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[Just wanna rock and roll all night and beat aliens every day]

101

TalkBack / Gal Metal (Switch) Review

« on: November 01, 2018, 09:47:13 AM »

Just wanna rock and roll all night and beat aliens every day

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/48801/gal-metal-switch-review

Gal Metal, on paper, sounds like a rhythm game. You play a string of notes with your Joy-Con, put down a score and move on to the jam session. From a distance, it seems that the game very structured with certain patterns to follow. The fact of the matter is, however, this is very different from a typical rhythm game. The patterns you choose are left up to you, all the while feeling the beat of the music. The groove depends on what you can do, how you reach for fences and the performance you can muster. No, this is actually a music game. Not the best out there, but very enjoyable all the way through.

The story in Gal Metal is bananas. The Octoid Aliens have come to take over the earth. They got exposed to the tracks of the Music From Earth Record, which they are less than pleased about. Their sensors overloaded as a result, and now they are here to get their revenge. With the power of your music, you are the only one that can stop them. Hold on though, that is not where the craziness ends. You start as a male, but take over the body of a female drummer. You need to get close to her friends and work together towards that common goal. It is completely off-the-wall, but at the same time endlessly charming.

Over the course of 13 chapters, you will participate in musical segments as well as interact with the members of Kichijoji Metal Girls. The player has forty stamina points that can be spent on various after-school activities. You can go to the club, do some work or go to various locations to hang out. By doing so, certain statistics of Rinko (the main character) will improve that will help against the Octoid attacks. In addition, you will get to know various teammates a lot better. The characters that are affected depend on the location. Over time, you will see more scenes that will deepen their bonds, which I very much enjoyed watching. You shouldn't expect anything too deep, but Gal Metal tries to add character development.

The musical side of Gal Metal is rather interesting. If you aren't too familiar with music games, the learning curve might seem surprisingly steep. By swinging the Joy-Con (or using buttons and touchscreen), you will create patterns on the rhythm of the music. You start with a few options, but over time the player is encouraged to dive into the deep end. Gal Metal expects you to improvise on the fly and decide which combinations fit each line of music. Each track is divided into multiple sections where different patterns turn out for the best. Gal Metal is a steep hill to climb at first, but it feels so rewarding when you nail the entirety of a set. Once you are over the hump, your initial run might not be overly challenging. That soon changes as you return to songs that you previously mastered. The second runs have much higher requirements and force you to think outside of the box.

The Joy-Con controls feel just right. DMM Games has done a lot to make the movement with the controllers feel solid. If there are issues like a tiny bit of delay, this can easily be tweaked in the options menu. Gal Metal ensures that the player has a good time as a prime time drummer. There is an option to play the game with buttons, and I would recommend it if you really can't gel with the motion controls. The whole experience is built around jamming out and not focusing too much on your errors along the way. A good score is absolutely a nice thing to maintain, but enjoying yourself is what the game tries to achieve.

Despite there being over 400 badges (i.e. achievements) to collect, the big problem with Gal Metal is that there are only thirteen gigs to play through. While I recommend it to rabid rhythm and music game fans, the wider crowd might take issues with that lack of content. With the Story Mode only lasting five hours, it is easy to run out of things to do quickly. Secretly, I wish there were a mode where I could interact with another player. The mechanics seem perfectly suited for it, and I wonder if this was considered to be included. In either case, this isn't the most complete package you can buy, but everything present is extremely enjoyable.

Gal Metal's presentation is the highlight of the show. The game has a manga-esque art style, which I absolutely adore. It feels extremely old school, like comics from the 90's, which instantly struck a chord with me. The music, which takes inspiration from classics, surprisingly works in a metal rock setting. Naturally, I had my doubts about it, but Gal Metal takes a very organic route to make them fit in.

Gal Metal is a game with bold choices. The Joy-Con motion controls are interesting, and tightly fit the ideas of the title. In addition, the idea to create your own jams upon existing layers works surprisingly well. That being said, for most, this will be a one-and-done deal. You will play through it and be done after an hour or five. Beyond this, there isn't much to the package, though I do find myself replaying tracks a tiny bit. It really depends on what you're searching for, but as a music game, it certainly knows how to entertain.

[An underwhelming version of a potentially interesting game.]

102

TalkBack / Warriors Orochi 4 (Switch) Review

« on: October 22, 2018, 11:51:37 AM »

An underwhelming version of a potentially interesting game.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/48709/warriors-orochi-4-switch-review

I will freely admit that I put a stupid amount of time into the Warriors franchise. While the themed entries are more enjoyable, this isn't for the reasons you might expect. Lately, it seems that Omega Force stopped about regular entries and simply just flung them at a screen. In a desperation move to see what sticks, these guilty pleasures have lost their way in a few areas. Warriors Orochi 4 is one of those games. Mechanically not terrible, but it lacking a lot of polish. Shamefully, with how many Warriors there are on the system, this one doesn't rank high despite certain ambitions.

The Orochi series sounds, in theory, like quite a winner. These games bring a variety of characters together from both the Dynasty and Samurai series as well as other non-Japanese mythical angles. The gigantic story mode sees you passing by 170 characters, which mostly has returning players like myself excited. Anyone outside of that umbrella may raise questions about some of these figures. I can't exactly blame them as the selection screen can give a confused look or two. In either case, the story is mostly told as visual novel with Japanese voice acting and English subtitles. It never becomes anything particularly thrilling, but I enjoyed myself reading the text presented.

As with any good Warriors though, you’re here to press buttons and make combos to no end. If that’s what you're searching for, this game will serve you fine to some extent. You will string your Standard, Musou, Magic and Charge together to perform some flashy feats. To keep the action from growing stale, you will be able to switch between three characters that will help each other during the course of action. The usual goals apply like any other Warriors game: destroy a dumb amount of enemies, take over all the keeps and head for the total annihilation of a boss. Pull this off successfully and you've cleared a map. The rhythm of destroying enemies is very enjoyable, and I wouldn't have it any other way. What helps is that the process from battle to battle is more streamlined, allowing you to immediately hop into another.

The amount of characters present is certainly impressive, but I can't really sit and claim here that every single one is unique. The overall feeling is that Omega Force has put character types into camps, and tried to make minor changes to each figure in it. The success is somewhat mixed as there are characters that feel almost exactly the same. Yes, there are a few different attacks, but the way they approached it wasn't that much of a life changer. That still leaves you with plenty to choose from, but I don't think a completionist will have a much better time overall. While I spent hours testing the majority of the characters, after two thirds I felt I had seen most of the tropes present. Fast characters were most my forte as I could play rather aggressive and get the job done quick.

In comparison to some other Warriors games, the menus between those battles aren't the best. You will find skill trees and inventory slots, but it is hidden behind somewhat annoying menus. I feel that more than anything else, upgrading is a matter of absolute importance in Warriors Orochi 4. Between leveling and adding skills upon your characters, it is presented in a RPG-esque way. It assumes that you know what you're looking at. Personally, I got the hang after a bit of work, but at no point was it anywhere close to intuitive. After this many entries, the process just needs to be that tiny bit snappier.

When it comes to the presentation, Warriors Orochi 4 doesn't rank too favourably. The game doesn’t look visually stunning on the Nintendo Switch and pop in was quite a regular thing. It is clear that compromises had to be made, but in the world were multiple Warriors titles exist, Warriors Orochi 4 leaves you wanting more overall. Another problem is that the frame rate has a tendency to slow down when you use a lot of abilities at once. These are things you can deal with, but it becomes progressively worse in time. Near in the end of the game, the insides of building had come in on the fly, which is simply mind boggling.

With cumbersome menus and an underwhelming performance, I can't really recommend Warriors Orochi 4 that highly. It is impressive that the game retained all of its content, which I gladly shower praise upon. The gameplay is neat and the flow from battle to battle is rather solid, but the problems drag the experience down harshly. The story is take it or leave it and Warriors Orochi 4 isn't too welcoming to newcomers in general. If you are a fan of the Orochi games and have a need for this on the go, I guess the Nintendo Switch is the only way you can go. However, in every other instance, there would be other versions of the same game I would recommend more.

[Draw silly pictures in a surreal attempt for survival.]

103

TalkBack / Passpartout: The Starving Artist (Switch) Review

« on: October 19, 2018, 05:53:00 AM »

Draw silly pictures in a surreal attempt for survival.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/48677/passpartout-the-starving-artist-switch-review

When you hear Steam Greenlight, the easiest association is “mistake”. Cheaply made nonsense would hit the store in droves, and it became not a fun place to be. That being said, there are genuinely good games that came out of the service. Case in point, we have Passpartout: The Starving Artist. A quirky little game see you making artwork, trying to sell said creations and surviving in the harsh reality of Paris. It is one of those titles I gladly toy around with, though progression isn't the title's most apparent quality.

In The Starving Artist, you will find yourself making artwork. This can be done with buttons in any of the modes, or on the Switch touchscreen. Regardless of your control preference, the creation system works. The button controls feel accurate, but it is way less satisfying than moving your finger across the screen. You will use the various options at hand to create pieces and attract different types of crowds. The creativity put into these pieces depends on the player, though surely everyone can draw to a certain extent. There is something oddly fascinating to see characters in-game react to your creations.  Within a span of ten minutes, a youngster said ''no passion'' while an olderly man absolutely adored it.

With an ever growing selection tools available, you will have to rake in the cash. This is to survive Passpartout's not so glamorous living conditions. Every week, the artist will have to pay rent, and also keep stock of the stereotypical French staples of baguettes and wine. At the end of the week, you will also get reminded of the artwork that simply isn't selling. You can rename the piece and give it a chance, or just throw it into the bin. The ultimate goal in The Starving Artist is to get noticed, and improve the man's life. The right person, a critic, needs to come by to make an impact. Once this happens, you will leave the dirty garage behind for a proper studio.

