[Review] The DioField Chronicle
Posted on 2 years ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release Date: September 22, 2022
Developer: Square Enix / Lancarse
Publisher: Square Enix
To say that Square Enix has had a busy year would be an understatement. Between high profile new IPs and the return of older games that few will have heard of and fewer still would have played the first time around, it was easy to overlook The DioField Chronicle, which was given somewhat muted fanfare despite the big names attached to it: co-developed by Lancarse (who recently co-developed Monark, but are perhaps better known for their work on Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey with Atlus), music by Ramin Djawadi and Brandon Campbell (of Game of Thrones fame), and with artwork by Isamu Kamikokuryo (Final Fantasy XII and Final Fantasy XIII), it seemed as though this would be one of Square Enix’s hits for the year. But is this a chronicle for the ages, or better left on the shelf?
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[Review] The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero
Posted on 2 years ago by Elias in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release Date: September 27, 2022
Developer: Falcom
Publisher: NIS America
Crossbell was once a sleepy little town, but coming back from three years abroad, Lloyd Bannings finds it to be filled with the hustle and bustle more befitting of a larger city. Taking on a new special assignment at the local police department, he finds that a lot has changed since he left to become a detective. With Crossbell growing at a huge pace and the peoples’ faith in the police at an all time low, Lloyd’s assignment at the Special Support Section (SSS for short) couldn’t have come at a more pivotal time. Saving kids from sewers, finding lost pets, and walking old folks home may not be the most lucrative work, but with the media tearing the department down with every news article and many others desperate to see the SSS team fail, one kind of wonders what all is going on behind the scenes, and why people are so keen to see it fall…
[Review] Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris
Posted on 2 years ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: September 30, 2022
Developer: Aquria
Publisher: Bandai Namco
If you were into anime in the 2010s (and probably even if you weren’t), it’s likely that you’ve heard of Sword Art Online. An immensely popular series of light novels by Reki Kawahara, it has since spawned several shows, movies, and, of course, video games. The world of Sword Art Online seems to lend itself perfectly to a video game format, and the series has capitalized on its MMO premise to release several titles across various platforms over the years. Alicization Lycoris is the most recent game of the franchise, releasing in 2020 on other platforms, and has now finally made its way to the Switch two years later following Hollow Realization and Fatal Bullet. But if you pick it up, will you want to log out?
[Review] Splatoon 3
Posted on 2 years 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] Temtem
Posted on 2 years ago by Elias in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release Date: September 6, 2022
Developer: Crema
Publisher: Humble Games
I’ve always wished I could be whisked away to a world like Pokemon or Dragon Quest Monsters – a place where I can collect creatures and build bonds. A world of adventure where friendships and hard work can lead to more and more epic battles with stronger and stronger opponents. Monster taming games will have to scratch that itch, for now, and Temtem’s island world has a ton of new creatures to meet and befriend, but will it become another destination for our “lets get reincarnated in another world and catch some monsters” dreams, or will this one be overshadowed by its acclaimed predecessors?
[Review] Tribes of Midgard
Posted on 2 years ago by Elias in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release Date: August 16, 2022
Developer: Norsfell
Publisher: Gearbox Publishing
At a little over a year from its initial launch, Tribes of Midgard made its way to Switch recently with more bells and whistles to show for it. Originally, the game boasted only its session-based Saga mode with ten players taking on a series of tasks to survive together and make it through a scenario, with an offline mode touting the same objectives. With Season 3: Inferno Saga, updates were made to both Saga and the newer Survival mode. We’ll be diving into both modes and taking a look at what they look like on Switch.
[Review] SD Gundam Battle Alliance
Posted on 2 years ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release Date: August 25, 2022
Developer: Artdink
Publisher: Bandai Namco
The SD (Super Deformed) Gundam spinoff franchise has never achieved the same renown as its parent franchise outside of Japan – where at one point it actually eclipsed the popularity of the main franchise in terms of sales for a brief time – but has nonetheless managed to establish itself as a presence in its own right over the years, and has spawned several video games. SD Gundam Battle Alliance marks the third SD Gundam title to release on the Switch, but the first to release on the console in the west. Was it worth the wait?
[Review] Pac-Man World Re-Pac
Posted on 2 years ago by Nicholas Serpa in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release Date: August 26, 2022
Developer: Bandai Namco / NOW Production
Publisher: Bandai Namco
It’s not a stretch to say that almost everyone who plays video games is at least aware of Pac-Man; the puck-shaped pellet muncher is perhaps one of the most iconic gaming protagonists of all time. So, while it shouldn’t be a surprise that of course he featured in his own series of 3D platformers in the late 90’s and early 2000s – those games were a dime a dozen back then – it was a bit of a left-field announcement when Bandai Namco revealed that the original Pac-Man World would be getting a remake. It’s a solid 3D adventure that has its fans, sure, but it didn’t leave a substantial impact on the genre in the same way that Mario, Crash and Spyro did. Sometimes, though, a game doesn’t need to innovate to be a good time, and Pac-Man World Re-Pac is a perfect example of how tight, responsive platforming and a dollop of arcade-fueled nostalgia can be a timeless, satisfying combination.
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[Review] Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Posted on 2 years ago by Elias in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release Date: July 29, 2022
Developer: Monolith Soft
Publisher: Nintendo
With five years between the release of Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and 3, we’ve had plenty of time to devote ourselves to the world of Alrest and pick apart the differences and similarities between it and the world of the original Xenoblade Chronicles. With the Definitive Edition hitting Switch a mere couple of years ago, we’ve had the series fairly fresh on our minds while waiting for the next release. With side content like Torna: The Golden Country from Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and the Future Connected content from Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition, there has been a lot to take in before getting to 3 – and that’s not counting those of us who also spent time with the stranded-on-Wii U entry of Xenoblade Chronicles X (a completely unrelated story, but with similar gameplay and an unconnected world.)
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[Review] Digimon Survive
Posted on 2 years 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.
