EGGLIA Rebirth
6.5 / 10
EGGLIA Rebirth has made its way onto the Nintendo Switch from mobile, and the while it’s a solid role playing game, it leaves a lot to be desired. Fans of the Mana series will have their eyes drawn to EGGLIA Rebirth almost immediately. Everything from the art style to the gameplay looks like it fits in the series. Unfortunately, the gameplay is decent, but there isn’t enough depth to make this experience as engaging as the series that inspired. Players will alternate between traversing short dungeons and recruiting party members.
Even worse, EGGLIA Rebirth suffers from a story that just isn’t compelling. Both the characters and the plot are uninteresting, and players will likely spend more time reading text than playing the game. The charming setting helps to offset this a little, but if the player isn’t remotely invested in the story, EGGLIA Rebirth will be slog to get through.
EGGLIA Rebirth also utilizes a few mechanics that require real-life time to pass. This is likely a holdover from the mobile release, and it means that players can’t enjoy too many dungeons runs at once. EGGLIA Rebirth is a game that is intended to played in short bursts, which will likely frustrate many players. Still, the format works well on the Switch, and I couldn’t see this game working on any other console.
The combat is simple, and every dungeon will only take a few minutes to overcome. It can be enjoyable sometimes, but players will often find success through the game’s grindy nature, not through any strategy. It’s not necessarily unenjoyable, but EGGLIA Rebirth just leaves a lot to be desired.
Rise Of The Third Power
7 / 10
With publishers like KEMCO around, there are plenty of retro-inspired JRPGs on the Nintendo Switch. While they obviously vary in quality, there are certainly a few solid titles available here and there. Rise of the Third Power is one of these solid JRPGs.
While it isn’t necessarily excellent in any given area when compared to the juggernauts in the genre, Rise of the Third Power stands strong as a thoroughly entertaining experience. The story and characters absolutely shine throughout the 40-ish hour campaign. Even better, the pacing never falters. The turn-based combat is well balanced and tactical throughout. Much like the Shin Megami Tensei series, buffing, taunting, and using special moves is essential. Players can’t simply spam the attack button to win, ensuring that the game is engaging throughout.
The game shines in almost every way possible, but it doesn’t start off bright. The first few dungeons aren’t particularly creative, and the emphasis on worldbuilding makes the story start off slow. Still, players that stick around will feel rewarded when they see the credits at the end.
Castle Morihisa
6.5 / 10
I don’t like directly comparing a game to another just because they are the same genre or use the same mechanics. This is especially so because everyone now compares roguelikes to Hades and deck-building RPGs to Slay The Spire. The thing about Castle Morihisa is its nearly a perfect clone of Slay The Spire, with the only significant difference being the setting and characters.
For those who aren’t familiar, players will engage in turn-based combat where their actions are dictated by the cards that players build in their deck. They can perform abilities, attack and defend using their cards. Early on, the deck will be be rather weak, but players will have plenty of options when it comes to building a strong, synergistic deck.
I’m not sure what Castle Morihisa is missing, but it doesn’t feel as addictive as Slay The Spire. Still, there are aa few interesting mechanics including a talent tree to add more depth. If you are looking for something to scratch an itch, Castle Morihisa will do that. Just don’t expect to it reinvent the genre.
Labyrinth Legend
6 / 10
The Switch is home to many great dungeon crawlers. Labyrinth Legend is a bright and enjoyable experience for fans of the genre. It isn’t particularly deep, but that is to be expected from a game ported from mobile. The controls are simple, with easy hacking and slashing available to the player. The loot system is also addicting, like one would expect.
Still, Labyrinth Legend falls short in many areas, especially when it comes to storytelling and innovation. There aren’t any remarkable systems and the environments that players will travel too are mostly bland. Still, if players can enjoy the core action loop, they will have a good time.
Sword of Elpisia
6 / 10
If you aren’t a big RPG fan, this probably hasn’t been the article for you. As mentioned before, KEMCO releases many JRPGs a year on the Nintendo Switch. Sword of Elpisia is the latest entry by the publisher, and most will likely know what to expect already.
The story and dialogue are adequate, with nothing particularly offensive throughout the game. fortunately, the art style is bright, making everything easy to take in. The turn-based combat isn’t spectacular, but it works well. There is a system where party members utilize companions that’s nice, and the party management allows for tons of compatibility. The low cost of entry makes the a solid JRPG for fans, but there are certainly better options out there, even by KEMCO.
Action Arcade Wrestling
7 / 10
I’m not too familiar with wrestling games, but I do enjoy a good fighter or party brawler. Action Arcade Wrestling offers just that, allowing up to 10 players to get into the ring for a good time. After a short tutorial, players will get to use the game’s two button system to strike and grab their opponents.
There isn’t a real story or campaign mode, so players are limited to just an exhibition mode. Fortunately, there are many modes within that, including 1 v 1, tag team, and battle royale. While the amount of modes is disappointing, the game does offer a robust character creation tool that is downloadable on STEAM. From the game itself, players can download their own and the creations of others, which is fantastic. I’ve seen superheroes, Ultraman, and a box of cereal in the ring.
There isn’t too much content, but Action Arcade Wrestling does a solid job of doing well at what little it does. If you just want to get in the ring with your friends, then look no further.
Beat Souls
6 / 10
Beat Souls is a pretty simple rhythm game in which players will dodge obstacles while collecting items to the beat of a song. The game features vibrant colors and fun anime visuals that are certainly appealing. The gameplay works great and everything feels good to play.
If Beat Souls suffers from anything, it’s the song list. The music won’t appeal to too many, and there aren’t any noteworthy licensed songs. The music is all upbeat dance songs, which isn’t awful, but some more variety would be nice. If players can get past the music, this is a solid rhythm game for anime fans.
