[Review] SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech
Posted on 5 years ago by Campbell(@CampbellSGill) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch (eShop)
Release date: April 25, 2019
Developer: Image & Form
Publisher: Thunderful
The SteamWorld franchise has to be one of the most ambitious and varied IPs in indie gaming today. Since its inception on DSiWare in 2010, the series has stretched from Metroidvania platformers to tower defense games to real-time strategy, and with SteamWorld Quest, the latest entry on Switch, they’ve made the natural progression to the card-based RPG genre. But of course, we have to wonder: does Image & Form have another ace up its sleeve with SteamWorld Quest? Let’s shuffle our deck and see what hand the game has dealt us.
[Review] Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen
Posted on 5 years ago by Edan(@@Virtualboi92) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: April 23, 2019
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Imagine waking up, going down to your kitchen and seeing every utensil you own now suddenly has a different color and function. Your whisk? Slice your bread with it. Potato peeler? No, pizza cutter. That’s Dragons Dogma: Dark Arisen, a game that somehow manages to feel totally familiar and utterly unrecognizable all at the exact same time. There are flashes of familiarity to its design – Dark Souls, Skyrim, Monster Hunter and many others – but they all manage to exist as just that, flashes. Underneath the welcoming facade of these similarities there’s a game that will stick in your memory for the foreseeable future, for better and (sometimes) for worse. Originally released in 2012 for the PS3 and 360, Dragons Dogma: Dark Arisen was Capcom’s offering to the action RPG pantheon. Now, in 2019, it has made the jump to the Switch in a move almost as peculiar as the game itself – and remarkably, it works.
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[Review] Cuphead
Posted on 5 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: April 18, 2019
Developer: Studio MDHR
Publisher: Studio MDHR
Back in 2014, the world was first introduced to a peculiar game known as Cuphead that had an aesthetic thought to be long forgotten, but presented itself with such panache that it was as compelling as it was unique and eye-catching. Its 1930s art direction oddly made you excited to watch the next episode to a show that didn’t exist, and the game was able to hit the right notes with so many people from so many generations. Now Cuphead has been given a chance to shine once again thanks to its new release on Switch.
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[Review] Katana Zero
Posted on 5 years ago by Campbell(@CampbellSGill) in Reviews | 0 comments
System: Switch (eShop)
Release date: April 18, 2019
Developer: Askiisoft
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Maybe Katana Zero didn’t immediately stand out to you on the eShop. Perhaps it’s because it’s seemingly just one more pixelated indie game, or because you’ve already preloaded a certain other stylish indie action game releasing on April 18. Or maybe it’s because you’re like me, and expected Katana Zero to be yet another pretty, but ultimately forgettable indie experience. And you know what, these are all reasonable expectations to have.
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[Review] Super Dragon Ball Heroes: World Mission
Posted on 5 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: April 9, 2019
Developer: Bandai Namco
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Very few properties can say they have a long running series that have delivered such a wide array of genres for decades much like Dragon Ball has. Akira Toriyama’s magnum opus spans countless generations throughout a multitude of mediums, each with their own twist and flavor to appeal to just about anyone out there with an interest in Dragon Ball. From fighting games, to RPGs, to strategy games and beyond, Super Dragon Ball Heroes: World Mission now builds upon that roster of titles by introducing Japan’s number one digital card game for years to the western market at last and makes it accessible at the comfort of your own home and on the go.
[Review] Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy
Posted on 5 years ago by Campbell(@CampbellSGill) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: April 9, 2019
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
It’s not often that a game can make a debate over the date on a receipt into a matter of life and death, but that’s exactly the kind of storytelling that characterizes the Ace Attorney franchise. Making their first appearance in court all the way back in 2001 on the Game Boy Advance in Japan, the series of visual novel adventure games has made a name for itself for its iconic lines, twisting narratives, and memorable characters. Capcom has now seen fit to bundle the first three entries into the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy, marking the franchise’s debut on HD home consoles with a small handful of modern changes. Of course, this begs the question: so many years after their initial releases, can the original Ace Attorney games still make a convincing case for themselves? Let’s commence our investigation and find out.
[Review] Yoshi’s Crafted World
Posted on 5 years ago by Campbell(@CampbellSGill) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: March 29, 2019
Developer: Good Feel
Publisher: Nintendo
Few games have put a smile on my face as much as Yoshi’s Crafted World. From its gorgeously “crafted” graphics to its adorable, friendly characters, the game is a distillation of simple joy. Even though it doesn’t do very much that’s completely new or innovative, it excels at providing an excellently-presented game that’s bursting at the seams with gameplay that anyone can enjoy.
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[Review] Nelke & the Legendary Alchemists: Ateliers of the New World
Posted on 5 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: March 26, 2019
Developer: Gust
Publisher: Koei Tecmo
Nelke & the Legendary Alchemists celebrates twenty years of the prolific RPG series bringing together protagonists for every Atelier title up until Lydie & Suelle for a crossover event that sees them coming together to help Nelke expand a new town and helping them thrive once again. It’s really great to be able to see all of these fantastic characters over two decades join up and utilize all of their special skills in alchemy and craftsmanship – as well as monster slaying – as they simultaneously get to know each other and understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses while figuring out the best way to go about goods distribution and town replenishment. This is something we’ve seen in plenty of Atelier titles before as we go from city to city meeting new characters and friends along the way while having an overall goal to help those around you. Altruism has always been a big charm with it, and Nelke is no different. However, this is mostly where the similarities end as the game itself has been turned on its head and goes from an RPG the series is known for, to a banal menu management experience where you’ll ultimately just watch plants grow in between massive visual novel-like segments. Everything introduced in Nelke & the Legendary Alchemists is stuff we’ve seen millions of times in the mobile gaming spectrum, and it doesn’t do it any favors here. Even as a spinoff title it doesn’t warrant paying a premium for something that only resembles Atelier by name and art.
[Review] Blaster Master Zero 2
Posted on 5 years ago by Edan(@@Virtualboi92) in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch (eShop)
Release date: March 20, 2019
Developer: Inti Creates
Publisher: Inti Creates
In March 2017, one week after the release of the Switch, developer Inti Creates and Sunsoft unknowingly kicked off the “Metroidvania on Switch” phenomenon by releasing Blaster Master Zero to an almost empty eShop. The game served as a modern reimagining of the much loved NES classic, and was well-received by fans and newcomers alike for adhering to the source material albeit through a more modern lens. Since then we’ve had genre defining releases like Dead Cells and The Messenger along with countless other interpretations of the formula compete for our attention. It’s fair to say that if you’re a fan of Metroidvanias, then you’ve probably been spending more time on your Switch than you’d like to admit. In the hope that lightning does indeed strike twice and to capitalize on a booming trend, Inti Creates and Sunsoft have now seen fit to grace us with a wholly original sequel, Blaster Master Zero 2.
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[Review] RemiLore
Posted on 5 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: February 26, 2019
Developer: Pixellore
Publisher: Nicalis
RemiLore is a beautiful game at face value that brings you into a fantasy world of magic and adventure. You’ll play as the protagonist Remi and her grimoire companion throughout dungeons that are vibrant and stand out compared to other titles within the genre. However, while things may seem appealing and inviting at the surface, what you ultimately have is a game with a bit of an identity crisis as it incorporates so many elements between its story, gameplay, structure, and mechanics that it feels like a mess attempting too much at once just to stand out further. There’s promise to be had every time you play through it, but nothing ever clicks or feels as if it belongs, making the entire experience feel like one big “what’s the point?” scenario.
