Switch Reviews

UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH Exe:Late[cl-r] Review – Flashy Fightin’ Anime Action

9Mar

By CraigNo Comments

UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH Exe:Late[cl-r] Review – Flashy Fightin’ Anime Action

Originally developed by Ecole Software and French-Bread, Under Night In-Birth is a 2d fighting game based on a visual novel of the same name. Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[cl-r] is the most recently updated version of that game developed by French-Bread and Arc System Works. It released on the Playstation 4 and Nintendo Switch on February 20th, 2020. For the purpose of this review, I'll be taking a look at the Nintendo Switch version of the game. Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[cl-r] is a fighting game I was looking forward to getting a hands-on with, because of my fondness for past Arc System Works fighting games like Blazblu. So without further delay, let's jump into it and see how it stacks up! Gameplay Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[cl-r] is a 2D anime stylized fighting game, develop...

Fishing Barents Sea Review – Going Overboard

6Mar

By DanNo Comments

Switch Reviews

Fishing Barents Sea Review – Going Overboard

Get your waterproofs and rods at the ready as we sail the rocky seas in Fishing: Barents Sea Complete Edition. Developed by Misc Games and published by Astragon, Fishing: Barents Sea Complete Edition is available on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox and Playstation 4. Released on the 10th December 2019, this edition of the game comes with extras to lure you in. Today I am diving into the Switch port of the game, keep reading to find out how rocky these seas actually were. Gameplay So what makes Fishing: Barents Sea Complete Edition different from some of the other fishing games? This fishing simulator is a commercial take. So not only do you have to catch the fish, there is a whole other side where you need to maximize your income to assist with progression within the in-game career. You sta...

6Mar

By TC Staff WriterNo Comments

Switch Reviews

Bloodroots Review – Roots Bloody Roots

The age-old argument about video games being too violent has plagued the industry I love for decades. Games have been branded with derogatory terms and parents have campaigned against the release of particularly controversial games. To counter this, gamers of all ages have argued that games don't glorify violence but rather use it as a tool to increase engagement and entertainment in the medium, similarly to the film industry. Gameplay Hotline Miami, Katana Zero and My Friend Pedro have helped to elevate the over the top action genre to new heights, and Paper Cult have recognised this and developed the formula with the bloody fantastic Bloodroots. An appealing element of the genre is the core gameplay loop and Bloodroots nails this. You are tasked with brutally annihilating all the e...

4Mar

By TC Staff WriterNo Comments

Switch Reviews

Samurai Shodown Review – Perfect Strike

Over the last decade, the fighting genre has had a resurgence and re-established itself with the masses. Thanks to the success of Street Fighter IV, our favourite franchises have been rebooted and restored to much fanfare. From Mortal Kombat to King of the Fighters, aficionados of the genre have been spoilt with the vast selection of games available, however, is Samurai Shodown a cut above the rest? The franchise is steeped in history, and although the game has never been popular with the mainstream audience, it has always had a hardcore fanbase. Releasing on the Xbox One and Playstation 4 in June 2019, Samurai Shodown has now made its way to the portable phenomenon the Nintendo Switch. Gameplay Unlike many of the fighting games currently available, Samurai Shodown i...

Sega Ages: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Review – Speeding Fine!

3Mar

By TC Staff WriterNo Comments

Retrogaming Corner, Switch Reviews

Sega Ages: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Review – Speeding Fine!

Yes, you read right... this is a review of Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Sega Ages: Sonic the Hedgehog 2, to be more precise. For the uninitiated, a little history... Back in 1991, when Sony made stereos and Microsoft made operating systems for PCs which would make your grandma's egg timer look fancy and cost the same as a small car, a fledgeling Sega was looking to challenge Nintendo in the console wars. Sega had struggled with the Master System, their attempt to replicate the success of the NES. Part of the reason for this was that Nintendo had an ace in the hole; (Super) Mario; a man whose chief personality traits to this day are having a moustache, wearing a hat and eating suspicious fungal things which fall out of the blocks he punches. Sega had nothing. Or, to be more accurate, they h...

