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The Thirsty Mage

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75 games reviewed
78.5 average score
80 median score
64.0% of games recommended

The Thirsty Mage's Reviews

7.5 / 10.0 - Warsaw
Oct 8, 2020

It is moments like these, through utilising minimalistic storytelling that relies upon the underlying gameplay mechanics, that reveal how the developers have successfully crafted a game that weaves together the experience of what many of the citizens of Warsaw experienced in the autumn of 1944 in a mostly respectful and reverent manner.

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8.5 / 10.0 - ScourgeBringer
Oct 21, 2020

The beautiful artwork and sprites are complemented by terrific sound design that gets the heart pumping in a good way. Those looking for a challenge and have the patience to withstand countless deaths, all in the name of incremental improvement have another title worth putting in many hours of roguelike joy.

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Few titles exist that feature one of the best combat systems ever created with a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Trails of Cold Steel IV is quite frankly one of the best RPGs I have ever played, and I cannot wait to see what the future of the franchise has in store.

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9 / 10.0 - The Red Lantern
Oct 27, 2020

Timberline Studios set out to make a narrative driven game and do so spectacularly. The story is told beautifully and the rewarding gameplay provides this fun roguelite with plenty of charm. The Red Lantern is a wonderfully immersive experience and one that will not be soon forgotten.

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9 / 10.0 - GONNER2
Oct 28, 2020

When it comes to roguelite shooters, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better offering than GoNNER 2. While certainly challenging and a bit obtuse at times, once things click you’ll find yourself having a hard time resisting the urge for another run.

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7 / 10.0 - Alwa's Legacy
Nov 2, 2020

Alwa's Legacy may seem like more of the same, but several aspects of its design help it to stand out among its peers. Unfortunately, the manner in which it’s distinct is not always a good thing.

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6.5 / 10.0 - Cloudpunk
Nov 5, 2020

Enjoyment of Cloudpunk is really going to boil down to whether or not you enjoy the story. As well developed as the characters are, the story doesn’t necessarily provide anything revolutionary or unique. The back and forth between Raina and her AI dog are often entertaining, and a few interesting personalities are met along the way, but unfortunately Cloudpunk just doesn’t quite do enough to maintain my interest.

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7.5 / 10.0 - Haven
Dec 3, 2020

Haven is a charming and endearing story of two people who have found and cultivated a meaningful and intimate relationship. By the end of the story, you’ll more than likely have grown attached to Kay and Yu; it’s easy to sympathize with what they’ve been through and the troubles they face on Source. Adding to the effectiveness of the characters is some truly fine writing and voice work to match.

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Dec 28, 2020

I can't imagine that many fans of the original Super Meat Boy won't love this new take on the formula. The levels have been masterfully crafted to accentuate the auto-run mechanic, and frankly it's refreshing to not have just another tough-as-nails platformer given their abundance on Switch eShop.

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Unfortunately the timing of its release couldn’t be worse. With the runaway success of Hades still fresh on the minds of Switch owners, the classic mystery dungeon crawling of Shiren comes off feeling much more older than it actually is.

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This game certainly changes things and while some tedium is erased, the attention on the story isn’t really worth it. Still the adrenaline pumping action fun is here along with some banger tracks.

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8 / 10.0 - No More Heroes
Jan 11, 2021

If you’ve yet to experience the joys of playing a game that’s not afraid to be fun then this port to the Switch is a must have for any action fan especially at this price. Even with some minor drawbacks of the mediocre mini games and pointless driving, the style and combat keep you shaking your beam katana all night long.

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9 / 10.0 - Cyber Shadow
Jan 25, 2021

Most fall short of this lofty goal, but every so often a game like Cyber Shadow manages to capture that special feeling of 8-bit gaming so perfectly. Made by a single developer, Aarne Hunziker, and with the help of a publisher who also managed to capture the NES magic in a bottle in Yacht Club Games, Cyber Shadow is just as enjoyable as any of the legendary titles in two-button gaming.

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Feb 1, 2021

In the case of Ys IX: Monstrum Nox, this joy originates from the complete freedom of exploring the beautiful and fascinating city of Balduq, and from the never ending optimism and sense of wonderment from the main protagonist, Adol Christin. Mix in a well paced story filled with twists and turns and a combat system that perfectly straddles the line between precision and chaos, and you have an experience as carefully crafted as the seemingly endless prison that is the focal point of the story.

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9 / 10.0 - UnderMine
Feb 12, 2021

Undermine is an excellent and challenging rogue-like that fans of the genre will enjoy. While it is more approachable than some of its counterparts, it still demands time and effort from the player and may not be for everyone. The 16-bit aesthetic may be alluring to novices of the genre, but be aware that the game is deep and challenging and depends on the player’s commitment in order to achieve maximum enjoyment.

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Feb 15, 2021

Enjoyment of Fallen Legion largely comes down to whether fighting battle after battle continues to feel fresh and if the prospect of panic inducing boss fights elevates your heart rate in a good way. The story is interesting and learning the fate of both Rowena and Lucien provides a degree of motivation to continue but certainly isn’t enough if combat becomes to feel like a slog.

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9 / 10.0 - Littlewood
Mar 1, 2021

I am looking forward to spending many seasons in my own village of Littlewood. The ease of play and streamlined mechanics make it a near-perfect fantasy world to escape into a hectic day. It is Stardew Valley without the stress of time; Animal Crossing: New Horizon, without the byzantine limits to work through; Ultima Online without the threat of being killed by, well, everything.

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8 / 10.0 - Gnosia
Mar 10, 2021

Gnosia on Nintendo Switch successfully creates a single player experience from the elements of the Werewolf style, social deduction genre that typically requires a group of people to play. The need for other human beings is made irrelevant by utilizing layers of randomly generated mechanics to control the actions of each individual character. A focus on an overall narrative and character development helps to keep the experience fresh during each subsequent playthrough, so long as the minimal variety of responses don’t grate on your nerves.

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8 / 10.0 - Star Renegades
Mar 25, 2021

With its beautiful visuals and solid combat mechanics, Star Renegades provides a solid strategic combat focused roguelite experience. With any roguelite, mileage will depend on the satisfaction gained from restarting each new loop. With story progression being minimal at best, figuring out how best to stagger an opponent is the main fuel that determines whether it’s worth sending that robot back in time, or just taking the first win and letting the rest of the multiverse deal with the Imperium threat on their own.

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6 / 10.0 - King of Seas
Jun 8, 2021

King of Seas feels like an early-access version of a game that doesn’t want to admit it’s still in early-access. There’s an interesting game waiting to be played beneath a sea of performance issues and incomplete design choices. When everything works and the design comes together, King of Seas is a delightful pirate romp that briefly holds in its hand the map leading to the treasure of a portable pirate adventure.

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