Passpartout does offer some progression, but the overall impact is very minimal. Sure, the game sees you going to better places, but the overall loop doesn't change much. The types of citizens that come across will often say the same things with not much to help you differentiate between them. After a while, I also got more money than I knew what to do with. This isn't a knock overall, but the game has a path in mind that it won't step away from. The tools unlock naturally, and you can always talk the citizens into giving you just enough. Next to the main campaign, Passpartout also offers an Endless Mode, allowing you to go deeper with the creation tools. This is how I usually spent my 25 minute commute as the tools are simple and fun.

Overall, Passpartout: The Starving Artist is a title to unwind with. While the presentation is fun, the real star is the artwork you create. I found it hilarious to make some silly art, and see how the inhabitants of Paris would react. The situations that came of that are enjoyable, and it kept me engaged. I do think it is a shame that the story built around this tool set doesn't go any deeper. The game really guides from point A to B without you having a say in the matter. That isn't the worst thing, but I do reckon it will put those looking for something deep off.

[A puzzle-platformer that remains unremarkable all the way through.]

104

TalkBack / Toby: The Secret Mine (Switch) Review

« on: October 13, 2018, 02:12:13 PM »

A puzzle-platformer that remains unremarkable all the way through.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/48631/toby-the-secret-mine-switch-review

With so much variety in puzzle/platform games, Switch has the genre on lock. With recent games like The Gardens Between and Inside, the genre's quirks knows how to keep you entertained throughout. Sadly, one of Headup Games' latest titles is solid yet quite unspectacular. In Toby: The Secret Mine, you move around and solve the puzzle at hand to continue to the next screen. I wish I could say there’s anything deeper than that, but the problem is that there just isn't much more.

It starts out promising enough. A little demon sees his village attacked by a larger demon with red eyes and gives chase. The little guy is tasked with stopping the big guy's evil plans and saving his pals along the way. The friends can be considered the collectibles in the game as they’re scattered everywhere. Some are hidden in plain sight, while others are placed in locations that aren’t easily visible. It’s hard to differentiate backgrounds from accessible areas, so there are plenty of times where I found one by pure accident. Not the greatest look for puzzle quest like this.

The puzzles themselves are far off from being special. The little demon can’t use weapons, so his only method of self-defense is puzzle solving. Most of the time, I instantly got what was asking from me. You flip a switch, push a block, climb up and do another action that is instantly recognizable. The solutions are fairly obvious in most cases and I wondered on multiple occasions if the next one would challenge me. After a while, a few challenges would throw me for a loop. That loop came from poorly designed levels thatare downright frustrating. Toby is forgiving so I got through them, but that completely changed my feelings in a heartbeat. In some instances, it had some glitchy groundwork that made me fall through floor and land on spikes, it made me a bit disappointed.

Toby looks quite solid at the very least. Every background has multiple layers to it and that looks beautiful in motion. The design of the characters is a bit take or leave it, but they are somewhat expressive. The music and controls are just fine but nothing particularly stood out to me, though it performed perfectly fine on the Switch.

Toby: The Secret Mine doesn’t really leave a strong impression either way. It isn't awful, nor is it good, with two halves feeling very different from each other. The presentation and story are fun, but the rest really doesn't stand out much. All in all, there are better offerings out there that give you more consistent quality. The puzzle-platformer genre is deep, but Toby is nowhere close to that.

[A boombastic fighter that sticks the Switch landing completely unscathed.]

105

TalkBack / Dragon Ball FighterZ (Switch) Review

« on: October 10, 2018, 09:38:00 PM »

A boombastic fighter that sticks the Switch landing completely unscathed.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/48624/dragon-ball-fighterz-switch-review

Simply, Dragon Ball FighterZ is one of the finest fighters made in the last couple of years. In mere minutes with the game’s release on other platforms, I was knee-deep in Dragon Ball fighting fury. With the game now hitting Nintendo Switch, I wasn’t sure if the game would hold my interest and delight in the same way. The answer to that is an assured yes. I'm not sure about the voodoo magic that Arc System Works has performed, but the Nintendo Switch version remains the instant classic it was before. Corners weren’t cut in this port, making it absolutely perfect for your Saiyan battles on the go.

Dragon Ball FighterZ sees you fighting in three-on-three combat situations. The brawl continues until all three members of one team are down for the count. The very design of matches makes fights a strategic and fun tug of war. It’s all about mixing a variation of simple and hard-hitting moves to send the opponent packing. Each of your three fighters has their own specific strengths and weaknesses, so swapping them in and out helps you stay ahead. The beauty of Dragon Ball FighterZ is that with simple combos, you can pull off some incredibly feats. Every round I play requires me to think on the fly, which stops the title from growing stale.

Unlike some other fighters, the amount of memory muscle required isn't as high. The ways you move the buttons and sticks are easier to understand than its direct competitors. There are special moves that you need to keep in mind, like dashing or the Ki Charge, but they are well placed across the various controller options. If you're playing with a young family member or someone who isn't keen on games, there is also a single Joy-Con option that places all the big attacks on the shoulder buttons. While this isn't my preferred way to play, I found it handy to pull out for those only in love with the anime.

Speaking of the anime, let's talk about the various modes available. One of my favorite elements in Dragon Ball FighterZ is the story mode. The mode, split across three chapters of a couple hours each, is an excellent way to get adjusting to the game. The first chapter is somewhat on the slower side, but this isn’t a major detriment. For your efforts, you are rewarded some jaw-droppingly awesome cut scenes that are guided by some proper voice work. Yes sure, the story can be somewhat grindy, but it is worth pulling through until the end. The only thing I would fix is increasing the difficulty just a tiny bit as it feels most players will go through it with absolute ease, also adding to the slower pacing.

Outside of the story mode, the 24 characters can be taken through a variety of other modes. You can battle endlessly in the dedicated Arcade Mode, play traditional one-on-one matches or create local Party Match rooms for up to six players. The traditional battles are my favorite way to learn characters as your options are more limited than usual. You can't really pull a character out if things become incredibly heated. My friends would do multiple rounds to really warm up for the main event, which proved fruitful in the long run.

The online side is overwhelmingly great as well. Unlike some other games on Nintendo Switch, I experienced very little lag over the many matches that I played. The lobby system ensured that I could hop from match to match without any issues whatsoever. Casual, ranked, and party mode matches can all be played online and altered to your personal liking, which adds extra replayability even within the specific modes on offer. It helps that it is fairly easy to navigate through, ensuring that you find the options you need.

Dragon Ball FighterZ runs barely without a hitch on Nintendo Switch. The battles mostly run at a full 60 frames per second, which ensures the brisk fighting experience from the other versions. The backgrounds aren't as grand as on other versions, but the camera angles and explosive environmental pieces hold up their end of bargain. The loading times can be a bit long, particularly in handheld mode, but that is something I take for granted. Dragon Ball FighterZ remains so colorful otherwise that I can't help but be impressed. Throw in the high quality music and voice acting, and you have a truly thrilling title to behold.

Dragon Ball FighterZ remains a winner on Nintendo Switch. The game plays fantastically and is fun for both the fighting novice learning the ins and outs and the expert. From casual options that you play with a Joy-Con to online ranked modes that run without too much lag, this title has everything you want out of a fighting game. 24 iconic characters bring a fun variety of moves to the table that thrilled me every time I played. In addition, the game has been extremely well optimized for Nintendo Switch. It runs smoothly at 60 frames per second and is graphically even a bit comparable to the other versions. It is clear that the developers took their time, which is fantastic to see.

[This version of the Reaper’s Game simply isn’t the way to play.]

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TalkBack / Second Opinion: The World Ends With You -Final Remix- (Switch)

« on: October 10, 2018, 02:17:28 AM »

This version of the Reaper’s Game simply isn’t the way to play.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/48619/second-opinion-the-world-ends-with-you-final-remix-switch

The World Ends With You is one of my favorite games ever made. I've played it countless times on both the Nintendo DS and iPad (dubbed Solo Remix). From start to finish, TWEWY remains one of the freshest games I've played in a long time. It shows that when push comes to shove, Square Enix can push the bar for what a RPG is. Imagine my surprise when the Final Remix of the game got announced; I was thrilled. That cheerfulness wasn't sadly forever as The World Ends With You -Final Remix- is my biggest disappointment of these past ten months.

Let's start with the positives. The story and their characters are still fantastic. The location choice of Tokyo is intriguing next to the normal Square Enix fare. Neku, Shiki and the other characters showcase some excellent writing with a nice build to the proceedings. Every little piece is leading up to something bigger and provides a satisfying pay-off in almost every scenario. It helps that the stakes of the Reaper's Game feels like a big threat. You have to finish the mission at hand or face deletion. It is one of the more exciting plots ever put in a game.

The presentation compliments the unrelenting feeling of the game. You explore the dark alleyways of Tokyo, all while finding clues or monsters to fight. The stylish look of the characters and world has translated greatly to the Nintendo Switch. In some regards, they sharpened the edges of Solo Remix, which looked fantastic in its own right. The World Ends With You -Final Remix- feels like manga brought to life, and I couldn't be more pleased about that. This is paired with an overhaul of the entire soundtrack, and all the tracks sound fantastic. You can opt to go for the original versions, but the composers have done a great job keeping the feel of the music in tact.

The World Ends With You, as far as gameplay is concerned, hasn't changed all that much. As Neku, you still play through three weeks of chapters, which are further segregated in the days of the week. The days see you fighting Noise characters that block your path, scanning the environment for details or going through area to area. As this is a RPG, the fighting is critically important. This is done with the pin system. Within your inventory, you will select certain pins that will provide attacks to perform. These attacks will level as you continue to use them, and some work better on certain Noise. It is a simple yet elegant way to stay ahead of the curve, and I always found the system fun to tinker with.

However, Final Remix isn't the way to play The World Ends With You. The controls in this version are incredibly disappointing. No matter if you play either on a television or on the go, I didn't think they work well. On the television (or in tabletop), you will have to use a Joy-Con pointer. There have been good pointer implementations in the past, but Final Remix is definitely not one of them. The position drifts way too many times for it to be fun, and you really struggle to keep the game in check. At the end of the game, my most used button was the Y-button so I could calibrate the controls over and over again. The calibrating pains only grew due to the fact that you have to make swipe motions to make certain attacks work. Inherently, there isn't anything wrong with that, but it required such a specific way of doing it.

