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Obviously the shooter or sports crowd won't play this; it's aimed for a certain niche. For those people, no aspect of Blue Reflection is at all bad, but I just get the feeling that rather than focus on fleshing out a few things, they tried to incorporate too many that all ended up quite shallow. Nothing here will anger or upset you, but nothing will amaze or move you either. It's a steady, repetitive line to the end without any sort of escalation, but not everything need to be full of crazy turns and ups and downs.
I enjoyed the core concept, and learning the best path to finish line (even if you're still forced to go through a finish line outside of a neat exploration mode), but every now and again there'd be a stutter. It's not game-breaking by any means, but it'd certainly interrupt the brief moment of zen I'd get trying to beat my finish times.
The strength of Kingdom is in its trial-and-error learning.
Quite a good show for a new studio. Tasteful presentation and a great sense of atmosphere manage to elevate it above the issues I had with the scope of the game. If you're looking for something spooky to play during the Halloween season, you could definitely do worse. Like whatever new entry in an annual horror series is going to be announced and released in the span of two weeks when October arrives.
If you weren't a fan of the past Senran Kagura games and considered them far too raunchy, Peach Beach Splash isn't going to change your mind. But for me, it manages to balance fan service with fun and engaging gameplay; albeit not very challenging or complex gameplay, thanks in part to some of the worst AI I've experienced in a long while. If large wet anime chests float your boat, you'll be right at home with Senran Kagura: Peach Beach Splash.
SteamWorld Dig 2 is a worthy addition to any library, but stands out on the Switch because it works great as a portable game and also looks amazing on a big TV. I took about 15 hours to track down every collectible, but it'll probably take most people around ten for their first playthrough. It's perfectly playable with the Joy-Con, but I used a Pro Controller for most of the game to take advantage of the cross pad. If you haven't gotten your fill of Metroid gameplay after playing Samus Returns, you'll definitely enjoy delving into SteamWorld Dig 2.
West of Loathing may not be perfect, but it never needed to be. What it gives us, instead, is one of the funniest goddamn games I've played all year. I may be a bit late to the party, but I'm really glad that I gave it a chance. Anything capable of making me smile this much is an absolute blessing. This is something truly special, and I can't wait to see what the developers at Asymmetric have in store for us next.
With online multiplayer being as wonky as it is, there isn't much else to do beyond playing through the arcade mode. Samurai Shodown V Special is a fun experience, but can feel a little like solitary confinement at times. Though with local multiplayer, this is remedied quite easily and Special becomes as special as it was all those years ago.
One week isn't enough to really understand everything about this game. The campaign is complete, but there is much still to do with the post-game content, trophies and what I can only assume are many more mysteries I can solve. Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony is not a game you should just read about or watch a Let's Play of on YouTube. It's a game that absolutely demands 40 hours or more of your time. You must experience it first-hand if you truly want to understand what Team Danganronpa is trying to tell us.
Maybe I nitpicked Definitive Edition into oblivion, but there isn't a justification for such a wonky product that's the latest in a long line of ports.
Ironically, Atomega's fatal flaw is that it never grew to its full potential. It's a mostly-unique multiplayer game that's good until it's too familiar. Once it's too familiar, it's too small and simple for its own good. Call it growing pains.
I feel like Capcom finally was able to settle on a formula that doesn't feel too experimental, while at the same time not being so safe that it's a bore. Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite is sterile on the surface, but a functional as hell fighter. I'm fine with that. Are you?
Pokkén Tournament DX won't exactly draw in those who aren't interested in fighting games or who've already played the version released on the Wii U, but it does offer a fun system to fool around with to those waiting for a train or sitting on a toilet or something.
But apart from all this, aside from all the little flaws and the feeling of tedium that permeated large portions of my experience with ARK: Survival Evolved, I can't fault the game for what it is, which is one of the best in its genre -- even if after playing it, like Willard after his mission from Apocalypse Now, I'll never want another. If any of this sounds good to you and the prospect of a straight climb up a wall full of spikes to experience the multiplayer is not intimidating, add a couple of points onto my final score; you will probably find a lot to love here.
Hiveswap: Act 1 is pretty short, and took me about two hours to play through from start to finish. It sets its hooks well though, and I'm looking forward to the next installment.
Maybe the next 2D Metroid will take more chances, but Returns is far better than I expected it to be. The faux magic system, while shallow, adds some panache to the action, as do the combat animations that work within the confines of the engine.
I can easily recommend Tooth and Tail for anyone who enjoys the genre, even if you don't care for multiplayer. The story mode is robust and greatly enjoyable, but the multiplayer still has all the bells and whistles that veterans expect by now like replays and post-match graphs. I hope that a strong community forms around Tooth and Tail because it has rekindled my love of RTS games.
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare was an acceptable ride from start to finish, but that just isn't enough. It didn't hit the same lows as Ghosts, but it really exposed how long in the tooth Infinity Ward is getting. If Sledgehammer's WWII has a strong debut, they'll without question be the weakest of the three, and Retribution hasn't really helped their case. Saved by the zombies!
Fans of Psychic Force or the first two Senko no Ronde games will likely find plenty to be happy about with this release. It's a very different kind of game which you just can't find elsewhere but I fear that the entry requirement for new players may be too high for them to bother. It took over ten years for the west to receive another Senko no Ronde game for the region, but it looks like this new release is fated to follow the same path as its predecessor.
I haven't seen a world this interesting in horror for a while. I apparently took 62 screenshots while playing, and that goes to show how much there is to take in. A few minor technical flaws keep me from giving it a perfect score, but Observer is one of my favorite games in a year that has much to offer.