[Review] The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition
Posted on 3 years ago by Edan(@@Virtualboi92) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: October 15, 2019
Developer: CD Projekt Red / Saber Interactive
Publisher: CD Projekt Red
As I look at my Switch’s home-screen, I find myself questioning the reality of whatever timeline it is that I’ve ended up in. Super Mario Odyssey’s icon is nestled neatly between that of Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and I can’t quite figure out if I’m dreaming or if I’m just overtired. Existential nightmare aside, I’ve been tasked with reviewing The Witcher 3 on Switch, and despite having had months to adjust to the game’s presence on Nintendo’s hybrid, I still can’t quite wrap my head around the idea of it being real. Not only is it actually real, but it’s the full package too – the base game in its entirety along with every scrap of DLC – all present and accounted for, and all on a single 32GB cartridge. I have two questions: How? Followed closely by: How good?
[Review] Darksiders II Deathinitive Edition
Posted on 3 years ago by Edan(@@Virtualboi92) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: September 26, 2019
Developer: THQ Nordic
Publisher: THQ Nordic
Earlier this year, THQ Nordic treated us to a rather lovely Switch port of Darksiders – titled Darksiders Warmastered Edition – that proved, if nothing else, to be a bit of a technical achievement. Being a fast-paced hack and slasher that relies on precise inputs and visual cues, it gave Switch owners the choice of either playing the game at high resolution and 30 frames per second, or at a lower resolution whilst running at 60 frames per second. This choice, and the work that went into making it possible, resulted in a technically magnificent game that drew plenty of praise across the Switch community. As we near the all-important holiday season, THQ Nordic has decided to bolster its late 2019 lineup with a Switch port of the game’s sequel, Darksiders II Deathinitive Edition.
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[Review] Sniper Elite 3 Ultimate Edition
Posted on 3 years ago by Edan(@@Virtualboi92) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: October 1, 2019
Developer: Rebellion
Publisher: Rebellion
If you were lucky enough to first became acquainted with gaming during any decade earlier than the one we’re in now, then you’ll surely be familiar with a breed of game that has faded in prominence over recent years – “AA” or “Double-A” games. As budgets for both development and marketing have skyrocketed throughout the industry, little space has been left for plucky upstarts to cut their teeth alongside the EAs and Activisions of the world, no more so than when it comes to shooters. Developers often have to scale their projects and studios back, or submit to becoming a cog in the bigger machine through acquisitions and buyouts just to remain in operation. That hasn’t been the case for the rather aptly named Rebellion though, and their seemingly-ever-present tactical World War 2 shooter Sniper Elite. Over four main entries and a handful of spinoffs, Sniper Elite has managed to garner something of a cult following for itself, solidifying its position in the dwindling “AA” space – so much so that Rebellion has seen fit to bring not one, but two Sniper Elite games to the Switch this year. We now find ourselves treated to an “Ultimate Edition” of the third game in the series, but just how “Ultimate” it can be considered is ultimately up for debate.
[Review] Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
Posted on 3 years ago by Edan(@@Virtualboi92) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: September 20, 2019
Developer: Level-5
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Okay, full disclosure: I’m something of an uncultured swine when it comes to JRPGs. The closest I ever got to a JRPG obsession growing up was the obligatory copy of Pokemon that saw me through many a car journey – oh, that and Persona 4. Having said that, I have always been able to appreciate the objective level of polish and nuance that seemed baked into the genre’s foundations. Having said that though, my last attempt at getting on board with JRPGs was Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – an objectively fantastic game – that forced my three remaining brain cells to run in circles kicking each other up the backside. This was thanks to a bevy of layered systems and mechanics, that quickly proved far too much for an utter dunce such as myself. It was with a certain apprehension, then, that I put myself forward to review Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch – an absolute unabashed JRPG through and through. Developed by Level-5 and originally released back in 2013, the game drew rave reviews at launch, and it’s a title that I have had constantly recommended to me as a potential gateway-drug to a problematic full-on JRPG addiction. I was honestly a little intimidated jumping into the game’s 50-hour campaign, but I persevered, and after only a short while with Ni no Kuni, all of my initial trepidation melted away into joy.
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[Review] DC Universe Online
Posted on 3 years ago by Edan(@@Virtualboi92) in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch (eShop)
Release date: August 6, 2019
Developer: Daybreak Game Company
Publisher: Daybreak Game Company
I would confidently place a meaty bet on the proposal that you, the reader, have definitely envisioned your own ideal superhero at some stage of your life. It’s one of those things we all do, and it’s always been a solid proposal for a video game. Daybreak, developers of Everquest and H1Z1, saw the potential of this idea, and in partnership with DC they crafted an MMO that brings this concept to fruition. As an opening statement to DC Universe Online, its character creator is an absolute treat. I used the bevy of available options, powers and weapons to create a flying, fire-wielding Neo knock-off named “Ultra-Dad”, but I could have made anything, really. A quick search of YouTube will offer up guides on how to create all manner of Marvel and DC heroes within the toolset, and just about the only thing that has to differ from existing properties is your character’s name (for some reason I couldn’t pick “The Incredible Father” for instance).
