I usually play LEGO games to simply unwind. Their approach to gameplay is not hard, but it is engaging. With simple attacks patterns and puzzles to solve, I easily play through a couple of levels on a whim. With that, it shouldn't come as a surprise that I was interested in checking out LEGO DC Super Villains. This entry puts you in the shoes of the crooks you can muster, and see them flourish in their dedicated campaigns. While the typical LEGO tropes are still there, I had a good laugh exploring all the details the new demo level had to offer.
Just like the previous LEGO superhero games, you will find yourself among a group of characters. Each come with their own special ability, which you can take advantage of by constantly swapping between characters at will. Lex Luther could shoot lasers while Cheetah could uncover objects stuck beneath the surface. These abilities can help you to complete puzzles and give you access to the building blocks to trigger new events that will eventually inch you closer to the end..
Between the puzzle solving, you will naturally break a lot of blocks and opponents in combat. While every character does things slightly different, the basic way of attacking doesn't really change. This may seem mindless at times but the simply pleasure of destroying LEGO blocks can't be overstated. In the demo, they had to destroy highly intelligent monkeys and their sad faces made for quite a deadly sight. From a distance that might seem bad, but in context, it is honestly quite a lot of fun.
The Monkey Temple made quite a lush setting too. Where most LEGO stages don't rely on platforming, I found myself climbing and jumping a lot here. This doesn't happen too often in other LEGO games which made an unique path here. At every step the monkeys were waiting for us. We had to stay on our toes and use the right villains to strike from a distance. There wasn't really a moment where I could hang around and not really react.
At the end of the day, it remains a LEGO game. That isn't anything bad – they are perfectly well made games. Regardless of feelings, your opinion will not change because of this game. The humor is once there in droves, and the villains are delivered with the right amount of snark. The gameplay is still exactly what you would expect from the word LEGO on the box. Simple yet enjoyable fun but without really any depth. I personally just can't wait to see my favorite villains to spring to life, which is what really matters here.
Games are made in a variety of ways: cell shaded, pixels or full on 3D graphics. Once in a while though, there are games that belong in a league of their own. Harold Halibut challenges the status quo – it’s a truly one-of-a-kind adventure game. Everything in the game is built from dollhouse sets and puppets that the developers created. This seamlessly translates to the game where everything has an authentic stop motion feel. We have seen attempts at similar techniques in the past but nothing impressed me the way Harold Halibut did.
The story of Harold Halibut is just as impressive as its visuals. Harold is a young lab assistant who has lived underwater all of his life. The wreck used to be a spaceship which was used to escape the cold war four generations prior As Harold, you will explore the ''Fedora I'' and help out the community found there. On the way, you will get to talk to some endearing characters – they made the demo fly by to me. The dialogue is rather excellent, focusing a lot on funny winks and nods overall. The ultimate goal in Harold Halibut is to find a spaceship which would allow you leave this strange underwater planet. After ages being stuck between the fauna of this world, it is time to get out and see the wider depths of space.
Being an adventure game, you will walk around, interact with the environment, talk with characters and solve objectives to get the story moving. Nothing about the gameplay felt particularly obtuse or hard to grasp. Clear directions are present which clearly describe what it needs you to do. Taking a small detour or clicking the right dialogue can do wonders very fast. The demo showcased a sequence where Harold was required to find a material for professor Jeanne Mareaux. You meet a shop owner who is heartbroken about his current relationship. By helping him and finding out more details, you get access to the space rock you so desperately need.
Overall I am quite intrigued by what the developers are trying to achieve. The seamless stop motion game developer Slow Bros. is creating is impressive and tells a story that raises some questions. I'm very excited to see those answered as Harold Halibut seems proper otherworldly. Naturally, we will have to see if the title can stay novel through it's running time, but at least the benefit of doubt is here. Get ready for this exciting new adventure game!
Moonlighter is a game split into two different segments – it’s half business simulator, half roguelite. During the day you run a store which sells various good for competitive prices. The customers will come in, browse around your wares and instantly give a reaction to the price. This will help you to make better decisions and ensure that you know which customers desire certain products. You’ll make lots of cash either way, and you’ll want it for the bigger part of the game.
During the night, it becomes a roguelite – this is the bigger part of the game. You will venture into one of the five major dungeons to collect precious wares. With simple-yet-effective moves you will take down foes and collect their spoils to make a decent living. The trick is knowing when it is best to leave – easier said than done. After a certain point, you're inclined to push onwards in order to collect even bigger rewards. That being said, if you aren't careful, you will pass out. These will make you lose everything you have already collected without a way to get it back.
As long as you're successful, progression should be going your way. The money can be spent on purchasing armor, weaponry and different upgrades like increasing the size of your pouch. In the initial runs you will have to be careful as your resources are incredibly limited. In time, however, you will learn what is effective against certain enemies and how to extract the most out of them. It is this specific gameplay loop that was so endlessly entertaining as I explored the various parts of the experience.
What also impressed was the style of the game. The clean, pixelated style was jaw droppingly beautiful to behold. Moonlighter consists of incredibly bright colors with solid separation between the different layers. As this is an overhead game, it is important to see everything with in glance which is something the developers absolutely nailed to a point. The little animations done by the inhabitants and enemies were absolutely adorable in my eyes.
Moonlighter was one of the Indie Highlights showcased during the show. Without a doubt, it absolutely deserves that moniker. Both sides of the gameplay were extremely entertaining and the minutes just flew by. I'm certain that I stayed at the one stand for a solid 30 minutes or so, which I surely don't regret. Within that time, this action RPG managed to win me over. I enjoyed it so much that I would love to check it out now on another platform, but I really should just wait for the Switch version.
The Journey to the West is one of most adapted stories when it comes to modern media. There are books and games in droves about the subject, so what would Unruly Heroes have to add the subject matter? Quite a lot actually, considering it made it to the Indie Highlights booth at Gamescom 2018. While that might sound a little cynical, the fact of the matter is that Unruly Heroes is very well made game. In the packed realm of 2D platformers, it is really hard to stand out, but the game did make me a believer at the end of it.
Like I mentioned at the top, Unruly Heroes is based on The Journey to the West and it takes that concept in a new direction. You will be able to play as four different characters, each with their own skills and abilities. The demo starts initially with Wukong, who is the fearless monkey of the crew. He can use his stick to strike enemies, change into an eagle for his special attacks and move elegantly to the air. What only he can do, however, is place his stick at special spots and create a bridge in the process. It will help to cross mighty gaps or endless rows of spikes.
In single-player, if the character passes out or you press a specific button, you will instantly change into the next hero. As you are playing alone, you will be forced to do so when the puzzles require it. Sandmonk (the brute) is only capable of destroying certain walls, Sanzang (the sage) can throw energy orbs to reach switches and Kihong (the pig) can float up into the air. This is all combined with sharp and precise platforming that forces you to stay on your feet. You will do a lot of jumping and wall hanging to get certain spots just right. Personally, I found myself using Sanzang the most. The float the character is similar to that of Princess Peach which ensures that you can make the right call.
After playing Unruly Heroes for a while, I really started to enjoy the gameplay’s feel. The fancy attacks that the characters can perform are quite fun, which makes slashing enemies an absolute blast. When you aren't attacking foes, you are platforming or puzzling. The task at hand really changes a lot, which made the couple levels in the demo really varied and entertaining. I was bummed when it was all over, and I wanted to see where the story would go. It takes a more free approach to the story, all the while providing a beautiful world to get through. Seriously, the style was incredibly well done with plenty of detail found in the various backgrounds.
