S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy Nintendo Switch review
Posted on 5 months ago by Edan(@@Virtualboi92) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: October 31, 2024
Developer: GSC Game World / Mataboo
Publisher: GSC Game World
As a platform, the Switch has treated us to some serious wildcard franchise appearances over the last seven years. Few would have bet in 2017 that the hybrid console’s library would eventually be bolstered by almost every Saints Row, Sniper Elite, Metal Gear Solid, and Resident Evil game – to name but a few. However, here we are, being machine-gunned with ports and re-releases that continuously cement the Switch’s status as a Nintendo all-timer. As if our collective Switch-port bingo cards weren’t already full to the brim, GSC Gameworks have emerged forth, bringing the entire S.T.A.L.K.E.R trilogy lovingly nestled under their arm. Hang on – what?
Super Mario Party Jamboree review
Posted on 5 months ago by Nicholas Serpa in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: October 17, 2024
Developer: NDcube
Publisher: Nintendo
Like clockwork, roughly about every three years, Nintendo releases a new Mario Party game. That may seem like a lot, but it’s easy to forget that that for most of the series’ life these titles were getting cranked out on an annual basis. Nowadays though, Nintendo is spending more time and resources on these games than ever before – and it shows. While 2021’s Mario Party Superstars felt like a refreshing trip down memory lane, Super Mario Party Jamboree raises the bar for the series on multiple levels, from its clever and dynamic game boards to its robust suite of online options and modes. My nostalgia for the older entries aside, this one represents easily some of the most fun I’ve ever had in a Mario Party game, and it’s secured a spot as my new go-to title for multiplayer madness on the. Switch Lite players will want to pause before picking this game up – but everyone else has a lot to look forward to.
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[Review] Sonic x Shadow Generations
Posted on 6 months ago by Edan(@@Virtualboi92) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: October 25, 2024
Developer: Sonic Team
Publisher: SEGA
The original release of 2011’s Sonic Generations felt as much like recompense as it did celebration. The unsteady gait that Sonic had developed since his switch to 3D was slowing him to an unwieldy crawl, and developer Sonic Team felt it was time to earnestly look back at their legacy to plot a path forward. The result was about the best a 2011 Sonic fan could have hoped for – lashings of nostalgia without being overly condescending to the long-term fan, and with just enough tongue-in-cheek, self-referential humor to disarm the stern melodrama that had worked its way into Sonic’s latter outings. Sonic Generations was intended to serve as a launch pad for the next 20 years of Sonic, however, its mechanical jitteriness and saggy latter half dampened its appeal to fans old and new. Sega and Sonic Team are now back for another crack at it, with Sonic x Shadow Generations seeking to tighten up the overall experience and inject a jet-black dose of edge into one of Sonic’s more memorable recent outings.
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[Review] Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered
Posted on 6 months ago by Nicholas Serpa in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: October 31, 2024
Developer: Grasshopper Manufacture / Engine Software
Publisher: NetEase
When a game is given the label of “cult classic,” in my experience, this is typically due to one of two possible scenarios occurring. The first is that the game itself was generally deemed above average in terms of quality, but for business or marketing reasons never found a huge audience; this is the optimistic perspective. The second, more cynical perspective is that the game itself ended up as a middling experience due to creative or technical decisions, but managed to find a small fanbase in spite of these issues. Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered boldly labels itself as “a cult classic born from the most creative minds in the industry” on its store pages, so it begs the question: exactly what type of cult classic is this 2011 third-person shooter, and how does it hold up 13 years after its initial release?
[Review] Yakuza Kiwami
Posted on 6 months ago by Edan(@@Virtualboi92) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: October 24, 2024
Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
Publisher: SEGA
Ask any cohort of gamers what their favorite aspect of SEGA’s Yakuza series is, and you’ll doubt that each person you’ve involved in your study is talking about the same game. Some will highlight its accessible yet more-ish combat, or perhaps the unshakeable morals of the series’ most illustrious protagonist, Kazuma Kiryu. Quiz anyone who owns a Switch, however, and they will likely bemoan the free-roam brawler’s absence on Nintendo’s hybrid console. With the machine now coasting through its autumnal years with a continuously stacked release schedule, SEGA has opted to bring Switch owners into the family by porting Yakuza Kiwami – a remake of the series’ inaugural outing – to the console that just won’t die.
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[Review] Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven
Posted on 6 months ago by Elias in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: October 24, 2024
Developer: Square Enix / Xeen
Publisher: Square Enix
Square Enix’s SaGa franchise has seen quite the return over the last few years. With almost as many entries as the mainline Final Fantasy games, the series has had a lot of time to define itself – resulting in a focus on non-linearity, exploration, and a unique take on character advancement and customization that in the modern age is still surprisingly addictive and proves that the SaGa renaissance is in full swing. Heading in to a game I first experienced on Switch when it was first ported to the west in 2017, I was incredibly excited to return to the world of Avalon in beautiful 3D with Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven.
[Review] Card-en-Ciel
Posted on 6 months ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: October 24, 2024
Developer: Inti Creates
Publisher: Inti Creates
If there’s one thing I don’t think we get enough of these days, it’s video game crossovers and character cameos. There’s something delightful in watching characters from different series interact with one another in “what if” scenarios. Despite being a deckbuilder, which is a far cry from the 2D action games they are better known for, Card-en-Ciel feels like a love letter to Inti Creates’ catalog of releases up to this point, and it delivers a surprisingly deep combat system that somehow manages to stay fresh despite the repetition and roguelike trappings that occasionally throw off the pacing.
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[Review] Ys X: Nordics
Posted on 6 months ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: October 24, 2024
Developer: Falcom
Publisher: NIS America
Adol Christin has certainly led an interesting life. Across the series’ thirty-six year lifespan he’s crossed numerous continents, explored the ruins of civilizations past, and saved the world from dire threat on more than one occasion. But, fearless adventurer that he may be, Adol has never had much luck with ships. It seems that every time Adol sets foot on a ship it ends up sinking due to one circumstance or another, so putting him at the helm of one probably sounds like a bad idea. However, Ys X: Nordics does just that, and manages to mostly stay the course to deliver yet another solid entry in the series.
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[Review] Neva
Posted on 6 months ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: October 15, 2024
Developer: Nomada Studio
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Nearly six years after its release, I still find myself occasionally thinking about my experience with Gris. The debut title of Nomada Studio, it was a visually stunning experience that explored deeply personal themes of loss and acceptance, and it left a lasting impact on me in a way few other games can claim. I was keen to try out Neva, the studio’s second title, which I found feels no less poignant for its exploration of our relationship with the world and one another, and is a more than worthy spiritual successor.
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[Review] Bloomtown: A Different Story
Posted on 7 months ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: September 24, 2024
Developer: Lazy Bear Games
Publisher: Twin Sails
The feeling of déjà vu is not an uncommon one to experience when playing a game, particularly with indies, which have often drawn their inspiration from more successful and well-established franchises to create their own take on the formula. It’s not inherently a bad thing, but it was a feeling that I often had whilst I was playing Bloomtown: A Different Story. Despite a few questionable deviations here and there, it delivers an experience that at least matches its inspirations for enthusiasm and spirit, if not entirely in terms of satisfaction and enjoyment.
