for a very compelling and satisfying gameplay experience.
Stardust Galaxy Warriors describes itself as combining shmup and brawler gameplay elements and as unusual a claim as that may be on its face it’s oddly accurate. Between the way the waves of enemies progress and just the overall variety in what you’ll face this doesn’t have a an almost puzzle-like bullet hell feel, though especially in the Campaign’s latter stages you’ll be doing plenty of careful dodging if you expect to complete it. Instead, you’ll tend to open up with a number of waves of enemies (ones that vary wildly by stage, often requiring different approaches to take down), a mid phase where it’s not unusual to face some more formidable enemies, and then a third where you’ll face one of the game’s pretty diverse bosses. Overall, Stardust Galaxy Warriors is just a huge breath of fresh air and easily one of the top shooters on the system. If you’re looking for variety in your challenge, something you can enjoy with some friends, and an ability to configure both your challenges and your gear to suit your mood there’s really no better choice on the Switch.
While the typical genre trappings are all here: searching for objects, talking to people, and solving puzzles using your inventory items in sometimes unusual and unexpected ways, it’s consistently the game’s humor that strays from the norm. Whether in the form of Bjorn’s simple comments on items he encounters, the dialogue he gets into with others, or some of the things you can do to kill (you’ll come right back to where you left off, why not find out what happens?) or entertain yourself this really is what makes or breaks the game. Can it venture into the more juvenile, sure, but there’s no doubt an audience that get a kick out of it. Aside from that it’s a mostly generic experience but I’ll give it credit for choosing a lane and sticking with it, providing something a little different in the process.
Overall, Little Dragons Cafe is a delicious mix of several flavors blended nicely into a well-seasoned dish. While not everyone may appreciate the watering down of some of the daily tasks that are more engaging in other titles I think the quality of the game’s RPG character development and dialogue makes up for it nicely. The fate of not just your mother but of all the people you come into contact with becomes a concern, and if you enjoy both interacting with interesting characters and exploration Little Dragons Cafe lets you have your cake and eat it too.
For retro fans Rock Boshers may not be a bad trip down memory way, it certainly captures the look and even the spirit of games from that era. That said, I’ve played some other retro games on Switch that have done a better job of capturing the feel and nostalgic aspects of that time without necessarily being as beholden to them. There’s some fun and challenge to be had, just be aware of the aspects that add more of a barrier to enjoyment possibly.
At the end of the day while Gear Club Unlimited 2 isn’t necessarily a great racing game I can at least respect the effort behind it. There’s certainly nothing to compete with it on the Switch, so it has that on its side, but this is hardly an experience that would do anything but get lapped by the more prestigious racers on other platforms. It is moving in the right direction and it has a feel that’s a bit more refined than a purely arcade experience but I wouldn’t quite say its in simulation territory yet, which actually helps me like it a bit more since sims usually bore me. If you’re feeling the need to hit the road it may not be a bad option, just you’ll need to be realistic with your expectations.
If you’re an old school shooting fan who cut their teeth on the likes of Contra and Metal Slug, BroForce is the testosterone-juiced progeny of those titles and an action geek’s collection of old VHS tapes. Its intense and sometimes maddening action, insistence on positioning explosive barrels everywhere, reverent love and humor concerning action icons, gravel-voiced announcer, and screeching metal guitar riffs at the conclusion of every level absolutely feel like home for me. While it may be a little touchy with its controls and aggravating at times it’s still a whole lot of ridiculous fun!
There’s no doubt that competing in this space on the Switch is a brutal affair but I’d think anyone trying to make a dent in even the fender of a game like Mario Kart would be well aware of that challenge. For a freshman effort I suppose All-Star Fruit Racing makes the most of the attempt, and shows some glimmer of hope for someone changing up the formula effectively. Unfortunately its biggest struggle is to stand out, at least in a good way, and while it is leading the indie racing pack for the most part it’s still not even sniffing Mario Kart’s fumes in the end.
The draw for Shikhondo is absolutely its gorgeous and unique art style, featuring some absolutely freaky-ass looking bosses in particular. Aside from the visuals it’s not necessarily as distinctive from its competition but with the exception of the genre-leading Ikaruga I wouldn’t say there’s anything clearly better than it either. If you’re a shmup fan who likes a challenge and is intrigued by its unique artwork Shikhondo is a well-made experience at a pretty reasonable price.
