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Brotherhood United is a game that you might want to play if you've run out of other run-and-gun shooters. The shooting may have been fine if the modern mechanics weren't thrown in, but the multitude of annoyances, from the bad pixel graphics to low customization and inability to easily convey vital stats to the player, combine to make for a terrible overall experience. Considering the vast library at your disposal, Brotherhood United is an easy pass.
BE-A Walker: Battle for Eldorado is needlessly cruel. The number of things you have to monitor due to the fragility of your craft, combined with the ridiculous cooldown times, make for one of the most off-putting opening levels a game can have. If you're able to power through, the rest of the game is monotonous, even if you get lucky enough to grab enough funds to mitigate the constantly depleting meters. Combined with a lackluster story and absent fun factor, it'll take someone who really enjoys masochism to power through to the end of the game. With the multitude of better shooters on the system, it's easy to skip this one.
The most difficult thing about Street Outlaws: The List is trying to find a reason to play it. Depending on the event, the controls range from serviceable to terrible, with a physics system that doesn't make sense. The lack of real challenge is offset by the overall length of the game, which seems far too long for what's being offered. Between the underwhelming presentation, a clunky but bare-bones menu, and lack of gameplay variety, even superfans of the show will find it tough to stick with this game for a significant amount of time.
Despite decent music and my love for samurai games, I cannot recommend Katana Kami: A Way of the Samurai Story. There is little pay-off to finishing the game, aside from a cut scene and a new post-game dungeon. The bugs and clunky menus encountered along the way make the journey an absolute slog. There are better roguelites, loot-driven RPGs, and samurai games out there.
If Contra: Rogue Corps were known by any other name, it wouldn't be so bad. The idea of a twin-stick looter shooter is intriguing, and the shooting can be decent even if the level flow isn't exciting. However, that reliance on the franchise name comes with certain expectations. The overheating guns, restricted co-op, and missing weapon sets run counter to what fans have come to expect from the series that's been around for over 30 years. If you aren't too discerning, this may be worth a look if it's in the bargain bin. If fans of the series pick up Rogue Corps, they will be disappointed.
Red Siren: Space Defense is one of those games that you'll entertain for an afternoon only because you found it at a deep discount.
Guns 'n' Stories: Bulletproof VR is a disappointment.
Very little is enticing about Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I DON'T KNOW! outside of the license being used, and even that isn't applied properly here. Cut the game length by half, cut the price even further, stick this in a digital shop, and you have an OK time-waster that doesn't overstay its welcome. Even then, I think most would see through the shoddy, repetitive structure that makes up the meat of this game. "Adventure Time" fans deserve far better than this.
L.A. Cops is a sloppy game. The controls lack finesse in almost all areas, and the shooting is randomized enough to feel unsatisfying. The AI is a joke on both sides, so the strategic aspect of the game is a moot point. The theme feels wasted, and the graphical flourishes that were intended to make the game feel lively end up being distracting instead. The sound is the only saving grace, and even then, you may tire of it due to the amount of times you'll need to replay levels — and not by choice. Unless it receives an influx of patches to fix a bevy of issues, there's little reason to check out this title.
As a whole, Extinction is a game built around plenty of promising ideas, but the execution fails to live up to its promises on almost every single point. It's hard to shake the feeling that Iron Galaxy didn't provide the game with the resources it needed to come close to reaching the heights it was aiming for. That's a shame, since all we're left with is a massive skeleton of a game that could have held some real meat. Ultimately, Extinction is not worth buying, especially at its absurd $60 price point.
In Nightmare is an experience that will leave players more frustrated than frightened. The story is decent enough, if predictable, but it quickly loses steam since you can guess what'll happen and the pantomimed scenes are too vague. The gameplay teeters between fine to unplayable due to technical issues and an overall design that favors trial and error and memorization versus crafting a more dynamic challenge. All of those things rob the game of a scare factor; there's nothing really horrifying about what you're up against. The ideas are sound, but unless you have to play every single horror game out there, you can safely skip In Nightmare and not miss a thing.
Neptunia Virtual Stars is a tough game to recommend even for the fans. The regular cast of characters remains as engaging as ever, while the newcomers fit in quite nicely. The story is a nice take on parodying the current state of the internet using the unique viewpoint that the series has carved for itself. Beyond the overly long cut scenes, the gameplay is dull despite the variety that the title and minigames try to provide. While this game won't attract any newcomers, hardcore fans might want to dabble with this after a very deep discount.
There are things that DreadStar: The Quest for Revenge does right. The actual shooting is quite good, with a nice enough enemy layout even though the levels feel rather long. It also nails the look of a classic late-era DOS game. However, the seemingly endless grind mixed with questionable design decisions and poor performance make it a chore to get through. Unless you get lucky and get a smooth experience with no loss in controls, DreadStar is probably one shoot-'em-up that should be approached with a heap of caution.
The concept behind Redneck Ed: Astro Monsters Show is fine. Going through battle after battle in a galactic game show is a workable premise, and it's only been done a few times before. However, from the dated references and the half-baked presentation to the cheap deaths and lackluster combat, it is difficult to stick with the game after a few levels, since it game does its best to drain any semblance of fun from the experience. Unless you have the patience and willingness to deal with the lack of polish, pass on this one.
G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout is messy. The presentation is inconsistent, while the story is serviceable at best. The addition of local multiplayer outweighs the lack of online play, and the game is lengthy enough. However, the poor combat mechanics drag down the experience heavily, and on a platform that's absolutely bursting with more competent third-person shooters, this is one that you can easily pass on.
WarriOrb fails to do many things right. The combat is lackluster due to boring enemies and an uninteresting set of moves. The floaty controls clash with the constant need for perfect platforming. The frailty of your character is inconsistent with the dangers you face, and the checkpoint system feels broken. Even the ball physics and spell system fail to impress, despite how often they're used in the latter half of the game. Combined with a passable presentation and an uninteresting story, there are better games you can spend your time on instead.
Yuri isn't great, no matter how you spin it.
The only reason to consider Devil May Cry 2 for the Switch is if you're either a completionist or a die-hard fan of the series. The game has the trappings of a decent action game, but with the Devil May Cry name attached, the expectations are higher. Nothing can justify it being a sequel to one of Capcom's more exciting PS2 games. Unless you need to experience every Dante adventure, skip this one and wait for the inevitable port of the third entry instead.
After all is said and done, Toki is a labor of love taken on by Microids to refresh and rebrand a game that's been largely forgotten.
Vane is a game that sticks to its ideals at the detriment of everything else. It's a noble idea to let players figure out everything on their own — until you realize that the large environments and the number of interactive but ultimately useless elements mean more time wasted in activities without a payoff.