Outside of a regular solo adventure, Unruly Heroes can be played with up to four players. In a special world, called the Underworld, you will be playing as children versions of the main characters. You will be using special spirit power to shoot at everything that moves and cling yourself to various objects. It creates a more equal playing field, forcing you to really communicate at very step. I really laughed my behind off as we went through the level showcased. The game also offers Player versus Player mode, where the four characters duke it locally or online. I didn't get a chance to try this myself but it certainly looks very neat. You will constantly grab each other, use new specials and so much more nonsense. Unruly Heroes really seems to have it all.
Unruly Heroes left me super impressed and happy. It takes the original Chinese lore and does something incredibly creative with it. The four different characters are varied and the gameplay itself is incredibly entertaining. There is a constant fluid motion that pushes you through the game.You use the best pieces of every character and string them together for that one run that can rule them all. Unruly Heroes will release before 2018 comes to a close.
Personally when I play a MOBA, I want to be able to play it over an significant stretch of time. With that in mind, I let the chance to play Arena of Valor just slip me by for the time being when it first released in 2015 That is, honestly, a big shame as this MOBA is showcasing a lot of promise on the Switch. The developer showcased a near final version in a closed session during Gamescom 2018. The results were sincerely impressive and I can't wait to dive in even more.
Representatives from the international side were very happy to show me very detail. They opened the demo by explaining what they wanted to do with the Switch port. For starters, they made it very clear that this version is made with the audience in mind. Unlike the mobile version, you will able to use buttons and have a more direct feeling of control. You will move your characters around, activate attacks with various button prompts and make purchases and upgrades just by pressing the buttons. I found this extremely well suited for the Pro Controller which I was offered for my play session.
While I had my doubts how it would translate from mobile to Switch, I found myself very happy with the results. Something I give the developers a lot of credit for is making it feel that it belongs on the console. The controls very well mapped, but there is more than just that. The resolution bump was close to 1080p on the television, not entirely there but very close. In addition, the frame rate felt steadier than the mobile game. The mobile game was at 30fps, while this version was a locked 45fps. It made for a slightly faster version too. This is something the developers have recognized, and it is why there is no crossplay with the mobile game. In fact, both versions will be continued to build up separately from each other.
The build presented had a solid selection of heroes, but not all the ones available in the mobile game. Don't get me wrong, 39 Heroes spread over six different classes is enough to keep you engaged, but I do hope it goes very parallel the weeks after launch. Naturally, this is a matter of time thing, but the Tencent representatives were very adamant on where they wanted to see this game go. They want to build up a new public from scratch, one that compete on a high level. If the version becomes successful enough, they do see the possibility of holding tournaments for the Switch game. That is a lot commitment and something that could totally work out.
The game is something a group of friends could get easily into. You will have to work together to destroy a bunch of towers and shatter the crystal at the end of it. It requires a balanced team of heroes as well as communication to inch yourself closer to victory. Don't expect, however, to do that locally. Tencent is focused on delivering a solid 3-on-3 or 5-on-5 online multiplayer experience. They wouldn't rule it, but personally they do see more strength in the online space. That is, in all sincerity, quite a fair assessment. Personally, I feel it could be done but you do give something for it in the process. Locally only eight systems can connect, which makes the most played mode difficult to translate.
All in all, Arena of Valor feels as though it was made with the Switch in mind. While some questions remain, the results so far can't be underestimated. The game has seen a grand graphical overhaul, easy to use button controls and a completely reworked UI. Arena of Valor is planned to release this month, though the exact timing is unknown at the time of writing.
Sometimes the concept of a game is so simple that it is actually brilliant. That is how I felt about sU and the Quest for Meaning, a stage based endless platformer. It can't really described as a runner because of your free movement across the stage. Still, it can't be called a regular platformer either as you are confined to a singular screen.
Your goal in the stages is to collect a certain threshold of diamonds. These are spread across platforms that rise up and instantly crash down when you jump away from them. In the beginning this is fairly simple as you jump from one point to the next. It doesn't take long for things to quickly feel relentless. The platforms will disappear faster, tricking you into making jumps and never feeling entirely sure if you hit the correct amount.
The stage's score is the true puzzle. You will need to keep a sharp eye on the environment and character before deciding to call it a day. It is easy to miss or overshoot a goal without really thinking about it making it important to keep your eyes on the diamonds, and put everything into perspective. Not everyone will instantly understand this, but it is so rewarding to nail everything to a tee.
While running and jumping is really the only things you do in sU, the presentation is what keeps you glued to the screen. The environments have a very lush look to it with calming music to boot. It put me in a zen like state as I pushed for completion to the highest degree. After a while I went through the motions without second guessing, which is where the game truly came into its own.
I walked away happy from sU and the Quest for Meaning. The idea behind is simple but it works so incredibly well. You will find yourself constantly checking the environment for clues to completion, all the while you just want to keep collecting diamonds. The stage based structure forces you to move on at some point, starting the whole cycle anew. sU is showing a lot of promise and I hope to see more in the months to come.
During Gamescom 2018, I got to hang out with the good people of Ripstone Publishing. They have a track record of signing interesting games that would be a good fit for consoles. Take their new game, The Spectrum Retreat, for example. A first person puzzler made by 2016 Young Designer winner Dan Smith, set within the mysterious chambers of an unknown hotel. The people living there relive the same day over and over again, and it’s up to the player to find out what's wrong.
You soon find out that you're actually held against your will, which provides the need to escape. It really isn't as easy as it sounds, considering you don't really known where to go. Your mind is scrambled mess. In order to figure out a means of escape, you’ll need to ask around and get a better sense of the surroundings. While I wasn't sure what to do with the information provided in the demo, I had the feeling I was being mislead. I can imagine that the real underlying elements won't be revealed until I actually play the full experience.
As far as the puzzles are concerned, they are represented as authentication challenges. In a first person perspective, it will see you absorbing colors from blocks and constantly trading it between other blocks. By stringing this correctly, the barriers will fade away, allowing you further access to the current floor. It really isn't unlike a maze, though it feels a lot more interactive than one. You need to take your time and think how the pieces fit, which is honestly quite entertaining.
The few floors I got to try constantly change up the way you deal with the blocks. Initially, it is really straightforward. You simply move the color back and forth. After a while, however, you will notice that the game wants to lay patterns one by one. It requires a very sharp eye for detail, something that more experienced puzzle game players will fully enjoy. That isn't to say that it isn't easy to pick up, but the challenge grows way quicker than you might expect. It requires way more wit to see you pass through the cracks.
The Spectrum Retreat left me wanting more, and that is a positive. The whole experience has a very uncanny valley feel, which married with the gameplay, which makes for a puzzle game that stands alone. From what I played, I don't think it’s going to necessarily be easy, but I'm sort of okay with that. There is a challenge lurking that I can't wait to dig further into. The Spectrum Retreat should be releasing very soon on Nintendo Switch.
I could make this a long discussion or play with your expectations, but this time I'm going to tell it straight. PikuNiku is one of my favorite titles during last week's Gamescom 2018 show. Made by studio Sectordub, it’s a colorful mixture that reminds me so much of LocoRoco or games like it. The presentation immediately pulls you in, and married with the music and quirky gameplay it never lets go. PikuNiku made me laugh, scream and be a jerk to the world it brings to the table.