The handheld controls are a little weird. You can't use buttons of the Joy-Con together with the touchscreen, because that would've made sense. Instead, it is touchscreen controls only, just like the iPad version. While this works in a vacuum, the real estate you have now is a bit cramped. Solo Remix gave you the freedom to walk about, and see how you want to approach situations. The tiny touchscreen on the Nintendo Switch makes you lose focus as you happen to block your sight more than once. It is not a bad way to play it as they are accurate, but at point, why not play Solo Remix? That is honestly my question here.

Well, you might say ''because it has changes'', but that is only true in the grand scheme of things. There are some new pins and an updated look, which is what mostly impressed me. The added co-op suffers from the problems with the Joy-Con controls, and overall tweaks haven't been made. A few objectives are still as annoying they ever were and Square Enix wasn't in the mood to fix these. The new content promised was the biggest bummer of the entire thing. It simply wasn't the thing most fans were hoping for and, without giving anything away, it ends with another teaser. It is down right disappointing.

The World Ends With You -Final Remix- left me super bummed out. This was the game I was looking forward to all year, and all I'm left with is a soggy sandwich. That sandwich is eatable and even somewhat enjoyable, but not the thing you were truly hoping for. The ''Another 7 Days'' many have been waiting for isn't here, the controls are really disappointing and there hasn't been many significant changes. In that sense, I feel more strongly about recommending Solo Remix and playing it on an iPad. You will get a better experience as a whole.

[A mindless game not even worthy of the genre beat 'em up.]

107

TalkBack / Claws of Furry (Switch) Review

« on: October 09, 2018, 05:40:14 PM »

A mindless game not even worthy of the genre beat 'em up.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/48617/claws-of-furry-switch-review

While looking at games to review, you sometimes aren't sure what to feel and this particular issue came up with Claws of Furry. The title, originally set for a January 2018 release, sees you brawling your way through various environments alone or with a couple of buddies. At first, I did enjoy what I played, but ultimately the game feels mindless. While it looks stylish and plays the part, this isn't a beat 'em up really worth considering. It’s a middling product that tries to fill a gap that is way too tiny.

As far as the looks and story are concerned, Claws of Furry is a nostalgia act in more ways than one. While you play, the ‘80s and ‘90s references keep winking at the player. They are well placed in all honesty, and in particular the love for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles really shines through. In addition, the presentation reminds me of classic television shows which I absolutely adore. From top to bottom, Claws of Furry just looks incredibly sharp and it doesn't really matter how you play it.

While I got used to the controls over time, they can best be described as disappointing, with the movement in particular feeling somewhat slippery. The melee attacks in this beat 'em up aren't satisfying to pull off either. You do some attack spamming, slide behind them and crush them with absolute ease. I'm not say going to say I never had fun, but the fun disappeared before I could fully assess it.

That being said, you can find ways to make it fun. The bullet attacks, which are performed in the air, are a grand showcase of what could've been. It’s fun to spike opponents into oblivion, at least for a while. I will fully admit that it isn't the best strategy, but it is how I enjoyed myself. I also enjoy the terrible enemy AI. Most of them have complete throwaway attack moves, which makes traversing through the world a joke. There were plenty of stages where I didn't even get hit. At that moment, why bother even fighting it?

Regardless of whether I was playing alone or with friends, we quickly burned through Claws of Furry's 50 levels. There is some fun to be had in Rogue mode, but that’s mostly it. In Rogue, you only have one life and if you fail at any point, you go back to square one. This made for a somewhat palpable challenge in multiplayer, and gave me something to really fight for. The Arena can provide a good time as well, it’s here that the game constantly adds enemy types to throw you for a loop. It’s also here that I feel that the mechanics are utilized to their fullest.

Claws of Furry is disappointing. Despite having a fantastic look, it just feels slippery. The controls never feel right, and playing levels in normal mode simply isn't all that fun. There are alternative modes to give you motivation, but they can only give you so much. As you continue to play, the cracks start to show once again. Bad enemy AI isn't an unusual occurrence in a game that prides itself on being a strong beat 'em up outing. It all just stings a little.

[What will you reflect upon when the final moments draw near?]

108

TalkBack / In Between (Switch) Review

« on: September 26, 2018, 04:32:15 PM »

What will you reflect upon when the final moments draw near?

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/48480/in-between-switch-review

Have you ever thought what the end of your life will look like? That is the question that In Between from Gentlymad is trying to answer. This puzzle-platformer has you reflect on the life of a singular man, and how it came ahead through some turbulent times. While this darker story pulled me in, how would In Between actually fare? The answer is, pretty good. While there are mishaps, it managed to keep me engaged until the end.

In Between tells the story of a man who is about to die. The man starts out in a wheelchair and is so feeble he can barely push himself forward. In the next moment, it flashes back to a healthier version of himself. The journey sees his descent into despair in a package that left me amazed for a whole host of reasons. It is a powerful game that leaves you choked up by the end as you explore what he went through. It brings you through his memories, feelings and what holds him back.

The puzzle-platforming aspect of the adventure is straightforward. You move yourself back and forth while changing the area’s gravity. Precise movement is required to navigate the puzzles. The initial ones keep it simple, as you just have to avoid spikes. It doesn't take long before the game starts throwing more complicated obstacles in the way. You will need to use boulders to your advantage and ensure that you have a place to stand. Falling into a trap means getting crushed and restarting the level. Thankfully, there’s no limit on the number of times you can attempt the puzzles, so there’s no need to rush them. In Between is about weighing your options, and putting a singular run in motion. My main issue with the puzzles is that their designs aren't always the best. The puzzles have some obtuse moments that I could do without. The span to react is too small in those instances, which breaks up the overall flow.

For the rest, In Between has an enjoyable pace to it. There’s no way to really prepare for the next onslaught as there’s quite a bit of variety in the obstacles. There will be platforms that move along at their own pace, spiky balls that make leaps of faith tricky and darkness that tries to trap you. While dealing with all of this, the man has inner monologues that explain the mentality behind the puzzles. There are moments where the grey background crumbles down and turns into an important memory. Every step leads to another reason why the main character has so many regrets in his life. It marries gameplay and story to a surprisingly entertaining degree. With 60 puzzles, there is plenty of content to get through.

Graphically, In Between is quite an impressive game. It has a crisp and beautiful style that still stands out in Nintendo Switch's cramped library. The environments and characters look all hand drawn which gives the impression of a world surrounding the man. It represents the various challenges he has to overcome before he can move on to the final chapter of his life. The music does a great job bringing the whole atmosphere home. There is a lot of classical music thrown into the mix, and it fits the theme extremely well.

In Between is a real solid puzzle-platformer in a world with many on Nintendo Switch. The darker tone of the story questions life, death and everything between with care. There are some puzzle bits that could've been formed better, but it is a fantastic game in the grand scheme of things. All in all, this is one of those games I would recommend putting on headphones for and kick it back in handheld mode. The intensity of some individual moments are really well suited for a personal display.

[Fluid action, superb presentation and a real challenge. Velocity 2X has it all and more!]

109

TalkBack / Velocity 2X (Switch) Review

« on: September 21, 2018, 09:22:26 AM »

Fluid action, superb presentation and a real challenge. Velocity 2X has it all and more!

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/48421/velocity-2x-switch-review

Sometimes a game comes along that instantly sparks your interest. This doesn't happen as much as I would like, but Velocity 2X  was something I knew I had to play when I stumbled upon it. I played the first levels at Gamescom 2018, where I realized that Velocity 2X is a game I desperately needed on my Nintendo Switch. Now that I've experienced every bit of it, I don't regret my first reaction. Better yet, it even exceeded my expectations. Velocity 2X is, simply put, one of the finest titles I played so far this year.

Velocity 2X puts you in control of lieutenant Kai Tana. She is the pilot of the Quarp Jet, a spacecraft that makes for a mighty weapon in combat. Due to a matter of circumstances, Kai finds herself in a galaxy ruled with an iron fist. The sinister alien race, known as the Vokh, need to be halted and this is where our heroine comes into the picture. Guided by a mysterious ally, she progresses through multiple levels to set things right and find a way home. The story isn't the main reason why you would play Velocity 2X, but it provides sound context to what you experience.

The gameplay drives the experience, though. In the majority of the levels, you control Kai’s ship, blasting your way in shoot-'em-up fashion. It’s not quite a run-and-gun journey as puzzles and obstacles crop up often. The constant shift between mechanics, whether its flinging bombs or warping deftly around the screen, is incredibly well put together, and I always felt fully in control of the ship. The levels constantly build on the abilities you get, making that next run all the more satisfying. Constant surprises and twists appear organically, making for a pleasing time.

In between the flying sections, Kai has to get out of the ship and attack Vokh hideouts on foot. This is where Velocity 2X goes from shoot-'em-up to a gameplay design variety hour. These side-scrolling sections showcase Kai's own power, which is impressive in its own right. The teleporting from the ship is present here, as is combat and dashing. The moment I jumped over an obstacle, instantly teleported down and broke the glass beneath with a gun I knew I was in very capable hands. Velocity 2X forces you to use the things you learned, and make use of the best tactics at hand. There isn't a moment that feels anywhere close to dull.

The key to why Velocity 2X works so well is the build up. During your first playthrough of the individual levels, you may run into certain roadblocks. Velocity 2X is finely tuned to the abilities you have unlocked at that point, so you have to work within those restrictions as well. The earliest stages are somewhat forgiving, but as you move on, the window to make mistakes becomes increasingly smaller. Reflexes and memory are tested to a high degree, something that might not suit every player. The best thing is returning to stages at the end of the journey, and seeing how your play style has changed. I found myself in the flow, and the levels almost turn into rhythm games where every button click matters. In that time, I became addicted to nailing down runs with absolute precision. It is a thing of beauty when it all comes together.

