LadiesGamers.com's Reviews
Fatal Fury First Contact is a neat and enjoyable little fighting game to play if you want to experience something more Retro. I also gotta admire and like the fact that SNK releases these various classic games from their library of games which is especially good for preservation. These games may fetch high prices on the original hardware, for 7 or 8 bucks you can play them on the Switch. If you are an SNK fan that is collecting these re-releases digitally. You’re in for a fun time!
If you’re a fan of rogue lite games and twin stick shooters Synthetik: Ultimate is a essential purchase. With so much content and customization options this is a game to get pretty lost in. It keeps the story minimal and the action straight to the point. Despite failing constantly as one does in a typical rogue lite game Synthetiks unique take on the genre makes it one I’ll go to often.
Grindstone is a simple dungeon crawler bursting with charm and instant gratification. The short, engaging gameplay loop is good enough to never get boring, no matter how many times I went through it. It’s effective, fun and addictive and has found the perfect portable home on the Nintendo Switch.
Boot Hill Heroes is a decent RPG with a heart of Wild West gold. While some might find the graphic style a little crude there is a meaty RPG to get stuck into here with an interesting battle system and customization options, also the characters and story telling are pretty neat too. Grab your cowboy hat and prepare for a Wild RPG adventure.
I ended up leaning towards the hate it side of the Marmite argument with Unto the End mostly because of its combat system which I really could not get my head around. I guess I’m getting old and my reaction times are slowing. At the same time though I feel the developer does deserve some credit. The art style of this game is simple but beautiful and when things were flowing well I was really in awe of this game. There will be some gamers out there that will adore this game for it’s punishing difficulty and get a sense of grand achievement on completing. For most though I would say approach with caution. What Unto the End has is good hence my rating but it’s just not going to be for everyon
This is one of my favorite games of 2020, hands down, and one that I expect will be made even better when they roll out any upcoming patches. If you enjoy strategy board games I 100% recommend looking into Wingspan. And since the publisher mentioned that they do plan to add some expansions down the line (no dates yet) I expect to get hundreds of hours of play out of this gem. Because of my personal enthusiasm for this game, and the fact that almost all the current bugs are easy to fix during play,
Alt-Frequencies is a rather nice game with an inspiring premise but with a somewhat lacklustre ending. That’s my only complaint about the game: the story isn’t particularly deep, it presents ideas and a setting and a story but it doesn’t go anywhere with it, it just ends! It does, however, make a pleasant change from the standard of normal puzzle games. So if you’re looking a different style of puzzle game maybe you should try out Alt-Frequencies and listen to the radio.
I love how Kingdom: New Lands looks, sounds, and feels. But as a busy parent I wish progress wasn’t so slow. I wish the trial-and-error approach it requires wasn’t so punishing of mistakes. “Hand-holding” is often a negative term in gaming, but this is one game that could use a little hand-holding. Or a quicker pace. I’m doubtful of beating the game without a strategy guide or investing more time than it’s worth. This is what mars an otherwise unique and relaxing strategy game with great pixel animation and sound, plus a minimalist interface to be proud of. So while I can firmly say I like this game, I’ve decided to move on from it. Not out of boredom, as I do enjoy it, but because I want to see if New Lands‘ sequel (Kingdom: Two Crowns) offers a better experience.
Shakes on the Plane has all the right ingredients for an enjoyable co-op game but much like turbulence on a plane the balance just feels off and much of the game to me was spent frustrated and confused about where we went wrong. A pity because there is fun to be had here. Maybe with some tweaking and patching it could make for a much more enjoyable title. For the moment I would approach this plane ride with caution. Also, don’t forget to fasten your seat belt.
When the Past was Around is a poignant journey, and if point-and-click puzzles are your jam, then I would recommend this one for your Switch library. Cherish the time you have, for it is precious and fleeting.
Waiting for the right moment and making the ball fall through the intricate columns. Does that seem easy to you? It isn’t! Behind its apparent simplicity, Kolumno hides a challenging and fun game mechanic. Don’t be fooled by Kolumno minimalistic style and its relaxing soundtrack. As underneath all that, there is a tricky puzzle game that will give your brain a good workout and your patience too! It will also test your reflexes in the puzzles and a little strategy while you puzzle out which skill is appropriate to use and when. All in all, I’ve had an enjoyable time playing Kolumno, it’s an interesting and well designed game for the Nintendo Switch!
Freddy Spaghetti feels a bit like a novelty Christmas present. Some will open the gift and get the joke and like it but others will open it probably be polite and smile and not understand, then possibly give it away to someone next year. It’s a nice price to take a chance on, maybe even consider buying it for a friend, but if you’ve not been sold on physics-based games like Octodad or Human: Fall Flat before this will unlikely be the one to win you over. I guess it is the best video game ever about Spaghetti though.
Monster Sanctuary was a nice surprise for me. While on the surface it looks familiar to popular monster-catching games Monster Sanctuary feels like a darn decent RPG that I would recommend to any fan of the genre. It’s Monster Sanctuary’s unique and detailed battle system and generous customisation options that make it stand out from the crowd. I loved exploring the world with my blue wolf I called Stephen and I see myself revisiting it again.
Space Invaders Forever has some entertaining games but it is disappointing the developers did not put a little more work into this collection. Each game feels like a straight port from its original system instead of being adapted and improved for the Switch. If you’re a Space Invaders fan it may be worth a look but you may want to look into the Space Invaders Invincible collection. If you’re just testing the Space Invaders waters this is a pretty good place to start. For a fan though, I was very sad coming away from this.
Autumn’s Journey is a short, but well-written visual novel that would be a great choice for people who enjoy a fantasy story with some cute, anime style interactions and flirting. The game gives the impression that there is significant backstory for this world in the minds of the creators, and has an ending that leaves space for a sequel. I would happily play another game set in the world of Ishtera if given the chance.
The only good things I can say about this game is the cute appearance and the reasonable price. With drastic change in gameplay and the downplay of drawing this is a lackluster continuation. Personally I didn’t find it fun or appealing even trying to consider it on it’s own merits, consisting only of tedious levels divided by boring cutscenes. If you’re interested in puzzle platformers I’m sure there’s better options, and as a fan of the series you’re better off ignoring this.
Calico is a magical game about witches, cats, cute villagers and a cat café, what more could you want! While there is no denying that Calico has a few problems on the Switch, I hope this is a game that will be regularly updated and more added to the game in future. If you’re looking for a game to get lost in a whimsical, magical pink infused world where you can wear cats as hats then Calico is the game for you.
Traffix is a puzzle game built on a simple premise of turning traffic lights of and on. It works very well and gives an enjoyable and experience for the player. Having to avoid accidents and preventing drivers from getting road rage keeps you engaged, and the levels offer great variety and a clever design. The clean presentation is appreciated, but it could have used a little bit more music. For the price of a few pounds or dollars in the eShop you can have a very entertaining and fun couple of hours of an evening!
Overall, Cake Bash is a worthy addition to your library. If you enjoy battle royale games, this one is a stellar example of the genre. You can hop online for some fun, and if you join the Coatsink Discord channel, there are frequently people there looking for some fellows to play with. Now, maybe it’s just me, but this is the type of game can cause high levels of rage, and/or create enemies out of the best of friends. Make sure you actually put those joy-con straps on your wrist, or you might end up with a few broken controllers.
Heroes of Loot is a simple fun arcade gameplay to play in those short gaming bursts alone or with a friend. While there’s not much more depth to its design sometimes simple is all some gamers need.