[Review] Wolfenstein: Youngblood
Posted on 3 years ago by Edan(@@Virtualboi92) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: July 26, 2019
Developer: MachineGames / Arkane Studios / Panic Button
Publisher: Bethesda
If you’ve already had the pleasure of experiencing Wolfenstein: The New Colossus on Switch then you’re familiar with how the series has managed to distill the FPS formula down to perfection. In an era dominated by damp fetch quests and morally ambiguous “makes you think” villains, both MachineGames’ Wolfenstein and id Software’s Doom reboot have felt like a breath of fresh air for those of us who get misty-eyed over 90’s shooters. For the uninitiated, here’s a brief rundown: Entrench your mind in a Tetris-like zen state, and skittishly zip around maps that are designed less like real places and more like skateparks. You have two goals: Use gun and give death. Despite the immense praise both Wolfenstein and Doom have garnered over the course of this console generation, there may be a feeling over at Bethesda that change is now needed to differentiate these two franchises going forward, and this is exactly the impression I get from playing Wolfenstein: Youngblood.
[Review] Assassins Creed III Remastered
Posted on 4 years ago by Edan(@@Virtualboi92) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: May 21, 2019
Developer: Ubisoft
Publisher: Ubisoft
Do you remember your first experience with Assassins Creed? The inaugural entry in Ubisoft’s hit series was a driving force of the Xbox 360 and PS3’s launch – a bold new idea with ample room to innovate and expand over the course of a generation. Since then we’ve sliced and swan-dived our way through key moments in history, with a personal highlight being the swashbuckling antics of Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag. We’ve also seen a near complete shift in the franchise’s framework with recent entries Assassin’s Creed Origins and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, which renewed interest considerably for current-gen console owners. With such a wide ranging suite of ideas, concepts and executions at hand, it strikes me as odd that Ubisoft have chosen to bring such a divisive snapshot of the series’ history to the Switch.
[Review] Thief Simulator
Posted on 4 years ago by Edan(@@Virtualboi92) in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch (eShop)
Release date: May 19, 2019
Developer: Noble Muffins
Publisher: Forever Entertainment
Its 2 AM, it’s dark, and I’m trespassing on my neighbor’s property (again). Quiet as a mouse, I delicately paw my waist until I’m met with the familiar shape of my flashlight. In the interest of decibels I apply as little pressure as I can and like magic (or torches), the room is illuminated in a divine glow. “Remarkable”, I mutter to myself. “Everything I stole three hours ago has already been replaced.” As I slowly survey the room I’m immediately drawn to the prize catch – a flat screen TV. “That’s a flat screen TV,” my internal monologue confirms. As I stand there slack jawed and aghast, I fail to take heed of my surroundings for a single crucial moment – I’ve been spotted. How could I have been this stupid? I had surveyed the house, taken note of the tenant’s routines and I was absolutely certain they wouldn’t be home until 4. None of that matters now. I gather myself momentarily before making a run for it.
[Review] Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen
Posted on 4 years ago by Edan(@@Virtualboi92) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: April 23, 2019
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Imagine waking up, going down to your kitchen and seeing every utensil you own now suddenly has a different color and function. Your whisk? Slice your bread with it. Potato peeler? No, pizza cutter. That’s Dragons Dogma: Dark Arisen, a game that somehow manages to feel totally familiar and utterly unrecognizable all at the exact same time. There are flashes of familiarity to its design – Dark Souls, Skyrim, Monster Hunter and many others – but they all manage to exist as just that, flashes. Underneath the welcoming facade of these similarities there’s a game that will stick in your memory for the foreseeable future, for better and (sometimes) for worse. Originally released in 2012 for the PS3 and 360, Dragons Dogma: Dark Arisen was Capcom’s offering to the action RPG pantheon. Now, in 2019, it has made the jump to the Switch in a move almost as peculiar as the game itself – and remarkably, it works.
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Early thoughts on My Time at Portia for Switch
Posted on 4 years ago by Edan(@@Virtualboi92) in Previews, Switch | 0 comments
Hey guys! Edan here, just wanted to give you all a status update on our My Time At Portia review. A few weeks back we received review code for the game, and as someone who has plunged over 200 hours into Stardew Valley, I jumped at the chance to review what is one of my most anticipated Switch titles this year. Unfortunately, things haven’t exactly been straightforward.