On top all of this, the presentation is brilliant. The stark uses of colors in Velocity 2X make for one sharp-looking video game. There is a real sense of layered work with obstacles, moving objects, and backgrounds moving independently. In addition, the individual frames during the side-scrolling sections are of the cleanest I've seen in a game. It compliments the gameplay in such a grand manner that it almost hurts. The soundtrack is also grand. Pumping tracks pepper the action scenes, and mellow tunes underly conversations betweens characters. It all fits under a singular umbrella.

Velocity 2X is a game I've played for the first time in 2018, and I'm sort of ashamed. This is one of the finest action games I've played in a while, and every individual piece about it works. Now to be totally clear, I do think it requires a certain mindset to love this game. The one that wants to keep pushing onwards and improving at every step. There are moments that can frustrate you if you are careless, but Velocity 2X also rewards the players who stick around. After hours upon hours just toying around with levels, I felt like an absolute boss nailing down every obstacle to a tee. Even now, I find myself experimenting and having a fantastic time doing so.

[A Final Fantasy adventure truly made for your back pocket.]

110

TalkBack / Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition (Switch) Review

« on: September 21, 2018, 08:55:04 AM »

A Final Fantasy adventure truly made for your back pocket.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/48420/final-fantasy-xv-pocket-edition-switch-review

Some of the earliest NX rumors involved Final Fantasy XV coming to the system. The long-in-development RPG finally came out in 2016, and proved to be a fun romp that was expanded upon the months following its launch. Multiple expansions and various tweaks were made to keep Square Enix's crown jewel in the spotlight. At a certain moment though, what are you going to do next? The answer was a slimmed down version that could go and support weaker hardware. This is how the Pocket Edition of Final Fantasy XV pretty much came to be. It was originally on mobile, but found its way to the Nintendo Switch. Was this platform the right choice for the game? Well, sort of.

For a supposed “slimmed down” version, the story is more or less intact. The player takes control of prince Noctis. He leaves his beloved kingdom of Lucis to go on a roadtrip with his three close friends. The ultimate goal is to marry the lovely Lunafreya, who happens to be the princess of a different country. Sadly, things go awry fast as the Niflheim empire strikes and takes over Lucis. Now it is up to Noctis and his friends to save the bloodline, Lunafreya, and the people living in the kingdoms. Final Fantasy XV is a surprisingly modern plot about friendship and trust. The four heroes get constantly challenged to the point where you can really feel their struggles.

The presentation of the story is the big reason why I prefer the Pocket Edition in some respects. The story is here, but it removes the clutter found in the original. Now don't get me wrong: I really enjoyed the story in Final Fantasy XV, but it didn't explain enough initially. The good thing about this retelling is that it has the proper fixes, plus the open world of the initial release is absent, so progression isn’t constantly halted and distracted. I understand why the bigger game was made the way it did, but the lightweight version here is more valuable for its focus.

On the flipside, Pocket Edition doesn't really provide a challenge. Locales are now walled-off levels that allow for little-to-no exploration. A few branching paths can net you additional items, but that’s all that is off the beaten path. The combat, while surprisingly engaging, doesn't really to go too deep either. Mind you, it is quite fun as you can attack and warp-strike your heart's content. There are special prompts for good measure to stop it from growing stale on the go.

Handheld mode is how Pocket Edition became a package I can get behind. Personally I don't think this is great television game. The RPG elements aren't deep enough for it to be one. A progression system is present, but doesn't go much further than the basics. You gain experience and ability points, the latter of which can be used to add more powerful moves and actions. However, since the game never gets that tough, you never really have a good chance to uses these advanced abilities.

To put it bluntly, I only played Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition HD once on the television. While the colorful style looks nice on a big display, it was more comfortable on the actual handheld. I was able to consume the game easily that way, and had a good enough time doing so. The only big negative I have is that these cartoony characters should've had proper faces. The emotional cutscenes hit an uncanny valley, purely due to the lack of mouth movement. The chunky environmental pieces, on the other hand, are actually nice and I liked them a lot.

Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition HD is a weird game to review. While it doesn't exactly fill an RPG-sized hole, it’s still fun to play. The challenge might be lacking, but it is fun going through the motions. It is a game you finish a chapter of, feel satisfied and go play something else. Not too hollow, but also not too engaging. Pocket Edition is perfectly fine handheld mode junk food, which is good enough now and again.

[A travel through memories that brings out the best in all of us.]

111

TalkBack / The Gardens Between (Switch) Review

« on: September 19, 2018, 04:00:06 AM »

A travel through memories that brings out the best in all of us.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/48405/the-gardens-between-switch-review

The Gardens Between has a stunning art style but being a moody puzzle game, it gives off the air of being just one of a slew of similar games that have dotted the indie scene over the years.. That’s not the right way to think, though, because you might ignore one of the  best puzzlers of the year. The game, developed by The Voxel Agents, is about exploring islands filled with objects to interact with. These islands need to be tread carefully as they hide pieces that push you to the next step. The Gardens Between tells a rather abstract story about what binds two people together.

Explaining what The Gardens Between is proves difficult as there is really nothing else like it. You don't control the friends, Arina and Frendt, directly but rather the flow of time surrounding them. By moving the stick left and right, the characters move where they need to go. Every other interaction comes from objects on the island, which you interact with courtesy of the A button. This ranges from messing with a remote control to splashing water on an electric cord, and so much more. The Gardens Between has a few familiar and recurring objects, like an electric hourglass that puts the island in a previous state, but the way they are used differs in each stage.

The controls are kept simple, deliberately so. The initial puzzles help you through the basics before letting go of the leash. From that point onward, you are on your own. The handful of levels take time to sink in before you notice every detail. The difficulty becomes harder, but it is presented in a consistent upward trajectory. The Gardens Between was just an extremely pleasant to get through and I rarely got frustrated or lost.

That being said, the game is a bit on the shorter side. At maximum, it took me about four hours to see everything in The Gardens Between. While I do think it ends at a well-chosen moment, it is still an abrupt conclusion. That final piece could've been explained a tiny bit better. With that out of the way, I think the story is a strong one. It goes deeply into the trials and tribulations of a friendship, and the various levels underline the overall mood of the character. What helps to bring the point home is the presentation. The simplistic tunes and lush environments are a sight to be seen.

The Gardens Between is one of the bigger surprises I've played on Nintendo Switch. The title proved to be a smartly designed puzzler that anyone quickly can understand. Solutions are found by using logic in tandem with the rules of the world. The flow of time plays a major role in all of this and a keen eye can help you all the way through. The only error I can see here is that The Gardens Between ends on a weird note. This is something that could've been expanded upon, but the developers left us guessing. The complaint is rather minor in the grand scheme of it all as the experience is one that shouldn't be missed.

[One game started it all. Head back into the original game and see the colorful ghosts that await you!]

112

TalkBack / Luigi's Mansion (3DS) Hands-on Preview

« on: September 18, 2018, 01:00:00 AM »

One game started it all. Head back into the original game and see the colorful ghosts that await you!

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/48393/luigis-mansion-3ds-hands-on-preview

When I name my top Nintendo GameCube games, the conversation quickly lands on Luigi's Mansion. It is an oddity in the system's library that remains entertaining after many years of play. There is something satisfying about moving Mario's green brother about and capturing ghosts at every step. Over the years, I learned to appreciate the game for how concise and compact it is. You move from room to room, handle the ghosts in sight, and make bank doing so. With a third game on the horizon, it is time to revisit the original game on the Nintendo 3DS. The game still plays incredibly well, though it adds some wrinkles that you need to put into perspective.

For those who’ve never played Luigi's Mansion before, let me make this introduction brief. Luigi mysteriously seems to have won a mansion. I say mysteriously because he never entered a contest nor had he heard anything about the location. Luigi arrives but Mario, who is invited by his brother, is nowhere in sight. The green lad has to find out what happened to Mario and help his new friend Professor E. Gadd. The professor is studying the ghosts of the mansion and kindly asks Luigi to capture them. He reluctantly agrees. With the Poltergust 300 at the ready, Luigi dives into the unknown and tries to find out what the various chambers have in store for him. Along the way, he encounters various bosses called Portrait Ghosts and uncovers the identity of the true culprit behind the whole scheme.

The gameplay feels like I remember it. You flash a light in the faces of the ghosts and start sucking them up with your vacuum. While doing so, the ghosts drag you across the room, and it takes a sharp eye to avoid the curves thrown at you. The trick is to eliminate each ghost in a single swoop. The task is easier said than done, but it feels so satisfying to pull it off. The HP of the ghosts will increase as you progress further, and getting the hang of the controls becomes key to survival. In addition to hit points, there will also be elemental powers and certain conditions that are required before activating the Poltergust. The game also asked you to move the Nintendo 3DS up and down to aim precisely with the gyroscope controls. The added control wrinkle takes a bit of getting used to, but it feels quite natural after a brief adjustment. Grezzo has done a grand job bringing over the control scheme that made Luigi's Mansion 2 outstanding.

With a connected world, it is important to know where you are heading. The original game made major usage of something called the Game Boy Horror. It is here that you could also communicate with the professor and find what you had collected so far. While the Game Boy Horror is still present, all of its functionality has been moved to the bottom screen of the 3DS. The map screen can be zoomed in and out further than before with the option to scroll with the stylus or your finger. Your money and ghosts can looked at by pressing the dedicated buttons on the touchscreen. Everything feels within reach, and it doesn't really interrupt your gameplay like it might have in the GameCube version. Even the conversations with the professor are spread out across two screens to much better effect.

In addition to the standard single-player campaign, Luigi's Mansion on Nintendo 3DS can also be played over local co-op. To explore the mansion together, you will both need a copy of the game. That being said, there are a bunch of asterisks attached to this. The second player will become a slime green Luigi that will aid the first player. Slime Luigi has only 50 health points (compared to Luigi’s normal 100), and some things can't be done by this second player. To give an example, the second player can't open any doors. In fact, it isn't even possible for him to pick up any keys found in treasure chests.

