Game8's Reviews
Warning: Pokémon Pokopia is very addictive. Although it suffers from one-note dialogue and gates your progress in real-world hours, its clever systems and gameplay loop make it one of—if not the—best spinoffs in Nintendo’s arsenal. Even dozens of hours later, I’m still surprised that somewhere between tending gardens and chasing Pokémon traces, I found rebuilding the world to be just as satisfying as conquering the Pokémon League.
Resident Evil Village remains one of the more experimental entries in the Resident Evil franchise, and the experience translates well to the Switch 2. With stable performance in docked mode, and only minor stutters in handheld, this port is a great way to experience Village's defining gameplay. Even if the narrative isn't the strongest in the series, the solid technical performance for the game's blend of action and horror, makes this port an easy recommendation for players wanting to experience—or revisit—Ethan Winters on Switch 2.
Scott Pilgrim EX is a great game built for a very specific crowd. Its deliberate arcade-style beat ’em up design limits broad appeal, but fans of the genre, art style, or IP will find little to complain about. It’s cheesy, wacky, unapologetically retro, and simply EXceptional.
If I can only give you one reason to buy this game, it would have to be its musical score. Each scene is elevated by a masterful orchestral soundtrack that transforms puzzles, exploration, and emotional beats into something cinematic and unforgettable. While the core gameplay of Lana and Mui navigating puzzles remains familiar, Planet of Lana 2 shines in how it builds and evolves the storytelling.
NeverGrave: The Witch and the Curse has highs and lows of its own, but Dead Cells is unmistakably in its DNA. From the parasitic true protagonist inhabiting bodies to the dramatic door slams after each clear, fans of one will recognize the appeal of the other. Still, NeverGrave falls short in audio and storytelling, even as its original ideas help keep things feeling fresh, but a mere copy, it is not.
Tales of Berseria Remake is a welcome release to update the greatest tale of the Tales series to the modern settings. However, unlike the previous Tales remakes, the additions are empty beyond the addition of the DLCs. Still, it's worth purchasing if only to get a higher quality version of one of the greatest titles of the series.
Requiem is a triumph of modern Resident Evil, with alternating perspectives between Grace and Leon keeping the pacing dynamic, puzzles that challenge your wits, and exploration that rewards careful observation. The gameplay loop feels both familiar and refined, all while weaving decades of Resident Evil lore into a coherent, satisfying narrative. With its depth, content, and meticulously crafted gameplay, Requiem earns a confident recommendation as a must-buy for fans and newcomers alike.
I didn’t expect the Ys series to pull a Persona 5 Royal and drop a definitive edition so soon after the 2023 release, but here we are. Ys X: Proud Nordics is the best way to play this chapter of Adol’s life, thanks to a solid side story and great additions to its gameplay. Does it justify a second purchase for returning players? Not really. But it is still a great action RPG regardless, especially for those who have yet to play the game.
NORSE: Oath of Blood is a decent Viking-themed turn-based title whose strengths lie in its well-told narrative, gripping voice acting, and interesting characters and dialogue. However, it’s hindered by its plethora of visual and in-game bugs, as well as several unpolished odds and ends here and there that only add to a frustrating experience.
Sons of Sparta feels unnecessary, a prequel few expected and one that adds little to the wider God of War saga. Still, on its own merits, it’s polished and impressive, with strong mechanics, striking visuals, and standout voice work. More indulgent side story than essential chapter, but a solid one nonetheless.
Space may be the final frontier, but this game clearly needed one more trip through QA. The combat rarely clicks, and the voice acting and animation struggle to keep pace, yet the resource management is sublime and the UI design genuinely excellent. Focus on its strategic and narrative strengths, and this Trekkie adventure might still live long and prosper in memory.
Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse delivers a much more intimate mystery by focusing on personal emotional arcs and a cast of characters that feel really well-developed. The experience, though, is occasionally weighed down by a lot of expository lore dumps. Nevertheless, it is a clever mystery game that manages to stay interesting until the very end.
Cyanide Studios created a third game that makes stealth feel even more rewarding in Styx: Blades of Greed. While the nine-year wait doesn’t make it seem much bigger at a glance, the new open-world design places greater emphasis on traversal and exploration, for better or worse.
There’s some charm here in Calamity Angels: Special Delivery, and I can’t deny that I liked spending time with the cast, but its gameplay keeps getting in its own way. The game has a fun concept and a strong personality, yet the random combat and repetitive delivery loop make it harder to enjoy than it should be. It’s not terrible, but it never rises above being a mildly entertaining JRPG that feels stuck so down below its potential.
High on Life 2 is Squanch Games’ second chaotic ride, and it’s as wild as it is messy. Stellar voice acting and striking visuals shine, but middling gameplay and rough optimization hold it back. It’s a mixed bag of highs and lows, and if that chaos appeals to you, we won’t judge, though your guns might.
Tokyo Scramble feels like a title scrambled together just to get a release up on the Nintendo Switch 2. Despite having some good ideas here and there, it’s overall very unpolished, messy, and full of wrinkles that shouldn’t have even left the QA stage.
REANIMAL is a game that takes everything Tarsier perfected in Little Nightmares and sharpens it into something darker, more relentless, and emotionally punishing. It rewards patience, observation, and careful thinking, but it doesn’t coddle you—the world is cruel and the horror lingers long after each encounter. It’s a more ruthless evolution of the formula, delivering a tense, interconnected journey that stands on its own while building on Tarsier’s legacy.
Mario Tennis Fever follows the classic Super Mario Sports formula, emphasizing simplicity and fun. While it retains the core gameplay identity, it suffers from several issues, including a lackluster Adventure Mode, hit-and-miss supplementary game modes, and a new, gimmicky mechanic in Fever. It’s a good party game, but it doesn’t have enough to make it worth the price or the time.
It’s hard not to feel conflicted about Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties, because while it plays smoother and looks cleaner, many of its story changes and cut content weaken what originally worked. The remake still has solid moments, especially with Dad Kiryu, but combat, pacing, and Dark Ties often feel shallow or stretched out. It’s not a bad time, just a messy step forward that doesn’t fully honor what makes the Yakuza series work.
While not a true successor, Mewgenics carries The Binding of Isaac’s roguelike spirit through its sharp cat-based tactics, dense content, and clear devotion to McMillen’s ideal vision. It’s pricey, brutally slow, and unapologetically harsh, but its addictive music, bizarre systems, and deep strategy make it hard to put down. Not quite purrfect, but very close.