You play as a little lad with a head and two legs. This strange creature goes on an exploration to find what is exactly going on. You get thrown into a forgotten place, where a ghost has to teach you how to escape. From there, you do two things: talking and interacting. The player will speak to the inhabitants of this strange world where everybody doesn't know what to make of you. Initially, they see you as a beast, but soon enough you will earn their trust by fixing a bridge.
How do you fix that bridge? By kicking a spider to the other side of the water of course. Yeah, the main way you interact with anything is kicking it about as much as you can. This makes for a game that almost anybody can understand, but also delivers simple pleasures as the world learns about you. One of the minigames showcased in the demo was playing a round of basketball. Here you not only have to kick the ball, but also your opponent to simply stay ahead of the curve. It comes together in quite a magical way that kept me glued to the screen.
Your end goal of is bringing all of the characters together. It is your duty to solve their problems, become friends and make the world just a tiny bit lovelier. These weird abstract figurines showcased a lot of personality during my play session, so I was sort of bummed when it ended. That is the best thing I can say about the demo, which is sincerely a very good thing indeed.
After an extensive single-player introduction, myself and Arnaud De Bock (one the developers) played some co-op to close things off. It is here that we had to solve small puzzles together to push on. We had to stand on each other's heads, kick balls around and bring objects along to keep buttons pressed in. One of the levels showcased a race where we had sit in a car and just went. This created a true spectacle as we constantly bumped into each other, and tried to push the other off the screen. These moments were my fondest of Gamescom as a whole.
PikuNiku is looking incredibly delightful. It is something I didn't know much about going in, but I walked away a believer. What impressed me was the pure inventiveness of the puzzles and every little detail that was seemingly well crafted. Add to that the charming characters, easy to grasp gameplay and a lot of kicking about. PikuNiku has no release date, but I need it right about now. Please?
If you are in need of a puzzle platformer, the Nintendo Switch has plenty. Candle is a game that fits nicely into that niche. Well made in various areas, it never reaches too many highs. The atmosphere is engrossing, but the fixation on certain elements drags down the experience.
The story is decent and the meaning isn’t very subtle. The naughty Wakcha has taken a Shaman hostage, and it is up to you to make things right. As the fearless leader Teku, you must keep the village organized in order to make it thrive. Teku journeys through lush environments solving puzzles. The story highlights the everyday struggles as well as serving a higher plain. It is intriguing, but only goes just far enough to make you keep playing. There aren't really that many surprises here, which I found disappointing.
Candle delivered a big mishmash of feelings. The controls are fine, but there is an odd feeling to it where everything doesn't feel exactly right. This is frustrating, particularly in moments where precision is key. An abundance of checkpoints helps to balance the frustration. A Metroid-esque design makes backtracking key and thankfully enough surprises are in store to make these detours worth your time.
Puzzles are a bit harsh. A good chunk of them I actually really enjoyed, but the required details never seemed too obvious. This worked sometimes, but I found myself relying too much on the hint system. Even at that, the hints that Candle provided me weren't always great. I found myself looking at everything in the world. The exploration aspect is enjoyable, but Candle becomes more guesswork as a result. I had the most fun when I came up with my own solutions, even if it required more legwork. At the very least, the puzzles tried some creative things, which made the experience a bit more special.
As an experience, Candle scrapes by just being enough of everything. This is in comparison to a stellar presentation, which is a sight to behold. I was shockingly impressed by the sheer amount of care put into the environments, as they are multi-layered and lush with color. Add in a very atmospheric soundtrack and you have a delightful, vibrant world.
Candle is just fine. With some unresponsive controls and frustrating puzzles, it doesn’t stick the landing. That isn't great, but there is enough to like here if you are craving a new puzzle platformer. The presentation is, thankfully, utterly brilliant. Once it is all over though, you won't really feel a desire to return. The experience is an uneven one, but it balances just enough on the right side.
The splash that the original Gear.Club Unlimited made on Nintendo Switch was staggering. With more than 400 racing challenges, it was one of the most uniquely put together packages on the system. Naturally, they used the framework of a mobile game to get there, but the end result can't be disputed. A sequel seemed like a no brainer, so Eden Games went to work on a follow-up that was exclusive to Nintendo's hybrid console. Gear.Club Unlimited 2 can be seen as a pretty standard next step in creating a new product. Do a little more with the physics, add some new modes and embrace what the first game did right. While Gear.Club Unlimited 2 is certainly that and more, the developers didn't shy away from making a stronger package.
The essentials are still the same with Gear.Club Unlimited 2. As far as the gameplay is concerned, I didn't notice many major changes. Depending on how you ask, that is either a good or bad thing. Some found the controls problematic, while I quickly accepted that this felt different than others in the genre. The car feels far more realistic than the games I usually play, and your time to react is simply a tad shorter. For those seeking a ''do whatever you want'' game, Gear.Club isn't the thing you are looking for. In reality, the game tries for a more straightforward approach that I certainly appreciate. It stops pulling punches pretty quick after starting, forcing you to keep your head in the game.
This became obvious when I started playing around on the four demo tracks. The big focus of Gear.Club Unlimited 2 are four different terrains and how they affect your car. One of the terrains showcased was the Alps, where snow and ice could make you lag behind easily. The variety of tracks is also much larger than before. The demo switched between one way and multi lap tracks quite often. We fought against the clock in Time Trials, pulled ahead in various races and became the sole survivor in elimination battles. From what I've being told, the focus was purely on increasing Unlimited 2's horizon. Because of this, there will be slightly fewer events than before, but fear not. There are still a ton to go through, with even a grander story to boot.
With races on the Mediterranean coast or in the lush Yellowstone Park, it is easy to forget that this is a game about cars. Players can enjoy more than 50 licensed ones, including from brands like Lotus and McLaren. What impressed me the most in my short time with Gear.Club Unlimited 2 is the increased detail. Not to say that the original looked bad, but it is clear that this entry is made with Nintendo Switch in mind. The models look sharper overall, making for one really clean looking racing game. There are more options to personalize the cars with various stickers, type support, upgrades and so much more.
According to the folk I spoke to, another important factor remains the various multiplayer components. For example, you can manage your own club and run it together with your friends. There are leaderboards, exclusive content and much more to keep players engaged for quite a while. You will see your club rise on the ranks, and become the best Gear.Club Unlimited 2 team out there. For those more into a casual experience, four player splitscreen can also be enjoyed as you duke it out in the various events of the main game. All of this together makes for a brisk and fun package. At least, that is what we hope.
Gear.Club Unlimited 2 seems to be building on the path set by the original. That is a good thing as the first game did a number of things perfectly well. This title, however, seems to be more built for Nintendo Switch. Without its mobile roots dragging it down, Unlimited 2 feels much more like a standalone experience that raises the bar. With more variety in the campaign and multiplayer, there is a lot of hope for the game when it releases this December. I, for one, can't wait to cruise around the Alps in style.
Night Call paints a grim picture. You are a taxi driver, who lives in the noir world of Paris. The goal, at the end of the day, is to make ends meet. During your nightly shifts, you pick up passengers and listen to the stories they are telling. They pay you, and you get new leads that can push you onwards in the story. It seems like nothing more than a down to earth life.
However, the reality is that certain passengers of yours got killed. You want to know what binds them all together, and start searching for answers. While the police ask people to pay attention, the main character takes it a step further. He is going to find out the truth, and see who within his circle knows what is really going on. Along the way, you might find out more about the protagonist than you're prepared for. The guy isn't fully clean himself, and he will needs to leverage that to earn trust from some questionable patrons.
