Starbit's Reviews
Bob Help Them is a fun, no-frills puzzle game that offers a simple and accessible experience which suits the Nintendo Switch handheld format perfectly. At the same time, its simplicity is also the game's Achilles' Heel - while it's possible to obtain more from the game than just solving every task, there's little here that differentiates Bob Help Them from many other puzzle games on the console's catalogue with higher production values.
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Pako Caravan is a successful take on one of the most recognizable mobile gaming formulas of the last twenty years. Simple, because this is not about being very ambitious, but effective, fun, and motivating, that's all that's needed - and it looks lovely, too. One of the best renovations of an instant classic, Pako Caravan is perfect for anyone looking for quick and accessible harmless fun.
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Stilstand may be a short experience but it doesn't refrain from going deep, namely by delving into concerns about our mental health that have become more and more prominent during the global pandemic. Stilstand gets it right when it comes to capturing our attention with a captivating plot and a very relevant topic, while its art style and soundtrack encapsulate the theme without flaw. The only problem that needs to be pointed out is its length - we can only wish Stilstand was a longer game.
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Dying Light: Platinum Edition is given a Nintendo Switch adaptation under a special edition that includes all the contents released over the last six years. Not only is there plenty of content here to explore, but this is an absolute marvel of a conversion that keeps all the good things about the original game intact and which acts as a benchmark for more ambitious conversions to the Switch.
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The exploration and interaction with the other characters are marvelous, and the game's visual style is nothing short of charming. At the same time, the game's combat system, with a lot of wasted time and too many random encounters, can make the experience less enjoying and Cris Tales would certainly benefit from fewer such instances and a more fluid combat.
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SOLAS 128 is a puzzle game that puts the player in the centre of a growing, major challenge and that with its steep but by no means unfair difficulty curve, and growing but manageable challenge level, provides a fantastic experience for fans of puzzle games, all this surrounded by a simple but very fitting art style. An essential work for fans of puzzle games.
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While this choice may be unorthodox, Astria Ascending does a marvelous job at providing its players with a finely executed combat system, as well as a very engaging sense of character progression. Completionists too will enjoy clearing every single path for the development of the game's characters. Set amid a visually gorgeous world, Astria Ascending could have invested more in its plot, which is rather generic and unoriginal, but fans of JRPGs who can look beyond that will find a very fun and absorbing work landing on their Nintendo Switch.
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Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl do a very good job at fulfilling their primary mission: to bring the fourth generation of Pokémon to the contemporary age. They should have gone further, though, as the lack of creative freedom and clinging to the original formulae happen at the expense of adding new elements. This is not to say that this effort is not a great addition to the Nintendo Switch catalogue, far from that - what made the original games fantastic is still here and there are indeed improvements to some of the original mechanics, but the approach followed was perhaps a tad too conservative for what's expected of a Pokémon remake.
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These two games are very much appreciated by their fans and it was high time to give them a modern release. Alas, this compilation doesn't try to go beyond a mere direct port without any additional value and as a consequence, their flaws only become more apparent before today's audience. The two games are still fun to play and their combat systems very interesting, but other than longtime fans, the rest of the audience won't find reasons to be interested.
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As an action-packed experience, OctaFight does a good job, even if its heavily pixellated art style can make things confusing sometimes. Where OctaFight loses its appeal is in its limited format - the only way to play this game is in local multiplayer, with no single player or online multiplayer included. Not only this makes options very narrow for many players, it's also impossible to understand in the context of reinforcing public health measures against the pandemic.
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Simple and straightforward, as expected from games aimed at young audiences, Ayo features an attractive environment and competent level design. Unfortunately the experience turns out to be far less enjoyable, mostly due to a rather poor execution of the game's controls. It's fundamental for a platformer to have well implemented controls, but Ayo is far from successful at translating the player's inputs into acts and establishing a link between the player and lead character.
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With its in-depth but still accessible combat system and a great look when it comes to its visual worlds and character depiction, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl needs nevertheless to improve its technical performance given its propensity to fluidity issues. Performance issues notwithstanding, this is a great package of fan service and those with a taste for Nickelodeon animation series will be delighted with this effort.
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Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic on the Nintendo Switch is a conversion work that was perfectly carried out and which brings the much beloved RPG to a new format in all its glory. Fans of the series and of the original game will appreciate this effort, even if the original's point and click elements are gone and there is no use for the Nintendo Switch touch screen. At the same time, this won't captivate members of the public outside the original fans, given how outdated some of the gameplay mechanics have become.
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Crysis Remastered Trilogy is the first time all three games of this remarkable FPS series have appeared on a Nintendo system, and there's nothing but compliments to say about it. The conversion work has been carried out impeccably well and players will find a smooth, slick and exquisite experience throughout the whole play. Missing nothing but a multiplayer mode, which would do wonders, Crysis Remastered Trilogy is an excellent debut for the series on a Nintendo console.
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Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water brings back a game from seven years ago under the shape of a remaster with additional content. This survival horror brings its fair share of fear-inspiring tense moments, as well as intertwined character stories and very good level design that encourages players to explore. Its control system needs to be tweaked, though, as the actions should be better mapped, but while there are occasional performance issues, this is an overall great work, and one that deserves its place in the Nintendo Switch.
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High paced action, with climatic boss fights, a sharp and slick weapon management system, and a very welcoming combat system aren't harmed by the game's rather dated graphics and its underachieving plot, and the fun that can be extracted from this experience has made Ultra Age more than earn its place within the Nintendo Switch catalogue.
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Darksiders III gets its shot on the Nintendo Switch, in a conversion work that includes the whole content of the original, now with the added advantage of being able to play anywhere. Alas, there aren't many more factors working in its favour. Not only does this version come with no additional content whatsoever - which would be very welcome, three years after its release - but its sub-par technical performance makes it increasingly frustrating as the game gets more ambitious.
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Gynoug is not one of the most common 16-bit games that we see getting a re-release these days, but this 30-year-old 2D shooter deserves to be more known among today's gamers. With the typical punishing difficulty of its time and very packed scenarios that will keep the players extremely busy, Gynoug also comes with the usual options to recreate an experience as close to the original as possible.
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Tetris Effect: Connected doesn't just deliver a magnificent Tetris experience, it raises it to a threshold most of us didn't dare to dream. This true sensorial experience delivers an absolutely exquisite work at all levels, while keeping the formula and magic of the original game intact, and adds additional game modes that only reinforce how magnificent the experience is. No Nintendo Switch should go without Tetris Effect: Connected.
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Thanks to its modern treatment of previous Mario Party boards, as well as a slick gameplay experience and an ease of access that makes it simple for everyone to enjoy, Mario Party Superstars is one of the finest party games in the modern era, and a gorgeous-looking effort too.
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