Your friend is purely there to offer help in ghost hunting. While that could be a thing in itself, it made the experience in general kind of easy. To be fair, there are potential scenarios where this is a good thing, but personally I can't see myself playing the game this way. Ghosts with 100HP were sucked up in mere seconds when playing in co-op mode, which lessened the threat of these enemies. The survival aspect of the game felt lost in the shuffle as coordination and quick takedowns changed the way Luigi's Mansion is played. This is great for a parent and child, but not so much for two people who know the game quite well.

As far as visuals are concerned, Luigi's Mansion looks brilliant when played alone. All the details are exactly like I remember them from the GameCube era. The pure variety found within the rooms and their ghosts is really staggering. In terms of frame rate and performance, Luigi's Mansion doesn't struggle to keep up either, which shows how well made the port truly is. That being said, the title does take a bit of a hit in the local co-op mode. It doesn't play terribly, but there is noticeable slowdown that hurts the experience. The co-op mode never ever felt really smooth, which is somewhat concerning.

Luigi's Mansion on Nintendo 3DS is interesting. Personally I can't wait to play this all the way through, but I think I’ll go in it alone. It is here that the game runs like it should, which is rather important for my enjoyment. The co-op is something I couldn't care less about, especially considering the performance has been somewhat underwhelming. The gameplay quirks leave a lot to be desired when playing together. Regardless, the struggle to stay alive is still very much present solo, and I can't wait to dig into the Boss Rush and other features this October.

[This party is returning to form in more ways than one.]

113

TalkBack / Super Mario Party (Switch) Hands-on Preview 2

« on: September 17, 2018, 02:00:03 AM »

This party is returning to form in more ways than one.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/48386/super-mario-party-switch-hands-on-preview-2

Super Mario Party is a game I'm fairly excited about. The game's Mario Party mode seems like a great mixture of the older games and Star Rush on Nintendo 3DS. In addition, it includes a bunch of unique modes with some pretty surprising ideas. There are rhythm games, co-op modes, and some unique uses of the Nintendo Switch hardware. I got to see a bunch of examples at an extended play session this past Friday. What I got to see wasn't just encouraging; I'm now pretty thrilled about what the package brings to the table.

Nintendo started by giving us a look at the Mario Party mode. The first thing I noticed is how different the board felt. What is clear from the outset is that the boards are smaller in size. Megafruit Paradise, the board we played a full game on, consists of four islands with a number of spaces on each. The way you get to different places is by utilizing pipes and bridges, which requires some careful observation. Despite the boards being smaller, they are built with that fact in mind. The events are all about approaching your rivals and staying hot on their tails. It makes the game all about close encounters. You need to know when to act, use your items, and stay ahead of the pack.

While classic Mario Party spread the players across a larger board, in this version all of your rivals are always within reach. The goal of capturing stars makes a return, and every new star brings a fast race to be the first to get it. In turn, this makes rounds on the boards high scoring games. It only took a couple of turns before players had a bunch of stars, which ensures that games don't slow to a crawl. What also helps to keep the pace up is the large number of events on these boards. Item shops and Happening, Luck, Bad Luck and Ally Spaces ensure that something remarkable occurs every turn.

As we were going through the motions, there was a gigantic smile on my face. Recent entries in the series hadn’t been able to elicit this kind of response from me. As the Mario Party games rolled around past 7, I felt a larger and larger disconnect. Everything about them started to feel less special and less concerned with making each board a real competition. Certain items like the Tornado (which steals coins) as well as the Lakitu Space (which steals coins and stars) made me aware of what the series was actually missing. The games became friendlier and less innovative as a whole with the end result being players grouped together in a car. Super Mario Party is taking gambles again, which, so far, are paying off.

What made those feelings even more apparent was the selection of minigames we got to see. In one minigame, Senseless Census, we got to count the number of Toads roaming about a train car. You had to move around, and count with the face buttons on a singular Joy-Con. Another is called Air to a Fortune, and here you try to grab coins from clouds. If two players pick the same direction with the face button, neither one gets any of the coins. It all came down to anticipating what your rival would do and reacting accordingly. The final minigame I want to highlight is called Rattle and Hmm. It is here that you had to pay attention to the HD Rumble and feel three different patterns. One of the patterns would replay, after which you had to select the correct one. Recognizing the repeating patterns becomes extremely tricky towards the end and really forces you to concentrate.

In addition to the Mario Party mode, we got an extended look at River Survival. In this four player co-op mode, you all work together to get your raft down a river. You will have to paddle as fast as you can and make progress within the time limit. Additional time can be earned by playing special minigames where communication is of the utmost importance. Depending on how points you earn or how quickly you finish the task at hand, the players will get rewarded with a rank that determines how much time the team will earn. An S-rank, for example, will net you 40 extra seconds on the clock. As you move further down the river, the obstacles become more hostile and earning more time is the only way you will make it to the end.

The minigames themselves come in the form of balloons. By popping these, you are transported to the explanation screen of a minigame. It is here that you can practise said minigame before you start. In the first game we played, Home on the 'Rang, we had to throw boomerangs to destroy parts of Pokey's body. Normal parts scored you one point, while the head got you three. In another one, called Net Worth, the idea was to throw up a net all at once by raising your Joy-Con in unison. By doing so, you would throw a bunch of Cheep Cheeps in a pool behind you. This really required us to count down and coordinate every move we did. Another example I'd like to give is for a minigame called Isthmus Be the Way. Each of us had to carry a big ball of fireworks passed a walking circuit and hand it over to the next player, relay style. This becomes intense quickly as the paths are brutal, and falls will you lose precious time.

The way we rooted for each other felt different than other Mario Party experiences. Naturally, there was the Bowser Mode in Mario Party 10, but that felt really half-baked. There were just a few minigames in that mode, and it was the regular board game outside of that. River Survival, on the other hand, is about discussing and coordinating every little thing you do, which adds a unique twist to the Mario Party formula. Honestly, it seems much closer to the group games in a game like Wii Party U, which is a title I just adored. Even in Wii Party U, the minigames never felt as tightly integrated in a gameplay mode like we got to see in Mario Party 11. The developers took what worked before, and added plenty of layers on top of it. I came away feeling quite impressed in some regards.

The final two games we played were found in Toad's Rec Room. The first game was Banana, Split. This game uses two Nintendo Switch systems to create a puzzle environment. You would slide both systems around and line up them up to create the correct pattern. These patterns are displayed with bananas and become trickier as you complete them. Another game was Shell Shocked Deluxe. This was the game showcased in the title's initial trailer at E3 2018. With two Nintendo Switch screens, you will be able to create a battlefield where teams of two duke it out in tanks. The goal is to shoot through the blocks, and make sure your shots hit the opponent. By doing so, you score points that are tallied up at the end. The ways you can set up the screens and create new fields to play on is absolutely unique. I found it most enjoyable to put it into a V-shape and see who would make the first move.

After I finished my Super Mario Party session, it sort of hit me. Super Mario Party is a fantastic showcase of what the Joy-Con and the Nintendo Switch itself can do. Think about it. Super Mario Party uses the notion of a singular Joy-Con to a fantastic degree with various modes of play. In addition, it brings new ideas by implementing two Nintendo Switch consoles for the Rec Room games. You work with or battle against each other in various modes that can be enjoyed any way you prefer. The game admirably tries to give the players freedom of play with a variety of options and games. Naturally, it remains to be seen if the game will continue to entertain, but I'm very pleased with what Nintendo has shown me so far.

[A Zelda-like game shown off way before it's time to really shine.]

114

TalkBack / Tale of the Ice Staff (Switch) Hands-on Preview

« on: September 16, 2018, 02:38:44 AM »

A Zelda-like game shown off way before it's time to really shine.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/48364/tale-of-the-ice-staff-switch-hands-on-preview

During a games convention, you get to see titles at various stages of development: some close to release, others a little ways off. Tale of the Ice Staff, however, really seemed like the title was being demoed way too early. Now, to give credit where due, the game is made by a single person. He is getting help from Zodiac Interactive to ensure that the game will be finished and released on the Nintendo Switch. The problem here, honestly, is that the product seemed very unpolished.

Tale of the Ice Staff tries to be a top-down Zelda game so much is clear. You will move, dash and have attacks attached to various buttons. There is a basic sword attack that does a swiping motion, but also fire and nature-based elemental attacks to destroy or get control over the enemies. It played all right, but the main character Yersa did move a little on the slow side. Another problem I had was lining up the magic in a way that felt satisfying. The enemies can shoot freely in any direction they like, while you are stuck with just 8 directions.

Outside of the basic issues I just mentioned, the demo was extremely glitchy. At one point I was running away from a boss, and the camera just stopped following me. Another instance saw me heading a certain direction, but that part of the game wasn’t built yet. The only thing I got to see was my character walking off screen and never coming back. Other game demos would block these paths altogether, but not this one.

After rebooting and knowing the correct path to travel, I finished the demo in about 15 minutes. Honestly, I got the hang of the controls and managed to make due somehow. The thing that I stayed with me is how the game looks. Sincerely, it has a sharp and fun visual style that is enjoyable to watch. Tale of the Ice Staff feels a little Earthbound-esque in its character design, but of course with a fantasy setting. That is what honestly made me the most excited about the game.

Tale of the Ice Staff has a long way to go. It is coming to Nintendo Switch in 2019, and I really hope that they are taking their time, for the sake of players and the developer. The intention and premise are sound, but the game being showcased didn't show off much of anything in the trailer. More though and polish would really improve the game, and allow the developer to strike back with a new demo. At that point, I am more than willing to give the game a second chance.

[What have cute animals and colorful bullets in common? Well, this game right here.]

115

TalkBack / Retimed (Switch) Hands-on Preview

« on: September 16, 2018, 02:32:10 AM »

What have cute animals and colorful bullets in common? Well, this game right here.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/48361/retimed-switch-hands-on-preview

The array of local multiplayer games on Nintendo Switch are in a good place. There is something gratifying about getting a job done together and playing games that instantly strike a cord. I usually play a couple of rounds with friends and instantly feel satisfied. That is how I felt about Retimed. After only a short time with the title, I was simply delighted to play more. Retimed is an arena-style battle game for up to four people that won me over in mere minutes.