The game isn't just about listening, however. When push comes to shove, you will need to answer questions of your passengers yourself. This is important to keep conversations rolling, and to understand the world you're in. The reactions towards you come from a range of intriguing characters, from a calculated ex-prisoner to a policeman that lost a lot of hope. The goal is to get them on your side, ensuring that the new details keep coming in. An ultimate play on their emotions is what gets you new information.
At the end of the day, you will use the clues and items left for you to find pieces of the puzzle. Every tiny hint will get the player closer to finding out the truth. This is the only way you can stop the killer that has taken Paris hostage. By sliding pieces together and pushing them in on a huge board, you will able to find the connections you need to continue. It all comes down to the time, place and talks you have along the way. That is what makes Night Call tick.
The presentation of Night Call was supreme in the demo. Nintendo set up headphones specifically for it, and that made the experience ten times better. The environmental sounds around you as well as the stylized characters made one of the strongest impressions ever. Night Call needs time to build and grow into something that mesmerizes the player, which it does so pretty effectively.
Night Call made my heart beat harder as I learned about the world. I feel it would be bad to spoil specific interactions as it is part of a bigger journey here. You really get a sense that the developers were trying to just give you a sniff of the journey ahead. The demo left me with a lot of questions, which will be solved once I get the game in my hands. If only I got my chance that tiny bit sooner!
Swords & Soldiers II was one of the best games on the Wii U eShop. The side-scrolling RTS kept me engaged for hours on end. It didn't matter if I was replaying missions from the campaign or duking it out with friends in custom matches. Every piece of content in the game felt unique and was enough to keep runs entertaining. Given the circumstances of the Wii U, I was always sad about the game not doing better. The game felt like a pretty complete package, yet not many folks were picking it up. Now, the game is getting a second life on Nintendo Switch, which is a big plus. I got an early look at a new build, which I will naturally tell you tons about.
If you never played it before, Swords & Soldiers II Shawarmageddon is a real-time strategy adventure in which you don't control the movement of your characters. You can make meaningful choices, however, by building towers, adding units and upgrading them, and using magical spells. While there is a certain simplicity to these actions, in theory you are just selecting the set pieces; you could be fooled into thinking that you will learn all the tricks in a matter of minutes. The individual tactics encourage players to come back for more and try harder when you lose. The matches are frantic and often come down to the wire, which makes them quite satisfying. With three different factions, which you can mix and match to create your own teams, the ways you can overthrow your opponents feel different every time you play.
The campaign, which sees you leveraging the powers of all factions, makes its grand return. From the few missions I've played, I sense that the balance has been tweaked a bit. This update ensures that some terrible odds can still be overcome. You just require a sharp mind to reach your full potential. There are other improvements as well. Some of the Open Battles and Bonus Challenges have become required for progression. Previously, these elements were all optional, causing some players to look past them. Giving the side modes a new life is appreciated as I found them the most demanding missions in the game.
For the multiplayer, Ronimo Games is making their biggest effort yet. In addition to playing the traditional local experience on the television, there is now online play and tabletop mode. The former marks the first time the series is going online. This inclusion is exciting and can extend my time with the game even more. In tabletop, you can remove the Joy-Con and flip the screen vertical for a cozy multiplayer run. For those familiar with the original Swords & Soldiers’ iPad release, this orientation will feel right at home. The major difference is that you can opt to play with just a Joy-Con.
As far as new content is concerned, the developers have promised a selection of brand new maps. This is clever as every map in the original played with your expectations. Some maps required more effort to reach the opponent's base, while others thrived on almost immediate combat. There are certainly gimmicks from the main campaign that went woefully unused, and Ronimo Games seems very keen to rectify that. All in all, that is what I was hoping for, outside of maybe a few new campaign missions as a cherry on top. The game ran well, as expected, in handheld mode. The version was early with the new content not completed implemented just yet, but the build was extremely stable. It was very encouraging to see.
Swords & Soldiers II Shawarmageddon is a wonderful get for the platform. While you can't do the unique multiplayer set-up of the Wii U game (link up multiplayer please?), the traditional one-on-one experience is there in droves. I adored the game particularly in tabletop mode where it is really built to keep people playing. The online multiplayer and campaign tweaks offer great extras as well, making this port the ultimate version of a unique independent Wii U release.
Baba is You is one of the best smaller games I've played in a while, and its creativity shines through instantly. The way you come up with solutions is pushing three words together, and create new ways to traverse the terrain. The concept is simple yet so engaging. After a while, I really didn't want to stop playing. The silliness grew with every puzzle, and my love for Baba along with it.
As mentioned above, the solutions of the puzzles come down to words found in the level. The words refer to an object (Wall), the word ''is'' and then the action (Move). By using the words I just used in the example, I can move around the walls at the same time as Baba. This would allow me to reach the end flag and score a point. In another puzzle, I would actually have to become the wall and get to the flag that way. There is always a fantastic or over the top method to solving a puzzle.
Even the end goal isn't immune to being changed. In one of the demo puzzles we encountered, there was no way to the flag. By pushing a row of blocks through the water, it was possible to create the sentence Baba is Win. This instantly ended the level with the usual Congratulations screen. The only way you have zero influence on certain blocks if they are completely walled off, creating rules on how a level needs to be finished. It kept me on my toes and forced me to keep adjusting my strategies.
Even though the art style isn't boombastic, it certainly doesn't needs to be. The gameplay of Baba is You is the title's strongest feature, and creates some really fun puzzle action. With more than 100 levels packed in, this could fill that puzzle itch I have every so often. The concept behind it is so novel, and it threw my expectations for a constant loop. Those are the solid inner workings of a game.
It's hard to believe, isn’t it? After many years praising the original Windjammers, the friendly folk at DotEmu are putting money and resources behind a sequel. The sequel, simply named Windjammers 2, is coming to PC and Nintendo Switch sometime in 2019. While gameplay wasn't allowed in the game's pre-alpha state, Windjammers 2 still feels very much like Windjammers. This is all I could ask for.
The reasons why the game only showcased behind closed doors were obvious. There were only two characters and a single stage showcased. If you ever played the original, which is coming to Switch, you know what to expect. You will dash and throw the disc, lob it straight back and use special moves when the timing is right. The goal is to toss the disc behind your opponent and score points depending on which colored wall you hit. Depending on your actions, you can score anything from two to five points on average. It is very much a momentum game, as timing every move can decide a victor fast.
The two characters presented the speedy and heavy classes of the original game. As someone who very much likes to play a tactical game, I went for the speedier option. The girl is certainly new, and doesn't exactly feel like any of the original characters. Her speed was really impressive, but it also caused me to miss a disc or two. After a while I got the hang of her, and she became my way to play. The man reminded a lot of Klaus Wessel; bulky, not as quick, and easier to grab a disc with. At the same time, it was hard to pull off very technical moves with him as he had slower reflexes. Both of them had a nice balance that I hope become clearer as more characters get revealed.
New to Windjammers 2 are the Power Moves. Unlike the normal ones, which can be activated by abusing an opponent's lob, the Power Moves can be used after a charge. The female character would create smoke on the opponent's side, making it difficult to see where you or the disc are. On the other hand, the man would shoot the disc back with a large beam. This was very hard to counter and forced you to be even more sharp than usual. The dynamic of Power Moves add so much possibilities, and I can't wait to see more of them as we get closer to release.
