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I Am Dead takes players on a whimsical journey through a colorful and cute narrative that plays on themes of death and discovery. Each chapter gives us a new piece of the puzzle, making it tough to put the game down, even if the game’s systems become repetitive across long play sessions. You’ll get the most out of this adventure by taking your time, and you’ll be glad you did as you splice through each new object to uncover all the secrets hidden within.
This is the Zodiac Speaking is a decent psychological thriller significantly hurt by the Switch’s underpowered hardware. The narrative is there, but everything else falls short in terms of visuals, graphical glitches, and sound. There are some nice features here, but I urge you to play the PC version if you can.
Piofiore: Fated Memories is a game that drips in style and premise, but unfortunately doesn’t really know what to do with it, so it ends up making base appeals to those who like dark, edgy, and more morally questionable entertainment.
During my time with Genshin Impact, I fell in love with it. After only a few hours, my thoughts about what this adventure was faded away as it truly evolves into a unique experience. There’s a fine level of detail that went into crafting this beautiful world, and you can’t help but want to see every inch of it. Although the grind and the gachas systems are present, this is a game that I will gladly return to again and again. Regardless, all of this is available for free, so nothing stops you from finding out for yourself.
Ikenfell provides players a charming adventure with an engaging battle system that is both fun and engaging. Accompanying it is a superb soundtrack that immerses you in its silly bizarre world. While I didn’t get fully invested in some of the characters, I still enjoyed unraveling the mystery. If you’re looking for a cute tactical RPG that’s accessible to new players but also provides some unique systems for genre lovers, you shouldn’t have a problem with letting Ikenfell work its magic on you.
Prinny 1•2: Exploded and Reloaded is as great a title for the Switch as it was for the PSP. It’s challenging 2D platforming will cause many moments of frustration, but you’d be hard-pressed not to want to jump right back in and try again. The platforming physics themselves can come off a bit dated, but the excellent level design and the genuinely unique experience that these adventures offer make up for most of what lacks mechanically.
Robotics;Notes Elite gives us a visual novel experience full of compelling characters, immersive systems, and excellent pacing that rivals the best the genre offers. It’s both dramatic and impactful, and not afraid to have fun with its cast as it balances its story beats expertly.
Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2 may be fun for a couple of laps, but the derivative gameplay, dated visuals, and disappointing music causes it to lack identity in the genre and ultimately become a generic kart racer with iconic characters. The racing mechanics end up being the highlight of the entire experience, but nothing could make up for the lack of charm.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time gives us the Crash experience that we’ve been waiting so long for. The developer seemed to understand what was unique about the series but added touches of their own imagination to make it their own. The finished product is a 3D platformer that is as fun as it is frustrating, so you can bet that it fits in perfectly with the other titles. Here’s to another generation of Crash.
Star Wars: Squadrons provides players a genuine starfighter experience with a low cost of entry. The single-player campaign offers just enough distraction from the real meat of this adventure that is found in its multiplayer modes. The best part about the experience is how it rewards those who put the most time into it, so I’m hoping to see additional modes to keep things fresh.
Ys Origin is a title I hold near and dear to my heart. It’s not only my own personal favorite Ys title, but it is also one of my favorite games of all time. So it’s nice to see that some care went into this Switch port. While the repetition of exploring the same environments can undoubtedly dull the affair for some players, the stellar combat design, jaw-dropping soundtrack, incredible writing, varying level design, and the multitude of gameplay modes make this a one of a kind action RPG experience that any fan of the genre should pick up.
The Walking Dead Onslaught is an awesome VR experience that centers around these characters that mean so much to fans of the show. The developer did a great job adapting the narrative of the show with an original story that feels like it could be its own episode. Killing Walkers has never been more fun, and I would happily go on another supply run again, even if it means encountering some random glitches.
Mafia: Definitive Edition is genuinely one of the best remakes of this generation. It gets so much right in terms of staying true to the source material and preserving what makes it so awesome. Sadly, that only ends up hurting it due to a dated mission structure and poor AI. Still, it was fantastic to be able to play such an updated version of the classic.
Nevaeh is a fast and fun puzzle platformer that doesn’t bite off more than it can chew. However, its lack of direction makes the adventure feel soulless. Nothing challenges the player, not even the boss encounters, making this more of a comfortable and cute indie puzzle experience to play in short bursts.
The truth is, even if 2020 didn’t need Serious Sam 4, it’s here anyway. The game considers loyal fans through it’s added levels of customization while acknowledging new fans with some narrative moments to get to know this insane cast of characters. Some aspects feel dated in the graphics and AI, but when hundreds of enemies are running your way, none of that matters because all you can think about is what weapon you’re going to use to take out the trash.
Lost Ember is a great narrative adventure that acts as a wonderful game to play over an evening. However, the Switch version lacks the beauty found in the other versions. It’s ultimately something that holds this version back because the visuals are a key feature of what makes this such a memorable game. Ultimately, Lost Ember is a game that you should play, but maybe not on the Switch.
Super Mario 3D All-Stars is a collection of three of the most genre-defining releases in 3D platformer history. It brings these games together and makes them easily accessible to give gamers a chance to experience these titles for the first time or the hundredth. I’m left wishing that there was more included with the releases such as additional options or extras, but it’s undeniable that this is a must-play for Switch owners.
Sense: A Cyberpunk Ghost Story will cause several headaches after the many forehead palms players will endure through this cryptic adventure. The story will rarely make sense, and the haphazard nature of the puzzle design force many moments of aimless backtracking. This is a game that the developer seemed to make for themselves, and it shows in the design and layout. Still, there’s something here for a follow-up release, but I really hope that quality assurance is in the budget this time around.
Inmost took me by surprise as I wasn’t prepared for the incredible story it has to tell. Its gameplay and puzzle elements are perfectly symmetrical, making it easy to immerse yourself in this dark world for an evening and come out feeling satisfied, if not, a little melancholic. Load times and lack of direction do very little to hinder this adventure that I think is well worth your time.
Crysis Remastered is more of a capsule from a simpler time of the first-person shooting genre. Playing is undoubtedly fun because of the various things that players can do, with the inclusion of tight gunplay and engaging missions. However, I can’t help but wish for a complete remake because the age of this adventure holds it back from being anything more than a way for us to show our kids the terrible mechanics and AI that we used to put up with.