[Rapid Review] The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood
Posted on 7 months ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: August 16, 2023
Developer: Deconstructeam
Publisher: Devolver Digital
It’s not uncommon these days to see a game with a choice-based narrative, which allows players to engage with the story on a deeper level by placing themselves in the role of the character they play as, allowing them to shape that character’s personality and interaction as they see fit with little regard for the consequences: if you make the wrong choice, you can reload and try again, or make another choice to steer yourself back to the ending that you want. But it’s rare to find a game that doesn’t clearly signpost which choices are the “right” and “wrong” ones, and instead lets you decide for yourself and force you to live with the consequences, whatever they may be. The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood, developed by Deconstructeam, lets you take fate into your own hands, for better or worse, in a way that results in a highly personal experience that has as much meaning as you choose to give it.
[Let’s Talk] Super Mario Bros. Wonder Direct reactions
Posted on 7 months ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Let's Talk, Switch | 0 comments
Nintendo aired its Super Mario Bros. Direct this week with an extensive look at the game. The 15-minute overview delved into numerous aspects about the game, much of which we didn’t know about previously.
The Direct was broken down into a few different segments. We got confirmation on playable characters, new enemies, power-ups, support for online features, badges, and more. A brief mention was also given for the new Switch OLED – Mario Red Edition. You can catch up on the full recap here.
Now that we’re a few days removed from the Direct, how did you feel about the presentation? Did it make you more excited for the October launch? Let us know in the comments.
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Reflecting on Pikmin 4, one month later
Posted on 7 months ago by Dawn in Features, Switch | 0 comments
The wait for Pikmin 4 was unexpectedly long. When the game was first revealed by Miyamoto in 2015 it was said to be “close to completion” but after this it wouldn’t be until eight years later that we would finally see the game released on Switch.
Now that we’ve all had time to venture out into the world of PNF-404, let’s take a closer look at the latest installment in the Pikmin franchise, what it brings to the series, and what this could mean for the future.
[Rapid Review] Samba de Amigo: Party Central
Posted on 7 months ago by Edan(@@Virtualboi92) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: August 29, 2023
Developer: SEGA
Publisher: SEGA
Look, I don’t want to seem ungrateful – but out of all of the franchises SEGA could have thawed from cryo-sleep in 2023, Samba de Amigo was not the one I would have expected. The fan-favorite rhythm action celebration of Latin American music and culture last graced our consoles a whopping 15 years ago, and even that was just a Wii port of an even older title. Nevertheless, SEGA has seen fit to resurrect the franchise with a brand new entry exclusive to Switch, and they’ve even attached series creator Shun Nakamura as the game’s director and producer. You would hope that this pedigree coupled with the the console’s maraca-adjacent control method would result in a pleasantly breezy party-game smash – the reality however, is anything but with Samba de Amigo: Party Central.
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[Review] Sea of Stars
Posted on 7 months ago by Elias in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: August 29, 2023
Developer: Sabotage Studio
Publisher: Sabotage Studio
Another successful Kickstarter project, Sea of Stars was fully funded only seven hours after being live on the platform. Canadian-based developer Sabotage Studio mapped out several stretch goals only to see them continuously blown away. Now with the release of this retro-inspired turn-based RPG, a nostalgic wind blows for older gamers that remember the golden age of SNES and SEGA Genesis titles – RPGs that Sea of Stars pays homage to in myriad ways. As a prequel to their previous game, The Messenger, Sea of Stars expands upon Sabotage Studio’s ability to tell a story, and this time they’ve taken a bit more of a lofty approach. Going from an action platformer to a storied RPG is quite a change, after all.
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[Let’s Talk] Where should Xenoblade go from here?
Posted on 7 months ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Let's Talk, Switch | 0 comments
One of the news topics circulating this week is Xenoblade Chronicles series director Tetsuya Takahashi saying that if there’s another entry in the franchise, it would probably be pretty different. In a way that seems like something obvious to mention, but it’s also an interesting point of discussion.
There are many similarities across the Xenoblade games, but plenty of differences as well. Perhaps the most unique of the bunch was Xenoblade Chronicles X, which put a focus more on quests and less of a story plus rideable mechs. For the most part though, the series has been about exploring big worlds, getting wrapped up in the world and story (unless you want to discount X), appreciating the music, and taking on enemies in the real-time action-based battle system.
Having said that, where should Xenoblade go from here? What would you like to see in a theoretical new game? Let us know in the comments.
[Rapid Review] Vampire Survivors
Posted on 7 months ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: August 17, 2023
Developer: Poncle
Publisher: Poncle
Every now and then a game will be released that breaks away from the labels that we use to define titles and will become a thing entirely unto itself. Vampire Survivors is one such game, having been met with massive success when it first launched last year. Part rogue-like, part bullet-hell, and entirely self-contained, it has already inspired several other titles that have tried to capture its unique magic. It is magic, I am very pleased to say, that is a perfect fit for the Switch, and a game that is more than worth your time.
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[Rapid Review] Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical
Posted on 7 months ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: August 10, 2023
Developer: Summerfall Studios
Publisher: Humble Games
Greek mythology has been a popular inspiration for video games for some time now, with both AAA series and indie titles placing us into the world of the pantheon of gods and their various conflicts, which are typically resolved with violence. Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical brings with it a different approach, giving us a modern-day setting and challenging us to resolve our differences through the power of song. The result is something that probably won’t be winning over the hearts and minds of those averse to breaking out into song with the flimsiest of excuses anytime soon, but will have anyone else singing its praises.
[Review] Bomb Rush Cyberfunk
Posted on 8 months ago by Nicholas Serpa in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: August 18, 2023
Developer: Team Reptile
Publisher: Team Reptile
Jet Set Radio is one of SEGA’s classic Dreamcast games – its combination of fast-paced rollerblading, urban vandalism and high-energy hip-hop have remained unique in the decades since the original release. Sadly, it’s a title that’s become increasingly inaccessible these days, and the franchise has been dormant for a long time. Well, if SEGA were to make a Jet Set Radio game in 2023, it would probably look a lot like Bomb Rush Cyberfunk – the developers at Team Reptile have taken everything you loved from the titles that inspired it, revamped it all with modern controls, and repackaged it with some incredible music and a high-energy cast of characters. This is the game Jet Set Radio fans have been waiting for – and for everyone else, it’s one of the most creative, exciting skating games released in decades.
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[Let’s Talk] August 2023 Pokemon Presents reactions
Posted on 8 months ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Let's Talk | 0 comments
Another Pokemon Presents presentation came and went this week. It was a lengthy broadcast coming in at 35 minutes long, but if you were hoping for a bunch of announcements, you may have been disappointed.
The latest look at the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet DLC – including a final September release date for The Teal Mask – was shown and was probably the biggest part of the presentation. Outside of that, a number of other games and updates were included such as a new trailer for Detective Pikachu Returns. Pokemon Trading Card Game and Pokemon Stadium 2 dropped on Nintendo Switch Online as well.
There’s now been some discussion as to whether this type of Pokemon Presents is really necessary if there isn’t anything truly new to show. Where do you stand on the debate? And what’d you think of the August 2023 Pokemon Presents overall? Let us know in the comments below.