All in all, Windjammers 2 was a really fun surprise. While it will be a bit before we see the fruit of Blitworks' labor, the first impressions are really strong. There is a sense of tightness to the proceedings and the two characters present had their own benefits. The inclusion of the Power Moves are the biggest game changer and forces you to think of the right moment to strike. Windjammers 2 is an intriguing title that left me very hopeful for the future of Flying Power Discs.
One of the companies I had longer meetings with was Pqube. The publisher is known for bringing quirky titles to various systems, and the Nintendo Switch certainly isn't an exception. Cat Quest II: The Lupus Empire certainly fits that description to a tee. The original, which released in November 2017 on the platform, brought fun action and interesting quests. Our very own Neal Ronaghan was more critical of the title, and I can understand why. The map was pretty underwhelming, and the way that the camera was set up wasn’t winning any prizes. Pqube was graceful enough to show off an early build of Cat Quest II, and the results very much pleased me.
For the record, I must admit that I was shown a very vertical slice. The demo guided me to the right locations and rushed me to the big dragon baddy at the end of the demo. It did allow me to do some minor exploring of the overworld, collecting items and defeating smaller enemies, but exploration wasn't the focus here. You almost immediately went to the different dungeons to engage with increasingly harder foes. These enemies could be subdued by straightforward attacks and crowd-control spells. The combat isn't unlike what we experienced with the original; however, there are some key differences here.
An important one is a co-op mode. While initially this seemed like something obvious, the implementation was really well done. For starters, you get to play a cat AND a dog. I sure fancy that as a dog person. Honestly though, that isn't the major reason why it feels good. The camera adjusts as you are closer or farther apart from each other. This is an instant step up from the original, where the camera wasn't well suited in certain combat situations. The game gradually gives you more room to play with, which is rather excellent.
Another reason why co-op matters is in your approach towards enemies. Particularly during the boss present in the demo, a solid strategy required. Personally, I would circle around and distract the boss, while my friend would attack with the best spells. The dragon at the end wasn't properly balanced yet, but with a lot of hard work, we got the job done. Coordinating those attacks successfully felt really satisfying and really forced a back and forth conversation between me and my partner. The co-op gameplay makes for an excellent experience for two people.
During Gamescom 2018, I got to see an in-progress version of the InkyPen application. The piece of software is a subscription service for various types of comics, manga and similarly perceived content. For a reasonable cost of €7.99/$7.99, users can download as much as they like.
The version wasn’t final as they are still tweaking things, but it is looking very promising. I was particularly impressed by how fun and simple it was to flip through the pages. There are various ways to zoom in and out on panels, to really take in the finer details of the artwork.
The developers are opting for multiple ways to interact. You can use either the touchscreen or Joy-Con to get the viewing experience that you enjoy. The early menus give off a vibe similar to Netflix. You have various categories where you then can scroll around to your comic of choice. Naturally, it has search functionality as well, just in case you know what you’re looking for.
Comic tiles instantly offer all the issues of that particular comic. You can pick the issue you want to read and start enjoying the content. More importantly, if you opened it before, you can see a progress bar. This indicates how far along you are in the comic and how much there is still left to see. It feels like an interactive bookmark, which makes a lot more sense for this type of content.
Overall though, I walked away intrigued by what InkyPen is offering. Personally I can see myself taking in a lot of Dark Horse and manga, all the while being on a commute. Sure, you can play it on a television and it scales well according to the folk behind it, but handheld mode is clearly the way to experience it. The InkyPen application is releasing this November.
Bless Konami for keeping their multiplayer train rolling. After the success of Super Bomberman R, they made their direction for the Nintendo Switch very clear. So where do you go after a well selling game? Sports minigames of course. Would you expect anything else? In all sincerity though, I wasn’t impressed with Hyper Sports R at E3 2018. The game got a second chance now at Gamescom… and the prospects aren’t that good.
The new build at Gamescom focused on two things: game wide motion controls and more events. During my demo, I got to see five different track and field varieties which all come down to basically the same thing: Use running motions with the separated Joy-Con, and use the R-button to make a jump for it. Does it work? Absolutely. Is it actually exciting? Well, my interest dropped off really fast.
The other person I was playing it with was shrugging it off too. This isn’t the fault of the motion controls, however. The games weren’t flashy, exciting or really interesting takes of the sports. For the criticism that the Mario & Sonic games get, at least they are fun to play around with. Hyper Sports R tries to be semi-realistic, and it comes off as bland.
The only other sport available was Beach Volleyball. In the previous build, this was a non-playable video. At Gamescom, we got to team up for a doubles match and the motion controls aren’t well thought through. You needed to make ridiculous motions to block, throw or even pass the ball around. Naturally, this can be played with buttons, but that wasn’t the focus of the demo here.
Performance wise, it was a step down from the E3 build. The action was very stuttery and unpolished, as if they had to rush the demo to completion simply for the sake of showcasing it. There were tiny bits and pieces of ghosting, something I simply couldn’t understand. Hyper Sports R looks colourful at the very least.
In the end though, I just walked away bummed from Hyper Sports R. While the E3 demo wasn’t impressive, I did some hidden potential there. This new demo throws that straight out of the window, and it needed to do a lot to bring me back. There is still time for that as the game doesn’t have a solid release date.
I will be completely honest with you: Diablo III wasn’t a game I got around to playing. Not because I didn’t want to, as I do love other Blizzard outings, but a lack of dedication mostly hampered that. Can you imagine my surprise when it was announced for Nintendo Switch? I was over the moon with the news, and ready to see what this complete package has on offer. The Eternal Collection was on display during Gamescom 2018, where the friendly Nintendo employees gave me a guided tour.
The demo dropped us in a mission found around the middle of the game. We could choose from any of the classes available in Diablo III, though I opted for the Demon Hunter as it provided a fine introduction. The attacks are easier to grasp and I got the sense of ease of control over them. The most important thing is that they have range, which is how I prefer playing games of this ilk.
It didn’t take long to start feeling the game. Moving the Demon Hunter around with the control stick was a joy, and all the buttons were well spread across the Joy-Con. Before I knew it, I was using a variety of long range attacks to keep bad eggs at bay in a fun yet grim setting. You will need to use various properties to push yourself onward. I found it the most fun to look ahead, figuring out my options and using my flashiest moves to get there.
The level felt like a maze that you needed to overcome, with horrors lurking around every corner. After feeling brief moments of security, they will be ripped out of your hands as the next slew of enemies comes closer. The flow of the entire experience was an eye opener for me, which makes me even more down for the Nintendo Switch release. You will hop down layers upon layers in the deepest abyss, solely to find the most gruesome creatures possible. That is what you call a hell of a ride.
Speaking of the system, I solely played the Diablo III level in co-op and handheld mode. You can easily shout commands to each other and warn of the dangers ahead. In my moments alone, I was mesmerised by how well it looks on the Switch’s screen. Dark games might be difficult to make work on a handheld, but I had no problems cruising around. It ran super smoothly too. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but it is nice to have it confirmed at least.
In my rather short 15 minute demo, I was very quickly sold on the Nintendo Switch version. While the game does go deeper with stats and options, the core gameplay is something I really adore. Particularly, playing this with friends will be very fun, and I look forward to what Blizzard has in store. When the game launches later this year, I hope some of you will join me.