So what is it that you do in Retimed? Well, you pick one of the goofy and over the top characters and start playing. More specifically, the game comes down to two simple mechanics. You will have to shoot at your opponents with silly and colorful weaponry, which creates chaos almost instantly. On top of that, though, when any bullet comes close to you, the game creates a bubble that slows down time and forces you to react. By jumping or dashing, you can get out of harm's way and then strike back.

Bullets are spread around in the form of item pick-ups. You start with a low amount, so getting more is essential to winning. By collecting a huge stack, you are free to take more risks and ensure that your friends can't dodge. This becomes more difficult when you realize that shots can bounce off walls and strike you from behind. Retimed asks you to stay sharp and keep scoring points until the time runs out.

The stages play a big part in the enjoyment of the game. The ones found in the demo were multi-layered, with multiple ways to move about. There are pipes or portals that transport you to another spot on the screen and various corners to curl up in. Retimed comes down to timing and acting right on cue. It is fun but overwhelms you if you aren't paying enough attention. My Retimed games often ended in laugh riots as the dominant player shifted from game to game.

All in all, Retimed was just a fine multiplayer outing. Nothing bad about the game screamed out to me, and I laughed regularly while I was playing it. What helps, I reckon, are the colorful characters that populate the game. Seeing them shoot and fly around is silly fun, but avoiding every shot is a whole other level of satisfying. Retimed is scheduled to release on September 20.

[Prepare for our war with an evil mist that makes everything disappear.]

116

TalkBack / Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics (Switch) Hands-on Preview

« on: September 16, 2018, 02:21:00 AM »

Prepare for our war with an evil mist that makes everything disappear.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/48360/achtung-cthulhu-tactics-switch-hands-on-preview

Strategy games are my bread and butter, so when I learned about Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics, I was intrigued. While this game takes the basic concept of a World War II game, you versus the Nazis, it raises the utter madness to a much higher degree. The Nazis have, for some reason, the power to summon Lovecraftian creatures to their side. These monsters need to be shot to bits, or you will find yourself with a major problem on your hands.

During the presentation, I got to play around with a singular mission. The basics are pretty straightforward. Let's start with moving our guys around the field. Every character can move a certain distance, and it is important to make optimal usage of your options. Finding a position that is safe is crucial. This means finding a place with proper cover, but also having enough room to fight your way out when needed. This is where the facing mechanic comes into play, which forces the player to choose the way his or her character looks at the field. By facing a certain direction, it removes the dark shroud blocking the area from your sight. When you move, the opponent could potentially attack you, but the direction they are facing determines if the hit will be a success. By using the Overwatch move, you can be doing the same thing after your turn comes to an end.

After you find the spot you want to be, it is time to strike your enemies with hard hitting bullets. By choosing the shoot button, you instantly go into a menu where everything about your weapon is made clear. You will know how high the chance is for a hit, the damage it will do and the likelihood of a critical strike. Your accuracy depends on a bunch of factors. If your target is shrouded by the veil or is too far away, your chance to hit massively decreases. Mind you, there is still a chance you will miss regardless, but doing everything you can to raise your accuracy is key.

I keep mentioning the shroud, but it is far more important than you might think. It is the only way you can see your opponents’ positions and guess at their next move. More importantly, you will be able to see their HP bars and know how much fire power is needed to take them down. The enemy doesn't usually like to leave the comfort of the shroud, so if you come close and expose them, you will actually push them back. This is a great way to single them out and turn the tide in your favor. However, the opposite is also true. If you come closer to them, a more advanced and powerful unit might be waiting to get the drop on you.

Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics asks you to take some leaps of faith, but it can also drive the momentum in your favor. A quick look at the field quickly shows what your best options are, and what can lead you to victory. Another important element of the game is Momentum Points. By killing your opponents, you can spend these points to take more actions in a given turn. Everything you do costs momentum, so spreading these points out wisely is an absolute must for survival. Using them poorly is likely to bring your team down, making your chance of success slimmer by the moment.

Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics seems like a fun strategy game to sink your teeth into. While the game is planned for 2018 release, I wouldn't be surprised to see it slip into next year. The team is clearly putting a lot of care into the product, and every element in the gameplay systems really makes a difference. All of these need to be balanced to absolute shine, and it makes me a bit wary about the title's release window. Either way, the game plays really well, and I can't wait to have it on my Nintendo Switch.

[Dark humor, hunderds of puppets and unrelenting gameplay. Just how I like dungeon crawlers!]

117

TalkBack / Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk (Switch) Review

« on: September 12, 2018, 12:26:00 PM »

Dark humor, hunderds of puppets and unrelenting gameplay. Just how I like dungeon crawlers!

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/48306/labyrinth-of-refrain-coven-of-dusk-switch-review

There are itches that are meant to be scratched. The biggest one for me lately has been Dungeon Role Playing Games, or dungeon crawlers. They see you traversing the world from a first-person point of view and battling with enemies when you come across them. While that style of gameplay can very easily reel me in, the games themselves have to be made well. Even the brightest games in the genre (the Etrian Odyssey games, in my book) have their specific quirks that you need to learn to fully embrace. As a result, not every DRPG has landed as well as I would have wanted it to. So when Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk came into the picture, I was both excited and a tiny bit worried. Some hours into the experience, however, the title continued to engross me. So much so that it might be one of my favorite experiences this year.

To give some context about the game, it’s actually made by the Disgaea team, which becomes quite clear as you take the story apart. The signature way of writing over the top personalities is present, and instantly put me in a good mood. The big difference between this and the developers’ more well-established series is that the humor is a lot darker. The witch Dronya and her ever-growing band of characters think a lot more sadistically than you would expect from Nippon Ichi characters. Do I mind this at all? Not really. The story isn't the main focus here. You might get a cutscene now and again, generally after successfully making progress. This fits the way the game was built, but people more familiar with this team's previous work might be taken aback a little.

In either case, I wouldn't get too attached to Dronya as you will only see her in the cutscenes. After all, she is an evil overlord that sends creations down to various dangerous dungeons. The dungeons are filled to the brim with miasma, a terrible substance that is deadly to any normal living being. A magic book, known as Tractatus du Monstrum, creates the puppets that Dronya needs to find out what is down below. The dungeons aren't your standard affair, though. They don't focus on going to the deepest abyss, but instead revolve around finding special passageways that open up more dungeons and locations to uncover. All of these roads and paths all connected to each other, and finding the next ecosystem is crucial to making any sort of progress. That is what the main objective is all about: just going that tiny bit further than before and seeing what kind of enemies you will be dealing with next.

In this dungeon-crawling adventure, you will roam about the world in a grid-based manner, and try to engage with anything that moves. The character you control is actually the aforementioned magic book, which carries five squads of characters that do your bidding. These squads can be customized and tailored to your liking before entering a dungeon. With six character classes to choose from and various combinations possible, it is a joy to experiment and create your ideal team of minions. At any time, you can take them apart or change the entire way you approach a dungeon. When that starts to click, the hours just seem to fly by and I found myself enthralled just trying out the various options.

The battle system uses different terminology, but outside of that, it is your standard turn-based gameplay. A combination of basic and magic attacks help you to overcome the maddening trials that await you in battle. Despite providing a real challenge, the things that the five squads can do feel easier to get the hang of. The abilities that are available to you depend on who you bring along, not so how much you raise or level them up. Labyrinth of Refrain rewards intelligent planning in this and many other areas. Leveling up your characters becomes far more important for actual survival as it decides the amount of hits they can take. In addition, you need to ensure that your stout defenders can take attacks to form a wall for everybody else. You assign roles for your battles, which is something that I found myself tinkering around with the most.

There are two more mechanics every player should be mindful of. First off, there is a quest to collect Mana as you continue to make moves. Mana is important for the evil deeds that Dronya wants to perform and the drops while exploring, so having it is quite vital. There is, however, a balancing system in place that stops you from taking things too far. If you continue to farm as much Mana as humanly possible, high-level enemies quickly come out of the woodwork. They will be way stronger what you can actually handle, which will quickly result in you having to make new dolls. The situation gets easier as you get stronger, but in the early going, it is better to avoid staying for long altogether.

Reinforcement Points are the other system present for checks and balances. As enemy placement is decided beforehand, it might be easy to use an ability and avoid them altogether. You could also blast a few walls, and just move on to a different dungeon entirely. To stop using these options with reckless abandon, these sorts of evasive maneuvers are tied to RP. Every time you enter the dungeon, you get a limited amount to spend on your run. RP can be used in and out of battle to help you or allow you to escape when it starts to look rough. Using them all in your opening moments may leave you in a bad place when things go awry.

Outside of the story not being the thing I expected, the only other complaint I have is enemy variety. Once you enter a dungeon, it doesn't take long to see most of the enemies on offer. Now don't get me wrong. I am not saying that Labyrinth of Refrain lacks visual variety. In fact, the visuals are really sharp on Nintendo Switch and stand out with the use of color. The designs of the Disgaea team were always strong, and this game is no exception. Even the music provides the right amount of atmosphere that complements what the game is all about.

Labyrinth of Refrain: Coven of Dusk is the dungeon crawler I've been waiting for. The way you build up characters and use them in battle is so incredibly well put together. Everything you do to prepare feels important, and readies you for what comes next. Naturally there are a few things to be said about the story's setup and the not-so-massive enemy count, but this can be forgiven in the grand scheme of things. The game knows what it wants to be, and I gladly spent well close to 100 hours seeing it all through. If you are looking for a game that will keep you going, Labyrinth of Refrain has your back.

[Color the walls, escape the police and learn about the beauty of street art.]

