[Review] Chaos;Head Noah / Chaos;Child Double Pack
Posted on 1 year ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release Date: October 7, 2022
Developer: Mages
Publisher: Spike Chunsoft
The Science Adventure series by Mages has long been a popular series thanks to the explosive Steins;Gate that captivated audiences over a decade ago, but outside of Japan, it has always seen spotty launch schedules and with entries that aren’t necessarily in chronological order. Though this hasn’t been entirely problematic due to the mostly standalone nature of every entry, one of the most highly requested for some time was the game that began it all: Chaos;Head. With the Double Pack on Switch, we’re now finally seeing Chaos;Head localized for the first time with its updated Chaos;Head Noah version seen in 2009 packaged in with Chaos;Child which had been previously released in the west on PS Vita. As masters of the visual novel genre, Mages has once again provided a package that is must-have for fans of the Science Adventure series, and for those that have yet to play any of them, what better place to drop in than with the original games that started it all?
[Review] Splatoon 3
Posted on 1 year ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release Date: September 9, 2022
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
It’s hard to believe that such a fresh property like Splatoon has already been around for seven years, but Nintendo’s IP that introduced the cute little humanoid squids known as Inklings quickly resonated with fans despite being on the commercial failure that was the Wii U. It was when Splatoon 2 took off, however, that the franchise truly found its following thanks to the Switch’s success. Interestingly, the quick turnaround rate of two years for Splatoon 2 to release made the game feel almost too familiar. But to the uninitiated, Splatoon 2 gave those same feelings that Splatoon 1 did to those that owned a Wii U. Meanwhile, Splatoon 3 had a chance to marinate for years – five years to be exact – and has seen vast improvements to the overall structure of the game and its heavily-focused online portion that doesn’t feel anywhere near as dated, bringing the game and its multiplayer inking glory to the modern day while looking as beautiful as ever.
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[Review] Digimon Survive
Posted on 1 year ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release Date: July 29, 2022
Developer: Hyde
Publisher: Bandai Namco
From the Digimon tri. films to the dark Cyber Sleuth games, Digimon has seen renewed life in recent years with its new focus and emphasis on more somber tones and older, relatable characters. It’s no surprise then that Digimon Survive would once again continue this new vision and provide what is interestingly its most thought-provoking entry yet. The game features a deep and rich story, and it’s all implemented within a tactical RPG that’s rewarding, engaging, and worthy of the Digimon name.
[Review] Hindsight
Posted on 1 year ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release Date: August 4, 2022
Developer: Team Hindsight
Publisher: Annapurna Interactive
A few months back, Nintendo Everything was invited to a personal discussion and presentation regarding Hindsight with developers Joel McDonald and Emma Kidwell, courtesy of Annapurna, which gave us a closer look at their new outing in wanting to provide a palpable and intimate story of life, its values, and the things we hold dear (and why). It was an insightful showcase that opened our eyes, and the eagerness to experience more of the protagonist Mary’s timeline of events only grew with each passing thought. Now after a three-hour playthrough before rolling credits on Hindsight, it’s arguably one of the most authentic, relatable, and well-established narratives on the topic in quite some time.
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[Review] Azure Striker Gunvolt 3
Posted on 2 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release Date: July 28, 2022
Developer: Inti Creates
Publisher: Inti Creates
It’s hard to believe it’s been almost ten years since Azure Striker Gunvolt debuted on 3DS, having spawned sequels and spinoffs since then. All of these games expanded the universe and repertoire of Inti Creates’ expertise in 2D platforming that rightfully feels like a modern spiritual successor and take on the Mega Man formula. Now with Azure Striker Gunvolt 3, the studio has bumped production up tenfold and created arguably the best in the series yet, with tons of optimization, upgrades, and options to make it the most approachable and enjoyable game so far.
