[Review] Fe
Posted on 6 years ago by Jakob Vujovic(@jakovujo) in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch (eShop)
Release date: February 16, 2018
Developer: Zoink
Publisher: EA Originals
It’s is a little bit of a platformer, a little bit of a puzzle game, and a little bit of an art piece. At its heart Fe is a game about communication. It’s easy to locate among the lineage of games that are notable for pushing stories that only an interactive medium can tell: Another World, Ico, and Journey, as three pivotal entries in that genealogy. With its stylized low-poly aesthetic, soothing cello carried soundscape, and wimpy little fox character Fe feels like a game that is content being placed under the larger context of games that have been bolder and newer than it. For what it is, Fe is good. Scattered throughout its eight hour run time are a few really effective and awe-inspiring moments but even these glimpses of inspiration feel complacent in the shadows of earlier prospects.
[Review] Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology
Posted on 6 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in 3DS, Reviews | 0 comments
System: 3DS
Release date: February 13, 2018
Developer: Atlus
Publisher: Atlus
It amazes me how even after years of incredible games from a system’s lifecycle, we have been consistently impressed with the “cherry on top”, if you will, at the very end that leaves its mark and gives players one last hoorah before the inevitable new generation. It was Zelda: Breath of the Wild on Wii U for example, and now Radiant Historia on 3DS. With Radiant Historia, we can revisit one of the titles that made the DS so great, and gladly add it to the 3DS’ ineffable library of RPGs. It’s an encore that shows nothing but respect for the craft, the legacy of the DS and 3DS, as well as the genre as whole.
[Review] ATOMIK: RunGunJumpGun
Posted on 6 years ago by Vincent Ward in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch (eShop)
Release date: February 8, 2018
Developer: ThirtyThree
Publisher: Good Shepard Entertainment
With all of the great first-party games released for the Switch since its release, it’s easy to forget the waves and waves of fantastic indie games that are filling up the eShop. ATOMIK: RunGunJumpGun is the latest title to enter the floodgates of the Switch, and it’s safe to say that the system’s streak of hits is still chugging along.
[Review] Super One More Jump
Posted on 6 years ago by Jakob Vujovic(@jakovujo) in Reviews, Switch eShop | 1 Comment
System: Switch (eShop)
Release date: January 25, 2018
Developer: SMG Studio / Premo Games
Publisher: SMG Studio
There’s not a lot to dislike about Super One More Jump. On its surface it looks like a fairly generic Super Meat Boy derivative, but beyond its stout square character, the ease in which you can very quickly die in its short challenge levels – and the instant reset when you do – Super One More Jump shares more with auto-runner mobile games than the intricate fine-tuned play that a Meat Boy demands. It wasn’t a surprise to learn that this is a souped-up version of Premo Games’ One More Jump. As a result it’s mechanically undercooked to be a slightly awkward fit for a dedicated console with a full array of buttons and sticks.
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[Review] Romancing SaGa 2
Posted on 7 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch eShop | 6 Comments
System: Switch (eShop)
Release date: December 15, 2017
Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Romancing SaGa and the SaGa series in general has had a long history in the RPG world, first launching in 1989 as The Final Fantasy Legend. While we’ve seen a few SaGa games localized since then, Romancing SaGa 2 in particular never saw a release until recently on mobile a few years ago, before making its way to consoles now just before the new year of 2018. Unfortunately, this is a poor port of the mobile version of the game localized years ago, and not a remaster of the original title on the Super Famicom. This becomes problematic in a lot of ways, and the Switch suffers heavily from it.
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[Review] The Next Penelope
Posted on 7 years ago by Jakob Vujovic(@jakovujo) in Reviews, Switch eShop | 1 Comment
System: Switch (eShop)
Release date: December 21, 2017
Developer: Aurélien Regard / Seaven Studio
Publisher: Plug In Digital
Set in a far-future interpretation of one of the oldest pieces of western literature, The Next Penelope has an engaging aesthetic wrapper for its gameplay mixture of top-down shooter and Micro Machines style racing. As novel as space Poseidon might be, these narrative elements are also its flimsiest facet. The snippets of dialogue that are peppered throughout the game’s five main major challenges fumble with some inelegant wording, odd grammar, and a few comma splices. The premise isn’t given the space to develop into much beyond passing references to the Odyssey. Fortunately, this is all just window dressing – the game’s hectic arcade-style shooting fares much better in blending somewhat dissonant gameplay concepts. It comes together as an impressively well constructed genre hybrid.
[Review] Rocket League
Posted on 7 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch | 2 Comments
System: Switch
Release date: November 14, 2017
Developer: Psyonix / Panic Button
Publisher: Psyonix
Rocket League has seen tremendous growth in popularity and players over the past few years since its original release, and also now cements itself as one of the largest eSports franchises in the world. At the same time, it remains easy to pick up and play for the casual gamer to enjoy. Although we’ve seen a surge in online multiplayer titles for quite awhile now, Rocket League maintains a dedicated and respectful consumer base thanks to its low cost of entry, hours of fun, and, most importantly, no pay-to-win nonsense. The cars won’t run faster, but having something like the Batmobile will definitely make you look cooler than most out on the field (besides the incredible Metroid car, of course).
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[Review] RIVE: Ultimate Edition
Posted on 7 years ago by Vincent Ward in Reviews, Switch eShop | 1 Comment
System: Switch
Release date: November 17, 2017
Developer: Two Tribes
Publisher: Two Tribes
In RIVE, you control a spider-mech that is piloted by a loud mouthed, raunchy captain as he tries to escape a space warehouse that constantly pours threat after threat his way. As far as story- that’s as much as you’re going to get, aside from awkward one-liners and poor pop culture references. The story never grows into much more than that, but that’s completely fine. A game like RIVE doesn’t need a huge encompassing tale to keep you invested, just the quick paced action of the 7ish hour campaign will keep you invested enough.
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[Review] Ittle Dew 2+
Posted on 7 years ago by Dennis Gagliardotto(@LyonHart_) in Reviews, Switch, Switch eShop | 12 Comments
System: Switch
Release date: November 14, 2017
Developer: Ludosity
Publisher: Nicalis
Years after Ludosity’s well-received Ittle Dew back in 2013 on Steam before making its way to consoles about a year later, Ittle Dew 2+ is here and makes its way over to the Switch, offering fans of top-down dungeon crawlers and old-school Zelda players something to look forward to, and a sequel that finds itself just as wildly charming and humorous as it was the first time around. The game brings with it some new treats that make it feel like a fresh, albeit familiar, new adventure for our protagonists Ittle Dew and Tippsie.
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[Review] Poi: Explorer Edition
Posted on 7 years ago by Jakob Vujovic(@jakovujo) in Reviews, Switch eShop | 10 Comments
System: Switch
Release date: October 24, 2017
Developer: PolyKid
Publisher: Alliance Digital Media
Poi is a tribute to the nearly forgotten exploratory 3D platformer. Nearly, that is, if 2017 hadn’t seen a sudden resurgence of the genre with Yooka-Laylee, A Hat in Time and, of course, Super Mario Odyssey. Poi isn’t inventive – it’s nostalgic to a fault. It hasn’t made strides to progress past Super Mario 64’s game flow of hub world-to-level-to-hub world. Even within that flow there aren’t many ideas or mechanics that haven’t already been thoroughly explored in past 3D Mario games, to the point where Poi stop being referential and becomes just plain derivative. Taken on these terms the game isn’t remarkable, but it’s not trying to be remarkable. It’s a throwback.
