Developer: The Chinese Room Publisher: Secret Mode, Sumo Digital Genre: Platform, Adventure, Action Reviewed On: Also Available for: Playstation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox series X and S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Ios, Apple Arcade, Mac OS After a bit of a nonstarter due to global events, I’m pleased to say that The Chinese Room has officially released their sidescrolling storytelling event, Little Orpheus, to the world at large, and people can rejoice to experience this delightful romp on something other than an iOS device. While the Apple Arcade is creating a lot of great titles for developers, it’s also a…
Author: Brandon Lawson
Developer: Dual Effect Publisher: PQube Genre: Horror Reviewed For: Nintendo Switch Also Available On: PC, PlayStation, Xbox Paying homage to the horror games that helped raise the modern fanbase is a tricky field to navigate. On the one hand, things like Alone in the Dark, Resident Evil and even Phantasmagoria are legendary because of what they brought to the table for both inspiration and innovation. Milla Jovovich wouldn’t have several houses in Tuscany if it weren’t for the Umbrella Corporation and a never-ending parade of zombies. But we also recognize that the games haven’t exactly aged well. Tank controls,…
When all is said and done with the Nintendo Switch in about five years or so (because Nintendo WILL keep milking this machine into the ground), I think everyone will be able to raise a toast to the number of ports that this console received. It’s not just the Nintendo ports of games like Tropical Freeze or Mario Kart 8 Deluxe that came over, but things from the Vita finally get a chance to shine. Akiba’s Strip, Danganronpa, so many visual novels…the list goes on. And now, a lesser known but nonetheless impressive JRPG makes a massive splash, as we…
Developer: Carry Castle Publisher: Thunderful Genre: Action Adventure Reviewed For: Nintendo Switch It’s important to remember that, despite being in the category of “next gen system,” the Nintendo Switch is simply underpowered in comparison to the other behemoths of the current run. The PS5 is an amazingly beautiful beast, and the newer Xbox series are, to put it frankly, almost scary in design and output. They both compete for the space of showcasing the most gorgeous graphics and the best in futuristic response, so we hold them to very high standards. We cannot simply overlook the Switch and say…
Seven Pirates H Publisher: EastAsiaSoft Genre: JRPG Reviewed For: Nintendo Switch It’s no longer a surprise to find games on the Nintendo eShop that are for a more adult audience. I won’t say mature, because, let’s be honest, a game that primarily focuses on jiggly bits is far from a mature theme. But gamers are, for better or worse, more open and almost proud about engaging with games that would have raised eyebrows, clutched pearls and outright been banned from game storefronts just twenty years ago. Compile Heart and Idea Factory are never ones to shy away from the lewd,…
Developer & Publisher: Thalamus Digital Publishing Ltd. Genre: Puzzle Reviewed For: Nintendo Switch Also Available On: PC Unique approaches to classic ideas are either going to fly high or absolutely crash and burn. When you take something like Chess and turn it into Battle Chess, you need to consider your audience: is there enough action for players who enjoy fighting games? Is there enough chess strategy for the chess nerds? Turns out, neither is well balanced enough, and the game is remembered fondly because it’s a classic PC title, but not because it’s actually a great game. Walk Home Games…
Developer: Pippin Games Publisher: EastAsiaSoft Genre: Action Adventure Reviewed For: PlayStation, Xbox, PC Anytime there’s a good role reversal that comes into play, I’m usually here for it. I recognize that many generations, even up to today, receive a lot of one sided, classic fairy-tale style backdrops for their games, movies and books. The boy is the hero or leader, the girl is the support or the helpless love interest, and everything is seen through the lens of why someone with testosterone is going to be the reason it’s all okay. So I was at least intrigued by the…
Developer/Publisher: NAISU Genre: Puzzle Reviewed For: Nintendo Switch Also Available On: PC Sometimes, a game riding the line of good taste results in something that is simply too lukewarm to be enjoyed. When you think of games like NEKOPARA, they bring a good amount of cuteness, humor and overall tone so that Switch owners don’t care/notice that hardcore pornographic scenes have been removed. Likewise, when you have a game like Fingun, you overlook the very mediocre shooting element because the pixel art is riding a Phil Foglio level of lewdness to make the game engaging for the eye and…
Developer & Publisher: Frogwares Genre: Adventure Reviewed For: Nintendo Switch Also Available On: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One Writing a game or a story featuring a famous character is something that cannot be taken lightly. For example, anytime a developer decides to add another chapter to the Pokemon saga, they need to consider how the environmental changes and fluctuations of the different Pokemon breeds affect the history of the games as a whole. Likewise, if you put Mario into a new situation and then add something silly to justify a new character, like a special crown that turns Toad…
Developer & Publisher: Silverstring Media Inc. Genre: Adventure Reviewed For: Nintendo Switch Also Available On: PC More and more, I appreciate video game developers trying to do more than simply entertain. Long gone are the days where games were only meant to stimulate dopamine and steal your quarters. Now, players have a chance for gaming to deliver a message or enthrall you with a story, in some cases better than a book or a film might land with an individual. Yet it’s also important to remember that developers need money, too, in order to continue their craft and, well, survive.…