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Saturday Morning RPG is a trip down memory lane, if you grew up in the 80's you might enjoy this casual JRPG featuring an excellent soundtrack. On the other hand if you are after a deep and rewarding game then this won't be for you.
Accidental Queens did a splendid job on raising awareness on a certain sensitive topic. It is a thoughtful game that touches your heart and lets your emotion enjoy a rollercoaster ride. I was angry, I was sad and I pitied Laura due to the story line. But as the game came to the end, I was satisfied with how it had its final moments. The important message I (and the developer, I assume) also want to deliver is that no one is alone. Billions of people exist in the world and one at least is out there to listen to you. If you find yourself in need, reach out, talk to people, get another opinion. Sometimes a friend, sometimes a stranger can help you. Hell, even if you have no one, reach out to me. Someone is out there, just speak up. Because no one can read minds, yet (but I heard there will be an update on that maybe).
Overall, Sky Rogue is an interesting diversion of a game. It’s definitely not going to be the main game you’re playing at that moment, but will probably occupy a nice side game acting as a palette cleanser to whatever big game you have going on. It’s a shame that it lacks enough depth to suck you in for longer gameplay sessions, but a 20 minute burst here and there will probably be your limits. In that case it’s quite enjoyable, just don’t expect too much more than that. If it was a couple of pounds cheaper I wouldn’t have too much of a problem in recommending it.
This is a game series over 20 years old and still holds true today. It is even nicer with its graphical upgrades, added characters and new levels which all feel true to the original. Many will be put off by the one-shot deaths, differing controls and toughness of this. The price of entry is also quite high compared to other consoles, but for collectors and people like me who like a tough old-school game then this is a nice return.
Bombslinger is an excellent take on the Bomberman formula. The changes this game makes feel like a step forward that the series it was based on should have taken. The controls are tight, visuals and sound design are great, and the gameplay is a lot of fun. There are some minor annoyances, but those are not enough to hinder the overall experience. I recommend this game to any fans of the Bomberman series, or even those who enjoy an arcade style game you can play with some friends.
South Park: The Fractured But Whole is a fantastic follow up to the Stick of Truth, its a must buy for any South Park aficionado and still a blast for everyone else. Ubisoft took the development in house this time and didn't disappoint, its well written with a giggle every few moments, the game isn't perfect with a few small bugs and the sense that the difficulty isn't there to support the games mechanics and some might argue the value but overall this game is just a blast.
Manticore Galaxy on Fire is a rather solid entry into the Sci Fi space shooter genre on the Switch. Everything is solid enough and there is something for everyone, dog fights, boss battles and some calm exploration parts. For me it was missing that extra magic to make it truly essential. The sound is good, the visuals are nice and the story is ok but rather uninspiring with characters needing more development. Put it all together and you get just that, a solid game which is probably just about worth your hard earned cash if you’re into these types of games and one that if you are I am sure you will enjoy.
This is a top indie game and one which is fun and will keep your attention. It has everything you would want, fun gameplay, a great visual style and decent audio. Then throw in all the homages and you are on to a winner. What sets this apart though is the in-depth mechanics which feel satisfying as well as having a nice set of characters to play with and the ability to play with up to 4 friends locally. This has been well thought through and adding money so that you can try and control how long you stay in the game is a great addition. Another homage to the arcade days but one which also serves an important purpose here. This for the price is a must buy especially if your an 80s child like me.
Overall, Masters of Anima is a great game. It has a nice visual flair and presentation mixed in with some very solid and unique gameplay that’s not often seen these days. It’s not perfect though, it suffers a little with repetition, flow disrupting difficulty spikes and the odd command issues that shouldn’t be present in a game where real time quick actions and thinking is needed. These issues didn’t stop me from enjoying the game overall however and I believe Masters of Anima will be a solid addition to your Nintendo Switch download library. It’s a great game with a few little issues here and there that stop it from being an essential Switch purchase.
Overall, Deep Ones is not a very deep game. It’s as simplistic as its visual inspirations with slightly awkward and clunky mechanics. I can appreciate the visual style and as a nostalgia trip for those pioneering gamers in the mid-80’s. But standing as a game on its own it’s just a little too uncooked and not particularly compelling to play despite the potential. A mixed bag of level design plus controls being too stiff and unresponsive for my liking. It’s short, but cheap so it’s not the end of the world if you think it looks interesting, but for me, it’s below average as far as the gameplay goes, although other things around Deep Ones do rescue it somewhat, making it not an entirely wasteful experience.