During Gamescom 2018, Nintendo showcased some minigames for Super Mario Party. This was packaged in a challenge mode called Mariothon. It is here that you compete for the best scores, and try to stay ahead at every step. The result is a quick mode that matters until the very last minigame.
The first road in the Toad Cup was Barreling Along. You will tilt the Joy-Con forward, all the while moving it left and right. The character needs to hit the finish line to win, which you do by taking the route with the least amount of obstacles. Luckily, there are bumps and speed pads that can thrust you forward when needed.
The second minigame, Sizzling Stakes, sees you cooking every surface of a cube. You will need to lift the pan to make it lands on a different side. This isn’t exactly the easiest thing in the world, particularly since the meat cube can slide off. It is all about doing it in the quickest time possible, and nailing down a certain rhythm. It was very much my favourite of the bunch.
Croozin’ for a Broozin’ is the most straightforward out of the bunch. You will need to keep running to the right and avoid the oncoming Broozers. It sees you moving the stick around, getting out of harm’s way and surviving the longest. There are easy and hard paths, which are fully randomised, so keep your movements sharp and to the point.
Tried Harder sees you moving about on an adorable unicycle, and getting to the finish line the fastest. This was, in all honesty, the weakest game out of the bunch. Not that it was bad, but it seemed on very specific motions that I couldn’t get the hang of. I was a bit bummed about that.
Last but certainly not least is Gridiron Gauntlet. It is an arena styled dodge game where you need to avoid getting tackled. Once you are tackled three times, you are out of the game. It required more simple movements of the stick, and making a mistake was one press away. I quite liked the twitchy feeling of it all.
All of the games were playable with one Joy-Con. Super Mario Party seems to make solid usage of the buttons as well as motion controls found here. All of the minigames are skill based, which is surprising. Nintendo usually likes to include a ton of luck based elements in their Mario Party titles.
One neat touch that returns from the older games is a preview screen. It is here that you can sample the minigame and all the details. This eliminates the purpose of a practice mode as you can learn all you need to know right there and then. In turn, the games will go faster and you can take in more of the core experience.
All in all, I quite liked what I played of Super Mario Party. The look in itself was light, but it provided in what the full experience could be like. In addition, I mostly liked the minigames present in the mode. These will provide entertainment and laughs for friends on October 5.
Adventure games are an intimidating genre to get a grip on. I routinely find myself lost in them now and again. Stick it to the Man, in that sense, was different. I originally played it on Wii U, where I found exploring its cardboard-esque world an absolute joy. It wasn’t overly challenging, but the pure charm and humor made it golden. That game’s developer, Zoink Games, are back with Flipping Death, which raises the ante up considerably. The result is, unquestionably, Zoink Games’ very best effort to date.
While Flipping Death is more of a spiritual successor to Stick it to the Man, the new game features direct similarities that are beneficial. The most important is that Ryan North returns as the writer. His joking and endearing ways of writing dialogue form the blueprint here. The game feels built around the characters he has brought to life, something that isn’t easy to fully do in a video game setting.
The story of Flipping Death brings you to Flatwood Peaks, where we meet Penny. At the beginning of the game, we see her getting fired from a funeral home job. Shortly after, Penny gets killed by a mausoleum falling apart, which drops her to the world of the undead. It doesn’t take long to find a new purpose however. She becomes the temporary replacement of Death, scythe and cloak included, and this is where Flipping Death truly begins.
Penny has to take care of the deceased’s unfinished business, so it follows that you hear out their complaints, travel to the world above, and get the job done. All of these characters have their own thoughts and feelings, something that is significantly relied upon. What helps is that all of the characters are voiced and each stands out to a certain degree. This alone made discovering the worlds of Flatwood Peaks and the Otherside a real treat.
Naturally, the gameplay needs is another wheel in the process. If you ever played Stick it to the Man, the basics will be instantly clear. You travel across 2.5D planes, all the while interacting with people and objects. Both games also share a pretty open world that allows room to experiment and explore. The flow feels awfully similar, but there are many tweaks and entirely new gameplay concepts.
You have to flip both worlds to solve the various puzzles and maladies. In Flatwood Peaks, you aren’t be able to freely explore as Penny though. Instead, you take over roaming humans and rely on their skills for help. For example, you have to possess someone with amazing licking powers to paint a boat. Another novel aspect is reading minds. It gives you more background on characters and generally gives you nice hints about what to do next. I found it a lot of fun.
Flipping Death isn’t overly difficult, which is a blessing in some ways. It doesn’t rely on an inventory system, instead you use what you need at that moment. The basic loop involves hopping from person to person, using their skills to push on. When you get lost, the character you possessed as well as the map usually point you in the right direction. It can be a little on the nose sometimes and using the hints too much can halter the fun a bit.
Unlike Stick it to the Man though, Flipping Death is a lot more replayable. A slew of extra challenges are spread across the game. They use certain characters to perform tasks across the world, which is utterly brilliant. In addition, I had fun chasing down the various Ghost Cards. Once found, they give you even more information on what drives the citizens on both ends.
The presentation is also a step up from the previous game. While Stick it to the Man felt just a tad incoherent in places, everything flows together nicely here. The instant flip between the two worlds makes it feel that both sides are glued opposite from each other. There is an added feeling of detail in the various environments, which can feel both lush and unsettling. Flipping Death’s music underlines those feelings well. It is mostly done with jazzy instruments, which certainly make me feel at home.
Flipping Death is Zoink’s best game to date. The humor is top notch like usual, but the game is such a refined product. The puzzles are clean and easy to grasp, there is some solid replay value, and every character you possess does something unique. The only disappointing thing is that it feels cheap to rely on the game’s helpful tools. Personally I felt that I lost a little something in the process by doing so. In the end though, it all depends on the experience players find most desirable. All what matters is this though: Flipping Death is an adventure game everyone can enjoy.
While talking about classic Nintendo franchises is nice, I’m always intrigued by the weird stuff. The pinnacle of weirdness is WarioWare, a game where you complete a series of microgames. The larger than life characters and silly plots made it a series that I found instantly replayable. Naturally, the games were on the shorter side, but I would play them repeatedly for the best results. With WarioWare Gold, the series returns from a long hiatus. Like before, it uses the Nintendo 3DS to the absolute best of its abilities and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
In WarioWare Gold, Wario is back to his old tricks. The lad is planning a Diamond City-wide video game tournament and wants to ensure he’s the one who profits. To secure his victory, Wario calls upon of his old friends. Many favourites including Mona, 9-Volt and Orbulon make their exciting returns with their own unique microgame filled stages. There are over 300 of these quick games to uncover, so you certainly have a hill to climb.
The story mode contains 18 stages to play through. 15 of these are split across three leagues: Mash, Twist and Touch. This represents the control scheme said microgames will be using and gives you the chance to learn all of their ins and outs. Every story segment starts with a Wario segment, explaining the option and giving intro games to boot. The final stages mixes everything together, plus adds snappy and microphone games to throw you off-guard. I really enjoyed the set-up of the story, and I felt a bit more challenged than in previous iterations. Sure, you can get through them with relative ease, but there is always something that surprised me. Deep down, I did wish that the campaign was a few stages longer, because it kept getting stronger and stronger.
