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Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes review

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.

In today’s episode of “Impossible Switch Ports: The Podcast,” join your hosts Nick, Nicholas and Dennis as they discuss Robocop: Rouge City, an ambitious first-person-shooter based on the original 1987 blockbuster film that’s heading to Switch (somehow) next year. We’ll also discuss the Nintendo fan who paid $40,000 to ask company leadership about the future of F-Zero (yes, really). Then, stick around for conversation about limited edition Switch consoles, the future of E3, and more!

Our show is available on most major streaming platforms, including SpotifyApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsAmazon Music and Audible, or you can check out the video version below. Direct downloads are available here.

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xenoblade complex

We are just a couple of weeks away from the release of Xenoblade Chronicles 3, which feels a little bit surreal considering that the game was announced in February of this year.

As expected, a lot of people are trying to get into the series before the third entry comes out, and some will probably hear about how the series is complex and not always super friendly to beginners. Although it is undeniable that Xenoblade can be complicated sometimes, I get the impression that when the discourse is so focused on the series complexity, there’s a chance that we are scaring some future fans.

Taking that into consideration, I decided to make a video talking about the overall appeal of the series and why fans love it so much despite the complexity. Feel free to check out the video down below.

birth game preview

Sometimes the premise of a game is just so bonkers that it simply demands to be played. Birth – an upcoming point-and-click puzzler created by indie developer Madison Karrh – is officially described on Steam as tasking players with “constructing a creature from spare bones & organs found around the city in order to quell your loneliness.” It seemed super intriguing, and so I was excited to have the opportunity to speak with Karrh at Summer Game Fest about her game, a project she’s been developing solo for over two years.

Immediately, I was struck by just aesthetically similar Birth is to the popular Rusty Lake series of point-and-click games – and I mean that as a compliment. Karrh said that those games were a huge inspiration for her, which makes sense as the two share a lot in common at a mechanical level as well. But Birth is a very personal game for Karrh, and she started working on it as an expression of the complicated emotions she experienced after moving to a new city.

A new month started up a few days ago. Now that we’re in July, we want to know what you’ve been playing.

Have you been trying out some of the recent releases on Switch? There’s plenty to play with heavy hitters such as Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series, Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes, Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course, Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, Portal Companion Collection, and Sonic Origins. No matter the case, let us know in the comments below.

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Yurukill The Calumniation Games review

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.

hindsight preview

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.

Last week’s surprise Nintendo Direct Mini Partner Showcase may not have been the blowout summer presentation we’ve all been hoping for, but it still had plenty of exciting games to show us. Join your hosts Nick, Nicolas, Dennis and Luiz as they discuss every game that was shown during the event and what they’re most looking forward to playing in the near future. Then stick around for some Metroid rumors, news, and more!

Our show is available on most major streaming platforms, including SpotifyApple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsAmazon Music and Audible, or you can check out the video version below:

In the recent Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase, we saw a good amount of new third-party games being announced for Switch, including some big ones such as NieR: Automata and Persona 3, 4 and 5.

As we are all aware, Switch is not as powerful as other consoles on the market. Usually its ports come to the console with some visual compromises. But even with those compromises, at least on Switch you are able to play these games wherever you want. However, with the recent release of Valve’s Steam Deck, it’s interesting to think about whether that can impact Switch’s position in the market.

In the video below I explain my reasons as to why I think Switch ports are still relevant and a viable option for a number of players. Feel free to check it out down below.

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Roots of Pacha preview

Whenever a new farming-themed game hits the market, the big question that always seems to come up is: what does this game bring to the table that hasn’t already been done by the juggernaut that is Stardew Valley?  A lot of times the most obvious difference between games in this genre is the setting, and Roots of Pacha – an upcoming farming game/village builder from indie developer Soda Den – is setting itself apart by going all the way back in time to the Stone Age. During a recent gameplay demo at Summer Game Fest, I got to chat with Soda Den co-founder and lead developer Timo Dadony about just what their upcoming game is trying to accomplish.

Crucially, Roots of Pacha’s unique time period seems to play more of a role in how the game plays rather than merely being set dressing. The game tasks players with building up a clan of villagers at the outset of human innovation, back when very few tools even existed. From this starting point, players will “help your clan develop the ideas that shape humanity” through multiple eras of history all the way through the Iron Age. And while farming is certainly a part of that – as well as inventing the various pieces of equipment to make that happen – it also includes things like developing culture, arts, and even religion as part of a growing society.


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