Starbit's Reviews
Opencritic - Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom - Prince's Edition, a princely version of a marvelous JRPG that brings all the previous DLC under one package and which does a great job on the Nintendo Switch, despite some technical limitations. With an excellent combat system, an art style that's a marvel to look at, and a very rewarding exploration, this version of Ni No Kuni II will fall perfectly on the shelves of any fan of JRPGs.
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SkateBIRD is a fun and simple skateboarding game that instead of following the tenets of its counterparts with licensed content, rather goes for a free and comedy-filled approach to its settings, and it works very well thanks to a sharp gameplay that feels just right. Not all is perfect, however, and its camera issues can get frustrating, while its main mechanic for performing more complex moves is mostly unnecessary, but SkateBIRD does a good job at delivering a no-frills and enjoyable experience that fans of skateboarding will undoubtedly enjoy.
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Full of reference material, any long-running fan of Dragon Ball will marvel at the game world, soundtrack, and voice work. This is also a top-notch conversion work, with the Nintendo Switch handling this gem with impressive skill. Those less keen on Dragon Ball will be less impressed and are most likely to spot the game's flaws, namely how its world is smaller than those of other JRPG games, and the excessive repetition of the same dialogue lines. As it is, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is mostly aimed at fans.
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It was about time the Nintendo Switch welcomes a WarioWare game in its catalogue, and Get It Together! is just what we could wish for. With its gameplay formula unchanged, Get It Together! brings us 200 new microgames, a brand new story mode, and weekly online challenges. The result is an effort that carries the baton from one generation to the next, and which will keep players delighted with the series' unusual humour for a long time, both solo and on multiplayer.
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Metroid Dread had a big responsibility ahead but once we start playing it, we realize that not only does it tick all the boxes, it does so with exceptional gusto. What we have here is a masterfully done work that brings Metroid up to today's standards while remaining loyal to its classic formula, and it does so at every single level, from its beautiful locations to its merciless difficulty, long-lasting lifespan, in-depth plot, slick and sharp performance, and frantic combat, Metroid Dread is an essential classic. The Nintendo Switch is a richer console for having it in its catalogue.
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Although the main mechanics remain the same, there's a new addition to the gameplay that distinguishes this final chapter from its predecessors - here players will incarnate different groups of characters and help each other in the exploration process. This adds a new layer of variety to the game, but also slows down its pacing. While not everyone will embrace this dimension, Mary Skelter Finale is a worthy ending to the trilogy, and one that can be enjoyed by veterans and newcomers.
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Inked: A Tale of Love is a moving, if rather short, puzzle adventure that does not attempt to revolutionize the experience but delivers a lovely time through very well designed levels and a unique visual world. The difficulty does not stand out, as the purpose is not to present players with a painstaking challenge, but the way this relaxing and touching experience is implemented is nothing short of remarkable. Pity for its very short length.
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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