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As one of the last indie titles of 2018, GRIS also proves to be one of the greatest. Anybody interested in gaming as an art form should absolutely pick it up. It’s tender, it’s vague, and it’s inspired. And it will be a landmark in both visual design and abstract storytelling for years to come.
Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition stands as a fitting celebration of this ten year-old gem of a game, bringing a fan favorite back with more content than ever. Thanks to the game’s stellar cast of playable characters and addicting, thoroughly enjoyable battle system, it stands as not just a fantastic example of its series, but of its genre.
While Fitness Boxing does its best to get players moving and motivated, it just lacks that lasting appeal some of its predecessors offered.
Full of trademark style and promising concepts, it doesn’t manage to live up to its own potential, let alone expectations, due to repetitive gameplay and gimmicks that don’t pan out.
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is just an all-around good time — especially if you have others to enjoy it with.
Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story + Bowser Jr.’s Journey brings the Bros. and their number one enemy back for a fun adventure that goes micro, macro, and everywhere in between. Carried by just how enjoyable Bowser is, the strong theming that affects both story and gameplay, and the always splendid battle system; it brings an already great game back for an encore.
It offers up everything I expected from a game inspired heavily by Advance Wars, plenty of its own sparks of brilliance, and a presentation that made even the longest of conquests easy on the eyes and ears.
With its gorgeous visual aesthetic and downtempo pace, it’s the kind of game you want to play wrapped up in your blankets with the lights low. This bedtime story doesn’t shy away from darker subjects and star-crossed developments — it wears them proudly, making the game stand out amongst its contemporaries.
Etrian Odyssey really knows how to use the console’s features to the fullest — drawing the map is smooth and intuitive, all the buttons are used efficiently… hell, even the 3D is good, making it one of the few games I would recommend giving the feature a solid try even if you’re usually not into it. Other franchises have departed to the Switch by now, but there’s a reason Etrian has hung onto the DS line from which it originated.
Back in the Groove is the faithful return to form Funkotron fans have been rapping about for decades, capturing the magic that made the original so endearing the galaxy over. It may not expand on the OG formula much, but old skool spinmasters from the Sega Genesis era are sure to vibe with ToeJam & Earl’s funky fresh return.
The hundreds of puzzles here kept me playing for several hours, but it can’t be overstated how the real strength of Baba is You lies in its concept. Rules and logic are everywhere in video games, and by giving some measure of manipulation over them in truly inspired scenarios here it’s become a Nindie worth thinking over. Or to put it another way — Baba is Great.
All things considered though, I prefer the Wii original as-is because of its simplicity. Even with a lot of the new content being optional or avoidable, the loss of screen real estate on the handheld and the Wii’s seamless multiplayer being left out on 3DS makes this only the second best yarn based Kirby game you can play. And that’s still a compliment.
The minor nitpicks don’t add up to anything that can topple the core art, charm, and level design; which levy the game’s kinks and make it a solid addition to any Switch owner’s lineup.
I hope that every Switch owner picks up the trilogy, because there’s really never been a better way to play this set of games.
If it isn’t already abundantly clear, Cuphead is an achievement of a game both for its inspired and delightful presentation and the refreshing difficulty of its cavalcade of characters, making this a swell shakedown from start to finish.
BoxBoy! + BoxGirl! is nearly everything I could have asked for when it comes to bringing the series to the Switch.
Even with other puzzle fighters out there, Crystal Crisis manages to make a name for itself and stand out with its unique mechanics and roster.
It’s a bit strange to think that this game, of all ones, would be what is essentially the last title the 3DS will ever get.
It’s everything a Zelda spinoff demands: wisdom in design, courage in concept, and power in music — culminating in the one of the most epic video game crossovers this side of Hyrule.
However, the fact that the racing is fast, frantic, and fun just reminds me that Activision and Beenox have done a great thing by bringing back Crash Team Racing, and I plan on continuing to enjoy it for as long as I can.