118

TalkBack / Vandals (Switch) Hands-on Preview

« on: September 10, 2018, 04:34:00 PM »

Color the walls, escape the police and learn about the beauty of street art.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/48283/vandals-switch-hands-on-preview

Vandals was a game I originally didn't hear much about. While I got asked to check it out for Nintendo Switch, I had to scratch my head a little. After looking at video of it though, one thing looked clear to me: it looks a lot like Square Enix's GO series. That is, in all honesty, a positive thing. There was a period of time where I played all of them back to back, so I was totally stoked for more puzzlers like it. Turn-based puzzlers usually know how to keep me engaged. After playing it, I'm even more pumped for what Vandals is bringing to the table.

To get straight to the point, Vandals is the first game of this type in a while that dares to be different. While the basic structure of hopping from space to space remains in play, there are many elements at play here. You are a graffiti artist, trying to bring life to the streets. This isn't without danger or risks to your life. Cops are standing at every corner of the street, eyeing to get you into custody. The levels will see you grabbing the spray can and using throwing items to distract the police so that you can get to the goal.

The cops are usually fixed in place. That is until you throw an item or used the can. It is where the strategy of Vandals really comes into its own. You constantly have to move back and forth to stay out of sight. With simple movements on the control sticks, you will eventually get the job done. In the levels showcased to me, there are chances to hide in the bushes or dive into the sewers. All of this is needed to get yourself out of there safely.

Next to the strategic elements of the game, Vandals tries to throw another in the mix. You will be able to create your own patterns and throw them on walls in the game. Once you are zoomed it, your creation remains on the surface of the stage. Next to this, it will also go in collection menu where you can look at your best work. I can see myself toying around with this, take a picture with the capture button and throwing on social media. Naturally it only goes so far, but there are various tools in play. You can just use text as a tag you want to see in the title. On a side note, the developer showcased an experimental feature that uses the IR Motion Camera for patterns as well. It is unsure if the functionality will make it into the final product.

The various locations you visit across various chapters serve a purpose as well. Arte, a company known for documentaries in the European market, is actually funding this project. They have started a foray in video games with this being their first ever Nintendo release. The educational side of things will tell about the various locations as well as famous street art. It is fun to learn without being intrusive in any way. All I can say is that I'm absolutely down for more projects like this.

All in all, Vandals seems like a very enjoyable game. While it uses some elements of Square Enix's GO games, it does so without being a blatant copy. They added new things where they could, and left them be where the foundation is sound. The twist of creating and putting in your own art pieces is a very cool touch, which I will absolutely share on social media. Vandals is releasing in early 2019.

[Help little squares survive in an endless stream of bad.]

119

TalkBack / DERU: The Art of Cooperation (Switch) Hands-on Preview

« on: September 09, 2018, 04:26:29 PM »

Help little squares survive in an endless stream of bad.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/48282/deru-the-art-of-cooperation-switch-hands-on-preview

Last year at Gamescom, I came into contact with a game called DERU: The Art of Cooperation. The game, made by INK KIT studios, was one of the biggest surprises during last year's show. As the title implies, this is all about working together and helping each other to a goal. Each player takes control of a shape, moves it across the stage, and tries to make it to the end safely. In most levels, one player is tasked with blocking streams from the opposite color. This allows for a safe passage to the other side and you are constantly switching turns to make it through together.

The way that DERU makes it interesting is by throwing constant twists in the level design. Early level has easy pass throughs that have singular or rather static lines, but that becomes tricky as you go along. A good example is how multiple streams of the same color come into play. You basically give or take some essence from the other player, allowing you to shrink and grow in size. Growing or shrinking has effects on how you move about, so pushing forward with care is of absolute importance.

The paths to the end goals become riskier. Sometimes you have to guide your friend all the way across the screen to win. Other moments come down to timing, and ensuring that you move at the right moment. In one of the levels, a stream needs to be blocked to stop a color filled switch long enough to carry on. Another sees you pushing a block in front of a stream so that multiple could be stopped at once. DERU comes down to teamwork, going over your options and coming together as a team.

While co-op is the intended way to play DERU, you can technically play it alone. In this mode you will need to move around both shapes at once. With Joy-Con at the ready, every tiny bit of timing needs to be done alone. If someone can beat this alone, that would be an incredible feat, but it sounds more frustrating than actually enjoyable. A good example is how there are a few levels with some tight spaces. I feel that alone, it may come down to sheer luck to get yourself through safely.  There is a pureness of coming together to reach a common goal.

DERU: The Art of Cooperation finally has a release window. While the game was originally planned to be released last year, the team came up with more ideas for levels. This was clear from the demo as every level added new wrinkles that made it an inventive puzzler. DERU, now scheduled for an October 2018 release, is a game that should be experienced. There is something absolutely mesmerizing about making the paths and nailing the timing. Next month can't come soon enough!

[Enter a weird sci-fi adventure in the lush world of 1960s West Germany.]

120

TalkBack / Trüberbrook (Switch) Hands-on Preview

« on: September 08, 2018, 03:29:42 PM »

Enter a weird sci-fi adventure in the lush world of 1960s West Germany.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/48263/truberbrook-switch-hands-on-preview

Handmade adventure seems all the rage. While Slow Bros.'s Harold Halibut was impressive, it wasn't the only game of that type that I liked at Gamescom 2018. Trüberbrook takes a slightly different approach to building its the world. The sets are made from real miniature scale models, but everything else is computer animated. The result is a game that looks crisp from the outset, but somewhat less made from real materials. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact, I find the art style inviting. These are two similar yet different games that take a different approach to their craft.

That approach also translates to the story. Trüberbrook goes more for the mystery side, with a larger focus on puzzles. The result is a game that raises your eyebrows the moment you press start. The game situates you in late 1960s West Germany where you play as a young American physicist. Tannhauser, as the man is called, happens to win a vacation to the aging resort of Trüberbrook. He hopes to find some peace and quiet in these lush surroundings, but that plan soon goes awry. Strange things seem afoot in the town as you find secret labs and weird clues. It is up to Tannhauser to save the world and find out the truth in this weird sci-fi mishmash.

The interface is honestly what impressed me the most. In most cases, I prefer playing adventure games with a mouse. Trüberbrook is smartly designed around the buttons of the controller. You can choose dialogue options by rotating the joystick, interact with people or objects with the face buttons and move around the layered environment with ease. This isn't an adventure game translated to different controls; rather, it is made with them in mind. In the demo levels I got to play, the cursor could be used to select and make statements from afar, while coming closer started the interactions needed to progress.

Another thing I really liked was the utterly seamless transition between puzzles and narrative. They are woven into and complement each other. The result is that you learn a lot about the characters quickly. One such interaction is how Tannhauser had to comfort a lonely computer AI, simply by doing the right things like giving positive encouragement. This will earn you the AI’s trust, allowing you to continue with your exploration through the lab. The flow from walking to interaction is extremely tight, and it caused the demo never to have a dull moment.

All in all, Trüberbrook left me curious and full of questions. Mostly, I wanted to know where this adventure is going, a topic seemingly left open to interpretation. Tannhauser's role in the mystery seems to be bigger than the game tells at the outset. In addition, the title just looks really sharp all around. It contains the right chemistry of handmade model set pieces and animation in one fell swoop. Trüberbrook is launching by the end of 2018, and honestly, I can't wait to see more.

[A demo longer, bigger, faster and stronger than before. More modern too!]

121

TalkBack / Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom (Switch) Hands-on Preview

« on: September 08, 2018, 03:29:35 PM »

A demo longer, bigger, faster and stronger than before. More modern too!

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/48264/monster-boy-and-the-cursed-kingdom-switch-hands-on-preview

During Gamescom 2018, we finally got to see a new build for Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom. The game has been a long time coming and is finally being released on November 6. Monster Boy, based on the legendary series of old, is coming together in a way that makes me very hopeful. The classic platforming and the ability to transform into different animals come together much better than I was anticipating. Before I could jump in, though, I was welcomed with a wonderful animated intro scene that gave me Japanese and French animation style vibes.

Moving on, let's talk about that classic platforming action. As the titular Boy, you have a sword and jumping abilities to account for. Precision in these sections comes down to knowing when to strike. In a previous demo, the timing was a bit finicky, but it seems to have been adjusted in this new version. The action feels a lot more direct and hard hitting, both things I want out of a platformer like this. Enemies and obstacles come from all angles, ensuring that you stay on your toes. In the opening moments of the game, the Cursed Kingdom plays with these expectations enough. Foes quickly pop out of nowhere. The early challenge helps you adjust to the way the game plays.

Another part that felt longer before, compared to the segment in the original demo,  was using the Heavy Boots. With these, you can walk underwater and your jumps are also longer. This makes going for the Reflection Shield much more of a breeze. With the shield in hand, you can stop the enemy blocking your way and progress through the level at hand. Beyond that, nothing major has really changed in the beginning. You do some more platforming, collect the fire spell, and carry on like normal.

However, the level carries on longer than in the previous builds of the game. There is a really cool moment where you enter a door and pop out far into the background. You will collect an item and get bounced all the way back to the foreground. Another cool element is how will use the fire spell to flip a switch far out of reach. A similar tactic was shown with vines in an earlier part of the build. The final section before the boss sees you crossing planks that can break when you walk over them. If you go step carefully, you will find a secret chest granting you a potion. After that, you will need to move to the right constantly while catching up to a moving platform.

The demo ends, once again, with the showdown between the boy and the octopus. Mechanically, you will still have to stab the tentacles with your sword. More importantly is what the developers have done with the graphics. Not just in this fight, but the overall look of the title in general appears to have been upgraded. While the original demo used the boy's original design, the new model is far more animated and cartoony. The backgrounds, environmental details, and enemies have been improved as well to give them a brand new look. The sheer difference in quality is absolutely impressive to behold.

While I didn't try any new transformations, I did walk away from Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom happy. The development team is clearly looking at the feedback of the original demo and polishing it in every way they can. The result is a game that fully evolves from its source material and does things in a new way, not for the sake of being different, but to bring a feeling to Monster Boy that stands on its own. The game looks fantastic, and I really can't wait until its release in November.