Devious Dungeon is a lot of fun. The controls are tight, which makes the platforming enjoyable. The upgrade systems are fun to engage with and help you feel stronger as you progress. The procedurally generated levels make each run feel unique and helps add replayability to the game. There are some underwhelming sound effects and music, and the game can get a bit repetitive, but overall the experience I had with Devious Dungeon was a positive one. This game, I believe, is worth your hard-earned cash.
Burly Men at Sea is a magical nordic fairytale adventure with plenty of charm and a slathering of wit, it has some rough edges and the short play throughs and light touch gameplay won't be for every one but if you enjoy a good tale and a laugh you will likely enjoy this unique game.
Is this worth your hard earned cash? You bet it is, if you like platformers then this has to be added to your collection. It's beautiful, sounds great, has a whimsical wacky story and is a joy to play. It's only let down in its performance from time to time which is a real shame and may put some off. Other than that and for me personally I didn't find much not to like and this game to me is a powerful reminder of why I love video games and reviewing them. Every so often you get a little bit of magic that comes your way.
Some may enjoy Spartan but I suspect most will ultimately find it too frustrating to persevere with. The game has too many issues to make it a fun and enjoyable experience with the physics presenting some real problems. Couple that with some annoying design decisions, collecting all treasure chests is one of them along with a checkpoint system which has issues also. If I have to force myself to play a game then there is a big problem and it's just how I felt playing this one. If you want a platformer then you already have many to choose from. Unfortunately, the game is below average and is going to find it hard to compete especially at its current price.
The Bunker is a decent enough FMV experience and the genre has come a long way since the early 90s, The Bunker certainly shows that. The movie studio Splendy have done a pretty good job and if you look at it like that I can recommend this as good entertainment for a couple of hours. I quite enjoyed it and I think there is a future for this type of experience on the Switch or any console for that matter. As a game, though I think this falls short and my thoughts in the gameplay section reflect that. Unfortunately, the merging of a game and a movie don't really work. This is saved by the fact that it's unique on the Switch and as a movie, it's rather good. I would like to see more like this in future with more emphasis on key decisions affecting the overall story and having more emphasis on gameplay so the player has more to do. In that respect, I think there is still a long way to go till the balance is right.
Overall, Atelier Lydie & Suelle is a very niche game that fans of the series will no doubt enjoy. I’m sure if you give it time and are willing to fork over the hefty price tag, newcomers will find some quaint enjoyment in it too. It’s ambitious for its budget which I appreciate, even if it doesn’t come out looking the best. Aside from that and the poor frame rate, the production is great with music and direction. The story is what you will be here for and if you’re into the cutesy anime style of the dialogue then you’ll definitely be in for a warm, delightful, fuzzy time as you go with the sisters on their journey to be the best in the Kingdom. I definitely did.
Shantae and the Pirate's Curse is platforming done right. From the tight controls, excellent level design, beautiful art style and great sound direction, there is much to like about Shantae's latest Switch adventure. There are many hours to enjoy with this one, and as such I highly recommend Shantae to any platforming game fans.
This is a simple summary just like this game. Buy it if you enjoy playing team based games and have enough friends or family to play it with because then it becomes a fantastic party game. It will bring you all plenty of joy and the competitive nature out in all of you. However, this is not one to pick up if flying solo.
Overall, if you’re into shooters of any kind, Tengai is a no-brainer. After a good, but slightly different Sol Divide release last week, this one brings the classic Psikyo back and the horizontal perspective adds a nice twist from what we’re used to. It’s easily one of their top tier games in my opinion, with the only sour note being the indiscernible hit boxes for your characters. It has amazing rollercoaster visuals, an excellent pumping traditional Japanese soundtrack and a lot of personality. It’s cheap and endlessly replayable if you’re into that and it’s a great addition to your Switch shooter library. For me, Tengai is up there with the best Psikyo have to offer along with Gunbird and Zero Gunner 2.
Urban trial Playground is a nice casual game on the Switch and one I very much enjoyed. The core mechanics and physics all work very well and it's just pure fun either racing to get the best time against the level or pulling off as many tricks as possible. There is fun to be had against friends either in local multiplayer or posting your high scores on the leaderboards but I can't help feeling there is a game here that with a little more thought put into it or more time spent in development the game could have offered a lot more in terms of modes and structure. As it is this is a game that I am sure many of you will enjoy if anything just to have something different, after all this is the very first stunt bike game on the Switch and exclusive at that.