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You can see the attention to detail and love put into Loco Motive. It's a high-quality game that respects its point-and-click predecessors while carving out its own identity as a graphic adventure. Juggling three characters does lead to occasional pacing hiccups, a few less satisfying puzzles, and a couple of other minor issues. Still, this talkie adventure is great fun with a rewarding payoff.
Journey to Kreisia is a breezy JRPG that clearly shows its 10-year-old mobile origins. It brings nothing new to the genre, but it's confident in what it's trying to be and checks the right boxes with a wink and a nudge.
It takes a bit to get into the puzzle-solving flow of Dungeons of Dreadlock 2: The Dead King's Secret, but it offers an approachable level-based challenge once you do. Fans of the original should appreciate this second adventure, while newcomers will find themselves similarly hooked.
With its attention focused on surveys, and since the game variations aren't very versatile, The Jackbox Survey Scramble can come off as repetitive. However, it retains the franchise's goofy humor. Not only does the game offer its own jokes, it also leaves a lot of room for you and your friends to add your own humor on top of it. It's a great game for parties or even just chill nights.
Aura of Worlds is a game you'll put many hours into once you get past the beginning hump of mastering the controls and bulking up your character. This is a game you'll find yourself going back to now and again.
Goblin Slayer -Another Adventurer- Nightmare Feast will not be enough to win people over to SRPGs or to the game's source material. But if you're already a fan of either (or both), it does more than enough to keep you entertained throughout.
The turn-based RPG The World of Kungfu: Dragon and Eagle is in equal parts clever and frustrating. The unique approach to combat, team building, and customization is fun and perfectly set up for multiple playthroughs. Story progression is often aimless, however, and the gameplay idiosyncracies could be better explained.
While Slay the Princess – The Pristine Cut is not a particularly long or complex game, it utilises everything in its arsenal incredibly well. It is packed with finely designed details which build into a wonderfully compelling game that makes excellent use of its tortuous pathways to make you feel as if your choices make a genuine impact.
How Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 compares to previous entries in the series, I can't say. But if-like me-you're new to the EDF brand of crazy, co-op action gameplay, this is a wonderfully fun and entertaining place to start.
On the one hand, you could reasonably argue this compilation feels closer to a starter pack. Many favorite, more defined versions of Tetris are absent. Some odd choices aside, there's a good amount of content for fans to enjoy, even those who doubtless already own multiple versions of Tetris. The greatness of Hatris, the excitement of the all-new Tetris Time warp, and the nostalgic '80s and '90s stories of a gaming icon make it a must. This Digital Eclipse release satisfies your Tetris craving and makes for a great package "from Russia with love."
Miniatures is an extremely short collection of four… I hesitate to say games. Emotions? Memories? It relies more on mystery and melancholy to connect with the player. It can therefore be very intriguing, but at the risk of leaving some to wonder what was the point.
Go Mecha Ball is a challenging game that will keep you wanting to try again. However, if you lose, you start back at square one, which can be frustrating.
Police Simulator: Patrol Officers: Nintendo Switch Edition is a unique experience that feels like you're living the life of a cop on the city streets. The gameplay loop is enjoyable, though some bugs do mar the experience. If you like simulation games and thrive on law and order, you might get a kick out of this.
Pinball M – Camp Bloodbrook is a fun, well-designed addition to Zen Studios' growing catalog of original pinball tables. The game makes proper use of Pinball M's visuals and effects, and it challenges the player without ever feeling like it's going for a cheap "kill."
It's the compelling interplay of thrilling story, memorable characters, enjoyable puzzles, and stunning presentation that ensures Broken Sword – Shadow of the Templars: Reforged will become a top choice for a new generation of players. Let's hope the sequel (and the rest of the series) finds a home on Nintendo hardware. It's 2024, and my game of the year is a graphic adventure first released in 1996. Go figure.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is the first brand-new top-down adventure in almost a decade. Fans might be used to long pauses between outings, but Echoes was worth the wait. It not only introduces Zelda's first canonical solo adventure, but merges familiar and new to create an incredibly creative and beautiful experience. Despite some graphical load issues, let's just say Zelda's first adventure presents a strong contender for 2024's Switch game of the year.
The Smurfs – Dreams is going to pleasantly surprise a lot of people who think they're just playing it to keep their kids happy. Although never too challenging, its colorful visuals, clever gimmicks, and solid 3D platforming gameplay help it escape the franchise tie-in doldrums.
Will the Switch catch the GameCube for the number of Mario Party entries on a single system? Probably not. But if Jamboree is the last on the hybrid, it's a great game to go out on. It's a celebration of boards, and "Pro Rules" go a long way in making previous series' complaints no longer valid. While there are a few minor issues, let's face it: this game will sell millions, and deservedly so. Imposter Bowser and his boss minions don't stand a chance, whether you're a party of one, a group of local friends, or an online crew. Collecting stars hasn't been this much fun in years.
As an arcade rail shooter, Rogue Flight hits all of its marks. It doesn't aim for anything outside of the norm, but that allows it to focus entirely on its frenetic gameplay and anime setup/presentation. Players of all skill levels will be able to hop in and enjoy.
I credit Falcom for continually tweaking the action JRPG elements of the Ys series, this time introducing naval battles and restricting melee combat to just two characters. Not everything works in Ys X: Nordics, but the open exploration and streamlined combat compensate for the elements that frustrate.