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Playing Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun on the Switch 2 has been a real treat. It is still one of my favorite stealth games of all time, taking the classic stealth formula and giving it a clever puzzle like twist that makes every encounter feel thoughtful and rewarding. The game constantly tests your skills with excellent level design that encourages creativity, experimentation, and patience, rather than brute force. Figuring out the perfect plan, watching it fall apart, and then finally pulling it off never gets old.
I loved my time with Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War. In fact, this is one of the most commendable licensed games I’ve played in a long time, using videogames as a way to expand the franchise’s lore in a way only this medium is able to. Furthermore, this is an amazing, ultraviolent shooter that won me over with its fast-paced gameplay, extraordinary level design, and its hilarious live action propaganda cutscenes.
Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf is a really fantastic sequel that not only stays true to itself, but adds in plenty to expand upon its story and gameplay without feeling unnecessary. While I would have liked it to be a bit longer so we could have fleshed out some more of the other tribe and the ideas of preservation, Lana’s new adventure doesn’t disappoint.
The characters and areas are charming, the puzzles are fun, but the combat is slacking by comparison and there’s not really any music that’s quite as memorable. Still though, this is well worth playing if you get the chance. It’s not massively long so it’s less of a time commitment by comparison, and most Paper Mario fans will be able to get into it.
All in all, The Disney Afternoon Collection is an equal balance of nostalgia, historic artifice and a celebration of IP gaming that soars and falls in equal measures. These games are far from perfect, but they’re relevant and enjoyable, and anyone who wants to admire the throwbacks from yesteryear owes it to themselves to pick up a copy and have it proudly on their homescreen or shelves. I would love to get a physical at some point, but you know these things sell fast, so hurry if you want to grab one yourself.
If you’re looking for an exciting career mode, licensed teams and a more AAA-esque coat of paint, then eBaseball: Pro Spirit is not the game for – just stick to MLB The Show for that matter. But if you’re unwilling to spend a hefty sum for each new MLB The Show iteration, and all you really want is a pretty, competent, and responsive baseball simulator, one which is very forgiving to newcomers and perfect for quick, local matches, then Konami’s brand new F2P sports game does a remarkably good job in that aspect. Just understand its scope is very limited. Then again, you’re not paying for it, so that’s still a lot of bang for your nonexistent buck, regardless.
GreedFall: The Dying World is not a bad RPG, but it’s a gigantic disappointment. It’s too much of a deviation from what made the first GreedFall feel like a breath of fresh air, with a ton of questionable design decisions, often feeling unnecessary or pointless. The new (and overly punitive) combat system won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, and the story takes ages to become tolerable. Not to mention an irritating amount of bugs constantly annoying you and breaking your immersion.
The Pirate: Republic of Nassau is a game that I would recommend to anyone that is looking for a that itch they had with Sid Meier’s Pirates!, but always wanted a bit more, and also wants it in VR. While its individual aspects still need some work coming out of early access, I found myself sinking hours into this very easily and enjoying it a ton. I can see this being an absolute classic and a must have for any VR pirate fan, especially if the developers keep listening to the feedback and updating the game.
Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake is better than I expected. Team Ninja has given the game the love and care that it needs, whilst making some bold changes to the core gameplay that make it more exciting than ever before. With tense camera-based combat and a fantastic story that will pull you in from beginning to end. It’s not perfect, and there are a few rough edges, but I urge fans of the franchise and newcomers to check this one out. Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake remains a beautifully horrifying experience.
Considering how bad its predecessors were, this game is easily the best in the trilogy so far, and a clear indication Eden Games has taken fan feedback seriously. It is obviously hampered by the Switch 2’s lack of analog triggers (and it’s not Gamecube controller compatible), but its physics are decent, its responsiveness is good enough, and its framerate is excellent. It does everything it needs to do, it gets the job done in a decent enough state.
The amount of enjoyment you’ll get from Poker Night at the Inventory depends heavily on both your love of poker and knowledge of these relics from another time.
PARANORMASIGHT: The Mermaid’s Curse is a wonderful follow-up to the The Seven Mysteries of Honjo. You won’t need to have played the first game to understand this one, but there are a few references to characters and events from that game that will give fans of the first an extra layer of appreciation. The pacing is can be rough, especially during the opening hour or so, but beyond that is a game that has plenty of twists, turns, and thought-provoking themes.
Resident Evil Requiem might not be my absolute favourite entry in the franchise, but it gets really damn close. It’s easily one of the most ambitious games in the series to date, somehow balancing two completely different gameplay styles while still delivering some of the most thrilling scares I’ve had in a horror game. Then it shifts gears into full-blown, over-the-top action, backed by a ridiculously compelling story.
Scott Pilgrim EX is so smooth, so fluid, and so easy to get into that you forget about everything else the moment you and your friends are in the mix, brawling and riffing and doing everything under the sun and space together. It’s seamless in loads between areas, the cohesion is top notch for areas and monsters, the loot drops are generous so you can keep buying health and equipment and my kids, who haven’t consumed any Scott Pilgrim media, were full on board from the drop.
It’s been nearly ten years, but Resident Evil 7 hasn’t aged a day. Its brand new Switch 2 port not only showcases that its gameplay is still fresh and tense after all these years, but also showcases how well Nintendo’s portable can handle some of the more demanding games from the previous generation, with a handful of improvements to make it look as good as its current-gen counterparts.
If you even just LIKED Cult of the Lamb, whether you were interested in the actual “cult” part or not, Woolhaven is well worth diving back into the game for. New weapons, new enemies, new bosses, new cult members, and the GOAT cult leader.
While this doesn’t have as long of a tail as Infernax and other great modern NES inspired games, Prison City is a damn fun time with a solid soundtrack, excellent graphics and some truly fun gameplay. Developers who show what’s possible to pull off with the designs of old have a special place in my heart, and I really had a blast as the game got more and more bananas. There’s a great time to be held whether you’re slowly trudging through or actively trying to speedrun, and anyone who grew up loving Commando and Heavy Barrel will have a blast.
Unfortunately, despite me really wanting to like and recommend NORSE: Oath of Blood, it seemed to fight me at every turn. There is something here that I hope will eventually be great. Perhaps in a few more months, after a handful of patches, this can be something good, because the foundation is there. Combat is fun, and there is a nice variety of moves and combinations with the attacks. While I would like a bit more freedom with the base building, I can see how a more streamlined version would appeal to some. However, none of this can shine in the state it is currently in.
Saying that Tokyo Xtreme Racer feels like I’m playing a niche, mid-tier title from the PS2 era is not a point of criticism in this case. Even if it’s not aiming for the same kind of realism and impressive scopes seen in more recent racing gaming franchises, I can easily say there is nothing else like it out in the market. It perfectly oozes the easygoing vibes from that era of consoles without the graphical or resolution limitations from the period.
My verdict for this re-release of City Hunter is similar to pretty much any other subpar licensed game I have ever tested. If you’re a fan of the source material, as niche as it might be nowadays, you might enjoy it for a few minutes, as this is the only City Hunter game that has ever been developed and released. If you’re not part of this very specific demographic, then there’s nothing about this game that will either make you enjoy it, or turn you into a fan of the manga.