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Changeable Guardian Estique’s main appeal is the fact that it is a brand new NES game released in the 2020s. As such, if you’re able to, play it on the original hardware. If you decide to play it on a modern console, such as the Xbox, you’ll still have some fun with it, don’t get me wrong. You just won’t get that same sense of novelty, which is ultimately what makes this otherwise derivative shooter feel special in the first place.
All in all, sinful lack of mouse support aside, Jurassic World Evolution 2 is a pretty solid park and wildlife simulator that looks and runs well enough on Switch 2, filling a niche that had been sorely lacking in the system’s library thus far. The sheer amount of content, engaging gameplay loop, and added benefit of portability are more than enough to keep you busy for hours on end. And, of course, there’s the soothing voice of Jeff Goldblum occasionally telling you that you’re doing a good job. Is there anything better than that?
REANIMAL: The Prisoner is the first part of a DLC series to expand the world of REANIMAL. As such, it feels like the DLC is doing more setting up than it is providing a full experience. Whilst I did enjoy the game, I would recommend waiting for all three DLC chapters to come out before jumping into this one.
Even though there have been Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remasters for other systems in the past, this newest version for the Nintendo Switch 2 has them all beat. It combines every new addition and Quality of Life improvement from each iteration and provides them in one convenient package. The only drawback to this version (and yes, it’s kind of a big one) is that there are no save data transfers available from the Switch to the Switch 2. There is also no discounted upgrade path for existing owners of the Switch version.
I don’t understand the power of K-Pop, and K-Pop Idol Stories: Road to Debut did nothing to entice me down that road. It’s a complex and interesting simulation game, sure, but it feels like it’s full of broken glass and really confusing notions that you can only justify/make peace with if you’re eyeballs deep in stanning. If you really want to know what it’s like to have a group of women gradually sell their souls and pretend you’re not the Devil incarnate, then definitely pick up this game, pretend you’re one of the good ones and go make fleeting stars out of strangers you may be grooming.
I was eager to play Capy Castaway ever since I first saw it announced and was not disappointed. The beginning was a little slow, but it quickly opened up and had me completely hooked. I played the whole game from start to finish in about six hours, but I know there are things that I missed and I’m absolutely going to play through it again. It gave me that same warm, feel-good experience that I got from A Short Hike and A Tiny Sticker Tale.
Avatar games might not have enjoyed the best reputation over the past couple of decades, but Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game is on a completely different level. Not only is it a phenomenal feast for the eyes, but it’s also a genuinely excellent fighting game with responsive controls and an impressive amount of combat variety. It may not be overflowing with content just yet, but the development team has already promised more updates down the line. That, combined with its very appealing price tag, makes it even easier to recommend.
Look, if you’re all in on the whole Angel Engine thing and you want to be a part of the jumpscare universe, alright, get the game. But everything in me screams to get it on PC where the mouse and keyboard controls for all these twitchy little movements probably makes more sense. The bindings on a controller are whack and the hiccups of competent gameplay make it so very, very unenjoyable. And honestly, if your kid wants to giggle while they pee their pants, there are better games that do this and have storylines that aren’t brazenly for shock value.
Urban Strife is far from a polished AAA production. Its visuals and audio lack polish, the user interface needs refinement, and the enemy AI requires further improvement. Yet, if you’re willing to overlook those shortcomings, you’ll find an impressively deep and rewarding tactical experience underneath. Ultimately, games like this live or die by the quality of their gameplay, and White Pond Games has delivered where it matters most. The turn-based combat is engaging, thoughtful, and consistently satisfying, providing dozens of hours of strategic encounters that make the rough edges well tolerable.
For me, Temirana: The Lucky Princess and the Tragic Knights is a light read on a day off: it’s fun, not memorable, and inoffensively entertaining. Good, but not great.
Fans of MMOs and loot driven games will feel right at home here. There’s an enormous amount of content to sink your teeth into, and the additional Endless Ragnarok expansion only adds to that. The addictive Conflux roguelike mode is an absolute highlight, providing yet another compelling reason to keep coming back for “just one more run.”
I firmly believe that this is the best Splatoon title since the very first. It’s got degrees of complexity and madness that the most hardened minmaxer can appreciate, but it’s also crazy approachable in presentation, explanation and fun. It lets you focus on what you want: what weapons, how your base looks, your fashion and your burgeoning relationship with Shiver. This becomes your game. And, as such, it’s easily one of my favorites of the year.
Disgaea Mayhem ended up being far more entertaining than I expected, especially considering the initial wave of negative reviews it received. I even found myself enjoying its utterly idiotic premise and overlooking some of its gameplay shortcomings. It was quickly becoming one of those perfect “switch your brain off and have fun” kinds of games. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t have enough to offer in the long run.
An amazing surprise, without a doubt. I went into Star Ocean: The Second Story R knowing next to nothing about either the game or the franchise as a whole, and it completely won me over. It’s a gorgeous JRPG that more than makes up for its admittedly cookie cutter premise with a memorable cast, excellent presentation, and, above all else, an impressively deep gameplay system. You just have to push through its rather slow opening hour first. Do that, and you’ll be in for one hell of a ride.
While I still love the flow, pacing, and the health packs of the original, since that is my main source of memories and nostalgia, I feel this is a better option for those just now getting into it. It really cemented this opinion for me when my son was gushing over the details in this game that weren’t present in the original, like being able to hijack. Is it perfect? No, there are some things that need to be ironed out because of bugs and some odd settings, but overall this is a great nostalgic trip for older fans and a great entry point for newer fans.
EA Sports UFC 6 was a really nice surprise that I felt had a good amount of new content and core upgrades to the formula. Perhaps that’s because I went through a long gap, but I honestly think the core elements that they added here were for the better. Flow State, The Gym, Perks, the Hall of Fame, and general gameplay improvements all felt like great additions. I’d like to see a bit more effort go into the storytelling and writing for the story mode, but it offered a few hours of something a little bit different.
Fading Echo is a really great idea with some unique aspects which is exactly what I was hoping for when I first saw the game. I think Emeteria succeeded what they were going for and it is an overall enjoyable game. I do wish that there was more variety in combat and enemies, it just got quite a bit repetitive in that aspect. However, the puzzle design is great and that is what kept me engaged throughout.
I didn’t hate my time with Amnesia: Rebirth. It was nice to see the series continue on Nintendo consoles, but the game feels far more dated than it really should. Between the disappointing performance and the step backwards in gameplay, it ends up feeling older than some of its predecessors. Perhaps it’s just a speed bump on the road to Amnesia: The Bunker. If that’s the case, then at least Frictional Games clearly learned a few valuable lessons along the way.
I really enjoyed my time with Dark Scrolls. If I’m being honest, dear reader, it took a few runs before everything finally clicked, but once it did, I could really see what Doinksoft was going for. In fact, I ended up finding it noticeably easier than Demon Throttle. It’s still a fairly niche game, though, one aimed squarely at players who love the NES era of gaming, and don’t mind a healthy dose of roguelike progression. If that sounds like your kind of thing, the variety between runs does a great job of keeping you coming back for more.
If you’re looking for a solid cooperative horror experience, The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu has plenty to offer thanks to its inventive sanity system and genuinely tense, sprawling environments. At the same time, it can become repetitive as you’re asked to revisit the same maps and face the same enemies over and over again.