[Where working together isn't just something in a features list.]

122

TalkBack / Tied Together (Switch) Hands-on Preview

« on: September 08, 2018, 03:26:37 AM »

Where working together isn't just something in a features list.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/48257/tied-together-switch-hands-on-preview

Tied Together is a different kind of puzzle platformer. While most focus on a solid solo experience, the team here is focused on multiplayer. That team, which consists of only two people, started on the game as part of a game jam. After 48 hours of work, the attention to detail was clear as plenty of people adored it. The duo quickly found themselves making a bigger and better version of the game, which is now coming to the Nintendo Switch. After months of work, we got a first look at the game. My first impression? It was quite adorable.

The game is born out of the necessity to communicate with others. While some games try to force players a certain way, Tied Together has the mechanics for cooperative play baked in. Each player can do basic running and jumping actions, but with a twist. All the participants are attached by a string, ensuring that you can't go too far ahead. To solve puzzles and collect objects, you will have to trust each to do the right things. This can be flinging someone towards an environmental puzzle, or hanging just above some spikes. The key is figure out a strategy together with the simplest movements possible.

Tied Together feels like a game everybody can play, but there are rankings and medals to earn if you are up to the challenge. The game doesn't punish you for slacking or just having a fun time, but there are goals to shoot for. This is what keeps the title engaging in the short time I got to play it at Gamescom. Another positive aspect of the game is the options offered to players. There are specific levels for two players and groups of three or four people. In each option, the ways that players interact change. The approach to every task differs, forcing you rethink details over again.

Those details are what work about Tied Together. In essence, it seems like a concept everyone can come up, but the way the game handles it is special. During my play time, I couldn’t help but laugh coming up with dumb solutions to big puzzles. Everyone in the room had a smile on their face, which I feel is the primary goal of all multiplayer games. If you’re up for a laugh or playing with a group of puzzle fanatics, I reckon that Tied Together will serve you well.

[The ghostbusters called. They think your game is looking pretty good!]

123

TalkBack / Dead End Job (Switch) Hands-on Preview

« on: September 08, 2018, 03:22:59 AM »

The ghostbusters called. They think your game is looking pretty good!

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/48254/dead-end-job-switch-hands-on-preview

Remember Binaries? It was a smooth puzzle platformer where you moved two balls at once through various obstacles. That game was made by a studio called Ant Workshop. This studio, headed by ex-Rockstar employee Tony Gowland, focuses on two things: bringing indies to Nintendo Switch and developing original software. After Binaries, the second game has revealed itself as Dead End Job, a twin stick shooter that doesn’t actually have too much shooting. Sound confusing? What if I told you that you are a ghost hunter? Think Luigi in Luigi’s Mansion. That should clear up a few things I reckon!

Anyway, you play as Hector Plasm. He is one of the workers at Ghoul-B-Gone, a ghost hunting agency. Nothing out of the ordinary there, but you are actually haunted by your mentor. Your mentor took on a dangerous job, and got his soul ripped out of him. Now you have to return his soul to his body, or he will stay soulless for eternity. To do this, you take on various missions and blast a variety of ghosts into submission. The style has a very 90s feel to it. It reminded me a lot of Nickelodeon cartoons, with Ren & Stimpy being the prime example. It looks very clean, and is created with a lot of flair. It is honestly a really fun title.

During my demo, I got to play through two missions and the feeling became clear immediately. Dead End Job is a twin stick shooter, so moving and using your equipment can be done without stopping. At first, you will have to shoot plasma beams to weaken your foes. Once you nail this step, sucking them in with your trusty vacuum is a breeze. Well, at first that is. As each level progresses, the enemies become multi-layered. This will force you to use specific items, different ways of shooting and your agile movement. The levels are also different every time you play, so it is hard to fully prepare for what is ahead.

The ghosts are absolutely hilarious. They will shout silly one-liners as they reference the best and worst of the 90s. One reference that I noticed during the demo was an enemy based on Clippy, the office assistant from old versions of MS Word. His classic lines of advice get a dark yet endearing twist as you roam the top-down rooms. Another character reminded me of some popular pocket creatures that we all know way too well. The intention to parody is obvious, and Dead End Job is better for it.

While catching ghosts is fun, the goals are a lot more involved than this alone. The ghosts you collect will net you coins, so catching the toughest ones will give you more for your efforts. Money can also be found in levels, which helps to raise your score. In addition, there are also citizens that need to be secured while performing your duties. This objective is required to progress, so taking your time to find the citizens is important. Keeping all of this in mind, you will also need to stay alive with a limited amount of health. Juggling all of these goals at once makes for quite a challenging game!

Dead End Job is shaping up to be a enjoyable game. While we have wait until 2019, the game already balances has a solid balance between challenge and entertainment. More importantly, though, the mechanics just feel good. Going from shooting to vacuuming feels very intuitive and designed in a way that makes sense. Obviously, we can't skim over the presentation either. The incredibly charming 90s style gives the title a unique and colorful look. Who you gonna call? Hector Plasm, I guess!

[Make lines, rank in passengers and build your metro empire everywhere you go.]

124

TalkBack / Mini Metro (Switch) Review

« on: September 05, 2018, 12:21:12 PM »

Make lines, rank in passengers and build your metro empire everywhere you go.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/48238/mini-metro-switch-review

Mini Metro is my most played game on both PC and mobile in the last few years. Something truly relaxing can be found in building metro lines and adjusting them as you see the trains move around. It can be hectic, with  constant pressure of being efficient for the most success. Personally, it’s just soothing and joyful whenever I sit back and play a round or two. The game made the jump to Switch and it mostly lived up to what my ideals of a console version of Mini Metro.

If you never played Mini Metro before, here are the key pointers. Your task is to connect dots on the map to create transportation lines It is important that the dots connect, or a station becomes quickly overwhelmed. The beginning eases you in by seeing just a few dots, but as that number grows, so does the load that trains need to carry. In-game weeks pass and new lines are opened or new trains, tunnels, and wagons can be placed. Everything needs to be micromanaged to keep the commuter in mind. The commuters that travel count as your points, so every decision matters.

The metro lines need to be adjusted constantly, whether you run out of rooms or notice inefficiencies. All those decisions have consequences, whether it’s laying down a bridge over a river or potentially bringing too much thoroughfare to a station.  As stations gets too crowded, the entire workflow can get shut down. Just like that. Well, in the Normal and Extreme modes that is. Extreme even stops you from taking back lines, which makes it all a bit rougher. If you don't want to work within restrictions for a while, there is a relaxing Endlessmode. This is where you can kick back and build the way you want.

Personally I find Mini Metro a better fit for Handheld Mode. You can use combination of buttons, sticks, and touch screen to really optimize your gaming experience. Half of the time I would use my finger, while quick flicks were done with the normal controls. On the television, you can point with the Joy-Con, but the option is very hidden. You will have to click in the stick, which makes the pointer appear. It works fine enough, though centering it by clicking the stick isn't too hot. If you don't like that, you can still play with one Joy-Con vertically, which works well enough I reckon. Interesting is the inclusion of local play, which means up to four friends can manage the metro lines together. I like Mini Metro rodeos up close and personal, though I might see a family getting a kick out of it. There is even feedback with the HD Rumble, which I do fully appreciate. That being said, I remain adamant in saying that the maps work best for on the go.

Mini Metro is a clean and simple-looking video game. The 20 maps, plus unique daily challenges, present ensure an understandable experience that everyone can pick up. The UI isn't corrected translated to sticks and buttons, but you get used to it after tinkering around a bit. One bit I like to do is put the game in Night Mode. The dark look map fits me a tiny bit better. The sound design, done by Disasterpiece, fits the game to a tee. Nothing overbearing, but important enough to Mini Metro's design blueprint.

Is the Nintendo Switch version of Mini Metro my favorite? Well, I still absolutely love the game. The Nintendo Switch plays perfectly fine either way, even though Handheld Mode is the way to go. Pointer controls are a fun inclusion though, even though they should've made it easier to find. It is neat that you can play up to four people on the television, but the Mini Metro I like is personal and with me anywhere I go. The developers have done a good job translating the magic to the Nintendo Switch, which was honestly my biggest worry going in.

[Running through Japan like an absolute madman was never this fun.]

125

TalkBack / Nippon Marathon (Switch) Hands-on Preview

« on: September 04, 2018, 08:21:03 AM »

Running through Japan like an absolute madman was never this fun.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/hands-on-preview/48232/nippon-marathon-switch-hands-on-preview

I first got a look at Nippon Marathon during a showcase of Pqube's line-up for the coming months. The title – now available in early access on PC – is a multiplayer game for up to four people in which you race through stages based on Japanese locations and simply try to survive. You do this by running, jumping, flying and using items to get ahead of the curve. This isn't made by one teensy, little factor – the characters you play as all have ragdoll physics.

In a typical stage, you run until one player  remains standing. At that point, they receive points. Then, it continues from the last place it ended. This carries on until the player reaches the finish line  where even more points will be granted based on certain objectives. The game heavily relies on these stop and start over moments. So much so, that after a while they will start throwing aggressive dogs at you to keep you at bay. Naturally, the variety of items can make these come even sooner, ensuring that you stay aware of what is coming up ahead.

In all honesty, I got some smirky laughs out of the entire thing. Personally, I found myself constantly throwing the PQube employees constantly out of their game. In one instance, I would screw up their landing which made them fall in a hole. At another point I would lure the dogs close to me and then let them grab an opponent instead. Nippon Marathon is an excellent game if you have the intention of being an absolute jerk to others. It’s not the only way to play, but it’s certainly my favorite way.

Other than that, there isn't that much to say. The simple and goofy style won't be everybody's cup of tea. Nippon Marathon doesn't exactly look impressive but the laughs instantly make up for that. In addition, there might be interview sections where you can earn extra points by stringing answers together. This adds surprise to the overall flow which is already very disruptive to begin with. The title is meant to be played to have a laugh with friends. For that specific audience, I think that Nippon Marathon has a shot.