[Review] Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland
Posted on 3 months ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: September 9, 2024
Developer: Wallride
Publisher: The Mix Games Inc.
Rugrats is one of those cartoons that seems to get better with age. As a child I enjoyed watching the adventures of the babies as they transformed the everyday into something new and exciting, and as an adult I can appreciate the dry humor and now very relatable struggles of their adult parents. Although they have featured prominently in Nickelodeon titles, it has been some time since the Rugrats have had a game to themselves. Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland, their first solo outing for many years, feels like a platformer taken straight out of the era when they were at their most popular, for better and for worse.
[Review] Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club
Posted on 3 months ago by Nicholas Serpa in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: August 29, 2024
Developer: Mages / Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
I like it when Nintendo gets weird. It’s usually at about this point in their consoles’ lifespans, well after they’ve sold roughly a bajillion Mario and Zelda titles, when we see them start to resurrect dormant franchises and experiment in genres that other platform holders are ignoring. So, here we are – it’s 2024, and Nintendo decided now is the perfect time to release a new entry in in the Famicom Detective Club series of visual novels, which hasn’t seen a new entry in 27 years. Emio – The Smiling Man has some compelling ideas driving its core mystery about a serial killer with an unsettling modus operandi, and initially, it had hooked. Unfortunately, this story’s lethargic pacing, tedious writing, and general lack of meaningful character development fails to live up to the high bar set by earlier entries in the series.
[Review] Ace Attorney Investigations Collection
Posted on 3 months ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: September 6, 2024
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Although it has been several years since we’ve had a brand new instalment in the franchise, there’s no denying that fans of Ace Attorney have been fairly well catered-to over the last few years. With the arrival of Ace Attorney Investigations Collection, we now have every title in the series (except for the Professor Layton spinoff anyway, which will probably be the next thing we get before a new game) available to us on Switch, including the three that were never released in the West. This collection brings us two entries that take a refreshing approach to the gameplay formula that is definitely worth investigating for fans and newcomers alike.
[Review] Castlevania Dominus Collection
Posted on 3 months ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: August 27, 2024
Developer: Konami
Publisher: Konami
Since the surprise release of Castlevania Advance Collection I’ve had the question “are we getting a port of the DS titles?” sitting in the back of my mind and surfacing to the forefront every time a Nintendo Direct aired. Of course bringing the DS titles across to the Switch wouldn’t be as simple a task, so it is perhaps understandable that it’s taken three years for Castlevania Dominus Collection to finally make it onto the system. However, now that it’s finally here, the end result is more than worth the wait.
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[Review] Gundam Breaker 4
Posted on 3 months ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: August 29, 2024
Developer: Bandai Namco
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Although I’ve always appreciated the complex political machinations, emotionally charged character dynamics, and poignant themes of war that have defined a lot of media in the Gundam series, it’s often the designs of the Mobile Suits that have determined just how much I enjoy any one particular entry. If, like me, you’ve ever wanted to make your own Mobile Suit, or thought that one might look just a little better if a few tweaks were made, then Gundam Breaker 4 is the game you’ve been waiting for. Even if you’re unfamiliar with the franchise, the depth of customization on offer makes this worth looking into if you’re in the market for something that will let you test the limits of your creativity.
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[Review] BAKERU
Posted on 4 months ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: September 3, 2024
Developer: Good-Feel
Publisher: Spike Chunsoft
BAKERU is an interesting mix of past and present for Good-Feel. As the co-producer of the long-running Ganbare Goemon series, Etsunobu Ebisu has clearly brought his expertise from that here by creating what feels like a spiritual successor in tone and presentation, and with an impressive resume of titles of a similar genre on Switch (including Princess Peach: Showtime! and Kirby’s Extra Epic Yarn) this game represents the best of both worlds. Thankfully, it delivers on both fronts to be one of the best 3D action games I’ve played on the system this year.
[Review] Elrentaros Wanderings
Posted on 4 months ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: August 15, 2024
Developer: Hakama
Publisher: Red Art Games
Hakama may have only released a handful of games since their formation by Yoshifumi Hashimoto in 2018, but with Rune Factory 4 Special and Rune Factory 5 as two of their more noteworthy releases, it’s fair to say the focus is more on quality over quantity. Unfortunately, although their latest title Elrentaros Wanderings (previously known as Rear Sekai) has hints of their trademark creative brilliance, ultimately fails to deliver on almost every front.
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[Review] Cat Quest III
Posted on 4 months ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: August 8, 2024
Developer: The Gentlebros
Publisher: Kepler Interactive
We have had so many cat-focused indie games over the last decade that it could practically be a genre unto itself, but few are as charming, engaging, or downright fun, as Cat Quest. The simplistic yet punchy combat, tightly-packed but unrestricted open world, and overbearing onslaught of feline related puns all combine to make it an experience that has always left me wanting more. Developer The Gentlebros have now graced us with a third installment, Cat Quest III, which continues to improve upon the established formula and takes it into uncharted waters as we set sail on a swashbuckling pirate (or should that be “Pi-rat”?) adventure.
[Rapid Review] Thank Goodness You’re Here
Posted on 4 months ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: August 1, 2024
Developer: Coal Supper
Publisher: Panic
It’s not very often that a video game makes me laugh. There are usually a few lines of dialogue that will elicit a smile or two, or maybe even a small chuckle if it’s especially witty. But prior to playing Thank Goodness You’re Here I couldn’t remember the last time I was genuinely amused, especially not to the point that I needed to put my console down to compose myself for a few moments at times. It’s definitely something you need to experience firsthand to appreciate, and unlike anything else I’ve played this year so far.
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[Review] Trinity Fusion
Posted on 4 months ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: August 1, 2024
Developer: Angry Mob Games
Publisher: Angry Mob Games
The idea of a multiverse is nothing new, but it tends to be the domain of movies and TV series rather than video games, especially in recent times. Angry Mob Games’ title Trinity Fusion brings this concept to the roguelite genre in some interesting ways that make it a far more immersive experience than I was expecting, although it never capitalizes on its more unique premise to deliver a more memorable time. Despite this, for fans of the genre it is definitely worth a look-in.
