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Theseus feels like a small-team effort, and a middle-of-the-road one at that. The myth-turned-game concept is smart, but the execution and scope aren't where they need to be.
Writing that such a good looking, clearly heartfelt project isn't an awesome game frankly sucks. Literally just glimpsing these screenshots fills me with wonder once again. But I have to shake off those starry-eyes and remind myself of the fatigue and apathy I felt just halfway into Eshe's journey toward salvation or damnation.
With the easy 30-hour campaign behind me, I'm having a great deal of fun with the post-game content. There are new maps to unlock, new classes to discover, and daily quests I can conquer. I could easily stop playing now and dive into something a bit meatier, but the pleasant nature of Miitopia, as well as seeing so many poorly recreated famous faces in random roles, is a curio that deserves to be kept in my 3DS until I see it through to the very end.
Hey! Pikmin is a little too simplistic for its own good, especially early on, but Arzest does a fantastic job of distilling what makes this series so special into bite-sized chunks. The transition cutscenes that play out like physical comedy shorts and the adorable little noises really sell it.
Ultimately, while Accel World VS Sword Art Online: Millennium Twilight means well to try and merge what's cool about both Sword Art Online and Accel World, its high points are too few and far between to consider it a success.
Although I wasn't quite as attached to the characters as I had hoped, I did appreciate the medley of personalities and felt the world and its customs were admirably orchestrated within everyone's backstory. It might not be for everyone, but Pyre delivers on its fun gameplay in a way that beautifully illustrates the struggles of redemption and what it means to gain true freedom.
It's fascinating how Team Ninja is mostly catering to the hardcore crowd with this string of add-ons up through Nioh: Defiant Honor. You can't really just jump into these levels without having mastered everything up through the campaign, and although that mentality might feel a little unwelcoming for some, I feel like Koei Tecmo gets it, and knows their audience.
I kept thinking that Fallen Legion was a much more expensive game with just how it looked and sounded. The art and music are standouts, despite their modesty. Everything else would have greatly benefited from more polish, but there is great potential in these games. I cannot wait to see what the developers make next.
Were it not for the successful conversion of the multiplayer mode for this port, I would have rated this game lower. Even without an active player base, though, the prospect of getting friends involved for a night of classic fragging is really tantalizing. Hopefully more people get this in the future, because letting these crazy weapons go to waste is a damn shame.
If you're the type of person who tried Splatoon for a little while and gave up, Nintendo hasn't done a whole lot to change your mind outside of adding a horde mode. But with more concessions for higher-level play and a deeper meta, veterans will be jumping ship from Wii U to Switch in an instant. Here's hoping that Splatoon 2 gets even more long-term support and Salmon Run is free of the shackles of a "once in a while" event for those of you who don't have multiple Switches at your disposal.
While the characters are fun, much of their characterization comes from Go! Go! Nippon!, as does the idea of visiting various places to earn date points. Not talking about the locations much defeats the purpose of the traveling format, and the plot wavers between comedy, romance, and real drama too much to fully capture you on any point. The lack of accuracy on the country lessens the impact of the serious moments as well.
Fantastic Contraption isn't something I'll ever aspire to master or completely finish. Some people will, and they'll get a lot of mileage out of solving all 50 levels and pushing the basic toolset to its limits. For me, though, it's far more enjoyable as a laid-back, revisit-it-every-so-often toybox. Get in, narrowly clear a puzzle with a cobbled-together monstrosity, get out. That's how I roll, and while it's not exactly what I hoped and expected from this game, I can't complain too much. It's fun in spurts.
Spend enough time with Get Even and you're likely certain to see why it's so arresting. There's something unique and original and intriguing at the core of this game. But hey, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe this is just the Stockholm Syndrome talking.
As much fun as it is to share with loved ones, Death Squared is considerably more difficult than Snipperclips, which didn't even have a failure state. Even though it has a "party mode," it's not a game I'd advise pairing with alcohol, since fine motor control is one of the first things to go when you're hammered. If you're persistent and willing to work together though, Death Squared is a good time, and definitely worth picking up on the Switch.
I just wish I loved the rest of the game as much as I love the concept and art style. The music is repetitive and worse than what you'd hear on an elevator, and the randomness of the difficulty just isn't fun, at all. You could even say it's baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad.
De Mambo isn't the next big fighting game, nor did it deliver on all its promised content from its Kickstarter as it had been stated there would be a Zelda II-like campaign mode which isn't here, instead replaced by the short stage-based solo mode. That being said, I like De Mambo alright. It's a fun distraction to casually play with friends -- be they competitive or casual -- and will perhaps help hold us all over till a proper Smash Bros. releases on the Switch; much like how the developers waited for a 3DS version. This is one fun little dance.
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age, despite my misgivings, is a triumph that still holds up all these years later. Modern conveniences like upping the tempo of combat are far more valuable than the new coat of paint, and despite a slow-going narrative it's a blast to just roam the open countryside, mess around with Gambits, and go on hunts. Slowly but surely XII has wormed its way into my heart -- it only took 11 years.
I'm a big fan of the art style, animation, and cute yet creepy nature of Bulb Boy that reminds me of cartoons from my childhood. Like for real, this is probably the closest thing we will ever get to a proper Courage the Cowardly Dog game, so if you have nostalgia for that show, pick this up. The two-hour length and lack of replayability will probably be a turnoff for some, but if you're like me, you're desperate for content to play on your Nintendo Switch and for $9 you could do much, much worse. Trust me on that one.
For a title that is supposed to be $20, it would be hard to recommend That's You. At the low, low price of 'free' if you're a PlayStation Plus subscriber, you might as well pick it up. If you miss your chance now, I'd say watch for it to go on sale in the sub $10 range, because while fun, it's one of those games you only want to play once in a while for one round when all your friends are available.
Blowout Blast is another game I'll stuff in the "Kirby" folder on my 3DS, occasionally going back to it when I have a few moments to spare.