Nindie Spotlight
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Taking it all in Mulaka is an attempt to do something fascinating, to use a video game as a vehicle for helping to preserve cultural history, and then manages to turn it into a compelling gaming experience. Rather than ending up being held back by using this as its base the folks at Lienzo have blended it together in a balanced way to be sure it serves all interests effectively. The result is an exploration of culture through a very competently made game. I look forward to seeing how they proceed from here after this promising start.
In some regards you could believe that any lesser combination of these modes could have been a stand-alone game so kudos to the developer for taking their idea and running with it to the fullest. While the style of play isn’t revolutionary each mode has enough variety that switching between them regularly kept everything feeling pretty fresh and challenging. With its presentation being clean and polished, a well-implemented hook, and a diverse set of challenges spanning a load of puzzles if you’re looking for something to test your mind it’s a solid option.
In order to help keep things a bit more exciting there are a few racing modes to choose from as well...
Having never heard of Little Triangle to this point I was a bit surprised at how challenging and deep it is. With very solid platforming mechanics, some challenging level designs, secrets practically everywhere you look, and some very challenging boss fights it is has a substantial amount of content for its price of admission. If you’re an old-school 2D platforming fan you owe it to yourself to give it a spin.
While there are various layers and trappings that sit on top of it to further complicate matters that’s what sits at the game’s core...
The time I spent working through the story of Subsurface Circular feels well-spent. I’d say it is just about the right length, neither being frustratingly short or passing a point where it felt like a chore to see through to the end. The story, its eventual choices at its conclusion, and the characters you talk to along the way were all well fleshed out and refreshingly different. If you don’t mind doing some reading while you play it is worth checking out.
Overall I had a blast with Bridge Constructor Portal and because of its very effective, and full, use of a terrific license it really goes to the next level for me. Using practically every element possible from those games it successfully manages not to be stale or predictable, instead there’s generally a new surprise around every corner. Married with controls that are spot-on perfect whether in docked or handheld mode, a sense of humor, and an unlimited budget I’m not positive how it could have been much better. Highly recommended!
Thoughtful types who enjoy a good head-scratcher and can take their time to execute will likely find Toki Tori 2+ to be a delight. It’s bright, cheery, colorful, and chock full of its own unique flavor of puzzle platforming that’s not for the faint of heart. People who err on the side of action will more likely want to consider giving it a pass though since you’re more of a facilitator than an action start in this adventure. All that said it’s a unique offering on the Switch and will provide hours of puzzle-solving enjoyment with a formula I haven’t seen before.
Overall Twin Robots: Ultimate Edition is a well-made platformer that could easily serve as an introduction to the genre. Whether playing with a friend or by yourself the relatively gentle slope of challenge does end up hitting its stride, getting a bit harder as you get to the end, but it does take a while if you’re a platforming veteran before pulling out some more challenging scenarios. The result isn’t a thrilling game but that one should work well for the proper audience.
The Final Station was a surprise of a game that absolutely snuck up on me and that’s primarily thanks to the story. The action is engaging and can be a challenge but with every new note you find or comment you hear a survivor make the desire to understand this world, what has happened in the past, and what is happening now grows. With a runtime that is just about in the sweet spot for this experience at a handful of hours (though quite a few more if you play the add-on story) The Final Station is a pretty satisfying bite of indie goodness on Switch.
I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how engaging Radiation Island is, especially as someone who typically doesn’t find the genre interesting. It seems to have a very accessible and friendly crafting system, isn’t too hard or easy, and allows you to take your own pace whether that’s suicidally aggressive or simply taking your time. If you’re not familiar with the genre or are a fan who is willing to perhaps pull back on your expectations Radiation Island is worth the trip.
Overall, if you’re receptive to what I would consider a very honest and genuine study of someone going through a difficult period in their lives and being faced with challenging decisions I’d say it is a worthwhile experience. It explores relationships both good and bad, the pain and burden of feeling guilty for decisions you make, and the process of personal discovery. Add in that it is done through an ingeniously clever mechanism of someone’s lost phone and it is a narrative treat unlike anything I’ve experienced before.
All said if you’ve been looking for something on the scarier side for your Switch, Layers of Fear: Legacy serves up a grim story with some disturbing images and jump scares along the way. While it gets off to a very slow start once things begin to change and the truth of what has happened begins to reveal itself in general it’s a fun ride from that point on. In general terms the sense of dread and the feeling you get while walking through the house reminded me most of the classic Eternal Darkness, to the point that I was waiting for a bust to turn and watch me as I went by. While it’s certainly lacking in action the quality of the presentation helps to compensate nicely. There’s currently nothing else as chilling on the Switch.
While it is obvious the effort behind Hollow is there the net result, for the most part, comes up short. Without question people who are thirsting for a horror title that at least has some action and gore will probably find it worthwhile, willing to overlook its various flaws, but from a more mainstream perspective it’s a tough sell. The game’s conclusion promising more in the form of a sequel can hopefully point to a sophomore effort that’s a bit more varied and refined but this first outing is unfortunately tough to love.
Moreso than almost any title I’ve played on the Switch Payday 2 is absolutely only as good as you and the people you’re playing with make it. Stripped to its base experience it isn’t hard to see the issues creep up, and they can be a bit of a bummer. That said, if you and your crew are committed to playing things smart, making effective use of your time, and working together to complete the phases of the mission it can really be a blast and offers an experience like nothing else on the system.
Overall the only gripe may be the somewhat sedated pace of everything, at least for an impatient and twitchy gamer like myself...
With all of its quirks, completely gonzo gameplay, and ability to defy easy (or possibly sensible) description Ace of Seafood is absolutely an acquired taste for the Switch. That said, as I came to terms with everything it was throwing at me on-screen by taking time to slowly set up a foundation to work with it grew on me. There's absolutely some fun to be had with it if you can embrace the insanity and silliness of it all, you just have to be open to its very non-traditional experience in order to get there.
Overall, especially as an English major and true fan of fonts, I found TypoMan to be a creative delight. What it lacks in polish in places it more than makes up for with sheer creativity and doing clever or unexpected things. About the only major disappointment is that it is over all too quickly, but I hope there’s some possibility that we could see more in the future by my exerting one last trick from the game: “SEQUEL”.
Overall, especially as an English major and true fan of fonts, I found TypoMan to be a creative delight...
If you’re not a puzzle fanatic you can work your way through without getting all of the hearts as you learn the ropes and then return later for the challenge of unlocking the bonus levels so you can see and complete everything. If you consider yourself a world-class puzzle fan see how many you can figure out within a few minutes with no help… somewhere along the way you’ll struggle, but that’s part of the fun. All said this is a title that’s friendly to your pocketbook, full of simple charm, and can probably be enjoyed by just about everyone.