Sega Ages: Puyo Puyo 2 Review – Retro Puzzling Fun

3Mar

By TC Staff WriterNo Comments

Retrogaming Corner, Switch Reviews

Sega Ages: Puyo Puyo 2 Review – Retro Puzzling Fun

What is a puyo? Collins dictionary defines it as a coarse woollen poncho, native to the southern cone of South America. Students of Korean history, meanwhile, may recognise Puyo as the name of an ancient kingdom centred in Manchuria. In Sega Ages: Puyo Puyo 2, a Puyo is er...a slimy blob of something. Fortunately for the gamers amongst us, this review will focus on the slimy blobs and not Argentinian outerwear (although if Thumbculture does offer up ponchos for review, I will be on them faster than a Clint Eastwood impersonator with cold shoulders). Anyway, enough small talk - Sega Ages: Puyo Puyo 2 is another release by developers M2 of a classic game from the past. So how does it hold it up after a couple of decades in the attic? Let's find out! Gameplay Honestly, there have ...

Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition Review – Heaven or Hell?

26Feb

By TC Staff WriterNo Comments

Retrogaming Corner, Switch Reviews

Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition Review – Heaven or Hell?

Fans of the hack and slash genre have enjoyed a slew of games over that last decade and now, icons such as Bayonetta are inherently linked with the genre. However, over the last year, Capcom decided to re-introduce the architect of the genre: Dante. On the back of the success of the fantastic Devil May Cry 5, Capcom has re-released the classic, and long considered the best hack and slash game: Devil May Cry 3, but will it evoke the inner demon or should have it been left back in 2005? Gameplay Acting as a prequel to Devil May Cry, this makes the game easily accessible to new fans of the franchise. Although the narrative isn't the game's selling point, it does tell an engaging story with incredibly slick action sequences and one-liners that have been taken straight out of a classic...

Metro: Last Light Review – Going Underground

24Feb

By TC Staff Writer1 Comment

Switch Reviews

Metro: Last Light Review – Going Underground

After the success of Metro 2033, a sequel was inevitable. And in 2013, 4A Games created Metro: Last Light. It was a notable for a couple of reasons; unlike the first game, it was an original story in the Metro universe, and it was the first time PlayStation owners could get their hands on the franchise. During development, plans were in place to release a version for Nintendo's Wii U, but, ultimately canned. Since then, the Metro games have been ported to everything. And now, Nintendo fans can finally get this hands on the series as Metro Redux releases for the Switch on February 28th. For those jumping in at the start, you can find Phil's impressions of Metro 2033 here . If you want to find out if it's worth braving another dose of radiation, then carry on reading comrade. Game...

Metro 2033 Redux Review – Back in the USSR (well, Russia)

24Feb

By TC Staff Writer1 Comment

Switch Reviews

Metro 2033 Redux Review – Back in the USSR (well, Russia)

The Metro series originally hit the Xbox 360 and PC back in 2010. The Metro Redux collection brings together 2033 and its 2013 sequel, Last Light, to the Switch. My colleague Rich is tackling the latter game, with his review here. How does Metro 2033 Redux hold up in 2020? Read on to find out. Metro 2033 Redux takes place following a nuclear conflict that has rendered much of Earth uninhabitable. In Moscow, many of the surface dwellers took shelter in the city's expansive metro system and began to form into communities centred around each station. You take on the role of Artyom, a man who has spent most of his life in "Exhibition" station. Life in the station is quite peaceful, with music and laughter filling the tunnels. Unfortunately, all that is soon to change, as a growing threat fr...

18Feb

By TC Staff WriterNo Comments

Switch Reviews

Help Me Doctor – Diagnosis Disaster

There's a variety of reasons why we play video games. It could be for pure fun, the challenge, the art, or the social commentary. And thanks to digital distribution, it has made it possible for small studios and teams to put out content that genuinely challenges your views in ways you didn't expect. Help Me Doctor, developed by IceTorch Interactive and released on Switch by Ultimate Games S.A, claims it will force you to face the moral obligations doctors face on a daily basis. But when you consider Ultimate Games S.A's height of social commentary was with their "hit" title Wanking Simulator, these claims quickly fall flaccid. Gameplay Help Me Doctor gives you your own practice to run. You'll see a series of patients and must diagnose their aliments, and ensure all their insurance...