While I chose the video above to show a little bit of progression at the very beginning I won’t lie, I spent a solid 20 minutes before what you see there simply poking around the inside of the house trying to get reacquainted with the controls and exploring possibilities in the few rooms that are there because I couldn’t figure out how to open the one unlocked door you need to go through...
In the end if you’ve been itching for a game that mixes top-down adventure with challenging combat and secrets to discover pretty well all around you Hyper Light Drifter is a very appealing package. The added Switch content is a terrific touch worth the trouble to try to take advantage of as it will make finding those critical elements that will help you on your way a little easier. There’s simply nothing quite like it on the platform and it’s well worth your time if you’re up to the challenge.
Precisely what the target audience may be for this fighting game is hard for me to say, its weird dress-up elements not being quite as controversial as the watered down mechanics of it all. The thing is, if for whatever reason you get a kick out of the ability to customize your fighters looks to a degree this unique feature (or at least the all-female roster) may well be a selling point. Overall it’s just a decent fighter up against a pretty wide spectrum of titles from more traditional to modern and more hardcore to mainstream, sitting somewhere roughly in the middle across the board.
Instant Tennis, though playing a bit differently, appears to be aiming for that same sort of appeal...
Despite the concerns and some frustrations Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom is a very well-designed and gorgeous title as a whole. When you’re in the groove it feels absolutely brilliant and up to a point I appreciate the fact that you won’t be able to get through many sections on the first try as you may need to experiment a bit. The boss battles are challenging but often pretty smart and really none of them play out in the same way or even as you may expect due to their creativity. While I would have rated it higher if it either outright toned down its spikes in challenge or added a means to alter or skip them I’d recommend it without reservations. If you’re willing to either gut it out or assume that the game could get patched at some point to help out you’re in for a treat, just be aware that it can have a mean streak in places.
Scoring ARK: Survival Evolved is tough because while it has a substantial number of strikes against it I’m well aware that the unique experience it has to offer can help some people overlook its issues. There really is no game out there quite like it, and I do applaud the ambition the developers had in this undertaking to both initially create and then stick with trying to step by step get this title closer to being all it set out to be. All that said at the same time there’s no denying that the Switch implementation of this game has some very serious flaws and issues, and based on observing this game’s development over time there’s absolutely no guarantee that all or even any of it may be addressed satisfactorily. If you’re in love with the premise and have pretty abundant patience there’s no doubt it’s the only game of its kind, and I wish you luck with it. For everyone else though it just has too many issues from the fundamentals to the specifics of the Switch implementation to recommend with any enthusiasm.
If you’re a fan of the original Toki, or at least classic arcade-style games, this gorgeous remaster is pretty easy to recommend as long as you keep in mind that it’s a visual overhaul on an old game, flaws and all. A few new wrinkles of issues with differentiating foreground from background have been added in places but otherwise this game looks outstanding and plays faithfully to the original at the same time. As long as you keep your expectations in check and appreciate older arcade quarter-sucking sensibilities it can be a good time, for a little while at least.
Even as the credits rolled for Abzu I still couldn’t hope to tell you what it all means. It’s an experience that’s full of wonder, some breathtaking moments, and managed to make me feel a bit more connected with nature. What you may come away with may differ but I’d be a bit shocked if anyone could play it without it hitting them somewhere emotionally. The beauty of it all, the wonderfully fitting musical score, and small moments of the unexpected make Abzu a pretty special experience even if I may question whether it’s necessarily a game. In the end I don’t know that I much care, it’s something that will still stick with me for some time.
Nidhogg 2 is a really tricky game to score because it seems like such a hit or miss, love it or hate it, kind of experience. If you don’t have anyone to play with I’d caution you on considering the purchase as there’s really no meaningful solo play and even if you do find online matches there’s something lost in the experience even if you’re able to get into some nice and tense matches. Even if you’ve got some friends to play with I’d say the odds are equal that you could really get a kick out of the experience or have it fall flat. Credit to the developer, it’s some of the very small touches like being able to reflect shots that give what seems to be a very shallow game surprising depth, it all comes down to the experience you’re looking for though.
Ultimately the target audience for this may be people who know the story so they already have more of a connection with it perhaps. For me the issue is that it’s all over so quickly while I obviously understand the story and feel some of its gravity I also never had much of a fair chance to connect with the characters to have it be more gripping. Storm Boy is a lovely story with some great art and music to accompany everything. That said, if you’re looking for either a proper game or even an experience of more than an hour or so you’ll probably be better off finding something else.