The biggest improvement in story mode, however, are the new fully voiced cutscenes. Simply put, this is the second time a fully voiced Nintendo game gave me a shock (Fire Emblem Echoes being the first). While it is mind-blowing to hear Charles Martinet say full lines as Wario, the other voices are equally impressive. Fronk, a long standing side character from the series, has a voice that is too good to spoil. The style of WarioWare Gold surprised me as well. I was unsure about it during the game’s announcement, but seeing it in motion put my mind completely at ease. The silly movements and Saturday morning look really struck a chord with me.
However, the microgames are obviously the star of the show. While a lot return from previous iterations of WarioWare, most sport a new style that makes them feel completely new. In addition, the various new games feel that they belong here, ensuring that the game feels coherent. The whole experience feels easy on the eyes, even in the most frantic of situations. This was vividly clear during the title’s three Nintendo segments. 18-Volt’s section sees you seamlessly switching from controlling a Wii Remote to spraying goo away in Super Mario Sunshine.
What is important to note is that WarioWare Gold flows excellently. This is important, particularly for the later stages of the game. I found it surprisingly easy to quick switch between control schemes, something I honestly didn’t expect. Personally I would have the stylus clammed in my right hand, all the while going through the Twist and Mash games. When the time came to switch, I would free my right hand and keep holding the system on one side. It worked well enough that I had time to react, which is the most important thing.
Beyond finishing the main campaign, you can obviously go back and try your luck at setting some high scores. Between rounds, you are rewarded with coins that you can spend at the Capsule Machine. While grinding coins works decently in story, there are more ways to earn than ever before. The game offers a gigantic list of missions to partake in. The objectives range from unlocking all the games in a certain set to finishing a story mode stage at all three difficulties. This is a fun way to keep you engaged with the title, long after you completed the big quest.
Another slew of options actually open up once you finish the story: the challenge modes. Yes, you can earn money here as well, though the trials ahead can’t be taken lightly. Just like previous WarioWare games, you have your challenge tower experiences available. You can beat a slew of microgames in All Mixed Up, have a singular life in Thrill Mode and opt for a difficult session in Super Hard. These can be played in the four different leagues, so you can make it as hard as you like, which I love.
As far as the other modes are concerned, most of it is completely new. WarioWatch keeps you battling against time. If can complete the microgame, more time will be added to the clock, keeping you alive in the process. The key is to react fast and knowing the microgame that is coming up. Sneaky Gamer makes a return from Game & Wario. There are three basic levels and an Endless Mode if you feel daring. Not much has changed since the original, but it remains a fun experience to play.
SplitScreen sees you constantly switching between the top and bottom screen for microgames. This becomes hectic fast as your eyes need to shift immediately once a game ends. It is an incredible clever idea that required you to stay sharp. Cruise Controls sees you playing a series of Mash microgames. The goal is to do this in the quickest time possible. You will have to adjust the speed by tilting the Nintendo 3DS up and down, making for something that can go awry fast. While there is one more mode I can mention, it does have to do with the end of game. The only thing I can say is this: you aren’t ready.
After all your work, it is time to spent some quality time in the Capsule Machine. With every spin requiring 600 coins, you will be busy for quite a bit. It took me around 14 hours to unlock everything, and even then, I haven’t completed all the missions and challenges yet. Anyway, to be completely honest with you, the unlockables aren’t too terribly exciting. There are 14 minigames to get, which is awesome, but there isn’t much to engage with for long after that.
Just like previous WarioWare games, there are a bunch of phone numbers you can call, but these are all just text based. In a game that features this much voice acting, a number of additional lines really wouldn’t have hurt honestly. There are also recordings of older songs in the series, a micro Nintendo museum and a bunch of character themed alarm clocks. Outside of minigames, I spent most of the time with Studio. It is here that you can voice you own cutscene clips, which is amazing. Another thing I adored was Wario’s amiibo Sketch. It is here that Wario draws an image based on the Amiibo you scan. The results are pretty magical!
WarioWare Gold is grand game for veterans and newcomers alike. The title features a top notch selection of microgames, which kept me glued to the screens for hours. Even now, I still feel that I’m not done yet. There is an intention to get the highscores on everything and complete a bunch of objectives when I can. This is why WarioWare Gold works so well. You have the intention to simply play it again and again. Are there a problems? Just a few. I wanted the main campaign to be slightly longer and some of the rewards are unremarkable. Those problems didn’t cause much harm to my overall feelings, but it is room for improvement when the series returns yet again.
A good narrative. Video games can’t live without them, and neither can I. It helps to provide meaning to what you are playing. It motivates you to push forward and see what the title is gonna do next. The Lion’s Song is a point-and-click adventure game, but focuses on its characters and the world they are building. The result is a fun and refreshingly brief adventure that kept me engaged from beginning to end.
The story begins in Vienna, at the turn of the twentieth century. In Austria’s big capital, you step into the shoes of three characters and help them to overcome certain struggles. It is about breaking stigmas, making choices and reflect your thinking upon the characters.
The title, which appeared previously on PC and mobile, consists of four chapters. The first three zoom in on a character and presents you with a fresh perspective. The final chapter gives closure for all of them, seeing you reach a well thought out conclusion. It’s not incredibly hard to finish either, as each chapter will take you about 45 minutes to an hour. While I did wish that certain elements were explored longer, I do like the choices made.
While chatting with the characters, it is always important to stay sharp. That may seem obvious, but this title revolves a lot more on memory than I anticipated. The various conversations link with each other, constantly revealing new sides to the people you meet. It is rather engaging as the time just passed me by. I was surprised that puzzles weren’t the main focus, but that made the experience extra refreshing.
The graphics are represented with some fine pixel art. You can clearly see the layered work put into the game, and it is impressive to behold. The Lion’s Song also adds dramatic touches where it is appropriate, which adds to the tension. That feeling is underlined in the sound design, so players would be smart to use headphones. You would really be missing a part of what makes this game work.
The Lion’s Song is a fun journey through and through. While I did wish that it explored certain themes more, I can’t be overly grumpy at the end result. It offers an engaging experience that instantly struck a chord with me. The presentation, choices and flow just feel incredibly well crafted by its developers.
Multiplayer games are something I can’t go without. During the Wii era, I hopped from game to game exploring all they had to offer. My family and friends didn’t exactly mind as it meant new experiences for them too. One experience that has remained around longer than we anticipated was Go Vacation, a multiplayer game by Bandai Namco. With over 50 activities and various worlds to explore, it was a unique specimen within the Wii’s library. Nintendo saw fit to revive the game on Switch, something that I can get behind. That being said, is the game fit for a new system and can they adapt it to bring back lovers of the original?
One thing you need to understand about Go Vacation is how different it was from other multiplayer games. Bandai Namco were ambitious, trying to push everything they could from the Wii. As a result, Go Vacation offers four tiny explorable resorts and plenty of stuff to do. Kawawii Island, the place where all of this takes place, does its darndest to give each place purpose. Each has their own set of activities and various transportation methods to make all feel unique. The feel is something that the game really nails right off the bat and it is hard to overlook. There will always be a smile as I go with a Snow Tube to the top of the Snow Resort. The pure adrenaline of getting down fast is enjoyable in droves.
As you travel to the four resorts, the pure presence of content can be overwhelming. Go Vacation tries to steer you towards recommended activities as you learn the ropes and visit various locals. Quickly, I find myself going off the beaten track. The world is filled with secrets, treasure chests, and hidden paths for you to use. You can take pictures of animals, hop on different vehicles and just take it all in. Once you get back on track, you might find the initial run through the minigames underwhelming. The Kawawii Stamp Dash unlocks the various resorts and their options. They wanted to keep the barrier low, so that most could see the game’s full potential. While that is a neat idea in theory, it gives a bad rep to the full versions found upon your return.