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[Review] Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes
Posted on 2 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release Date: June 24, 2022
Developer: Koei Tecmo / Omega Force
Publisher: Nintendo
Warriors games have done exceptionally well at providing a strategic hack-and-slash experience, and Koei Tecmo has done a wonderful job at adapting many different properties into that format. In the case of Fire Emblem, it’s primarily been under the umbrella of strategy RPGs since its inception, but throughout the years we’ve seen it grow and become something more, turning into quite a deep experience. With so much to take into account when expanding on the Fire Emblem universe and given that Warriors games typically provide a straightforward experience, it’s incredible to see Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes essentially become a semi-sequel to Three Houses, as this is not just Fire Emblem Warriors 2, but genuinely feels like a brand-new Fire Emblem game where the battles are essentially replaced with Omega Force’s prowess in action-focused combat. Fire Emblem and Warriors titles both have a long history and have seen some fan favorites, yet marrying them together once more has created arguably one of the best games for both properties.
[Review] Yurukill: The Calumniation Games
Posted on 2 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release Date: July 5, 2022
Developer: IzanagiGames / G.rev / Esquadra
Publisher: NIS America
Yurukill: The Calumniation Games is almost a wonderful new version of the Danganronpa formula, this time pitting a bunch of a group of prisoners and executioner’s against each other as the former try to prove their innocence to the latter in a sequence of mini-games and theme park attractions that closely resemble former moments of their lives – most notably the crimes they’ve committed. It’s a fantastic amalgam of murder-mystery-driven plot devices, shoot ’em ups, visual novels, and questionnaires that works exceptionally over a beautiful explosion of colors and flair that makes the game as a whole an attraction of its own.
[Preview] Hindsight
Posted on 2 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Previews, Switch | 0 comments
What if the physical objects of every day life, the possessions we hold close, were actual windows to the past? It’s a question that many have thought of as we fiddle with theories of time travel and reminiscing about the days of old, and is also the question that starts off the summary for Hindsight, the new narrative-driven adventure game developed by Joel McDonald and published by Annapurna Interactive. Heirlooms, hand-me-downs, and gifts from loved ones all hold some sort of sentimental value to all of us, regardless of what the object in question may be, and we’re immediately transported through our thoughts to a specific time or memory of a person. What Hindsight does is take that in a more literal sense and uses that as a gameplay mechanic to drive the story forward of the protagonist, Mary, who ultimately faces a part of life we all have or eventually will: handling the belongings of loved ones who are no longer with us. Speaking to McDonald, we had the chance to peer into the game a bit – specifically the second chapter of the game – and get a feel for how the game functions, what it ultimately aims to do, and why this was an important project and story to tell.
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[Review] Mario Strikers: Battle League
Posted on 2 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: June 10, 2022
Developer: Next Level Games
Publisher: Nintendo
With its previous outings on GameCube and Wii, Mario had his own take on soccer (or football) that felt exciting and fresh at the time. A cast of characters from the franchise made up a roster for players to choose from and jump into a field with the basic rules of the sport in place, but with a few more mechanics that would further excite the gameplay – elements like specials, tackles, and specialized stadiums that certainly made the entire experience feel very, well, Mario. With little to no fouls to worry about, Mario Strikers was always a frenetic perspective on the traditional sport. Mario Strikers: Battle League has increased that chaos tenfold mechanically but does little elsewhere to warrant any sort of prolonged investment that prior entries to the series had before. While the game has a lot going for it, there feels like untapped potential has been left on the table.
[Review] Neon White
Posted on 2 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release Date: June 16, 2022
Developer: Angel Matrix
Publisher: Annapurna Interactive
A couple of months ago, we had the absolute pleasure of being invited by Annapurna Interactive to a private showing of Neon White with creator Ben Esposito to showcase everything the game had to offer and pick his brain about all of the creative inspirations. It was a telling and exciting preview event that increased excitement tenfold about what to expect. The game was immediately striking thanks to its flashy art direction and fast-paced nature of platforming and speedrunning that saw a group of people referred to as Neons that were formally alive be introduced into heaven and having to compete to prove their worth by ridding of all the demons that have been plaguing heaven. The most impressive part about it all is that Neon White feels like a divine adrenaline rush that is proud of its finesse and panache without ever feeling like it’s being cocky or overbearing, creating a seamless speedrunning experience that surprisingly lends itself to the Switch beautifully.
