Nindie Spotlight
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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.
There’s something about Nairi that feels great that I can’t quite explain. The art and personality of its characters is consistently endearing, the puzzles feel mostly organic rather than forced or plain weird (at least by genre standards), and it’s simply satisfying to play. While not all aspects are perfect and there are spots where it can drag it still has managed to carve out a legitimate spot for itself among the many titles in this genre on Switch.
All in all there may be an audience of some sort for Crimson Keep since there’s nothing quite like it on the system. However, a lack of competition doesn’t excuse the shortcomings and ho-hum gameplay it ultimately offers either. It’s a game you can play for a bit, and perhaps get some enjoyment out of if you’re determined, but it’s ultimately just thoroughly unsatisfying and not much fun in any meaningful way.
While 99Vidas puts some effort into the proceedings it’s also trapped in being a bit too ordinary among multiple titles that manage to be more ambitious and deliver more of a value-added experience. With some friends it would make a great game for everyone to enjoy for a playthrough or two but in particular as a solo experience it’s impossible to ignore that it doesn’t do much to break away from the same games it has so much reverence for. Throwbacks can be fun but 99Vidas just seems to be an amalgam of elements from well-known games that fails to put the pieces together to make something more. It’s not a bad romp, but its staying power is questionable.
While the experience will likely only last you a few hours I think the style of the game and the options to enlist enemy grunts or new powers after each level (but not both) help make a case for its replayability. While some of the enemy types can be a bit more frustrating (looking at you, weird rappers with your words that attack) and the bosses can be a challenge for the most part because of the depth of the moves you have available to you it feels really good to play… and can be even more with a friend BTW. Even with as many great brawlers as there have been on the system this year it seems there’s room for yet another that’s notable and has a style (both in terms of visuals and gameplay) of its own.
At best Coffee Crisis has a severe case of style and flash over substance. It generally looks terrific, giving serious retro-modern vibes and displays a sense of humor. That said, as a beat-em-up it’s a bare bones affair and pretty well devoid of serious strategy or opportunities for much enjoyment. With so many quality brawlers on the Switch there’s no reason to have to settle for less, I’d recommend the majority of other genre titles available over this one.
While in general you’ll want to have some base combat skills for the most part you can go a passive route, if nothing else you can tone down the challenge pretty easily, and choose to simply experience the game the way you want to. The loop of exploring, finding new areas and items, acquiring new skills, and doing things like upgrading your den should seem very familiar and for the most part it’s wonderfully laid back. Seasonal events and a changing landscape help provide some extra charm and variation but in the end this game is all about making the most of being a cat and finding the experience you’re looking for, whether through domination, making friends, or just being the scourge of the bird and rodent communities. While Cattails won’t be for everyone, it offers a light and relaxing experience that’s full of charm and just plain feels a bit different.
While it likely won’t win any awards Escape Doodland seems to accomplish what it set out to do, provide a somewhat challenging runner that includes some silliness and a lot of weird characters and settings. There are some sections and situations where the hitboxes of your character and elements on the screen can be a bit too large, which is annoying, but for the most part success is all on you getting your execution down and letting your muscle memory get you through tough sections with a little repetition. Since there aren’t too many titles like it on Switch perhaps it’ll satisfy your need for precision jumping, with a bit of weirdness thrown in.
I hate having to compare Harvest Life to Stardew Valley or Harvest Moon or any other game of this type because I feel like it harms them by association. While I rarely get on a tear about games because I worry about being unfair, Harvest Life just offends me because the games that inspired this one are just so much better by both ambition and execution than this. Nobody should be settling for a game like this in a library of choices as vast and full of quality as there is on the Switch. Even if you’ve burned through Stardew and other games like it already and are thirsting for that next fix, this game simply isn’t worth your money or your time.
Since there haven’t been a ton of games in this vein on the Switch to date if you’re a fan of some scares and a sense of unease Bendy and the Ink Machine delivers nicely and should scratch that itch. The fact that it’s not bloody or over the top could work as a pro or a con depending on what you’re looking for but I like how effectively the setting and strange characters created a real sense of unease throughout. While it may not be for everyone Bendy and his friends make for a very strange and enjoyable experience.
Don’t let its somewhat cutesy appearance fool you, Gelly Break is going to challenge you...
To think that when this title snuck onto the eShop I almost missed it...
This War of Mine encompasses most of the difficulties you’d expect from the survival genre and throws on a pretty grim and depressing layer of reality to boot. The tests here aren’t just of your ability to figure out what the best crafting paths or things to prioritize in gathering may be but also of your ability to manage very human problems as well. There will be many ways the game can frustrate you as you try to figure out how to survive in this bleak situation but it’s the glimmers of hope, small successes, and human stories in this horrible situation that also make it memorable.
When it comes to arcade racing there’s simply nothing out there as impressive or as complete as Horizon Chase Turbo. Not only does it look and perform great, aside from a lack of online multiplayer it really offers up everything you could ask for and more. Incentives to return to unlock new areas, tracks, sweet rides, and upgrades is fair motivation, matching your times against buddies or the world are icing on the cake. While it may offend the sensibilities of more modern racing fans who have a taste for realism, I’m happy to say the spirit of Out Run and its contemporaries is alive and well in this outstanding title that’s chock full of terrific content.
I really appreciate the love and effort into bringing the R-Type experience to the Switch. While playing it old school has a nostalgic appeal seeing it all gussied up in 3D is a blast. I’d say it’s worth experimenting with the various looks they offer as not all of them may be great or practical, but they can be novel. In particular the 3D Crazy Camera looks really cool, just since it affects your depth perception a bit I don’t know if it’s practical in some sections. All said though it offers up many ways to experience the same terrific core game and fans of classic arcade shooting action should have a great time with it, and quickly become reacquainted with how tough it can be.
Given the theme and morbid action of the game it’s absolutely not something for everyone. With its pixel art looks it never gets terribly graphic but playing a game in the role of a mass murderer won’t be for everyone. The fact that every time you hit a party you can’t count on any specific element being in the same place or present at all is a terrific touch that guarantees there’s no consistent path to success, you’ll just need to improvise sometimes. I’ll give Party Hard credit, it’s a unique and challenging spin on a puzzle game that delivers some fun if you’re on board with its style… and have a fair amount of patience.
While it works and is the only game in town of its type in the eShop I still would consider the Sudoku included with Brain Age back on the DS to be my personal gold standard in terms of functionality and feel. Additionally while 240 puzzles is certainly a fair amounts of puzzles again for real Sudoku fans that may not amount to much if the simpler challenge levels aren’t very rewarding. It’s a solid Sudoku experience but it’s all relatively simple as well.