The roughly 50 activities present have more to offer than just a singular run, but Go Vacation does a bad job of explaining this. An example of this can be seen in the activity Moto Fest. Initially, you might see it as a simple car race, digging deeper though and you discover that you have access to five modes with various vehicles and tracks. Personally, I would have preferred to have immediate access so that the player had the choice of what he wants to do. They really didn’t need to force the player’s hand and have a lesser journey as a result.
When it comes to the activities available, there’s a lot you can do. You will find standard stuff like table tennis or skateboard trick sessions, but there are some really clever ideas here as well. Pie Throwing contests, Water Gun battles, and making music with various silverware are just a few examples of some well thought out activities. Sadly, in the transition from Wii to Switch, a few of the games were lost in translation. The original had a fun Sword Fighting game that’s no longer present, which would have been perfect with the Joy-Cons.
Speaking of the controls, this is one of the biggest improvements over the original. The Wii game required some real awkward movement using the motion controls. This is on top of some the weird button decisions like using C button instead of the usual A or B buttons found on the Wii Remote. The button layout is better spread out in all of the optional control schemes. I found this particularly true with a singular Joy-Con, allowing you to enjoy Go Vacation action anywhere you like. With dual Joy-Con and Pro Controller, they have added possibilities to just use the buttons instead of motion altogether. That being said, I do wish when played alone, I could use the right stick to look around more. It made sense with the options the Wii had, but not so much now.
The multiplayer makes Go Vacation thrive in more ways than one. While there’s a lot to do on your own, the game feels better with a bunch of friends. Go Vacation offers support for up to four friends playing together, which has been a solid overhaul from the Wii game. The four characters, which can move separately from each other, can all explore the world in their own way and without any hiccups. The consistent frame rate drops found in the original game, are happily no longer present. Next to a strong split screen experience, multiple Nintendo Switch consoles can be linked together for wireless local multiplayer. You will need your own copy of the game, but any progress you make will be stored under your own save file.
The presentation hasn’t changed all that much. It can look incredibly solid at times, especially during night sequences, but there are aspects that showcase their age. The plants are multiple laps of flat textures overlaid on each other, just to give an example. Go Vacation has mostly received a resolution bump. There isn’t anything wrong with that, but it simply isn’t an overly impressive sight. The worlds, at the very least, still look adorable. The music and performance also remain top notch. The background music makes clever references to old Namco properties, which is a joy to the ears.
Go Vacation has remained the fun experience that it was ages ago. Naturally, it hasn’t aged well from a graphical perspective, but it does a lot of good in its totality. The improvements of the controls and multiplayer really shine through, something I had good hopes for. Sadly, they have done little to fix the complaints of the activity unlocking process. It is a damaging factor on the experience as a whole, something that Bandai Namco really should’ve fixed. If you are in need of a true multiplayer journey, you can do a lot worse than this fine package.
Admittedly, Ratalaika and Petite Games didn't have to do much to get me interested in Super Destronaut DX. When it comes to any sort of Space Invaders clone, I am the king in devouring them. It helps that Super Destronaut, the original game on Wii U, was actually quite an enjoyable game. Sure, there were bland parts to the experience, but the core gameplay was absolutely there. Now the game is back with a vengeance, and it is better than ever before.
This is a straight up homage to the classic game. You move your ship left and right, all the while trying to hit the aliens along the way. The feeling is instantly satisfying as there is a weight to it. While it does plenty of elements similarly, there are aspects that are unquestionably easier than in the Taito original. The enemy patterns aren't that hard to overcome. Every mistake comes down to misclicking and not being careful enough. The individual parts of the waves can be seen through by taking your time carefully.
The power of Super Destronaut DX comes from hammering down the core. By going through the wave's heart, you will shoot down the orange enemy present. This will grant you a special power that helps you build up combos and get yourself a high score. It ranges from bombs, to a spreader that makes the treat almost null. It is fun to blast through, but it all comes down to timing. You need to pay attention at every step, see what lies ahead and make careful observations. Once you get into that groove, you will climb that ladder step by step.
A big improvement over the original are the variety of modes. Classic Mode is to achieve blasting glory, Time Attack for additional pressure and Hardcore for the true challenge. Two player is back as well, though sadly this is only in the time mode. Back on the positives, Petite Games did see fit to add 30 challenges to the mix. They see you performing certain tasks and keeping your eyes glued to the screen. I ran through them real fast, but they were entertaining at least. The biggest improvement, however, are the addition of online leaderboards for most of the options present.
In comparison to the original on Wii U, Super Destronaut DX does look more interesting as a product. It is mostly restricted to one background, but there are more things going on. It is very neon, bright and quite pleasant to look at. The alien designs aren't too interesting, which is a growing point of annoyance. They feel less stylish than the other labour put into Petite's games. At the very least, the music gave me good vibes and kept me rocking for a while.
Super Destronaut DX is somewhat of an improvement. While the solid gameplay and music is still present, the variety of modes is much larger. The title isn't overly difficult, particularly for a veteran, but it is fun time waster that I have no problem turning on. Online leaderboards ensures that it has a bit more longevity, something that was incredibly lacking in the Wii U game. The presentation hasn't improved too much sadly, and it is more irritating than it should be. In any case, if you are in need of an arcade style game, you can do far worse than this one.
Another World is one of the most wonderful trial and error adventures of our lifetime. It requires an unrelenting focus on details and exploring every option possible. Over the years, I tried several versions of this game to the point where I know the route from inside out. You might be asking yourself: why would you play this again? Well, because it manages to be remarkably entertaining every single time. There is a tense feeling that something can go array at any moment. It’s a drive that is stitched in its DNA and I enjoyed every minute of it yet again.
This 1991 adventure relies on atmosphere, which is something it hasn't lost even in 2018. You are Lester Knight Chaykin, a physicist working on his particle accelerator experiment. Before it can even be deemed successful, lighting strikes the underground laboratory and Lester gets transported to an alien world with no idea on how to return. Together with a humanoid pal named Buddy, they try to work together and escape from the hellish trials that await.
Another World tells everything through its sound and visuals, and the gameplay is just the tool to give it on-going action sequences. This will see you running, jumping and attacking through the mysterious landscapes of the alien world. Outside of your standard actions, there are elements that simply aren't told to the player. These need to be figured out on your own to make any sort of progression. A direction may be hard to come by at first glance, but you will come by a solution eventually. This is where the trial and error gameplay sets in, which can cause frustrating moments. Even with all the knowledge in the world, it simply doesn't want to bail you out now and again.
Another World is a shorter experience than you may think. Even if you fail fairly often, it won't take you more than an hour or two. My runs are usually 30 minutes these days, so I did play it a couple of rounds purely out of personal love. This version of Another World is based on the 20th Anniversary Edition released in 2014. This gives you two visual styles, various difficulties and the ability to change the audio settings to a large extent. While it wouldn't give you a reason to keep playing it endlessly, it does make for a version that feels complete.
Another World remains an utterly brilliant game. No matter if you use the classic or modern visuals, the game has a true alien feel to it. In addition, the trial and error gameplay is as addicting as it was those many years ago. While the game is extremely short, I did find myself continuously loving how the production value stayed intact. That is something worth celebrating.
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