[Review] Blasphemous II
Posted on 1 year ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: August 24, 2023
Developer: The Game Kitchen
Publisher: Team17
Blasphemous was a smash hit when it released in 2019, two years after a highly successful Kickstarter campaign. Two years after the first game wrapped up with The Wounds of Eventide DLC, developer The Game Kitchen is back with this direct sequel. At this point you probably know if the Soulslike Metroidvania genre is one you enjoy, and Blasphemous II won’t be changing your mind. However, it stands out from the crowd and is a marked improvement on the original game, and one I would definitely recommend that you pick up if you’re on the fence.
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[Rapid Review] The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood
Posted on 1 year ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: August 16, 2023
Developer: Deconstructeam
Publisher: Devolver Digital
It’s not uncommon these days to see a game with a choice-based narrative, which allows players to engage with the story on a deeper level by placing themselves in the role of the character they play as, allowing them to shape that character’s personality and interaction as they see fit with little regard for the consequences: if you make the wrong choice, you can reload and try again, or make another choice to steer yourself back to the ending that you want. But it’s rare to find a game that doesn’t clearly signpost which choices are the “right” and “wrong” ones, and instead lets you decide for yourself and force you to live with the consequences, whatever they may be. The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood, developed by Deconstructeam, lets you take fate into your own hands, for better or worse, in a way that results in a highly personal experience that has as much meaning as you choose to give it.
[Rapid Review] Samba de Amigo: Party Central
Posted on 1 year ago by Edan(@@Virtualboi92) in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: August 29, 2023
Developer: SEGA
Publisher: SEGA
Look, I don’t want to seem ungrateful – but out of all of the franchises SEGA could have thawed from cryo-sleep in 2023, Samba de Amigo was not the one I would have expected. The fan-favorite rhythm action celebration of Latin American music and culture last graced our consoles a whopping 15 years ago, and even that was just a Wii port of an even older title. Nevertheless, SEGA has seen fit to resurrect the franchise with a brand new entry exclusive to Switch, and they’ve even attached series creator Shun Nakamura as the game’s director and producer. You would hope that this pedigree coupled with the the console’s maraca-adjacent control method would result in a pleasantly breezy party-game smash – the reality however, is anything but with Samba de Amigo: Party Central.
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[Review] Sea of Stars
Posted on 1 year ago by Elias in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: August 29, 2023
Developer: Sabotage Studio
Publisher: Sabotage Studio
Another successful Kickstarter project, Sea of Stars was fully funded only seven hours after being live on the platform. Canadian-based developer Sabotage Studio mapped out several stretch goals only to see them continuously blown away. Now with the release of this retro-inspired turn-based RPG, a nostalgic wind blows for older gamers that remember the golden age of SNES and SEGA Genesis titles – RPGs that Sea of Stars pays homage to in myriad ways. As a prequel to their previous game, The Messenger, Sea of Stars expands upon Sabotage Studio’s ability to tell a story, and this time they’ve taken a bit more of a lofty approach. Going from an action platformer to a storied RPG is quite a change, after all.
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[Rapid Review] Vampire Survivors
Posted on 1 year ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: August 17, 2023
Developer: Poncle
Publisher: Poncle
Every now and then a game will be released that breaks away from the labels that we use to define titles and will become a thing entirely unto itself. Vampire Survivors is one such game, having been met with massive success when it first launched last year. Part rogue-like, part bullet-hell, and entirely self-contained, it has already inspired several other titles that have tried to capture its unique magic. It is magic, I am very pleased to say, that is a perfect fit for the Switch, and a game that is more than worth your time.
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[Rapid Review] Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical
Posted on 1 year ago by Dawn in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: August 10, 2023
Developer: Summerfall Studios
Publisher: Humble Games
Greek mythology has been a popular inspiration for video games for some time now, with both AAA series and indie titles placing us into the world of the pantheon of gods and their various conflicts, which are typically resolved with violence. Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical brings with it a different approach, giving us a modern-day setting and challenging us to resolve our differences through the power of song. The result is something that probably won’t be winning over the hearts and minds of those averse to breaking out into song with the flimsiest of excuses anytime soon, but will have anyone else singing its praises.
[Review] Bomb Rush Cyberfunk
Posted on 1 year ago by Nicholas Serpa in Reviews, Switch eShop | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: August 18, 2023
Developer: Team Reptile
Publisher: Team Reptile
Jet Set Radio is one of SEGA’s classic Dreamcast games – its combination of fast-paced rollerblading, urban vandalism and high-energy hip-hop have remained unique in the decades since the original release. Sadly, it’s a title that’s become increasingly inaccessible these days, and the franchise has been dormant for a long time. Well, if SEGA were to make a Jet Set Radio game in 2023, it would probably look a lot like Bomb Rush Cyberfunk – the developers at Team Reptile have taken everything you loved from the titles that inspired it, revamped it all with modern controls, and repackaged it with some incredible music and a high-energy cast of characters. This is the game Jet Set Radio fans have been waiting for – and for everyone else, it’s one of the most creative, exciting skating games released in decades.
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[Review] Disney Illusion Island
Posted on 1 year ago by Nicholas Serpa in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: July 28, 2023
Developer: Dlala Studios
Publisher: Disney Electronic Content
Mickey, Minnie, Donald & Goofy may be some of the most recognizable characters of all time, but it’s been a hot minute since they featured in a noteworthy game of their own – something true of many Disney franchises since the shuttering of Disney Interactive in 2016. As such, Disney Illusion Island is something of an experiment; an attempt to craft a modern, original Mickey Mouse story in a new world with new characters, with the structure of a Metroidvania (or “Mickeyvania,” as the developers have put it). While a lack of meaningful surprises can cause the experience to drag and feel overly simple, the game’s charming humor and silky-smooth platforming result in a fun and amusing adventure.
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[Review] Cross Tails
Posted on 1 year ago by Elias in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release date: July 20, 2023
Developer: RideOn Japan
Publisher: Kemco
The age old war between cats and dogs has never been more illustrated than what you see in Cross Tails. Two kingdoms at odds with one another in a deep-rooted hatred fueled by generations of animosity, the game’s narrative opens with the canine Kingdom of Ranverfurt and the feline Republic of Hidiq currently embroiled in a decade-long battle. With a third faction trying to drive things in their own direction, will we be able to solve the conflict and steer destiny in a peaceful direction, or will the people continue to suffer due to the interference?
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[Review] Master Detective Archives: Rain Code
Posted on 1 year ago by Elias in Reviews, Switch | 0 comments
System: Switch
Release Date: June 30, 2023
Developer: Spike Chunsoft / Too Kyo Games
Publisher: Spike Chunsoft
Waking in a strange storage room, our protagonist dusts himself off and finds himself without memory. Unsure of who he is, or what he was doing beforehand, he quickly investigates his surroundings. With a strange voice echoing now and again, sometimes seeming to guide him, he finds a letter in his pocket. Perplexed, worried, and with just his name and destination in mind, he exits out into a train station in a rush to hopefully make the journey to learn of himself and his fate. This is Master Detective Archives: Rain Code, the latest game from the creator of Danganronpa.
