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Yakuza Kiwami is an absolute blast to play on Nintendo Switch 2. The mystery of the 10 billion yen is one well worth experiencing, and the performance is essentially perfect, offering a locked 60 FPS and sharp resolution throughout. You'll be hard-pressed to find very many third-party games on Switch 2 that run better than this.
One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 is an excellent Musou game that any One Piece fan will instantly fall in love with. Although the game can be daunting for newcomers and the camera can be tricky at times, it's hard not to appreciate the incredible work Omega Force has done implementing over 60 characters and a great variety of modes.
ROUTINE is a perfect example of how experimenting with the horror genre can pay off fantastically. While the lack of a map and a proper pause screen can be frustrating, the difficulty makes each gameplay set piece feel far more uneasy. Additionally, the subtle approach to storytelling helps to enhance the atmosphere and aesthetic, creating a truly memorable experience despite the short run time. If you're a fan of unique horror games, then ROUTINE is a must-play.
After years of waiting and a divisive fan reception, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is finally here, and I couldn't be happier with the finished product. While there are some issues with the overabundance of dialogue and certain elements of exploration, the overall approach to gameplay and the narrative does a great job of evolving the series while staying true to what made it special in the first place. As someone whose wanted to get into the series for years, I am pleased to say that Prime 4 has finally succeeded at making me a proper Metroid fan.
Octopath Traveler 0 delivers the series’ most cohesive story yet, backed by its sharpest combat system and a surprisingly addictive town-building feature. By blending a focused narrative with a large, memorable cast and wrapping it all in gorgeous HD-2D visuals, it stands as both the strongest entry in the franchise and one of the best JRPGs in years.
Old School Rally is a great arcade-style racing game that has a pleasing PlayStation 1-era aesthetic and fun, addicting gameplay that's easy to pick up and play. The game pays homage to the sport of rally with several unlicensed cars that closely resemble their real-life counterparts, ensuring players aren't missing out on car variety. Although it's not innovative, Old School Rally is a joy to play for racing game fans.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 delivers solid multiplayer and a decent Zombies mode, but its campaign is a messy, Warzone-influenced experiment that fails to land. Despite some attempts to innovate, the game lacks meaningful change and feels almost identical to Black Ops 6. Overall, this year's entry feels creatively stagnant, despite its large amount of content, and I find it hard to recommend it for that reason.
Marvel Cosmic Invasion continues Marvel Games' effort to experiment with the beloved IP. The use of fan-service and both obscure and iconic characters in the narrative is so well done, the gameplay mechanics are extremely fun to play around with, and the art style is a treat to look at. While there are problems with the game's difficulty spikes, limited replayability, short runtime, and lacking soundtrack, the strengths of the overall experience far outweigh its weaknesses.
The Nintendo Switch 2 port of Yakuza Kiwami 2 is a great first showing for the Dragon Engine on Nintendo's hybrid system. Despite the game's frame rate being locked to 30 FPS, Yakuza Kiwami 2 looks impressive in both handheld and docked modes with very little signs of compromise. Yakuza Kiwami 2's Switch 2 port isn't perfect, but it's fully playable and enjoyable from start to finish, and it shows that Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has room to make more optimizations.
Kirby Air Riders is absurdly challenging to get into. The controls are complicated, and the process of unlocking things is a mess. But when you eventually understand the gameplay mechanics, the sheer amount of content, the thrilling races, and the modes like City Trial and Road Trip, will keep you engaged no matter how long you play. Masahiro Sakurai has done it again!
Although I wouldn’t say I enjoyed a large portion of the games in this collection, I still think what Simogo has done here is important. Instead of letting its catalogue of games get lost to time, the team has found a way to preserve them for anyone to have access to. Too often, we see games abandoned with no way for them to be recovered or played unless you have access to the original hardware they were created for. How many games were made for mobile or Xbox Live Indie Arcade that are just lost now, either due to licensing issues or their stores closing down? Hopefully, other developers take notice of the work that Simogo has put into preserving its games and put together their own collections in the future.
Solo Leveling: ARISE OVERDRIVE is an action-packed, character-driven RPG that tells the story of Sung Jinwoo as he evolves into a legendary hunter. There are many improvements across the board, including major gameplay tweaks and additions, a more immersive story mode structure, and the removal of gacha mechanics. Fans who have been waiting for a single-player Solo Leveling game finally got it with Solo Leveling: ARISE OVERDRIVE, despite some of the quality-related flaws that came with the original ARISE.
Goodnight Universe is a fantastic take on the "interactive story" genre. It features a beautiful story, a great cast of characters, and a beautiful art style. Even if the gameplay is limited, the few segments that are present only add to the strength of the narrative, as you get to step into the world of a psychically-powered baby and all that entails. At such a small price and with a short runtime, Goodnight Universe is great if you're looking to immerse yourself in a science-fiction look at the wonder of childhood.
Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO comes to Nintendo Switch 2 with a roster of over 180 characters, an in-depth Episode Battle mode covering the beloved story arcs of Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super, optional motion controls, and much more. Although there's more to be desired from the overall performance at 1080p at 30 FPS in docked and 810p in portable mode, the Switch 2 version is a very solid addition to the growing library. Bandai Namco will need to play catch-up with the other versions to ensure parity with updates, however.
Kingdoms of the Dump is a wonderful RPG held back by some glaring technical issues. Despite this, it still stands tall among other indie RPG throwbacks over the last decade, deserving the attention of anyone looking for a cozy game to envelop themselves in this Winter.
SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide is a mixed bag. On the one hand, the story and moment-to-moment platforming are a lot of fun, and it's always great to see the cast of the SpongeBob TV series return for a cartoon-styled adventure. On the other hand, the lack of innovation after The Cosmic Shake, the lackluster side quests, and boring levels put a dampener on the entire experience. If you're just starting out with the 3D platformer genre and love SpongeBob, this is the game for you. Otherwise, you may be better off waiting for a discount.
MotionRec is a game that lives and dies on its gameplay mechanics. The concept of being able to record and replay your movements never gets old, partly thanks to the introduction of new gimmicks you encounter throughout your journey. While the game lacks a recognizable soundtrack, memorable levels, and an intriguing narrative, the charming visual style and exciting gameplay more than make up for it. If you're looking for a charming and short puzzle platformer, then MotionRec is definitely worth your time.
Dispatch takes the foundation built by Telltale Games and runs with it, creating one of the best games in the genre and one of the best titles released this year. The incredible cast of characters, brought to life by great writing, a beautiful art style, and a fantastic team of voice actors, is so charming and lovable. Even if the gameplay is kind of lacking, the dispatching mini-games and emphasis on player and dialogue choice are so much fun to engage with. In a time when the superhero genre is more oversaturated than ever, Dispatch manages to go above and beyond, delivering an unforgettable experience.
Atelier Ryza is an amazing trilogy within Gust’s Atelier series. Even still, this repackaging isn’t something you should rush to get unless you’re a fan or newcomer, as the new content, much like previous DX versions of Atelier games, doesn’t bring much that’s new to the table. There are just some nice extras that I wouldn’t consider integral to the overall experience.
Lumines Arise is a radiant revival that perfectly captures the rhythm and emotion the series is known for. The experience is simultaneously soothing and challenging, offering a unique game that both longtime fans and newcomers will appreciate. While the VR mode leaves a bit to be desired, Lumines Arise is an absolute joy that should be experienced without hesitation.